In Ireland, the locals are buzzing with excitement over a reality TV baking contest. When someone is murdered, Garda Siobhan O’Sullivan is on the case.
Even though this story had a good plot and some interesting characters, it didn't hold my interest like I hoped. It seemed to drag and there was no excitement. It felt like a mystery but there wasn't enough coziness for me to keep interested in it. I want to thank Netgalley and Kensington Publishing for the opportunity of reading this advanced reader's copy. This review is my unbiased opinion.

The Irish Village Mystery series is one I always look forward to and I try to read at least one each year during Reading Ireland in March. This is the 9th book in the series and although there is a lot of character development and ongoing family and personal stories, each book can easily be read as a standalone. In Murder at an Irish Bakery, Garda Siobhan O’Sullivan has been hired by a television bake show to provide security during filming. The show is going to be set at the bakery in the old flour mill, just outside town, in County Cork. It is one of the best and people drive from miles around to buy their baked goods. There are six contestants in the show, one of them a well known cook/baker who has published several books. After the first round, she is found dead in her signature pie. The producers decide to continue filming while Siobhan and her husband, Garda Macdara Flannery, have to figure out motive and opportunity. They are sure that one of the contestants is guilty, so the investigation begins.

One thing that I always enjoyed about these books was the presence and role of Siobhan's siblings. In this book, they played a very small role, but I still enjoyed the story. I found the number of suspects made it hard to develop the many secondary characters, but the mystery was well developed. There were lots of clues, red herrings and although it took me awhile, I did figure out the culprit. This is a light, entertaining cozy mystery set in a delightful village in County Cork. A perfect March read.

Murder at an Irish Bakery featured a drama-filled baking reality show. This foodie cosy mystery was complex and engaging, with an entertaining cast of characters to make things interesting. Overall, I enjoyed this read and would recommend it for anyone who loves food themed mysteries where the emphasis is on the drama.

This was a NetGalley Review.

One of the things that keeps me coming back to certain cozy series are the amazing settings and well developed characters, and that's definitely true of this series and this entry particularly. With a baking competition at the center as well, it's a really entertaining and well crafted mystery and investigation.

I love armchair travel through books! It was great to revisit Ireland and this family. Enjoyable mystery and I am looking forward to reading more in the series!

Another fun installment in the Irish Village Mystery series. I love the O'Sullivan clan and how they have accepted all of the changes in their lives (Siobhan's marriage, the move to the farm, the new restaurant, etc.).

I love Siobhan and Macdara's work and home relationships, they always take the time to listen to each other. I was able to guess who the killer was about halfway through this book but I didn't mind because I needed to find out if I was correct about the motive.

As always, I am looking forward to the next book in the series, Murder at an Irish Chipper.

Terrific cozy mystery. It's fun and fast-paced, and kept me guessing. I love Siobhan, her siblings, Macdara, and all the townspeople. And the author's description of the setting (Kilbane) makes the reader feel like they are actually there as the mystery unfolds.

Highly recommend.

Many thanks to Kensington Cozies and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor or expectation.

One of my favorite shows is The Great British Bakeoff, here we are in Ireland, and who doesn't love visiting the Emerald Isle? Throw in a baking show contest in an old flour mill, and you have perfection, until a deady body turns up, now Siobhan, owner of the bakery located in the mill, and her husband Garda Macdara Flannery are up to their elbows in suspects. I love the Irish location, to be honest this is the third book based on TGBBO used as a murder site, but this one is just as good, it entertains, which is ideal for me. I know that you will enjoy it too.
Thank you #Netgalley #KensingtonCozies
carolintallahassee

In Kilbane, if you want great pastries, go to the bakery at the old flour mill. They used to grind their own, but it’s been years since the wheel turned. Still, the pastries are to die for.

Now a reality baking show has come to film in the historic mill. There are a few contestants: Ethan who says he’s Parisian-trained, Barry nicknamed the Sponge, Sophie who is the least experienced, Aoife the most experienced and well known, hardly in need of winning a baking show, Trisha whose mother was friends with Aoife, and Martin who calls himself a baking sculptor.

Before they can even start, a loud protester disrupts the filming with shouts of “Sugar kills!” Siobahn and Aretta, both Garda, are on hand to keep the peace. He’s quickly dispatched but returns in a matter of minutes. Everyone is surprised when Aoife comes outside and powders his nose! Can’t be shiny when on the news, she says. It’s not long after, he collapses and is rushed to the hospital.

Filming, with townspeople on hand, is stopped and started as problems are found. When word comes the protester has died, it becomes a murder investigation with the added complication of so many people on hand. Then, there are the sabotage instructions given to each of the contestants just to add hysteria to the mix.

A second death complicates things further. Siobahn and her new husband, Macdara, a senior Garda, are on the case, but it seems the killer is one step ahead at every turn. Will they be able to solve the case before everyone leaves town?

This is book nine in the series. Siobahn and Macdara are finally married, moved into their new home, her family is undertaking a new challenge, and their future is rosy, except for the murders. They are a good couple, obviously in love, and circumspect about it, most of the time. The town itself, with the abbey ruins, quaint shops, and friendly people is a character itself.

At the back of the book, find a recipe for chocolate Guinness cake courtesy of Nigella Lawson.

I really loved this first book in a new to my series and author. I can't wait to read the next one. The characters and location really add to the plot. This book keeps you guessing until the end.

Siobhan is assigned to watch over the old mill bakery while a reality baking show is being filmed. At first she loves the job as it comes with samples of sweet treats. It becomes serious business after the desths of a protester and a contestant.

Her husband, Garda Macdara Flannery returns from an out of town assignment to help with the chaos that this reality baking show has become. It seems that some people are not who they say they are and there are many unanswered questions.

I love this series because of the stories, characters, as well as the descriptions of Irish culture.

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This was a fun cozy mystery! I haven't read any from the series before and this was nice because I felt like I wasn't missing information, almost as if it were a stand-alone novel. I did decide I prefer the amateur sleuth cozies compared to this one where she's a professional, but I liked this one. I liked the plot and the characters were interesting.

I love cozy mysteries and am always looking for a series to try. This is the first book in the series I have read being attracted to the Irish setting and a baking competition. This competition is being filmed at a popular local bakery in Kilbane bringing some interesting bakers to the lovely small town. Also setting the stage for a murder or two that Garda Siobhan O’Sullivan finds herself tasked with solving. With plenty of suspects and red herrings the reader is treated to a sweet mystery. Although I enjoyed the story I found it confusing that Siobhan is an actual officer. I would have expected her to be more concentrated on following procedure than on eating the samples (especially when she is joined by her husband and fellow Garda Macdara Flannery). I did enjoy the the setting of an Old Irish flour mill and the descriptions of the food so I was willing to overlook this, the included recipe is an added bonus. A fun, clean story that I am happy to recommend to my cozy loving friends. Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington for a free copy of Murder at an Irish Bakery for an honest review. All opinions and ideas expressed in this review are my own. #MurderatanIrishBakery #NetGalley #KensingtonCozies

Siobhan and Macdara are back in the newest addition to the “An Irish Village” mystery series, Murder at an Irish Baker. When a baking contest invades Kilbane and the flour mill bakery for filming, Siobhan and Macdara think it a sweet assignment, but before long, the contest turns to murder, and it is up to the husband and wife team to find the killer before someone else ends up baked.

The characters in this book and series are among my favorites. They are witty and engaging and make me smile. This time around, the characters are involved in a baking show contest being filmed at the best bakery in Kilbane next to the old flour mill. When the star contestant turns up dead, everyone involved in the show becomes a suspect. It's baker heaven and high competition, so maybe one of the contestants decided they would find the best way to win would be to eliminate the competition permanently. The trail of evidence keeps leading Siobhan and Macdara down paths that seem to lead nowhere. But as the investigation continues, they find that filming a baking show and keeping everyone safe while tracking a killer is harder than keeping Siobhan’s siblings from getting into trouble. The location of Kilbane, Ireland, is a lovely place; its rich history and culture are unique. The killer's identity, once revealed, and the motive will have readers up in arms and filled with indignation.

I found this book a quick, enjoyable read. I adore Siobhan, Macdara, and her siblings. All of these characters combine to keep me interested and happy. Kilbane, in the county of Cork, is a part of my heart in more ways than one, and I find the descriptions of the area to be a wonderful reminder of the beauty of Ireland. There is no doubt that readers will want to taste the sweet creations from the flour mill bakery. However, I had one issue with this book. There just wasn’t enough of Siobhan’s siblings this time around. Yes, they are around, but only as background characters, and I really wanted more of the book to have one or more siblings involved with the investigation. That said, I still loved this book and will continue to look forward to the next story.

Murder at an Irish Bakery by Carlene O’Connor takes us to Kilbane, Ireland where a baking competition is being filmed in the old flour mill that houses the local bakery. Garda Siobhan O’Sullivan, who has a legendary sweet tooth, is thrilled that she is one of the officers handling crowd control. At the end of the first timed bake, the curtains are pulled back and a legendary chef is dead. Siobhan and her colleague sift through the suspects and clues. Can they serve up the killer by the end of the contest? Murder at an Irish Bakery is the ninth An Irish Village Mystery. It is best if you have read the first book in the series before embarking on this one. There are a number of characters (Siobhan has a large family) and it can be challenging to keep them all straight. The story is well-written with a developed main character. I did find the pacing to be lethargic. The repetition and detailed descriptions aided in the sluggish pacing. The mystery was entertaining. I enjoyed solving this whodunit. I liked that the author was creative. She really thought out of the box with this mystery. I appreciated the solid wrap up at the end during the interesting reveal. It appeared that Siobhan and Macdara spent more time yearning for baked goods than solving the crime. It was funny at first, but it does become tiresome after the tenth time. If you like pastries, you will enjoy all the luscious descriptions (there are so many of them). There is humor sprinkled throughout the story. Siobhan has a large, loving family. She has done a wonderful job raising her siblings. You can also tell that Siobhan loves her husband and is happily married. I liked the heartwarming family scene at the end. Murder at an Irish Bakery is a Celtic cozy with competitive contestants, a bevy of baked goods, a departed protestor, an anonymous supporter, a butchered baker, a happy husband, and special siblings.

Murder at an Irish Bakery Earns 5/5 Baking Challenges … Engaging Gem!

Carlene O’Connor’s Irish Village Mystery series is definitely part of my own “March Madness.” Off to Kilbane, Ireland, to join an eclectic troupe of Irish bakers for a reality show at an historic flour mill, the home of Pie Pie Love bakery. But, a protester repeatedly yelling, “Stop the show! Sugar kills!,” interrupts the filming, then later a murder or two really complicates the investigation for Siobhán O’Sullivan and her husband Macdara, both members of the Kilbane Gardaí, and Aretha Dabiri, its newest member. This series has been a favorite because of Carlene O’Connor’s writing style and witty banter, and this book, with its clever mystery, behind the scenes of a cooking competition, and eclectic cast of characters is one of the best. Top it off with an easy-to-follow recipe for Chocolate Guinness Cake courtesy of Nigella Lawson with a “tweak” suggestion of using Bailey’s in the frosting. Yummmmm! I’m all in!

Solid 3 stars. Good story. Nicely written. But I did have to remind myself that this is not a police precedural. I did a lot of eye brow raising at some of the decisions the police made. Just told myself small town cops and it's a cozy. I think there's a lot of suspension of belief that has to happen. One camera for a baking show? Not in this era of food network. Can't afford to fix the water wheel but the lawyer with a book (where did that come from) was able to make some progress? So definitely some liberties taken to make things fit into the story. I actually think our detectives are more sugar crazy than I am. But I could relate. 9th book in the series. Easily read as a standalone. 1st Carlene O'Connor book that I have read. I would read more by this author. Recommended for a nice easy read with an interesting mystery to solve in a great setting. Thank you #netgalley #Kensington for the DRC version.

Murder at an Irish Bakery is book #9 in the Irish Village Mystery series by Carlene O'Connor.

There is a baking contest in Kilbane and Siobhan can’t wait to sample the goods. Not everyone is happy with the competition and the contestants are not sweet like their baked goods.


I’ve enjoyed reading this series. I love seeing how the family has grown and changed. It’s like a visit with my Irish friends. I’m a fan of baking shows so that was an added bonus for me. The mystery was complex and kept me guessing. I recommend this book.

Thank you to the author, Kensington Books, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

This is the 9th book in the Irish Village Mystery series - a fun, cozy mystery series that takes place in a small village in Ireland. I got hooked on this series recently and was really excited to be given the chance to read the latest installment in the series, and this one did not disappoint. I love the over-arching storyline of Siobhán and Macdara, and in this one we got to see how life was after being married for a year (spoiler: going well so far!).

This mystery takes us into a baking competition held at the local bakery and as usual there are twists and turns for Garda Siobhán O'Sullican and co to navigate to find the killer. I have had trouble figuring out who the killers are in previous books, but this one I started to wonder if I knew and nope, there was another twist.

I really enjoy these books, not just for the mystery, but for the amazing description of life in a small Irish village. I always feel like I could be there right along side Siobhán and seeing her village through her eyes. I'm excited to see what the next adventure brings!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.