This is my first book crush of the new year. Set in the late 80’s, tiny Castlefreke in County Cork, Ireland, is experiencing a shrinkage as jobs and humans flee for bigger towns and jobs. It’s the story of Emma, the town librarian, who has returned home after her dream career in the Garda didn’t work out. She’s living with her dad, Sam, who is gently urging her to move on. After just such a nag at dinner, Emma takes off and ends up at the “Big House” in town where she hears shots, sees a man fleeing, and sees the reclusive owner dead and another unknown man injured. She takes off to the town doctor where help is summoned.

So far, so cozy. What makes one book sing a little more than another book? There are many factors, one being prose. O’Donnell writes with a loveliness that’s both sturdy and delicate. He frames the story with a huge storm named Ophelia – who leaves a wake of destruction – and sightings of foxes and bats throughout. Foxes can symbolize many things, but one is “wild loveliness” and another is “mischief”, both of which apply here. Bats can be seen as a symbol of change and rebirth, an apt symbolism for the story in the book. There is indeed a feeling of change coming toward tiny Castlefreke, coming like a freight train, and Ophelia and the murder in the Big House is the kick off.

Symbolism is all well and good, but another element that makes a book sing is character, and O’Donnell appears to understand character and to be able to portray it masterfully. Emma is a person who loves her library but is regretting not only her change in career, but the absence of her long ago boyfriend, Charley. When the identity of the other man who was shot is revealed, his appearance brings Charley back to town. We are with Emma as she travels back through childhood to young adulthood and through the relationships she’s had with her Dad and with Charley, but also to other central characters in the story.

When the injured man’s father asks Emma to use the skills she’s learned in the Garda to investigate and clear his son, Emma steps up. She tries to be guided by Sherlock Holmes but she realizes the details she notices are not as tricky as Sherlock’s. What works for her is knowing everyone in town, including the somewhat skeezy police sergeant Noonan and the local lawyer who seems to operate not on quite the right side of the law. It’s when Emma teams up with the lawyer’s secretary, the lonely yet observant and quietly funny Mary, that the investigation takes off.

There is another pretty heartbreaking death and a bit of danger for Emma, but she’s surrounded by community and loved ones, and that gives her investigation a boost. I never worried that things wouldn’t be set to rights – a cozy/traditional element – but the sensitive writing, character detail and lovely setting for this novel make it a complete standout. I read it with a lump in my throat. This is a spectacular debut.

“No Comfort for the Dead” is a gripping mystery that will appeal to fans of Dervla McTiernan and Carlene O’Connor. O’Donnell’s ability to create a vivid setting and compelling characters makes this novel a standout in the genre. Emma Daly’s journey from librarian to detective is enjoyable, believable and inspiring, making this a must-read for anyone who enjoys a good whodunit with a touch of heart.

I found No Comfort For the Dead to be an enjoyable traditional mystery that I read in a weekend. It takes place in a very small Irish town with a large cast of characters. I’m not sure if this book is the start of a series but I felt as if the author introduced so many characters with that intention in mind. If so I would happily read the next installment.

No Comfort for the Dead is a mystery which takes place in 1988 that provides a grand physical description of the village Castlefreke where a wealthy man is killed, another younger man returns to the village to be badly injured, and a third person who shadowed the murder is yet unidentified. Emma Daly, who hoped to be a detective in the Gardai but returned home feeling a failure, decides that she will try her detective skills to find the killer.

When Emma returned home, she became a librarian and by all accounts, has renovated the library and made it a warm, lovely place where people gather. Some of the older people read the newspaper in the fold of the library, and others drop by for gossip and the friendship of Emma and Maeve, her assistant. We also eventually meet Emma's father, Sam, and her grandparents, Frances and Jimmy. At the same time, her boyfriend from the past, Charley, returns, and their relationship smolders.

As Emma does her amateur but incisive detective work, there is another murder, and the village is unsettled. Finally as a sine qua non, there is an absolutely delightful and thoroughly humorous scene in the local pub which balances the investigation into the two murders. Often, such scenes are maudlin or repetitious; frankly, I found this wonderfully funny and a great addition to the plot.

O'Donnell manages to introduce many of the village characters with clarity and without the confusion that may sometimes accompany a number of characters, and he keeps the plot "thickening" with skill. No Comfort for the Dead is a satisfying read, indeed.

A bit of a stretch in believability but an overall passed the time just fine read

Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

In “No Comfort for the Dead,” R.P. O’Donnell crafts a compelling mystery set against the picturesque yet secretive backdrop of West Cork, Ireland. The novel follows Emma Daly, a small-town librarian with a past marred by scandal, who finds herself thrust into the role of amateur sleuth after witnessing a murder.

The story is set in 1988 in the quaint village of Castlefreke, where everyone knows everyone, and secrets are hard to keep. Emma, seeking solace from her troubled past, returns to her hometown only to be confronted with a murder that shakes the community. The victim, the wealthiest man in town, leaves behind a trail of suspicion that points to Colm, the enigmatic son of a local family. However, Emma’s keen observation skills reveal a third man fleeing the scene, a detail the local police dismiss.

Emma Daly is a well-rounded protagonist whose determination and intelligence drive the narrative forward. Her partnership with Charley, her high school sweetheart, and Mary, a lawyer’s secretary, adds depth to the investigation. The supporting characters, from the stubborn widow to the elderly hypochondriac, enrich the story with their unique quirks and perspectives.

O’Donnell’s writing is both evocative and engaging, capturing the essence of small-town life while weaving a complex web of intrigue. Themes of justice, redemption, and the power of community are explored as Emma navigates the challenges of clearing Colm’s name. The novel’s pacing is well-balanced, with suspenseful moments that keeps readers captivated.

“No Comfort for the Dead” is a gripping mystery that will appeal to fans of Dervla McTiernan and Carlene O’Connor. O’Donnell’s ability to create a vivid setting and compelling characters makes this novel a standout in the genre. Emma Daly’s journey from librarian to detective is enjoyable, believable and inspiring, making this a must-read for anyone who enjoys a good whodunit with a touch of heart.

No Comfort for the Dead is captivating read that is well written with a cast of characters you wont forget soon.

The village of Castlefreke is one of those characters and R.P. O'Donnell has brought the village to life.

I felt I was sitting in the pub with the villagers and I too wanted to help solve who really murdered the wealthiest and not the nicest man in town.

Emma the small town librarian (how I would love to visit that library) witnessed the murder and knows they have the wrong man in custody.

She is determined to get to the bottom of what is happening in Castlefreke.

Not all is happy in the village: there is an underlying current of something or someone sinister that is out to create havoc.

I for one cant wait to return to Castlefreke for the next book and all that follow and I will be one of the first in line.

Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the privilege of reading and reviewing No Comfort for the Dead.

I gave up pretty early on just because my mind was not in the right place for this book. It actually seems pretty cool but was not my jam, which makes me sad because it seemingly *is* my jam. I don’t know how to explain it, maybe read it and you’ll understand. I love the cover! The plot seems really interesting! My mind just could not stay focused during this story for some strange reason. Maybe I need to read it on a rainy night with a cup of something hot when I have no other real concerns to distract me…

I received an advanced copy from NetGalley in exchange for a review and opinions are my own.

This is an interesting take on a quaint Irish village cozy mystery. Mostly, it's different because the village isn't as quint as some others in similar books. This village does have the requisite pub and that small-town, everybody knows everybody's business vibe; but also is overshadowed by a more sinister air. It turns the normal small village feel in such a way that I think this would appeal to cozy fans but also to those who prefer their mysteries with more suspense.

The characters here are mostly warm and likable, and I would love to see more of them in future books. It would be great to get a better picture of some of their back stories, as I did find those a bit weak, but I think that could be elaborated on if this book is the beginning of a series which it definitely feels like it could be.

The one place this book fell apart a little was in the mystery itself. I enjoyed the investigative portions and the clues, but the ending wasn't so satisfying. Although I learned who the killer was, I was still vague on the motive. There is an explanation; it's not like the author didn't have it thought out. I just didn't understand how it all fit. Hopefully, other readers will and can shed some light on it for me.

Overall, I would recommend this book to mystery fans and to those who enjoy books set in Ireland. I think this series will improve with time, and I'm excited to see where the author goes with it.

This was a nice little mystery story that wasn't quite thriller but not quite cozy either. I enjoyed Emma's character a lot.

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!

Are you looking for your next mystery thriller novel? Pick up No Comfort for the Dead. You won’t regret it!

O’Donnell proves you don’t need blood and gore to make a thriller, as a young librarian, recently returned to her home town, sets out to find the person who murdered a local. A thinking person’s thriller