Death at an Irish Wedding follows Rayne McGrath and her cousin Ciara as they plan a secret celebrity wedding at their newly inherited Irish castle.
They need to turn a profit with their business in order to save the castle and hosting the wedding of a hotel heiress and hollywood heartthrob will fill their coffers. Rayne is also making the brides dress and that was how they were introduced as a venue for the couple. THe wedding needs to go well and be kept a secret from the media, until the couple chooses to share the good news with the world, so there is a lot of pressure.
As with every cozy, things do not go as planned. There are sabotaged dresses, harassment from villagers, infighting between the bride and groom and worst of all a murder.
Overall I was entertained and enjoyed this mystery, but I do think I would have benefited from reading the first in the series. There were a lot of characters to learn and the backstory of the castle and the inheritance would have been better understood.

It looks like I came in the middle of the series here, which was my error.

This was a very interesting concept but I didn't connect with the writing style the way I hoped I would and had some trouble getting into the book and even connecting with the characters.

This is definitely a book people who love a slower pace in their books will like. It's also a great book for people who want to know a little more about irish history. I hope to go back and read the first book in the series very soon!

A fun cozy that will brighten your day. A wedding dress designer who inherited a run down castle in Ireland. As always weddings can go in a million directions. Grabs your attention and keeps it. Lots of twists and turns. Thanks#Netgalley and #CrookedLaneBooks for the eARC in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are mine.

I really enjoyed reading Death at an Irish Wedding by Ellie Brannigan. The Irish castle setting in a small village is the perfect setting for a cozy mystery. I liked reading about the cousins who inherited the castle and the mystery was fun to figure out. It’s always fun to figure out who the bad person/people are and this book really kept me guessing. I look forward to reading more about these characters as they work to set up the castle as a wedding venue. Hopefully another book will be coming soon.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. All opinions are my own.

"Death at an Irish Wedding” the 2nd instalment in An Irish Castle Mystery series by Ellie Brannigan (Traci Hall). What a great follow up to book one, I absolutely loved it! Bridal wear designer-turned-entrepreneur Rayne McGrath remains in the Irish countryside ready for some wedding mayhem

I loved this story right down to the small Irish village, the people (even if they were being rude and protesting the wedding venue), Rayne, her cousin Ciara and her puppy Blarney I really enjoyed all the family dynamics and not all family is blood.

Overall I just loved how the story made me feel and by the end I was smiling, cheering on Rayne and wondering what life had in store for her next.

The mystery is interesting and well plotted, and had plenty of twists to keep engaged right to the very end. I kept guessing and second-guessing myself but I was right on who the killer was.

I highly recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends.

I requested and received an advance readers copy from Crooked Lane and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Since it has been a little while since I read the first book in the series it took me a few chapters to get all the characters down, including those living in the village and the wedding party who are new for this book. Overall, I enjoyed the book and am looking forward to the next one in the series.

Reading the first book in the series is not needed to enjoy the story, but it will help you appreciate what Rayne and Ciara have accomplished with the castle and their relationship.

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for an advanced copy.

Rayne inherits a run down castle in a beautiful setting in Ireland. She is a wedding dress designer, but now must bring the castle back to life when a body turns up. Fun cozy mystery

Rayne and Ciara have a celebrity wedding booked at the castle and need to get it in shape. Time is ticking to turn a profit and this is a great opportunity for them.

Unfortunately, murder abounds the locals fear a curse has been brought upon them. Can Rayne and Ciara solved the murder and save their business? Or is this another legacy that will be ruined by a curse?

The second entry in this series is far better than the first. I found our two main characters working together far better this time and it made for a much more enjoyable read. I love the setting, the cast of characters, but most of all the mystery. It’s what keeps me back for more.

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

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