Murder at an Irish Christmas

By: Carlene O'Connor

Narrated by: Caroline Lennon

This December in Kilbane, if you’re planning to warm up with a cuppa tea at Naomi’s Bistro, you may have a bit of a wait - the entire O’Sullivan brood has gone off to West Cork to spend the holidays with brother James’s fiancée Elise’s family, including her grandfather, the famous orchestral conductor Enda Elliot. Siobhán is so happy for James and Elise, but she’s also quietly disappointed that she must put her own wedding to fellow garda Macdara Flannery on hold. Mac will have to join them later, so he can spend part of the holidays with his mam.

When the O’Sullivans learn everyone will choose a name from a hat to buy a music-related Christmas gift for someone else at the gathering, it seems like their greatest concern - until the cantankerous conductor is discovered crushed under a 90-pound harp in a local concert hall.

With the extended family - including Enda’s much-younger new wife Leah, a virtuoso violinist - suspected in his murder, it's up to Siobhán to ensure the guilty party faces the music. But as a snowstorm strands both families in a lavish farmhouse on a cliff, Siobhán had better pick up the tempo before the killer orchestrates another untimely demise...

©2020 Carlene O'Connor (P)2020 Dreamscape Media, LLC

Amazing Series

I came across the first book in the series at the library and thought it sounded interesting so I gave it a try. I was hooked from the beginning. I'm probably not the typical demographic for these books (47 year old married man with four kids) but I have loved every book in the series.

The narration couldn't be any more fitting and well done - from the accent to the humorous pauses to the excited inflections. The books just would not be the same without Caroline narrating them.

At the beginning of the story I got a little lost at the introduction of so many characters all at once. I couldn't keep track of who was who but it didn't take long to get that sorted out in my mind as the story began to play out. Some very likable character and others not so much. I love how the relationship of Flannery and Schioban has gone and that they joke with each other all the time now without either taking offense.

The story line is excellent as usual in Carlene's books. Plenty of clues here and there to lead you along or throw you off. I had a different killer in my mind the whole book and only started to grasp who it most likely was near the ending. Well done!

Perfect Christmas Read

Enjoyable story of the people living in an Irish village with a murder mystery to be solved

Darling

I skipped ahead in this series so to read it at Christmas! Very nice holiday theme book.

Great narrator!

Beautifully narrated, interesting plot. Lots of names/characters to keep straight but great story overall and very enjoyable!

Great Mystery

The story moved along and kept my interest. The read maintained an understandable,, but obvious Irish accent, at least in my opinion.. The ending definitely surprised me.