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County Kerry Mystery #2
Some of Us Are Looking
In late summer, the Dingle peninsula is thronged with tourists drawn to County Kerry’s dark mountains and deep, lush valleys. For Irish vet Dimpna Wilde, who has returned to run her family’s practice after years away, home is a beautiful but complicated place—especially when it becomes the setting for a brutal murder . . .
In Dimpna Wilde’s veterinary practice, an imminent meteor shower and the watch parties that are planned all over Dingle have taken over the usual gossip. But there are also matters nearer at hand to discuss—including the ragtag caravan of young people selling wares by the roadside and the shocking death of Chris Henderson, an elderly local, in a hit-and-run.
Just hours before his death, Henderson had stormed into the garda station, complaining loudly about the caravan’s occupants causing noise and disruption. One of their members is Brigid Sweeney, a beautiful young woman who later turns up at Dimpna’s practice, splattered in blood with an injured hare tucked into her jacket, claiming that a mysterious stranger has been trying to obtain a lucky rabbit’s foot.
Matters worsen on the night of the meteor shower when Dimpna finds Brigid’s dead body tied to a tree, a rabbit’s foot tied to her severed left hand. The rabbit’s foot, the severed hand, the coinciding meteor shower—the deeper Dimpna and Detective Inspector Cormac O’Brien investigate, the more ominous the signs seem to be, laced with a warning that Dimpna fears it will prove fatal to overlook.
In Dimpna Wilde’s veterinary practice, an imminent meteor shower and the watch parties that are planned all over Dingle have taken over the usual gossip. But there are also matters nearer at hand to discuss—including the ragtag caravan of young people selling wares by the roadside and the shocking death of Chris Henderson, an elderly local, in a hit-and-run.
Just hours before his death, Henderson had stormed into the garda station, complaining loudly about the caravan’s occupants causing noise and disruption. One of their members is Brigid Sweeney, a beautiful young woman who later turns up at Dimpna’s practice, splattered in blood with an injured hare tucked into her jacket, claiming that a mysterious stranger has been trying to obtain a lucky rabbit’s foot.
Matters worsen on the night of the meteor shower when Dimpna finds Brigid’s dead body tied to a tree, a rabbit’s foot tied to her severed left hand. The rabbit’s foot, the severed hand, the coinciding meteor shower—the deeper Dimpna and Detective Inspector Cormac O’Brien investigate, the more ominous the signs seem to be, laced with a warning that Dimpna fears it will prove fatal to overlook.
384 pages, Paperback
First published October 24, 2023
529 people are currently reading
20175 people want to read
About the author
Carlene O'Connor
35 books2,575 followersCarlene O’Connor is the USA Today Bestselling author of The Irish Village Mystery Series, The Home to Ireland Series and the County Kerry Mystery series. The first in the County Kerry Series, NO STRANGERS HERE received a starred review from Kirkus and was the Mystery Pick of the Month at Barnes and Noble in September of 2023. 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 currently lives in New Mexico.
https://carleneoconnor.net/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 407 reviews
October 29, 2023
Some of Us Are Looking is the second in the County Kerry Novel series. I read the first book, No Stranger Here" and enjoyed it very much. It take place on the Dingle peninsula in Ireland. Dr. Dimpna Wilde is a vet who has come home from Dublin to run his father, Eamon Wilde, clinic as he has dementia. Patrick Kelly is her assistant along with her receptionist, Niamh.
Chris Henderson comes into the Tralee Garda station and complains about a black Audi that a man was peeking through binoculars at Bridget Sweeney a young girl living in the caravan in Camp. Inspector Cormac O'Brian and Sergeant Barbara Neely listen to his story. They get a call that there is a commotion in town because there are sayings written in chalk on buildings saying "Who put Bella in the Witch Elm?" and on another building "The Hand of Glory". Neely remembered that in England there was also the same saying. A woman had been found in a wych tree in Hagley Woods. The Skelton was never identified. The other saying meant the man who did the deed.
After taking care of the shops Neely got a phone call that there was a hit and run at the Camp, Chris Henderson was dead, The witnesses said that there was a black Audi following him and then hit him. When examining Chris they found a bay fox in his shirt. The mother fox was on the other side of the road in shock. They call Dimpna and she comes and takes the foxes to her clinic. She plans to operate on the baby fox as it has broken bones. The mother fox has swelling of the brain but does not make it. The road is known as a fox crossing. What was Chris doing on that road?
Everyone in the town is excited as there is going to be a meteor shower that night and everyone planned to go.
Just before Dimpna leaves to watch with her associates Bridget Sweeney comes into the clinic carrying a rabbit and carrying a knife. She has a jacket on that is covered in blood. She is telling Dimpna that she found the rabbit with a man trying to cut the foot off. Asked her to call the guards. Dimpna takes the rabbit into the clinic but finds that the cut on the rabbit is not life threatening. Bridget gets upset when talking to Dimpna and leaves. Dimpna puts the rabbit in a cage and goes to meet her associates to watch the meteor. Later Cormac meets Dimpna and sits with her. She tells him about Bridget and the rabbit. While there Comac gets a call that two dogs are chasing cars and seem drunk. He goes and after seeing them calls Dimpna and sends them to her. She suspects that they have been drugged and puts them in the kennel across from the clinic. He tells her that to bring the dogs to the caravan as they belong to the four people in the caravan. He will met her there.
The next day Dimpna brings the dogs but Comac is not there. After waiting awhile she puts the dogs back in her van. She notices a blue spot near the woods and remembers that Bridget wore a blue dress the night before and goes to investigates. She finds her tied to a tree dead with her left hand cut off and a rabbit foot tied to her wrist. She calls 911. She is in shock because of the brutality of Bridget's death.
This is where the story takes off and is too much to put on paper. I will leave the adventure to the reader to enjoy. There is so much suspense of finding who killed both Bridget and Chris with all kinds of twists and turns to the surprising final climax.
I really enjoyed the story. It kept me guessing to the very end.
Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Publishing Corp. for this ARC.
Chris Henderson comes into the Tralee Garda station and complains about a black Audi that a man was peeking through binoculars at Bridget Sweeney a young girl living in the caravan in Camp. Inspector Cormac O'Brian and Sergeant Barbara Neely listen to his story. They get a call that there is a commotion in town because there are sayings written in chalk on buildings saying "Who put Bella in the Witch Elm?" and on another building "The Hand of Glory". Neely remembered that in England there was also the same saying. A woman had been found in a wych tree in Hagley Woods. The Skelton was never identified. The other saying meant the man who did the deed.
After taking care of the shops Neely got a phone call that there was a hit and run at the Camp, Chris Henderson was dead, The witnesses said that there was a black Audi following him and then hit him. When examining Chris they found a bay fox in his shirt. The mother fox was on the other side of the road in shock. They call Dimpna and she comes and takes the foxes to her clinic. She plans to operate on the baby fox as it has broken bones. The mother fox has swelling of the brain but does not make it. The road is known as a fox crossing. What was Chris doing on that road?
Everyone in the town is excited as there is going to be a meteor shower that night and everyone planned to go.
Just before Dimpna leaves to watch with her associates Bridget Sweeney comes into the clinic carrying a rabbit and carrying a knife. She has a jacket on that is covered in blood. She is telling Dimpna that she found the rabbit with a man trying to cut the foot off. Asked her to call the guards. Dimpna takes the rabbit into the clinic but finds that the cut on the rabbit is not life threatening. Bridget gets upset when talking to Dimpna and leaves. Dimpna puts the rabbit in a cage and goes to meet her associates to watch the meteor. Later Cormac meets Dimpna and sits with her. She tells him about Bridget and the rabbit. While there Comac gets a call that two dogs are chasing cars and seem drunk. He goes and after seeing them calls Dimpna and sends them to her. She suspects that they have been drugged and puts them in the kennel across from the clinic. He tells her that to bring the dogs to the caravan as they belong to the four people in the caravan. He will met her there.
The next day Dimpna brings the dogs but Comac is not there. After waiting awhile she puts the dogs back in her van. She notices a blue spot near the woods and remembers that Bridget wore a blue dress the night before and goes to investigates. She finds her tied to a tree dead with her left hand cut off and a rabbit foot tied to her wrist. She calls 911. She is in shock because of the brutality of Bridget's death.
This is where the story takes off and is too much to put on paper. I will leave the adventure to the reader to enjoy. There is so much suspense of finding who killed both Bridget and Chris with all kinds of twists and turns to the surprising final climax.
I really enjoyed the story. It kept me guessing to the very end.
Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Publishing Corp. for this ARC.
October 26, 2023
EXCERPT: Trees. What fascinating plants. Oak, birch, ash, Sitka spruces. Sharing information and nutrition through their root systems. A secret underground society. Hidden in plain sight. The trees knew what was coming. What an appropriate grave for the little nymph.
One could see what she was doing. One could see it all.
She, on the other hand, had no idea what was coming. What a pity. Blindsided. That had a certain ring to it, although it would also be satisfying to whisper the news into her ear, watch her eyes widen with fear, see a shiver run down her perfect spine.
ABOUT 'SOME OF US ARE LOOKING': In late summer, the Dingle peninsula is thronged with tourists drawn to County Kerry’s dark mountains and deep, lush valleys. For Irish vet Dimpna Wilde, who has returned to run her family’s practice after years away, home is a beautiful but complicated place—especially when it becomes the setting for a brutal murder . . .
In Dimpna Wilde’s veterinary practice, an imminent meteor shower has elevated the usual gossip to include talk of shooting stars and the watch parties that are planned all over Dingle. But there are also matters nearer at hand to discuss—including the ragtag caravan of young people selling wares by the roadside, and the shocking death of Chris Henderson, an elderly local, in a hit-and-run.
Just hours before his death, Henderson had stormed into the Garda Station, complaining loudly about the caravan’s occupants causing noise and disruption. One of their members is a beautiful young woman named Brigid Sweeney, and Dimpna is shocked when Brigid later turns up at her practice, her clothing splattered in blood and an injured hare tucked into her shirt.
Brigid claims that a mysterious stranger has been trying to obtain a lucky rabbit’s foot. Dimpna is incensed at the thought of anyone mutilating animals, but there is far worse in store. On the night of the meteor shower, Dimpna finds Brigid’s body tied to a tree, her left hand severed. She has bled to death. Wrapped around her wrist is a rabbit’s foot.
Brigid had amassed plenty of admirers, and there were tangled relationships within the group. But perhaps there is something more complex than jealousy at play. The rabbit’s foot, the severed hand, the coinciding meteor shower—the deeper Dimpna and Detective Sargeant Cormac O’Brien investigate, the more ominous the signs seem to be, laced with a warning that Dimpna fears it will prove fatal to overlook.
MY THOUGHTS: I loved the first book in this series, this one not so much . . . While No Strangers Here was a mystery thick with both atmosphere and compelling characters, I didn't get the same vibes here.
Dimpna Wilde has settled into running her father's veterinarian practice with the help of vet Patrick and receptionist Niamh. At less than five foot tall, Dimpna faces a running battle with the locals who feel that she isn't up to the job. She has a long and complicated history with the wealthy O'Reilly family who, despite her best efforts, are still interfering with her life - at least that's how she sees it.
DI Cormac O'Brien, a complicated man who has made a bad mistake, keeps pulling Dimpna into the investigation, which irritates and annoys his Sergeant Neeley, who is trying to keep the lid on the mistake Cormac made. Cormac is a fidgety, almost obsessive man who is allergic to almost everything. But he is sharp, bright, determined and handsome, although somewhat scruffy, which is quite odd for such a perfectionist.
There is a definite attraction between Cormac and Dimpna, although the case keeps getting in the way of it with Dimpna feeling that she is being used to gain information from people who wouldn't otherwise part with it and becoming irritated with Cormac as a result.
I really felt that the author was trying to cram too much into this book, particularly with Dimpna whose father's dementia is worsening (he will go nowhere without his stuffed fox) and whose son and brother are avoiding her.
While I liked Some of Us Are Looking, I didn't love it. But I will continue with the series in the hope that O'Connor will recreate the atmosphere of the first book. Please be aware that the first book in the series will need to be read prior to this to get the history behind the character's relationships.
Note to the publisher: Please don't give away so much of the plot in the synopsis/publicity blurb. I could nearly have skipped the first half of the book.
⭐⭐⭐.5
#SomeofUsAreLooking #NetGalley
THE AUTHOR: Born into a long line of Irish storytellers, Carlene O'Connor's great-grandmother emigrated from Ireland filled with tales in 1897 and the stories have been flowing ever since. Of all the places she’s wandered across the pond, she fell most in love with a walled town in County Limerick and was inspired to create the town of Kilbane, County Cork, the setting of her Irish Village Mystery series.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to the publisher for providing a digital ARC of Some of Us Are Looking by Carlene O'Connor for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
One could see what she was doing. One could see it all.
She, on the other hand, had no idea what was coming. What a pity. Blindsided. That had a certain ring to it, although it would also be satisfying to whisper the news into her ear, watch her eyes widen with fear, see a shiver run down her perfect spine.
ABOUT 'SOME OF US ARE LOOKING': In late summer, the Dingle peninsula is thronged with tourists drawn to County Kerry’s dark mountains and deep, lush valleys. For Irish vet Dimpna Wilde, who has returned to run her family’s practice after years away, home is a beautiful but complicated place—especially when it becomes the setting for a brutal murder . . .
In Dimpna Wilde’s veterinary practice, an imminent meteor shower has elevated the usual gossip to include talk of shooting stars and the watch parties that are planned all over Dingle. But there are also matters nearer at hand to discuss—including the ragtag caravan of young people selling wares by the roadside, and the shocking death of Chris Henderson, an elderly local, in a hit-and-run.
Just hours before his death, Henderson had stormed into the Garda Station, complaining loudly about the caravan’s occupants causing noise and disruption. One of their members is a beautiful young woman named Brigid Sweeney, and Dimpna is shocked when Brigid later turns up at her practice, her clothing splattered in blood and an injured hare tucked into her shirt.
Brigid claims that a mysterious stranger has been trying to obtain a lucky rabbit’s foot. Dimpna is incensed at the thought of anyone mutilating animals, but there is far worse in store. On the night of the meteor shower, Dimpna finds Brigid’s body tied to a tree, her left hand severed. She has bled to death. Wrapped around her wrist is a rabbit’s foot.
Brigid had amassed plenty of admirers, and there were tangled relationships within the group. But perhaps there is something more complex than jealousy at play. The rabbit’s foot, the severed hand, the coinciding meteor shower—the deeper Dimpna and Detective Sargeant Cormac O’Brien investigate, the more ominous the signs seem to be, laced with a warning that Dimpna fears it will prove fatal to overlook.
MY THOUGHTS: I loved the first book in this series, this one not so much . . . While No Strangers Here was a mystery thick with both atmosphere and compelling characters, I didn't get the same vibes here.
Dimpna Wilde has settled into running her father's veterinarian practice with the help of vet Patrick and receptionist Niamh. At less than five foot tall, Dimpna faces a running battle with the locals who feel that she isn't up to the job. She has a long and complicated history with the wealthy O'Reilly family who, despite her best efforts, are still interfering with her life - at least that's how she sees it.
DI Cormac O'Brien, a complicated man who has made a bad mistake, keeps pulling Dimpna into the investigation, which irritates and annoys his Sergeant Neeley, who is trying to keep the lid on the mistake Cormac made. Cormac is a fidgety, almost obsessive man who is allergic to almost everything. But he is sharp, bright, determined and handsome, although somewhat scruffy, which is quite odd for such a perfectionist.
There is a definite attraction between Cormac and Dimpna, although the case keeps getting in the way of it with Dimpna feeling that she is being used to gain information from people who wouldn't otherwise part with it and becoming irritated with Cormac as a result.
I really felt that the author was trying to cram too much into this book, particularly with Dimpna whose father's dementia is worsening (he will go nowhere without his stuffed fox) and whose son and brother are avoiding her.
While I liked Some of Us Are Looking, I didn't love it. But I will continue with the series in the hope that O'Connor will recreate the atmosphere of the first book. Please be aware that the first book in the series will need to be read prior to this to get the history behind the character's relationships.
Note to the publisher: Please don't give away so much of the plot in the synopsis/publicity blurb. I could nearly have skipped the first half of the book.
⭐⭐⭐.5
#SomeofUsAreLooking #NetGalley
THE AUTHOR: Born into a long line of Irish storytellers, Carlene O'Connor's great-grandmother emigrated from Ireland filled with tales in 1897 and the stories have been flowing ever since. Of all the places she’s wandered across the pond, she fell most in love with a walled town in County Limerick and was inspired to create the town of Kilbane, County Cork, the setting of her Irish Village Mystery series.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to the publisher for providing a digital ARC of Some of Us Are Looking by Carlene O'Connor for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
November 21, 2023
While Carlene O’Connor is probably best known for her cozy mysteries set in Ireland I have to say I like this new and definitely not cozy mystery series better. While I didn’t love that Cormac stayed on the case despite his obvious conflict of interest I really enjoyed the book overall. I did read the first book in this series, and liked it even better honestly, but this one could be read as a standalone as long as you were ok being a little lost with some of the family background bits (which honestly aren’t my favorite part). When a man is run off the road and murdered trying to protect a baby fox Dimpna is called in to help the kit and it’s mother. She does her best and then is roped into helping a hare that a young woman, Brigid, claims was having it’s foot chopped off while it was alive by a mad man who is dangerous. When Brigid is found dead Dimpna clearly can’t help but be involved in the investigation. I really liked this mystery. There were some good red herrings and the story definitely kept my interest.
January 22, 2024
4 stars
Any book that can keep me guessing until the last 20 pages, in my opinion, is a good book.
Back to Ireland to the veterinary clinic and female vet Dimpna. This is a second book in the County Kerry Mystery series, however these books can be read as stand alones.
A caravan of gypsies has everyone in this story all riled up - especially when one of them ends up dead. Actually there are three deaths in this book and it takes you to the very end to find out who the killer is. Dimpna sure feels as though she has been put through the wringer by the time the culprit is uncovered.
O'Connor is a very good author - she knows Ireland and has already written two other Irish series. She claims to come from a long line of Irish storytellers and she has her subject down pat.
Any book that can keep me guessing until the last 20 pages, in my opinion, is a good book.
Back to Ireland to the veterinary clinic and female vet Dimpna. This is a second book in the County Kerry Mystery series, however these books can be read as stand alones.
A caravan of gypsies has everyone in this story all riled up - especially when one of them ends up dead. Actually there are three deaths in this book and it takes you to the very end to find out who the killer is. Dimpna sure feels as though she has been put through the wringer by the time the culprit is uncovered.
O'Connor is a very good author - she knows Ireland and has already written two other Irish series. She claims to come from a long line of Irish storytellers and she has her subject down pat.
November 8, 2023
Carlene O’Connor is known for her cozy mysteries set in Ireland and this series is decidedly NOT cozy. Along with No Strangers Here, the first book in the County Kerry Mystery series, the action in Some Of Us Are Looking takes place in the scenic Dingle Peninsula in Ireland. Once again the story features veterinarian Dimpna Wilde and detective Cormac O’Brien, along with some familiar locals, including staff at Dimpna’s veterinary clinic and the local “Garda.” The area attracts lots of tourists and hikers, especially in summer when a meteor shower is expected. The story features four young people (in their 20s?) who are living in a caravan (what we Americans call an RV) in the area.
For those who have not read No Strangers Here, this book will work well as a standalone - except for the portions of the book which involve Dimpna’s extended family. You will not really understand the complicated backstory without having read the first book. However, it’s not crucial to the central mystery of Some of Us Are Looking, so if you’re ok with a lack of a bit of backstory, you’ll be fine reading this one as a standalone.
You can feel the love that Dimpna has for all the animals she cares for, be it a wild fox or a talking parrot. Her father, also a veterinarian, has dementia and, since I have experience of this disease with a family member, the scenes with her dad are very sad, but ring true.
There are some gruesome descriptions of a murder scene, so be aware of that. The plot is dark, twisty and complex, and kept me guessing for most of the book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book, although I was a bit late to it. I bounced between the ARC and the published audiobook, courtesy of my public library. The narrator, Emily O’Mahoney, did a wonderful job with the various voices and accents. All opinions are my own.
For those who have not read No Strangers Here, this book will work well as a standalone - except for the portions of the book which involve Dimpna’s extended family. You will not really understand the complicated backstory without having read the first book. However, it’s not crucial to the central mystery of Some of Us Are Looking, so if you’re ok with a lack of a bit of backstory, you’ll be fine reading this one as a standalone.
You can feel the love that Dimpna has for all the animals she cares for, be it a wild fox or a talking parrot. Her father, also a veterinarian, has dementia and, since I have experience of this disease with a family member, the scenes with her dad are very sad, but ring true.
There are some gruesome descriptions of a murder scene, so be aware of that. The plot is dark, twisty and complex, and kept me guessing for most of the book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book, although I was a bit late to it. I bounced between the ARC and the published audiobook, courtesy of my public library. The narrator, Emily O’Mahoney, did a wonderful job with the various voices and accents. All opinions are my own.
April 4, 2025
3.5 stars. Ben is terrible.
August 8, 2025
Well, I really liked the first book in this series. I gave it 4 stars and felt it had potential. This is the second book, and it almost felt like a different author. The pacing was strange. I could not keep track of the characters, not because of my memory, but because they were not rounded out. It was disjointed, I think. I may read the next one because of my affinity for the first book, but I am disappointed with this one.
2.75 stars
2.75 stars
August 20, 2023
“ Some of Us Are Looking” by Carlene O’Connor it's the 2nd instalment in the County Kerry Series, grapples with life, death, friendships, and secrets…
In late summer, the Dingle peninsula is thronged with tourists drawn to County Kerry’s dark mountains and deep, lush valleys. For Irish vet Dimpna Wilde, who has returned to run her family’s practice after years away, home is a beautiful but complicated place—especially when it becomes the setting for a brutal murder . . .
The story is character-driven and also very descriptive you feel like you are right there in Dingle, Ireland. I’m a huge fan of the authors other mystery series set in Ireland , but her more gritty and suspenseful mystery novels are becoming my favorite.
The mystery is interesting and had lots of twists which kept me guessing. With so many suspects to follow I was surprised I guessed just before it was revealed.
I highly recommend this book to all my Irish Mystery loving friends. I’m hoping there will be a book three!
I requested and received an Advanced Readers Copy from the publisher and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
In late summer, the Dingle peninsula is thronged with tourists drawn to County Kerry’s dark mountains and deep, lush valleys. For Irish vet Dimpna Wilde, who has returned to run her family’s practice after years away, home is a beautiful but complicated place—especially when it becomes the setting for a brutal murder . . .
The story is character-driven and also very descriptive you feel like you are right there in Dingle, Ireland. I’m a huge fan of the authors other mystery series set in Ireland , but her more gritty and suspenseful mystery novels are becoming my favorite.
The mystery is interesting and had lots of twists which kept me guessing. With so many suspects to follow I was surprised I guessed just before it was revealed.
I highly recommend this book to all my Irish Mystery loving friends. I’m hoping there will be a book three!
I requested and received an Advanced Readers Copy from the publisher and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
October 8, 2023
I loved the characters in this book and there were a lot. I thought I had an idea of who had done it but boy was I wrong. I would be reading a chapter thinking maybe it was this person or persons. Then the next chapter would have me rethinking who it could be. The author did such a great job leaving you guessing. I was so shocked by the ending I had to reread the last chapter just to be sure I actually read what I had read. I am truly blown away by the ending. I can't wait for the next book in this series.
December 26, 2023
I was thrilled to win this in a Giveaway. The first third of the book was engaging. The continued progress kept me motivated to want to read more. I tired of it over the next third of the book. There was a lot of repetition which dragged down the storyline. The last third of the book did pick up but by then I had become detached. There was a good unexpected ending or maybe I would have expected it had I not had to skim through the middle of the book. I would rather a book be less pages to keep the middle moving along. Overall, I gave it a 4 star because the writing was good and she uses a lot of great descriptors.
September 26, 2023
I was happy that I won this book through Kensington Books because I like to try new authors! However, this book moved too slowly for me for it was about murders that happened in a very small village called Dingle. Consequently everyone was looking🥹ha! Ha! After looking at the list of other books that this author has written I think I’ll try another!
August 30, 2023
Some of us are Looking by Carlene O’Connor
Characters: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
Pace: 4/5
Thriller: 5/5
Overall Enjoyment: 5/5
Ah, the second in the series and just as good if not better than the first. I will say that I can not honestly tell you that it can be read a a stand alone because I felt like there was more information given on Dr Wilde in the first book. But that alone may not be an issue for some readers.
The Dingle peninsula is getting more and more tourists the rocking to County Kerry’s mountains. One reason is because of a meteor shower that everyone is talking about and bringing caravans of people to watch it. However, that is the least of the problems there. A resident Chris Henderson was killed by a hit and run accident. Shortly before his death though, he had complained about a caravan of tourists that were being very loud and obnoxious. One of the occupants of the caravan had gone to Dimpna Wilde’s vet practice covered in blood and hoping to mutilate a bunny rabbit she was holding to get its paw. Of course that was not going to happen in Dr. Wilde’s office. Then on the night that the meteor shower played across the sky, Dr. Wilde finds a body and it turns out that it is the woman, Brigid Sweeney, who wanted the rabbits foot. But she was tied to a tree with her left hand severed, and dead due to loss of blood and a rabbits foot around her wrist. Who would want Ms. Sweeney dead and why? Did the caravan she was in have anything to do with the death of elderly Chris Henderson? This was a brilliant story told with depth and suspense. The characters were well developed and flawed the author was careful enough to not let on too much right away. The suspense built at a great pace that kept me enthralled in the book until the end.
Release date October 24 2023!! This is definitely one to buy.
Thank you to the author and publisher as well as NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my unbiased and honest review.
Characters: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
Pace: 4/5
Thriller: 5/5
Overall Enjoyment: 5/5
Ah, the second in the series and just as good if not better than the first. I will say that I can not honestly tell you that it can be read a a stand alone because I felt like there was more information given on Dr Wilde in the first book. But that alone may not be an issue for some readers.
The Dingle peninsula is getting more and more tourists the rocking to County Kerry’s mountains. One reason is because of a meteor shower that everyone is talking about and bringing caravans of people to watch it. However, that is the least of the problems there. A resident Chris Henderson was killed by a hit and run accident. Shortly before his death though, he had complained about a caravan of tourists that were being very loud and obnoxious. One of the occupants of the caravan had gone to Dimpna Wilde’s vet practice covered in blood and hoping to mutilate a bunny rabbit she was holding to get its paw. Of course that was not going to happen in Dr. Wilde’s office. Then on the night that the meteor shower played across the sky, Dr. Wilde finds a body and it turns out that it is the woman, Brigid Sweeney, who wanted the rabbits foot. But she was tied to a tree with her left hand severed, and dead due to loss of blood and a rabbits foot around her wrist. Who would want Ms. Sweeney dead and why? Did the caravan she was in have anything to do with the death of elderly Chris Henderson? This was a brilliant story told with depth and suspense. The characters were well developed and flawed the author was careful enough to not let on too much right away. The suspense built at a great pace that kept me enthralled in the book until the end.
Release date October 24 2023!! This is definitely one to buy.
Thank you to the author and publisher as well as NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my unbiased and honest review.
May 15, 2023
Dimpna has returned to Dingle and is running her family’s veterinarian practice as her father battles dementia. With a focus on tending for wounded and abused animals, Dimpna cannot tolerate that someone out there is torturing and killing animals and humans alike. This is something both the Garda and Dimpna cannot tolerate and they are on the case. Who is committing such violent and horrible acts and can they stop them before any more living creatures meet the same fate?
The second book in this new series from O’Connor has me hooked! I enjoyed the first one and the second one sealed the deal as well. She brings her characters to life and each book is hard to put down as you’re reading it.
The second book in this new series from O’Connor has me hooked! I enjoyed the first one and the second one sealed the deal as well. She brings her characters to life and each book is hard to put down as you’re reading it.
February 11, 2024
I continue to really like Dingle as a location--author made a VERY interesting choice to have the male character that one assumes is ultimately going to get with the female leader character . A reminder that this is a MYSTERY and not genre romance and different conventions apply!
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August 27, 2023Some of Us Are Looking
Second book in the County Kerry Series
By Carlene O’Connor
Set in Ireland and Irish culture, O’Connor weaves a tight, tense tale of murder and revenge.
Description
In late summer, the Dingle peninsula is thronged with tourists drawn to County Kerry’s dark mountains and deep, lush valleys. For Irish vet Dimpna Wilde, who has returned to run her family’s practice after years away, home is a beautiful but complicated place—especially when it becomes the setting for a brutal murder . . .
In Dimpna Wilde’s veterinary practice, an imminent meteor shower has elevated the usual gossip to include talk of shooting stars and the watch parties that are planned all over Dingle. But there are also matters nearer at hand to discuss—including the ragtag caravan of young people selling wares by the roadside, and the shocking death of Chris Henderson, an elderly local, in a hit-and-run.
Just hours before his death, Henderson had stormed into the Garda Station, complaining loudly about the caravan’s occupants causing noise and disruption. One of their members is a beautiful young woman named Brigid Sweeney, and Dimpna is shocked when Brigid later turns up at her practice, her clothing splattered in blood and an injured hare tucked into her shirt.
Brigid claims that a mysterious stranger has been trying to obtain a lucky rabbit’s foot. Dimpna is incensed at the thought of anyone mutilating animals, but there is far worse in store. On the night of the meteor shower, Dimpna finds Brigid’s body tied to a tree, her left hand severed. She has bled to death. Wrapped around her wrist is a rabbit’s foot.
Brigid had amassed plenty of admirers, and there were tangled relationships within the group. But perhaps there is something more complex than jealousy at play. The rabbit’s foot, the severed hand, the coinciding meteor shower—the deeper Dimpna and Detective Sargeant Cormac O’Brien investigate, the more ominous the signs seem to be, laced with a warning that Dimpna fears it will prove fatal to overlook.
Some of Us Are Looking-Likes
The characters.
First is Dimpna Wilde. Dimpna is a veterinarian and she’s returned home to take over her ailing father’s practice. Dimpna has had a hard life (the story is in No Strangers Here), but she is well on her way to rebuilding it. Her practice is thriving. She may or may not have a potential relationship in the works with Detective Sargent Cormac O’Brian.
Detective Sargent Cormac O’Brian isn’t sure what to make of his relationship with Dimpna either. There’s an attraction there, he thinks, but he’s not sure. He does know he is attracted to her and really doesn’t want her to find out about his latest indiscretion, one he needs to tell Sargent Barbara Neely about and the sooner the better.
Then there’s Sargent Barbara Neely. Instead of retiring, she transferred to the Tralee Garda Station from Dingle and is now regretting her life choices. Elderly Chris Henderson, on his third visit of the week, barged into her office and announced he caught a pervert. Inspector O’Brian obviously has something he needs to tell her, but Henderson interrupted O’Brian before he had a chance to start, and now she has a circus in her office. All before lunch. She has her hands full at the start of the book, but her life is about to get much more difficult when the murders start.
The Murders
First, Chris Henderson is killed in a hit-and-run and witnesses say he was targeted. Then Dr. Wilde discovers the body of Brigid Sweeny. The beautiful young woman had been in the news and in contact with the police as a member of a caravan. Her death is a gruesome one.
Someone has also vandalized shops in Dingle. They’ve chalked messages across several of the shops referencing a cold case from 1944, in England.
The murders take place against the backdrop of the Perseid meteor shower, giving Dr. Wilde, Sargent Neely, and DS O’Brien an endless pool of suspects and a short time to solve the murders. Once the meteor shower is over, the crowds will disperse all over Ireland, the killer going with them.
I really love the immersion into Irish culture and life.
Dislikes
I didn’t really buy into the gravity of O’Brien’s indiscretion, but that didn’t keep me from enjoying this book.
My Thoughts
If you’re familiar with O’Connor’s writing through her Irish Village cozy mystery series, the County Cork series is not that. Some of Us Are Looking is darker in tone than a cozy; the murders are more brutal and more detail is on the page (but not excessive, just enough to give this reader chills). To me it has more of a traditional mystery/thriller slant, but still has Connor’s distinctive sense of humor and complex characters found in her other books. I fell in love with this series with the first book No Strangers Here, and quickly read this one. Recommended.
Thanks to #NetGalley and #Kensington for providing a copy of #SomeOfUsAreLooking for review.
Publishing Information
Published by: Kensington
Imprint: Kensington
368 Pages, 6.00 x 9.00 in
ISBN: 9781496737557
ON SALE: 10/24/2023
FICTION / MYSTERY & DETECTIVE / INTERNATIONAL MYSTERY & CRIME
Second book in the County Kerry Series
By Carlene O’Connor
Set in Ireland and Irish culture, O’Connor weaves a tight, tense tale of murder and revenge.
Description
In late summer, the Dingle peninsula is thronged with tourists drawn to County Kerry’s dark mountains and deep, lush valleys. For Irish vet Dimpna Wilde, who has returned to run her family’s practice after years away, home is a beautiful but complicated place—especially when it becomes the setting for a brutal murder . . .
In Dimpna Wilde’s veterinary practice, an imminent meteor shower has elevated the usual gossip to include talk of shooting stars and the watch parties that are planned all over Dingle. But there are also matters nearer at hand to discuss—including the ragtag caravan of young people selling wares by the roadside, and the shocking death of Chris Henderson, an elderly local, in a hit-and-run.
Just hours before his death, Henderson had stormed into the Garda Station, complaining loudly about the caravan’s occupants causing noise and disruption. One of their members is a beautiful young woman named Brigid Sweeney, and Dimpna is shocked when Brigid later turns up at her practice, her clothing splattered in blood and an injured hare tucked into her shirt.
Brigid claims that a mysterious stranger has been trying to obtain a lucky rabbit’s foot. Dimpna is incensed at the thought of anyone mutilating animals, but there is far worse in store. On the night of the meteor shower, Dimpna finds Brigid’s body tied to a tree, her left hand severed. She has bled to death. Wrapped around her wrist is a rabbit’s foot.
Brigid had amassed plenty of admirers, and there were tangled relationships within the group. But perhaps there is something more complex than jealousy at play. The rabbit’s foot, the severed hand, the coinciding meteor shower—the deeper Dimpna and Detective Sargeant Cormac O’Brien investigate, the more ominous the signs seem to be, laced with a warning that Dimpna fears it will prove fatal to overlook.
Some of Us Are Looking-Likes
The characters.
First is Dimpna Wilde. Dimpna is a veterinarian and she’s returned home to take over her ailing father’s practice. Dimpna has had a hard life (the story is in No Strangers Here), but she is well on her way to rebuilding it. Her practice is thriving. She may or may not have a potential relationship in the works with Detective Sargent Cormac O’Brian.
Detective Sargent Cormac O’Brian isn’t sure what to make of his relationship with Dimpna either. There’s an attraction there, he thinks, but he’s not sure. He does know he is attracted to her and really doesn’t want her to find out about his latest indiscretion, one he needs to tell Sargent Barbara Neely about and the sooner the better.
Then there’s Sargent Barbara Neely. Instead of retiring, she transferred to the Tralee Garda Station from Dingle and is now regretting her life choices. Elderly Chris Henderson, on his third visit of the week, barged into her office and announced he caught a pervert. Inspector O’Brian obviously has something he needs to tell her, but Henderson interrupted O’Brian before he had a chance to start, and now she has a circus in her office. All before lunch. She has her hands full at the start of the book, but her life is about to get much more difficult when the murders start.
The Murders
First, Chris Henderson is killed in a hit-and-run and witnesses say he was targeted. Then Dr. Wilde discovers the body of Brigid Sweeny. The beautiful young woman had been in the news and in contact with the police as a member of a caravan. Her death is a gruesome one.
Someone has also vandalized shops in Dingle. They’ve chalked messages across several of the shops referencing a cold case from 1944, in England.
The murders take place against the backdrop of the Perseid meteor shower, giving Dr. Wilde, Sargent Neely, and DS O’Brien an endless pool of suspects and a short time to solve the murders. Once the meteor shower is over, the crowds will disperse all over Ireland, the killer going with them.
I really love the immersion into Irish culture and life.
Dislikes
I didn’t really buy into the gravity of O’Brien’s indiscretion, but that didn’t keep me from enjoying this book.
My Thoughts
If you’re familiar with O’Connor’s writing through her Irish Village cozy mystery series, the County Cork series is not that. Some of Us Are Looking is darker in tone than a cozy; the murders are more brutal and more detail is on the page (but not excessive, just enough to give this reader chills). To me it has more of a traditional mystery/thriller slant, but still has Connor’s distinctive sense of humor and complex characters found in her other books. I fell in love with this series with the first book No Strangers Here, and quickly read this one. Recommended.
Thanks to #NetGalley and #Kensington for providing a copy of #SomeOfUsAreLooking for review.
Publishing Information
Published by: Kensington
Imprint: Kensington
368 Pages, 6.00 x 9.00 in
ISBN: 9781496737557
ON SALE: 10/24/2023
FICTION / MYSTERY & DETECTIVE / INTERNATIONAL MYSTERY & CRIME
March 15, 2024
Have read many of her “Irish family” stories, and now this is the second in a series of mysteries—and a good one!
October 21, 2023
Dark, twisted and gritty read that will have you sitting up and turning pages as fast as you can read them! A gruesome killer is loose in county Kerry, Ireland and time is counting down until the next person is murdered. In the meantime, the killer is taking them on a twisted trip of false avenues and red herrings! A deep cast of characters that have been well crafted to be both realistic, likable, hateable, frustrating and smart to help add depth to a well written plot that is both entertaining and chilling. This is the second book in the series and you absolutely should read them in order to get a better understanding of the characters and the area, but even if you don't you will enjoy this book! I will add that you'll be missing out on hours of entertainment if you skip book one, but that's your choice. I am absolutely entranced in this series and characters so will be waiting rather impatiently for the next book in the series to be released!
June 17, 2023
This is the second book in the series. No problem reading it as a stand-alone.
Having read both books I think you might want to read the first book prior to this one. Having knowledge of Dimpna past will make you more interested in the various characters.
Detective Sargeant Cormac O’Brien is dealing with the death of his mother but cannot start the grieving process until his two cases (the hit and run killing of an old man and the brutal murder of a young girl) are solved. If this is not enough, he has a tough time understanding his feelings for Dimpna.
Dimpna herself is not sure how she feels about him. So far, her luck in relationships has not been good so understandable she is hesitant to show her emotions.
Her constant worry about her son, who seems increasingly trying to connect to his father’s family, leaves a bitter taste in her mouth and uncertainty about how to manage the situation.
Having read both books I think you might want to read the first book prior to this one. Having knowledge of Dimpna past will make you more interested in the various characters.
Detective Sargeant Cormac O’Brien is dealing with the death of his mother but cannot start the grieving process until his two cases (the hit and run killing of an old man and the brutal murder of a young girl) are solved. If this is not enough, he has a tough time understanding his feelings for Dimpna.
Dimpna herself is not sure how she feels about him. So far, her luck in relationships has not been good so understandable she is hesitant to show her emotions.
Her constant worry about her son, who seems increasingly trying to connect to his father’s family, leaves a bitter taste in her mouth and uncertainty about how to manage the situation.
November 21, 2023
Too much animal violence for me. Too much violence. Sorry I just can’t finish it.
September 19, 2024
I'm still enjoying this series and the characters...and I still want to visit Dingle...but I'm knocking off a star for two reasons. First, there was a continuity error regarding a potential clue which, in a murder story, is kind of a big deal. Secondly, I kept waiting for the two main characters, Cormac and Dimpna, to have a conversation about a certain something and it never happened. Give me the drama! Overall it was still enjoyable and it was a quick read. Now I have to wait until next month for book three.
March 27, 2025
Non so cosa pensare di questo libro... Il primo mi era piaciuto molto, questo lo ho trovato "strano". Il mistero era abbastanza complesso, ma non so perché ho subito istintivamente sospettato della persona giusta: forse è stato questo che mi ha spiazzato...
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December 2, 2023Definitely not for me!! Just started it and too much sexual content and animal cruelty!! 🤢 Yuck!! Only 5% in and not even going to finish it!!
October 30, 2023
Not as good as the first book in this series. In fact, I almost decided not to finish this one. If there is a book three, I won’t be reading it. I really don’t care what happens next to either of the main characters: Dimpna or Cormac!
October 26, 2023
If you haven't "looked" for Carlene O'Connor yet, please do so! Her cozy Irish Village Mystery series is fantastic, and this not-as-cozy County Kerry series is as well.
Some of Us Are Looking is book 2 in this swiftly plotted and executed series. It is a darker read and quite engaging. Dimpna, recently returned home to Dingle to practice veterinary medicine with her father, but in this book she encounters a "creature" of another kind.
The scene is set with a massive meteor shower, a particularly interesting caravan group, giant dogs gaining freedom, an elderly man just trying to protect foxes, while a voyeur with binoculars watches from the trees...
Dimpna crosses paths with multiple people aforementioned and discovers a body...thus thrust into this case. Her smarts, inner strength, and size set her apart and showcase her sleuthing skills. I would love to know Dimpna IRL. Keep "looking"for this author/book and enjoy!
Some of Us Are Looking is book 2 in this swiftly plotted and executed series. It is a darker read and quite engaging. Dimpna, recently returned home to Dingle to practice veterinary medicine with her father, but in this book she encounters a "creature" of another kind.
The scene is set with a massive meteor shower, a particularly interesting caravan group, giant dogs gaining freedom, an elderly man just trying to protect foxes, while a voyeur with binoculars watches from the trees...
Dimpna crosses paths with multiple people aforementioned and discovers a body...thus thrust into this case. Her smarts, inner strength, and size set her apart and showcase her sleuthing skills. I would love to know Dimpna IRL. Keep "looking"for this author/book and enjoy!
May 1, 2024
I was really excited for this one when it was announced. I had just finished the first one and couldn't wait to get back to Dingle. What a great sequel. I will be looking for and pre-ordering the next one. There were so many new characters cropping up in this one and O'Connor does a great job balancing them. I really enjoyed jumping from one character's story to the next and seeing how they were all connected. Some may complain or find it unrealistic but I love how integrated Dimpna is in now two police investigations. I hope she continues to somehow find herself in the rest of the series as traumatizing as it may be for her. This sequel kept building on everything from the first book but nothing was lost if the first book wasn't read. The dialog was seamless and colorful with phrases and syntex of Irish culture. If you're looking for an easy and enjoyable read you gotta check out this new series.
January 4, 2024
Excellent mystery. Definitely can be a stand-alone read. In late summer, a small community in Ireland, finds themselves dealing with two unusual deaths, both were murdered. An elderly man is a victim of hit and run while walking along the road. Shortly thereafter, a young woman is found tied to a tree with her left hand severed. The local police have their hands full with tourists, a caravan of young people parked in the car park and now these two deaths to solve. The local veterinarian, Dimpna Wilde, has returned home after recently taking over her father's practice as he has dementia. Dimpna becomes involved in the hit and run death as a mother fox and her cub were part of the accident. However, her involvement is just beginning in this story. Detective Cormac and Veely will seek her assistance several times throughout the story because of the various animals that are indeed part of the story. Excellent development of characters to flush out the picture of Dingle Peninsula and the inclusion of animals to humanize the people. Definitely recommend.
April 18, 2024
3.5 - 4 stars ..2nd in a series and even better than the first. I love the setting as much as the story. If you like mysteries set in Ireland, and maybe have tried Ms O’Connor’s other series and enjoy it (this one is much darker). Recommend it if you enjoy twists and turns, characters that become memorable without a lot of blood and gore (nothing wrong if you do just sharing that this is not that).
February 21, 2024
This book felt like it was kinda dragging for the first 35% and then I felt like I finally could differentiate characters and had their stories straight and I really enjoyed the latter half of the book.
2 detectives, a veterinarian and her family, small Irish town, caravaners. It was a quirky mystery and overall worth the read.
2 detectives, a veterinarian and her family, small Irish town, caravaners. It was a quirky mystery and overall worth the read.
December 16, 2024
I won this book in a giveaway. So I read the first book in the series before reading this one. I really liked the first one better, but this one was also a good read. I love the fact that Dimpna is a veterinarian. Love all the animals! Clever mysteries with likable main characters. I’ll definitely continue with the series.
February 28, 2024
holy crap
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