What do you think?
Rate this book
Irish Castle Mystery #2
Death at an Irish Wedding
Bridal wear designer-turned-entrepreneur Rayne McGrath remains in the Irish countryside ready for some wedding mayhem in this charming and colorful cozy, perfect for fans of Carlene O’Connor and Sheila Connolly.
Rayne McGrath’s efforts to save the rundown family castle she inherited were an epic failure after she accidentally set fire to the tower and tanked the budget. Is the castle haunted, or is she just unlucky? Meanwhile, her cousin, Ciara Smith, is anxiously booking their joint calendar with special events in the hopes of bringing the property around before they lose everything.
When a bridalwear client from LA asks Rayne for help as her guest list spirals out of control, Rayne nabs the answer to her prayers. McGrath Castle is the perfect destination for the exclusive and intimate wedding party of heiress Tori Montgomery and her fiancé, heartthrob actor Jake Anderson. But this white veil occasion turns into a nightmare when Tori’s best friend’s assistant, Tiffany Quick, is found dead.
It’s feared Tiffany jumped from the tower, but that theory is quickly put in doubt as secrets within the wedding party come to light. And as the villagers protest this new wedding venue venture, Rayne begins to wonder if she will succeed in her endeavor or lose it all.
Rayne McGrath’s efforts to save the rundown family castle she inherited were an epic failure after she accidentally set fire to the tower and tanked the budget. Is the castle haunted, or is she just unlucky? Meanwhile, her cousin, Ciara Smith, is anxiously booking their joint calendar with special events in the hopes of bringing the property around before they lose everything.
When a bridalwear client from LA asks Rayne for help as her guest list spirals out of control, Rayne nabs the answer to her prayers. McGrath Castle is the perfect destination for the exclusive and intimate wedding party of heiress Tori Montgomery and her fiancé, heartthrob actor Jake Anderson. But this white veil occasion turns into a nightmare when Tori’s best friend’s assistant, Tiffany Quick, is found dead.
It’s feared Tiffany jumped from the tower, but that theory is quickly put in doubt as secrets within the wedding party come to light. And as the villagers protest this new wedding venue venture, Rayne begins to wonder if she will succeed in her endeavor or lose it all.
Audible Audio
First published December 10, 2024
37 people are currently reading
229 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
December 10, 2024
This is the second book in the Irish Castle Mystery series. I have not read the first book but it was easy to follow the story anyway.
Rayne is an American wedding dress designer who is in Ireland helping her cousin, Ciara, to save their family castle. They are running a recently opened wedding venue complete with accommodation. A mysterious death occurs, and Rayne sets out to solve the crime and save her business.
It is an easy to read, cozy mystery with some fun characters. I enjoyed it.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Rayne is an American wedding dress designer who is in Ireland helping her cousin, Ciara, to save their family castle. They are running a recently opened wedding venue complete with accommodation. A mysterious death occurs, and Rayne sets out to solve the crime and save her business.
It is an easy to read, cozy mystery with some fun characters. I enjoyed it.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
December 9, 2024
Rayne McGrath and Ciara Smith - cousins - were determined to save the Irish McGrath castle - which they had inherited. The trick to it all was they had to live there for a year, renovating the castle while making money, and saving the small village which was connected to the castle. Their first effort had failed dismally, but the plan of holding weddings in the luxury of the ancient castle held merit. Their first wedding between US hotel heiress Tori Montgomery, and handsome actor Jake Anderson, and the big money attached saw Rayne and Ciara juggling so many balls in the air, they wondered what would fall first. But it was the death of an assistant which started the downhill run.
With the Garda at the castle interviewing all the players, and spats breaking out between all those who were "supposed to be friends", Rayne was beginning to think someone was out to sabotage the wedding. Would the events of the three day weekend continue as planned? Or was worse to follow?
Death at an Irish Wedding is the 2nd in the Irish Castle Mystery series by Ellie Brannigan and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I do think book 1 needs to be read first, as for me, it made it easier to follow. Rayne is a strong, determined character, while her cousin Ciara, is feisty and says what she thinks - always. They make a good team. I'm looking forward to #3 in the series when it's published and recommend this one highly.
With thanks to NetGalley & Crooked Lane Books for my digital ARC to read and review.
With the Garda at the castle interviewing all the players, and spats breaking out between all those who were "supposed to be friends", Rayne was beginning to think someone was out to sabotage the wedding. Would the events of the three day weekend continue as planned? Or was worse to follow?
Death at an Irish Wedding is the 2nd in the Irish Castle Mystery series by Ellie Brannigan and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I do think book 1 needs to be read first, as for me, it made it easier to follow. Rayne is a strong, determined character, while her cousin Ciara, is feisty and says what she thinks - always. They make a good team. I'm looking forward to #3 in the series when it's published and recommend this one highly.
With thanks to NetGalley & Crooked Lane Books for my digital ARC to read and review.
October 8, 2024
I received a free copy of, Death at an Irish Wedding, by Ellie Brannigan, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I have been to a lot of Irish weddings, none with a death though. Rayne McGrath is trying to save her family castle, but she ended up setting fire to it instead. Rayne is asked to help at a wedding at McGrath Castle, and she thinks her prayers have been answered, until Tiffany is found dead. This was an enjoyable read.
December 9, 2024
Review coming soon.
September 14, 2024
I loved this story right down to the small Irish village, the people (even if they were being rude and protesting the wedding venue), Rayne, her cousin Ciara and her puppy Blarney I really enjoyed all the family dynamics and not all family is blood.
Overall I just loved how the story made me feel and by the end I was smiling, cheering on Rayne and wondering what life had in store for her next.
The mystery is interesting and well plotted, and had plenty of twists to keep engaged right to the very end. I kept guessing and second-guessing myself but I was right on who the killer was.
I highly recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I requested and received an advance readers copy from Crooked Lane and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Overall I just loved how the story made me feel and by the end I was smiling, cheering on Rayne and wondering what life had in store for her next.
The mystery is interesting and well plotted, and had plenty of twists to keep engaged right to the very end. I kept guessing and second-guessing myself but I was right on who the killer was.
I highly recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I requested and received an advance readers copy from Crooked Lane and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
June 3, 2024
#DeathatanIrishWedding #NetGalley is the first book I've read by this author and I found it to be quite interesting.
Rayne and her cousin Ciara are trying to save the family castle, so when they have the opportunity to host a celebrity's wedding, they jump at the chance.
Unfortunately things turn bad when a death sets free a spiral of twisted secrets.
I'm looking forward to reading more in this series.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.
Rayne and her cousin Ciara are trying to save the family castle, so when they have the opportunity to host a celebrity's wedding, they jump at the chance.
Unfortunately things turn bad when a death sets free a spiral of twisted secrets.
I'm looking forward to reading more in this series.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.
December 11, 2024
"Death at an Irish Wedding (Irish Castle Mystery #2)" by Ellie Brannigan sees Carlene, her cousin and the whole castle crew getting ready and hosting a top secret celebrity wedding. Then, the night before the actual wedding, one of the guests is found at the base of the tower that previously had a fire. All that bad luck in one place is adding fuel to the fire of some of the villagers who don't think the castle should be a wedding venue.
This one is a bit different in that Charlene doesn't always seem to be actively trying to investigate at times. She's either just making a highly observant observation or a clue lands in her lap. There are a few moments of traditional cozy mystery main character snooping too.
This one is a bit different in that Charlene doesn't always seem to be actively trying to investigate at times. She's either just making a highly observant observation or a clue lands in her lap. There are a few moments of traditional cozy mystery main character snooping too.
December 21, 2025
What I really enjoyed about this book the most was that it was a murder mystery with a setting in Ireland. The identity of the murderer was not apparent to me until the end of the book, and that is a huge plus. The new characters were the wedding party (who were rich people as well as famous actors and actresses) and their assistants. Surprisingly, the bride and maid of honor were best friends, yet they acted like anything but that! I was also amazed at the secrets that they all kept from one another! Of course, they were wealthy and famous, and apparently, they have different social pressures than we common people experience. I look forward to reading the next book in this mystery series.
November 25, 2024
I had found the first book in the series quite exciting, but this second installment felt a bit less compelling. I wasn't drawn into it like I did for the first one. Having said that, I'll be happy to check out the next one. I thought it was a great idea to include the brief recap at the beginning to refresh our memories about what had happened previously. Keep doing it, it's rare but always appreciated!
January 3, 2025
Why oh why do I keep reading books I don’t like? Is this a naïve hope that at some point in the book the story will get better or the characters more agreeable?
I couldn’t really get into this one. For a start, there are too many characters in most scenes. Sure, there’s a wedding party of eight (and they all arrive together) and there is staff, each with different tasks, to assist the guest, but did all of these people need to be introduced (name and description of physical attributes and other tokens) in the same scene?
There’s a level of detail in the descriptions that distracts from the main action. While the police are securing the possible crime scene the narrative says:
Then one of the guests gets killed. And all the guests turn out to be rather unlikeable people. Jake (and his entourage) seem to be more concerned with how publicity concerning the wedding will affect his career than with the feelings of his bride. Apperently, Jake is stuck in some kind of studio system where a pregnancy could ruin his career. (He’s a man! Doing action movies. It’s not like his belly will get in the way of being kick-ass. His fan base probably does not care either.)
Rayne and Ciara want to make their ancestral home into a money maker by turning it into a wedding venue. With you on that one: castles for weddings is a romcom trope. For some reason it means the participate in all activities of the guests. Why? It’s not like the guests were impressed with having an actual Lady at their table, nor did Rayne and Ciara strike up some rapport with the guests that enabled them to snoop to solve the mystery.
For that matter, very little snooping is done. Rayne is mostly concerned with altering a wedding dress and sorting through other last minute wedding stress, and speculating about who could have killed Tiffany (and speculating about who has sexual or romantic interest in who).
The twist were the motive becomes clear was a surprise, but at the same time rather pathetic.
Except for the phones with camera and the mention of wifi, a lot of things made it seem like this story was set in the 1950s
I read an ARC through NetGalley.
I couldn’t really get into this one. For a start, there are too many characters in most scenes. Sure, there’s a wedding party of eight (and they all arrive together) and there is staff, each with different tasks, to assist the guest, but did all of these people need to be introduced (name and description of physical attributes and other tokens) in the same scene?
There’s a level of detail in the descriptions that distracts from the main action. While the police are securing the possible crime scene the narrative says:
His pale fingers had a dusting of blond hair.It was around midnight and cloudy; how could anyone have noticed this?
Then one of the guests gets killed. And all the guests turn out to be rather unlikeable people. Jake (and his entourage) seem to be more concerned with how publicity concerning the wedding will affect his career than with the feelings of his bride. Apperently, Jake is stuck in some kind of studio system where a pregnancy could ruin his career. (He’s a man! Doing action movies. It’s not like his belly will get in the way of being kick-ass. His fan base probably does not care either.)
Rayne and Ciara want to make their ancestral home into a money maker by turning it into a wedding venue. With you on that one: castles for weddings is a romcom trope. For some reason it means the participate in all activities of the guests. Why? It’s not like the guests were impressed with having an actual Lady at their table, nor did Rayne and Ciara strike up some rapport with the guests that enabled them to snoop to solve the mystery.
For that matter, very little snooping is done. Rayne is mostly concerned with altering a wedding dress and sorting through other last minute wedding stress, and speculating about who could have killed Tiffany (and speculating about who has sexual or romantic interest in who).
The twist were the motive becomes clear was a surprise, but at the same time rather pathetic.
Except for the phones with camera and the mention of wifi, a lot of things made it seem like this story was set in the 1950s
I read an ARC through NetGalley.
January 27, 2025
I really enjoyed to first book in this series. This one: not so much. The series is about a bridal designer, Rayne McGrath, who was scammed by her business partner, lost her business and all her savings, inherits an Irish castle, McGrath Castle, and the responsibility for the surrounding village and a mandate to make a profit in order to keep the castle. She also inherited a cousin, Ciana Smith, as a partner in the castle who was not keen at first at the idea to turn the castle into a wedding destination. This book is about their first wedding and, of course, the next murder. I wasn't impressed with "Death at an Irish Wedding." It could have taken place just about anywhere, hardly any Irish flavor and I didn't care for most of the characters, especially the wedding party, who were a bunch of entitled jerks. I do have to say that the ending and the baddie were great, but having to slog through the whole book to get to the good ending was no fun.
What I did like was that Rayne and Ciana are working together in making McGrath Castle a profitable business. These two are growing from enemies into the best of friends and cousins. They have each other's backs, and each is beginning to respect the abilities of the other. I also liked he slow developing attraction between Rayne and Amos, the property manager. No sparks flying, but a definite smolder. Should be fun to see this relationship kindle into a proper fire. Ciana is unbending toward Garda Dominic Williams, a past lover who believed, for a time, that she had murdered her father. Blarney, an Irish Setter pup, stole the show - I loved him!
What I did like was that Rayne and Ciana are working together in making McGrath Castle a profitable business. These two are growing from enemies into the best of friends and cousins. They have each other's backs, and each is beginning to respect the abilities of the other. I also liked he slow developing attraction between Rayne and Amos, the property manager. No sparks flying, but a definite smolder. Should be fun to see this relationship kindle into a proper fire. Ciana is unbending toward Garda Dominic Williams, a past lover who believed, for a time, that she had murdered her father. Blarney, an Irish Setter pup, stole the show - I loved him!
July 15, 2024
Loved! Loved! Loved! This is an atypical murder/mystery. Second book in a series of Irish Castle Murders. I don’t feel like I missed anything by not having read the first book. This one stands quite well on its own. Central characters, cousins, Rayne and Ciara McGrath. Inherit the castle from Ciara’s father, upon his untimely death in the last book. Rayne moves to Ireland and learns that it is stipulated in the will that the girls are to have the castle firmly in the black and they are also to save the village of McGrath from itself by not allowing the villagers to stay firmly against becoming progressive in the world. First Tara follows Rayne to Ireland and has asked to have a secret wedding there with only those who are trusted to keep the wedding a secret.. The girls had decided to turn the castle into a destination wedding and retreat venue and they had asked Tara if they could use some of her approved wedding pictures in their wedding brochures. Each meal would be centered around Irish food and traditions, ending with a large Medieval Irish feast, bonfire and Celtic dancing. The castle was equipped with medieval furniture throughout the centuries. andeven bejeweled placewares. I ,definitely recommend this as a must read. I am looking forward to reading the rest in the series and any other books by Ellie Brannigan, my newest favorite author. Thanks to the following for allowing me to read an early unedited version for which I am giving my own personal opinions.
#NetGalley,
#CrookedLaneBoos
#EllieBrennan
Publication Date: December 10, 2024
#NetGalley,
#CrookedLaneBoos
#EllieBrennan
Publication Date: December 10, 2024
April 6, 2025
A cozy mystery in a castle in Ireland that will have you turning pages until the wee hours of the morning if you aren't watching the time! You'll keep saying just one more chapter until you have finished the book as you can't wait to see what happens next. Rayne and Ciara are in desperate need of a win so they can refill their dwindling coffers and launch their destination wedding plan at the castle, but when one of the VIP guests ends up dead and other weird events happen, it becomes clear that not everyone wants them to succeed or for the hush-hush wedding to proceed! So many twists and turns to keep you guessing and changing your mind on "whodunit" that you won't be able to stop reading until you have devoured the last word on the last page. I thought this was going to be a good series after I read the first book, but now I am convinced this is going to be a great series and can't wait to devour the next book in the series!
Read
August 17, 2024It’s so nice having Rayne and Ciara get along much better in this book! That’s what I was hoping for when I read the first book, so I really enjoyed how well they work together now. I like the overarching set up of these two cousins needing to get the castle (and town) making a profit by the end of the first year. Makes me invested in the rest of the town, especially the other people who live in and work at the castle like Aine and Meave.
I didn’t really click with the rest of the writing, unfortunately. Rayne doesn’t really do a lot of sleuthing, instead it’s a lot of wondering “who could have done [thing]” and “why would someone do [thing]?” Then telling other characters about what she overheard/saw and the other person wondering “who could it have been??”
Overall this wasn’t for me, but if you like the Irish setting, or messy rich people drama I think this could be a fun series.
I received an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I didn’t really click with the rest of the writing, unfortunately. Rayne doesn’t really do a lot of sleuthing, instead it’s a lot of wondering “who could have done [thing]” and “why would someone do [thing]?” Then telling other characters about what she overheard/saw and the other person wondering “who could it have been??”
Overall this wasn’t for me, but if you like the Irish setting, or messy rich people drama I think this could be a fun series.
I received an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 8, 2025
Enjoyable read, but not entirely my cup of tea. American Rayne McGrath finds that she has inherited a castle in Ireland (with her cousin Ciara Smith). The terms of the inheritance requires that they turn the castle into a profit-making venture. There is murder and mystery as not everyone is hoping they are successful. Best to start with the first book, "Murder at an Irish Castle."
August 10, 2024
An enjoyable read and definitely a cozy-murder mystery. The main characters were likeable and the plot was nice.
However, there were sections of the book that just felt unnecessary and some that obviously built the plot for future books. Even though the intrigue was nice, it did at times feel kind of "shallow". I would have enjoyed more deep intrigue and mystery.
However, there were sections of the book that just felt unnecessary and some that obviously built the plot for future books. Even though the intrigue was nice, it did at times feel kind of "shallow". I would have enjoyed more deep intrigue and mystery.
December 27, 2024
3.25 stars
This second series entry has some things going for it but the plot doesn't ultimately hang together too well. The setting is stellar - an old Irish castle run by two cousins, Rayne and Ciara, who are desperately trying to keep the venue alive as an event site, to benefit both them and the village.
A Hollywood actor and his fiance have secretly rented the castle. American Rayne designs uber high end wedding gowns but is not exactly a wedding planner. Her cousin Ciara helps with the business on the Irish side. So, plot hole, this billionaire family buys an expensive dress but nobody thinks to get a photographer, or flowers, or makeup. When one of the wedding party's staff winds up dead, The Garda decide not to tell anyone it's murder. Bad feelings amongst the bride, groom and everyone else involved threaten to sink the whole top secret enterprise.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This second series entry has some things going for it but the plot doesn't ultimately hang together too well. The setting is stellar - an old Irish castle run by two cousins, Rayne and Ciara, who are desperately trying to keep the venue alive as an event site, to benefit both them and the village.
A Hollywood actor and his fiance have secretly rented the castle. American Rayne designs uber high end wedding gowns but is not exactly a wedding planner. Her cousin Ciara helps with the business on the Irish side. So, plot hole, this billionaire family buys an expensive dress but nobody thinks to get a photographer, or flowers, or makeup. When one of the wedding party's staff winds up dead, The Garda decide not to tell anyone it's murder. Bad feelings amongst the bride, groom and everyone else involved threaten to sink the whole top secret enterprise.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
April 4, 2025
My favortie things about this book:
1. It's over.
2. The dog.
The dialoge was silly. The characters were silly.
1. It's over.
2. The dog.
The dialoge was silly. The characters were silly.
October 26, 2024
This is a competently-written mass market murder mystery for readers who enjoy drama and watching rich and famous people behave badly.
In the second installment of the Irish Castle Mystery series, Rayne has inherited her father’s family’s castle, and, along with her cousin Ciara, is tasked with making it profitable in a year’s time or losing it. They’ve converted the castle into an exclusive wedding venue and are hosting their first wedding party – dashing actor Jake and hotel heiress Tori – along with select friends, family and employees. At first the guests are happy and things seem to be going well, but then the heiress reveals secret information to Rayne that throws wedding preparations into chaos. Locked rooms also mysteriously end up unlocked and tampered with, and then, finally, a member of the party is found dead. As they rocket closer and closer to the wedding that must be a success for the sake of saving the castle, Rayne must deal with the increasingly suspicious – and dangerous – odd occurrences happening all around her while the police hit roadblock after roadblock in explaining the death that hangs over them all.
While I don’t think this book particularly stands out from the hoards of mass market murder mysteries that are published each year, I don’t think it intends to. I believe it’s goal is to provide a fun, easy-to-read, quick, engaging read, and it does that well. The book kept me interested, wondering who was responsible for the wrong-doing happening in the castle, as well as what secret dynamic between the members of the wedding party would be revealed next. I also give it credit for tricking me into incorrectly guessing “who dun’ it.” I was totally sure that I had the scenario figured out, and I was miles from the mark.
I also thought the “big reveal” moment at the end, when the characters were gathered together to determine the identity of the murdered, was well done. It was full of drama between the characters and unexpected revelations about relationships. I was taken on a ride as the scene seemed to summarily suggest and then reject characters as the culprit.
My biggest frustration with the book, however, is that it was difficult to keep the characters straight. There are a lot of characters – the wedding party of eight, the castle staff, people who live in the town, etc. – and many of them are introduced in close succession. This meant that early on I was frequently having to flip back to earlier pages to figure out who was who. Even as I felt more confident in my knowledge of the members of the wedding party later on, I sometimes still struggled with less-involved characters.
I also felt that the sub-plot involving the main character’s ex-boyfriend ended unsatisfactorily. It was built up to be a major point or tension but then resolved in just a couple lines, leaving me feeling like I had been cheated.
Overall, the book was a fun way to spend a few hours, and I really appreciate it for that.
Thanks to the publisher, Crooked Lane Books, for providing an advanced reader copy of this book via NetGalley.
Tw: Death, suicide, murder, pregnancy, gun violence
In the second installment of the Irish Castle Mystery series, Rayne has inherited her father’s family’s castle, and, along with her cousin Ciara, is tasked with making it profitable in a year’s time or losing it. They’ve converted the castle into an exclusive wedding venue and are hosting their first wedding party – dashing actor Jake and hotel heiress Tori – along with select friends, family and employees. At first the guests are happy and things seem to be going well, but then the heiress reveals secret information to Rayne that throws wedding preparations into chaos. Locked rooms also mysteriously end up unlocked and tampered with, and then, finally, a member of the party is found dead. As they rocket closer and closer to the wedding that must be a success for the sake of saving the castle, Rayne must deal with the increasingly suspicious – and dangerous – odd occurrences happening all around her while the police hit roadblock after roadblock in explaining the death that hangs over them all.
While I don’t think this book particularly stands out from the hoards of mass market murder mysteries that are published each year, I don’t think it intends to. I believe it’s goal is to provide a fun, easy-to-read, quick, engaging read, and it does that well. The book kept me interested, wondering who was responsible for the wrong-doing happening in the castle, as well as what secret dynamic between the members of the wedding party would be revealed next. I also give it credit for tricking me into incorrectly guessing “who dun’ it.” I was totally sure that I had the scenario figured out, and I was miles from the mark.
I also thought the “big reveal” moment at the end, when the characters were gathered together to determine the identity of the murdered, was well done. It was full of drama between the characters and unexpected revelations about relationships. I was taken on a ride as the scene seemed to summarily suggest and then reject characters as the culprit.
My biggest frustration with the book, however, is that it was difficult to keep the characters straight. There are a lot of characters – the wedding party of eight, the castle staff, people who live in the town, etc. – and many of them are introduced in close succession. This meant that early on I was frequently having to flip back to earlier pages to figure out who was who. Even as I felt more confident in my knowledge of the members of the wedding party later on, I sometimes still struggled with less-involved characters.
I also felt that the sub-plot involving the main character’s ex-boyfriend ended unsatisfactorily. It was built up to be a major point or tension but then resolved in just a couple lines, leaving me feeling like I had been cheated.
Overall, the book was a fun way to spend a few hours, and I really appreciate it for that.
Thanks to the publisher, Crooked Lane Books, for providing an advanced reader copy of this book via NetGalley.
Tw: Death, suicide, murder, pregnancy, gun violence
January 7, 2025
This is the second book in the Irish Castle Mystery series and every bit as enjoyable as the series starter. I have read mysteries with wedding drama, or upper crust drama, or Hollywood drama, but this is the first time that I have seen all three wrapped up in a single book. This is book two of the Irish Castle Mysteries and the cousins Rayne and Ciara need to make the wedding venue idea work or lose the family estate, which means the town gets annexed into the next town over. A unique aspect of this story is that Rayne is an amazing wedding dress designer who’s boutique catered to the Rodeo Drive crowd until…(read Murder at an Irish Castle). Suffice it to say that she knows a few things about fancy‑shmancy and all things designer, but a working castle with sheep and such, well that is another thing all together. The funny bit about this situation is that Ciara knows the workings of the castle and taking care of what needs to be done but she is as fancy as a bowl of porridge. This is a wedding for the tabloids, that is, it would be if anyone knew it was taking place. Why all the secrecy?
There are some unique characters for suspects including the bride, hotel heiress Tori Montgomery, who doesn’t really seem to like her own movie starlet maid-of- honor, Amy Flores. Animosity amongst the players seems par for course because Amy barely tolerates her own PA (personal assistant), Tiffany Quick. The groom, Hollywood heartthrob, Jake Anderson gets along with everyone, but his brother Josh can be a bit much sometimes and to round out the out of town suspects is Jake’s personal assistant, Ethan Cruz, who keeps reminding Jake that he is supposed to appear available per his Hollywood contract. So why did Tiffany and up dead and could it have been a local? The visitors seem to be completely at odds with each other. Not unlike Rayne being at odds with a few of the locals, like Bran Wilson, plumbing contractor for the estate has been spreading some nasty gossip about the estate and the murder for no good reason, as if he wants to sabotage the girls’ efforts. Gossip doesn’t seem to be the only form of sabotage, when a Swarovski crystal heart disappears from Tori’s wedding dress and Rayne has to do some quick thinking and fast stitching to save the day.
The plot was so well crafted that I couldn’t put the book down. From the Irish accents of my imagination to the description of the beyond amazing wedding dress with hand adorned Swarovski crystal hearts that almost didn’t fit the bride, I felt completely immersed in the story. I am already invested in Rayne’s possible relationship with Amos Lowell, the ground’s manager. Rayne says she doesn’t have time for a relationship and is not about to start trusting herself after her last relationship fiasco. I look forward to the next book and to see what Ellie Brannigan has in store for the cousins and if Rayne is going to get to keep the pretty pink Hermes bag instead of selling it to cover estate costs.
There are some unique characters for suspects including the bride, hotel heiress Tori Montgomery, who doesn’t really seem to like her own movie starlet maid-of- honor, Amy Flores. Animosity amongst the players seems par for course because Amy barely tolerates her own PA (personal assistant), Tiffany Quick. The groom, Hollywood heartthrob, Jake Anderson gets along with everyone, but his brother Josh can be a bit much sometimes and to round out the out of town suspects is Jake’s personal assistant, Ethan Cruz, who keeps reminding Jake that he is supposed to appear available per his Hollywood contract. So why did Tiffany and up dead and could it have been a local? The visitors seem to be completely at odds with each other. Not unlike Rayne being at odds with a few of the locals, like Bran Wilson, plumbing contractor for the estate has been spreading some nasty gossip about the estate and the murder for no good reason, as if he wants to sabotage the girls’ efforts. Gossip doesn’t seem to be the only form of sabotage, when a Swarovski crystal heart disappears from Tori’s wedding dress and Rayne has to do some quick thinking and fast stitching to save the day.
The plot was so well crafted that I couldn’t put the book down. From the Irish accents of my imagination to the description of the beyond amazing wedding dress with hand adorned Swarovski crystal hearts that almost didn’t fit the bride, I felt completely immersed in the story. I am already invested in Rayne’s possible relationship with Amos Lowell, the ground’s manager. Rayne says she doesn’t have time for a relationship and is not about to start trusting herself after her last relationship fiasco. I look forward to the next book and to see what Ellie Brannigan has in store for the cousins and if Rayne is going to get to keep the pretty pink Hermes bag instead of selling it to cover estate costs.
June 10, 2024
Rayne McGrath moved to Ireland from LA after her a) boyfriend Landon stole all her money and gowns from her Rodeo Drive wedding gown business; and b) her Uncle Nevin passed and left her his estate -- including a run-down castle that she has a year to make into a profitable endeavor or lose everything and be swallowed up by a neighboring shire. With the help of her cousin Ciara, she's working on doing so, hoping that the wedding scheduled with heiress Tori Montgomery and actor Jake Anderson will bring in the needed funds to get them through for awhile.
But almost immediately things begin to go wrong, and when Tori's friend Amy's assistant Tiffany is found dead on the castle grounds, she wonders if maybe the stars are against her. At first everyone thinks Tiffany jumped due to unsettling news, but Rayne and Ciara soon find out from the garda that it's murder. Not being able to tell anyone, they try and continue with the wedding plans, get past the glitches, and hope for the best. But the issues don't stop. Even with the accidents unfolding, Tori wants her wedding to go forward, and all Rayne can do is try and make it happen. Even if it kills her...
This is the second in the series, and I was just as enchanted as I was with the first. Rayne is settling in her new life as lady of the manor (although she won't use the name); hoping that her cousin will see eye-to-eye with her on improving things. Unfortunately, when the celebrity wedding was scheduled, Rayne didn't think it would be such a nightmare. Really a nightmare. A diva bride (and maid of honor), surly assistants, a constantly drunken member of the entourage, and, at least, the wealthy and decent parents of the bride -- who will do anything for their daughter's happiness.
When the murder occurs, Rayne needs to keep it under her hat, which isn't easy, since one of the guests is a killer. Or is it one of her new hires on the farm? All Rayne knows is that a murderer is in their midst, and needs to be found before the weekend is up and the guests leave. Things begin to go even more awry when there are several 'accidents' and suddenly Garda Dominic needs Rayne's help in finding out who's at fault.
When the ending comes and everything fits together, we see that the clues were there: I had a bit of a hunch toward the beginning, glad I was right, and even more, glad I read this book. The reason for murder is very sad indeed, and no excusing the crime. But the book gives you clues throughout, a few red herrings, a misdirection, and a wonderful ending. I look forward to the next in the series. Highly recommended.
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.
But almost immediately things begin to go wrong, and when Tori's friend Amy's assistant Tiffany is found dead on the castle grounds, she wonders if maybe the stars are against her. At first everyone thinks Tiffany jumped due to unsettling news, but Rayne and Ciara soon find out from the garda that it's murder. Not being able to tell anyone, they try and continue with the wedding plans, get past the glitches, and hope for the best. But the issues don't stop. Even with the accidents unfolding, Tori wants her wedding to go forward, and all Rayne can do is try and make it happen. Even if it kills her...
This is the second in the series, and I was just as enchanted as I was with the first. Rayne is settling in her new life as lady of the manor (although she won't use the name); hoping that her cousin will see eye-to-eye with her on improving things. Unfortunately, when the celebrity wedding was scheduled, Rayne didn't think it would be such a nightmare. Really a nightmare. A diva bride (and maid of honor), surly assistants, a constantly drunken member of the entourage, and, at least, the wealthy and decent parents of the bride -- who will do anything for their daughter's happiness.
When the murder occurs, Rayne needs to keep it under her hat, which isn't easy, since one of the guests is a killer. Or is it one of her new hires on the farm? All Rayne knows is that a murderer is in their midst, and needs to be found before the weekend is up and the guests leave. Things begin to go even more awry when there are several 'accidents' and suddenly Garda Dominic needs Rayne's help in finding out who's at fault.
When the ending comes and everything fits together, we see that the clues were there: I had a bit of a hunch toward the beginning, glad I was right, and even more, glad I read this book. The reason for murder is very sad indeed, and no excusing the crime. But the book gives you clues throughout, a few red herrings, a misdirection, and a wonderful ending. I look forward to the next in the series. Highly recommended.
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.
June 13, 2024
This is the first that I have heard of / read this series. I'll admit, the cover caught my attention as well as the title. Who doesn't love mystery books in Ireland? The author is also new to me, however, after this book, I will be finding more books by them to read.
Even though I started on the second book of the series, I had no problem following along on what had transpired in the first book and the list of characters. I loved the characters. Each one is so down to earth and ready to do whatever it takes to save their family's village and castle. Yep, you read that right: castle. Who doesn't enjoy a good castle in their stories?
The guests, being movie stars, and assistants, etc. were mostly intolerable. (You expect that, as more often than naught, we find our movie heroes to usually be rather stuck on themselves.) The hotel royalty was actually pretty decent, and I liked them right away. Tori, being the heiress and bride, she was different than I expected her to be. Yes, she had her stuck-up moments but for the most part, she was really quite lovely and human.
The groom and his groupies, (that's what I am calling them) were pretty awful. Then again, that could just be me. Normally, when someone says that a man has boyish charm, I usually see that as a red flag for 'can get anyone to do whatever he wants but is actually very fake.'
Rayne and her cousin are simply wonderful. You throw in Cormac, Amos, Maeve, a few other of the staff and I just loved them. I hated Gillian and Bram at first read. Why? I don't know, for some reason their characters rubbed me the wrong way from the git go.
I loved the mystery. The possibility of ancient ghosts and spirits wandering around the castle's halls almost gave it a kind of romantic gothic feel. You can feel the history of the place coming off of the pages. I would give anything to see this place, if it were real.
I had guessed about 50% on the actual killer. It was really hard to pin down exactly which one I thought when there were so many good choices. I really disliked most of these people.
The ending was great though, so much stuff happens and then bang! It was like one firework blasting off after another one. I loved that it was stair stepped instead of just one big giant shebang. Just when you think you can't get any more surprised, then here comes another wallop!
This author has themselves a new fan. There was so much drama throughout the entire book, it really kept me guessing. It was a super fun read and I adored it from the beginning. I will be back for more. I highly recommend.
Thanks to Net Galley, the publishers, and to Ellie Brannigan for the ability to read and review this book. All opinions are honest and are completely my own.
Even though I started on the second book of the series, I had no problem following along on what had transpired in the first book and the list of characters. I loved the characters. Each one is so down to earth and ready to do whatever it takes to save their family's village and castle. Yep, you read that right: castle. Who doesn't enjoy a good castle in their stories?
The guests, being movie stars, and assistants, etc. were mostly intolerable. (You expect that, as more often than naught, we find our movie heroes to usually be rather stuck on themselves.) The hotel royalty was actually pretty decent, and I liked them right away. Tori, being the heiress and bride, she was different than I expected her to be. Yes, she had her stuck-up moments but for the most part, she was really quite lovely and human.
The groom and his groupies, (that's what I am calling them) were pretty awful. Then again, that could just be me. Normally, when someone says that a man has boyish charm, I usually see that as a red flag for 'can get anyone to do whatever he wants but is actually very fake.'
Rayne and her cousin are simply wonderful. You throw in Cormac, Amos, Maeve, a few other of the staff and I just loved them. I hated Gillian and Bram at first read. Why? I don't know, for some reason their characters rubbed me the wrong way from the git go.
I loved the mystery. The possibility of ancient ghosts and spirits wandering around the castle's halls almost gave it a kind of romantic gothic feel. You can feel the history of the place coming off of the pages. I would give anything to see this place, if it were real.
I had guessed about 50% on the actual killer. It was really hard to pin down exactly which one I thought when there were so many good choices. I really disliked most of these people.
The ending was great though, so much stuff happens and then bang! It was like one firework blasting off after another one. I loved that it was stair stepped instead of just one big giant shebang. Just when you think you can't get any more surprised, then here comes another wallop!
This author has themselves a new fan. There was so much drama throughout the entire book, it really kept me guessing. It was a super fun read and I adored it from the beginning. I will be back for more. I highly recommend.
Thanks to Net Galley, the publishers, and to Ellie Brannigan for the ability to read and review this book. All opinions are honest and are completely my own.
October 20, 2025
3.5 stars
The problem with heiresses was that sometimes they acted like heiresses.
The book had me in its grips, but not in a "what happens next?" kind of way. Rather, I found myself thinking about it at random moments throughout the day.
Summary:
It begins with Rayne and Ciara waiting for the guests to arrive, and as soon as they do, the drama kicks off. With only eight months to save their recently inherited castle and the surrounding village, Rayne and Ciara are throwing everything they have into making this wedding a success. The wedding is between Tori, a hotel heiress, and Jake, a heartthrob actor, with only six attendees. Their privileged nature, high-stakes secrets, and fake emotions form the core of the story.
Plot:
This is the second book in the Irish Castle Mystery series. You don’t need to read the first book, as all the important background details are included here. Set in a charming Irish village, the book strikes a well-balanced line between cozy mystery and medium-high stakes. Often, cozy mysteries come with very low stakes that leave me unsatisfied, but that’s not the case here. While it doesn't delve deeply into the long-term consequences of everything that happens, there is an acknowledgment of them.
The story unfolds over 2–3 days, beginning with the guests arriving for the wedding and ending with the resolution of the murder mystery.
Dealing with high-profile celebrities and wannabe-celebrities, their privileged nature, the secrets each guest harbors, the problems in the village, the haunted atmosphere of the castle, and the picturesque backdrop of Ireland and its culture—all combine to create a perfect, cozy-yet-wholesome murder mystery that kept me guessing until the very last pages.
Writing: The writing flows beautifully and is fast-paced. It is written in third person and we follow Rayne throughout. Although my copy had a couple of small errors but nothing major.
Characters: There is large cast of characters: There’s a large cast of characters: eight guests, Rayne and Ciara, the castle staff, some local villagers, and Blarney—the dog who is my favorite character! Every character is hiding something that if comes to light, could ruin their careers or lives. I liked how everyone's motivations and desires are questioned by our main character, and how suspicion falls on each person at some point.
There are a few loose ends that, if tied up, would have made me love the book even more. But overall, I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone looking for a cozy murder mystery
Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for my digital ARC.
The problem with heiresses was that sometimes they acted like heiresses.
The book had me in its grips, but not in a "what happens next?" kind of way. Rather, I found myself thinking about it at random moments throughout the day.
Summary:
It begins with Rayne and Ciara waiting for the guests to arrive, and as soon as they do, the drama kicks off. With only eight months to save their recently inherited castle and the surrounding village, Rayne and Ciara are throwing everything they have into making this wedding a success. The wedding is between Tori, a hotel heiress, and Jake, a heartthrob actor, with only six attendees. Their privileged nature, high-stakes secrets, and fake emotions form the core of the story.
Plot:
This is the second book in the Irish Castle Mystery series. You don’t need to read the first book, as all the important background details are included here. Set in a charming Irish village, the book strikes a well-balanced line between cozy mystery and medium-high stakes. Often, cozy mysteries come with very low stakes that leave me unsatisfied, but that’s not the case here. While it doesn't delve deeply into the long-term consequences of everything that happens, there is an acknowledgment of them.
The story unfolds over 2–3 days, beginning with the guests arriving for the wedding and ending with the resolution of the murder mystery.
Dealing with high-profile celebrities and wannabe-celebrities, their privileged nature, the secrets each guest harbors, the problems in the village, the haunted atmosphere of the castle, and the picturesque backdrop of Ireland and its culture—all combine to create a perfect, cozy-yet-wholesome murder mystery that kept me guessing until the very last pages.
Writing: The writing flows beautifully and is fast-paced. It is written in third person and we follow Rayne throughout. Although my copy had a couple of small errors but nothing major.
Characters: There is large cast of characters: There’s a large cast of characters: eight guests, Rayne and Ciara, the castle staff, some local villagers, and Blarney—the dog who is my favorite character! Every character is hiding something that if comes to light, could ruin their careers or lives. I liked how everyone's motivations and desires are questioned by our main character, and how suspicion falls on each person at some point.
There are a few loose ends that, if tied up, would have made me love the book even more. But overall, I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone looking for a cozy murder mystery
Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for my digital ARC.
November 5, 2024
Secrets are rarely good, especially in cozy mysteries. In this case, there are so many secrets floating about that I almost felt like I needed a scorecard. Wow, I definitely didn't see that twist coming at the end. While I wasn't wowed by this book, I enjoyed it. The main characters, Rayne McGrath and her cousin Ciara Smith are both interesting, likable women. They come from very different worlds, Rayne from the fast pace of Rodeo Drive fashion while Ciara has spent her time in Ireland. Both bring different strengths and weaknesses to their shared goal, however, of keeping McGrath Castle productive and thus helping support the village. They have a year to make a profit or lose it all according to terms of Rayne's grandfather's will. Rayne thinks her prayers may have been answered, however, when Hollywood comes to call in the form of two stars seeking a remote, secretive place to marry. Things seem ti be looking up but, oops, then there's a murder.
That's when the story takes off. I won't detail the plot other than to say there are secrets galore, the unexpected, villagers in not-so-secret rebellion, a lost diary, an adorable dog, quaint pubs, carriage rides, gunshots, jealousy, an escaped prisoner, and, well, that's just the basics. The side stories were just that, kept to the side. I felt a bit deflated that one of them seemed to be building to a climax of some sort than....nothing. I assume it will be continued in the next book but just found it annoying. Through it all, however, Rayne proves highly resourceful with the help of Ciara and the castle regulars. Even Blarney, the dog on the cover, gets a moment to shine.
Bottom line, an okay book but it didn't quite hit a home run with me. That said, I loved the cover, liked Rayne and was happy to see Ciara and her working together this go-round instead of at odds with each other. It definitely kept me wondering what was going on with the wedding party the entire rime and the big reveal, with everyone brought together, was well done. The virtual tour of the castle was fun, too, and with so much left still hidden away, I expect to hear more about it's medieval furniture and objects as the series goes along. Thanks #CrookedLaneBooks for allowing me this early, quick visit to an Irish castle to catch up with the efforts of Rayne and Ciara to save McGrath Castle. What a lovely setting for a wedding.
That's when the story takes off. I won't detail the plot other than to say there are secrets galore, the unexpected, villagers in not-so-secret rebellion, a lost diary, an adorable dog, quaint pubs, carriage rides, gunshots, jealousy, an escaped prisoner, and, well, that's just the basics. The side stories were just that, kept to the side. I felt a bit deflated that one of them seemed to be building to a climax of some sort than....nothing. I assume it will be continued in the next book but just found it annoying. Through it all, however, Rayne proves highly resourceful with the help of Ciara and the castle regulars. Even Blarney, the dog on the cover, gets a moment to shine.
Bottom line, an okay book but it didn't quite hit a home run with me. That said, I loved the cover, liked Rayne and was happy to see Ciara and her working together this go-round instead of at odds with each other. It definitely kept me wondering what was going on with the wedding party the entire rime and the big reveal, with everyone brought together, was well done. The virtual tour of the castle was fun, too, and with so much left still hidden away, I expect to hear more about it's medieval furniture and objects as the series goes along. Thanks #CrookedLaneBooks for allowing me this early, quick visit to an Irish castle to catch up with the efforts of Rayne and Ciara to save McGrath Castle. What a lovely setting for a wedding.
December 11, 2024
Death at an Irish Wedding
(Irish Castle Mysteries 2)
Ellie Brannigan
Rayne McGrath is a semi-famous wedding dress designer. Her mother is a Hollywood starlet. After her business partner and boyfriend defrauds her and runs away with her money and customer dresses, she receives a bequest from her uncle Nevin in Ireland. While there she meets her cousin Ciara Smith, her uncle's illegitimate daughter. She also becomes the owner of McGrath Castle, which desperately needs repair.
Rayne has moved her wedding business to McGrath Castle and is working with her cousin Ciara to turn their home into an exclusive one stop wedding destination. She has eight months remaining to repair the castle finances and save Grathton Village.
McGrath Castle is hosting their first high profile wedding event! Movie heartthrob Jake Anderson and socialite Tori Montgomery, are on the way to wedded bliss when Tiffany, Amy’s assistant is murdered. Amy Flores is the maid of honor. This murder not only cast a pall over the wedding celebrations but brings hidden animosities to the surface.
Grathton Village is mostly excited by the coming guest as Ciara and Rayne has gone the extra mile to source local. Cotter Village’s council woman is still a problem as she’s trying to absorb Grathton. We also have a shooting, and an escaped ex on the war pass! What’s Rayne and her new Irish family to do?!
I really enjoyed the followup to Murder at an Irish Castle. It is a wonderful addition to what seems like a great new series. It isn’t graphic in depiction of violence but the scenic descriptions are highly enjoyable. For anyone looking for a fast paced or romantic adventure, this isn’t it. It is a straight forward mystery with some humorous undertones.
5***** I look forward to seeing where book three leads!
Ellie Brannigan is also known as Traci Hall, author of the Scottish Shire mysteries and Appletree Cove series. Traci Wilton of the Salem B&B mysteries, and finally Patrice Wilton of the Riley Harper mysteries.
Thank you to Netgalley, Ellie Brannigan, and the publisher for the ARC.
(Irish Castle Mysteries 2)
Ellie Brannigan
Rayne McGrath is a semi-famous wedding dress designer. Her mother is a Hollywood starlet. After her business partner and boyfriend defrauds her and runs away with her money and customer dresses, she receives a bequest from her uncle Nevin in Ireland. While there she meets her cousin Ciara Smith, her uncle's illegitimate daughter. She also becomes the owner of McGrath Castle, which desperately needs repair.
Rayne has moved her wedding business to McGrath Castle and is working with her cousin Ciara to turn their home into an exclusive one stop wedding destination. She has eight months remaining to repair the castle finances and save Grathton Village.
McGrath Castle is hosting their first high profile wedding event! Movie heartthrob Jake Anderson and socialite Tori Montgomery, are on the way to wedded bliss when Tiffany, Amy’s assistant is murdered. Amy Flores is the maid of honor. This murder not only cast a pall over the wedding celebrations but brings hidden animosities to the surface.
Grathton Village is mostly excited by the coming guest as Ciara and Rayne has gone the extra mile to source local. Cotter Village’s council woman is still a problem as she’s trying to absorb Grathton. We also have a shooting, and an escaped ex on the war pass! What’s Rayne and her new Irish family to do?!
I really enjoyed the followup to Murder at an Irish Castle. It is a wonderful addition to what seems like a great new series. It isn’t graphic in depiction of violence but the scenic descriptions are highly enjoyable. For anyone looking for a fast paced or romantic adventure, this isn’t it. It is a straight forward mystery with some humorous undertones.
5***** I look forward to seeing where book three leads!
Ellie Brannigan is also known as Traci Hall, author of the Scottish Shire mysteries and Appletree Cove series. Traci Wilton of the Salem B&B mysteries, and finally Patrice Wilton of the Riley Harper mysteries.
Thank you to Netgalley, Ellie Brannigan, and the publisher for the ARC.
December 17, 2024
As we learned in the first book in the Irish Castle Mystery series written by Ellie Brannigan, Murder at an Irish Castle, Rayne and her cousin Ciara have their hands full trying to save the castle they inherited as well as the village it resides in. According to Rayne's late uncle (Ciara's real father) they have a year to bring the castle and the village back to a positive financial standing. Unfortunately things aren't going the way they intended.
Now in the second book in the series, Murder at a Irish Wedding, they have scheduled their first wedding at the castle with a small group staying at the castle for a weekend full of activities with the nuptials happening at the small church in the village. The group includes the groom, a very famous and handsome actor, Jake, his brother Josh, Jake's assistant Ethan, the bride Tori, her best friend Amy, Amy's assistant Tiffany and Tori's parents, Dylan and Joan.
They are getting married ahead of schedule to ensure that the press doesn't crash the party and they can keep it quiet.
Unfortunately one night Rayne's dog Blarney howled and alerted them that something was wrong. When Rayne and Ciara check it out they find Tiffany laying on the ground dead. It is first thought that she jumped from the top of the tower due to suffering depression but Rayne isn't so sure and when the local gardai shows up, they rule it a suspicious death....
Nobody knows what to do but the bride is determined to marry Jake as planned. So they go about wedding business as best they can but Rayne and Ciara still need to find out the truth to save the castle. This is the first wedding of many and the money is greatly needed.
Even though the gardai is on the case, Rayne still takes it upon herself to look into the people staying at the castle. She needs to make sure she is doing everything she can for the castle and the village.
Readers cannot help but fall in love with this story as well as the first book in the series. There is a lot going on that will keep readers turning the pages. And Brannigan opens up your imagination so that you will feel like you are right there. I highly encourage you to dig in !!!
Now in the second book in the series, Murder at a Irish Wedding, they have scheduled their first wedding at the castle with a small group staying at the castle for a weekend full of activities with the nuptials happening at the small church in the village. The group includes the groom, a very famous and handsome actor, Jake, his brother Josh, Jake's assistant Ethan, the bride Tori, her best friend Amy, Amy's assistant Tiffany and Tori's parents, Dylan and Joan.
They are getting married ahead of schedule to ensure that the press doesn't crash the party and they can keep it quiet.
Unfortunately one night Rayne's dog Blarney howled and alerted them that something was wrong. When Rayne and Ciara check it out they find Tiffany laying on the ground dead. It is first thought that she jumped from the top of the tower due to suffering depression but Rayne isn't so sure and when the local gardai shows up, they rule it a suspicious death....
Nobody knows what to do but the bride is determined to marry Jake as planned. So they go about wedding business as best they can but Rayne and Ciara still need to find out the truth to save the castle. This is the first wedding of many and the money is greatly needed.
Even though the gardai is on the case, Rayne still takes it upon herself to look into the people staying at the castle. She needs to make sure she is doing everything she can for the castle and the village.
Readers cannot help but fall in love with this story as well as the first book in the series. There is a lot going on that will keep readers turning the pages. And Brannigan opens up your imagination so that you will feel like you are right there. I highly encourage you to dig in !!!
November 8, 2024
British Cozy Mystery about an American bridal wear designer who's Irish family castle's first time as a wedding venue turns deadly after the bride's best friend's assistant's killed.
5/5 stars: This is the second entry in Brannigan's Irish Castle Mystery series which is a Literary Cozy Mystery that takes place in Ireland and features an American bridal wear designer-turned-entrepreneur who's rundown family Irish castle's first time as a wedding venue turns deadly. In order to raise funds to repair her home, she offers the castle to a bridal wear client and her actor fiance's for their wedding but the occasion's marred when the bride's best friend’s assistant is found dead. While dealing with villagers protesting the new enterprise, she'll have to unearth all of the wedding party's secrets to catch the killer. With plenty of twists and turns, Brannigan has masterfully crafted a mystery that deftly balances the suspects, clues and red herrings and will leave you pondering the whodunit until the final reveal. Heartfelt and humorous, Brannigan's writing and character work are stellar; the characters are well-rounded and complex while remaining incredibly likable. It's great to catch up with Rayne, her cousin and business partner Ciara and the folks of McGrath Castle and Grathton village. I really like seeing the progress (and occasional setbacks) that Rayne and Ciara's making to meet the terms of the will. Oh and there's Rayne's lovely loyal dog, Blarney. Brannigan touches on some serious subjects; so take care and check the CWs. While you could read this as a stand-alone, you'll gain so much more by reading the series from the beginning; so be sure to pick up book one, Murder at an Irish Castle.
I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.
5/5 stars: This is the second entry in Brannigan's Irish Castle Mystery series which is a Literary Cozy Mystery that takes place in Ireland and features an American bridal wear designer-turned-entrepreneur who's rundown family Irish castle's first time as a wedding venue turns deadly. In order to raise funds to repair her home, she offers the castle to a bridal wear client and her actor fiance's for their wedding but the occasion's marred when the bride's best friend’s assistant is found dead. While dealing with villagers protesting the new enterprise, she'll have to unearth all of the wedding party's secrets to catch the killer. With plenty of twists and turns, Brannigan has masterfully crafted a mystery that deftly balances the suspects, clues and red herrings and will leave you pondering the whodunit until the final reveal. Heartfelt and humorous, Brannigan's writing and character work are stellar; the characters are well-rounded and complex while remaining incredibly likable. It's great to catch up with Rayne, her cousin and business partner Ciara and the folks of McGrath Castle and Grathton village. I really like seeing the progress (and occasional setbacks) that Rayne and Ciara's making to meet the terms of the will. Oh and there's Rayne's lovely loyal dog, Blarney. Brannigan touches on some serious subjects; so take care and check the CWs. While you could read this as a stand-alone, you'll gain so much more by reading the series from the beginning; so be sure to pick up book one, Murder at an Irish Castle.
I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.
June 26, 2024
This is the 2nd installment in the Irish Castle mystery series. Rayne McGrath has inherited the ancestral castle in Ireland and per the terms of her Uncle Nevin’s will she must bring the castle back to profitability and save the village during in one year. Rayne decides to do what she knows best which is weddings. Prior to Ireland, her ex-boyfriend Landon stole all her money and dresses from her successful Rodeo Drive wedding dress business. Rayne is working from Ireland to complete all the dresses who had orders prior to this and one of those clients is hotel heiress Tori Montgomery who is marrying movie star Jake Anderson. Tori decides she wants to move up her wedding and get married in Ireland. With the help of her cousin Ciara and selling off her designer handbag collection, they get the Tower along with two cottages ready for the wedding party. Tori, Jake and their entourage arrive and it is clear that not is all merry with this group. When Tiffany the assistant of Tori’s bestie Amy if found dead from falling from the tower Rayne starts to wonder if this venture and the castle is cursed. Tori decides she wants the wedding to proceed and when all sorts of mishaps around the castle, Rayne has to wonder if the suspect is someone in the village or within the wedding party. Rayne is desperate to keep the group happy but also wants to help find out who did this to Tiffany. This is a delightful and entertaining read. The story is fast paced and lots of good supporting characters in Cormac, Aine, Amos and Maeve and it was good to see Ciara and Rayne working together. Also I love Blarney, Rayne’s irish setter. This is good continuation to this series. Highly recommend and looking forward to the next installment.
November 5, 2024
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Ellie Brannigan for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Death at an Irish Wedding coming out December 10, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Rayne McGrath’s efforts to save the rundown family castle she inherited were an epic failure after she accidentally set fire to the tower and tanked the budget. Is the castle haunted, or is she just unlucky? Meanwhile, her cousin, Ciara Smith, is anxiously booking their joint calendar with special events in the hopes of bringing the property around before they lose everything.
When a bridalwear client from LA asks Rayne for help as her guest list spirals out of control, Rayne nabs the answer to her prayers. McGrath Castle is the perfect destination for the exclusive and intimate wedding party of heiress Tori Montgomery and her fiancé, heartthrob actor Jake Anderson. But this white veil occasion turns into a nightmare when Tori’s best friend’s assistant, Tiffany Quick, is found dead.
It’s feared Tiffany jumped from the tower, but that theory is quickly put in doubt as secrets within the wedding party come to light. And as the villagers protest this new wedding venue venture, Rayne begins to wonder if she will succeed in her endeavor or lose it all.
I really loved the first book, so I was excited to receive the second book. I love the Irish castle setting. Weddings in cozy mysteries are fun. I think Rayne is a fun character and I enjoyed the mystery. There were a few things about the book that seemed a little shallow though about the descriptions of characters. There was some repetitive language like her always putting her hand on flat stomach. It just seemed unnecessary after the first time. But overall, I really enjoyed it. I would check out more books by this author.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries!
Rayne McGrath’s efforts to save the rundown family castle she inherited were an epic failure after she accidentally set fire to the tower and tanked the budget. Is the castle haunted, or is she just unlucky? Meanwhile, her cousin, Ciara Smith, is anxiously booking their joint calendar with special events in the hopes of bringing the property around before they lose everything.
When a bridalwear client from LA asks Rayne for help as her guest list spirals out of control, Rayne nabs the answer to her prayers. McGrath Castle is the perfect destination for the exclusive and intimate wedding party of heiress Tori Montgomery and her fiancé, heartthrob actor Jake Anderson. But this white veil occasion turns into a nightmare when Tori’s best friend’s assistant, Tiffany Quick, is found dead.
It’s feared Tiffany jumped from the tower, but that theory is quickly put in doubt as secrets within the wedding party come to light. And as the villagers protest this new wedding venue venture, Rayne begins to wonder if she will succeed in her endeavor or lose it all.
I really loved the first book, so I was excited to receive the second book. I love the Irish castle setting. Weddings in cozy mysteries are fun. I think Rayne is a fun character and I enjoyed the mystery. There were a few things about the book that seemed a little shallow though about the descriptions of characters. There was some repetitive language like her always putting her hand on flat stomach. It just seemed unnecessary after the first time. But overall, I really enjoyed it. I would check out more books by this author.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries!
September 20, 2025
I love it when I finish a book and think about rereading or in this case listening all over again! What a fun plot line. Rayne McGrath and her cousin Ciara Smith inherit a castle with the stipulation that they have one year to make it pay for itself and help support the village. I did not read the first book, but heard their first attempt was not terribly successful, but now they hit on the plan to host destination weddings which ties in perfectly with Rayne's other business, designing and making wedding dresses.
Their first guests include the bride, Tori Montgomery, daughter of billionaire hotel magnates and groom action movie star Jake Anderson, Tori's parents, Jake's brother Josh, his assistant Ethan, Maid of honor Amy and her assistant Tiffany. Soon after arriving one of them lies dead on the lawn below the tower. Rayne, Ciara, the local Garda and the rest of the castle staff are now involved with trying to pull off a secret wedding and solve a murder, oh yeah there are locals who do not want the wedding venue business to succeed and will do whatever it takes to put a stop to it!
I have nothing but admiration for the narrator who pulled off multiple accents as well as both male and female voices quite convincingly.
As I listened I suspected almost all of the wedding party, a few villagers and even some of the staff of being the guilty party at different times. I was a bit surprised by the twists at the end, but the clues were all there when I thought about it. Very well done!
I will be getting my hands on book 1 so I have the entire backstory on Rayne and Ciara, but this was easy enough to pick up and read or listen as a stand alone.
Their first guests include the bride, Tori Montgomery, daughter of billionaire hotel magnates and groom action movie star Jake Anderson, Tori's parents, Jake's brother Josh, his assistant Ethan, Maid of honor Amy and her assistant Tiffany. Soon after arriving one of them lies dead on the lawn below the tower. Rayne, Ciara, the local Garda and the rest of the castle staff are now involved with trying to pull off a secret wedding and solve a murder, oh yeah there are locals who do not want the wedding venue business to succeed and will do whatever it takes to put a stop to it!
I have nothing but admiration for the narrator who pulled off multiple accents as well as both male and female voices quite convincingly.
As I listened I suspected almost all of the wedding party, a few villagers and even some of the staff of being the guilty party at different times. I was a bit surprised by the twists at the end, but the clues were all there when I thought about it. Very well done!
I will be getting my hands on book 1 so I have the entire backstory on Rayne and Ciara, but this was easy enough to pick up and read or listen as a stand alone.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews