Siobhan O’Sullivan is looking forward to a lovely, peaceful Christmas with her younger siblings. Although they won’t be home this year as usual, they will get to be in West Cork, close to the sea. There, they will be getting to know the family of James’ fiancee Elise Elliot and enjoying the concert put on by her grandfather. Enda Elliot is a renowned conductor, and the O’Sullivans have been invited to the big Christmas Eve concert as well as all the accompanying festivities in the days leading up to Christmas.

But as soon as the family arrives at the old mill where the musicians will be performing, Siobhan knows that something is wrong. Everyone is standing around outside, waiting for Enda to show up and let them in. But he should have been there already. So Siobhan wasn’t surprised when they do get the doors open and find Enda, unmoving, on the ground. She has the others call the local guards while she tries to secure the scene. As a garda herself, Siobhan is more than familiar with the scene of a murder, and she understands quickly that is exactly where she has found herself once again.

While the local guards seem to focus in on a the man least liked in the town, Siobhan realizes that just because a man is not well liked in a city doesn’t make him a murderer. And as she starts to ask questions around town, she begins to uncover Elliot family secrets and alibis that turn out to be lies. But finding the balance between justice and family is difficult, and she has to juggle her time carefully to make sure she spends some time with her siblings too.

So, who killed Enda? The local man who has always had time fitting in to the small town, or one of Enda’s grandchildren, who find themselves being threatened with a loss of funding for their various endeavors? Could it have been his wife, a much younger woman and the first violin in Enda’s orchestra? Or could it be someone else entirely?

Once Siobhan’s fiance Detective Sergeant Macdara Flannery shows up and takes over the case, Siobhan is able to get more information quickly. But when someone ties to run her off the road, she realizes that maybe getting close to catching a killer is getting too close to the killer. Will she be able to put together the clues in time to find Enda’s killer, or will this end up being Siobhan’s last Christmas?

Murder at an Irish Christmas is book 6 in the Irish Village Mystery series, and author Carlene O’Connor has crafted this one with just as much love as she did the first. The O’Sullivan clan keep getting older, but Siobhan works hard to keep them together as a family. And at the same time, her sense of justice is so strong that she can’t let a killer go free, even when it puts her in danger.

I love these books. Getting a chance to spend some time in Ireland always makes for a good time, and I find Siobhan and the whole O’Sullivan family absolutely endearing. I thought the Christmas setting for this story was a great backdrop to this story, and I appreciated the time I got to spend in West Cork. Murder at an Irish Christmas is a another good cozy in a really solid series.

Egalleys for Murder at an Irish Christmas were provided by Kensington Books through NetGalley, with many thanks.

Murder at an Irish Christmas (Irish Village Mystery #6) by Carlene O'Connor
Publisher: Kensington Books
Genre: Mystery & Thrillers
Release Date: October 27, 2020

Murder at an Irish Christmas is the sixth book in the Irish Village Mystery series by Carlene O'Connor. I had not read the previous book in the series, but was easily able to jump right into this one!

This was such a fun Christmas cozy mystery. I love the setting in an Irish Village and the inclusion of Gaelic throughout the book. I loved the characters in the story, especially Siobhan! She is such a powerhouse! The Christmas theme was carried throughout the whole book and I loved it! The murder mystery was great, especially since there was police perspective added into the investigation.

I look forward to reading the other books in the series (especially the ones to come!).

I'm so grateful to Carlene O'Connor, Kensington Books, and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this ARC ebook in exchange for my honest review.

I just read Murder at an Irish Christmas by Carlene O'Connor. Entertaining cozy mystery. Readers who like settings in other countries should check out the previous books in this series, too.

It’s a week before Christmas and Garda Siobhán O’Sullivan and her siblings are in a small village in West Cork. The O’Sullivan clan is celebrating Christmas on the Irish coast because James O’Sullivan is engaged. Siobhán and her siblings are there to meet fiancé Elise Elliot’s family. Elsie Elliot is a member of a renowned musical family. Her grandfather is renowned conductor Enda Elliott. In addition to meeting the Elliot family, Siobhán and her brothers and sisters plan to attend a concert in honor of Enda. The concert will take place in the village’s old stone whiskey mill in six days on Christmas Eve. Siobhán has promised her family she won’t get involved in any crime fighting while in West Cork. That promise is about to be put to the test.
A crowd is huddled in front of the old mill, shivering in the wind and cold. Among those waiting for someone to unlock the doors are members of the RTÈ Orchestra, Siobhán’s family, and Enda’s family, including his second wife Moira and his current wife Leah. Enda is nowhere to be found. Once the key arrives, the door is finally opened and the crowd moves forward, eager to be in out of the cold. Their enthusiasm wanes though when Enda Elliott’s body is found crushed beneath a harp. In spite of her promise, Siobhán is pulled into the murder mystery to ensure a murderer doesn’t walk free.

My Thoughts on Murder at an Irish Christmas.

Murder at an Irish Christmas is the first book of O’Connor’s I’ve read. This particular book is number six in the Irish Village Mystery series and I plan on going back and reading the rest. The pace moves quickly. The dialogue is snappy, and it was difficult to solve the murder. Too many people with motive in a tiny village. The O’Sullivan clan is one I want to get to know better.
Recommended.

After vowing not to overwhelm my TBR with #netgalley requests, I went ahead and requested four Christmas books that all come out at the end of October. So, I'm scrambling now to finish them, and feeling like the retail stores that decorate for Christmas three months early 😆

First up is #murderatanirishchristmas the latest in the Irish village mystery series from #carleneoconnor

Synopsis: the O'Sullivan brood has gone to spend the holidays in West Cork, only to discover the patriarch of the family they are visiting has been murdered.

Things I liked: the Irish village setting, the strong bond between the main character and her siblings, and the honesty of family struggles during the holidays.

Things I didn't like: the lack of relationship development between two of the main characters, the musical theme (just not my jam, others might really enjoy it), and the slightly formulaic feeling to the story.

Overall, this was an easy and enjoyable holiday read.

#MurderAtAnIIrishChristmas# By: Carlene O'Connor
Review By: I Love To Read, Librarian
I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This book begins before Christmas when Garda Siobhan O'Sullivan and her siblings arrive at an old whiskey mill in West Cork, Ireland, the future scene of a Christmas concert on Christmas Eve. The death of the famous conductor who has planned this concert leaves the village in shock, especially when his death is declared a murder. His family and extended family all appear to have motives. Garda O'Sullivan begins to investigate, though she is not officially on the case. She is thwarted when she encounters lies and more lies from everyone. All of her police work is set against the backdrop of a charming Irish Christmas.
I enjoyed this book and its characters. Ms. O'Connor brought the tale to a satisfying end with some surprises. I highly recommend the author and this book.

Christmas is coming but a corpse arrives first in this, the 6th delightful mystery featuring the O'Sullivan clan. Siobhan and her siblings are out of town for the holiday, off to a remote Irish village to spend Christmas getting to know her brother James's future in-laws. That's always a challenge for any family at the best of times but, with this bunch? Oh, my, it gets complicated fast. The grandfather, a renowned composer, meets his maker when a concert harp becomes a murder weapon, crushing him. And so Siobhan, acting both as a family to be member and Garda, has her very own locked room mystery to solve for they are all forced together in isolation with a murderer in their midst. That's a rough way to start blending their families.
This is one of my favorite series and it has been wonderful to see how Siobhan and her siblings have grown since the death of their parents. James is engaged and Siobhan has found the love of her life in Macdara Flannery. I can't wait until the next book, Murder in an Irish Bookshop (2/23/2021) to see how Siobhan and Mac progress to their wedding. I love the complex puzzles Carlene O'Connor has created, full of red herrings and loads of twists and turns, leaving me to guess wrong every time - as it should be.
My thanks to the publisher, Kensington and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Family time and time off from working as a Garda, that is all Sioban is looking forward to with her brood when they travel to to spend Christmas with her future sister in-law's family. I group of gifted musicians and the very gifted is found dead in the barn turned concert hall. Sioban's clan asked her not to work this season but how can she not when there is a killer on the loose. Is it the obvious suspect or someone else? So many secrets to be unwrapped and non of them have the makings of a holly jolly Christmas. Another great mystery with a wonderful recipe for Irish Brown Bread.

Murder at an Irish Christmas by Carlene O'Connor finds the O'Sullivan Six in a small village in West Cork, preparing to spend Christmas with James' new in-laws and see a concert conducted by Enda Elliot featuring his wife, Leah who was a world-famous violinist. Elliot was the grandfather of James' fiancée, Elise, but sadly on the morning of their arrival, he was found dead at the old whiskey mill, which was to be the venue for the Christmas concert. She had promised her younger siblings that this was a vacation, all about fun. Would she be able to keep that promise? She had not authority here, after all, and it had not been established as a murder, yet.

Boy, your own family can be complicated, but add another family into the mix and life got out of control fast. Siobhan was naturally curious and a garda at heart so she couldn't help herself. She had to ask questions and observe. When her fiancé, Macdara Flannery and his mother showed up, it got worse, as now there were two of them. Enda's daughter, Moira, was the father of Elise as well as Paul and Orla. Moira was the daughter of Enda's deceased first wife and behaved in every sense like the family matriarch. She had been worried about her father as he was showing signs of dementia. She is just the beginning of this convoluted family. This was quite a good mystery with all kinds of red herrings and dead ends. Once again, Siobhan proved herself to be a canny detective who was able to suss out the murderer while following all the rules. She noticed everything, even the lies. Quite a satisfying mystery with a little Irish and a little Christmas to boot. I recommend it.

I was invited to read a free ARC of Murder at an Irish Christmas by Netgalley. All opinions and interpretations contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #murderatanirishchristmas

This is my first time reading this series and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It took a little bit to get into it with the ton of characters and the Irish names. I don't know how most of them are pronounced so it was a little off-putting for me but hey, that's why it's good to read things set in other places, right? The setting of an Irish village at Christmas was great, except for the murder, of course. I loved how the village did so much for Christmas and everyone participated. The characters were good and I enjoyed the banter between them. The mystery was very good with lots of red herrings. Will be adding this series to my pile of books that I want to read in the future.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher and voluntarily chose to review it.

It's time to spend Christmas with the O'Sullivan crew! I love this series and I loved this book. Siobhan and the family are spending the holidays with James' fiancé's family. My favorite thing about the series is the O'Sullivan six, and this book is one of my favorites because we get to spend so much time with these lively, close-knit siblings. Naturally, it wouldn't be the holidays with Garda O'Sullivan without a murder to solve, and there are plenty of suspects. This book is full of heart, laughter, and mystery. I highly recommend it as well as all of the previous Irish Village mysteries.

This is the sixth book in this series. I enjoyed it so much, I have purchased the earlier books as well. It can easily be read stand-alone, as I had no problem in picking up the story line. I wanted the earlier books to get the back history and because I enjoyed the author’s writing so well.

Siobhán O’Sullivan is a Garda and she is engaged to a Detective Sergeant. She is taking time off at Christmas to spend with her siblings, as she and her older brother, James, have been responsible for raising them.

They are spending Christmas with Elise, James’ fiancee, and her family, which has thrown the O’Sullivan traditions to the wind.

The Christmas party revolves around a classical music concert put on by the patriarch of Elise’s family, Enda Elliot, a famous conductor. Sadly, Enda is found dead days before the concert. While it looks at first, like an accident, Siobhán quickly determines that foul play is at work.

The O’Sullivan’s had hoped for a fun and relaxing time but it turns into work for the intrepid Garda.

I loved the aside thoughts that run through her mind through the story. They made me laugh over and over again. I will enjoy reading the books that came before and those that come out in the future.

I was provided a digital advance reader copy of this book by the publisher via Netgalley.

Ready to celebrate Christmas with her family in a small town, Siohbhan's plans are turned on there head when the murder of a famous musician is discovered. Fearing the killer will strike again, Siohbhan 'helps' the local authorities in their investigation. With glitter in the mix, a missing cloak, and a beautiful harp, what could go wrong?

The book was witty and charming. The characters were engaging and enjoyable. You can't help but like them with their lovely banter. The setting was a lovely Irish village--where could you hope to spend a more perfect Christmas?

I enjoyed the book thoroughly and look forward to reading more in the series. Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Siobhán and her siblings are looking forward to spending time together for Christmas. Unfortunately, murder decides they don't need that holiday. It'll take all of Siobhán's (and her fiance Macdara's) sleuthing skills to solve this mystery.

Excellent book and series. I love Siobhán and her siblings. The storyline was interesting and the mystery intriguing. Plus it's set in Ireland - a place I've always wanted to visit.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor.

The Irish Village Mysteries has become one of my favorite cozy series. I love spending time with the O'Sullivan clan and this latest installment is no different. This series is fun, engaging, and always a good mystery to solve. And it's always nice to take a trip to Ireland through the pages. (Note: I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)

Murder at an Irish Christmas is the 6th book in the Irish Village Mystery series.

This was my 1st in this series. Although it was book six, I had no difficulties keeping up with characters and events and it worked for me as an individual story. Protagonist Garda Siobhán O'Sullivan was a great character who I liked immensely from the first chapters. She was smart and fiery and had sound reasoning for her thoughts and actions which not all main characters of cosy mysteries possess!

The seaside setting in West Cork, Ireland was beautifully described by Carlene O'Connor with the craggy beach, gusting winds, and freezing snow and I could picture the homely Christmassy scene as a tree was decorated with sea glass, shells and driftwood. There was no shortage of engaging chapters so I was thoroughly invested in finding out what would happen next. The great cast of characters, especially the O'Sullivan clan, helped to zhoosh up this festive cozy. The author really impressed me with her fluid writing; the details of the plot were very well-executed, and the story was amusing and easy to follow. I was kept guessing until the very end and really enjoyed this Yuletide yarn. I am looking forward to reading book 7, Murder in an Irish Bookshop as well as the others from the series. If you adore a great Crimbo cozy mystery, locked room style, don't miss out on Murder at an Irish Christmas!

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Kensington Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

Fun! I haven’t read any of the previous books, but it wasn’t hard to to follow along and enjoy the story. This was a solid mystery with a, for me, surprise ending. Good peek into Irish Garda practices (for an American), and definitely gives all the Christmas feels! Best enjoyed with some biscuits and a hot beverage of your choice.

Murder at an Irish Christmas
Carlene O’Connor
October 27, 2020

The O’Sullivan Six decided to head to Cork County for a holiday celebration with Elise Elliott’s family.Elise is engaged to James O’Sullivan. Most of her parentage live in the country. They are musically inclined and hope the Christmas celebration on the eve before the holiday. They will be honoring Enda Elliott the grandfather of their family. He is an orchestral genius who writes music and now leads the local symphony as a prelude to his retirement. All are thrilled to welcome his wife, Leah, a renowned violinist as one of the performers. When families began arriving and working toward decorating the old whisky mill for the concert. The door was locked upon arrival and all were waiting for Cathrine Healy, a local realtor, to arrive with a key. Folks were standing outside in the wind and the cold. When she arrived she seemed flustered. Once all entered they were met with a tragic sight under a spotlight. It was the body of Enda Elliott bleeding and dead. He had a harp on top of him. It looked that he had fallen from the upper level and someone had pushed the instrument on top of him.
Tears flowed, family and orchestra members screamed. Siobhan O’Sullivan went into her garda role and immediately phoned the local station. Now is the time she wished her fiance, Detective Garda Macdara Flannery would be with the family instead of spending the holiday with his mam, Nancy. The mystery unfold with Siobhan and the local garda working on solving the murder.
This is number 6 in the Irish Mystery series. I have now read all six. They are fun to read and give the Irish perspective of solving crimes in the small boroughs of the Emerald Isle. Murder at an Irish Christmas by Colleen O’Connor will be published on October 27, 2020 by Kensington Publishing Corp of New York. I appreciate their allowing me to read and review this latest O’Connor novel. I appreciate her humor as well as strategies involved in solving the latest conundrum. Enjoy the read, Happy Christmas!

Oh My, another great novel by Carlene O'Connor.

Siobhán goes on the Christmas holiday to West Cork to meet the Isis family.
Because James Siobháns brother is engaged to Elsie.

During the Christmas festivities and a Christmas concert in the mill conducted by Elsie's grandfather.
Edna Elliot is murdered.
We meet a lot of colourful characters, each with their own version of the truth.

Siobhán's promise to her family to keep out of investigating the murder of Edna, is going to be difficult

With a bit of Christmas love and magic, it's a great read with some hot cocoa and biscuits

Thank you Kensington Books and Netgalley for this ARC

Murder at an Irish Christmas is my first book from author Carlene O’Connor so my first time meeting the O’Sullivan Six family. This was a fun story in spite it being about a murder at.Christmas. This time Siobhan O’Sullivan and her siblings have arrived in a small Irish village for a Christmas concert. The famous conductor is the grandfather of her brother James, fiancée Elise. But the conductor is found murdered and almost everyone becomes a suspect.
This story is well written, really moves along and the characters are enjoyable and well developed. Plus the murderer at the end was a bit of a surprise. What could be better than a Christmas story in Ireland too! My favorite quote from Siobhan that fits so perfectly for this year is “Its during the worst times that we need the Christmas spirit most of all,”
Thank you to netgalley and Kensington Publishers for an advanced readers copy in exchange for my review. I recommend this one. I think I’ve become a fan of this series.