#Goodreads – Page 11 – Rosepoint Publishing

Parents Weekend: A Novel by Alex Finlay #BookReview #psychologicalthriller

Book Blurb:

From the bestselling author of If Something Happens to Me, comes one of the year’s most anticipated thrillers.

In the glow of their children’s exciting first year of college at a small private school in Northern California, five families gather over dinner and cocktails for the opening festivities of Parents Weekend. As the parents stay out way past their bedtimes, their kids—five residents of Campisi Hall—never show up to dinner.

At first, everyone thinks they’re just being college students, irresponsibly forgetting about the gathering or skipping out to go to a party. But as the hours tick by and another night falls with not so much as a text from the students, panic ensues. Soon the campus police call in reinforcements. Search parties are formed. Reporters swarm the small enclave. Rumors swirl and questions arise.

Libby, Blane, Mark, Felix, and Stella—The Five, as the podcasters, bloggers, and TikTok sleuths soon call them—come from very different families. What drew them out on that fateful night? Could it be the sins of their mothers and fathers come to cause them peril—or a threat to the friend group from within?

Told from each family’s point of view—and marking the return of FBI Special Agent Sarah Keller from Every Last Fear and The Night Shift—Parents Weekend explores the weight of expectation, family dysfunction, and those exhilarating first days in the dorms when friends become family.

His Review:

Parents are going to be spending a weekend with their students at Santa Clara University. There are five families with varying levels of enthusiasm waiting to join their offspring. The festivities begin but there is a problem, where are the students?

The book examines each of the families and their inter-reactions and expectations.

The event falls apart because none of the students show up at the event. At first, it is considered a college prank but then one of the students’ bodies is found drowned in a cave near the ocean. All the adults become frantic. Are the students OK?

The book is very well written but the format of the story left me flummoxed. The author presented each of the different families’ perspective and point of view. I found myself torn wanting a more consistent dialogue regarding each of the families. I was left wanting answers before a second set of family attitudes were presented.

Because there are five families with ten adults each having their own issues, I could not maintain a logical thread in my reading. Therefore, for me, the story fell through the cracks in the narrative. 4 stars – CE Williams

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. Any opinion expressed here is my own.

Rosepoint Publishing: Four Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Psychological Thrillers, Suspense Thrillers
Publisher: Minotaur Books
ISBN: 1250360722
ASIN: B0DBVV6PMG
Print Length: 308 pages
Publication Date: May 6, 2025
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon-US | Amazon-UK | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: Alex Finlay is the bestselling author of several acclaimed novels, including the 2021 breakout EVERY LAST FEAR, the 2022 GoodReads Choice nominee for Best Mystery & Thriller, THE NIGHT SHIFT, the 2023 LibraryReads Hall of Fame recipient, WHAT HAVE WE DONE, and his latest 2024 release, USA TODAY bestseller, IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME. His novels regularly appear on best-of-the-year lists and have been translated into twenty-four languages and are sold around the world. Alex’s books are optioned for film and television, and EVERY LAST FEAR is in development for a major series. Alex lives in Washington, DC and Virginia, where he is at work on his next novel.

Have a Great Sunday

Book graphic banner by Canva.com AI

Hunting the Truth by Kathleen Donnelly #BookReview #TuesdayBookBlog

National Forest K-9 Book #2

Book Blurb:

“Hide, Maya. Don’t let the bad people find you.”

Those are the last words Forest Service law enforcement officer and K-9 handler Maya Thompson ever heard her mother say.

Returning to the Colorado mountains, ex-soldier Maya is no longer a scared little girl. She’s here to investigate her mother’s cold case, but fear creeps in when it comes to her personal life—things are getting serious with sheriff deputy Josh Colten.

After new DNA evidence surfaces, both her beloved grandfather and Josh warn her away from the case, suspecting that she could be the next victim. But Maya doesn’t listen.

Instead, Maya and her K-9 partner, Juniper, track a suspect deep into the forest and directly into grave danger…

My Review:

I read and reviewed Chasing Justice recently and greatly enjoyed Book 1 of the series which introduced the Malinois Justice and main character Maya with the projected romance character Josh.

Maya is ex-military and has issues connected with her service. Josh has his own issues given his previous involvement in the Chicago Police Department. He’s the new deputy in town and quickly caught the eye of everyone including Maya, who tries hard not to act on the tension between them.

Maya is a US Forest Service Law Enforcement officer for the Pino Grande National Forest in Colorado. Maya begins to dig deep into the deaths of her mother and grandmother, their cases never solved. As Maya digs deeper into those cases, however, secrets begin to surface that scar.

Pops, her grandfather is prominently featured as well as Juniper, and the atmospheric description of the forested areas of Colorado is a beautiful character as well, lending mystery to searches.

I enjoy the explanation of training techniques, the special qualities attributed to the breed, and the strong bond that is developed between the two. Fortunately, the storyline weaves canine details and twists into the plot and the pacing is fairly even.

The romance angle between the two, Maya and Josh, tends to overshadow the main thrust of the narrative which is brought up short by the intrusion of Juniper. Finally, it just gets a bit heavy on the romance for me. While I’d intended to read the series, I’m now backing off that plan.

Still, for most that enjoy romance in their books, and specifically in this one, police romance, then this novel coupled with an amazing dog should add even more spice to pique your interest.

Many thanks to my favorite fully stocked library that provided the ebook. The thoughts expressed here are my own.

Rosepoint Rating: Four Stars 4 stars

Book Details:

Genre: Police Romance eBooks, Animal Fiction
Publisher: Carina Press
ASIN: B0B72FJLHJ
Print Length: 324 pages
Publication Date: September 26, 2023
Source: Local Library

Title Links:

Amazon-US | Amazon-UK | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: Award-winning author, Kathleen Donnelly is a handler for a private narcotics K-9 detection company. She enjoys using her experience to craft realism into her fictional stories. Kathleen loves the beauty of the mountains, which inspired her choice of setting for her series. She lives near the Colorado foothills with her husband and her four-legged co-workers. Visit Kathleen on her website at http://www.kathleendonnelly.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/AuthorKathleenDonnelly/, follow her on Twitter @KatK9writer or find her on Instagram @authorkathleendonnelly.

Happiness is a reading buddy. — AI generated graphic courtesy Gemini

Breaking Creed by Alex Kava #AudiobookReview #ActionThriller

Book 1 of 8 Ryder Creed

Book Blurb:

Ryder Creed and his dogs have been making national headlines. They’ve intercepted several major drug stashes being smuggled through Atlanta’s airport. But their newfound celebrity has also garnered some unwanted attention. When Creed and one of his dogs are called in to search a commercial fishing vessel, they discover a secret compartment. But the Colombian cartel’s latest shipment isn’t drugs. This time, its cargo is human. To make matters worse, Creed helps one of the cartel’s drug mules escape – a 14-year-old girl who reminds him of his younger sister who disappeared 15 years ago. Meanwhile, FBI agent Maggie O’Dell is investigating a series of murders – the victims tortured, killed, and dumped in the Potomac River. She suspects it’s the work of a cunning and brutal assassin, but her politically motivated boss has been putting up roadblocks. By the time she uncovers a hit list with Creed’s name on it, it might be too late. The cartel has already sent someone to destroy Creed and everyone close to him. But Creed and his dogs have a few surprises in store on their compound in Florida. Will it be enough to stop a ruthless cartel determined to remove the thorn in its side once and for all?

My Review:

OMG, another dog series I’m just discovering and why hasn’t someone told me about this one?

The main character is a damaged Afghanistan ex-military person. In this case, Ryder Creed. He has teamed with Hannah and together they rescue and train dogs for all the different jobs that humans have discovered they can excel at. Many of the dogs are multi-service and their service is in demand.

Grace is a little Jack Russell Terrier and my favorite. JRs are a feisty, smart breed. She is one of the multi-service dogs, keenly aware of all the nuances of her handler, intelligent, and with a nose that knows. As Ryder says, “Grace is never wrong.”

In fact, there are several engaging characters, including Maggie O’Dell, who is apparently a character from another series by the author. An obvious romance link, though neither acknowledges the tension—fine by me—I’m not here for the romance.

Maggie is an FBI profiler but tends to play fast and loose in her position. She’s experienced and has enough history behind her to project authority.

Breaking Creed by Alex Kava — Audiobook cover – UK

There is a sub-level plot with lots of things going on, a mystery, well-developed and engaging characters, and a plot that is steeped in action if not description and explanation of the training and psyche of canines.

There is an escalation of body count which involves drug cartels and nasty people. The connection with Ryder and his dogs though is primo in this narrative and anyone who loves or is fascinated by their abilities will enjoy. It is also, however, a credible thriller with some human characters that this reader loved as well. The narrator did a fine job with the Southern accents and kept the pressure on.

I appreciated the ease into Book 1 of a new series which appears to be a spin off of a previously well received series and enjoyed it enough to go looking for Book 2. Look for Silent Creed soon.

I downloaded a copy of this audiobook from my local well-stocked library. These are my honest thoughts.

Rosepoint Publishing: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Action Thriller & Suspense Fiction, Crime Thrillers, Mystery Action & Adventure
Publisher: Recorded Books
ASIN: B00RN8QS4O
Listening Length: 7 hrs 6 mins
Narrator: Graham Winton
Publication Date: January 27, 2015
Source: Local Library (Audiobook Selections)

Title Links:

Amazon-US | Amazon-UK

The Author: ALEX KAVA is a New York Times, USA Today and Amazon bestselling author of twenty novels including the award-winning FBI Profiler Maggie O’Dell series and the critically acclaimed and now award-winning Ryder Creed K-9 Mystery series. Recently LOST CREED won the 2019 Nebraska Book Award. Her novel Stranded was awarded both a Florida Book Award and the Nebraska Book Award. One False Move was chosen for the 2006 One Book One Nebraska and her political thriller, Whitewash, was one of January Magazine’s best thrillers of the year. Published in over thirty-four countries, Kava’s novels have made the bestseller lists in the UK, Australia, Germany, Japan, Italy, and Poland.

“A TRAILBLAZER IN THE K-9 FICTION GENRE, Kava creates a “dynamic between Ryder and his canines that reveals a world rarely shared in fiction and perhaps nowhere presented more effectively than in this series.” —Phil Jason, Florida Weekly

“It’s impossible not to care about and root for the human and canine heroes in Kava’s series.” —Tracie Holtcher, The Radio Pet Lady Network ™

She is a member of the Nebraska Writers Guild and is a founding member of International Thriller Writers. Kava divides her time between Omaha, Nebraska and Pensacola, Florida with her pack of westies.

The Paris Express: A Novel by Emma Donoghue #AudiobookReview #WorldLiterature

Book Blurb:

Based on an 1895 disaster that went down in history when it was captured in a series of surreal, extraordinary photographs, The Paris Express is a propulsive novel set on a train packed with a fascinating cast of characters who hail from as close as Brittany and as far as Russia, Ireland, Algeria, Pennsylvania, and Cambodia. Members of parliament hurry back to Paris to vote; a medical student suspects a girl may be dying; a secretary tries to convince her boss of the potential of moving pictures; two of the train’s crew build a life away from their wives; a young anarchist makes a terrifying plan, and much more.

From an author whose “writing is superb alchemy” (Audrey Niffenegger, New York Times bestselling author), The Paris Express is an evocative masterpiece that effortlessly captures the politics, glamour, chaos, and speed that marked the end of the 19th century.

My Review:

Oh, mercy, I’m so not a fan of slow burn starts, and this one is a bit angonizing—at least for me.

I usually enjoy historical fiction and have read and reviewed a couple books recently on disasters (both manmade and natural) in the US. Thinking this would read roughly the same, managed this audiobook from my local library.

This novel recounts the disastrous train crash packed with people riding the rails into Paris back in 1895. There are characters I specifically enjoyed, including two of the train crew, but as the storyline progressed and the addition of more characters jammed the train, their voices created a cacophony that was a bit difficult to separate.

The characters are persons from countries as far away as the US and Russia and those innocent to the sinister, one of whom has hatched a deadly plan and is simply waiting for the most appropriate time to implement it.

The Paris Express by Emma Donoghue — The Paris Express – UK Kindle cover

Because of the divergence in persons (including historical figures), their backgrounds are examined along with their purposes for traveling to Paris. As the train hurtles toward a shocking but not unexpected end, the pace speeds up as well, and the explanation of the mechanics of the old train, obviously well researched and quite spellbinding, provides a heart-pounding account of the speed, power, and limitations of the locomotive.

The characters drive the dialogue from the political to economics and the reader is offered a peek into some long and plot grinding discussions. There is tension building in those discussions, although for some of the lesser interesting easy to read-skip over. The thoughts of the anarchist who is now seeing individuals, rather than a faceless body of persons, revealed just the tiniest stumble of well laid plans.

In the end, I found it a bit anti-climactic and rather abrupt and was caught off guard even as I was speeding along with it to the station at Montparnasse knowing the outcome. Not a wholly satisfying denouement. But then, again, it is an historical event. How else?

I downloaded a copy of this audiobook from my local well-stocked library. These are my honest thoughts.

Rosepoint Publishing: Three point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: World Literature, Historical Fiction, Genre Fiction
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
ASIN: B0D67V6PQL
Listening Length: 7 hrs 15 mins
Narrator: Justin Avoth
Publication Date: March 18, 2025
Source: Local Library (Audiobook Selections)

Title Links:

Amazon-US
Amazon-UK
Barnes & Noble
Kobo

The Author: Born in Dublin in 1969, Emma Donoghue is a writer of contemporary and historical fiction whose novels include the international bestseller “Room” (her screen adaptation was nominated for four Oscars), “Frog Music”, “Slammerkin,” “The Sealed Letter,” “Landing,” “Life Mask,” “Hood,” and “Stirfry.” Her story collections are “Astray”, “The Woman Who Gave Birth to Rabbits,” “Kissing the Witch,” and “Touchy Subjects.” She also writes literary history, and plays for stage and radio. She lives in London, Ontario, with her partner and their two children.

Audiobooks

Chasing Justice: A Thrilling K-9 Suspense by Kathleen Donnelly #BookReview #TuesdayBookBlog

National Forest K-9 Book 1

Book Blurb:

A former marine learns to love again in this suspenseful, action-packed K-9 search and rescue from Kathleen Donnelly

After losing her military K-9, former marine Maya Thompson swears she’ll never work with dogs again. But when she returns home to Colorado and accepts a job with US Forest Service law enforcement, fate brings K-9 Juniper into her life just as another tragedy unfolds.

Juniper, a beautiful two-year-old Malinois, isn’t the only new addition to Maya’s life. Josh Colten, the local deputy sheriff, insists on helping with her new case. Handsome and mysterious, he’s all anyone in town can talk about, but Maya can’t let herself like him, let alone trust him.

When Maya’s grandfather goes missing amid a growing drug war, Maya must put her faith in Josh, and her own battered instincts, to find him. But there’s a web of secrets tying her grandfather to the tragedy that brought Juniper into her life—secrets someone would kill to keep hidden.

My Review:

I love it when I find a new author and book series I can really get into. This is one that hooks immediately and keeps a reader’s attention throughout.

Not my first book regarding a female National Park employee as I’ve read most and loved Nevada Barr’s park ranger Anna Pigeon series, the last one being A Superior Death. Whereas Anna Pigeon is appointed to different US parks, however, Maya Thompson is solidly assigned to the US Forest Service in Colorado. (And, of course, I do miss the Pigeon series narrator Barbara Rosenblat but I chose to read, not listen, to this novel.) Also, I do love and have read most of Margaret Mizushima’s Timber Creek K-9 books, the last being Gathering Mist. It’s hard to beat a Timber Creek K-9 installment.

Maya lost her K-9 while she was in the service in Afghanistan and swore she’d never go through that loss again, but circumstances found her the owner of Justice, a young, brilliant, and energetic Malinois. Oh yeah, and Maya has returned home with PTSD.

Maya returned to the area where her grandfather is the local sheriff. Also, you guessed it, there is a new deputy in town, Josh Colten, handsome and available who tends to set her heart tingling. Again—something she swore off of after returning home.

They end up in a high profile drug case that allows the spotlight on Juniper often and Maya’s demonstration of how to manage a high energy, high prey drive animal. The forest is atmospheric and adds a deep dimension to the scene.

Malinois parachuting from airplane. — **Fun fact about the Belgian Malinois:**
🐕🦺 **They can skydive!**
Belgian Malinois are so smart, athletic, and brave that military and police units often train them to parachute out of airplanes alongside their handlers. Some have been part of high-profile special ops missions! Basically, they’re like the Navy SEALs of the dog world. AI generated fun fact from ChatGPT. AI generated photo courtesy Gemini.

I like both characters, Maya and Josh, but I’m not in love. Her military service gives her an edge of experience in combat, she’s sharp, intelligent, and can strategize well with her service dog. Josh is not exactly battle hardened but carries baggage of his own. So, yes, I loved the dog and the personality she is given. I noted a few edit misses and tend to tire a bit with repeated (romance) issues, but enjoyed the premise, the plot, the dog, and the pace enough to go look for Book 2—and found it. Look for Hunting the Truth shortly.

Thanks to my local library for the loan and providing me the opportunity to read and review this book. The thoughts expressed here are my own. If you enjoy animal, dog stories, this is a good series to start and I can recommend them.

Rosepoint Rating: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Animal Fiction, Police Romance, Cozy Animal Mysteries
Publisher: Carina Press
ASIN: B097YJ2FD3
Print Length: 351 pages
Publication Date: May 24, 2022
Source: Local Library

Title Link(s):

Amazon-US | Amazon-UK | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

Visit Kathleen on her website at http://www.kathleendonnelly.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/AuthorKathleenDonnelly/, follow her on Twitter @KatK9writer or find her on Instagram @authorkathleendonnelly.

#TuesdayBookBlog

The Cartagena Cartel by T C Roberts #BookReview #travelhumor

The Misadventures of a Modern-Day Nomad: Book 2

Book Blurb:

Archie Flynn, heartbroken and restless, flees his homeland in search of adventure, freedom, and a fresh start as a digital nomad. His destination? Cartagena, Colombia.

But paradise turns to peril when a chance encounter with a femme fatale leaves him drugged, robbed, and broke in a city where desperation breeds bad decisions. Forced into a dangerous game with the local cartel and corrupt cops, Archie’s dream of escape quickly spirals into a nightmare.

Just when all seems lost, the enigmatic Julianna steps into his life—an unexpected ally who rekindles his faith in women and offers a glimmer of hope. But in a city where romance and danger walk hand in hand, can Archie survive long enough to rewrite his fate?

The Cartagena Cartel is a gripping, darkly comedic thriller about heartbreak, survival, and self-discovery in the underbelly of paradise.

His Review:

The largest cash crop for Cartagena is drugs and the second biggest for the country of Columbia. The drug cartels run the country, the government, and the police force. Archie Ignatius Flynn is an Australian who has made Columbia his current home and is a drug enthusiast. He is in the city to write and send stories back to Australia regarding the enormous drug problem. However, as you read the story you realize that drugs are not a problem for Cartagena but rather for the rest of the world.

Entering the country is risky in and of itself. The rain forest is a large part of the country and the many ways to die are incredible.

The rain forest is not an environment to be taken lightly and many die each year thinking they can enter it, but Archie is not involved in the rain forest at this time. He does enjoy a little recreational cocaine and has a number of very beautiful women who pursue him. One of these lovely ladies is involved with people who drug him and steal his identity, passport, and all of his money. If he had not prepaid for his lodging, he would be penniless and out in the street.

I found this to be a very interesting book and a warning for non-drug users to avoid the country at all costs. The women are gorgeous and engaging. However, their target may be you, the tourist, and all of your possessions. (At one point, Archie is left totally naked in the street with nothing.) There are scenes that lend a dark, noir foreboding to the storyline. Read and be forewarned by his adventures! 4.5 stars – CE Williams

Many thanks to the author for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. Any opinion expressed here is my own.

Rosepoint Publishing: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Travel Humor, Crime Action Fiction, Crime Action & Adventure
ASIN: B0F1FHFW8W
Print Length: 301 pages
Publication Date: April 8, 2025
Source: Author

Title Link(s):

Amazon-US | Amazon-UK

The Author: T.C. Roberts is the independent author of the non-fiction title, “Goodbye Office, Hello World!”, his debut novel, “Highly Flawed Individual”, and the forthcoming sequel, “The Cartagena Cartel”. Originally from Sydney, Tim has no fixed address and considers himself a citizen of the world. When he is not writing, he’s exploring new places, swimming in the ocean or seeking out his next destination.

AI generated graphic courtesy Freepik.com

The Neon Rain by James Lee Burke #AudiobookReview #ThrowbackThursday

A Dave Robicheaux Novel Book 1

Book Blurb:

New York Times best-selling author James Lee Burke’s Dave Robicheaux novels began with this first hard-hitting entry in the series.

In The Neon Rain, Detective Robicheaux fishes a prostitute’s corpse from a New Orleans bayou and finds that no one, not even the law, cares about a dead hooker.

My Review:

My first go-round with this author and I gotta admit checked most of the boxes for me. I could identify with the time period, if not “Nalans” and, indeed, New Orleans is a whole character unto itself.

It’s good I was listening to the audiobook as the author did a beautiful job of the accents (French), dialects of the locals (Cajun), as well as the protagonist’s name, Robicheaux (pronounced Row-be-show).

Even better when I start a healthy (24 installments in the series??) with Book 1. Yes, the first book is usually an introduction to the main character, the location, and the setting, in this case, the police department. Back then we had a lot of veterans, some still fresh from ‘Nam. Dave Robicheaux has apparently been back long enough to have achieved detective level with the local police department.

I loved how the description of the area rolled off the tongue of the narrator, making it almost sensual. I got a feeling pretty quickly about gritty Robicheaux, hardened from battle, brass, baddies, and loss. He’s no one to mess with.

When he discovers a young prostitute’s body, it hits him hard, and he throws all effort at finding the perp. Unfortunately, it also begins to uncover a lot more than he bargained for, and he reverts to drinking again and is placed on leave.

No problem.

He goes rogue.

In the meantime, the reader is treated to the prose created by the beauty of the bayou, the music, the mood, the food, the heat, the French Quarter, and the rain. In our experience, the latter happened every afternoon about 4 p.m. Ever notice that moss hanging from those iconic trees? Did you wonder why?

Graphic details, descriptions, and language paint a noir picture through the storyline and solid support characters. It is well-paced, suspenseful, gritty, and within a hard-boiled mystery. Armchair tourist? This might well be one trip you’ll enjoy.

I downloaded a copy of this audiobook from my local well-stocked library. These are my honest thoughts.

Rosepoint Publishing: Four Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Police Procedural Mysteries, Crime Fiction, Suspense
Publisher: Recorded Books
ASIN: B0028TY1GU
Listening Length: 8 hrs 22 mins
Narrator: Will Patton
Publication Date: May 5, 2009
Source: Local Library (Audiobook Selections)

Title Links:

Amazon-US
Amazon-UK

The Author: James Lee Burke is a New York Times bestselling author, three-time winner of the Edgar Award as well as the Grand Master Award from Mystery Writers of America, winner of the CWA Diamond Dagger and Gold Dagger and the Grand Prix de Littérature Policière, and the recipient of the Guggenheim Fellowship for Creative Arts in Fiction.

#ThrowbackThursday

Murder in Galway by Carlene O’Connor #BookReview #InternationalMystery&Crime

A Home to Ireland Mystery Book 1

Book Blurb:

In the first installment of bestselling author Carlene O’Connor’s new Home to Ireland Mystery series, New York Tara Meehan’s first trip to Galway, Ireland may be her last.

Jump right into the beauty and splendor—and murder—of Tara’s Irish adventure! With a gorgeous setting, suspicious characters, and a deadly mystery—Murder in Galway will have you packing your bags…

Tara never imagined her introduction to Ireland like this—carrying her mam’s ashes to honor her final request: “Tell Johnny I’m sorry…Take me home.” She’s never met her mam’s estranged brother, Johnny Meehan, who owns an architectural salvage business in Galway. Although Tara is immediately charmed by the medieval city, the locals seem wary of strangers and a gypsy warns her that death is all around.

When Tara arrives at her uncle’s stone cottage, the prophesy seems true. A dead man lies sprawled over the threshold in a pool of blood. The victim turns out to be Johnny’s wealthiest client, and her missing uncle is the garda’s number-one suspect. In trying to find Johnny and solve the crime, Tara uncovers her mam and uncle’s troubled past. But with a desperate killer about, she had better mind herself, or they’ll be tossing her ashes in Galway Bay…

His Review:

Ah, the lure of Ireland to the progeny of Irish ancestors. Tara’s mother had immigrated to the United States from Ireland in her mid20’s. She did not explain to her daughter why she immigrated except that she had some “troubles” with a few of her neighbors. The problem was never explained. Upon her mother’s death Tara decided to go back to Ireland to see if she could understand the reason why.

There is an old warehouse full of odds and ends that has supported her mother’s brother since she left Ireland. Tara goes to the old warehouse in which her mother has an interest. Upon arriving at the building, a dead man is sprawled across the threshold of the business! The local law enforcement called Guarda start to investigate with Tara’s uncle being the principal suspect. In Galway less than 24 hours and she is already embroiled in a major crime!

Tara is an aspiring investigator and she begins to outline the crime and possible suspects. Meanwhile, the Guarda is working to get enough evidence to charge Tara with the crime. Their recommendation is that she leave Ireland immediately.

A budding romance blossoms between Tara and a young man named Danny, however, who has been operating the business since her uncle’s disappearance. The evidence of the crimes seems to always circle back to Tara’s visit to her mother’s homeland!

This book has many interesting twists and turns and a budding romance between Tara and Danny. Will the death spoil their chance for romance? Will Tara be charged with murder? These questions and many more are answered in the book. Read and enjoy this Irish mystery in Book 1 of A Home to Ireland Mystery series Book 1.

[Note: This book was on my list for #ReadingIrelandMonth25 this year, but didn’t get posted in March. It’s late.

[I read Book 2, A Murder in Connemara back in July of 2021 and really enjoyed it. I also read the last three O’Connor novels from the County Kerry series and many more from her other series as well. Thought the CE would enjoy this one. I must say, he was ready to pack his bags and fly to the Emerald Isle.]

C E Williams We received a copy of this book from our library that in no way influenced this review. These are my honest thoughts. 4.5 stars – CE Williams

Rosepoint Publishing: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: International Mystery & Crime, Cozy Culinary Mysteries, Ghost Mysteries
Publisher: Kensington Cozies
ASIN: B07TT34D26
Print Length: 297 pages
Publication Date: April 28, 2020
Source: Local Library

Title Link(s):

Amazon-US | Amazon-UK | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: USA Today bestselling author Carlene O’Connor comes from a long line of Irish storytellers. Her great-grandmother emigrated from Ireland to America and the stories have been flowing ever since. Of all the places across the pond she’s wandered, she fell most in love with a walled town in County Limerick and was inspired to create the town of Kilbane, County Cork. She writes the bestselling IRISH VILLAGE MYSTERIES, the HOME TO IRELAND series, and the new COUNTY KERRY MYSTERIES. Her books have been translated into numerous languages, and optioned for television. Readers can find her at Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086525205106 or through her website: http://www.carleneoconnor.net