Category: Mystery

Murder In An Irish Cottage by Carlene O’Connor

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Contemporary, Mystery3 Comments

Murder in an Irish Cottage (Irish Village Mystery #5)Barbara’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Irish Village Mystery #5
Publication Date: 2/25/2020
Number of Pages: 304
** 4.5 Stars Rounded Up **

I thoroughly enjoyed this excellent addition to the Irish Village Mystery series. In this series, we have watched Siobhan (shi-vawn) O’Sullivan grow from a harried caregiver for her five siblings after they were orphaned to a confident garda (police). She’s now engaged to fellow garda Macdara Flannery and the O’Sullivan Six, as they are known in their village of Kilbane, are finally settling and coming into their own. This book is well-written, well-paced and the mystery will keep you guessing right until the last.

Siobahn is on her summer leave and is looking forward to spending time with her siblings when her fiancée arrives at her bistro, Naomi’s, and asks her to accompany him to Ballysiogdun. He received a frantic call from his cousin, Jane, who wouldn’t tell him what was wrong – she only said he had to get there. When they arrive, it is to discover Macdara’s aunt dead in her cottage and Jane, who is blind, standing stoically in the front. Macdara and Siobhan quickly determine that it is murder. Since they probably won’t be able to officially work the case, they quickly take pictures of the scene and the inside of the cottage.

It seems that almost everyone in the village should be a suspect because neither Macdara’s aunt Ellen nor her daughter Jane is liked at all. You can’t find anyone who has a good word to say about them and several had a true dislike for them. Where can they begin when the case has been assigned to a sergeant from Cork and he doesn’t want their involvement?

In a village that is very insular, where most are holding secrets, and all believe in the Good People (fairies) it is almost impossible to get anyone to tell what they know. Working around the official garda investigation and managing to ferret out the information they need to solve the case is almost impossible. Siobhan is like a dog with a bone and just won’t let it go. She’s determined to find the real murderer and not let an innocent person be blamed just because they are an easy solution.

This was a great mystery with infidelity, fairies, greed, and malice aplenty. I’m not sure there was a good person in that entire village. The villain will surprise you and you’ll be on the edge of your seat the entire time you are reading.

You’ll love your visit to lush, green, beautiful Ireland and all of their lore. It is a fun read and a delight to watch Macdara and Siobhan progress in their relationship. I hope you will enjoy the book as much as I did.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Golden In Death by J.D. Robb

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, MysteryLeave a comment

Golden In Death Barbara’s Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Series: In Death #50
Publication Date: 2/4/20
Number of Pages: 400

What a wonderful milestone – fifty books – and we’re just getting started – I hope. I loved the story, but I had expected a bit more of a blockbuster. Don’t get me wrong, it is a great story and a wonderful addition to the series – it just didn’t hit me as a milestone story. I had thought we’d surely see Mavis, Crack, Nadine and more of the ongoing recurring cast – maybe even some nostalgia where they recount things that happened in earlier books, etc. Somehow, this case seemed a bit slower and less intense than most of the cases.

It is a bright and beautiful almost spring morning in 2061 when the much-beloved pediatrician, Kent Abner, receives an unexpected package in the mail. He has just gotten his husband off to work and intends to head out for a jog since it is his day off, but he has a couple of minutes to open the package. His body was discovered hours later when his husband, Martin Rufty, returns home from work.

When the medics arrive, they discover that the agent that killed Dr. Abner is a newly developed, nerve agent. The agent can be used to target one specific person. It acts quickly and dissipates almost as quickly. It would be worth billions if sold to terrorists, assassins, or even governments.

As the investigation continues, Eve discovers what a truly wonderful and remarkable man the victim was. Everybody loves him – and the one or two who didn’t, was because he had called them out on some bad act they’d committed. Why would anyone target such a wonderful man, doctor, husband, father, friend – and with such an awful weapon? Leads are thin to non-existent when there is another murder – same toxin – another well-loved, wonderful person.

There has to be a connection – but what could it be? Eve and Peabody rush from clue to clue, suspect to suspect, location to location to track down what connects the two victims. When they figure out the connection, how in the world does that fit and what could have possibly triggered the murders?

Definitely a recommended read. As always, the book is excellently written, well-plotted and the characters are exceptional. If you haven’t read any of the books, you should definitely consider reading at least the first couple so that you see Eve and Roarke’s love story. I love Eve – she takes some things so literally and is constantly questioning those old sayings – like – Fit as a Fiddle. Some of her reasoning and the conversations around them are priceless. Then, there is the romantic, handsome, gazillionaire Roarke who is absolutely, totally and completely besotted with Eve. Their love story is one for the ages – and the investigations they are involved in are epic. You can’t help but love the characters and the stories.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.