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Irish Village Mystery #1
Murder in an Irish Village
In the small village of Kilbane, County Cork, Ireland, Naomi’s Bistro has always been a warm and welcoming spot to visit with neighbors, enjoy some brown bread and tea, and get the local gossip. Nowadays twenty-two-year-old Siobhán O’Sullivan runs the family bistro named for her mother, along with her five siblings, after the death of their parents in a car crash almost a year ago. It’s been a rough year for the O’Sullivans, but it’s about to get rougher. One morning, as they’re opening the bistro, they discover a man seated at a table, dressed in a suit as if for his own funeral, a pair of hot pink barber scissors protruding from his chest. With the local garda suspecting the O’Sullivans and their business in danger of being shunned—murder tends to spoil the appetite—it’s up to feisty redheaded Siobhán to solve the crime and save her beloved brood.
369 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 23, 2016
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28975 people want to read
About the author
Carlene O'Connor
37 books2,615 followersCarlene O’Connor is the USA Today Bestselling author of The Irish Village Mystery Series, The Home to Ireland Series and the County Kerry Mystery series. The first in the County Kerry Series, NO STRANGERS HERE received a starred review from Kirkus and was the Mystery Pick of the Month at Barnes and Noble in September of 2023. Of all the places across the pond she’s wandered, she fell most in love with a walled town in County Limerick and was inspired to create the town of Kilbane, County Cork. She currently lives in New Mexico.
https://carleneoconnor.net/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,374 reviews
July 5, 2021
Murder in an Irish Village by Carlene O’Connor is a 2016 Kensington publication.
Siobhán O’Sullivan is left in charge of the family bistro, and her siblings, after the death of her parents in a tragic drunk driving accident. The man responsible is in prison, but now his brother is back in town, and is trying to extort various people in the village-
Including Siobhan- claiming he has evidence that his brother was not, in fact, responsible for the accident that killed her parents. When the man is found dead inside her bistro, evidence points to her brother, James. Determined to save her brother, Siobhan launches her own investigation…
There is always something magical and charming about a small Irish village… well, unless a murder cast suspicion all the residents.
Siobhan, and her adorable family, is going to be a big hit with me. I loved the village, the quirky characters, and the authentic Irish vernacular.
Because this is the first book in the series, some time was spent on introducing the characters and setting the stage for future installments.
While this may have initially slowed the momentum, the mystery stays in the forefront and kept me guessing, with a surprise revelation that I never saw coming.
I had a feeling I would like this series and it looks as though my instincts paid off! Looking forward to the next chapter in the series!
Siobhán O’Sullivan is left in charge of the family bistro, and her siblings, after the death of her parents in a tragic drunk driving accident. The man responsible is in prison, but now his brother is back in town, and is trying to extort various people in the village-
Including Siobhan- claiming he has evidence that his brother was not, in fact, responsible for the accident that killed her parents. When the man is found dead inside her bistro, evidence points to her brother, James. Determined to save her brother, Siobhan launches her own investigation…
There is always something magical and charming about a small Irish village… well, unless a murder cast suspicion all the residents.
Siobhan, and her adorable family, is going to be a big hit with me. I loved the village, the quirky characters, and the authentic Irish vernacular.
Because this is the first book in the series, some time was spent on introducing the characters and setting the stage for future installments.
While this may have initially slowed the momentum, the mystery stays in the forefront and kept me guessing, with a surprise revelation that I never saw coming.
I had a feeling I would like this series and it looks as though my instincts paid off! Looking forward to the next chapter in the series!
June 6, 2020
Murder in an Irish Village gets off to a slow start; you’ll need to scale a huge Wall of boring but necessary info dumping and exposition for context’s sake.
In many ways, this is your average cozy in that it obeys many of the conventions of the genre.
1. The town itself is a major character.
2. You’ve got quirky characters you come to like, and suspect, nearly as much as the protagonist.
3. You’ve got the requisite simmering attraction between the intrepid protagonist and the watchful, overprotective alpha-cop; I could do without this.
4. You’ve got the family-owned community fixture where the townsfolk go to congrigate and gossip .
5. You’ve got Siobhán O’Sullivan, the selfless protagonist who chokes off her future in the name of family. She is similar to most other cozy mystery heroines in that, but for her illegal, investigatory activities, she's a squeaky-clean emblem of morality; said morality is rooted primarily in her Catholic upbringing.
What distinguishes Murder in an Irish Village from some of the other cozies I’ve tried is the rock solid and nesting doll-like mystery, compelling subplots that tie into rather than digress from said mystery, and intense, nail-biting moments that belong in a thriller or horror movie.
I also find the involvement of the younger members of the O’Sullivan six rather cute, if unusual.
More importantly, fearing for their safety, as well as for their adult sister’s, addedan intriguing layer to the book.
I also got to be outraged that they (they’re teens aging from 13 to 16) were suspects, though I’d have probably jumped all over their not being accused.
The other thing I found interesting was the body count. Nearly all of the cozies I’ve read center on a single murder. Again, this plot device isn’t necessarily unique to this particular cozy, but it was a shocking and refreshing aspect I enjoyed.
The audible edition features music designed to enhance the listening experience. I won’t say that all of the music fits every single scene, but I can tell you that the “You did *WHAT* in the act of budding into a police investigation?!” scenes and the intense, horror movie like moments were all the more entertaining for the ominous music in the background.
Ultimately, Murder in an Irish Village gets the series off to a great start, and I can’t wait to tear through everything that comes next.
In many ways, this is your average cozy in that it obeys many of the conventions of the genre.
1. The town itself is a major character.
2. You’ve got quirky characters you come to like, and suspect, nearly as much as the protagonist.
3. You’ve got the requisite simmering attraction between the intrepid protagonist and the watchful, overprotective alpha-cop; I could do without this.
4. You’ve got the family-owned community fixture where the townsfolk go to congrigate and gossip .
5. You’ve got Siobhán O’Sullivan, the selfless protagonist who chokes off her future in the name of family. She is similar to most other cozy mystery heroines in that, but for her illegal, investigatory activities, she's a squeaky-clean emblem of morality; said morality is rooted primarily in her Catholic upbringing.
What distinguishes Murder in an Irish Village from some of the other cozies I’ve tried is the rock solid and nesting doll-like mystery, compelling subplots that tie into rather than digress from said mystery, and intense, nail-biting moments that belong in a thriller or horror movie.
I also find the involvement of the younger members of the O’Sullivan six rather cute, if unusual.
More importantly, fearing for their safety, as well as for their adult sister’s, addedan intriguing layer to the book.
I also got to be outraged that they (they’re teens aging from 13 to 16) were suspects, though I’d have probably jumped all over their not being accused.
The other thing I found interesting was the body count. Nearly all of the cozies I’ve read center on a single murder. Again, this plot device isn’t necessarily unique to this particular cozy, but it was a shocking and refreshing aspect I enjoyed.
The audible edition features music designed to enhance the listening experience. I won’t say that all of the music fits every single scene, but I can tell you that the “You did *WHAT* in the act of budding into a police investigation?!” scenes and the intense, horror movie like moments were all the more entertaining for the ominous music in the background.
Ultimately, Murder in an Irish Village gets the series off to a great start, and I can’t wait to tear through everything that comes next.
March 30, 2017
The setting for the story is Kilbane, County Cork, Ireland. Our protagonist is Siobhan O’Sullivan. Siobhan was about to leave Kilbane to attend university in Dublin when her parents were killed in an auto accident. She is the oldest of six children so she stayed to take care of her siblings. The next oldest is James, but he is an alcoholic. They all work in the family bistro called Naomi’s Bistro. One morning on opening the café they discover a murdered man sitting at a table. James is arrested for the murder and Siobhan is off to solve the crime.
This is a new author and narrator for me. I believe the story is what is being called a cozy murder. The book is well written and most engaging. This is a charming story set in a quaint village that adds charm to the story along with some interesting characters. My only complaint is some information was repeated during the story. A good editor should have cleaned that up.
I read this book as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. It is the narrator, Caroline Lennon, that makes this book such a pleasure to listen too. This is a book that should only be read as an audiobook to fully enjoy the story. Her lilting Irish brogue was a delight to listen too. The book is about ten hours long. I am going to be looking for books narrated by Caroline Lennon; she is a great narrator.
This is a new author and narrator for me. I believe the story is what is being called a cozy murder. The book is well written and most engaging. This is a charming story set in a quaint village that adds charm to the story along with some interesting characters. My only complaint is some information was repeated during the story. A good editor should have cleaned that up.
I read this book as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. It is the narrator, Caroline Lennon, that makes this book such a pleasure to listen too. This is a book that should only be read as an audiobook to fully enjoy the story. Her lilting Irish brogue was a delight to listen too. The book is about ten hours long. I am going to be looking for books narrated by Caroline Lennon; she is a great narrator.
dnf
November 29, 2016Unfortunately this book just wasn’t for me. It didn’t feel like a cozy despite the attempt at a charming Irish village. And the pacing was just too slow. The dialogue was awkward and overall it just felt as if the author was trying too hard.
October 7, 2017
A man has been murdered and with all the evidence pointing to her brother, it's up to Siobhán to solve the crime.
Well this is really very good.
It's a cozy mystery set in a small Irish town. To be honest, it feels like it was written 50 years ago and that's the best thing about it. It's a lot like those great BBC crime shows they broadcast on Saturday nights. Not the greatest book ever written but charming and well worth the effort.
Well this is really very good.
It's a cozy mystery set in a small Irish town. To be honest, it feels like it was written 50 years ago and that's the best thing about it. It's a lot like those great BBC crime shows they broadcast on Saturday nights. Not the greatest book ever written but charming and well worth the effort.
February 25, 2016
I thank NetGalley.com and the publisher for sending me this free ebook in return for an honest review. I enjoyed reading this book and give it 3.5 stars out of five. Siobhan O'Sullivan runs the family bistro, serving breakfast and lunch with the help of five siblings. Then her brother James is arrested for murder. This book is set in a small town in County Cork, Ireland. Siobhan sets out to find the real murderer. The author is Irish American, but has done a good job incorporating Irish speech patterns and slang.
January 5, 2023
It is important to note that the majority of the themes explored in this book deal with sensitive subject matters. My review, therefore, touches on these topics as well. Many people might find the subject matters of the book as well as those detailed in my review overwhelming. I would suggest you steer clear of both if this is the case. Please note that from this point forward I will be writing about matters which contain reflections on substance abuse, children absented from guardianship, & others.
The concept of a cozy mystery that takes place in a small Irish village does, on the surface, translate as something I would be interested in reading. I had spotted this book at random while wandering the book store & thought that it couldn’t hurt to expand my mystery literature; what better way to cultivate some atmosphere than in a quaint Irish village? Unfortunately, none of what I had hoped to encounter in this story came to fruition.
We are introduced to a family of six (6) children who are left in charge of running their family’s restaurant after the untimely death of their parents in a freak automobile accident. This alone was tragic & horrible to read about. Within the blink of an eye, this plot point plays second fiddle to the murder plot which seeps itself into the storyline. It wasn’t enough that children had to bear the brunt of adult responsibilities, worries & burdens. A family friend turned serial killer has decided that he needed to pick the children off one by one & murder them to save face. It was too much.
I do not have any desire to read about the overwhelming anxieties of orphaned children trying to find their way in a world that their parents no longer inhabit only for them to have to fight for their actual lives against a grown adult person whom they thought they could trust so that this same person doesn’t kill them.
It would have sufficed for the mystery to have remained the perpetrator of the car accident which took the lives of the parents. Had we been introduced to the family as a full unit we would have had an all-around less dreadful plot to work through.
The plot was heavy-duty while not offering much in terms of intrigue or reasons for a reader to complete their reading. Everything felt somewhat superfluous. There is the obvious tragedy that these siblings were living through; the jumble of secondary & tertiary characters whom we do not become acquainted with; a briefly explored scenery; save for the vocabulary & character names this story could truly have been taking place anywhere in the world, there was little tying it to Ireland.
Had the main characters offered anything resembling intelligence or depth, some of my points of contention could be ignored. I found so many of the choices they made, their inner dialogues & the overall essence of these characters to be irredeemably annoying. Tell me what in your mind, as a 22-year-old would prompt you to wander around town trying to solve a very violent murder? Nothing in your character build-up to date had demonstrated you as being anything close to detail-oriented, calm, collected or observant.
Perhaps, being someone who lives in North America I have been acclimated to the ‘safer’ way to approach criminal activity (i.e. not to think myself a member of the Scooby-Doo Gang & leave well enough alone for fear of dying myself). Perhaps because these characters lived in such a rural part of Ireland they had no qualms about investigating things themselves, putting themselves in danger & interrupting a police investigation because they had nothing better to do. I can’t say anything for certain, but that whole part intrigued me.
All in all, this is not a book I would count as being memorable, enjoyable or worth the read. There are other quaint mystery books out there that host an array of well-written characters, plots & sceneries.
The concept of a cozy mystery that takes place in a small Irish village does, on the surface, translate as something I would be interested in reading. I had spotted this book at random while wandering the book store & thought that it couldn’t hurt to expand my mystery literature; what better way to cultivate some atmosphere than in a quaint Irish village? Unfortunately, none of what I had hoped to encounter in this story came to fruition.
We are introduced to a family of six (6) children who are left in charge of running their family’s restaurant after the untimely death of their parents in a freak automobile accident. This alone was tragic & horrible to read about. Within the blink of an eye, this plot point plays second fiddle to the murder plot which seeps itself into the storyline. It wasn’t enough that children had to bear the brunt of adult responsibilities, worries & burdens. A family friend turned serial killer has decided that he needed to pick the children off one by one & murder them to save face. It was too much.
I do not have any desire to read about the overwhelming anxieties of orphaned children trying to find their way in a world that their parents no longer inhabit only for them to have to fight for their actual lives against a grown adult person whom they thought they could trust so that this same person doesn’t kill them.
It would have sufficed for the mystery to have remained the perpetrator of the car accident which took the lives of the parents. Had we been introduced to the family as a full unit we would have had an all-around less dreadful plot to work through.
The plot was heavy-duty while not offering much in terms of intrigue or reasons for a reader to complete their reading. Everything felt somewhat superfluous. There is the obvious tragedy that these siblings were living through; the jumble of secondary & tertiary characters whom we do not become acquainted with; a briefly explored scenery; save for the vocabulary & character names this story could truly have been taking place anywhere in the world, there was little tying it to Ireland.
Had the main characters offered anything resembling intelligence or depth, some of my points of contention could be ignored. I found so many of the choices they made, their inner dialogues & the overall essence of these characters to be irredeemably annoying. Tell me what in your mind, as a 22-year-old would prompt you to wander around town trying to solve a very violent murder? Nothing in your character build-up to date had demonstrated you as being anything close to detail-oriented, calm, collected or observant.
Perhaps, being someone who lives in North America I have been acclimated to the ‘safer’ way to approach criminal activity (i.e. not to think myself a member of the Scooby-Doo Gang & leave well enough alone for fear of dying myself). Perhaps because these characters lived in such a rural part of Ireland they had no qualms about investigating things themselves, putting themselves in danger & interrupting a police investigation because they had nothing better to do. I can’t say anything for certain, but that whole part intrigued me.
All in all, this is not a book I would count as being memorable, enjoyable or worth the read. There are other quaint mystery books out there that host an array of well-written characters, plots & sceneries.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 17, 2024
I haven't read anything by this author but was looking for an easy read small paperback to carry around in my purse to pull out for waiting for appts or eating a solo lunch out. This fit the bill. Enjoyable read although I felt that in trying to introduce all the villagers, she tried to fit too much into the plot. Siobhan O'Sullivan and her 5 younger siblings are at a point in their lives that is moving towards normality after the death of their parents in a horrible car crash one year ago. They run their parents' little bistro. Niall, the brother of the man who ran into their parents comes back into town which stirs up a lot of anger in the O'Sullivan's. Within a few days Niall is discovered in the bistro stabbed to death and everything points to Siobhan's oldest brother James. Siobhan is determined to prove that James is innocent, and she won't rule anyone else in the village completely out. She becomes a thorn in the local garda's (policeman)side, Macdara Flannery.
There was one hilarious scene when Siobhan was talking with the local undertaker that took a turn about the health of the residents in the village. People don't realize the service we struggle to provide. Of course, I'm thrilled to say that most of the residents of Kilbane are in good health. Everyone is aging gracefully. Good for them but not so good for business. I need to get paid, or I'm afraid I'm going to have to shut my doors. (I didn't realize things were that bad) As I said time are changing. People are exercising and eating healthy. You can't smoke in the pubs anymore. And did you see that Mike Granger had kale in his shop? Kale. John Butler looked absolutely devastated. There just aren't enough people dying around her anymore. I just laughed out loud when I could hear in my head the disbelief and amazement that kale could be on the grocery shelves!!!
Just what I needed, a good hoot while trying to solve a mystery.
There was one hilarious scene when Siobhan was talking with the local undertaker that took a turn about the health of the residents in the village. People don't realize the service we struggle to provide. Of course, I'm thrilled to say that most of the residents of Kilbane are in good health. Everyone is aging gracefully. Good for them but not so good for business. I need to get paid, or I'm afraid I'm going to have to shut my doors. (I didn't realize things were that bad) As I said time are changing. People are exercising and eating healthy. You can't smoke in the pubs anymore. And did you see that Mike Granger had kale in his shop? Kale. John Butler looked absolutely devastated. There just aren't enough people dying around her anymore. I just laughed out loud when I could hear in my head the disbelief and amazement that kale could be on the grocery shelves!!!
Just what I needed, a good hoot while trying to solve a mystery.
November 14, 2021
After her parents’ death - they were killed by a drunk driver - Siobhan gave up her chance to go to college in Dublin, instead staying in their small town to take care of her younger siblings, and to keep their family business, a small cafe, running. One year later, the body of a man is found in their cafe and Siobhan’s brother is the main suspect. Siobhan, with the dubious help of her four younger siblings, tries to find the real killer while also trying to avoid their evil landlord, and while trying to decide whether her future includes local policeman Macdara.
I came very, very close to giving up on this one, but, in the end, finished it. Siobhan is the least subtle amateur detective in literary history, and her sisters and brothers are nearly unbearably clueless. She never stops to think about what she’s doing as she runs around her small town questioning everyone she meets. ...and just in case she isn’t obvious enough, her youngest brother is sure to blurt out everything she’s learned to everyone he meets.
There was something about the writing style that I had trouble with at first- it didn’t quite flow- but I mostly got past that. There were a few head scratchers though - like if you gave your siblings the day off, why were they all at work when you came back from your errands? And, I might be wrong, but didn’t you say the cafe only did breakfast and lunch, so if it was after lunch, why was the cafe even open? And are Irish men really so short that Siobhan “towers over them” at 5-9?
I didn’t guess who done it, and I thought that part of the plot was good. It was believable and it made sense. I just couldn’t make myself like Siobhan and family.
This is probably closer to a 3 than a 2. Honestly, the 2 rating is for my future self, signifying that I probably won’t go looking for more from this series.
I came very, very close to giving up on this one, but, in the end, finished it. Siobhan is the least subtle amateur detective in literary history, and her sisters and brothers are nearly unbearably clueless. She never stops to think about what she’s doing as she runs around her small town questioning everyone she meets. ...and just in case she isn’t obvious enough, her youngest brother is sure to blurt out everything she’s learned to everyone he meets.
There was something about the writing style that I had trouble with at first- it didn’t quite flow- but I mostly got past that. There were a few head scratchers though - like if you gave your siblings the day off, why were they all at work when you came back from your errands? And, I might be wrong, but didn’t you say the cafe only did breakfast and lunch, so if it was after lunch, why was the cafe even open? And are Irish men really so short that Siobhan “towers over them” at 5-9?
I didn’t guess who done it, and I thought that part of the plot was good. It was believable and it made sense. I just couldn’t make myself like Siobhan and family.
This is probably closer to a 3 than a 2. Honestly, the 2 rating is for my future self, signifying that I probably won’t go looking for more from this series.
February 19, 2020
I enjoyed this mystery about a small Irish village. The book made it easy for me to visualize the scenes! I liked how the author added a name/word Pronunciation and Glossary in the front of the book!
February 28, 2016
Thanks to Net Galley for letting me read this so I could review it.
3.5 stars
This is a nice cozy mystery read set in the small town of Kilbane in the County Cork of Ireland. Siobhan O'Sulllivan has been having a terrible year. Her parents were killed by a drunk driver and her plans of going to University of Dublin have been put on hold. She has 4 younger siblings and an older brother, James, to take care of. She also runs the family bistro so they have income. She has a full plate.
Then the brother of the man in prison for killing her parents ends up dead in the bistro. James is arrested. Nothing will stop Siobhan until she finds the real murderer and frees her brother. She starts questioning people she's known her life and turns the town upside down.
If cozy mysteries are your thing, then you'll enjoy this little romp.
3.5 stars
This is a nice cozy mystery read set in the small town of Kilbane in the County Cork of Ireland. Siobhan O'Sulllivan has been having a terrible year. Her parents were killed by a drunk driver and her plans of going to University of Dublin have been put on hold. She has 4 younger siblings and an older brother, James, to take care of. She also runs the family bistro so they have income. She has a full plate.
Then the brother of the man in prison for killing her parents ends up dead in the bistro. James is arrested. Nothing will stop Siobhan until she finds the real murderer and frees her brother. She starts questioning people she's known her life and turns the town upside down.
If cozy mysteries are your thing, then you'll enjoy this little romp.
September 28, 2019
Murder in an Irish Village by carlene O'Connor is the first book in the Irish Village Mystery series. Siobhan O'Sullivan runs her family's cafe with her five siblings after the death of her parents in a car accident. The brother of the convicted drunk driver tries to extort money from Siobhan claiming he had evidence of his brothers innocence and then is found dead in the cafe the next morning. I loved meeting Siobhan and her family and enjoyed this mystery very much. The audio book narrator was terrific and I loved the accent which added to my enjoyment of the story. A nice, charming cozy mystery.
January 18, 2021
This was a bit of a slow start but overall an excellent first volume in a cozy mystery series. I liked the fictitious but realistic town of Kilbane County Cork. I also like the heavy dose of Irish lingo and culture it brought me back to my own all too brief vacation in Ireland. The characters both in the narrator’s family but the whole town were well done and the narrator’s siblings were hilarious. The mystery was interesting and I liked the twist with the specific murder weapon. I will definitely be continuing this series.
February 13, 2019
Geesh - Siobhan is exactly the type of female character in fiction that makes me cringe - hysterical in her reactions, and scatter-brained reasoning. She over-reacts to every single new piece of information that she hears. Trying to follow her erratic thought processes became too taxing for me - I am stopping half-way through the book. Her desire to ignore warnings and run into dangerous situations unbelievable - I could not must any empathy for her actions.
March 3, 2016
When I was looking for a new audiobook for my commute, I chose this book in the hopes of hearing a little lilting Irish brogue. On that note, I was not at all disappointed. The narrator was absolutely fantastic. I could have listened to her read an Irish phone book and been satisfied.
As for the book itself, it was okay. Not amazing by any means but decent.
On the good side, it really seems to capture the small town Irish mentality (as far as I know it, which admittedly is mostly from watching Moone Boy). Things move just a little bit different than what I'm familiar with here or from the many British novels I've read.
The characters, at least most of them, were also pretty decently well rounded. Siobhan was, at least. The author has definitely put a decent amount of time considering who Siobhan is and how she'd interact with the world.
On the not as good side, the pacing wasn't quite right. Not that it was terrible, but there's a bit too long of a stretch in the middle where there's a lot of investigating but not quite enough happening. Siobhan is constantly considering new clues based on the original event (sometimes considering a bit too much, rather than letting the reader consider for themselves), but what it really needed was another twist or new development earlier on. We get one towards the end, but if it had been moved up slightly, it would have gone a long way toward helping the pacing. The ending also drops off a little too quickly, tying up the murder, but leaving us before really resolving how things move with the rest of the town. Maybe that's on purpose. Maybe there will be a sequel, though if more people get killed in that town, it'll have a higher crime rate than a season of Law & Order.
There were also a couple of cringe inducing points. A lot of "Oh Siobhan, you shouldn't be doing that. That's not your place. You're place is in the kitchen," said by multiple people multiple times. Plus she did a few things that were just, well, dumb. The worst was one scene where she and her family accidentally set the drapes on fire at a wake, right next to the dead body. Maybe good for an episode of I Love Lucy, but a bit out of place for a murder mystery.
Still, a pretty decent, if rather typical, murder mystery. Well, except for the fantastic accent. Would definitely recommend the audio book, even if you don't care much for the story.
As for the book itself, it was okay. Not amazing by any means but decent.
On the good side, it really seems to capture the small town Irish mentality (as far as I know it, which admittedly is mostly from watching Moone Boy). Things move just a little bit different than what I'm familiar with here or from the many British novels I've read.
The characters, at least most of them, were also pretty decently well rounded. Siobhan was, at least. The author has definitely put a decent amount of time considering who Siobhan is and how she'd interact with the world.
On the not as good side, the pacing wasn't quite right. Not that it was terrible, but there's a bit too long of a stretch in the middle where there's a lot of investigating but not quite enough happening. Siobhan is constantly considering new clues based on the original event (sometimes considering a bit too much, rather than letting the reader consider for themselves), but what it really needed was another twist or new development earlier on. We get one towards the end, but if it had been moved up slightly, it would have gone a long way toward helping the pacing. The ending also drops off a little too quickly, tying up the murder, but leaving us before really resolving how things move with the rest of the town. Maybe that's on purpose. Maybe there will be a sequel, though if more people get killed in that town, it'll have a higher crime rate than a season of Law & Order.
There were also a couple of cringe inducing points. A lot of "Oh Siobhan, you shouldn't be doing that. That's not your place. You're place is in the kitchen," said by multiple people multiple times. Plus she did a few things that were just, well, dumb. The worst was one scene where she and her family accidentally set the drapes on fire at a wake, right next to the dead body. Maybe good for an episode of I Love Lucy, but a bit out of place for a murder mystery.
Still, a pretty decent, if rather typical, murder mystery. Well, except for the fantastic accent. Would definitely recommend the audio book, even if you don't care much for the story.
January 2, 2018
The real rating of this book is between a 2.5 to 2.75. Throughout this book I wasn't sure if this was supposed to be a true murder mystery or a cozy murder mystery. I think it's the first one since they had young people in danger and most cozy mysteries I've read haven't done that, but arguments for either could be done.
As a murder mystery the story wasn't as well developed as I would have liked but the characters were developed enough to not be boring. In the beginning, I was interested in seeing how this book ended and who was the killer. Sadly the more I read, I found myself becoming less interested in the killer as the book seemed to drag on. It was so easy for me to put this book down for long periods. I even considered putting this book down and starting a new book. All these reasons are why my rating is on the low side. I could see some people enjoying this book but true fans of the mystery genre would be disappointed in this book.
If this story is a murder mystery in it's true sense it's a 2.5 rating. In case this is a cozy mystery, I gave it a second rating. I'm bit more lenient with cozy murder mysteries so that's where my 2.75 rating came from.
As a murder mystery the story wasn't as well developed as I would have liked but the characters were developed enough to not be boring. In the beginning, I was interested in seeing how this book ended and who was the killer. Sadly the more I read, I found myself becoming less interested in the killer as the book seemed to drag on. It was so easy for me to put this book down for long periods. I even considered putting this book down and starting a new book. All these reasons are why my rating is on the low side. I could see some people enjoying this book but true fans of the mystery genre would be disappointed in this book.
If this story is a murder mystery in it's true sense it's a 2.5 rating. In case this is a cozy mystery, I gave it a second rating. I'm bit more lenient with cozy murder mysteries so that's where my 2.75 rating came from.
January 26, 2018
3.5 stars
This was a fun, cozy mystery. I loved the Irish slang that is peppered throughout, and don't know enough to know how accurate it is. It certainly helped that I listened to the story. I didn't find myself drawn to the characters as much as I was hoping, but it was a fun story. The heroine seemed like quite the town busybody. I'm surprised that people would still give her the time of day. The language was another problem for me. I never did figure out if they were swearing, or just using Irish cant. Not one I'll reread, but I don't feel like it was a waste of time.
This was a fun, cozy mystery. I loved the Irish slang that is peppered throughout, and don't know enough to know how accurate it is. It certainly helped that I listened to the story. I didn't find myself drawn to the characters as much as I was hoping, but it was a fun story. The heroine seemed like quite the town busybody. I'm surprised that people would still give her the time of day. The language was another problem for me. I never did figure out if they were swearing, or just using Irish cant. Not one I'll reread, but I don't feel like it was a waste of time.
June 26, 2020
So many characters made really stupid decisions in this book. It wasn't even believable.
The main character, Siobhan, suspects her little sister of sending very important text messages to the murder victim the same night he was murdered. She tells her little sister to go get her cell phone. Her brother says you know she's just going to delete those messages, right? BEFORE WE SEE THEM.
And Siobhan says yes I know this being a parent thing is hard.
That's just 1 example. I had been hoping for a cozy village mystery and instead everyone made such dumb decisions I did not enjoy the book.
The main character, Siobhan, suspects her little sister of sending very important text messages to the murder victim the same night he was murdered. She tells her little sister to go get her cell phone. Her brother says you know she's just going to delete those messages, right? BEFORE WE SEE THEM.
And Siobhan says yes I know this being a parent thing is hard.
That's just 1 example. I had been hoping for a cozy village mystery and instead everyone made such dumb decisions I did not enjoy the book.
June 13, 2022
I'm not sure how I found out about this book...I might have just come across it in the library. I'm of Irish descent, so I'm a sucker for a cheesy fluffy read set in Ireland. I love Nora Roberts' "The Cousins O'Dwyer Trilogy"(https://www.goodreads.com/series/9569...) which is about a witchy family in County Mayo. This is not that. It treats Irish people like complete caricatures. I am currently watching "Conversations with Friends"(https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...), an Irish tv show based off the novel by Irish author Sally Rooney. This is also not that.
I have read many a Mary Higgins Clark book and also enjoy romance books. But this is one just does not work for me. I follow some Irish people on social media and none of them talk like this. It's like some weird fetishized imagining of Ireland that's a mishmash of Lucky Charms and I guess what Americans whose main Irish cultural reference is drinking green beer on St. Paddy's Day (but to the point where they spell it as St. Patty). The ridiculous stereotypical language aside, there's an undercurrent of racism & right-wing politics that makes me extremely uncomfortable. At not even 30 pages into the book, the author has managed to add in a pro-guns narrative and drop in an ethnic slur. She's not even from Ireland and yet is pushing discriminatory attitudes to Travelers. My family is Irish Catholic and as a multiracial person this book just feels like the side of Irish Americans that makes me feel deeply uncomfortable & unwelcome. No thanks. I'm much more interested in stories about connecting with Irish resistance to British colonization, pagan traditions, and folklore. This just doesn't do it for me.
I have read many a Mary Higgins Clark book and also enjoy romance books. But this is one just does not work for me. I follow some Irish people on social media and none of them talk like this. It's like some weird fetishized imagining of Ireland that's a mishmash of Lucky Charms and I guess what Americans whose main Irish cultural reference is drinking green beer on St. Paddy's Day (but to the point where they spell it as St. Patty). The ridiculous stereotypical language aside, there's an undercurrent of racism & right-wing politics that makes me extremely uncomfortable. At not even 30 pages into the book, the author has managed to add in a pro-guns narrative and drop in an ethnic slur. She's not even from Ireland and yet is pushing discriminatory attitudes to Travelers. My family is Irish Catholic and as a multiracial person this book just feels like the side of Irish Americans that makes me feel deeply uncomfortable & unwelcome. No thanks. I'm much more interested in stories about connecting with Irish resistance to British colonization, pagan traditions, and folklore. This just doesn't do it for me.
May 7, 2023
NOW THIS IS A COZY MYSTERY. it definitely had some dark and dangerous moments though but the dash of romance served as the perfect side dish to balance it out. when i envision the almost perfect cozy mystery, this is exactly it. THIS WAS SO GOOD OMG and was absolutely hilarious most of the time. this is going down as one of my favorite cozy mysteries.
first of all i love siobhan and deeply sympathized with the situation her and her siblings were in but everything worked out for them in the end and hopefully continues to do so for their other problems. her siblings were so funny too and served as the perfect little detectives alongside her. the narrator was irish and while the accent was a really thick one with irish slang thrown in, it was not very hard to follow. i loved the accent it made everything much more genuine.
the mystery was also very well crafted and i can’t wait to continue the series!!! this is the first youngest amateur detective (flavia from the sweetness at the bottom of the pie doesn’t count because i dnf’ed that book so hard) that i’ve ever read about and i could relate to her and all the responsibilities she had so much. i am praying so hard that the rest of the books in this series are just as good because i just found a new favorite cozy mystery author 😭💕
first of all i love siobhan and deeply sympathized with the situation her and her siblings were in but everything worked out for them in the end and hopefully continues to do so for their other problems. her siblings were so funny too and served as the perfect little detectives alongside her. the narrator was irish and while the accent was a really thick one with irish slang thrown in, it was not very hard to follow. i loved the accent it made everything much more genuine.
the mystery was also very well crafted and i can’t wait to continue the series!!! this is the first youngest amateur detective (flavia from the sweetness at the bottom of the pie doesn’t count because i dnf’ed that book so hard) that i’ve ever read about and i could relate to her and all the responsibilities she had so much. i am praying so hard that the rest of the books in this series are just as good because i just found a new favorite cozy mystery author 😭💕
October 4, 2022
Very engaging start to this series. Siobhan O'Sullivan is now the head of her family after the tragic death of her parents the previous year, in a car crash. The man responsible for their deaths is in prison since it was determined that he was driving drunk. When his brother Niall comes to town, claiming to have proof of his brother's innocence, it's no surprise that Siobhan and her five siblings are not happy. When Niall is found murdered, Siobhan's brother James is arrested for the crime. Siobhan doesn't believe that her brother is capable of murder and sets out to prove his innocence. It doesn't help that James was blotto drunk and cannot remember where he was or what happened.
This is a funny, endearing story with a pretty good mystery. Mostly I enjoyed the banter of the O'Sullivan siblings and the characters in the small village of Kilbane. Siobhan is very likable. I'll definitely be reading the next one in the series.
This is a funny, endearing story with a pretty good mystery. Mostly I enjoyed the banter of the O'Sullivan siblings and the characters in the small village of Kilbane. Siobhan is very likable. I'll definitely be reading the next one in the series.
November 7, 2024
4.5 stars ...
Oh, I thoroughly enjoyed this one! The "O'Sullivan Six" are deliciously delightful and I'm really lookin' forward to more sleuthing shenanigans from the siblings. I rarely read series straight through but I'm divin' right into the next one ... right freakin' now! 👍😉👍
Oh, I thoroughly enjoyed this one! The "O'Sullivan Six" are deliciously delightful and I'm really lookin' forward to more sleuthing shenanigans from the siblings. I rarely read series straight through but I'm divin' right into the next one ... right freakin' now! 👍😉👍
August 26, 2016
An enjoyable comfort read. It was like the book version of a hot cup of good tea.
January 18, 2019
Series: Irish Village Mystery #1
Publication Date: 2/23/16
Audiobook Format
The narrator, Caroline Lennon, makes this audiobook an absolute delight to listen to. Her enchanting Irish lilt draws you into the story and makes you feel as if you are right there in Kilbane chatting with and listening to the citizens. I tried to look up Lennon’s biography to see if she was truly Irish or if her affectation of the Irish lilt was just very believable, but I couldn’t find anything much on her. Her pacing is perfect and you can hear all of the emotions – fear, concern, love, etc. in her voice. I’ll definitely look for more books narrated by Caroline Lennon.
Carlene O'Connor is a new-to-me author, but I’ll definitely look for more from her. Since her great-grandmother emigrated to the US from Ireland and the author herself splits her time between the US and Ireland, her representations of Ireland should be spot-on. The story is well-plotted, excellently written and the characters are lovely to meet. The prose is so descriptive that you can see the beauty of the Emerald Isle and commiserate with Kilbane’s inhabitants over the frequent rains.
Siobhan (shi-vawn) O’Sullivan and her family, known as the O’Sullivan Six, have had a very, very, very bad year. Almost exactly a year ago her parents were killed in a car accident, she had to give up her college plans and now, she’s responsible for running the family Bistro and caring for her four younger siblings – Grainne (Grawn-ya) who is sixteen, Ann, Eoin (Owen) and Ciaran (Keeran) as well as her older, by two years, brother James who had taken to drinking.
The anniversary of her parent's deaths is just a few days away when the nasty brother of the man who was convicted in the drunk-driving accident. That stirs up all of Kilbane, but especially the O’Sullivans and James in particular. James has been alcohol-free for six months, but the appearance of Niall Murphy sends him out on a temper-fueled bender. The next morning, when Niall is found in the bistro, stabbed through the heart with a pair of scissors, James is the Gardai’s (police) prime suspect. When James cannot remember any of the events from the previous evening and splatters of Niall’s blood are found on James’ clothing, he is arrested.
Siobhan believes that the Gardai, including their local Garda, Macdara Flannery have focused on James and aren’t looking any further, so it is up to her to find the real killer. She starts awkwardly questioning her friends and neighbors and ends up with most of the village angry with her. That doesn’t stop her though, she has to save James. Garda Macdara, who is sweet on her, keeps asking her to back off and let the Gardai handle it, but she doesn’t trust them to really look for anyone else.
There are red herrings galore, but I was pretty sure I knew who the villain was from the first or second time he/she was mentioned. It was fun to read and find out if I was right or not! Add in an American visitor to put a wrench in the budding romance and you have an interesting read!
Please check out my reviews at:
Blog: https://flippinpages.blog/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/flippinpages...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FlippinPagesRev
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BarbBookReview
Publication Date: 2/23/16
Audiobook Format
The narrator, Caroline Lennon, makes this audiobook an absolute delight to listen to. Her enchanting Irish lilt draws you into the story and makes you feel as if you are right there in Kilbane chatting with and listening to the citizens. I tried to look up Lennon’s biography to see if she was truly Irish or if her affectation of the Irish lilt was just very believable, but I couldn’t find anything much on her. Her pacing is perfect and you can hear all of the emotions – fear, concern, love, etc. in her voice. I’ll definitely look for more books narrated by Caroline Lennon.
Carlene O'Connor is a new-to-me author, but I’ll definitely look for more from her. Since her great-grandmother emigrated to the US from Ireland and the author herself splits her time between the US and Ireland, her representations of Ireland should be spot-on. The story is well-plotted, excellently written and the characters are lovely to meet. The prose is so descriptive that you can see the beauty of the Emerald Isle and commiserate with Kilbane’s inhabitants over the frequent rains.
Siobhan (shi-vawn) O’Sullivan and her family, known as the O’Sullivan Six, have had a very, very, very bad year. Almost exactly a year ago her parents were killed in a car accident, she had to give up her college plans and now, she’s responsible for running the family Bistro and caring for her four younger siblings – Grainne (Grawn-ya) who is sixteen, Ann, Eoin (Owen) and Ciaran (Keeran) as well as her older, by two years, brother James who had taken to drinking.
The anniversary of her parent's deaths is just a few days away when the nasty brother of the man who was convicted in the drunk-driving accident. That stirs up all of Kilbane, but especially the O’Sullivans and James in particular. James has been alcohol-free for six months, but the appearance of Niall Murphy sends him out on a temper-fueled bender. The next morning, when Niall is found in the bistro, stabbed through the heart with a pair of scissors, James is the Gardai’s (police) prime suspect. When James cannot remember any of the events from the previous evening and splatters of Niall’s blood are found on James’ clothing, he is arrested.
Siobhan believes that the Gardai, including their local Garda, Macdara Flannery have focused on James and aren’t looking any further, so it is up to her to find the real killer. She starts awkwardly questioning her friends and neighbors and ends up with most of the village angry with her. That doesn’t stop her though, she has to save James. Garda Macdara, who is sweet on her, keeps asking her to back off and let the Gardai handle it, but she doesn’t trust them to really look for anyone else.
There are red herrings galore, but I was pretty sure I knew who the villain was from the first or second time he/she was mentioned. It was fun to read and find out if I was right or not! Add in an American visitor to put a wrench in the budding romance and you have an interesting read!
Please check out my reviews at:
Blog: https://flippinpages.blog/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/flippinpages...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FlippinPagesRev
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BarbBookReview
August 13, 2021
I read this one for the r/CozyMystery Discord book club read, and I thought it was just....okay. A lot of the book was laying out the backstory for the characters, which is appreciated but rather than being woven into the story, it was more or less all dumped in the first 10 chapters or so before getting into the mystery part of the plot. The downside is that the mystery part of the plot was overshadowed by the plethora of intimate details of the family, making this feel less like a mystery and more like just plain fiction. Other reviewers commented that they felt the pace was too slow in the book and I agree completely. I skipped several chapters here and there when the story wasn't advancing and didn't miss much.
Overall, not a bad read but not good enough to want to continue in the series.
Overall, not a bad read but not good enough to want to continue in the series.
November 8, 2022
I was looking for a Christmas story to enjoy this time of year. And if it wasn’t as intense and brilliant as most of the books I search out, it would be just fine.
I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed this audiobook!! It is my first novel by this lovely author, Carlene O’Connor, and featured Caroline Lennon, the uber talented and easy to listen to narrator.
Check. Check.
What I appreciated was really getting a feel for family life and village life in County Cork, Ireland.
Everything seemed authentic, and was enjoyable and exciting. I couple of things may have been semi predictable but it was all perfect for the story that O’Connor portrayed so lovingly and well.
I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed this audiobook!! It is my first novel by this lovely author, Carlene O’Connor, and featured Caroline Lennon, the uber talented and easy to listen to narrator.
Check. Check.
What I appreciated was really getting a feel for family life and village life in County Cork, Ireland.
Everything seemed authentic, and was enjoyable and exciting. I couple of things may have been semi predictable but it was all perfect for the story that O’Connor portrayed so lovingly and well.
July 2, 2017
Couldn't wait for it to end
It was only 350 pages but it seemed like a thousand . I should have just jumped to the end to see who did it. But I kept reading and reading and reading and reading . At least that's how it felt . I would have given the book a rating of 1.0 but I usually reserve those for ones I simply cannot finish reading . Since I finished this one , I gave a rating of 2.0. The characters were silly and one-dimensional and the story could have been written in 100 pages . I will not read this author again.
It was only 350 pages but it seemed like a thousand . I should have just jumped to the end to see who did it. But I kept reading and reading and reading and reading . At least that's how it felt . I would have given the book a rating of 1.0 but I usually reserve those for ones I simply cannot finish reading . Since I finished this one , I gave a rating of 2.0. The characters were silly and one-dimensional and the story could have been written in 100 pages . I will not read this author again.
May 16, 2022
I’m so glad this author was picked as the author of the month. I’d never heard of her and I really enjoyed this book. I really liked Siobhan and Macdara and I can’t wait to read more about the O’Sullivan six. The mystery totally kept me guessing and the resolution was exciting. I also loved the pronunciations and glossary at the beginning. I could used some additional words in there but it was very helpful. #readforkimberly
March 17, 2023
This mystery was a little too on the nose. The Irish aspect of this book just felt forced. The characters were okay. I WAS surprised by who ultimately turned out to be the murderer. The author seemed to gain strength as she drew the story to a close. I am not sure there was enough to keep me reading another one, but I happen to have the next one since I was trying to get in a St. Pat's mood, so I will read it.
July 27, 2020
For all the promises of a mystery set in an idyllic locale, the book spends way too much time inside the main character's head. Her constantly swirling thoughts made me feel like I was inside a blender.
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