Rory’s Uncle Finn was quite a character, a real hoot who cracked me up quite a bit while reading. Since he’s part of Beacon Harbor now I’m sure he’ll make another appearance or so in future books.

I was totally wrong on whodunit, maybe because I wanted a particular person to be guilty, who knows. It was fun getting the gang back together to sleuth this one out, a perfect reunion for Lindsey and her bestie. I just love sweet Welly and how that big pup always ends up helping with the case by either sniffing something out, looking intimidating, or both! It’ll be interesting to see what Lindsey and her crew gets into next!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an AFC of this book, and my opinions are my own.

This is the 5 installment in the Beacon Bakeshop mystery series. Lindsey Bakewell is getting ready for the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in town as she is having an event with the school children at her bakery after the parade and catering baked goods for her boyfriend Rory’s Uncle Finn and Cousin Colleen who have moved to town from Ireland and are opening and Irish Pub and store. Lindsey has to go pick up Wellington her dog from the groomers as he was skunked that morning and her friend tells her she swears she saw a leprechaun. Lindsey is skeptical but when she is on her way to the bakeshop someone runs into her jeep from city hall and it looks just like a leprechaun but not the children in the parade. Lindsey is flagged down as a man was assaulted at city hall by this leprechaun. The man is not dead but is close to it. Other drama in town is that Lindsey’s best friend Kennedy is back in town after leaving for several months and breaking up with Tuck and now she is back in town with her new boyfriend which makes things very awkward for Lindsey as she is friends with Tuck. Then after the grand opening of the pub Rory’s Uncle Finn swears he baited a leprechaun and tricked him out of his pot of gold. He brings the pot of gold home to Rory’s and the next day is spreading his tale around town about his new found fortune. Unfortunately for him, the sheriff comes in and takes Finn into custody as a “leprechaun” was found dead on the snowy sand dunes that morning and Finn becomes the prime suspect. He refuses to give up the gold or tell the police where he found it. Rory and Lindsey are determined to get to the bottom of this and Kennedy wants to help but Rory doesn’t trust her new boyfriend and Kennedy is jealous of Rory’s cousin Colleen who seems to like Tuck. Boy this all gets complicated. Good mystery and interesting twist on a St. Patrick’s Day tale. I really enjoy this series and the cast of characters in this town. Looking forward to the next installment.

Through NetGalley, I received a free copy of MURDER AT THE BLARNEY BASH (Book 5 of the Beacon Bakeshop Mystery series) by Darci Hannah in exchange for an honest review. Is Lindsey going crazy or is there a leprechaun in town for the Saint Patrick’s Day festival? A leprechaun, a stolen pot of gold, and a murder by shillelagh-is this a fairy tale or a horror story. Since it’s all Irish and since Lindsey’s boyfriend’s uncle is a recent transplant from Ireland and since that uncle is now missing his hand-carved shillelagh, Lindsey will be looking for a killer at the end of the next rainbow.

I liked this book and enjoy the series. I recommend this book to fans of the series and the series to fans of humorous cozy murder mysteries featuring humor, beloved pets, bakeshops, and town festivals.

#MurderattheBlarneyBash #NetGalley

When last we visited Beacon Harbor, it was Halloween. Now we are just in time for St. Patrick’s Day, and there appears to be a leprechaun on the loose. If you’re not careful as the story plays out you might find yourself believing in leprechauns too.
Rory’s uncle Finn and cousin Colleen are opening a shop/pub called the Blarney Stone. Finn’s belief in leprechauns is a big part of the story.
This installment of the Beacon Bakeshop mysteries is as puzzling as it is fun. For a good portion of the book none of the clues seem to go anywhere. I mean what’s with the pot of gold?
A leprechaun was harmed in the making of this book, but it’s a mystery so you already knew someone dies right?
All my favorite characters take part in the story. I really like Lindsey and Rory. Colleen and Finn are fun additions. Kennedy is back in Beacon Harbor. She’s not my favorite but Lindsey likes her.
I don’t think you can go wrong by picking up Murder at the Blarney Bash. As always I recommend reading the series in order, but you could pick up book 5 and still enjoy the story.
Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Cozies for the opportunity to review this book.

I adored and devoured the first three books in this series, liked the fourth, and feel “meh” about this most recent installment. I very much wanted to love it, as the series had so much potential, and I love Darci Hannah’s writing.

Negatives: Unfortunately, the leprechaun thing is way overdone, and the Irish dialogue is written ridiculously (think “Lucky Charms” commercial). It was silly and distracting. I’d much prefer if the Irish characters dialogued as the Irish actually speak, and not an exaggerated cartoony manner.
Kennedy!!! Ugh!!!! She was strong, cute, and supportive early on in the series. In this installment, I wished that she had been the murder victim! She’s become negative, abrasive, and sheer awful.

Positives: Lindsey, Rory, Welly, and the strength of writing about the Beacon Lighthouse. Basic outline of the mystery was a cute idea overall.

I’ll continue to look out for future installments of the series, simply because it was so wonderful in the beginning. I have high hopes that it will turn around, and I hate that I didn’t love this one.

Thank you to both NetGalley and Kensington Books for granting access to a digital ARC.

This was a fun one! I'm always happy to be back at the Beacon Bakeshop with Lindsey and co.

This can easily be read as a standalone.

I'm not a fan of Kennedy. As another reviewer said, they seem more like frenemies than BFFs. I honestly wish she'd go back to London and I really hope we're not going to get a love triangle with her in upcoming books.

The treats all sound so delicious. I love Welly and Bailey!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Kensington Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you, Kensington Books!

Murder at the Blarney Bash is the fifth book in the Beacon Bakeshop mystery series by Darci Hannah. I very much enjoyed this book. It is a real fun one set in March around St. Patrick’s Day.

We are back with Lindsay Bakewell and her crime-fighting friends. We have a new man in town on the arm of Kennedy, Lindsay’s best friend. We also have Rory’s Irish uncle and his cousin, Colleen, who are opening an Irish pub. Then we have murderous leprechauns, rainbows, and pots of gold. Computer programming and money laundering complete the plot.

I will admit I did not like the previous book as much but this one was great. I gave this four and a half stars. I highly recommend this one. I am looking forward to the next installment! Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for my free Advanced Reader’s Copy.

Holidays in Beacon Harbor, Michigan can be dangerous. St. Patrick's Day is no exception. The elementary school children are enjoying the day with a leprechaun parade and then a stop at the Beacon Bakeshop, owned by Lindsey Bakewell, for treats. But the children aren't the only leprechauns around. A small man dressed as a leprechaun clubs a city worker, hits Lindsey's car as she is driving along, is spotted by many townspeople, and later found dead. Lindsey's boyfriend Rory is happy that his uncle and cousin from Ireland are opening an Irish gift shop and pub in town in time for the holiday. Uncle Finn is a character and when he finds a pot of gold left by a leprechaun, it is too much. Then the body of a small man dressed like a leprechaun is found, Uncle Finn is the main suspect. Lindsey and Rory set out to find the real killer. What a time they have! Things get really awkward when Lindsey's British friend Kennedy is in town with her wealthy boyfriend from London. Tuck, police officer and friend, used to date Kenndy. Now he and Colleen are getting interested in each other. What a mess with a murder mystery and jealousy going around. This is another fun mystery with twists, turns, funny moments, and surprises. I enjoy the setting of an old lighthouse turned into a bakery and home on the shores of Lake Michigan and the likable recurring characters. I did not guess this one until near the end.
I received a copy for the purpose of an honest review. These are my thoughts.

I normally adore these books but this installment in the Beacon Bakeshop series I felt went on just a little too long. The protracted discussion of leprechauns got old after about 50% of the story and while I understand this was a St. Patty's Day mystery, it still started to grate on me.

This installment brings Lindsey's boyfriend, Rory's, cousin and uncle to Beacon Harbor from Ireland. They are planning to open an Irish themed gift shop and mini pub and Rory's uncle Finn is all too delighted to spin tales from the Emerald Isle to please his customers.

When multiple leprechaun sightings are reported followed by a man attacked in his office for no discernible reason, Lindsey is determined to get to the bottom of things.

I really hated Kennedy, her BFF, returning in this book. She was overly obnoxious and incredibly shallow. The banter between the two read more like barbs from frenemies than BFFs.

Overall, I did enjoy the book but the middle bogged down a bit too much and that's why I'm giving it four stars.

My thanks to Kensington Cozies and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Uncle Finn didn't kill the leprechaun but who did? Lindsay and Rory have themselves in a twisty little St Patricks Day mystery in this latest installment in a fun cozy series- and it will be fine as a standalone. Kennedy and Wellington the Newfie (as well as Captain Willy, the ghost in the lighthouse where Lindsay lives) all have input into the investigation and all have their special place. As always it's light and fun with good characters and a spritely approach. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. AND- recipes !

Murder at the Blarney Bash is the fifth book in the Beacon Bakeshop Mysteries by Darci Hannah, and while I enjoyed it, unfortunately it didn’t have me as excited to write up a review because I can’t gush about it like I did the previous four books.

It still has fantastic characters (although Kennedy was getting on my nerves a bit), wonderful animal characters (and we get a new dog, Bailey!), a great location in Michigan with a Haunted Lighthouse (so a touch of the paranormal, which is my favorite sub-genre in cozy mysteries), some delicious food and great recipes at the end (although I felt like some of the bakery offerings were repeated in the story… and not as much time was spent with the staff at the bakery… although I could see a Bigfoot book coming in the future, which would be wonderful!), and a solid mystery.

So why did I almost give this a 3 star rating? Besides the above things that were good, but not as great in previous books, Hannah did the number one thing that drives me nuts in cozies; when the main character and friends spend so much time going over the suspects and motives, usually this involves the main character just repeatedly thinking about it in her head or the gang getting together to go over it again, and again, and again.

I mean, you have to go through the suspects, but I loved how Hannah did it before by incorporating lots more storytelling to go along with the thinking, or more descriptions of baked goods or of the town. There were still some crazy, fun scenes which made the rating go up a bit, and just the fact that I love this series, and every series has some off books.

And what was up with Kennedy. She’s back from England (which is great because I love her spunkiness), but she seemed really, really mean this book, and not just being sassy towards Sir Hunts-a-Lot. I felt like she was brought back for a future love triangle… and anyone who has been reading my reviews for a bit knows how much I enjoy love triangles (spoiler, I don’t… especially if they continue on for more than three books!)

Do you have the luck of the Irish on your side? By reading this book, you sure will!

The fifth instalment of the Michigan-based series sees lighthouse baker Lindsey trying to solve a mystery that is laden with leprechauns, pots of gold, and mischief.

Ms. Hannah has done a wonderful job of continuing to develop these now beloved characters, with my favourite addition to the crew being Welly's new canine BFF Bailey.

Set amidst the beautiful backdrop of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, the twists and turns of the mystery will keep readers on the edge of their seats while also feeling as if they're solving a mystery alongside their friends.

I truly hope that there will be many more books in this series!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read this book for free and provide my honest opinion.

This is one of my favorite cozy mystery series. Linsay, Rory and Kennedy are the ameteur sleuths who helper Tuck in solving the murders of Beacon Harbor. This one involves his Uncle Finn, who brings his daughter Collen from Ireland. They open an Irish Pub and a gift shop. This story involves not one but two murders and involves a ? about leprechauns. Fred is murdered by a ? leprechaun and the ? leprechaun is found murdered by someone else. Now, guess what? That is all I am going to tell you. A VERY GOOD COZY. Will not spoil it for you.

The fifth in one of my favorite series is just as fresh and exciting as the first. St Patrick's Day in Beacon Harbor brings a leprechaun of all things. But when Finn follows it he ends up in a murder investigation. Filled with rich characters and a solid mystery this is a reader's delight! Thanks#Netgalley and #Kensington for the eARC in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are mine.

Murder at the Blarney Bash is the fifth cozy mystery in the Beacon Bakeshop series. It is St. Patrick’s Day in Beacon Harbor and with the holiday comes Irish hijinks, in the form of a leprechaun. Rory’s uncle, Finn, has recently relocated from Ireland to Beacon Harbor and is opening up his own pub, the Blarney Stone just in time for the holidays. When Finn follows the leprechaun he sees, he ends up tied up in a murder investigation. In order to clear his uncle, Rory and Lindsey take to sleuthing to uncover the true killer.

I have enjoyed this whole series so far and enjoyed this latest mystery as well. I liked the St. Patrick’s Day theme and how thoroughly this was tied throughout the book. It immersed reader in the Irish spirit. Lindsey and Rory are great couple and the perfect characters for the face of this series, but the secondary characters add just as much to this series. Kennedy is annoying in a high maintenance, nosy busy body way, but I love her and she adds so much to the story. I found this to be a fun, quick mystery read, but some of the clues in the mystery seemed to be a little far fetched (or maybe I just missed something!). Overall this was a fun read and it was great to be back in Beacon Harbor again. I can’t wait to see what comes next in this series!

3.5/5 ⭐️
The next Beacon Bakeshop mystery finds Lindsey celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. Her boyfriend’s uncle and cousin have settled in their town and are opening their Irish gift shop when the uncle, Finn, claims to have seen a leprechaun who led him to a literal pot of gold. When a man dressed as a leprechaun winds up dead, Lindsey just investigate to clear Finn’s name.

This was probably my least favorite of the series so far, although I still did enjoy it. I think there wasn’t enough sleuthing, which is partly because for such a long time we didn’t know who the murder victim was. There wasn’t a bunch of questioning of suspects, etc. like there normally is. I’m also surprised (but not sad) that Kennedy is back so soon. I’m not sure why she even left except maybe to create a future love triangle? Regardless, still a good read, and hopefully in the next one we get more sleuthing!

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

MURDER AT THE BLARNEY BASH is the fifth book in the Beacon Bakeshop Mysteries by Darci Hannah. I’ve been a longtime fan of this series, but this newest release is my favorite of the bunch! What could be better than leprechauns, shamrock cookies, an Irish Uncle Finn—owner of the Blarney Stone gift shop and pub—who’s blessed with the gift of gab, and a pot of gold?! Ms. Hannah brings all the wonderful elements of St. Patrick’s Day traditions, legends, food, and drink to the pages, making me want to pack my bags and head to Beacon Harbor for their celebration. Her creative storytelling prowess makes me believe she might have kissed the Blarney Stone a time or two as well. To sweeten the story even more, the charming protagonist, bakeshop owner Lindsey Bakewell, and her posse of friends, are so inviting that it’s almost easy to forget that this is a murder mystery. Still, she manages to weave in the dastardly deed without taking away from the festivities.

There is a mild paranormal element to this series, so when a leprechaun appears in Beacon Harbor and assaults someone, I was convinced they existed. Adding to the mystical intrigue, Uncle Finn finds a pot of genuine gold after following the leprechaun late one night. Unfortunately for the leprechaun, he became a victim of murder shortly after his gold was taken. Ms. Hannah spins a tightly plotted tale that kept me engrossed throughout the entire book. The twists and turns kept me guessing with suspects uncovered as Lindsey investigates with the help of her friends. In the end, the book was so much fun to read, I stopped trying to figure it out and instead, sat back and enjoyed the ride!

Lindsey and the gang fully embrace the food and fun of the St. Patrick’s Day festivities. There are all sorts of yummy treats she prepares for the townspeople, and I wanted to sample all of them. There are several recipes at the back of the book to try at home.

“Murder at the Blarney Bash” by Darci Hannah the 5th instalment in the "A Beacon Bakeshop Mystery" series. Follow the aroma of shamrock sugar cookies to the Beacon Bakeshop, a lighthouse on the shores of Lake Michigan where amateur sleuth Lindsey Bakewell is busy preparing for Beacon Harbor’s St. Patrick’s Day festivities – with a little help from her adorable Newfoundland, Wellington, of course!

I absolutely love this series, Lindsey, Rory, Kennedy, Tuck, and her co-workers at the Beacon Bakeshop are lots of fun to hang out with and now we have uncle Finn and Colleen from Ireland. I enjoyed seeing how the characters of Lindsey, Rory and Kennedy have progressed since the last book and am glad she came back to Beacon Harbor.

I love Wellington the big Newfie who loves everyone and now Bailey the Great Pyrenees . I also love the idea of living along the lakeshore in a haunted lighthouse where the ghost is watching over you and seems to have your back.

It was entertaining, full of twists and turns and I didn’t completely guess whodunnit until Lindsey did. Plus all the descriptions of the Irish themed baked goods made my mouth water. ( recipes included in back of book)

I highly recommend this series to all my cozy loving friends and I can’t wait for book 6


I requested and received an advanced readers copy from Kensington and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my OWN.

This is the fifth in series and a wonderful fun addition to this charming cozy series. Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley. I love returning to the lighthouse bakery in small town Michigan. This is a intriquing mystery set around St. Patricks Day with wonderful themed baked goods, a leprechaun and the wonderful Newfoundland dog. I love the bakery descriptions , the foodie aspect of this series and the fun antics of the characters. Our protagnist Lindsey is preparing for a St. Patricks Blarney festival celebration in town while investigating a murder to save her boyfriends uncle . As the clues abound and red herrings appear Llindsey has her investigation hat on and is finding suspects and clues to help solve the murder. The sleuth was well crafted to conclusion and kept me guessing.

This is a delightful read with all the perfect cozy mystery elements that we readers enjoy. I highly recommend this next in series for your reading enjoyment. Well done to the author for a wonderful fifth in series. I look forward to the next in series and returning to the Lighthouse bakery and the village.

Charming setting, enough humor to balance the serious aspects of the story, delicious baked goods, and a perfectly balanced amount of quirky characters. The St. Patrick's day aspect of this one is integrated well into the storyline.