#MMBBR Showcase: Death of a Nurse by M. C. Beaton

About DEATH OF A NURSE
The Hamish Macbeth series continues with a new mystery featuring Scotland's most quick-witted but unambitious policeman….

James Harrison has recently moved to a restored hunting lodge in Sutherland with his gorgeous private nurse Gloria Dainty. When Hamish visits Mr. Harrison to welcome him to the neighborhood, the cantankerous old man rails at him and tosses him out. The sting of Harrison’s dismissal diminishes somewhat when Gloria takes it upon herself to smooth things over and apologizes. Charmed by her, Hamish invites her out for dinner yet on the appointed evening, she never arrives at the restaurant. Four days later, Gloria's body washes up on the beach. Now battling more than the embarrassment of being stood up at dinner, Hamish must find out who killed the beautiful new resident of Sutherland and why, before the truth devastates the community…

About M.C. Beaton

M. C. Beaton has won international acclaim for her New York Times bestselling Hamish Macbeth mysteries. The BBC has aired 24 episodes based on the series. Beaton is also the author of the bestselling Agatha Raisin series, which will air as an eight-episode dramatic series on Sky1, starring Ashley Jensen. She lives in the Cotswolds with her husband. For more information, you can visit http://www.mcbeaton.com/us/ or at

http://facebook.com/MCBeatonAut

My work is inspired by the people I meet and small everyday events.

My favourite thing about being a writer is the luxury of being able to make my own hours. This was very important when my son was small.

The toughest part of being a writer is self-discipline. I sometimes sit at the computer and get a sudden inspiration to defrost the fridge or iron my socks – anything but get down to work.

If I could not be a writer? Perhaps run a small bookshop.

The story of my life would be ESCAPE FROM REALITY

I suppose my favourite book is The Faber Book of English Verse. I find poetry a great comfort

I am not like any of the characters in my books. There are bits of me all over the place. Not much of my character apart from the Highland side in Macbeth. Maybe a lot of me in Agatha.

I never want to take a vacation inside a favourite book. But sometimes, when I am watching television and there is a sunny scene and I am worried about something, I have a sudden yearning to walk into the television set and stand in the sunlight and watch the action.

Spring is my favourite season

I don’t have anything much to do with the book covers. Possibly the favourite one is a long way back: St. Martin’s Press hardback, Death of a Prankster.

It is more a nice memory than a funny one. Publicist Georgie, driver Dave and myself had time to kill in Derbyshire between gigs. Georgie suggested visiting Charterhouse, famous home of the Duke of Devonshire but it was closed, it was cold and it was beginning to snow. So Georgie went to the hotel on the estate and asked if we could sit in their lounge for the afternoon. We had tea, a log fire, and a strange peace. I did the crossword. Dave slept and Georgie read manuscripts. The snow fell gently outside. It was as if we were all trapped inside one of those glass snow ornaments.

I am working on a new Hamish Macbeth, Death of a Ghost

Thanks for listening, all of you out there wherever you are.