Crazy K.A.L.M: Mercy McCarthy

Saturday, 12 April 2025

Death at Inishmore Castle - Lucy Connelly

A grand castle, a glass of Irish whiskey, a good book by the fire… and a rather mysterious murder?

Historic Inishmore Castle is opening its doors for the first time, hosting a charming weekend of whiskey tasting and soda bread baking. Sisters Mercy and Lizzie McCarthy are badly in need of a break, but their relaxing trip takes a decidedly unrestful turn when Mercy finds fellow guest Father Brennen slumped over the desk in the library… Did he have one glass too many or did someone want him dead?

Even more curiously, Mercy swiftly learns that the priest was no priest at all. So why was he searching through dusty old journals? Can the legend of Inishmore’s lost treasure possibly be true?

Mercy’s suspicions of foul play are confirmed when another of their party is found drowned in the lake at the edge of the manor’s estate. It can’t be a coincidence! Someone in this idyllic Irish castle is up to no good and Mercy is determined to find out who’s behind it, accompanied by her reluctant fellow sleuth and beloved dog Mr. Poe.

With a host of frightened guests and worried staff, and a storm closing in, Mercy soon has more suspects than bedrooms in the castle. Could it be the unconvincing nun, the busybody birdwatcher, or are the owners hiding something sinister? When Mercy realises there are secret passages in the walls, she thinks she might have cracked the case… but will she track the killer down, or will Inishmore be her resting place forever more?

A completely delightful Irish cozy mystery, full of warmth and wit. Fans of Agatha Christie, Carlene O’Connor and Faith Martin will love Mercy McCarthy!

My Review

I'm really enjoying these Mercy McCarthy Mysteries. They are easy to read and thoroughly enjoyable books about murder (which sounds mad to even say, but if you like murder mysteries, I'm sure you get it).
This time Mercy and her sister Lizzie are visiting Inishmore Castle when a murderer strikes and writer Mercy finds herself investigating yet again. She also seems to be getting even more friendly with local Garda Kieran (and I'm hoping that's going to develop even further in future books).
I didn't manage to solve this one, but I was so caught up in the story that I didn't really spend a great deal of time trying to get to the bottom of it. Great read though. I was a little surprised for a raccoon popping up the story, but apparently google tells me that they can occasionally be found in the wild in Ireland. I can't imagine that they are a regular occurrence though, but who knows, sometimes these things quickly establish themselves.
I can't wait to find out what happens to Mercy, Lizzie, Poe the Dog and Kieran next...
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.

Author Bio:

Bestselling author Candace Havens has published more than 25 books. Her novels have received nominations for the RITA’s, Holt Medallion, Write Touch Reader Awards and National Reader’s Choice Awards. She is a Barbara Wilson Award winner. She is the author of the biography Joss Whedon: The Genius Behind Buffy and a contributor to several anthologies. She is also one of the nation’s leading entertainment journalists and has interviewed countless celebrities from George Clooney to Chris Pratt. Candace runs a free online writing workshop for more than 2000 writers and teaches comprehensive writing classes. She does film reviews with Hawkeye in the Morning on 96.3 KSCS, and is a former President of the Television Critics Association.

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Friday, 15 November 2024

Death by the Book - Lucy Connelly

Irish scones, shamrock shortbread, a local literary festival… and a rather dead author? Join Mercy McCarthy on her next case!

Mercy and Lizzie McCarthy are settling in to the charming seaside village of Shamrock Cove on the west coast of Ireland. Lizzie throws herself into organizing a book festival and mystery writer Mercy even agrees to come out of her bookish hidey-hole to get involved. But then the event’s star author is found dead. James Brandt was killed by a falling bookshelf in his own cottage…

The local detective is not convinced by Mercy’s suspicion of murder but when someone else turns up dead, the police cannot ignore it. There’s just one problem: Mercy and Lizzie’s beloved dog Mr. Poe sniffs out the second body in the storeroom of their own bookstore. And now all the gossips seem determined to pin the murder on Mercy!

Convinced the police are focusing on a red herring in this real-life case, Mercy needs to act fast to clear her name. A meddling mayor, a cheerful chef and a bashful botanist make her suspect list, but it’s not until Mercy discovers a tatty old photograph in the local library archive that she is onto the killer’s trail.

With the police keen to shut her out of the murder investigation, can Mercy play this case by the book, or will she be the next to fall off the shelf…?

A totally gripping and twisty cozy crime novel, perfect for readers who love Agatha Christie, Carlene O’Connor or Faith Martin! This incredibly fast-paced and fun murder mystery will whisk you off to Ireland and won’t let you go until the final page!

My Review

Death by the book is the second book in the Mercy McCarthy Mystery series. Although I enjoyed the first one, I felt that this book was even better and I really got into it. Of course, a big part of that is that I now know the characters, which always helps.
This time Mercy finds herself investigating the death of a fellow author. Unlike Mercy though, this author isn't particularly well-liked and thinks an awful lot of himself. His equally awful agent doesn't help matters causing problems at the literary festival that Mercy and her sister are involved in organising.
I enjoyed the mystery here and although it wasn't one that I managed to solve, I could follow most of the clues and hints and almost reach the right conclusion.
The setting of these books is a small town in Ireland and the bookshop that Mercy and her sister have inherited from their grandfather. There is a mystery here as well, as neith fo them knew their father or his family and hints seem to be appearing slowly as we move through each book. I don't know when we'll find out more about this particular mystery, but I'm enjoying the way that it's unfolding as each book comes along. This is a great new series and one I'm glad that I started.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.