After joining the police force of her small Irish village, a local woman must investigate the murder of a stranger in this cozy mystery novel. After solving two murders in the County Cork village of Kilbane, Siobhán O’Sullivan has accepted her calling and decided to join the Garda Síochána. The O’Sullivan clan couldn’t be prouder, but there’s no time to celebrate as she’s already on another … already on another case, summoned by the local priest who just found a dead man in the St. Mary’s graveyard—aboveground.
He’s a stranger, but the priest has heard talk of an American tourist in town, searching for his Irish ancestor. As Siobhán begins to dig for a motive among the gnarled roots of the victim’s family tree, she will need to stay two steps ahead of the killer or end up with more than one foot in the grave.
“Captivating . . . Fans of mysteries with an Irish flavor will look forward to Siobhán and Macdara’s further adventures.”—Publishers Weekly
more
Love this series can’t wait for more!
Really like the characters, had to buy other books in the series! Really enjoy these books, I recommend them!!
A very different book with lots of surprises. I couldn’t believe the plot. It was like nothing I have read and I enjoyed it because I couldn’t figure out the ending and that doesn’t happen often.
What a wonderful cozy! I really enjoyed it. I loved the characters. Siobhán and her family are great. I liked how the family always backed each other up. I also enjoyed the romantic tension between Siobhán and Macdara. The mystery had a genealogical twist to it. I have been to Ireland and it is beautiful. The descriptions in the book took me back to Limerick and other small villages. The mystery kept me turning pages. I kept jumping back and forth between the suspects and who I thought was the killer. I was surprised. I will definitely read more books by this author.
Thanks to GoodReads Giveaway for the opportunity to read and review this book.
I have enjoyed this series and the characters she created. I’m a big fan of cozy mysteries and this series is well written. My only pet peeve is the constant bashing of Americans. We are not all brash and obnoxious, and we are her customers too. The jokes and jabs were fine in the other books. I can take a joke just as easily as the next person, and I realize there are many obnoxious people in my country as there are in any country. However, this last book was one long story set to bash Americans. Just would like for her to remember that her readers come from all over they world.
“Murder in an Irish Churchyard” earns 5/5 Shiny Gardai Badges!
For the past two Februarys Carlene O’Connor has given us engaging mysteries with a delightful Irish twist, so what does she have for us fans of Siobhán, the O’Sullivan Six, and residents of Kilbane, County Cork, Ireland? Murder in an Irish Churchyard!
The Irish countryside may be quaint, but watch out for the dead bodies! Siobhán O’Sullivan is anxious to start her new career as a member of the An Garda Siochána, The Guardian of the Peace or Irish police, stationed in the quaint Irish village Kilbane, County Cork…but in her pajamas? Father Kearney shows up at one in the morning frantic after finding a dead body in the churchyard. Ok, it is a place riddled with dead bodies, however this particular dead body is above ground and lying in a pool of blood. Call 9-9-9 and a seasoned Garda will be assigned to the case; her novice status will undoubtedly be paperwork and answering phone calls, so maybe she should check it out first? Siobhán has an opportunity to put her recent studies at the Garda College into practical application: observe the scene, don’t touch the body, keep an open mind, and take photos before the snow obliterates footprints and evidence. All following protocols. However, she is frowned on by the arriving Detective, and given a verbal warning…not a great first day on the job. But, her critical thinking skills and investigative talents could put her on the trail of a killer, instead she’s on the trail of a pair of missing wooly socks.
I have become a big fan of Carlene O’Connor’s Irish Village Mystery series, but newbies should not worry that starting with the third book might put them at a disadvantage…this is not the case. There were plenty of references to background and character connections to make this a great place to start, although the details and nuances are well worth revisiting by going back and reading or listening to both previous books. This “…Churchyard” mystery is clever, nail-biting at times, with a plethora of suspects and motives to keep you engaged. But beyond the delightful Irish tone (the dialogue is written with an obvious sense of the Irish brogue), the focus on family ancestry was a fascinating theme sending me to revisit information on my own English/German/French pie chart. However, it is the characters with which I have become invested. Siobhán still struggles with the death of her parents in a tragic car accident and laments that her life’s path and romantic interests took an unexpected turn and her role as mother to her younger siblings often goes without recognition, but family is important…well, the dynamic between Siobhán and her new sister-in-law and the “Brown Bread” conflict is so eerily realistic (my potato salad is the family tradition). Former love interest Detective Macdara Flannery has been brought in from Dublin to head the investigation creating an interesting dynamic between exes. I highly recommend the series…it is a perfect example of a “cozy mystery.”