This Scottish ball of fire known as M.C. Beaton was the prolific author of two popular mystery series starring her creatively-named detectives Agatha Raisin and Hamish Macbeth. I began reading her after being given an Agatha Raisin novel several years ago, and I proceeded to read every book in that series. I moved on to the Hamish Macbeth series, which is set in her native Scotland. I then discovered that, prior to writing mysteries, she wrote hundreds (and I mean hundreds) of Regency romances. My favorite little series of hers is a four-book Edwardian mystery series, beginning with the title Our Lady of Pain. She is a loss to the mystery genre and will be greatly missed.
