Carlene O'Connor

This is a chilling, spine-tingling mystery from first page to last. It’s almost like a closed-room mystery with the most likely suspect locked within a mental hospital - but there are plenty of other suspects as well. There are plenty of red herrings to make it interesting and a cast of characters who will surely grab your attention. The mystery is excellent, and the writing is well-paced. It did, however, drive me nuts when it constantly switched timelines. That is a personal thing and no show more dig at the story. I would be zipping through a chapter, ready to get to the exciting next part, and the next chapter would begin with, “One Year Earlier”. It was sort of like reading two books within one.

One warning – it is better for you if you don’t begin this book when you are home alone at night. You’ll jump at every creak and constantly check behind you to see if someone is watching.

Dimpna Wilde, a local veterinarian, is bereft at the loss of her father, but has little time to deal with that grief when her employee and friend, Niamh, appears in the middle of the road. Niamh is bloodied, soaked, and disoriented – and she claims there is a dead woman in her bed.

The story switches back and forth between events that happened a year earlier and what is occurring at present. How are they connected? Will Cormac be able to put all of the clues together and solve the crime from a year ago, as well as the current murders?

This is a book I can definitely recommend, but if you are looking for a Cozy Mystery, this isn’t it. It’s creepy, chilling, and spine-tingling, but you won’t be able to put it down

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. show less

Our beloved protagonist, Garda Siobhán O'Sullivan and detective Macdara Flannery, are at it again. Siobhán has passed her Detective Sargeant exam and she and Macdara are preparing for the arrival of their active twins. Meanwhile, the town is prepping for a grand event featuring a much esteemed matchmaker and a myriad of single Irish session musicians, including Siobhan's brother, Ciarán. The goal is to match up these musicians with their sympatico mates. On opening night, suddenly the show more lights go out and a scream is heard. Perhaps someone didn't care for their match as the matchmaker is no more. Siobhan and Macdara are immediately on it as we all know, "the show must go on!"

Author Carlene O'Connor has done a grand job of a laying out the Irish music session protocols. In one's mind can be heard the lovely strains of "The Lilting Banshee" and "The Silver Spear" as well as a pub full of grand craic. Ms. O'Connor's writing flows well; the dialogue is at times amusing yet also endearing; and the characters are well developed - each with their own demons and virtues. The best character of them all is that of Siobhán. She's bright, intelligent, plucky, caring and highly intuitive. Nothing gets past her. There is also a fair number of red herrings planted throughout the story. It's a well spun yarn which all comes to a satisfying conclusion. It's definitely among the better cozies I've read.

Although this twelfth book in series can stand on its own, the series is perhaps best enjoyed starting from the beginning as each book builds upon the last. If you enjoy a good cozy mysteries with an Irish lilt, then this is a series which I can easily commend to you.

I am grateful to Ms. O'Connor and her publisher, Kensington Books for having provided a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.

Publisher: Kensington Cozies
Publication date: February 24, 2026
Number of Pages: 288
ISBN: 978-1496744463 show less

Our beloved protagonist, Garda Siobhán O'Sullivan and detective Macdara Flannery, are at it again. This time Siobhán is boning up for the Detective Sargeant exam and Macadara is pressing all the wrong buttons as he coaches her through the test questions. Meanwhile, Siobhán's brother Eoin is readying up his new restaurant, "The O'Sullivan Six", for its grand opening. In conjunction with the opening, he's offered grounds across from the restaurant to a esteemed garden designer for her entry show more into the garden design competition. When an oversized delivery arrives, the designer is nowhere to be found. Over the course of time, a body is discovered, a number of suspects all have motive, and the perpetrator must be apprehended so that the restaurant can open without a dark cloud hanging over it. The good detective and the detective wannabe are on it!

Author Carlene O'Connor has done a lovely job of laying out the several lovely gardens. One can easily imagine the delicate scent of roses and all the wonderful blooms therein. Her writing flows well; the dialogue is at times amusing yet also endearing; and the characters are well developed - each with their own demons and virtues. The best character of them all is that of Siobhán. She's bright, intelligent, plucky, caring and highly intuitive. Nothing gets past her. There is also a fair number of red herrings planted throughout the story. It's a well spun yarn which all comes to a satisfying conclusion. It's definitely among the better cozies I've read.

Although this eleventh book in series can stand on its own, the series is perhaps best enjoyed starting from the beginning as each book builds upon the last. If you enjoy a good cozy mysteries with an Irish lilt, then this is a series which I can easily commend to you.

I am grateful to Kensington Books for having provided a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.

Publisher: ‎Kensington Cozies
Publication Date:‎ February 25, 2025
Number of Pages: 304
ISBN: ‎978-1496744456 show less

"Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall." - Proverbs 16:18

Ahh, whoever said the Irish aren't proud, really do not know them well. You really can't fault them on that count as there's much of which to be proud. This holds true in the case of a wealthy American of Irish descent visiting the Green Isle while digging into his family history. That is until he winds up dead - above ground - in the local churchyard among those who went before.

Newly made Garda Siobhán show more O'Sullivan, is first official on scene at the local churchyard after being rousted by Father Kearney. She knows she should have called it in first, being that she's so new to the force. But Father Kearney is just a tad too insistent and who could argue with the good Father. Plus with the snow just starting and evidence soon to be obscured, time was of the essence.

This third book in series was my first foray into Carlene O'Connor's Irish Village Mystery series and what a delightful cozy mystery it turned out to be. Loved it enough to request from the local library the first two books of the series. Sláinte! show less