The Death of Cousin Rose

by Jonathan Harrington

Arriving in Ireland to visit his long-lost cousin Rose, who has promised to reveal a long-hidden secret about his grandfather, Irish-American Danny O'Flaherty suddenly becomes the prime suspect in her murder after he finds Rose bludgeoned to death in her vegetable garden. Reprint.

Genres: Ireland, Mystery

Paperback

First published May 1, 1996

About the author

Jonathan Harrington has published poetry, fiction, and non-fiction in everything from the New York Times to the Texas Review. He received a M.F.A. from the University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop in 1983. Jonathan has published a chapbook of poems, Handcuffed to the Jukebox, and his poetry has appeared in Poetry East, Texas Review, Main Street Rag, Pebble Lake Review, The Shop (Ireland), Green River Review, Black Bear Review, Kentucky Poetry Review, South Florida Poetry Review, The Spectator, English Journal, Skylight, and countless other publications as well being featured on public radio.

In 1989 he edited New Visions: Fiction by Florida Writers. Tropical Son appeared monthly in Metro Magazine and won the coveted Gold “Charlie” Award for best column of the year from the Florida Magazine Association in 1990. In 1992, twenty-six of these essays were collected in Tropical Son: Essays on the Nature of Florida, and published to wide critical acclaim. After working as an editor at Harcourt Brace Jovanovich and teaching Creative Writing for ten years at the University of Central Florida, Jonathan moved to New York City in 1993. In the next ten years he published a series of highly popular mystery novels: The Death of Cousin Rose, The Second Sorrowful Mystery, A Great Day for Dying, St. Valentine’s Diamond and Death on the Southwest Chief. The books appeared in hardback, paperback and book-club editions.

Born in Florida, United States, he currently lives in rural Yucatan, Mexico, where he has translated into English, and published, the wonderful works of some of today´s main Mayan poets.

Reviews

[Nancy H]

A good quick mystery set in Ireland, this book features Irish-American Danny O'Flaherty and his trip to Ireland to look into his genealogy. A long-lost cousin writes to him and tells him she has some interesting information for him about his grandfather, a man who died when Danny was young and whom he barely knew. When Danny goes to her house to meet with her, he finds her dead in the garden, and also finds himself the major suspect in her death. If he is to clear his name and be able to return to his home in the United States, he must investigate on his own, because the Irish detective is sure he is the murderer. This is a quick and satisfying mystery.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very quick and light Irish genealogy murder mystery.

[Cassie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this "cozy". I got it in a box of books my mom was giving away (seriously? giving away books? the sacrilege!) I don't generally like novels written by men, but this one was different. I don't know that I liked the protagonist, but I liked the setting and the other characters.

It's a nice rainy day read.

[David Peters · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a particularly great book, but it fulfilled its purpose quite well. Guy travels to Ireland to track his roots and his lone contact - Cousin Rose - is killed before they can talk.

Mostly it is like a Hamish MacBeth tribute band; it gets most of the notes right but is still a little off.

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. Interwoven murder mystery, Irish history and genealogy.

[Vicki Gooding · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast read, going back to ones roots and intense curiosity makes for a great mystery.