entertainers, entitled-attitude, wealthy, wedding-madness, Ireland, cozy-mystery, resentment, family, family-drama, family-dynamics, relationships, relatives, local-law-enforcement, local-legends, local-gossip, closed-circle-mystery, seamstress, verbal-humor, situational-humor, investigation, inheritance, conflict, confrontation, murder, pet-dog****

Rayne and Ciara must spend a year restoring and improving the family "castle" while bringing it into profit. One thing they have done is to schedule a secret destination wedding between two prominent entertainers. Plans begin to go sidewise when the bride has issues, then a guest is found dead, and accidents happen. The expected problems arise once the Garda need to investigate and are further complicated by rumors that Rayne's ex has escaped jail and wants revenge. These issues prompt some of the local to feel that the changes are bringing a curse down on them. The only sane being left among this crowd is Blarney, Rayne’s Irish setter!
I requested and received a free temporary EARC from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. Thank you. Avail Dec 10, 2024

This book was gripping and hard to put down. It didn't feel like everything else you see out there, it felt very fresh. I really enjoyed this book!

It’s so nice having Rayne and Ciara get along much better in this book! That’s what I was hoping for when I read the first book, so I really enjoyed how well they work together now. I like the overarching set up of these two cousins needing to get the castle (and town) making a profit by the end of the first year. Makes me invested in the rest of the town, especially the other people who live in and work at the castle like Aine and Meave.

I didn’t really click with the rest of the writing, unfortunately. Rayne doesn’t really do a lot of sleuthing, instead it’s a lot of wondering “who could have done [thing]” and “why would someone do [thing]?” Then telling other characters about what she overheard/saw and the other person wondering “who could it have been??”

Overall this wasn’t for me, but if you like the Irish setting, or messy rich people drama I think this could be a fun series.

An enjoyable read and definitely a cozy-murder mystery. The main characters were likeable and the plot was nice.

However, there were sections of the book that just felt unnecessary and some that obviously built the plot for future books. Even though the intrigue was nice, it did at times feel kind of "shallow". I would have enjoyed more deep intrigue and mystery.

An incredible book with wonderful characters and a beautiful setting. It will keep you guessing until the end.

Quite possibly the best second book of a cozy mystery series that I’ve read. I loved it even more than book one.
It's turning into a favorite series overall! Highly recommend!

Firstly, I would like to thank Netgalley for providing me with this ARC.
Now, there is a certain quirky charm to this book which gets further accentuated by the Irish Castle vibes. A solid 3.9/5
Would read it again, once published, purely for the cosy vibe.

This book is a charming and colorful cozy mystery that will captivate fans of the genre. Rayne McGrath, a bridal wear designer-turned-entrepreneur, is a relatable and endearing protagonist. Her efforts to save her inherited castle are both humorous and heartwarming.

The author skillfully weaves together a intricate plot, filled with secrets, suspects, and surprises. The writing is descriptive and immersive, transporting readers to the picturesque Irish countryside.

The supporting cast is well-developed, with Ciara Smith being a standout character. The chemistry between Rayne and the potential love interests is palpable, adding a delightful romantic element to the story.

The mystery itself is engaging, with a steady pace of clues and revelations. The twists and turns keep readers guessing, making it difficult to put the book down.

Overall, this book is a must-read for fans of cozy mysteries, especially those who enjoy stories set in Ireland. With its colorful characters, intricate plot, and romantic elements, this tale will leave readers smiling and eager for more.

"Death at an Irish Wedding (Irish Castle Mystery #2)" by Ellie Brannigan sees Carlene, her cousin and the whole castle crew getting ready and hosting a top secret celebrity wedding. Then, the night before the actual wedding, one of the guests is found at the base of the tower that had a fire previously. All that bad luck in one place is adding fuel to the fire of some of the villagers who don't think the castle should be a wedding venue.

This one is a bit different in that Charlene doesn't always seem to be actively trying to investigate sometimes. She's either just making a highly observant observation or a clue lands in her lap. There are a few moments too of traditional cozy mystery main character snooping too.

Rayne McGrath and her cousin Ciara Smith are desperately trying to get their Wedding business off to a flying start after a number of serious setbacks, and it looks as if the wedding of Tori Montgomery and Jake Anderson will be the one to get the business out here amongst the elite who can afford exclusivity for special occasions.
Tori is the only daughter of hotel magnates Joan and Dylan Anderson and Jake is an up and coming heartthrob actor. The Brides best friend and attendant is starlet Amy Flores; all names within the world of money.
Having inherited a Castle and a village the girls have worked hard to turn it into a romantic venue, and believe they have succeeded. Rayne is known for her glorious wedding gown designs and as she has designed the gown for Tori’s wedding she is on edge to ensure absolutely nothing goes wrong.
There is an air of fractiousness amongst the guests, something is just slightly off and when Amy’s assistant Tiffany is found dead at the base of the tower, they wonder what else can possibly go wrong.
Tori insets the wedding must go on, death or no death, as even though it seems to be somewhat macabre, Rayne and Ciara as thankful, so to pull out now would be worse than terrible; it would be a disaster financially and due to some rather unusual terms in their inheritance, they need to save not only the Castle but the attached village of four hundred people within year or lose the lot.
Death at an Irish Wedding is an intriguing murder mystery in which Ellie Brannigan carefully conceals the murderer until the very last minute. Egos are large, bickering, jealously and ruthlessness set the scene for a comfortable read aimed at readers who enjoy fashion, designers and Hollywood style drama.
An Irish Castle Mystery series is shaping up to be one that will have wide appeal to the younger reader of cozy murders, who enjoy fashion, flamboyance and Hollywood along with a very cunningly planned plot.

Rayne McGrath, a bridal wear designer and her cousin Clara Smith are hoping to save the family castle by
advertising as a wedding destination Managing to book a private wedding for two movie stars, Rayne is hoping the
publicity the castle will receive after the marriage is reported will bring more bookings. Unfortunately, a
tragic accident involving an assistant to one of wedding party turns out to be murder. When it is revealed that
the assistant was compiling notes on the wedding party, the question is what did she uncover that lead to her murder.
#IDeathatanIrishWedding #CrookedLaneBooks#NetGalley

Rayne McGrath is a bridal wear designer. After inheriting the family castle, she has returned to Ireland to work with her cousin to try to save the castle. So far, not so good. But she gets a booking from a wealthy heiress to a hotel fortune. She's marrying a Hollywood star and she wants a unique location for the wedding.

Hollywood types can be a challenge. But Rayne has it under control. That is, until the first dead body shows up. Was it an accident or was it murder.

Rayne has two priorities. First, she needs to solve the murder and make sure the castle's reputation isn't harmed. And second, get paid.

This is a lively book with fun characters. The writing is wonderful and the story bounds ahead at a great clip. The solution isn't obvious. It's a fun book to read.

Loved! Loved! Loved! This is an atypical murder/mystery. Second book in a series of Irish Castle Murders. I don’t feel like I missed anything by not having read the first book. This one stands quite well on its own. Central characters, cousins, Rayne and Ciara McGrath. Inherit the castle from Ciara’s father, upon his untimely death in the last book. Rayne moves to Ireland and learns that it is stipulated in the will that the girls are to have the castle firmly in the black and they are also to save the village of McGrath from itself by not allowing the villagers to stay firmly against becoming progressive in the world. First Tara follows Rayne to Ireland and has asked to have a secret wedding there with only those who are trusted to keep the wedding a secret.. The girls had decided to turn the castle into a destination wedding and retreat venue and they had asked Tara if they could use some of her approved wedding pictures in their wedding brochures. Each meal would be centered around Irish food and traditions, ending with a large Medieval Irish feast, bonfire and Celtic dancing. The castle was equipped with medieval furniture throughout the centuries. andeven bejeweled placewares. I ,definitely recommend this as a must read. I am looking forward to reading the rest in the series and any other books by Ellie Brannigan, my newest favorite author. Thanks to the following for allowing me to read an early unedited version for which I am giving my own personal opinions.
#NetGalley,
#CrookedLaneBoos
#EllieBrennan
Publication Date: December 10, 2024

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for giving me ARC in exchange for my honest review. First of all I loved the book definitely an amazing example of cozy mystery. The characters were well written, the descriptions of the castle and the environment was very vivid. It felt like you really live in the place. Even though I didn’t read the first book in the series I easily understood what was going on thanks to the author’s small references. (Also the Irish accent references were on point) Ending was amazing I tried to guess the killer throughout the book but unfortunately I was wrong. So that’s another good thing a little bit of surprise! The conversation between characters, the incidents, chapters everything was easy to read. Overall I loved the book! And I am definitely going to read other books of the author’s.

Loved this one! Great and fun read. Highly recommend.
Many thanks to the publisher, Netgalley, and the author for my ARC.

This is the second book in the Irish Castle Mystery series. It could be read as a stand-alone, but do yourself a favor and read the first in the series, too. It’s that good! Rayne has inherited a castle in Ireland and has to live there for one year and not only make the castle profitable, but also save the village. A wedding dress designer and Hollywood girl, Rayne is learning to adapt to a different lifestyle. She and her cousin, Ciara, are trying to set the castle up as a wedding venue and are hosting their first wedding. The wedding party are rich, entitled, and everything is a struggle. When a murder occurs at the castle, things get more complicated. And now members of the village are turning against them and Rayne’s ex has escaped jail and may be coming after her.
I enjoy the setting and all the members of the staff at the castle. I didn’t guess the identity of the murderer at all. There were so many excellent suspects! I’m already looking forward to the next in the series.
Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

I enjoyed reading a cozy mystery set in an Irish castle. The drama was fantastic, and the setting was beautiful. At first, there were a lot of characters to keep track of, but as the story unfolded, you got to know more about them.

This is the 2nd installment in the Irish Castle mystery series. Rayne McGrath has inherited the ancestral castle in Ireland and per the terms of her Uncle Nevin’s will she must bring the castle back to profitability and save the village during in one year. Rayne decides to do what she knows best which is weddings. Prior to Ireland, her ex-boyfriend Landon stole all her money and dresses from her successful Rodeo Drive wedding dress business. Rayne is working from Ireland to complete all the dresses who had orders prior to this and one of those clients is hotel heiress Tori Montgomery who is marrying movie star Jake Anderson. Tori decides she wants to move up her wedding and get married in Ireland. With the help of her cousin Ciara and selling off her designer handbag collection, they get the Tower along with two cottages ready for the wedding party. Tori, Jake and their entourage arrive and it is clear that not is all merry with this group. When Tiffany the assistant of Tori’s bestie Amy if found dead from falling from the tower Rayne starts to wonder if this venture and the castle is cursed. Tori decides she wants the wedding to proceed and when all sorts of mishaps around the castle, Rayne has to wonder if the suspect is someone in the village or within the wedding party. Rayne is desperate to keep the group happy but also wants to help find out who did this to Tiffany. This is a delightful and entertaining read. The story is fast paced and lots of good supporting characters in Cormac, Aine, Amos and Maeve and it was good to see Ciara and Rayne working together. Also I love Blarney, Rayne’s irish setter. This is good continuation to this series. Highly recommend and looking forward to the next installment.

3.25 stars

This second series entry has some things going for it but the plot doesn't ultimately hang together too well. The setting is stellar - an old Irish castle run by two cousins, Rayne and Ciara, who are desperately trying to keep the venue alive as an event site, to benefit both them and the village.

A Hollywood actor and his fiance have secretly rented the castle. American Rayne designs uber high end wedding gowns but is not exactly a wedding planner. Her cousin Ciara helps with the business on the Irish side. So, plot hole, this billionaire family buys an expensive dress but nobody thinks to get a photographer, or flowers, or makeup. When one of the wedding party's staff winds up dead, The Garda decide not to tell anyone it's murder. Bad feelings amongst the bridge, groom and everyone else involved threaten to sink the whole top secret enterprise.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This was a good book to read. I really liked the cozy-ish mystery vibes of this books, where Rayne isn't a detective but she's trying to figure out what's going on.