Murder at an Irish Christmas (Irish Village Mystery Series #6)

by Carlene O'Connor

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

There's nothing like a murder to go spoiling the holidays. However, all gets set right in the lush Irish setting of this locked-room mystery. As #6 in the Irish Village Mystery series, you can be guaranteed fun plot twists and romance. It IS the holidays after all!

Garda Siobhán O'Sullivan’s holiday plans hit a sour note when murder rearranges the yuletide carols into unexpected eulogies . . .
 
This December in Kilbane, if you’re planning to warm up with a cuppa tea at Naomi’s Bistro, you may have a bit of a wait—the entire O’Sullivan brood has gone off to West Cork to spend the holidays with brother James’s fiancée Elise’s family, including her grandfather, the famous orchestral conductor Enda Elliot. Siobhán is so happy for James and Elise but also quietly disappointed that she must put her own wedding to fellow garda Macdara Flannery on hold. Mac will have to join them later, so he can spend part of the holidays with his mam.
 
When the O’Sullivans learn everyone will choose a name from a hat to buy a music-related Christmas gift for someone else at the gathering, it seems like their greatest concern—until the cantankerous conductor is discovered crushed under a ninety-pound harp in a local concert hall.With the extended family—including Enda’s much-younger new wife Leah, a virtuoso violinist—suspected in his murder, it's up to Siobhán to ensure the guilty party faces the music before the killer orchestrates another untimely demise . . .
 
“The intricate puzzle and continuing Irish atmosphere make this the series’ best to date.”
—Kirkus Reviews
 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781496719126
Publisher:	Kensington
Publication date:	10/27/2020
Series:	Irish Village Mystery Series , #6
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	304
Sales rank:	5,603
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

USA Today bestselling author Carlene O’Connor comes from a long line of Irish storytellers. Her great-grandmother emigrated from Ireland filled with tales and the stories have been flowing ever since. 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. Carlene currently divides her time between New York and the Emerald Isle.

Editorial Reviews

09/07/2020

O’Connor’s solid sixth Irish Village mystery (after Murder in an Irish Cottage) finds levelheaded garda Siobhán O’Sullivan off duty for the holidays, or so she thinks. The six O’Sullivan siblings are spending a snowy Christmas with their oldest brother James’s fiancée, violinist Elise Elliot, and her family in a rustic West Cork village, where everyone is looking forward to a sold-out concert by Elise’s grandfather, conductor Enda Elliot, and his orchestra. Then Enda is found dead underneath a harp in the concert hall. A broken railing in the second-floor gallery above suggests he may have taken an accidental fall with the harp, but Siobhán suspects foul play. She immediately catches Elise in a lie about Enda, and wonders what else the Elliot family and their friends are hiding. The astute Siobhán wants to learn all she can about Enda’s scorned second wife, the much younger violin virtuoso widow, and the adult kids awaiting an inheritance. Fully realized characters enhance this skillfully plotted tale as it builds to a twist ending. This seasonal Irish treat is sure to please cozy fans. Agent: Evan Marshall, Evan Marshall Agency. (Nov.)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for Carlene O’Connor and her Irish Village Mysteries!
 
MURDER IN AN IRISH PUB
 
“The intricate puzzle and continuing Irish atmosphere make this the series’ best to date.”
—Kirkus Reviews
 
“A clever twist on the locked-room mystery and the convivial village community will leave cozy readers well satisfied.”
—Publishers Weekly
 
“Fourth in the series, this is a delightful combination of Irish village life, family dynamics, and romance.”
—Booklist

“Readers are treated to a puzzling mystery and a pub full of suspects to pick from. Set in a real-life village in County Cork, Ireland, readers will enjoy the typical small-town gossip and antics, as well as amusing cultural anecdotes, puns, and tons of memorable Irishisms in this fast-paced, interesting tale.”
—Mystery Scene

‘It’s been a long time since I’ve read anything with so many dizzying, devilish, delightful plot twists. A terrific read!”
—Suspense Magazine
 
MURDER IN AN IRISH CHURCH YARD
 
“Captivating . . . Fans of light mysteries with an Irish flavor will look forward to Siobhán and Macdara’s further adventures.”
—Publishers Weekly

“A fascinating setting, interesting characters and a well-thought-out plot make Murder in an Irish Churchyard a very good mystery novel.”
—The Burlington Post

MURDER IN AN IRISH VILLAGE
 
“This entertaining combination of Maeve Binchy's old-world Irish charm and Janet Evanovich's roguish humor is a smart, fast-paced read. Devotees of the Hibernian mysteries of Dicey Deere and M.C. Beaton will toast this debut with a pint of Guinness. Sláinte!”
—Library Journal
 
“A lively debut . . . The cheeky and close-knit O’Sullivans are sure to appeal to cozy fans, who will also appreciate the warmth and spirit of the people of Kilbane.”
—Publishers Weekly

MURDER IN AN IRISH COTTAGE

“Exceptional…Cozy readers will have a hard time putting this one down.”
—Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW

“Plenty of surprising twists and oodles of Irish charm make this an entertaining read.”
—Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

2020-07-29
The enduringly tricky problems of meeting new relatives are compounded by murder.

Siobhán O'Sullivan took over parenting her five siblings when their parents died in an accident, giving up her plans for college to become a Garda and help run the family cafe. The six O'Sullivans have now been invited to spend Christmas in West Cork with the family of oldest brother James’ fiancee, Elise Elliot. Elise’s paternal grandfather, renowned orchestra conductor Enda Elliot, plans a Christmas concert at an old mill nearby. The group that gathers to help decorate the mill—including Enda’s third wife, Leah, a world-class violinist; his daughter Moira; and several grown grandchildren—finds the door locked. When Catherine Healy arrives with the keys, they enter and find Enda dead. It looks as if he fell from the balcony, but Siobhán, immediately suspicious, calls the local Garda. Not surprisingly given Enda’s three wives, there’s considerable tension within the Elliot family, but everyone, including the Garda, suspects Catherine’s boyfriend, whom they consider an obnoxious, useless drunk. A security tape shows someone in costume entering the mill before Enda. Siobhán can’t resist investigating, and when someone tries to run her off the road, she knows she’s struck a nerve. Siobhán’s fiance, Garda Macdara Flannery, and his mother arrive, determined to help make the holiday happy for the family even as Siobhán’s equally determined to unearth the many secrets her new relatives are hiding.

A charming combination of Christmas cheer, Irish customs, and a mystery awash in red herrings.

Kirkus Reviews