Ireland, Books, and Murder

Murder in An Irish Bookshop by Carlene O’Connor (2021) Garda Siobhán O’Sullivan has got plenty to keep her busy. She’s the matriarch of her generation of the O’Sullivan clan, engaged to her sergeant (and trying to put off setting a wedding date), training a brand-new Garda, and deal with the usual issues of a small Irish village. Then a new bookstore opens, surrounded by mystery. The grand opening will include three rising authors and the “prize” of representation by a well-known agent. The excitement turns to upset when someone discovers an elderly local woman’s dead body near the bookshop. Shortly thereafter, one author is dead as well. Every effort of the three police officers is met with distraction and deceit.

Here’s another perfect example of the cozy mystery. Blood and gore were at the absolute minimum, a bit of romance, some snappy dialogue, and the hunt for a murderer. This is Book 7 of O’Connor’s Irish Village series. Yes, I’ve picked up another book that’s not the first in the series, again. Once again, it’s not a problem, and I picked up on the characters and situation quickly. Siobhán is feisty, intelligent, just the tiniest bit psychic, and a rule breaker from day one. She brings all of those skills to bear in her work as part of the local police presence, and keeping her brothers and sisters in line. The village of Kilbane is home, and she carries its imprint deep in her heart. So, the addition of some “big city” newcomers is a bit of excitement. Padraig and Oren may be married, but they have slightly different visions of what the new bookshop should carry. Oren is for literary fiction and non-fiction only. There will be NO genre fiction allowed through the door. On opening day, it turns out he’s barely letting any PEOPLE through the door. When Margaret, a cranky old woman who rarely leaves her rooms, dies on the other side of the village, people raise questions about who might have had a grudge against her. When one of the guest writers is found dead in the bookstore itself, everyone is a suspect.

I’ve been doing some heavier reading recently, and needed a mental break. I grabbed this book and finished it in about two days. The writing is solid; the characters are fun, and the mystery had all the necessary twists and turns. I did figure out who the murderer was before the Gardai, but was a little behind them in the “How” category. It was exactly the book I wanted, and Carlene O’Connor delivered in every aspect.

Rating – **** Recommended