Publishers Weekly
★ 01/11/2021
The opening of a bookshop in Kilbane, Ireland, is cause for celebration in O’Connor’s outstanding seventh Irish Village mystery (after 2020’s Murder at an Irish Christmas), until Kilbane’s residents learn the shop is stocking only good literature and the co-owners, Oran and Padraig McCarthy, will let in only customers who can quote James Joyce or Seamus Heaney. When elderly Margaret O’Shea is found dead near the shop, garda Siobhán O’Sullivan is sure she died of natural causes, but when Siobhán tries to speak to Oran, his behavior strikes her as odd. She later wonders whether Oran’s antipathy to any fiction he doesn’t view as literary might be connected to Margaret’s death—and to the subsequent death of Deirdre Walsh, the self-published author of a dense literary novel, who collapses during a bookshop event. Deirdre’s tree nut allergy could have been the cause, but a power outage shortly before might have provided cover for a killer. Aided by a garda trainee, Siobhán pursues a puzzling investigation full of misdirection and enlivened by the input of her five rambunctious siblings. O’Connor reinforces her place as the queen of the cozy police procedural. Agent: Evan Marshall, Evan Marshall Agency. (Mar.)
From the Publisher
Praise for Murder in an Irish Bookshop
“A mélange of clues from classic mysteries plus plenty of Irish charm produce an enjoyable read.”
—Kirkus Reviews
Praise for the Irish Village Mystery Series
“Exceptional…Cozy readers will have a hard time putting this one down.”
—Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW on Murder in an Irish Cottage
“Fans of this series and other Irish cozy mysteries, such as Sheila Connolly’s "County Cork" books, will appreciate this atmospheric story filled with Irish superstitions, legends, and colorful characters. Vivid descriptions of the countryside will appeal to lovers of Ireland.”
—Library Journal on Murder in an Irish Cottage
“A good old-fashioned finale in which the killer is exposed at a gathering of all the suspects closes this eerie tale with a bang.”
—BookPage on Murder in an Irish Cottage
“Carlene O’Connor has continued to evolve the storylines of each of her characters into people that are likeable and engaging. She has done an outstanding job of crafting distraction and misdirection that is essential to any successful murder mystery. As the plot unfolds in this current tale, there are loads of twists and turns that keeps the reader riveted to their seats, guessing whodunit until the very end.”
—The New York Journal of Books on Murder in an Irish Cottage
“The intricate puzzle and continuing Irish atmosphere make this the series’ best to date.”
—Kirkus Reviews on Murder in an Irish Pub
“A delightful combination of Irish village life, family dynamics, and romance.”
—Booklist on Murder in an Irish Pub
“Readers are treated to a puzzling mystery and a pub full of suspects to pick from. Set in a village in County Cork, Ireland, readers will enjoy the typical small-town gossip and antics, as well as amusing cultural anecdotes, puns, and tons of memorable Irishisms in this fast-paced, interesting tale.”
—Mystery Scene on Murder in an Irish Pub
“It’s been a long time since I’ve read anything with so many dizzying, devilish, delightful plot twists. A terrific read!”
—Suspense Magazine on Murder in an Irish Pub
“This entertaining combination of Maeve Binchy's old-world Irish charm and Janet Evanovich's roguish humor is a smart, fast-paced read. Devotees of the Hibernian mysteries of Dicey Deere and M.C. Beaton will toast this debut with a pint of Guinness. Sláinte!”
—Library Journal on Murder in an Irish Village
“A fascinating setting, interesting characters and a well-thought-out plot make Murder in an Irish Churchyard a very good mystery novel.”
—The Burlington Post
Kirkus Reviews
2020-11-27
Garda Siobhán O’Sullivan dithers over her wedding plans and learns some important life lessons while solving two murders.
Siobhán and her fiance, DS MacDara Flannery, are eagerly anticipating the opening of a new bookshop in Kilbane when the body of book lover Margaret O’Shea is found near the shop, a long way from the Twins' Inn, where she lived. Margaret had been in declining health but still full of life, and Siobhán’s uneasy over her death. Author Deirdre Walsh is in town for the opening along with fellow authors Nessa Lamb and Lorcan Murphy and literary agent Darren Kilroy, whose client Michael O’Mara, author of a wildly popular fantasy dragon series, is rumored to be in danger because of his drinking. Siobhán notices there’s no lost love between the authors as they snipe at each other and vie to be signed by Kilroy. An event at the bookshop is combined with a surprise for Siobhán’s 29th birthday. While the lights are out, someone kills Deirdre. The obvious suspects are the other authors, who the Garda find are all hiding secrets. But the list of suspects expands when the pathologist finds that both Deirdre and Margaret were killed with arsenic placed on old wallpaper stuck under their tongues.
A mélange of clues from classic mysteries plus plenty of Irish charm produce an enjoyable read, middling for this series.
