This was such a cute, cozy, small town mystery! I loved both sisters and the town seemed so wonderful! Really reminded me of Stars Hollow from Gilmore Girls. It is a perfect read for autumn if you enjoy cozy mysteries - it had a great amount of tension throughout and the ending tied everything up perfectly! I’ll definitely be checking out more books by this author in the future.

A fun mystery story in Ireland. We follow two American sisters who move to a small Irish village and instantly get sucked into a mysterious murder case.
I was listening to the audiobook. Although I wasn't a fan of some of the main characters´ voices (the sister in particular) or characteristics (protagonist going out of her way to remind us that she can't possibly be expected to do normal, daily life tasks because she is an author and of course her entire brain space is taken up by that - just not super likeable after the 5th mention) - I still enjoyed the ride and many of the other villager characters and the story itself.

I enjoyed this one! I am looking forward to more in this series. The mystery was solid, and I liked that family, found and blood, was the foundation of the story.

I got this as an audiobook arc on Netgalley and it has since come out. Yeah this was a nice and breezy listen, well written and well narrated too. I loved the characters, the whodunit wasn't unexpected but the why definitely was.

This was a super fun and cozy read. I got to listen to this book when it was raining, and it really went with the vibe. I really enjoyed the 2 main characters, and I really liked that they were twins! Everyone that lives in the cove is interesting and I can’t wait for the next book to come out to get to know everyone better and find out a few of the mysteries that were left unanswered. I did not know who the killer was until the very end which is rare for me. I am excited for the love interest in the book and loved the puppy at the end. I enjoyed finding this new author and look forward to the next one!

The audiobook had me gripped . The story is an about two twin girls coming to Ireland and starting a new life for themselves. They each had their own set of problems they were dealing with to start a new life . With a new place and a grandfather they didn’t know about much and a murder this place becomes a very interesting place for both of them . The characters are spot on and very believe able . The beauty of the place is well captured by the author . I listened to the audiobook narrated by Kimberly Wetherell. She did a good work with the voices and emotions. Thank you to netgalley and book outure audio for this opportunity. Would like to listen to more audiobook like this .

Many thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture Audio, and the author, for the ALC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is what I call a perfect cosy mystery. Mercy and Lizzy McCarthy are identical twins from Texas who has just moved to Shamrock Cove, a tiny Irish village from Texas after unexpectedly receiving inheritance from their paternal grandfather who they didn't even know existed. The sisters who recently went through a lot of tragedy, took this opportunity to get a change of scenery and help heal their hearts. Their inheritance includes a beautiful mansion in an exclusive gated community and a bookshop that their grandfather treasured.

Hence, Mercy who is a successful mystery/ thriller author and Lizzy a successful entrepreneur is extremely excited for their 'new' life. Little did they know that on the evening of their arrival, after their welcome party, one of their neighbours would drop dead while pointing their finger at Mercy.

I was a bit apprehensive about listening to this book as I have had to suffer through very bad Irish accents in audiobooks before. As Dubliner, who have spent a good bit of time in west of Ireland, I am happy to report that the accents were pretty well done and not too much on the nose. Ireland in itself is a very cosy place, so there was no reason for this book to be not. Another thing I was surprised was how genuinely gripped I was, in spite of the fact that I guessed the culprit pretty early on in the book. The rapport between all the characters were well built up, so was the places and settings. Overall, a solid 4 star mystery.

"An Irish Bookshop Murder" is book 1 of A Mercy McCarthy Mystery Book series by Lucy Connelly. It's a cozy mystery set in a small village in Ireland.

I really enjoyed this book. The characters are believable. The setting is beautiful and interesting. The murders are challenging to figure out. The dialogue feels authentic.

Mercy McCarthy and her twin sister, Lizzy McCarthy, have moved from the US to Ireland following tragedy in their lives. Mercy is a mystery book writer. Lizzy was a lavender farmer. They inherited a house in Ireland from their unknown grandfather.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Kimberly Wetherell. She did a wonderful job with the voices, emotions, and cadence.

I enjoyed these characters and the settings so well that
I'm looking forward to the next book in this series! I highly recommend this book for people who enjoy cozy mysteries!!

Characters - 5/5
Writing - 5/5
Plot - 4/5
Pacing - 5/5
Unputdownability - 4/5
Enjoyment - 5/5
Narration - 5/5
Cover - 5/5
Overall - 38/8 = 4 6/8 rounded up to 5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley, Bookouture Audio, and Lucy Connelly for providing this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

This was a good start to a new mystery series following twin sisters who move to Ireland after inheriting their grandfather's home and bookstore. It has all of the elements of a successful cozy mystery series - quirky characters, amateur sleuth at odds with (and sometimes working with) the local detective, small town that is its own character, etc. I look forward to the next installment in the series.

The narration was great as well.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #BookoutureAudio for a free copy of #AnIrishBookshopMurder by Lucy Connelly. All opinions are my own.

⭐ 4.5

This audiobook kept me so invested that I was at work writing down notes, and let's just say I didn't hit any of the clues. The story follows twins Mercy and Lizzie, who move to a small town in Ireland. These two sisters have been through a lot, and when their grandfather leaves them his house in this little village, they decide to leave everything behind and go. Along with the house comes nothing less than a bookstore, and let me tell you, I loved that.

Our Mercy is a mystery writer who needs to write a book for which she has no inspiration. While they're at a welcome party hosted by the neighbors on their street, an event occurs: the judge dies, and that's where the whole story begins. The mystery had me on edge because they gave me plenty of clues and delivered suspense just the way I like it, along with that cozy feeling I was hoping for. There were many charming secondary characters, and I also appreciated that the twins learned much more about their grandfather (whom they never knew) through all of them.

When everything was resolved, I felt satisfied, surprised, but ultimately satisfied because the story was so well crafted. And I realized that I'm a terrible detective, but hey, I'll stick to reading these stories. It's worth noting that besides the mystery, the story has a beautiful found family element: the twins found their forever home and even though I'm certain Mercy will get into more trouble, I feel like everyone will support her just the same.

Now, I have to applaud the narrator because she did an excellent job bringing all the characters to life. At times, I forgot it was just one person narrating because each character was so distinct. Her voice was enchanting, and the different accents she used left me pleasantly surprised by how skilled she was.

📌I received an advanced listening copy through netgalley, and this is my honest opinion/review of it.

"An Irish Bookshop Murder" had the makings of an engaging cozy mystery but unfortunately fell flat on numerous fronts. The book promised a charming murder mystery set in an Irish bookshop, yet it failed to deliver on its potential, leaving much to be desired.

The initial setup seemed promising, but the execution of the murder was lackluster. The characters felt contrived and did not evoke the warmth or intrigue typically associated with cozy mysteries. The protagonist, in particular, was grating and seemed to be more of a distraction than a compelling lead. Her constant internal monologues about her stalker and obsession with wearing black clothes became repetitive and tiresome, overshadowing any sense of genuine engagement with the story.

The protagonist’s frequent tangents, including an odd detour about why she doesn’t run, felt out of place and irrelevant to the narrative. Additionally, her sudden expertise in lockpicking and hacking, following a brief lesson from a locksmith, was far-fetched and lacked any real context.

The recurring references to her “mystery writer brain” only served to highlight the disconnect between the character and the reader. The actual sleuthing in the book was minimal, relying instead on the protagonist’s unfounded assumptions about who could or couldn’t be the murderer based on their niceness. The ending, which should have tied together the story’s threads, felt disjointed and the motive came off as forced

Ultimately, "An Irish Bookshop Murder" did not resonate with me. The lack of engaging characters, a coherent plot, and genuine mystery elements rendered it an unsatisfactory read. This book fell short of its cozy mystery aspirations, leaving much to be desired.

This book was super enjoyable! The setting was idyllic, and the descriptions made me really want to inherit that house and bookshop! I loved the twin relationship between Mercy and Lizzie (I’m a twin myself, and it felt very authentic!!). I appreciated their backstories, and how the author gave enough depth to get you interested - but didn’t completely wrap everything up. The cast of characters were great. Again, enough to hook you, but plenty more to be explored. The mystery reveal wasn’t the most surprising - it could have been a little more complex. But I enjoyed the storyline, setting, and characters so much that that didn’t feel like the lack of complexity was a letdown. It felt like a cozy little mystery - a warm hug without high stakes. And I appreciated that. Thank you for my ARC!

I loved this audio book. The narrator brought the characters to life. It was very easy to differentiate between the characters. I listened to this in one shot. The narrator had me invested in the story and the characters.

An Irish Bookshop Murder by Lucy Connelly is book one in the Mercy McArthur mystery series. I enjoyed this audiobook so much and more so that the ladies were from Texas!!

Mercy and Lizzie are twins and they have been some hard times. They soon learn that their long-lost grandfather they never met left them not only a house but a bookshop in Ireland. Thinking this would be a fresh start and exactly what they need, they make the decision to pack up their lives and move across the ocean to Shamrock Cove, Ireland.

The story and plot were so well written and I felt like I watching it play like a movie in my head. I not only loved the mc’s but I also loved the side characters as well. There were many twists and turns. Did I think I had the ending figured out yes, was I wrong, also yes. I liked that Mercy always found herself in the middle of everything and Lizzie could not lie. I also loved that they invited their friends for a Texas bbq. The banter between the characters was great. I can’t wait for the next book. I also thought Kimberly Wetherell did a fantastic job at narrating the book and all of the characters. Thanks you BookOuture and Net Galley for letting me listen to this ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions.

I received a copy of this audiobook from netGalley for a honest review.

I didn't realize that this author writes pone of my favorite Scottish mystery series and was pleasantly surprised to find her American in Ireland to be just as great a character. The 2 sisters have inherited a cottage and bookstore in Scotland and due to their lives being kind of shitty back home they decide to move. Of course a murder happens and they find themselves involved. I laughed and then held my breath in suspense. I look forward to the next in this series.

Enjoyed this one so much, like a flowery thriller, a bit like Richard Osmands stuff or maybe Everyone on This Train is a Suspect, that kind of vibe. Great writing style and character development, even better it’s set in a book shop!! Great listen

Grab a blanket, a warm drink and cozy up! This is the perfect fall book! This is a really cute, cozy, mystery that will have you considering moving to a small Irish town.

Lizzie & Mercy live my dream - inheriting a cozy book shop & cottage while also getting to investigate and solve a murder!

I’m not a big fan of romance in my mystery/thrillers, so I love this story for not having a crazy side-story of love. I’m a big lover of colorful townies - this book is full of them! The ending is shocking and unpredictable. I loved the ending and how it all came together.

I listened to this as an audiobook and really enjoyed the narrator! Can’t wait to read the rest of this series!

Most new books in a cozy mystery series play it safe, not this one! From the start the book hits the ground running as we keep pace with Mercy, and her twin sister Lizzie, whose heartbreaking backstory alone could fill several novels by themselves. The Author does manage to handle Lizzie and her trauma with care in a way that fills us in on her history without either info dumping nor trauma dumping.

So I feel it important to put my own warning here for mentions of PTSD, Suicide, and Self Harm, it is not a major main plot point and is handled gracefully. Which I appreciated, as such things are sometimes used a flavor of the month to spice up a character rather than fully flesh them out. Lizzie is depicted with care and by the end of the book we are already seeing positive growth in her recovery. I appreciate that she is depicted as her own person with several big successes and is not belittled as the weaker twin who must be treated with kid gloves forever.

Although there are several tropes used throughout the book, like one successful twin caring for the weak sickly twin, they all play off with unexpected twists that make for an incredibly fun read! I read cozy mysteries because they play with these ideas in fun new ways, so if anything this book wins bonus points for making sense of a situation where the twins inherit property from a relative they didn't know existed.

I genuinely enjoyed the pace at which the book moved as it hit the perfect balance between plot and the fun cozy slice of life and comedy bits that keep me reaching for cozy mysteries instead of straight thrillers. I love getting to know the locals in the small town and seeing how relationships are being set up for future novels.

I am also very glad that I listened to the audiobook version as the accents which range from Texas twang, to a thick New York style, and finally to a variety of Irish accents are honestly well done and not cringey at all. The voice actress does an amazing job with individual character voices and expressing emotion without sacrificing the ability to understand her or sound quality. She has mastered the art of making it sound like characters are yelling or whispering without there being a noticeable change in the noise level. So big shout out to Kimberly Wetherell for doing a great job at switching between American and Irish accents without making it weird!

Overall very impressed by this first book and I can't wait for the next release in the series!

A lovely thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for allowing me to listen to the ARC version.

An Irish bookshop murder is the first in a new series set in Ireland. This book has so much to make me love it. Twin sisters relocate to Ireland after inheriting a bookshop and a house on Shamrock Cove, love all of it. The narrator of the book is Kimberly Wetherell and she is amazing, you will think it is more than one person narrating she is so good. The characters are an interesting bunch and I can see them developing as the series continues. An added plus comes at the end of the book with the addition of a dog to the cast of characters, just one more reason to love this series.
I was gifted this book from Netgalley but this is my honest review. Thank you to Bookouture and Netgalley for the introduction to this new series.

Absolutely loved #AnIrishBookshopMurder by Lucy Connelly.
Unexpected inheritance from her grandfather, Mercy and her twin sister Lizzie are now the proud owners of a charming antique bookshop in the tiny Irish village of Shamrock Cove. However, they don't get the quiet peaceful new start they were hoping for!
Love the characters in the story and can't wait to read future books in the series! @NetGalley_UK @@bookouture #bestbookthissummer!