A Highland Christmas by M.C Beaton is a cozy mystery that is part of the Hamish Macbeth series. It is the first I've read of the series, and I was surprised by how enjoyable it was. It is the perfect Christmas cozy, as there is no murder, just a few mysteries to be solved by the local police. My introduction to Hamish finds him a caring copper, interested in people, what makes them tick, and what is really worrying them. There is a little history here of the Scottish traditions at Christmas. Who knew that there is this Calvinist influence up in the Highland so that people don't want to put out Christmas lights and celebrate the pagan aspects of Christmas, not me? This introduction to Hamish has encouraged me to try more of this delightful character. Okay, I know I'm a late convert to M.C. Beaton's charms, but better late than never. Similar to when I discovered Cynthia Harrod-Eagles, I had to read every Bill Slider mystery there was, and since she was still writing I had more to look forward to.I'm in the middle of a Bill Slider mystery right now, and it feels good to come home to a familiar character with all the charm of an English city including the fish and chips.Fell Purpose finds Inspector Bill Slider trying to understand his victim, beautiful Zellah Wilding, a young teenage strangled at the end of the woods. Who were her friends, and what was an intelligent and talented young girl doing out so late in defiance of her strict father? Zellah had a holiday and told  her parents she would be staying with her girl friends for the weekend. Her parents couldn't agree, father wants her home and protected and her mother wants her to meet young friends in rich neighborhoods and make the right connections. How could they have made such a terrible mistake? Join Bill Slider and his crew of detective in this London police procedural mystery series compared to Ian Rankin and John Harvey.