“If Janet Evanovich and Maeve Binchy wrote a book together, [this] would be the result . . . Siobhán O’Sullivan is a character to savor.”—Laurien Berenson, author of Game of Dog Bones In the small village of Kilbane, County Cork, Ireland, Naomi’s Bistro has always been a warm and welcoming spot to visit with neighbors, enjoy some brown bread and tea, and get the local gossip. Nowadays … and get the local gossip. Nowadays twenty-two-year-old Siobhán O’Sullivan runs the family bistro named for her mother, along with her five siblings, after the death of their parents in a car crash almost a year ago.
It’s been a rough year for the O’Sullivans, but it’s about to get rougher. One morning, as they’re opening the bistro, they discover a man seated at a table, dressed in a suit as if for his own funeral, a pair of hot pink barber scissors protruding from his chest.
With the local garda suspecting the O’Sullivans and their business in danger of being shunned—murder tends to spoil the appetite—it’s up to feisty redheaded Siobhán to solve the crime and save her beloved brood.
“Kicks off a new series in splendid fashion! If you love cozy mysteries and traveling, then give Murder in an Irish Village a try. You’ll feel like you’ve stepped into Ireland as you turn the pages.”—Fresh Fiction
“A smart whodunnit in an idyllic locale. I dare you not to be charmed by sleuth Siobhán and her siblings, the O’Sullivan Six.”—Barbara Ross, author of A Maine Clambake Mystery Series
“A delightful, funny, fast-paced romp of a book.”—Isis Crawford, author of A Mystery with Recipes Series
more
Another charming cozy set in an Irish village.
I started reading this book on St. Patrick’s Day to put me in an Irish mood, and the story did just that. The mystery was solid, even though once in a while, I wanted Siobhan to slow down a minute and take time to THINK, but that’s not part of her nature. She was a great character, though–strong, smart, and a wee bit bossy. I really enjoyed the romance. I fell for Garda Macdara right away. And even though I really liked the good-looking Yank, and I hope he meets someone wonderful in a future book, Macdara held his own. I pretty much knew who the killer was early on, and hoped that I was wrong–because there are so many likeable characters in this book–but the book’s ending was great. All in all, a good read!
I thought I was buying a different author when I bought this book but ended up really enjoying it.
What an enjoyable story. The angst of the main character over choices she’s made adds an undercurrent for the main plot. Man is murdered, it’s her first day as a constable in a village where she is the first female officer ever, and she’s the first to the scene, what could go wrong?
This was a 3 star read for me until about the last 10 chapters [this is a FULL on Irish book, language and all. I was…not prepared. It does go on and on for a bit and it does seem to take a long time to get everything done] and then it became a 4 star read and the end and reveal – WELL WOW. I was not expecting that at all. Even though this was a 10 hour audiobook [which is a touch too long in my opinion for a cozy and the language puts it right there on the cusp of it as well], I ended up really enjoying it [I will just map out more time in the future] and will absolutely be reading the next one.
I enjoyed this book, the narrator Caroline Lennon really brought the characters to life with her Irish brogue.
Siobhan runs the family bistro with her 5 brothers and sisters, they are still reeling from the death of their parents a year earlier. When the brother of the man convicted of killing her parents ends up dead in their bistro and Siobhan’s brother is accused of the murder, Siobhan is in search of answers to clear her brother.
This story has some excellent twist to it and I totally enjoyed it. I will continue on with this series.
Fun combination of life in an Irish village and a murder mystery.
Cute book with a few twists. Love the characters.
“Murder in an Irish Village” series earns 5/5 Shamrocks!
The Irish countryside may be quaint, but watch out for the dead bodies! This Irish Village Mystery series penned by Carlene O’Connor is a marvelous cozy set in the middle of the Emerald Isle. First published in February 2016, Carlene gives us twenty-two-year-old Siobhán (shi-VAWN) O’Sullivan, who after a tragic car accident a year ago killed her parents, is now managing the family’s café along with her five siblings. Naomi’s Bistro, named for her mother, was designed to be a quaint place for good friends, good gossip, and good brown bread and tea…but murder, too? Yes. In “Murder in an Irish Village” Siobhán runs into Niall Murphy, brother of the young man responsible for the accident that killed her parents. He says he has proof that his brother “didn’t do it,” but his demand for €10,000 for the information doesn’t go over well. Not well at all since he is found sitting at one of the bistro tables with hot pink barber shears stuck in his chest. However, Siobhán is not pleased that the eldest O’Sullivan becomes a serious “person of interest.” Even when everyone knows everyone in this small village, you still need an alibi.
Wow! “Murder in an Irish Village” by Carlene O’Connor is well written and pleasantly surprising with well-developed characters for a first book. The motive for the murder, I thought might occur, seemed obviously connected to the tragic accident (You just don’t go announcing the wrong person is in prison, and you have proof.), but is it that simple? The suspects were well hidden and revealed slowly with a couple of “I didn’t see that coming” to keep me engaged. The descriptions and dialogue provided the perfect picture of Kilbane, County Cork, with fascinating information about the local history and the varying tones and personalities of its residents. There is a “Pronunciations and Glossary” page that does help with some of the purely Irish language. I really admire Siobhán who struggles with her grief, but puts that aside to help her older brother raise a preteen and three teenager siblings. The “O’Sullivan Six” is the perfect example of loyalty and love…with a bit of typical dysfunction for reality. You might see a family member in the mix…I did!. Although I have the eBook, my entertainment was greatly enriched by Caroline Lennon who narrated the audio version. Her voice artistry went beyond the traditional reading out loud bringing to life all that is Irish with different variations on the Irish brogue, from quiet moments to boisterous excitement, from “cheeky” to endearing, from masculine to feminine, from lively fun to intense danger. It was a great way to enjoy Carlene O’Connor’s quaint Irish village.
A fun read
Fun to read
That was Great! I never figured out who the killer was until it was revealed (it was kind of refreshing) and when the big reveal happened I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. I can’t wait to revisit.
I read a Christmas Short Story by this and enjoyed it so much I went back to read her cozy mystery series. This is the first book in the series. The Sullivan Six have had a heartbreaking year when their parents are killed in a car accident. Siobhan is now the head of the family, raising her brothers and sisters and keeping the family bistro open. When the brother of the driver of the car that killed their parents is found dead in the bistro the family falls under suspicion. To clear the family name Siobhan sets out to solve the crime. I really liked village setting and the characters. The mystery was good and the solution made sense. I look for word to reading the next book in the series. Enjoy this fun cozy
The series is awesome
Wonderful setting, great mystery, and likeable characters
I liked it as an easy read
I loved the Irish flavor to the story. I was extremely glad for the “glossary” at the beginning to help with words & pronunciations that are unfamiliar to the American ear. And the story kept me guessing throughout the book as to the Killer.
good mystery; could not guess the real culprit.
I love cozy mysteries and this small Irish village is the perfect setting.
I really liked tbis. It was fun reading and I enjoyed finding out whodunit.