A good start to a cozy mystery series set in Ireland. Megan is an American, working in Dublin for a limo service. She is naturally a snoop, so cannot help getting involved with each dead body that turns up. Enjoyed this one and look forward to reading more in the series.

Funny enough, I had been on a cozy mystery kick lately and was just pulling cozies from my goodreads TBR and grabbed this one to read not realizing that I’d been gifted an ARC in the past…so thank you to Netgalley, Catie, and Kensington for a copy of Dead in Dublin.

The first in a new cozy series follows our main character Megan as she adjusts to life as an American in Ireland. Being a limo driver in Dublin gives her the chance to see her new home and meet a variety of interesting people, so she’s really enjoying this new gig…until one of her clients dies. Notorious food critic Elizabeth drops dead after eating at a restaurant in town, causing the owner to ask Megan to look for signs of foul play in hopes to prove that her food is not the cause.

This was a total cover grab for me. That cover is gorgeous and fun. But with the exception of the pups, it does not match the book at all.

Admittedly, I went with the audiobook for this one, as I said, I’d forgotten that I had a digital ARC of this and unfortunately I cannot judge the book without also judging the narration…and I have to say that the narration on this one completely killed it for me. Beyond that, I couldn’t really keep interested in the story. I always like when a cozy author tries to make it a little more interesting than the standard plots that we see on the regular, but it’s an odd choice to have a limo driver solving murders to me.

I like the addition of dogs, of course. And Megan’s character was okay. I may continue with this series at some point but it is not high on my list, which is unfortunate because I am always stoked to read books set in Ireland.

Too much dog stuff in this book! I don't think I realized that going in when I agreed to review it. Not for me. I'm a cat person so all the dog connections were lost on me. I actually don't like my cozy mysteries to center around animals - they are so popular to some series. This is the first in a series but I won't be reading more of these.

The book, title (as listed on Amazon: Dead in Dublin: A Charming Irish Cozy Mystery) and cover miss the mark. I would consider this a main stream mystery based on the story line and writing style despite the lack of graphic descriptions. The cover is cute and made me want to read the story, but does not accurately represent any of the story line other than giving one the impression that it may be set in Ireland and that there may be dog(s) in it. There is no cemetery scene, much less one with crime finding/solving dogs.

Most cozies have a core group of secondary characters which may or may not help crime solve, here we are introduced to many secondary characters, I felt there were too many and we're given a lot of detail that wasn't necessary to the story such as a co-worker who has a new niece. We go with Megan to the gym at least three times and see her starting to bond with a spotting partner. All of the characters and detail detracted from and slowed down the mystery.

There was also some unexplained/off instances. Why would the family of one of the victims ask a limo driver to solve their child's murder? Megan does not have a law enforcement or investigative background. Later on they look at Megan blankly when she's asking questions (??)

I was able to finish the book, and give it an OK rating, but I would not be inclined to really recommend this book, especially for cozy readers, since Megan and the setting didn't really appeal to me based on this one book. I do have Death on the Green, book 2, and will give it a go.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Dead in Dublin is Catie Murphy’s first entry in what I think will be a new and enjoyable cozy mystery series. Fans of that genre may want to give this one a look. In it, an American who drives tourists around Dublin becomes involved in a murder investigation. Many of the elements that cozy lovers appreciate are here; there is the Irish setting, not too much blood, an interesting case, a Garda officer and…two puppies. So, enjoy some armchair travel and a relaxing read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title. All opinions are my own.

**I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book through NetGalley from they publisher in exchange for an honest review**

A middle-aged amateur sleuth, driving a cab in Ireland, solving mysteries? Yes please! Darker topics emerge in this cozy, which I think makes this one a good bridge between heavier mysteries and the lighter, formulaic cozy mysteries. I appreciated the descriptions of Ireland and the emergence of a fun main character, with a hint of romance in the air. Definitely will read more in this series!

It is always fun to get in at the beginning of a new cozy series. Dead in Dublin, the first of the Dublin Driver Mysteries by Catie Murphy, seems to give this series a great place to start. US ex-pat Megan Malone has moved to Ireland to work after retiring from 20 years of service in the military. She drives a limousine for tourists around the Dublin area and despite her cranky boss/landlord, she loves her job and the people she shuttles around. When her client dies after eating at a popular restaurant owned by one of Megan’s friends, she finds herself trying to get to the bottom of the mystery.

Megan is a classic cozy sleuth. She is curious and tenacious plus she has some soft boundaries that can get her into a bit of trouble as her enthusiastic momentum carries her forward at a steady clip.

I enjoyed learning about Dublin through the eyes of an American and truly appreciated the pronunciation guide at the beginning of the book. In the years that she has been in the city, Megan has obviously made some great and varied friendships. I look forward to learning more about these great characters and seeing how those relationships play out over the next few books. Despite Dublin being a large city with over one million residents, the author has managed to show us that the Dublin region is broken down into smaller neighborhoods and villages, so I expect the coming series will feel very much small town in its timbre as it did in the book. Couple that with lovely descriptions of local color and people with the occasional historical snippet and it turns out that driving a limo is the perfect vehicle to give the reader insight into the area and paint a beautiful backdrop for the stories.

Though her past has been lightly touched on, I would love to learn more specifics about Megan and how she ended up in Ireland to stay.

I did not care for this book. It was well written but I list interest in the book very quickly. The characters were irritating. It took me forever to get through this book..

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read this book!

This was a fantastic start to a cozy series with a whole lot of promise, It has a unique setting, character and situation, and thus made it all the more enjoyable. Megan was a really good sleuth, and had some great leads and sources to untilize. Ultimately we're led in such an unexpected direction for the murderer that I was both shocked and impressed. I read so many of these that it's usually hard to get one past me, but this one did!

A really great book, and I'm so glad to have found another brilliant author to look out for in the future. Five stars.

An enjoyable new mystery series set in the heart of Dublin. Murphy does an excellent job bringing Ireland to life, as well as creating a compelling mystery. I look forward to reading more novels in this series!

Great start to a series. A likable, original main character, adorable animals, beautiful setting, and an intriguing mystery. I hope to see more from this author.

I love a good cozy mystery set in Ireland something about that culture always interests me. It also cracks me up that Megan works for a place called leprechaun limo service. Lots of hilarious and colorful characters and interesting places this was an awesome start to a new series

Dead in Dublin by Catie Murphy is a refreshing addition to the cozy mystery field and I enjoyed it very much overall. Several things set it apart from other cozy mysteries … The setting, for one. What’s not to like about an Irish setting? And then there’s the lead character, Megan Malone, whose very name alludes to the legendary Molly Malone of Dublin fame. Megan is an appealing and original character, with her Army medic background and totally unrelated current job of driving for the Leprechaun Limo Service.

Megan’s job seems interesting, but pretty routine – until one of her repeat customers drops dead after eating at a friend’s restaurant. Molly is intelligent and caring, qualities that compel her to ask questions. The mystery is well crafted, complex, and flows steadily with a few twists and surprises along the way. There’s some good chemistry between Megan and DI Paul Bourke with the Dublin Garda, so I hope for further development between the two. And a few canine characters steal hearts, a Jack Russell terrier and two pups, born in a restaurant kitchen.

The only real negative for me was the totally unnecessary use of profanity. I enjoy clean reads and did not expect to find this in a cozy mystery.

I received a copy of this book through Great Escapes Tours. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

An excellent beginning to what promises to be an engrossing series! This is one of those books that just when you think you have the puzzle solved, throws some more pieces onto the table. Looking forward to the next one!

I really enjoyed this book. It's book 1 in the Dublin Driver Mystery series and it's a winner. Can't wait for book 2, Death on the Green. Megan Malone drives a limo for tourist in Ireland and one of her regular customers drops dead at the statue of Molly Malone. (No relation). This is how she meets Detective Bourke who is intrigued by this American, a retired military medic. Lots of Irish legends and travel tips around the city. A good mystery to solve and even a dog with an important role in Megan's life. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Disclaimer: I was given a temporary eARC of this book by Kensington Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was okay, it wasn't bad and it wasn't good. I had a hard time connecting with the characters and didn't find myself drawn into the story. I felt that there was too much going on at times in the story and then not enough at other times. I can't see myself reading any more books in this series in the future.

Title: Dead in Dublin

Author: Catie Murphy

Series: The Dublin Driver Mysteries book 1

Chapters:

Pages: 304

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Rating: 3 stars

Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corporation
A fast-paced cozy mystery set in Dublin in which Megan Malone after a stint in the Military has become a driver for Leprechaun Limo Service.
I loved the Dublin setting as I haven't read many books sent in Dublin through I've plenty sent in Ireland. This cozy was a little slow at first but it picked up. It was funnier than most cozies I've read

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

This mystery was just ok with me. I didn’t develop that character connection I want in my books. The writing is very good and I did enjoy the setting of the book. I would probably try another book by this author to see if a connection would develop. But is was a well thought out book with potential.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by NetGalley.

A cozy mystery set in Ireland what's not to like the story was a little slow at times but I would recommend the book.

Sorry gang, I struggled with this one. I couldn’t find myself caring one way or the other what happened to the characters. I’m DEFINITELY in the minority, so don’t go by me!

Thanks to Netgalley and The Publisher for a copy of this book, which I voluntarily chose to review.