Favorite Quotes:

I’d offered to try to learn while we were here, but my sister had tried food I’d prepared and preferred to handle that chore herself. Her exact words had been Mercy, if there is nothing left to eat on the planet, then I’ll be grateful for your cooking. Until then, well, you have many other wonderful qualities.

I snorted. “As if.” “Oh, you if. You if all the time,” she said.

Now, if you’re going to arrest me for stealing evidence, I ask that you give me the courtesy of lunch first. No one wants me hangry in jail.

My Review:

This was a fun and lively read that was wryly humorous, engaging, and easy to follow. I’ve never made a trip to the old sod, but would love to go if I could stay in a quaint little village such as this one. The murder mysteries were well-plotted, well-paced, and unpredictable. I enjoyed getting to know the quirky residents of the exclusive court and look forward to more of their adventures.

I think I’ve found a new favorite cozy mystery series! An Irish Bookshop Murder is the first in a new series by Lucy Connelly and I loved it. I fell in love with the characters and the locale - Connelly provides a terrific sense of place.

Mercy and her sister Lizzie have inherited a home and a bookshop in a small town in western Ireland - from a grandfather they’d never known or even heard of. They’ve both experienced tragedy recently, so they welcome a change of scenery to start over somewhere new. Mercy is a well-known mystery writer so she can work from anywhere and Lizzie’s Texas lavender farm is doing really well, enabling her to leave it in the good hands of her staff. So that’s the set-up.

Shamrock Cove (cute name) is better than they expected, filled with a diverse group of people. Their home (their grandfather’s home) is in a small secluded section of town referred to as “the court” - basically a walled-off section of the village. Of course, since this is a mystery series, someone dies early in their residency. Mercy puts on her sleuthing hat and has some run-ins with the local (handsome, of course!) detective, whose grandmother also lives in the court.

I really enjoyed the two sisters. While twins, their personalities are quite different. Lizzie is trying to recover from multiple shocks and is happy to dive into running the bookshop. She also loves to cook and bake, unlike Mercy who is terrible in the kitchen. She’s also more social than Mercy, who prefers to dress in sweats, avoid people and write all day. She easily loses track of time when she’s writing. Mercy is also much more of a risk taker than her sister.

The mystery was a good one, with the sisters making suspect lists and gradually eliminating people from the list. I did eventually guess the cuprit but I couldn’t fathom the motive, until it was revealed. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series, especially since there’s information about their grandfather than they have not yet discovered.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

In this delightful cozy mystery, we meet Mercy McCarthy, a crime writer turned bookshop owner who finds herself thrust into a real-life whodunit when her fresh start in the picturesque village of Shamrock Cove takes an unexpected turn. After inheriting a charming antique bookshop with her twin sister Lizzie, Mercy's dreams of a peaceful coastal life are shattered when she discovers her neighbor, the Judge, dying on his doorstep. His shocking last words accuse her of murder, setting the stage for a compelling investigation where Mercy must clear her name while navigating the complex web of village relationships.

What makes this story particularly engaging is how it captures the vulnerability of being the newcomer in a close-knit community. Connelly masterfully portrays the unsettling experience of having to second-guess every friendly face, as Mercy realizes that her potential new friends could be harboring deadly secrets. The residents of The Court and the local business owners are painted with just enough detail to make them both charming and suspicious, creating a perfect atmosphere for a cozy mystery.

The author's writing style is thoroughly compelling, with a natural flow that makes it nearly impossible to put the book down. While some characters could have benefited from deeper development, this minor shortcoming never detracts from the story's momentum. Connelly demonstrates a remarkable talent for crafting red herrings and planting subtle clues that keep readers guessing until the end.

As someone who enjoys trying to solve mysteries alongside the protagonist, I found myself convinced I had identified the killer, only to question my deductions as new evidence emerged. The author cleverly plays with readers' expectations, weaving false leads and genuine clues together in a way that maintains suspense without feeling manipulative.

Perhaps most impressively, Connelly sticks the landing. With just two chapters remaining, I worried whether the conclusion could live up to the build-up, but she delivers a satisfying resolution that ties everything together while staying true to the story's cozy mystery roots. The finale proves that sometimes the best stories aren't about shocking twists, but about how skillfully the author guides us to the truth.

"An Irish Bookshop Murder" is a promising start to what I hope will be a long-running series. Despite some room for growth in character development, it's an enchanting read that combines the charm of a seaside Irish village with the thrill of amateur sleuthing. The story proves that sometimes the best new beginnings come with a side of murder – as long as you have the wit and determination to solve it.

This is a very chilled murder mystery in a cute little town. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and the stories behind each of them. Whilst I did enjoy trying to work out who the killer was, I did find the murder mystery to be very laid back, almost too laid back.

Overall it was a nice easy read and a great pallet cleanser. I would recommend this book as I feel a lot of people would enjoy it, it just didn’t have the adrenaline rush that I love in my usual murder mystery books. Instead it very much had cute and cozy vibes with the occasional murder chucked in!

Thanks to Netgalley for the eBook to review

This book does exactly what it says - there's a cosy (read twee) village setting, a charming bookshop, quirky characters and a mysterious death. Throw into the middle of this two American sisters recently moved to said town and immediately implicated in the suspected murder, and you prety much have the premise of the book.
I wanted light relief and that's what I got!
Mercy and Lizzie are recently bereaved twins who inherit a cottage and bookshop in Shamrock Cove, Ireland, from their estranged grandfather. There are lots of unsaid traditions and rules to living in the Court in Shamrock Cove and they try and navigate these, whilst also trying to clear themselves of any involvement in the Judge's suspicious death.
There was enough to like to keep me reading but a few things that grated. This is a very romanticised/fairytale view of an Irish viillage - but I guess that's the point with cosy mystery settings? Mercy, the lead character wasn't that likeable but her sister Lizzie balanced that out. The Court characters were suitably quirky although I felt like there was some box ticking to shoehorn in enough "diverse" characters.
There was continuous mention of Mercy's experience with stalking, which I would have liked to have explained or resolved more.
In the end I'm not sure I was that bothered who the culprit was but I quite enjoyed the journey and it gave me the light relief I was looking for.

Well done! I was immediately drawn into the lives and story of Mercy and Lizzie's new life in Shamrock Cove, Ireland. The characters and sense of place where so well detailed that the idea of them leaving everything behind in the States to start a new life in their unknown paternal grandfather's home and business was seamless. The Court is full of interesting secondary characters and that keeps the mystery part a bit insular. The Court cottages can only be deeded to relatives, or a lottery ensues as laid out in the HOA-y type rules they have to live by. The crotchety judge who falls over dead makes for a great body--was he kind on the bench, or too harsh? And was he the same in his personal life? I really look forward to another story in this series.

A solid start to a fun series!

I loved the sister vibes, the small Irish town vibes and the mystery weaved in it. As someone who dreams of moving to England / Europe one day and living in my own bookstore cafe, the premise seemed so interesting.

It was darker and gloomier than I expected but I didn’t mind it. The suspense was very intriguing throughout but I felt like the finale was kind of anticlimactic. Still, overall, it was a solid read and I give it a 3.5 overall rating.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC!

Mercy and Izzy relocate themselves to the Irish village of Shamrock Cove after receiving an inheritance from a grandfather they didn’t know they had. They’ve inherited his house along with his bookshop.

Mercy finds the Judge dying on his front step. She rushes to help him and with his final breath he accuses Mercy. She decides she has no choice but to investigate to clear her name. During her sleuthing she finds that several of the residents have reason to have wanted the Judge dead. Mercy vows to continue to investigate until she finds the killer.

I was enchanted by this cozy mystery from the very beginning. I was able to picture the different rooms in the bookshop as well as the house and would love to be able to curl up and read a book in one of the rooms filled with books. I can’t wait to read the next installment!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for allowing me to read an ARC of this novel. #NetGalley #AnIrishBookshopMurder

An Irish Bookshop Murder (Mercy McCarthy Mystery #1) & Death by the Book (Mercy McCarthy Mystery #2) by Lucy Connelly

An Irish Bookshop Murder and Death by the Book, the first and second books in the Mercy McCarthy Mystery series by Lucy Connelly have set a pretty high bar for future stories in the series.

With captivating and realistic characters, unique mysteries, and the setting of a small Ireland seaside community the stories draw you in and keep you engaged and speculating to each story’s conclusion. As the very well crafted clues are gathered and unraveled, the stories become more and more intriguing. Both Mercy and her twin sister Lizzie are fully relatable and believable…thereby keeping both stories effectively flowing from beginning to end. The secondary characters are equally engaging and easy to form an attachment to.

All in all, I find this series one that I will keep on my “Watch List” for additional stories about Mercy et al.

This ARC book was complimentary…provided by the Publisher and NetGalley. I am voluntarily offering my honest review.

A great start to a new cozy mystery series by Connelly. The setting in Ireland is lush. The characters are provocative. I'm excited to read more in this series.

“An Irish Bookshop Murder is the nicely done first book in Lucy Connelly’s Mercy McCarthy’s cozy mystery series. This book introduces us to Mercy, a successful mystery author, and her twin sister Lizzie who move to Ireland after inheriting a bookstore from their grandfather whom they never met. Both sisters need a fresh start after some recent tragedies and are hoping that the village of Shamrock Cove in Ireland will give them the change that they need. Unfortunately, a real-life murder gets in their way and Mercy finds herself investigating as the police seem to think she is the killer. The setting is a great one – not only Shamrock Cove but the house the sisters inherit and the bookstore. All are full of puzzles – some solved in this book and others (presumably) to be solved in future books in the series. The characters in the book are equally as colorful, starting with the sisters who love and care for each other but are totally different and include the residents of Shamrock Cove – even the murder victim whom we get to know through the other characters. The mystery is well done with just the right number of suspects and tension – I was surprised at some of the events in the book and had a hard time figuring out who the killer was (and the motive). While the main mystery was solved, there are a few smaller mysteries left unsolved and I look forward to finding out more in future books in the series. All in all, a nice start to what looks to be a great series.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.

This is the first installment of the Mercy McCarthy mystery series. Mercy and her twin sister Lizzie have just moved to Shamrock Cove Ireland from Texas and New York. Mercy is a successful mystery writer and her sister Lizzie has a success lavender farm but they have recently lost their mother and Lizzie’s fiancé and daughter have been killed in a car accident. They both desperately need a change of scenery so when they are notified of their inheritance they go for it. Upon their arrival, friends of their grandfathers throw a party for them at the bookstore. Everyone appears to be happy they arrived with the exception of his friend the Judge. Mercy and Lizzie on their way home from the party, find the Judge in his home struggling to breathe and Mercy tries to save his life but he still dies. They soon are shocked when Detective Kieran O’Malley seems to focus his questions on them and makes them suspects. Mercy believes she must try and solve the case herself to help her sister avoid any more drama in their lives. This was a good solid mystery with an enjoyable cast of characters and the twist of the attraction with the detective and with him potentially being their new neighbors. I really enjoyed this story and loved the characters and the mystery. Highly recommend and looking forward to the next installment.

🩸I'm a big fan of murder mysteries, and seeing this book made me interested right away.
📚Mercy and her twin sister Lizzie inherit their grandfather's house and bookshop in Ireland. Considering that they knew nothing about him or their father, they were quite surprised.
🏘️After the stress of the last six months, a fresh start is exactly what both sisters need. Just as they arrive, a neighbour dies in suspicious circumstances. ✍️As a murder mystery writer, Mercy becomes immersed in a real-life investigation.
🔪The murder mystery is well-crafted, with enough twists and turns to keep the reader guessing.
🍷The author's ability to capture the essence of village life, where everyone knows each other’s secrets but guards their own.
🩸I adored every cozy detail about the cottage, the village atmosphere, and the bookstore.The author's ability to capture the essence of small-town life, where everyone knows each other’s secrets but guards their own.
🏘️I adored every cozy detail about the cottage, the small-town life, and the bookstore.

eBook - 3 Stars
I didn't love this, nor did I hate it. It was just a very average read for me. Which is surprising as I have absolutely loved her Scottish mystery series.

The premise [which was a new one for me] for this series is a really great here [though my dislike of HOA's - American *OR* Irish - just increased with this read], and I really feel you cannot go wrong with a bookshop [though we don't spend nearly enough time there IMO]. Add in an interesting group of characters, a twisty unexpected [but not unwelcome to the locals it would seem] murder, and you should have a really great read. Alas...

For me, a lot of the problem lies with Mercy and her almost insufferable snotty attitude [even though the initial accusations would put anyone off {and had me rolling my eyes and muttering "you MUST be kidding me"}, her continued aggressive, combative attitude was extremely off-putting and showed why so many Europeans dislike Americans], her constant threats of using her solicitor to induce firing [to. the. police. W T H??] and also as "blackmail", and is so overbearing in her belief that only SHE can solve this mystery [simply because she is a mystery writer], and her disregard of EVERYONE'S genuine concern for her safety, and, and, and...I honestly think she is the main reason I really struggled with this whole book as I truly enjoyed everyone else, PLUS, there is a huge private library in the house they have inherited [as well as many, many hidden doors], which made me slightly green with envy, and neighbors who are truly caring [and one that cooks like a dream and made me want to SNACK all through whole book], and this realization makes me hope that if there is a book two, some of Mercy's off-putting attitude and snotty behavior [look, I will say here there are glimmers of her being a really decent person - her exchange at the bookstore with little Liam absolutely melted my heart and her willingness to try and save someone that had been very rude to her shows that she CAN be a decent human being and her love for her sister is completely enviable] is gone; it would be a real shame if she continues with the same behaviors as she has the potential to be one of my favorite characters. I guess all we can do is wait and see.

Audiobook - 4 Stars
The narrator [Kimberly M. Wetherell] is already a favorite as she narrates the other series by this author and so I knew I was in for some excellent narration and I was not wrong. She does a fantastic job with the Irish and I like the voices that she picked for Mercy and her sister [she does snotty REALLLLLY well LOL]. I highly recommend this audiobook for those looking to listen to this book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lucy Connelly, Kimberly M. Wetherell - Narrator, Bookouture, and Bookouture Audio for providing the eBook and audiobook ARC's in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, cozy mysteries are my thing. They are my comfort read. And now I have a new favourite to add to my list.
I loved this book. The characters were great, the storyline was great, and the writing style was great. A neighbour with narcolepsy, a business owner who wants to paint the shops pastel, a crotchety old judge, a police detective who goes by the book, and two sisters who inherit a book shop and house from a grandfather they didn’t know they had. I couldn’t figure out who was the culprit at all. Plus now I want to move to Ireland and run an old book shop!
I will be reading more as the series continues. The characters will be in my head for a while.

Well, that was fun! A great new series to sink your teeth into!

This one starts with twin sisters (Mercy and Lizzie) who never knew their grandfather but who inherit a house from him--a beautiful cottage in the village of Shamrock Cove. Almost immediately upon their arrival, a murder takes place. Because Mercy is crime writer who handles lots of research in order to create her tales, she is well-suited as the perfect Nancy Drew to figure out this mystery--especially as she needs to clear her own name in the process.

Well-written, great characters, a fun mystery to solve--I thought this was a lot of fun and I'm looking forward to the next entry in the series!

I love this author and her cozy mysteries so I was looking forward to her new series. First of all the cover is gorgeous. It follows twin sisters Mercy and Lizzie who run a local bookshop. When a murder happens in their small town, they work together to find a killer. Set in a little town called Shamrock Cove. you will fall in love with the sisters and small town living.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

3.75

If you read this book (or even a few chapters) and haven’t looked up Airbnb’s in small Irish towns or perused Ireland’s immigration requirements, you are either dead inside or already live in Ireland.

This is the first in a new cozy mystery series about twin sisters who have had a rough time lately and move to Ireland for a fresh start after inheriting a house and bookshop from a grandfather they never knew. It’s a cute story and I enjoyed the twins and their dynamic. I can’t say that it was the best mystery I’ve ever read and it really does go back-and-forth a lot with the murder suspects, but the setting, supporting characters, and twins’ back story and relationship are good distractions.

I haven’t read any of Lucie Connolly‘s other books, but I do know that the first in a series is usually rated lower and reviewed less positively than the ensuing books. We already know that there will be at least another adventure for Mercy and Lizzie and I plan to read it. I’ve also already downloaded the first book in her Scottish mystery series!

Thank you to the author Lucy Connelly, NetGalley, and Bookouture for providing me with a free advanced copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.

American twins Marcy & Lizzie inherit a house & a bookshop in Shamrock Cove. They never knew about their Irish Grandfather but the inheritance came at a good time for them. Lizzie is still reeling from the loss of her fiancé & his daughter & being an author Marcy can work anywhere. The house is in a very select community. Not long after they arrive their next door neighbour, the Judge, collapses & although Marcy tries to help he dies- accusing her of murder.

I loved the cover, loved the premise -I should have enjoyed this more, but somehow it missed being a particularly good read. There were too many things that jarred, the dialogue of the Irish characters, looking for a spoon to put in the judge's mouth, the setting being that bit overly 'Irish seaside'. The characters took a long while to gel with me. It kept me interested to the end but I'm not sure if I'd read a sequel. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

An Irish Bookshop Murder is a fun start to a new cozy mystery series by Lucy Connelly. I really enjoyed her Scottish Isle series so was excited to read this one as soon as I heard she had a new series coming out. It was entertaining to watch Mercy and her twin sister Lizzie work to figure out who was the murderer in their new little town and butt heads with the local handsome police chief. And who can resist a book that has a bookshop in it?! It was a perfect book to listen to as I traveled to the Cliffs of Moher with my family. I could just imagine the sweet little town of Shamrock Cove and would totally love to visit there!

I read/listened to the audio book which I really enjoyed. Kimberley Wetherell did a wonderful job narrating.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Publication date: 22 August 2024