India, Aug. 9 -- Dear Reader,

My bag is full of books. Only I cannot read.

In the waiting room of the intensive care unit, people stand in groups, talking quietly amongst themselves. A man across from me works on his laptop. The lady next to me gets up to go somewhere and leaves her bag behind so her seat won't get taken.

In my bag are murder mysteries: Death of a Nag, Death of a Hussy and Death of a Scriptwriter by M.C. Beaton.

We discovered Hamish Macbeth, the Scottish village policeman, years ago at an Independence Day book sale by Ashish Books in Fort, Mumbai, and we have been hooked ever since.

The stories are set in a beautiful Scottish village full of lovable characters. There's Priscilla, who is Hamish's love interest and als...