No Comfort for the Dead takes us to a village community in West Cork, Ireland. This well-paced, cosy crime debut is intriguing and entertaining, and without a doubt, it is the great cast of characters that make this book a success.

Whilst Emma is an extremely likeable main character, I must single out my favourite character, Mary Bennett. An older, witty lady, who is down to earth and won’t stand for any nonsense - her feisty determination certainly gave me a few chuckles!

The audio narration by Nicola F. Delgado is outstanding - complete with Irish accents and an abundance of expression and tone across all the characters. Such skilled voicing and I knew exactly when Mary Bennett was speaking whilst sucking a boiled sweet!

I received a complimentary audio copy of this book from the publisher, Dreamscape Media. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is a good cozy, small town Irish village, family, LGBTQ discrimination, adults dealing with unfulfilled dreams and disappointments, a priest, greed, a little bit of romance, spunky characters, and a librarian. I did get a little up-in-arms when they were smoking in the library, but different ways for different places. It seems like this would've been an excellent start to a series, but I wouldn't be too upset if it was a one-off.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the free audio book copy of "No Comfort for the Dead" in return for my honest opinion.

This was just a fun little listen. The narrator was spot on. While I enjoyed the narrator, I think I would have enjoyed this book a little bit more if I read it instead of listened to it, just because it would have given me more time to try to solve the mystery. This book caught my attention because I love a good mystery and the one solving it is a librarian, what's better than a good book and mystery? I think this would be a perfect fall read for someone who is looking for a cozy mystery.

Thanks to Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for this eARC in audiobook format.

No Comfort for the Dead by R.P. O' Donnell is a well-crafted mystery set in Ireland in the late 1980s.

This novel is a top class read, and I would not be surprised if it becomes a classic taught in schools.

The protagonist in this novel is Emma, someone who dreamed of working in the Criminal Justice field, burt due to circumstances beyond her control she is prevented from working in the field, so she turns to her next love, that of literature, and becomes a librarian. However, she is the only one that can unmask the numerous crimes (including murder and blackmail) threatening her local community.

R.P. O' Donnell masterfully created multi-faced i individuals who are interesting and well developed, and the storyline in this mystery is equally well crafted with the same attention to detail.

If you are interested in a flawlessly developed mystery that is not too gruesome, and is crowded with fascinating characters, please give this book a read (or a listen, in audiobook format the talented narrator Nicola F. Delgado did a PERFECT job with every role).

I find it amazing that this is the author's first published book: I will definitely be waiting to read more from this talented author, R.P. O' Donnell. I will a be watching for additional audiobooks narrated by Nicola F. Delgado.

If you enjoy mysteries, especially classic mysteries, please don't overlook this refreshingly original outstanding novel. I loved this book, especially in audio format.

This novel is reminiscentbof the classic mystery authors, however it excels when competing in any arena in the mystery genre.

Emma lives in Castlefreke in West Cork. She has brought new life to the local library and made it a vital recourse for the villagers. When a man is murdered and found with a man who left years ago an investigation to find the truth is needed because the Garda are not doing their job.

Very well written and well narrated novel (I listened to the audiobook). Great characters in this well paced novel. Emma will team up with a stubborn woman and put themselves in danger. Very entertaining murder mystery where there is lots going on under the surface of village life. Enjoy.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this advance reader copy in exchange for a review.
This delightful ride of a mystery novel is something I think most folks will really enjoy.
The narrator, of course with a Brogue, adds a layer that many American books dont have.
Lots of "Jesus Christ" in the book might bother some but it is a cultural thing if you grew up with Irish parents.
I look forward to seeing more from this author that is not currently in my library. I think patrons here would like it. The pacing was good and the story kept you listening through to the end. Nicely done.

No Comfort for the Dead-3.5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley and R.P O'Donnell for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review!
This story is set in 1988 in a small town in Ireland when the local librarian witnesses a murder, and when the local police arrest the wrong man, she and a motley crew work to get to the truth of the murder.

This was very well-written and had beautiful details and painted a lovely picture for the reader. Not to mention, the audiobook was so fun, who doesn't love a good Irish accent? Fire.

I do think the pacing of this because quite slow at times and I had a hard time staying engaged during those slow parts. I also felt like this lacked the punch and awe-factor that I typically get from true crime books.

Overall, it was an enjoyable listen, but as someone who leans more towards heart-pounding thrillers, this felt too slow for me.

Emma, a young woman with a penchant for Sherlock Holmes, moved back to her small Irish seaside town after being dismissed from the Guarde (police). While she’s building a life for herself and resuscitating the village library, there’s still something missing. Then she discovers a body at “the big house” along with an injured man, Collum, someone who has been missing for 30 years. The local police want her as far away from their open-and-shut case as possible, but the elderly parents of Collum want her to help clear his name.
What would Sherlock do? Emma enlists the help of other residents and digs her way to the truth, not without danger.
I liked this cozy mystery with interesting characters and beautiful descriptions of the area’s flora and fauna, including a starving fox kit. Emma describes the “irregulars” with fondness despite them being crotchety pensioners. The mystery is interesting and the narration is outstanding - especially when voicing a character who often talks with boiled sweets in her mouth! Quite enjoyable.
My thanks to the author, publisher, @DreamscapeMedia, and #NetGalley for access to the audiobook of #NoComfortfortheDead for review purposes. This book and audiobook are now available.