I just love this series. When you enjoy the first, you always wonder if the following books can live up to it, but they certainly do! For me, the Macey and Lizzie series would have the number 1 spot if it was a Netflix boxset. You could quite easily sit there and binge read the 3 books!

This time, the setting is Inishmore Castle, where Macey, Lizzie, and half of the village go to stay for the weekend. Whisky tasting and baking was the plan until one of the guests was murdered! Does they solve the mystery before the storm subsides and the guests can leave?

I really hope there will be many more adventures and mysteries to be solved by these pair!

Thank you, @bookouture and @NetGalley, for the advanced copy.

A weekend at an Irish castle, secret passages, a storm that sporadically downs telephone service and electricity…and a murder. What more could you ask for in a mystery? Mercy and her sister and their friends are part of a group invited to a soft opening of a guest stay at a nearby castle. Besides the friends, the guests include a priest, a nun, a birder, an American couple, and the owners’ accountant. What is going on and who is the murderer? Mercy’s nosiness won’t let her step back from investigating (and perhaps gives her an idea for her next book).
I love this series and A Death at Inishmore Castle is an enjoyable read. Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the ARC.

LGBT Rep
Mystery Writer
Set in Ireland
Twin Sisters
Second Chances
Grief
As a cozy mystery lover, I enjoyed this so much! The mystery, the atmosphere, the constant second guessing! Trust you will keep thinking ‘this feels too obvious it can’t be… or can it?!’ The layers to this case was so entertaining because other little pieces were being unraveled. This paired with the grief the twins are dealing with!
Like many cozy mysteries, you don’t have to read them in order! This one is no exception so no confusion! However, I’m pulled into reading the previous ones now. Some issues from the last 2 books come up towards the end (I won’t spoil don’t worry) and ahhhh the suspense! The characters all had their own personalities and helped with catching the culprit. But the grief! As you read on, the impact from the last 2 books is present and of course influences some of their decisions. The grief of losing multiple people in a small amount of time is shown especially with Lizzie, the less curious sister. Their grief shows in different ways along with the difference in their personalities. Then the relationship between Mercy, our curious sister, and the DI, Kieran! I just absolutely loved this!

Third book in this series featuring a close knit community. Murder and mystery follow the twins where ever they go.

Fraternal twin sisters, Ireland, an adorable dog, a bookstore, and a handsome detective are all qualities for a great book. This is the third book in the Mercy McCarthy Mystery series and they get better with each book. One thing that is a little different about this book is it doesn't take place in Shamrock Cove but in a castle not far away. The owners of the castle are having a soft weekend opening of whiskey tasting and classes ranging from gardening to cooking all while getting to spend the weekend in the castle. Sounds wonderful except that Mercy and her dog Mr. Poe find a dead body and a fierce storm is going on making it hard to communicate with the local village or even leave the castle. This makes for a great mystery with lots of people who could be the murderer.
I enjoy this series and this book was wonderfully interesting and fun at the same time. I look forward to more adventures with Mercy and Libby.
Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. This is my honest review.

Death at Inishmore Castle by Lucy Connelly is a must-read for cozy mystery lovers! Twin sisters Mercy & Lizzie McCarthy arrive at a historic Irish castle for a relaxing getaway—until a priest (who isn’t really a priest!) is found murdered. With a storm trapping everyone inside and whispers of lost treasure, Mercy must solve the case before the killer strikes again.

Packed with red herrings, atmospheric suspense, and oodles of Irish charm, this locked-room mystery kept me hooked till the very end. Another brilliant installment in the Mercy McCarthy Mysteries! Highly recommend!

A weekend away at an Irish castle as guests for a soft opening for their new tourism plan to offer whiskey tastings, cooking and craft classes, and a garden tour….what could be more idyllic? Successful mystery writer Mercy McCarthy and her twin sister Lizzie are ready to enjoy all that’s on offer along with some of their dear friends, neighbors of theirs, and a handful of other guests. Unfortunately, one of the guests meets an untimely death, and as a ferocious storm moves in Mercy, Lizzie and the rest are caught in the castle with a killer. The castle is beautifully described, secret passages and all, and the food sounds delicious, these details make an atmospheric background for Mercy’s investigating. During a brief break in the storm the police are able to reach the castle after Mercy alerts her detective friend, The interaction between them gives us a chance to see how Mercy’s mind is always working to process information as she often finds herself having to defend her insatiable curiosity against Kiernan’s desire to ensure her safety,
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of this third book in the series, Mercy. Lizzie and their found family (including Mr. Poe, (the dog) are charming and intelligent, the setting so inviting I’d love to visit, and the storyline kept me guessing. I’m already looking forward to book four to see where a loose thread at the end of the book takes us, I’m sure it will be interesting!

I thoroughly enjoyed this third installment in the Mercy McCarthy series. The characters feel like friends and I really want to visit. I enjoyed the "stranded at the castle" element, and the hidden passageways. The cooking, Mercy's thought process and inner dialogue are always interesting and often very funny. The setting is described so intricately, I feel like I'm there.

I will read anything by Lucy Connelly! Her female protagonists are strong, smart women. The romance is not swoon worthy, which I also appreciate! Something is brewing, but its slow and friendly. I highly recommend!

Another good read in the Mercy McCarthy Mystery series. I love being in Ireland with sisters Mercy and Lizzie and their friends from the Court. In this episode the twins and their Court neighbors are visiting Inishmore Manor, a neighboring estate famous for their whiskey but also trying to expand their operations by opening an weekend experience with, baking, gardening and whiskey tasting experiences. This is a soft opening, as Lolly is friends with the owners, and they are looking for locals to recommend the experience the gang is invited. When a priest, a fellow guest, shows up dead, there are many questions. With the gang flooded into the castle, fortunately, Kieran and a couple officers boat in before everything else is shut down. With several unknown guests, staff, and the owners present, can we figure out who is trying to ruin opening weekend? What more mayhem will take place? Just how much trouble will Mercy's active brain put the gang in? Come along for an interesting vacation weekend. Thanks to #Netgally, #Bookouture, and the author for a vacation at an Irish Castle. #Death At Inishmore #LucyConnelly #MercyMcCarthyMystery #bookreview #bookideas #retiredreader

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC.

This is book three in the Mercy McCarthy cosy murder mystery series by Lucy Connelly. Mercy McCarthy, an American crime writer, and her twin sister Lizzie have recently inherited a cottage and bookshop in Ireland from a grandfather they never knew. Shamrock Cove, especially a posh housing estate called The Court, has a tight-knit community into which the sisters were warmly welcomed.

This time we are at Inishmore Castle in which both sisters as part of the local tourism committee have been invited for a long weekend to try out a recently opened whiskey-tasting tour, along with an assorted list of craft and cooking classes on the estate. Some of their neighbours are there too, plus a few assorted strangers. The first murder is an angry priest who was seen arguing with an equally suspect nun. But then she is found murdered too. Who has an interest in seeing them both dead, and has it something to do with a mysterious treasure hidden in the castle?

The author skilfully draws up an atmospheric gothic castle setting, with secret passageways, a wild storm that traps everyone in the castle plus a lot of mention of food! The Americanisms in an Irish setting take some getting used to - there is definitely no sign of assimilation to Irish English yet but we are being reintroduced to the word "hinky" for suspicious.

The mystery about their father continues, plus there is scope for a relationship between DI Kieran and Mercy, who still aren't dating but getting on very well, with Kieran allowing her some sleuthing under the proviso that she doesn't get herself in danger.

This can be read as a standalone as anything worth knowing will be seamlessly woven into Mercy's narrative, though Mercy's stalker way back in New York and Lizzie's traumas from the past really didn't need repeated airings, especially as they have nothing to do with the case.

I can't wait for the next installment, not for the murders so much as for the interaction between the quirky community members! They and dog Mr Poe really make the book.

This is a fast, cosy, warm-hearted read that doesn't disappoint. The characters are interesting and the setting is beautiful. Who doesn't love an Irish community where even the police are called by their first name?

A grand castle, a glass of Irish whiskey, a good book by the fire… and a rather mysterious murder? What a sensational book this is, with a plot that unrolls like clockwork, and simmering tension that never lets up. Betrayal, double-crossing and the most delicious sting in the tail... I couldn't put it down.

This book was twisty and entertaining! The mystery was well done and thought out. Plus who doesn't love an irish castle setting?! Loved this book!

I love this series! The location is fabulous and I want to live on the court. Shamrock Cove is such a unique town and I want to spend tons of time in the bookstore owned by Mercy and Lizzie. Lizzie runs the bookstore while Mercy is a well-known writer of mystery novels. Of course Shamrock Cove has a detective inspector, Kieran, who plays a big role. What cozy mystery doesn't need one of those? If I'm being truthful, this book is four stars for me because I find Mercy to be somewhat irritating at times with her constant wreckless and impulsive actions. Makes her come across a bit immature. And I find a bit of a stretch that the detective keeps including her on his investigations when she consistently does what he tells her not to do. But her character is still very likable. I would like to see her twin sister Lizzie play a larger role. All the neighbors who live on the court and the local pub and other shops in Shamrock Cove make this such a great series and I hope it continues with many more books to come!

Suspense, Secrets, and Surprises: A Thrilling Return to the Mercy McCarthy Series

🔑 Locked-room mystery | ⚡ Intriguing | 🇮🇪 Ireland

Inishmore Castle is hosting a weekend of whiskey tasting and soda bread baking, but things take a dark turn when Mercy McCarthy discovers a dead body in the library. Father Brennen appears to have died from too much whiskey, but Mercy soon learns he wasn’t a priest at all. His mysterious search through old journals hints at something bigger—could the legend of a lost treasure be true? When another guest is found drowned, Mercy believes foul play is at work. With a storm approaching and guests growing more nervous, she begins to suspect everyone, from a strange nun to a nosy birdwatcher. As Mercy uncovers hidden passages in the castle, she’s closer to solving the case—if the killer doesn’t find her first.

Death at Inishmore Castle is the third book in the Mercy McCarthy Mystery series, and while each book can be enjoyed on its own, I highly recommend reading the first two before diving into this one. The background stories of Mercy and her sister Lizzie are revealed much later in this installment, and reading the earlier books will give you a deeper connection to the characters and the overall story arc, enhancing the experience.

What a fantastic series and what an amazing author! It’s so good to be back with the McCarthy sisters. The characters have become so dear to me, and I was eagerly awaiting the next chapter in their adventures. The setting of Inishmore Castle for this book was a brilliant choice, though I must admit I missed the familiar charm of Shamrock Cove. Still, the castle offered an intriguing new atmosphere, full of mystery and suspense.

I love when a book keeps you guessing, making you feel like you're solving the mystery right alongside the characters. Lucy Connelly truly knows how to craft a mystery. But beyond the twists and turns of the plot, she also excels at developing her characters. Mercy and Lizzie are as lovable and compelling as ever, and I was really drawn into their personal dynamics. I also have to mention Mr. Poe—he’s such an endearing part of the story, and I loved every moment he was on the page.

This book has a slightly darker, more atmospheric tone compared to the earlier ones. The action is confined to the castle, which gives it a "locked-room" mystery vibe as the guests are stranded there by a fierce storm, unable to leave until the case is solved. It creates such an intense sense of isolation and urgency, which kept me glued to the pages. The build-up surrounding the two deaths was masterfully done. Connelly does an excellent job of keeping you on edge, never quite letting you settle, and always pulling you deeper into the mystery. There’s also the intriguing rumor of a treasure hidden within the castle, which adds another layer of suspense to the plot.

Lucy Connelly's cozy mysteries are always a treat, but I find the Mercy McCarthy Mystery Books an especially welcome treat. Book 3 in this series, Death at Inishmore Castle, is exactly what I hoped and expected to find. This adventure for twins, Mercy and Lizzy, begins as a long weekend of relaxation during a soft opening for a nearby castle, where whisky tastings, murder games, and bread baking take center stage. Although Inishmore is called a castle, it might also be described as a stately home. Either way, Inishmore is large, with many rooms and hidden passageways to keep guests happy. Naturally, there is a murder to solve and many secrets to discover.

The nice thing about a cozy mystery is how much fun it is just to sit back and let an author transport readers to a new place, with new characters to meet. For returning readers to A Mercy McCarthy Mystery, many of the readers favorite characters are also visiting the castle--Mercy, Lizzie, Lolly, Rob, Scott, and a possible romantic interest, Kieran, the local police detective, always needed to solve a murder or two. In Death at Inishmore Castle, the weather turns out to be an important character. All that Irish green needs a lot of cold, very wet, rain storms, with lots of thunder to create power outages and flooding for isolation. It was the perfect storm.

I did enjoy Death at Inishmore Castle. It is a fast, fun cozy mystery. The mystery includes many details and descriptions about Inishmore, both as location, and as the site of so many great tourist activities. With the addition of murders, what's not to like? This book was fun. Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review. And I am being honest. I very much enjoy all of Lucy Connelly's novels.
5 stars

sisters, twins, cozy-mystery, amateur-sleuth, local-law-enforcement, rural, Ireland, small-business, small-town, bookseller, grieving, grief, mental-health-awareness, murders, investigations, local-gossip, local-history, false-identities, false-information, whiskey, pet-dog, writers, inheritance, expats, unpleasant-victims, unputdownable, secret-passages, witty, banter, closed-circle-mystery, friends, neighbors*****
Mercy and Lizzie McCarthy are fraternal twins and have a beloved pet dog who is unusually adept at finding dead bodies. The local castle is having a soft opening as they prepare it for tourism to help with the impressive costs of upkeep with such a historic building. Most of the time the weather is dark and terribly stormy with bridges out and rare cell service, especially after they need Inspector Kieran and his team to deal with the first dead body and discover that the place is riddled with secret passages.
Backstory: Mercy McCarthy went from Texas to NYC bigtime mystery writer to an inheritance in Ireland from a grandfather they never knew. Her twin sister Lizzie went from Texas to deep depression after sequential tragedies, to Ireland with her sister for the healing of change.
I really enjoy the ongoing characters, and the new ones are always very interesting as well.
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected digital galley from Bookouture via NetGalley. Avail Apr 10, 2025
#DeathAtInishmoreCastle by @lucyconnellybooks #MercyMcCarthyMysteriesBk3 @bookouture
#NetGalley #cozymystery @goodreads @bookbub @librarythingofficial @barnesandnoble ***** Review #booksamillion #bookshop_org #bookshop_org_uk #kobo #Waterstones #bookseller #ireland #series #standalone #secretpassages

I just absolutely love these books! I breezed through the first two and this one was no different. I read it in one sitting, I can never put these books down once I start, I have to know who the killer is! Mercy is such a fun narrator and I love her perspective on things. The whole Agatha Christie vibe of a murder in a castle during a rainstorm was so fun! All of Lucy Connelly’s books are such quick and easy reads and really keep you at the edge of your seat! I love all of the rest of the characters, they all add their own piece to the story. Lizzie and Mr. Poe are the best sidekicks and Kieran just gets better and better each book! I can’t wait to see where their story goes together! Overall what a wonderful read. I can’t wait for the next one!

Mercy and her sister, Lizzie, are on vacation at a beautiful castle with whiskey tasting and other assorted classes when several guests are found murdered. While Mercy doesn’t believe the murdered guests, a priest and nun, are who they said they are, she and Kiernan will work together to figure out what is going on at the castle before someone else is killed. I have really enjoyed this series and I can’t wait for the next one. Lucy Connelly does a great job keeping you turning the pages and peaking your interest into the next book!

Death at Inishmore Castle is the third Mercy McCarthy book by Lucy Connelly. It was another fun entry in this series and Lucy is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. Mercy and her sister and neighbors are staying at an old Irish Castle in this book and the setting is lots of fun and full of dark atmosphere and Irish rainstorms. I liked the descriptions of Ireland. Lucy makes this little corner of Ireland sound lovely. I liked how the mystery developed and enjoyed figuring it out as the characters did. Mercy is a smart main character and I like that about her and hope to read more about her and her friends and family. I enjoyed the cliffhanger at the end and I hope it leads to another mystery soon.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to review this book. All opinions are my own.

#DeathatInishmoreCastle #NetGalley is the third book in this new series.
The main characters, Lizzie and Mercy, twin sisters who have had their share of grief, are delightful and easy to like. An invitation to attend a soft opening at Inishmore Castle is just the thing they need to relax and have fun, but unfortunately things don't go as planned.
Someone is causing problems at the castle, and when two odd guests are dead, Mercy can't help but look into things.
Aside from the deaths, it seems that the sisters have someone watching them, which leaves Mercy on edge. As a mystery author, Mercy wonders if it's a fan who may be be stalking her, and when she goes with Kieran to question the possible stalker, his disappearance leaves more unanswered questions.
I really like this series and I'm excited to continue reading more books.
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.