Book #6 in the Inishowen Mysteries. As the town gears up for a literary festival, Ben and Tom are on their way to Dublin to figure out what is going on at the home of Ben's parents. While they are busy with their personal investigation, the festival's star, a reclusive author who seldom attends events, dies on stage. With a murder to solve, Ben will poke around where she shouldn't, stirring up the trouble she is well known for. An excellent mystery with interesting but sometimes irritating characters, DEATH WRITES joins the first 5 books in the series as 5 star reads.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this.

I read this book, unaware that it was part of the series. As a result of this, I found this book hard to get into, as in my opinion the previous books would probably need to be read to get a better understanding of the characters.

This took me a while to get through, but I think I would enjoy this more had I read the previous books in the series first.

I hadn't read any of Carter's Inishowen mysteries so I was keen to dip in .. really professional and engaging .. with a convincing narrator/protagonist too called Ben (albeit sometimes whiney).. and a love interest that is credible. There are a few strands running through .. a crook taking on her parents, and a murder story also based on tenuous family relations. Ben's job is multi-faceted which confused me but I could see that it was useful to the storytelling. The ending .. a bit dense .. sorting out who was who, and what the stakes were for each .. it got convoluted. She's a more complicated writer than agatha christie although all reviews seem to compare them. Good read!!

3.5 stars
Old family secrets with the power to upend the present and elder abuse are two major themes running through this sixth entry in the “Inishowen” series.

Benedicta “Ben” O’Keefe and her boyfriend police Sergeant Tom Molloy are rushing to her parents’ home after a neighbour informs Ben that he’s seen numerous strangers living in the house.

Ben and Molloy are greeted by Stuart Chambers, a pleasant-spoken man who gave off oily, untrustworthy vibes to me immediately. Ben knows something is up between her parents and Chambers, but can’t get them to divulge whatever Chambers seems to hold over them. All she learns is that her parents met him at a grief counselling group. Apparently, Stuart was there to deal with the impact of his wife’s and child’s deaths, and had been living with her parents for some time.

Ben manages to successfully convince her parents to return to Inishowen with her, dangling the news of an upcoming literary festival in her town to her former librarian mother.

The festival, unfortunately, gets off to a shocking start, when the headlining author collapses on stage and dies soon after. When the death is ruled as murder, Ben and Tom both begin investigating, with Ben using her personal relationships with people (e.g. bookseller Phyllis) who had connections to the dead author to ask questions Tom would not be able to.

Ben also gets a chance to meet the dead man's estranged family when she discovers that she has his will created by her predecessor at her legal practice. There is a substantial estate at stake, and there are people (e.g., the man's adult children, his assistant) who stand to potentially gain a great deal.

This is the first book I've read by Andrea Carter, and I enjoyed it. Ben and Tom make for an interesting couple, with both tending to devote more time to their jobs than anything else. That they have managed to create a respectful and romantic relationship is satisfying, particularly as it's hinted by the author that things weren't always so congenial between them.

Much as I liked Ben, I did find myself a little frustrated with her for being so reluctant to look for a temporary replacement for her pregnant and very capable office manager Leah.

The murder mystery takes precedence in this novel, and the many conflicting and contradictory statements made by possible suspects are carefully teased out by the author. But it's the instances of abusing the trust, goodwill, and financial situations of seniors by people in their lives that is the secondary story, with author Carter showing how grief led Ben's parents to counselling, but also left them open to swindling, while one of Ben's clients is taken advantage of by his relatives.

I enjoyed this book, even though I felt as if the secondary story was resolved too much in the background for it to be satisfying for me. I liked how the murder mystery was wrapped up, though. I was sufficiently intrigued by the main character, and the beauty of the story's setting to consider reading more in this series.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Oceanview Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my review.

These Inishowen Mysteries swerve too close to cozy for me. They aren't so sweet that I avoid them, but really I don't read them often. This one is #6 and it can be read as a standalone.

There are two threads, one a scare that Ben's parents are in the grip of grifters who are out to bankrupt them, two a suspicious death of an author while on the stage of a book fair. The stories are told well and you will enjoy them - cozily.

Death Writes is the 6th book to feature Solicitor Benedicta “Ben” O’Keeffe of the small Irish town, Glendara (fictional), on the Inishowen Peninsula. There are two primary plot threads in this episode with the first finding Ben and her guy, Molloy of the Garda, rushing off to Dublin after a phone call from one of her parents’s neighbors. Ben was aware that a man was living with the O’Keeffes and now heard that a few more were there too. It seemed time for an intervention.

Meanwhile, back in Glendara, plans are on for a book festival with a surprise guest. A local man, a long ago Booker Prize winner for his first book, has agreed to attend, his first public appearance anywhere in many years. It’s a coup for the town, the planners and shop owners but will have very unexpected results.

The two stories unite as Ben invites her parents to visit Glendara while questions are being asked in Dublin and they become interested in the festival. There is a busy plot line but well laid out. There are also very evocative descriptions of the land and coast line. It’s easy to see the attraction of the area.

I recommend this series. I’ve now read three and plan to return to the early books that I missed. The people are interesting and have real life concerns even though suspicious death seems to happen relatively often!

Thanks to Oceanview Publishing and NetGalley for a copy of this book. The review is my own.

Ben is busy with her busy office, needing a temporary replacement for her office gal, her parents and then a client dies. Not just any client. This one is an author of some prominence. He is murdered in front of a large audience. Ben and her parents are in the front row. Of course she gets her nose into the case of what happened and who did it? I like the book. It has all the ingredients that captured by interest for the first page to the last. Good reading!

This book was just really hard to get into to. The main plot about the author dieing was fine but then the author adds too many subplots. The kids speeding through town and running cars off the road. The parents visiting and their strange grief group leader. Phyllis and Jude. It was just a lot and didn't add to the story. I finished the book but it took me waaaay to long because I just wasn't pulled in.

I am a huge fan of this series which follows Ben (short for Benedicta), a lawyer in a small Irish town. Over the course of the novels, readers follow her involvement in interesting cases and keep am eye on her relationships. These include one with a local Garda officer and others, for example, with bookstore owners, publicans, estate and newsagents and many in her area. There is a real sense of community in these pages.

In this latest entry, Ben has concerns about her parents as they have taken in a man whom they met in their grief group. (Readers of the earlier books will know why they are mourning.) Stuart may not be who he seems. Ben is worried so wants to whisk her parents away and they go to visit her.

At the same time, there is a book festival coming to the peninsula. The star speaker is a reclusive author with some ties to the community. When he dies, the stage is set for crime solving. Will Stuart be a part of this or is he up to something else entirely? The pages will turn until readers find out.

Anyone who likes stories by Carlene O’Connor, Sarah IStewart Taylor or Tana French will want to read this.

Many thanks toNetGalley and Oceanview Publishing for this title. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book. The pacing and character development were good, especially considering I haven't read any of the previous books in the series. I really like Ben's character and the interplay of her professional and personal lives - often I find there's not a good balance there, which was not the case here. Top it off with an unexpected twist and it's two thumbs up! I will definitely be reading more books in the series!

This novel is part of a series, but is okay as a stand alone. However, is possible, I think reading them in order would help with some parts of this storyline. With all this being said, I enjoyed this read and would recommend this author to fellow book lovers.

I started out slow, and was confusing at time. I love the parent/child dynamics. There are a few twist that makes it a thriller.

All and All, I give this book 4.5 stars.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Andrea Carter and Oceanview Publishing for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

3 ⭐ - this is the sixth book in the Inishowen mystery series, but can be read as a standalone.

Set in Ireland, solicitor Ben O'keeffe is attending Glendara's local literary festival Glenfest with her boyfriend Tom. When Gavin, a keynote speaker takes the stage - reading from his book and he suddenly collapses.

When Gavin dies, Ben and Tom get involved in solving the murder and finding the culprit.

This was a nice murder mystery, I loved the Irish setting and although I haven't read the previous books in the series, I'd still check out the previous books in this series to get a better understanding of Ben(edict).

The sixth book in a beloved series. Ben has two mysteries to solve in this instalment. A stranger has moved in with her parents and Ben is convinced he is swindling them. And an author dies suddenly at the local book festival and it looks like murder.

Inishowen is a real place and I love how the author brings it alive with vivid descriptions of the landscape. The little towns like Malin and Moville are all very recognisable and I love guessing which local people some of the characters might be based on. The quirky characters are true to life and bring a lot of heart to the series.

The Inishowen Mysteries have a gentler pace than some mystery thrillers but I think it reflects very well the pace of life we have here in the peninsula.

I was particularly happy to see Moville and the Moville Shore Walk appear in this book as it's such a gorgeous place and close to my heart.

I loved the storyline with Ben's parents and I was as excited for them to love Inishowen as much as Ben does. It's so scary to think about how vulnerable the older generation are to con artists and scams and I was glad that Ben had Molloy on hand to help her investigate the man at her parent's house.

The death of the author was also an interesting puzzle to solve as it was riddled with red herrings, secrets and lies.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The series goes from strength to strength but it is advisable to start at book one as there are recurring characters and story arc involving Ben's background.

Death Writes has left me with the question; what happens next for Ben and Mollloy's relationship? Will Ben's parents feature more in the series? I hope they do.

I was so pleasantly surprised by this mystery. It took me a bit to get into but ultimately won me over because of the way parent and adult child relationships were handled. They were written relevently and were familiar to my own experiences while focusing on modern concerns in this digital age.

I will be looking out for more of the author's works.

"'I don't know if your parents are still around?'
'They are.' I smiled.
He looked up again. 'Did you ever think that there are parts of them that you can never quiet reach. Evan as their child?'
'Oh God, yes. But then I expect it's the same for them.'
'True.' "

Death Wishes is a Murder Mystery novel, set in Ireland, and the author does bring the area to life with excellent descriptive writing..
That being said, I just couldn't get into the book enough and I feel that my problem is that this is the 6th book in a series, so for me it felt like I was missing some key information that would have probably made it more enjoyable has I read the earlier books.

I do want to thank Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to receive an ARC.
Please keep in mind that the review is my own personal opinion, as I'm sure that others will truly enjoy the book

Although this book is part of a series, it reads like a stand alone mystery. This turns out to be a nice who-dun-it. I really enjoyed it. Thank you, Netgalley and Oceanview publishing, for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A reclusive author agrees to attend a book festival and in the middle of an interview he falls over dead on the stage. Gavin Featherstone was separated from his wife and children. His will, kept on file at solicitor Benedicta O’Keefe’s office, leaves everything to them. Gavin had a young assistant who also comes forward with a more recent will, naming him as the beneficiary. This becomes a decision for the courts. Both the family and the caretaker come under suspicion when an autopsy reveals that it was murder. Moments before his death, Gavin was going to give a reading from his soon to be published memoir. Now the pages are missing and the memoir has been erased from his computer. Ben and Sgt. Molloy believe the contents of the memoir may have led to his murder.

In a subplot that Andrea Carter weaves through her mystery, Ben had received a call from her parents’ neighbor to let her know about the strangers appearing at their home. When she and Malloy arrive they find Stuart Cummings, introduced as their tenant. He seems to have taken over the house and Ben’s parents are hiding something. Ben persuades them to come to her home for a visit while Molloy looks into Cummings. What he finds is a con man who preys on the vulnerable. This is the sixth book in Carter’s Inishowen series. The pages are filled with beautiful landscapes, village life and a mystery that will keep you guessing to the end. I would like to thank NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing for providing his book for my review.

Death Writes is the sixth book in the Inishowen mysteries series. Benedicta (Ben) O’Keeffe is a local attorney in Glendara, a small town in northern Ireland. She has been involved with solving a few murder mysteries, and is drawn into a new one.

I recommend reading this series in order. While the mystery is new, the recurring characters have a history that progresses between books. This series has a charming small town setting, quirky characters, and an amateur sleuth.

Death Writes is an atmospheric mystery with a vivid setting.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I've missed only a couple of books in this series - this is the sixth - and more's the pity. Those I did read, this one included, I've thoroughly enjoyed. Mind you, to my mind they're far closer to fitting into the "cozy" category than "thriller," but that's fine with me; sometimes, I'd rather not be overwhelmed with blood, guts and concern that the main character won't make it to the end of the book.

Benedicta O'Keeffe, affectionately called Ben, is a level-headed solicitor in Glendara, Ireland, who sometimes gets caught up in illicit activities. And it's a little refreshing to see that her boyfriend Tom Molloy, a police sergeant, doesn't poo-poo her input nor threaten to hog tie her if she finds herself in the middle of an investigation yet again.

And of course, such is the case here, when things begin with her concern that her parents may have fallen victim to a scammer; Molloy, concerned as well, offers to do what he can to help, bless his heart - and the immediate result is that they agreed to come stay with Ben while things get sorted out. Meanwhile, the townspeople are gearing up for Glenfest, a literary event, and everyone's excited that the notoriously recluse author Gavin Featherstone will be the star of the show. Things roll along swimmingly until his presentation - insights into his soon-to-be-published memoir - a presentation that ends up falling flat. Soon thereafter, Ben learns that her office is the keeper of Featherstone's Last Will and Testament, a document drawn up by her predecessor.

Mostly estranged from his wife and children, Featherstone lived with a young male assistant. All well and good, perhaps, but the inheritance issue takes on more significance when it's learned that the author's death was not an accident. Until the killer is identified, everything is on hold; after all, a murderer is prohibited from receiving money or valuables from the person he or she willingly caused to die. And for sure, several of the potential beneficiaries are on the suspect list.

For the most part, the murder investigation and happenings with Ben's parents' situation move along slowly (though not nearly as slowly as Ben and Tom's relationship); clues are revealed here and there right up to the end, when both situations are resolved after some surprising information comes to light. Also of interest is a twist in that aforementioned relationship - one that, I'm sure, will play out in the next installment. Needless to say, I'm looking forward to it - and thanking the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to catch a pre-release copy of this one to read and review.

Death Writes

By: Andrea Carter

Publish Date: 05 December 2023

Publisher: Oceanview Publishing

Mystery and Thrillers

#DeathWrites#NetGalley

100 Book ReviewsProfessional Reader

I would like to thank both NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing for allowing me to read and review this book.

Good Reads Synopsis:

Solicitor Benedicta “ Ben” O’ Keeffe and her boyfriend Police Sergeant Tom Molloy race to Dublin after hearing that some strangers had moved in with Ben’ s parents. When they arrive, only Ben’ s parents and their strange lodger remain, but come morning the lodger has left. Not wanting to leave them alone, Ben persuades her parents to come and stay with her in Inishowen.

In Glendara, preparations are underway for Glenfest, Glendara’ s literary festival. Phyllis Kettle, the local bookshop owner, is especially pleased to have persuaded Gavin Featherstone, the local best-selling recluse writer, to take part.

The festival begins, and an eager crowd awaits Featherstone’ s appearance on stage. He is unexpectedly engaging, but when he stands to read from his new book, he stumbles and keels over on the platform.

Ben discovers that she holds Featherstone’ s will at the office, drafted by her predecessor. Soon, she’ s drawn into a complicated legal wrangle over the man’ s estate involving his family and the assistant who lived with him.

But nothing can yet be resolved, as a killer cannot inherit from their victim— and Gavin Featherstone’ s death was a murder.

Book Review:

I really enjoyed reading this book. I gave it 4 stars. This is the 6th book in a series, but in the intro it is stated that you don’t have to read them in order to understand what is going on. If I have time I will probably go back and read some of the books in this series.

In this story Ben is worried about her parents because she received a call from one of their neighbors. She talks her boyfriend in going with her to visit her parents. When she arrives she notice that they have a guest who has taken over the house and the running of things. This guest ends up leaving the house with somethings by the next day because Ben’s boyfriend is in law enforcement. This seems odd to Ben and makes her worry more for her parents. She ends up inviting them to come visit her for a while until her boyfriend can do a little investigating on this guest.

When they get to Ben’s house her parents aren’t sure how long they will stay because they are worried about this guest. They end staying a for while because of the festival that will be going in a few days and one of the guest speakers is one of the parents favorite authors.

A few days later during an interview the author ends up dying. What did he die from? Was it Murder and who would want him dead.

So this book had two mysteries in it and they both were fun to follow and try to figure out. The author death one had a few twist in it and I couldn’t figure it out.

The guest of her parents was a lot easier to figure out.

I highly recommend that you read this book.