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Killer Croquet on the Emerald Isle: An Irish Adventure Mystery with Friends, Rivalries, and a Deadly Game
Four friends play a game of croquet on their tour of Ireland. . . and another husband bites the dust.
The Arkansas 4 win a trip to the Emerald Isle with a group of Bluff Springs compatriots. Amy, Zelda, Genna, and Rian dream of castle ruins, fairy houses, and the hunt for Rian's roots. But when a wedding ends in murder, Amy befriends the Garda Síochána to help solve the crime. When is a maid not a maid? That's the riddle Amy must solve before the killer can be brought to justice as the handsome Garda O'Shannon hopes.
Amy soon discovers everyone has something to hide, including her friend Doris. Suspects mount and so do the bodies, threatening to ruin their visit to the Emerald Isle. Between the croquet theme and the banshee screams, Amy realizes her precognitive snippets have followed her to Ireland. And, maybe even brought her closer to her family roots. Could her grandmother hail from an ancient Celtic tribe? Will Rian find her long-lost clan? It's all within the realm possibilities in the land of lore, legend, and flannel.
The Arkansas 4 win a trip to the Emerald Isle with a group of Bluff Springs compatriots. Amy, Zelda, Genna, and Rian dream of castle ruins, fairy houses, and the hunt for Rian's roots. But when a wedding ends in murder, Amy befriends the Garda Síochána to help solve the crime. When is a maid not a maid? That's the riddle Amy must solve before the killer can be brought to justice as the handsome Garda O'Shannon hopes.
Amy soon discovers everyone has something to hide, including her friend Doris. Suspects mount and so do the bodies, threatening to ruin their visit to the Emerald Isle. Between the croquet theme and the banshee screams, Amy realizes her precognitive snippets have followed her to Ireland. And, maybe even brought her closer to her family roots. Could her grandmother hail from an ancient Celtic tribe? Will Rian find her long-lost clan? It's all within the realm possibilities in the land of lore, legend, and flannel.
291 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 20, 2024
5 people are currently reading
20 people want to read
About the author
Jane Elzey
7 books248 followersJane Elzey’s Cardboard Cottage Mystery series follows four unlikely friends whose game night leads to laughter… and a murder. Her novels celebrate strong female friendships, small-town life, and quirky Southern sass. It’s the perfect score for readers who like their cozy mysteries clever, funny, and a teeny bit daring.
A former journalist turned novelist, Jane Elzey writes with a storyteller’s heart, creating settings and characters so authentic they seem real. Readers describe her as “Evanovich with a Southern drawl” with equal parts wit, humor, and heart in a classic whodunit. Her stories are part murder, part mischief, and entirely entertaining.
Jane lives in the Arkansas Ozarks with her feline family, where she’s either writing, digging in the garden, or plotting her next killer game.
Join Jane's VIP Mystery Club at JaneElzey.com.
A former journalist turned novelist, Jane Elzey writes with a storyteller’s heart, creating settings and characters so authentic they seem real. Readers describe her as “Evanovich with a Southern drawl” with equal parts wit, humor, and heart in a classic whodunit. Her stories are part murder, part mischief, and entirely entertaining.
Jane lives in the Arkansas Ozarks with her feline family, where she’s either writing, digging in the garden, or plotting her next killer game.
Join Jane's VIP Mystery Club at JaneElzey.com.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
December 10, 2024
Killer Croquet on the Emerald Isle
Book 4 in The Cardboard Cottage Mystery series, Killer Croquet is a murder mystery set in Ireland.
Four friends - Amy, Zelda, Gemma and Rian- come to Ireland for a holiday. They are part of a delegation from Arkansas. While they settle into their beautiful hotel and explore County Cork, a maid is found murdered outside their room. While the murder is being investigated by the Garda (the Irish police force) the four friends - no stranger to death - discover anomalies and get drawn into the search for the killer.
Who was this maid that the hotel didn’t have a record of? Why was she in a uniform so uncomfortably tight? Why was she wearing expensive Italian shoes? What was her connection to the rich banker/ toxic white man in the group?
And what is the reason for the underlying tensions in the wider group?
When the detestable Dick Collins encounters bees in his room one day, and has an allergic reaction to something another day, it seems like someone is out to get him. And there is no dearth of suspects considering how poisonous Dick has been in his climb to power.
And when Dick does collapse, seemingly from an allergen, even the jab from the epi pen is not able to revive him.
Was this murder times two? Are the deaths related?
I loved the Irish setting, the easy banter and close friendship between the Arkansas Four. I could read this book as a standalone.
I would definitely look for the other books in this series!
Thank you NetGalley and Jane Elzey for a free advanced copy.
3.5 stars
Book 4 in The Cardboard Cottage Mystery series, Killer Croquet is a murder mystery set in Ireland.
Four friends - Amy, Zelda, Gemma and Rian- come to Ireland for a holiday. They are part of a delegation from Arkansas. While they settle into their beautiful hotel and explore County Cork, a maid is found murdered outside their room. While the murder is being investigated by the Garda (the Irish police force) the four friends - no stranger to death - discover anomalies and get drawn into the search for the killer.
Who was this maid that the hotel didn’t have a record of? Why was she in a uniform so uncomfortably tight? Why was she wearing expensive Italian shoes? What was her connection to the rich banker/ toxic white man in the group?
And what is the reason for the underlying tensions in the wider group?
When the detestable Dick Collins encounters bees in his room one day, and has an allergic reaction to something another day, it seems like someone is out to get him. And there is no dearth of suspects considering how poisonous Dick has been in his climb to power.
And when Dick does collapse, seemingly from an allergen, even the jab from the epi pen is not able to revive him.
Was this murder times two? Are the deaths related?
I loved the Irish setting, the easy banter and close friendship between the Arkansas Four. I could read this book as a standalone.
I would definitely look for the other books in this series!
Thank you NetGalley and Jane Elzey for a free advanced copy.
3.5 stars
March 25, 2024
The embodiment of the entire cozy mystery genre. I absolutely adored this book - I gobbled it up in 2 days! I was hooked by the first chapter; but the cover and title are what drew me in initially. I'm so thankful to have had the opportunity to read this as an ARC! Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity!
April 12, 2024
I received this in Kindle format as an ARC in exchange for an honest review:
This is book four in the Cardboard Cottage Mystery Series, a series I have never had the opportunity to read. The first three will be going to on my TBR!
This series is the embodiment of a cozy mystery series. The ladies take a trip to Ireland, and it seems that every time they travel a murder happens- it sounds like its always a husband based on the conversations about previous books.
This is the book I read curled up in bed at night when I needed something light but fun to read that would not give me nightmares or stress.
The ladies have nice banter, the mystery keeps you on your toes and the geography and events even have you glancing at a map and planning a trip.
I will definitely recommend to my mother and friends who love cozy reads.
This is book four in the Cardboard Cottage Mystery Series, a series I have never had the opportunity to read. The first three will be going to on my TBR!
This series is the embodiment of a cozy mystery series. The ladies take a trip to Ireland, and it seems that every time they travel a murder happens- it sounds like its always a husband based on the conversations about previous books.
This is the book I read curled up in bed at night when I needed something light but fun to read that would not give me nightmares or stress.
The ladies have nice banter, the mystery keeps you on your toes and the geography and events even have you glancing at a map and planning a trip.
I will definitely recommend to my mother and friends who love cozy reads.
April 16, 2024
When four friends win a trip to Ireland they are looking forward to a good time, beautiful landscapes, adventurous days out and Irish mythology. There dream holiday soon turns into a nightmare after a premonition like dream becomes reality and a wild wedding turns into murder. The four amateur sleuthers befriend the local police and find themselves on the hunt for a killer before the time runs out and they become the next targets.
This book is the next instalment in the cardboard cottage series and although I really enjoyed the book, I think I would have enjoyed it even more if I had read the previous books prior to reading this one. That's not to say that you cant read it as a standalone because you can but I think I would have felt more connected to the characters if I had and I do plan on going back and the reading them.
This contemporary cosy mystery had me hooked from the very beginning the plot was fantastic and the story was filled with twists and turns that I didn't see coming, every time I thought I had guessed what was happening another part of the puzzle would slot into place to make you think something entirely different.
As well as the brilliant mystery component the story was also filled with beautiful descriptions of the Irish landscape, the history and culture of Ireland, hilarious scenes of the groups antics and a truly wonderful connection between friends and chosen family.
I highly recommend this book and cant wait to get started on the rest of the series.
Thank you netgalley and Jane Elzey for this Arc of killer croquet on the emerald isle
This book is the next instalment in the cardboard cottage series and although I really enjoyed the book, I think I would have enjoyed it even more if I had read the previous books prior to reading this one. That's not to say that you cant read it as a standalone because you can but I think I would have felt more connected to the characters if I had and I do plan on going back and the reading them.
This contemporary cosy mystery had me hooked from the very beginning the plot was fantastic and the story was filled with twists and turns that I didn't see coming, every time I thought I had guessed what was happening another part of the puzzle would slot into place to make you think something entirely different.
As well as the brilliant mystery component the story was also filled with beautiful descriptions of the Irish landscape, the history and culture of Ireland, hilarious scenes of the groups antics and a truly wonderful connection between friends and chosen family.
I highly recommend this book and cant wait to get started on the rest of the series.
Thank you netgalley and Jane Elzey for this Arc of killer croquet on the emerald isle
April 18, 2024
My love and fascination for all things Irish, especially after my recent visit to Ireland is what initially drew me to this book. I was quickly engaged in the story and did not want to put it down. I found that this is the fourth of a series. I was able to jump right in and lose myself in the story.
Amy and her friends Genna, Zelda and Rian had earned a trip to Ireland with their local Chamber of Commerce in Bluff Springs Arkansas. They were looking forward to two weeks of sightseeing, finding Irish roots and enjoying the culture. They were able to shop, crash a wedding, play a game of croquet, oh yes, and find a dead body!
Amy had a premonition of what was to come and is determined to solve the murder, even if a certain handsome local police officer has told them to not meddle in the case. There are plenty of suspects and a lot of shenanigans going on.
I also loved that you felt as if you were traveling and seeing Ireland right along with Amy and the crew. This has become one of my favorite cozies. My only complaint is that now I have to go find the first three books and read them!
Thank you to NetGalley and Scorpia Cartus Press for the opportunity to read this book.
Amy and her friends Genna, Zelda and Rian had earned a trip to Ireland with their local Chamber of Commerce in Bluff Springs Arkansas. They were looking forward to two weeks of sightseeing, finding Irish roots and enjoying the culture. They were able to shop, crash a wedding, play a game of croquet, oh yes, and find a dead body!
Amy had a premonition of what was to come and is determined to solve the murder, even if a certain handsome local police officer has told them to not meddle in the case. There are plenty of suspects and a lot of shenanigans going on.
I also loved that you felt as if you were traveling and seeing Ireland right along with Amy and the crew. This has become one of my favorite cozies. My only complaint is that now I have to go find the first three books and read them!
Thank you to NetGalley and Scorpia Cartus Press for the opportunity to read this book.
February 11, 2024
A delightful contemporary cozy mystery from the Cardboard Cottage Series (number 4 and I am very much inspired to read the previous books!)
Amy and her friends fly over the big Atlantic puddle to Ireland on a trip of a lifetime, excited to experiene Ireland and seek out Rians roots. Amy, Genna, Rian and Zelda (and Doris) all play a role in this book and let's not forget Garda O'Shannon. Croquet, Murder and Mysterious Maids abound!
It is always fun when Americans tour Ireland as we are reminded of the wonder of the ancient history we take for granted in the UK. Aside from the fantastically woven storyline that kept me guessing all the way, I found myself chuckling at the antics and comentarry of the friends. The descriptions of the landscape were breathtaking and the connections between the ladies heartwarming.
A delightful read and another author to add to my contemporary cozy tbr!
Thank you to Netgalley, Jane Elzey and Scorpius Carta Press for this delightful arc. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own
January 21, 2024
I jumped into this book a little quick only to find out it was book four in a series. It really didn't matter and only a few references to similar crimes in previous books were used so it could be used as a stand alone book too. I found the book disjointed. There was a lot of details in the book that just didn't have a lot to do with the plot. A murder happens and they are discussing the suspects then out of the blue lets go shopping or to an Irish pub and find men. The added storyline about finding a long lost family line was fun, but just buried in the added fluff. I felt like it jumped around a lot then when a pertinent fact about the murder came up it was mentioned then the story jumped to some inert touristy stuff. The murder mystery was fun and well thought out but got a bit lost with all the side tangents
January 30, 2024
In this next installment of the Cardboard Cottage Mysteries, the ladies are off on a trip to Ireland. The way the author wrote about their trip, it made me want to pack a bag for the Emerald Isle. As I read, I was looking up each place they went to and the author was really able to capture that beauty on the page. But if you have read the rest of the books in this series you know the husband always dies, so once again our girls were at it working to solve this crime before it was time to leave the country! I really enjoy the characters from these books and I’m excited for the next one!!
February 1, 2024
Another great book about murder, mystery, and four friends. I enjoyed the main story and the subplots, but sometimes things felt out of place, a major plot point happens and then too quickly one of the subplots comes into play. I think the placements would have made the book perfect. Jane did an amazing job of describing Ireland, I truly felt like I was there and I could hear the accents of the local characters in my head. All in all it was a great read that had me guessing and re-guessing until the end! I can’t wait for the next adventure and the next wasband ;)
April 25, 2024
Want to Read More in the Series
This is the fourth book in a series and the first one I read. It definitely works as a stand alone, I wasn't confused at all. It was a great story, of course I love all things Celtic so I may be a little bias. This work was intriguing enough that I want to read more of Elzey's stuff, even if it's not Celtic based. The descriptions were wonderful and the main character, Amy, was relatable. There were also characters I didn't like the personality of, so much so I hoped they would get murdered. You should read this book to find out if they do.
This is the fourth book in a series and the first one I read. It definitely works as a stand alone, I wasn't confused at all. It was a great story, of course I love all things Celtic so I may be a little bias. This work was intriguing enough that I want to read more of Elzey's stuff, even if it's not Celtic based. The descriptions were wonderful and the main character, Amy, was relatable. There were also characters I didn't like the personality of, so much so I hoped they would get murdered. You should read this book to find out if they do.
February 18, 2024
Very entertaining cozy mystery. This is the first book I have read by this author and I will definitely be reading more by her. I normally would start at the beginning of the series, but I had no issue jumping right into this book. 4 friends, two murders and Ireland! I loved the interplay of the characters, the amateur sleuthing, and a cozy isolated resorted. This book has something for everyone and even includes found family.
April 19, 2024
This was a fun read. I'd love the chance to go on an adventure with these characters just to see what kind of trouble we could get into.
The mystery was well-planned with plenty of red herrings along the way and it didn't end the way I thought it would.
This was the first book I read in the series. It does act as a standalone but I will be going back to read the others to see what I may have missed with these quirky, loveable ladies.
The mystery was well-planned with plenty of red herrings along the way and it didn't end the way I thought it would.
This was the first book I read in the series. It does act as a standalone but I will be going back to read the others to see what I may have missed with these quirky, loveable ladies.
February 7, 2024
What a fun book I loved Killer Croquet on the Emerald Isle Jane Elzey has a winner. I felt like I was on vacation along with the Arkansas Four visiting the Blarney Castle and kissing the Blarney Stone. There was a lot of excitement, fun games to play and a murder to solve for Amy and her friends.
I recommend this book and look forward to reading the next one.
I recommend this book and look forward to reading the next one.
May 2, 2024
I was given a review copy of this book and I thought it to be a fun read, despite the murder.
I liked the relationships and banter between the friends and their outlook on life. It always seems to be the husband who dies...
This story had a good writing style threaded with humour and mystery.
Worth a look.
I liked the relationships and banter between the friends and their outlook on life. It always seems to be the husband who dies...
This story had a good writing style threaded with humour and mystery.
Worth a look.
February 15, 2024
I received a free advance review copy of this book and am voluntarily providing my honest review. While the friends are on a free trip to Ireland they get involved in yet another mystery. I really enjoyed this book and recommend it.
April 20, 2024
Amy and her friends are enjoying a trip to Ireland. When someone is murdered, they can’t resist investigating. I enjoyed the camaraderie Amy has with her friends as they puzzle out whodunnit. I read an early copy of this book and these are my opinions.
April 22, 2024
This was a fun adventurous read! Never a dull moment! Loved how it was so easy to fall into the story from reality!
May 12, 2024
Brilliant . Great writing style . Good try at Irish lingo insights. When the 4 friends from Arkansas America embark on a winners from Bluff Springs compatriots trip to the Emerald Isle they encounter a dead body of a maid bent over her cleaning cart outside their room. Amy has been having snippets and it’s proving it’s real when she dreams of banshee screams and dead black croquet balls she doesn’t like this at all but has she found her roots? Rain is on her own quest to discover the clan Deis anything can happen in the land of flannel and blarney . But who is the killer ? Is the victim a spy? Why? Great story a lots of twists and stings in the tail and an inept Gardai….i was forwarded this great book and I’m leaving my review voluntary and in my own words
April 25, 2024
This is book 4 in a series, which I hadn’t read the prior 3. I think I could have gotten more back story on the characters if I had read the others prior. There was a lot of back and forth, not knowing who could be the murderer. I really enjoyed reading about the different places the group ventured out to see in Ireland. It took a little bit of reading for me to really be hooked.
April 21, 2024
A group of folks from Arkansas win the trip of a lifetime to Ireland. Amongst those are four close friends: Amy, Zelda, Rian and Genna. Amy has premonitions of bad things to come and soon thereafter a maid is murdered and a husband dies.
This cozy mystery is the fourth in a series but is also listed as a standalone book. If you’re considering reading, I would recommend reading the first three prior. While not necessary to understand this story, I think it might be nice for character development to have the history. It seems, the friends take trips and a husband dies on each. What follows is this group of amateur sleuths investigating to solve the case.
The descriptions of Ireland were wonderful. If you enjoy light-hearted mysteries and warm friendships then you’ll likely enjoy this book.
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This cozy mystery is the fourth in a series but is also listed as a standalone book. If you’re considering reading, I would recommend reading the first three prior. While not necessary to understand this story, I think it might be nice for character development to have the history. It seems, the friends take trips and a husband dies on each. What follows is this group of amateur sleuths investigating to solve the case.
The descriptions of Ireland were wonderful. If you enjoy light-hearted mysteries and warm friendships then you’ll likely enjoy this book.
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews