Book 5 has the reader thoroughly enthralled with all things fairies--the little people themselves, fairy rings, fairy trees, and all the lore, fables, tales, and ballyhoo that goes with those unique legends in the Emerald Isle.

Siobhan O'Sullivan is now Garda O'Sullivan, engaged to fellow Garda Macdara Flannery (Dara). Siobhan (shi-vawn) has been part of the O'Sullivan Six managing Naomi's Bistro since the death of their parents. Looking forward to some private time with Dara, however, is interrupted when he informs her plans have changed as he got an urgent call from his cousin Jane in Ballysiogdun regarding his aunt. Jane, although blind, discovered her mother deceased, obviously not a natural death.

Having no shortages of people who actively disliked his aunt Ellen, it appears the local garda wants to zero in on Jane being the most obvious as she won't produce evidence of her whereabouts. In this tiny but quaint, quintessential Irish village, the superstitions run rampant. It's not the first time this cottage has been the location of mysterious deaths--all attributed to it's being in a fairy path between two fairy rings. So much shared folklore here, fascinating history dating centuries, and attributable supernatural events.

The author has a beautiful writing style invoking unusual descriptions with an easy swing into the clue that naturally leads to the next revelation. There is enough here to delight most cozy readers: a great mystery, a touch of romance, family relationships, intelligent dialogue. The well-plotted storyline slips into a conclusion that neatly satisfies the loose threads. While I suspected the perp (and was correct), there was more to the ending and, in the meantime, provided a delightful literary romp.

I received this digital ebook download from the publisher through NetGalley and greatly appreciated the opportunity to read and review. A series I look forward to giving me the Irish experience albeit vicariously. Looking forward to Book 6. Totally recommended.

Maybe this would have been 5 stars if I had read others in the series. The plot is fine as a stand-alone, but I did feel a little at sea with some of the personal/family relationships. No matter--I'll just have to go back and start from book one, as I enjoyed this one a lot! Fairies, a future sister-in-law as a suspect, a treasure horde, a superstitious village, and all the emotions, jealousies, and desires of human beings--along with a smart main character working to solve a mysterious murder. Excellent! This one ticks the boxes for me--a very enjoyable read!

Review copy provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This odd one if the best in the cozy mystery genre.... always a good story with great character development

Murder in an Irish Cottage by Carlene O'Connor is the latest in the series of Irish mysteries featuring Siobhan O'Sullivan, Irish garda (police officer) and her fiancé Macdara Flannery, also a garda. They have yet to announce their engagement at Siobhan's request. No one is really sure why, although she has her reasons. All of a sudden they are called to a nearby village. Dara's aunt has been killed. It is not their jurisdiction, but it is family. They arrived to hear quite a story. It was fairies, they were told. The cottage she lived in was in the middle of a fairy path. The fairies had killed before, they said. Several times, they said. Now, Siobhan, being an Irish lass, gave the fairies their due, but she did not believe they had committed this crime. She could not investigate, officially, but she could not leave it alone. No one, not one, was telling the truth and it was making her nuts.

This is the best series, although this was not the best of the series. Siobhan is overly responsible, having raised her gang of siblings since her parents' death. She is a bloodhound when it comes to hunting out the criminal. Dara's mother who doesn't see her as the perfect wife for her darling son frightens her. She is an interesting and valuable character. Dara is not as clearly written but we know he is more easy-going than Siobhan and he lets her go her way, respecting her abilities. He knows his mother is a handful but he thinks all will be well with her and his marriage. He does have a mild jealous streak where Siobhan is concerned, but manages it well, like everything else he does. This is a very character driven book with a decent mystery driving the plot. I enjoy reading about Ireland and so am drawn to it the Irish Village Mysteries. You will be, too. I recommend it.

I received a free ARC of Murder in an Irish Village from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions and inferences contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #murderinanirishcottage

Title: Murder in an Irish Cottage

Author: Carlene O'Connor

Series: Irish Village Mystery book 5

Chapters:33

Pages:296

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Rating: 3 stars

Publisher: Kensington Books

Murder in an Irish Cottage by the Carlene O'Connor is the 5th book in the Irish Village Mystery series. It's not my favorite of the series but it was till enjoyable. I do love reading about Siobhan O'Sullivan's journey from restaurant owner and amateur detective to Garda Ireland's name for police. But I half to say the mysteries don't seem as much fun now that Siobhan doesn't have to sneak to solve them. But I keep reading em because I want to see where her relationship with Macdara goes.

I am also looking forward to the next book in the Irish Village Mystery series, and anything else that Carlene writes.


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 is a series that has never let me down. Siobhan O'Sullivan has been head of her family since the loss of their parents and she also keeps things going with the family pub. While this entry works as a standalone, starting with the first book, Murder in a Irish Village, will show just how strong this young woman is. She has joined the Garda and is engaged to another Garda officer, Macdara flannery, a joy she keeps hidden so as not to spoil any of it. They will have to tell their superiors at the station and their families and then things become complicated. For now it's their treasure to enjoy. One morning while getting her family sorted for the day and opening Naomi's Bistro, named after their mother, Dara shows up and asks her to accompany him to a remote village. He has received a call from his cousin Jane who is legally blind and lives with her mother in a village cottage. As they make their way to find out what has happened and how his aunt has died, Dara fills her in on the odd ways of the locals - they believe in fairies and not the nice ones. These are the ones you would want to check under the bed and in the closet before going to bed. These fairies are none to happy that the cottage Dara's aunt inhabits in on their fairy path. As soon as they arrive, Siobhan and Dara are met with a group of locals demanding that the cottage be bulldozed right this minute if not sooner. Which one of them took matters into their own hands and started the process by killing the inhabitant of said cottage?
Filled with fairy lore, I was enthralled from the very start. It sure did leave me with a new perspective of fairies. I'll give them a very wide berth if I ever happen to encounter one. The mystery, the setting, twist, turns and red herrings and most of all the main characters along with learning something new to me left me with feeling that I was sorry it ended and I have to wait for the next visit with Siobhan and Dara. I know I will not be disappointed.
My thanks to the publisher Kensington and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Garda Siobhan O’Sullivan has big news to share with her family, but before she can figure out how to break the news of her engagement, she gets a call from Macdara Flannery, also a Garda officer. His cousin Jane Delaney had called him very upset, and he asked Siobhan to join him on a trip to the tiny village of Ballysiogdun to collect Jane and find out what happened.

Although Jane is an adult, she is legally blind, so she was still living at home with her mother. She’d been out of town for a conference, and when she’d returned home she knew immediately that something was wrong. That was when she’d called Macdara.

When Siobhan and Macdara make their way to the cottage where Jane and her mother Ellen lived, it didn’t take them long to see the signs of foul play. A broken window, the posed body of Macdara’s aunt, and a single gold coin on the floor.

But all the villagers could talk about was what had happened overnight. Some had seen bright lights. Some had heard a banshee scream. Some saw a lone figure running. But they all know exactly what had happened: the nearby fairies had expressed their unhappiness once again by taking the life of a resident of the cottage. The cottage Ellen and Jane had lived in was right between two fairy trees, and everyone knows how the Good People (the fairies) didn’t like for anyone to be in their way.

But Siobhan doesn’t believe that. While she has respect for the stories of Irish elders, she knows that whatever it was that people had heard that night, or what they thought they had seen, it was a flesh and blood human being who murdered Ellen. And that killer was still in their midst.

Murder in an Irish Cottage is the fifth book in the Irish Village Mystery series by Carlene O’Connor, adn anyone who’s had the good fortune to read any of the wonderful books in this series knows that Garda Siobhan O’Sullivan will not be stopped until she gets her man.

I love the Irish Village Mysteries. I have long been a fan of Siobhan and her fiery Irish determination to set things right. I love that she works as a police officer while also helping her siblings run their late mother’s cafe, especially with her being the one to go in every morning and bake their signature brown bread. There is so much love in this series for family and for truth, each book is completely charming to me from the first page to the last.

I especially loved Murder in an Irish Village for its talk of the legend of the fairies. The fairy trees and rings, the beauty of the countryside, the storytelling—it made me want to take a trip there more than ever. But until I can make that happen, I can read the books in this series and feel for a few hours that I’ve gotten a taste of Ireland and its people.

Galleys for Murder in an Irish Cottage were provided by Kensington Books through NetGalley, with many thanks, but I was also lucky enough to win a copy through a Goodreads giveaway.

This is the 5th "Irish Village" Mystery by author Carlene O'Connor. I have read the entire series and highly recommend this charming cozy mystery series. Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity. My review opinions are my own.

In this next in series our intripd protagonist is off on a journey with her fiancee Macdara to a nearby village after he receives a concerning call from a relative. Upon arrival in Ballysiogdun they discover his aunt dead in her cottage and Jane, who is blind in the front. Macdara and Siobhan realize this was a murder and begin to investigate together piecing together clues and testimony from Jane even though Macdara cannot officially be on the case. As they interview the townspeople they find hostilities run deeply side by side with superstition .

I loved the well crafted mystery here amid the townspeople. The clues abound and the sleuth was pleasing to conclusion. The supporting charcters as always are fun and add to the narrative. The charming aspect of this series as always is the Irish folklore and culture. A outstanding next in series . I look forward to the next in series.

This is the first book in the series I've read but had no trouble following along, although understanding some of the family dynamics would be easier having read a previous book. I love books set in Ireland and this one didn't disappoint, especially because some folklore was woven all through the story. The characters and how they interacted was interesting, particularly as it related to their beliefs regarding fairies. Siobhan is clever at putting disparate and seemingly insignificant clues together and seeing the overall picture and isn't afraid to risk a friendship when she knows she's right. I will have to start at the beginning now and catch up.

I received an advance copy via NetGalley and this is my honest review.

For me Carlene O'Connor's latest in her An Irish Village Mystery series was perfection! I just love Siobhan and the whole surrounding cast of characters in 'Murder in an Irish Cottage.' The entire situation was entirely believable as
Siobhan, during her time off from the Garda, helps Dara to solve the mystery surrounding the murder of his aunt. There is always a piquancy of Irish lore in the author's writings, as well as beautiful and evocative prose. Having experienced profound loss of my own, I was especially touched by her words: "Until one experienced a profound loss of their own it was impossible to explain that sorrow never vanishes. It was a war fought not in long, draw-out battles, but in the everyday, unexpected moments." I love and highly recommend this series, and can't wait for more!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Murder in an Irish Cottage earns 5/5 Fairy Paths...Engaging Cozy!

The fairies did it! Charlene O’Connor once again has penned a marvelous, entertaining cozy mystery set on the Emerald Isle. Siobhán O’Sullivan is looking forward to a break from her garda duties, but obligations with family and the family’s bistro won’t make it much of a vacation. However, her fiancé Macdara Flannery has received a frantic call from his cousin. The two rush to the remote village of Ballysiogdun only to find his aunt murdered and his cousin, who is blind, standing nearby. They’re out of jurisdiction, but that doesn’t stop them from taking crime scene photos, gathering clues, and unofficially asking questions, but answers don’t come easy. The victim had her own issues, there seemed no love lost between the victim and the villagers, and sergeant in charge does not want their assistance. But of course, it doesn’t stop Siobhán. Greed. Infidelity. Malice. Murder. Fairies. Brilliant!

O’Connor’s writing style is entertaining, and I’m an eager fan of this Irish Village Mystery series. This fifth book may be my favorite. Using a third-person narrative to create the marvelous lush setting and likable, solemn, and suspicious characters with descriptive language and varies personalities and tone through expressive dialogue kept me entertained and totally engaged. Incorporating fascinating Irish folklore and legends about the fairies was unique and sent me exploring outside sources for more information. Lots of misdirection, twists, and dead ends challenged my ability to figure out the mystery, but the reveal, murderer, and motive made a satisfying conclusion. Siobhán and Dara continue their romance, slowly, but they do work well as a team. I loved it! No bonuses included in this cozy. No recipes sharing Irish cuisine or additional information on the folklore used in the mystery. However, it didn’t effect my total enjoyment!

This was a fun book to read. Learned a bit more about Irish folklore and living in a small Irish town. It also shows how somebody can get carried away when they are firm believers that the bad luck or deaths are to be blamed on fairies.
The mystery get solved near the end of the story. In the meanwhile you get to know a bit more about Siobhán and her five siblings. I highly recommend to anybody that likes a bit of folklore with their mystery.

This was another great addition to the series, with Siobhan and MacDara getting involved when Dara’s aunt is found murdered. Add in the folklore about fairies, and a small Irish village full of characters, and the result is another fun and good read. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Siobhan and Dara, both Garda, find themselves ensnared in a complicated case involving murder and, wait for it- fairies! This is series is more one of gentle procedurals than cozies and this latest installment (fine as a standalone) is the same. Ellen moved into a cottage that was built along fairy lines (I learned something) and was not respectful to them or to anyone in the village for that matter. The local Garda doesn't want Siobhan and Dara's help (and Siobhan's big family would like her home to help them out) but these two persist. There's more than one twist here and interesting Irish folklore. The charm of this series lies in the characters more than the locale (although it's always nicely done). Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A very good read and I'm looking forward to the next one.

Even if I usually like the stories in this series I couldn't connect to this one as I found the plot and the character development a bit monodimensional.
The Irish background is as vidid as usual but the story wasn't my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the Kensington Books and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

** 4.5 Stars Rounded Up **

I thoroughly enjoyed this excellent addition to the Irish Village Mystery series. In this series, we have watched Siobhan (shi-vawn) O’Sullivan grow from a harried caregiver for her five siblings after they were orphaned to a confident garda (police). She’s now engaged to fellow garda Macdara Flannery and the O’Sullivan Six, as they are known in their village of Kilbane, are finally settling and coming into their own. This book is well-written, well-paced and the mystery will keep you guessing right until the last.

Siobahn is on her summer leave and is looking forward to spending time with her siblings when her fiancée arrives at her bistro, Naomi’s, and asks her to accompany him to Ballysiogdun. He received a frantic call from his cousin, Jane, who wouldn’t tell him what was wrong – she only said he had to get there. When they arrive, it is to discover Macdara’s aunt dead in her cottage and Jane, who is blind, standing stoically in the front. Macdara and Siobhan quickly determine that it is murder. Since they probably won’t be able to officially work the case, they quickly take pictures of the scene and the inside of the cottage.

It seems that almost everyone in the village should be a suspect because neither Macdara’s aunt Ellen nor her daughter Jane is liked at all. You can’t find anyone who has a good word to say about them and several had a true dislike for them. Where can they begin when the case has been assigned to a sergeant from Cork and he doesn’t want their involvement?

In a village that is very insular, where most are holding secrets, and all believe in the Good People (fairies) it is almost impossible to get anyone to tell what they know. Working around the official garda investigation and managing to ferret out the information they need to solve the case is almost impossible. Siobhan is like a dog with a bone and just won’t let it go. She’s determined to find the real murderer and not let an innocent person be blamed just because they are an easy solution.

This was a great mystery with infidelity, fairies, greed, and malice aplenty. I’m not sure there was a good person in that entire village. The villain will surprise you and you’ll be on the edge of your seat the entire time you are reading.

You’ll love your visit to lush, green, beautiful Ireland and all of their lore. It is a fun read and a delight to watch Macdara and Siobhan progress in their relationship. I hope you will enjoy the book as much as I did.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I read this book courtesy of NetGalley. Garda Siobhan Sullivan is newly and secretly engaged, helping to run a bistro with her five siblings after their parents died, and jumping right in to help solve a murder mystery. Closed mouth villagers, who are filled with superstitious, beliefs are problematic for Siobhan and her fiancé Macdara as they attempt to solve the crime while not actively involved in the investigation. Red herrings and misleading information abound in this lively book, making it almost impossible to determine who committed the murder. This cozy, set in Ireland, is an interesting and engaging book; recommended for fans of the genre who like a challenging mystery.

Siobhan and Macdara are back to solve another mystery.  This time murder has hit Macdara's family.  
I recently read an ARC of the latest (and last?) Agatha Raisin mystery and am enjoying this new cozy mystery series as a replacement for those times when I need a light-hearted read.

3.5 stars

Siobhan O'Sullivan and her five lively sibling are back for another adventure in County Cork. Siobhan is a garda now, and very determined to succeed. This time the murder hits close to home: the victim is the estranged aunt of her fiancee Macdara Flannery. Dara and Siobhan are both police but have no jurisdiction in this case, but that doesn't stop them from trying to get to the bottom of things.

And it's no easy puzzle. Dara's aunt was not particularly likable, nor is her blind daughter Jane. Both women are/were caustic, sarcastic and often unpleasant. And the murder has the whiff of the supernatural about it: Dara's aunt lived in a cottage near a fairy ring, a much revered and feared thing in Ireland, and some townspeople wanted the home torn down after its unhappy history.

Suspects abound including the possibly mental man who stalked the aunt in another city, the neighbors who hated the cottage, a local councilman, and an obnoxious author working on a book about the fairies.

This clan is fun to spend time with, and if the plot gets a little convoluted toward the end, it doesn't spoil the enjoyment. Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Irish folklore and local Irish vernacular are major features of this series. When Siobhan O''Sullivan, now a police officer (garda), finds herself investigating fairies as murder suspects in a remote village you can count on an interesting reading experience.

An eclectic collection of characters, plot twists and Irish law provided aspects to this cozy mystery that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Newly engaged Siobhan and Macdara Flannery, both garda in her local village, find themselves personally involved in a murder investigation where they are the unwelcome outsiders. The O'Sullivan Six keep Siobhan busy with her family commitments, Naomi's Bistro staffing, and juggling wedding plans.

To say more would spoil the plot!