Murder in an Irish Garden is the eleventh in the Irish Village mystery series by Carlene O’Connor, but I haven’t read any of the earlier books. My thanks go to Kensington Books, RB Media, and NetGalley for the review copies; this book is for sale now.

I was drawn to this book because it features three of my interests: mysteries, Ireland, and gardening. On the downside, it’s definitely a cozy mystery, and I am generally not a fan of cozies, except for the ones that have a bit of an edge, the sort that make true cozy readers complain. I mention the latter because for me, this felt too sedate; on the other hand, true cozy fans may find it is just about right for them.

The premise is that the annual gardening contest, which features a significant cash prize and a great deal of prestige, is about to take place. The village’s most serious gardeners have spent considerable time, effort, and money preparing their gardens for the event, but then one of the displays turns out to have a corpse inside it; the body is that of an entrant who isn’t from the village, an outsider who’s using the competition as a stepping stone to get her admitted to another contest that has a massive cash prize. Cassidy Ryan, the outsider, has been murdered. Village cops Siobhan and Macdara, who are a married couple, are tasked with solving the crime.

As the story opens, we find the two cops—called garda—in a marital dispute, and our protagonist, Siobhan, has an internal monologue that switches back and forth between murder and her pique at Macdara. I felt the latter was overdone, but I also wonder if I had read some of the earlier books, whether I would be more invested in their romance. Of course, they eventually resolve their dispute, and they crack the case.

I was lucky enough to have access to both the digital and audio versions. This proved to be even more helpful than usual, as I was able to hear the story through the delightful Irish brogue of reader Caroline Lennon, and at the same time, I learned the pronunciation of a few common Irish names that I’d only seen in print until now. Between these things and the fact that the narrative is linear and lends itself to the audio format so beautifully, I recommend that interested readers select either the audio alone, or a combination of both. I read multiple books at a time, and because it is easily followed, it’s the story I have chosen to hear while driving.

The characters felt poorly developed to me, with external qualities—this gardener loves goats, that gardener is formal and rather picky—serving as the only development that I found. I would have liked to see some dynamics, and some agreeable qualities for the deceased included. There was almost nothing about gardening, which would have been fine, had there been character development, but alas. For this reason, I rate the digital version 3 stars, but for the reasons mentioned earlier, the audio version is elevated to 4 stars.

Murder in an Irish Garden is the 11th book in An Irish Village Mystery series. It's been many years since the O’Sullivan family lost their parents and Siobhan was responsible for raising her 5 siblings. In this outing, Eoin (pronounced Ian), prepares for the grand opening of his new restaurant, The O’Sullivan Six. He also plans to enter Kilbane’s Top Garden Contest to boost business. He hires a well-known landscape designer known for her killer designs, but with an unflattering reputation. The other competitors are not happy that a professional designer will be competing in the contest. Although there is a lot of chaos, on garden emerges as a possible winner, with it's golden statue as the focal point. But, where is Cassidy Ryan? When her body is found in a rather gruesome twist, everyone in town has an opinion about who the murderer was and why she was killed.

I always enjoy a visit with the O'Sullivan family. Siobhan is under pressure in this book as she is studying for her Detective Sargeant exams, and is frustrated by the practice questions. She takes her stress out on her husband, Macdara, who lets it roll off his shoulders. This is not the normal Siobhan, so how will this affect her work as a garda? The mystery in this book was a good one. There were so many suspects, but also lots of red herrings. With twists that I didn't see coming, and a culprit(s) that were surprising, I finished this one totally satisfied. I have been doing read/listen with most of the books in this series and once again enjoyed the narration by Caroline Lennon. She does a wonderful job with the voices, tone and pacing of the story. I enjoyed both the audiobook and ebook and recommend this one to those who enjoy a good cozy mystery, in whichever format you prefer.

Great cozy mystery - perfect for a

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. day beside the fire with a cup of tea.

I love cozy mysteries. This was an enjoyable listen and I will definitely check out the previous books in this series. I was a little lost since I wasn’t familiar with this series but you can catch on fairly quick. Great listen and well written and narrated.

I listened to the audiobook for this story.
Murder in an Irish Garden by Carlene O’Connor is the 11th book in the Irish Village Mystery Series. This was the first book I have read in this series and there is a lot of characters which was a bit confusing in the beginning, especially having only one narrator. That being said I really enjoyed the narrator who seemed perfect for the story, and all the twists and turns throughout the story. It was a fun fast paced mystery that really kept me guessing till the end, and threw me off with who the killer ended up being. Being that the names of the characters aren’t ones I’m used to listening to the audiobook was also really helpful with that because I would have pronounced them wrong.
Overall, it was very enjoyable and I would definitely listen to more audiobooks from this author in the future!
Thank you NetGalley and Carlene O’Connor for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

I love the O'Sullivan clan and how close they are with each other. The ending was beautiful, I loved the surprise they had for Siobhan and the presentation. The mystery was great! I was able to figure it out slightly before the reveal. Looking forward to reading the twelfth book in the series when it has been written and published.

Caroline Lennon did a great job narrating this novel and I absolutely love her accent.

Thank you NetGalley for the audiobook!

This was a great story and entertaining. This felt like Clue but set in a garden. A handful or two of suspects, Irish plants (and poisonous ones too!), folklore, relationship troubles, and a murder most peculiar.

There were a few times where I felt I needed a white board but it didn’t take away from the story. I had no intention of trying to figure it out before the end, I was simply along for the enjoyable ride.

If you love a murder mystery with mild to no swearing, plot twists, and little romance no more than hand holding, hugs, and a kiss or two… this is for you!

Charlene O'Connor bringing her best yet! So suspects, so many lies, a headless horse women, and outstanding plotwists that take you for a ride. It's always seeing the clan, the sende of humor, and little town bustle.

I can't resist a cozy Irish village mystery, Although some can be rather too simple, Carlene O'Connor hits the sweet spot with Murder in an Irish Garden. I have not read the others in her series, but I feel the book stands nicely.

Kilabne's annual garden competition is the scene of a very unusual murder, The victim is one of the competitors who, while not widely loved, she was hardly hated to the point of murder, or so one would think. Enter Garda Siobhan O'Sullivan who is presently bickering with her husband, DI MacDara, while studying for her Detective Sergeant exam. Siobhan leads the investigation and the reader gets to know so many wonderful and colorful town members as she does. It seems that many grievances against the victim, Cassidy, have been uncovered. But much as Agatha Christie would have to do, Siobhan will need to sift through it all the competitors to find who wins the title of murderer .

Caroline Lennon did a lovely job voicing so many characters. Her work made listening to the story so very enjoyable. I do believe I will be listening to the past books in the series very soon!

My thanks to NetGalley and RBmedia for the ALC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

There are many changes in store for The O’Sullivan Six. The mystery was interesting but a little too convoluted. Siobhan was more obnoxious than usual as well. Her Poirot moment at the end was especially over the top. I do like Irish folklore, so I found that aspect of the story to be entertaining.

The Irish Village Mystery series is one of my favorites. This is another great read from Carlene O'Connor! I enjoy both reading and listening to these books. My only issue is that I crave brown bread and curry chips while I'm reading!! "Murder at an Irish Chippier" was lighthearted and fun, just like the other books in the series. Caroline Lennon does a fabulous job of narrating, skillfully bringing the many layers of Siobhán O'Sullivan to life. I love guessing and trying to solve the murders as I read. This book has a surprise ending, which I did see coming. :-)

This cozy mystery is the 11th installment in a series set in the fictional village of Kilbane, located in County Cork, Ireland. The story follows Garda Siobhan O’Sullivan, as police officers are called in Ireland. At the start, Siobhan is preparing for her Detective Sergeant exam, being coached (and occasionally driven crazy) by her Detective Sergeant husband, Macdara. While this latest title is well into the saga of the lively O’Sullivan family, new readers can easily dive in and enjoy the dynamics between the playful but sometimes conflicting husband-and-wife team as they solve crimes together. The plot centers around a rivalry among a group of Kilbane’s gardeners competing for a $10,000 prize to be awarded after a special judging event. As the competition builds, one of the gardeners is found murdered under unusual circumstances, and Siobhan and Macdara work together to uncover the truth.The audiobook was the perfect choice for March, when references to St. Patrick and all things Irish are abundant. The narrator’s charming delivery added the perfect touch to this engaging story, which was filled with just enough clues to keep listeners guessing

Another great installment of the Irish Village Mysteries. Love the narrator!

We open with Siobhan studying for her detective exams and stressing out her devoted husband. Update on the family and the new restaurant opening. And then smack dab into a most creative spring time murder! Talk about the Midas touch! Wonderful characters and I just adore the growing family! I love listening to her books, but I find myself wanting to talk with an Irish accent for a few days! Thank you #NetGalley and #KensingtonCozies for the audio version of this wonderful tale.

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This is the 11th installment of the series, but it was the first one I picked up. A murder happens during a gardening competition and everyone seems to be a suspect. I liked the pace of the investigation and how things were unraveled at the end. A cozy mystery that was good to listen while walking my dog or driving. I’m also glad I listened to the audiobook, as I’m not familiar with Irish pronunciation of certain names.

Murder in an Irish Garden AUDIO and print by Carlene O’Connor is a welcome addition to this series. MacDara and Siobhan are now married and most of Siobhan’s siblings have fled the nest. Eoin’s restaurant is nearly ready to open and Kieran is playing with a band that actually earns money sometimes. Siobhan is studying for the sergeant’s exam and MacDara is helping her study. Not a good move as they are now not speaking. Then there’s a murder and they have to investigate which requires they talk to one another. It’s Kilbane’s Annual Top Garden Contest and at first things seems to be going smoothly. Then, one night someone breaks in and trashes the gardens. Also, when Eion’s garden is searched a macabre scene greets them. The murdered woman, frozen, posed, and decorated in gold paint. And sadly, no one had much good to say about her, which made finding a suspect more difficult. Pretty awful, huh?

MacDara and Siobhan are a great couple. They have been working together for years successfully and Siobhan is fully prepared to forgive him for his arrogance as soon as he apologizes. He has not, for several reasons: he doesn’t know he is supposed to and if he did he wouldn’t think it was required. Newly married. He’ll learn! This was a good, if gruesome, murder for a small town and it shook all the gardeners and the gardai involved. Things happened quickly and of course, they were able to solve the murder. These are terrific characters and if you love Ireland, this is the series for you. It is as Irish as it gets.

Caroline Lennon is the reader and she did a fine job. I was able to adjust to her accent quickly and was always able to tell who was talking. This is the first of O’Connor’s books that I have both read and listened to and I think that I prefer reading. The accent was just too distracting for me to focus on some of the things going on. No reflection on Lennon.

I was invited to listen to Murder in an Irish Garden by RB Media and to read by Kensington Publishing. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #RBMedia #KensingtonPublishing #CarleneOConnor #CarolineLennon #MurderInAnIrish Garden

This was a fun book and a very fun mystery. It had some Agatha Christie inspiration, and I loved that.

This couple is a good time to read, and I loved the way they worked together. I've read some of Carlene O'Conner's books in the past, and I always enjoy how cozy they are while still having a good mystery.

Thank you for the ARC!

Really glad I took the time to listen to the Audio.
Having read the book a couple of months ago I am amazed how much I loved the narrator.
I finally realized, all this times that I have been reading the books in this series, I have been mispronouncing Siobhán name in my head while reading. What a beautiful sounding name it is. The narrator made me feel closer to the story than I have ever been before.
Siobhán has a challenging time accepting that her siblings are all grown up. A severe case of empty nest syndrome. On top of that, the newlywed couple have their first real fight. Both parties are too stubborn to apologize so it drags on while they both must solve the murder. I think married couples will recognize the feelings described.
Brother Eoin is planning the grand opening of his new restaurant and of course the murdered woman in his yard throws a monkey wrench into his plans.
You have fun trying to guess who the murderer is. Is it one of the other gardeners in the competition? Is it the reporter or the owner of the garden center?

It is another great addition to one of my favorite cozy mystery series. I have been enjoying reading about how this series's characters' lives change and evolve over the years, which is not that common in most cozy mysteries. I really like Caroline Lennon's narration, especially when it comes to Siobhan's snarkiness.

Although the theme of the garden contest is a common one among mysteries, the mystery part was quite intricate in this one, and there were many side characters that were involved. I have to say, I have missed the O'Sullivan Six scenes in this one; I have found Siobhan's anxiety over her sisters and brothers relatable as a big sister, so I hope we get more scenes with them in the next one.

Thanks to RBmedia for this ARC copy, which I received via NetGalley.

3.5 (rounded up) 🌟

Thank you Netgalley for the arc!

As an 11th book in a series you often get bored but this was done very well. Continued growth by the MC and occasional hiccups that felt natural and not forced. A lovely cozy novel and great addition to this series. This edition in the series gave some Agatha Christie vibes, which I am always down to read. I liked the addition of personal life details woven throughout the story, not just a focus on the murder to be solved. The audiobook was fantastic and the narrator did a wonderful job. I tend to mispronounce everything when reading and appreciated learning correct pronunciation, especially of the Irish names. Highly recommend, even if you jump into this story and don't read the other 10 you can follow along easily.

I listened to the audiobook of Murder in an Irish Garden, which is the 11 book in the Irish Village Mystery series. Not having read or listened to any of the previous books in the series, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised and didn’t feel like I missed out on any relevant plot points. In this installment, the murder revolves around Kilbane’s annual garden contest where one gardener is found dead in a creative way. The main protagonist is Siobhan, who is studying for her detective exam all the while trying to investigate the murder with her husband and fellow officer. The mystery involved several plot twists and reminded me of a few Agatha Christie novels where everyone had a gripe with the victim. Caroline Lennon narrated this version and she did an admirable job providing different voices for all the characters. If you enjoy cozy mysteries, I highly recommend this one!