There are many ruined castles in Scotland. One such lies outside the village of Drim. Hamish begins to hear reports that this castle is haunted and lights have been seen there at night, but he assumes it's some children or maybe the local lads going there to smoke pot, or, worse, inject themselves with drugs.
Hamish says to his policeman, Charlie 'Clumsy' Carson, that they will both spend a night there. The keening wind explains the ghostly noises, but when Charlie falls through the floor, Hamish finds the body of a dead man propped up in a corner of the cellar. After Charlie is airlifted to the hospital, Chief Detective Inspector Blair arrives to investigate the body, but there is none to be found.
Dismissed as a drunk making up stories, Hamish has to find and identify the body and its killer before the "ghost" can strike again.
M.C. Beaton
M.C. Beaton, whose real name was Marion Chesney Gibbons, was a Scottish author best known for her cozy mystery novels. She is most famous for her two long-running series, Agatha Raisin and Hamish Macbeth, which both feature clever and charming amateur detectives solving crimes in the English countryside. Beaton's writing style is characterized by its humor, wit, and engaging characters. Her contributions to the cozy mystery genre have made her a beloved and influential figure in the literary world. Her most famous work is likely the first book in the Agatha Raisin series, "Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death." Beaton's prolific output and enduring popularity have cemented her legacy as a master of the cozy mystery genre.