Death of a Gossip by M.C. Beaton

Lady Jane Winters, society widow and gossip, is found dead at an angling school in Scotland. Who wouldn't want her shrills silenced? Local policeman, Hamish Macbeth is suspicious. With the inspiring aid of Priscilla Halburton-Smythe, Hamish pursues the case.

I was engaged throughout because I was reading it in German, enjoying the challenge of the language but not particularly impressed with the plot. There was a whole lot of set up, and ultimately the book did not deliver.

I am told that this series gets really good, though this first novel did not contain any evidence of future greatness.

Writing style: Flat and dispassionate.
Characters: Annoying and two dimensional.
Plot: Gratingly predictable.

That said, I've read enough series in which later books are utter classics, but the early books are a slog. I will probably come back and give book 2 a try - but I feel I really need to read something different first for the sake of my teeth - I was grinding them through most of this book.

A fine mystery. With the language and other things, I'm not sure I'd classify it strictly as a cozy, though.

Despite the fact that this is the first in the series, it's the fourth or fifth one I've read. I adore these books, they go down like a hot toddy at the end of a long day. This one was no different, I'm ready to read more as always.