Member Reviews

Murder in an Irish Churchyard by Carlene O'Connor is the third book in this series.
Siobhan is now a garda! I was so happy to see her grow and become a police officer.
It's the night before her first official work day, and we start off by experiencing some of her nervousness.
Just because she was able to solve some earlier investigations, she still questions her abilities.
A knock at her door in the early morning hours leaves Siobhan running through the cemetery, dodging the heavy snowflakes that will surely destroy any evidence of wrong doing.

Her discovery sets off an investigation so bizarre and also brings Macdara back into Siobhan's life.

The cast of characters in this story are over the top. They all have secrets and they all have motives.

Will Siobhan be able to suss out the truth?
Find out February 27th!

I voluntarily read an ARC of this book provided by the publisher and NetGalley.

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Family secrets reverberate from Ireland to Dublin, Ohio and back to Kilbane, Ireland in this engaging cozy featuring a pretty cool heroine in Siobhan. She's gone from managing her siblings to being a member of the Garda, but she's no longer involved with Macdara, also a Garda, who moved on to Dublin. BUT wait, the murder of that pesky American (and all the problems that come with dealing with it) leads the Garda to send Macdara back to the village. Yes it's a bit awkward but it's also delightful. O'Connor makes full use of the village setting, all the siblings, the priest, and the old mystery that impact today. It's a good read. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

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This book follows a young woman who has recently joined the force in Ireland. A man is found dead in a church yard and she must follow the clues, which leads her through the dark past of the mans family. This is a solid mystery for those who enjoy cozy mysteries. I am always drawn to books set in Ireland, but other than that I would not say there is anything particularly special about this book, but it is enjoyable enough.

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This third book in the series is quite possibly my favourite!
The Irish village and its inhabitants are a pleasure to read about.
The whodunit was well written and kept me guessing right until the reveal.
The relationship between Siobhan and her siblings and their personalities ring true to life for me.
I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more in the series.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

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First I would like to thank Netgalley and Kensington books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Siobhán is now a Garda, and her first day on the job involves a murder. She is called to the churchyard in the middle of the night by the Father, even though she knows she should call it in first she can't help the allure of mystery and has to go check things out for herself. Needless to say when she does report the body she starts off in trouble with her supervisor. When Dublin sends down a detective inspector who else would it be but Macdara. Siobhán tries to be professional but her natural nosiness and ongoing attraction to Macdara make it hard for her to toe the line. I'm not going to give anything away but Siobhan is stubborn and continues to work the case until she solves it.

I love the way Ms. O'Connor describes the scenery, I can see the village, and the characters. The siblings are all growing up and I can see this while I read the story. I was fortunate to read the first 2 books in this series as audio books because the voice of Caroline Lennon rang in my head while reading this one I could hear the lovely Irish accent and actually knew how the names should be pronounced.

I highly recommend this latest installment in the Irish Village Mystery series and suggest that anyone who hasn't started this series to start from the beginning, it adds so much to the background of the characters.

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Loved this trip to the village of Kilbane. Had not read the previous books but plan to do so soon. Loved the connection with the genealogy of the American family. Read this in one day. Was hard to put down once you started it. You will Like this book!!

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This the third book in the series. I enjoyed the first two, but I really believe this may be the best one. In this story, the characters seem more developed. There have been events in the literary time frame of two years since the last book. Lives have changed and there is drama everywhere.

This is easily a stand alone read. All the background, all the characters and important past events are fully explained.

Siobhan O'Sullivan is now Garda O'Sullivan. She has been to school and become a full fledged police officer.

She and her siblings sill live above the cafe, she still makes the best brown bread in Kilbane and her family is still a big part of her life. Siobhan's true love, Macdara Flannery has become a Sergeant in the Gard and has moved from the village to Dublin.

The village priest comes late at night to get Siobhan to come to the graveyard. There is a dead man there, only this one is not in a grave.

The man is an American. He is from Dublin Ohio and he has come to Ireland to look into his family history. His entire family has come with him as well as a film maker who is creating a documentary about the search for Irish roots.

Siobhan and Macdara must work hard to untangle all the threads of this mystery. The American family members seem unable to tell the truth about anything. Every lie means solving this puzzle will take longer.

Siobhan and Macdara must work together although their personal story has hit a snag. Their relationship is more developed here. Each of them have strengths and when they work together they make an effective team.

The secondary characters add very much to the story. The American family members are each well defined and their possible motives for murder are on full view. O'Sullivan family members are growing up and becoming individuals. The village citizens are helpful but a few of them have their own agenda.

Ms O'Connor has created a wonderful population in the village of Kilbane. Her characters tell a story with their actions. The plot is easy to follow, even as the falsehoods lead us down wrong paths.

I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley. I am voluntarily writing this review and all opinions are my own.

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I have been anticipating this offering in the Irish Village Mystery series and I was in no way disappointed. From the previous books in the series I understood the cadence of the storytelling and was completely satisfied by the mystery and it's multi-generational aspect, as well as the fact that over two years had passed since I'd heard anything about the village of Kilbane. I was once again emotionally engaged in the relationships of Siobhan, with her family and Macdara, and experienced much anxiety as the book progressed. I highly recommend 'Murder in an Irish Churchyard' and would give it more stars if I could!

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"In Ireland the inevitable never happens
and the unexpected constantly occurs" -Sir John Pentland Mahaffy
I have to say this quote struck me as almost perfect for describing the cozy mystery of Murder in an Irish Churchyard. I loved everything about this book, title, cover, and every word in the book. The lovely lilt of the Irish accent, sprinkled throughout the dialog enchants you as it dances in your mind and makes you wish it came out of your own mouth. A murder mystery about family, community, history, friendship, and the strength of integrity. Start to finish a very fine mystery indeed! This one is out in February 27th and is the third book in the series by Charlene O'Connor

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I have not read the first part of this series, but generally love anything involving Ireland and I was thrilled with the author's setting and background. I really liked the 2-in-1 mystery with the past influencing the present. A very enjoyable read.

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Big changes have happened offstage in this third Irish Village mystery. Fiery Siobhan O'Sullivan, who is not only raising her orphaned brood of brothers and sisters but also running the family restaurant, decided to join the Irish police force, the Garda. After two years of training she is in her hometown and low woman on the totem pole. Unfortunately, her boyfriend Macdara Flannery, already a policeman, left to go to Dublin after she sprung her decision on him.

Siobhan becomes embroiled in a bizarre murder investigation involving old family history, a bickering and dysfuctional family of Americans, and a body found in the graveyard.

She chafes at following rules and regulations instead of her instincts. And trying to work with her former sweetheart is more than awkward for both of them.

These are enjoyable reads with beguiling characters and a great sense of Irish village life. Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for providing me with an ARC.

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An enjoyable cozy. The time jump threw me a bit but I think it was a smart move on the author’s part.

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Kilbane, Ireland is a quiet little Irish village and Siobhan O’Sullivan, now a Guarda, doesn’t expect to do much more than break up a fight or two at the local pub. But she’s barely started on the job when she gets a call that a man has been found shot to death in the local cemetery. It doesn’t take Siobhan long to discover the man was an American from Dublin, Ohio, looking into his Irish roots. Because murder is not something the local police force is accustomed to dealing with a DS is dispatched from Dublin, a DS who just happens to be Macdara Flannery, making the investigation uncomfortable for both of them. They try to overcome their awkwardness to find the man’s killer, and soon discover that the Irish heritage he was trying to uncover played a role in his murder. If you like cozy mysteries that are heavy on character development and setting, you’ll love this mystery

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