Murder in an Irish Village

Title: Murder in an Irish Village

Author: Carlene O'Connor

Series: Irish Village Mystery, Bk 1

Publisher: Kensington Mystery

ISBN: 9781617738463

Length: 344 pages

Obtained: Purchased autographed paperback at Lit Fest

Comments:

I found out I could go to a "Cozy Book Club Mini-Con" for my birthday and I was so psyched! As I reviewed the list of authors expected, I realized I had bought this back in June, so I started it the night before.

Siobhán O'Sullivan and her five siblings are trying to keep up their parent's bistro and each other after the death of their parents a year prior.  But when the brother of the young man who killed them in a drunk driving accident comes into town, making crazy claims, an stirring things up he ends up a murder victim... in the bistro.  Eldest sibling James, is believed to be the killer, and Siobhán is left to solve this mystery and keep the pieces of their family and home together.

I enjoyed the story and the characters.  I particularly enjoyed the O'Sullivan Six.  The mystery puts everyone in the village under suspicion.  Since this is the first book and introduction to the village characters, Siobhán's sleuthing and instincts strongly color who may or may not be responsible.

An interesting note... when Carlene spoke at the con, she mentioned that she had thought keeping foul language out of a book set in Ireland wasn't very authentic.  However, her publishers assured her that Irish curse words don't count.  In fact, the Irish cursing is frequent in the book's dialog, and as Carlene said, they are most definitely swear words.  I can see, however, where words that are not common cursing in the States made them easier to just gloss over while reading.

Also of note, the village this book is set in, Kilbane, County Cork doesn't quite exist, but is based off of a real town, Kilmallock,  that the author fell in love with in County Limerick.  She highly recommended visiting if anyone has the chance.  You can see her love of this town, as place is most definitely a character in this book.

Anyway, I own book 2, Murder at an Irish Wedding, and hope to read it soon.