Author Lucy Foley does everything possible to not only channel Dame Agatha Christie but to also create a setting for a psychological thriller/murder mystery that is simply ideal. A remote island just off the coast of Ireland at a Mansion run by a young couple for special occasions. The wife, Aoife is a wedding/party planner…
Dead in Dublin by Catie Murphy is a fun mystery that offers much for the reader’s enjoyment. Seeing Irish people and culture through an American’s eyes, the story’s memorable characters, and the fast pacing are just some of the book’s attractions. But even more appealing for readers, this reviewer suspects, might be the amateur sleuth…
In a series debut for fans of Tana French and Kate Atkinson, set in Dublin and New York, homicide detective Maggie D’Arcy finally tackles the case that changed the course of her life.
My new commute is long and painful. The only positive aspect is that my auditory crime-book consumption has shot through the roof. Recently I picked up The Sisters by Dervla McTiernan, narrated by Aoife McMaon. This is a novella from the Cormac Reilly Series, technically number .5. It is a prequel to McTiernan’s bestseller The…
In Carlene O’Connor’s Murder in an Irish Pub, the cozy village of Kilbane seems like the perfect place for a poker tournament, until the star player is found hanging in the local pub’s broom closet. Siobhan O’Sullivan is a Garda in the small village of Kilbane. She’s still pretty new to the job, but she’s a…
I didn’t even know who Rory Gallagher was until I got a postcard from Ken Bruen. To my shame, my knowledge of Irish music is limited. I loved the Pogues but didn’t realize Van Morrison and Thin Lizzy came from the Emerald Isle until I should’ve known better. I lived a bizarrely exposed and yet…
Murphy's Law by Rhys Bowen is the first entry in the popular Molly Murphy Mysteries series. It won the 2001 Agatha Award for “Best Novel.” Winner of the 2001 Agatha Award for “Best Novel,” Rhys Bowen's initial entry into the Molly Murphy Mysteries series, Murphy's Law, begins with Molly proving true her mother's frequently repeated…
The Eloquence of the Dead by Conor Brady is the second novel featuring Sergeant Joe Swallow in this fast-paced, Irish crime thriller (Available March 15, 2016). “Bodies can tell you a lot. There can be an eloquence about the dead. But you have to be able to interpret what they are telling you… ” When…
In 2004, I was given an opportunity to pitch a TV show to the BBC. My first novel, Dead I Well May Be, had just come out, and although the book hadn’t sold well, it had been well reviewed, and this had attracted the attention of the Beeb. Partly autobiographical, Dead I Well May Be…
Yesterday, in History as Mystery Part I, I explored why I love historical mysteries so much and offered 10 of my absolute favorites as sort of a crash course reading list to get you started. Now that you’re clearly convinced of how great these stories can be, it’s your turn to start exploring topics for…
