Danny O'Flaherty has decided that it's time to go seek out his roots, so off he flies to Ireland to the small village of Ballycara. Prior to leaving the US, he had received a letter from his cousin Rose, who intimated that she had something interesting to tell him about his grandfather. After a brief stint in the local pub, he goes out to see Rose, only to find her dead. He is not alone at the murder site, though, and the local garda (portrayed here as a bumbler) pounces on Danny as the prime suspect. He isn't put under arrest, which affords him the opportunity to find out who really killed Rose.

The Death of Cousin Rose is the first in a series of books featuring Danny O'Flaherty. The story is good, the writing's okay but not great. It's an easy read, with a solution that I didn't see coming. I think there's probably more room for this character to grow and develop -- I hope so, since I have the other books sitting in my British reading room downstairs.

I'd recommend it to people who are more into cozy mysteries rather than those who like more hard-boiled fare. It's light and shouldn't take too long to complete. Overall...not too bad. ( )