by Sandra Murphy
Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of Murder in an Irish Village and a link to purchase the book where a portion goes to help support KRL & an indie bookstore.
Siobhan O’Sullivan (pronounced Shi-vawn), is doing her best to run the café and her family after the death of their parents in a car accident. It’s not easy with a brother who likes ‘a wee bit’ of the bottle ‘a wee bit’ too much, curious youngsters, and a teenage rebel sister. Still, the village has been very supportive, and things are improving.
Siobhan is in love—with a pink scooter. It would be so much easier to do her errands if she could fly around the countryside on that pink dream. She’s startled to see Niall in the scooter shop. It’s his brother, Billy, who was arrested for drunk driving and manslaughter for the car crash that killed her parents. Niall says since Siobhan isn’t going to go to college now, she should have plenty of money stashed. He demands twenty thousand euros and says he’ll use the money to prove Billy is innocent. Well, he’s daft, of course. Who has that kind of money or would even think Billy didn’t cause their deaths?
Niall has no sense of what’s proper and shows up at the café too. There’s an ugly scene between Niall and Siobhan’s oldest brother before Niall storms out.
With all the stress she’s under, Siobhan decides she’ll get up early and run, for sport, like. It’s the anniversary of her parents’ death. The other kids plan a surprise breakfast to be ready when she’s back from the run—except, she sees a man sitting at the back table in the café, hours before they open. Upon closer examination, it’s Niall, and he’s dead. Odd though, he’s dressed in a suit, has had his head shaved since she saw him the previous day, and has a pair of pink-handled scissors stuck in his chest. Siobhan doesn’t think he was stabbed there but outside and then dragged in to implicate them somehow. It doesn’t help when she goes to find brother James and discovers he’s not been home all night, probably on a bender.
To add to her worries, the landlord’s daughter inherited the café’s lease when her father died. Now she wants to sell the place and has a buyer at hand. Surely, no one will want to eat where a man was murdered. Siobhan manages to turn that into her favor by inviting Niall’s reclusive mother to come to the café for a fundraiser for Niall’s funeral. It seems Siobhan can hardly stay one step ahead of disaster.
This is a tale of a tightly knit family. The accident has hurt them all, in one way or another, and Siobhan is hard pressed to give each of them what they need. There’s a promising love triangle with Siobhan, the local garda (police officer) and the American who wants to buy the café. In the end, family is what’s most important, no matter who you are.
The characters are very easy to picture in your head, especially the younger children. The café is a place you’d love to stop for brown bread (Siobhan makes the best, ever) and a tea. Come, spend a bit of time in Kilbane, in the County Cork, with the O’Sullivans. You’ll fit right in, no matter where you’re from.
To enter to win a copy of Murder in an Irish Village, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “village,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen March 5, 2016. U.S. residents only. If entering via email please include your mailing address, and if via comment please include your email address.
Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & short stories in our mystery section.
You can use this link to order this book & a portion goes to help support KRL & Mysterious Galaxy:
Thank you for the chance to win, it looks great.
jslbrown2009 at aol dot com
Murder in an Irish Village sounds intriguing, and the books sounds like a fun read. Thank you for the giveaway.
myrifraf(at)gmail(dot)com
I love anything to do with Ireland and know I would enjoy this book! Thanks for the giveaway!
This sounds really good. Thanks for the review, and for the opportunity to win a copy.
frybbe@gmail.com
Really sounds like it takes place in an Irish village, names are so Irish. Like stepping into a real Irish village. Great giveaway, thanks.
diannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com
Looks like a good read! Thanks for the chance.
jademoss17@gmail.com
Here’s some love for KRLMagazine and the great book reviews!
I love stories that whisk me off to a place with which I am not familiar or have a fascination. Ireland is that on both counts! Murder in an Irish Village seems to have all the components that I want in my reading adventures: quirky, interesting characters; references to culture; and a pink scooter? Who wouldn’t be in on that? Do I have the ‘luck o’ the Irish’ to win? Yes!
Wonder if she’ll get the pink scooter! Thanks for the chance to win!
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com
Thank you for the giveaway opportunity! Jillian.lauder@yahoo.com
Thanks for this great chance! lindaherold999@gmail.com
Thanks for the chance to win. Looking forward to reading this book and have it on my list, in case I don’t win.
dbahn@iw.net
Oh, YES!! Take me to Ireland and another mystery!!
I have read this book and it is wonderful. The atmosphere of that Irish village made me want to be there.
This well done review really pulls us into the book. I can’t wait to read it and see where it goes. Thanks for the chance to win.
I have been wanting to read this one and I have it on my tbr list..how fantastic.
Marilyn ewatvess@yahoo.com
pink handled scissors…eeek…lol…I have a pair…I have added this to my to read list!!
I love any book about the Irish. On my bucket list is to visit Ireland one day.
Sounds like a delightful read! Happy St. Paddy’s Day.
Meljprincess AT aol DOT com
Looks like a great book Thanks for the chance to win Very Nice of you I can be emailed at iamabho (at) gmail dot com
We have a winner!