An untimely death wipes the smile from Hamish's face . . .

In Scotland, where thrift and a 'nice set of dentures' are generally admired, Dr Frederick Gilchrist's cheap rates and penchant for pulling teeth have gained him quite a clientele. However, wiser Highlanders - like Hamish Macbeth - opt to steer clear of this reputed womanizer's all-too-busy hands. Only jaw-throbbing agony drives Hamish to Gilchrist's surgery, but what he finds there is the dentist's dead body - putting several angry husbands in the frame for murder . . .

Praise for M.C. Beaton:

'The books are a delight: clever, intricate, sardonic and amazingly true to the real Highlands' Kerry Greenwood

'It's always a special treat to return to Lochdubh' New York Times