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Inishowen Mysteries #2
Treacherous Strand: An Inishowen Mystery, Book 2
The majestic Inishowen Peninsula shore—home to dangerous and unpredictable currents
A woman's body washes up on a remote beach on the Inishowen Peninsula. Partially clothed, with a strange tattoo on her thigh, she is identified as Marguerite Etienne, a French woman who has been living in the area. Solicitor Ben (Benedicta) O'Keeffe is consumed by for the second time in her life Ben has failed someone who needed her, with tragic consequences.
When local sergeant Tom Molloy dismisses Marguerite's death as the suicide of a disturbed and lonely woman, Ben cannot let it lie. Ben uncovers Marguerite's strange past as a member of a French doomsday cult, which she escaped twenty years previously, but not without leaving her baby daughter behind. Disturbed by what appears to be chilling local indifference to Marguerite's death, Ben pieces together the last few weeks of the French woman's life in Inishowen.
What she discovers causes her to question the fragile nature of her own position in the area, and she finds herself crossing boundaries—both personal and professional—to unearth local secrets long buried.
A woman's body washes up on a remote beach on the Inishowen Peninsula. Partially clothed, with a strange tattoo on her thigh, she is identified as Marguerite Etienne, a French woman who has been living in the area. Solicitor Ben (Benedicta) O'Keeffe is consumed by for the second time in her life Ben has failed someone who needed her, with tragic consequences.
When local sergeant Tom Molloy dismisses Marguerite's death as the suicide of a disturbed and lonely woman, Ben cannot let it lie. Ben uncovers Marguerite's strange past as a member of a French doomsday cult, which she escaped twenty years previously, but not without leaving her baby daughter behind. Disturbed by what appears to be chilling local indifference to Marguerite's death, Ben pieces together the last few weeks of the French woman's life in Inishowen.
What she discovers causes her to question the fragile nature of her own position in the area, and she finds herself crossing boundaries—both personal and professional—to unearth local secrets long buried.
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First published June 2, 2016
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About the author
Andrea Carter
7 books243 followersAndrea Carter graduated in law from Trinity College, Dublin. She qualified as a solicitor and moved to the Inishowen Peninsula in Co. Donegal where she lived and worked for a number of years. In 2005 she transferred to the Bar and moved to Dublin to practise as a barrister. She grew up in Ballyfin, Co. Laois.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 135 reviews
October 30, 2023
Treacherous Strand, by Andrea Carter, is the second book in the Inishowen Mysteries series. So far the series has five books (although only the first three are available in the United States) and based on the first two books, the main character, Ben (Benedicta) O’Keeff, is going to have a mountain high pile of bodies connected to her name, by the time we reach the end of the series. From what I can tell of other reviews of the fifth book in the series, there could be at least one more book added, before the series is over.
Ben and Sergeant Tom Molloy continue to run luke warm/cold when it comes to a budding romance. Added to Ben's nosy, busy body, can't let things go, personality, she can overthink everything and that applies triple time to her feelings for Tom. Still, the romance plays only a tiny part in the story but Tom does seem to be on Ben's mind, most of the time. Taking main focus for Ben, and the local police, is the death of Marguerite Etienne, a client of Ben's, who she had seen only a few hours before Marguerite's death.
It doesn't take long before we have a huge number of suspicious characters when it comes to what happened to Marguerite although her death is officially listed as a suicide. Ben won't accept that Marguerite committed suicide, especially after she starts digging way too deeply into Marguerite's and other characters past and present. Naturally Ben hides her sleuthing from a disapproving Tom and runs headlong into dangerous situations, talking too much, not alerting the necessary people of what she is doing, and putting off doing things that might keep her from getting into grave danger.
Corny as it is, I enjoy watching Midsomer Murders from my Texas home and this series reminds me of that series because of the idyllic setting, increasing number of bodies, and our Nancy Drew-like main character, sticking her nose in places she has no business sticking it. I enjoy this series so very much and hope that I'll be able to read book four and five, in the not too distant future.
Pub September 3rd 2019
Thank you to Oceanview Publishing/Independent Publishers Group and Edelweiss for this ARC.
Ben and Sergeant Tom Molloy continue to run luke warm/cold when it comes to a budding romance. Added to Ben's nosy, busy body, can't let things go, personality, she can overthink everything and that applies triple time to her feelings for Tom. Still, the romance plays only a tiny part in the story but Tom does seem to be on Ben's mind, most of the time. Taking main focus for Ben, and the local police, is the death of Marguerite Etienne, a client of Ben's, who she had seen only a few hours before Marguerite's death.
It doesn't take long before we have a huge number of suspicious characters when it comes to what happened to Marguerite although her death is officially listed as a suicide. Ben won't accept that Marguerite committed suicide, especially after she starts digging way too deeply into Marguerite's and other characters past and present. Naturally Ben hides her sleuthing from a disapproving Tom and runs headlong into dangerous situations, talking too much, not alerting the necessary people of what she is doing, and putting off doing things that might keep her from getting into grave danger.
Corny as it is, I enjoy watching Midsomer Murders from my Texas home and this series reminds me of that series because of the idyllic setting, increasing number of bodies, and our Nancy Drew-like main character, sticking her nose in places she has no business sticking it. I enjoy this series so very much and hope that I'll be able to read book four and five, in the not too distant future.
Pub September 3rd 2019
Thank you to Oceanview Publishing/Independent Publishers Group and Edelweiss for this ARC.
October 11, 2019
I have read the first and third in this wonderful Irish crime series by Andrea Carter and have finally got round to reading this, the second. Set in small town Glendara, on the Inishowen peninsula, County Donegal, the central protagonist is solicitor Benedicta 'Ben' O'Keeffe, a woman with a traumatic history which few people know. A client of Ben's, Marguerite Etienne, a recent arrival in the community, is found dead, her body recovered from the sea, in what the police assume is a straightforward suicide. Ben is less convinced, Marguerite had turned up unexpectedly in her office, wanting to draw up her will. However, Ben was tired and could not wait to get home, and despite Marguerite's urgency and desperation, she takes a few cursory details and tells her to return another time when the process could be completed. Ben feels sure that Marguerite would not have committed suicide, and she lambasts herself for not noticing the fear the woman exuded and taken the time to do the will there and then.
Ben's guilt is compounded by what happened to her sister, and how she failed to respond to her in her hour of need. This galvanises her to investigate, despite being told there is nothing amiss. She talks to Phyllis, who runs the second hand bookstore, where Marguerite had worked on Saturdays. Rumours seem to abound about Marguerite, and Ben becomes acquainted with Marguerite's closest neighbour, artist and sculptor, Simon Harvard, a good looking man who shows a strong romantic interest in Ben. Ben is flattered, and she finds some balm in his interest as her relationship with local police officer, Sergeant Tom Molloy, founders as he gets together with an ex-girlfriend, Laura Callan. As Ben digs into Marguerite's past, she learns that she used to be part of a French doomsday cult, The Children of Damascus, founded by Alain Veillard, the father of her daughter, Adeline. The recently deceased Veillard was acquitted of the murder of 16 people, after which he relocated the group to Norway. In a twisted narrative that includes further murder and grave dangers, Ben's search for the truth takes her in surprising directions.
I love this series by Andrea Carter, she gives us a great sense of location, an atmospheric coastal area with all the intrigue, gossip and secrets of a small Irish town, where everybody knows everbody, and where it takes forever for outsiders to be considered as part of the community. Carter's background in law led her to create a central protagonist that is a solicitor, a woman with a dark and secret past which threatens her carefully constructed persona and move to Glendara, where she considered she was safe. I very much enjoyed reading this entertaining addition to the series, there a number of threads that all begin to connect together at the end. Many thanks to Oceanview Publishing for a copy of the book.
Ben's guilt is compounded by what happened to her sister, and how she failed to respond to her in her hour of need. This galvanises her to investigate, despite being told there is nothing amiss. She talks to Phyllis, who runs the second hand bookstore, where Marguerite had worked on Saturdays. Rumours seem to abound about Marguerite, and Ben becomes acquainted with Marguerite's closest neighbour, artist and sculptor, Simon Harvard, a good looking man who shows a strong romantic interest in Ben. Ben is flattered, and she finds some balm in his interest as her relationship with local police officer, Sergeant Tom Molloy, founders as he gets together with an ex-girlfriend, Laura Callan. As Ben digs into Marguerite's past, she learns that she used to be part of a French doomsday cult, The Children of Damascus, founded by Alain Veillard, the father of her daughter, Adeline. The recently deceased Veillard was acquitted of the murder of 16 people, after which he relocated the group to Norway. In a twisted narrative that includes further murder and grave dangers, Ben's search for the truth takes her in surprising directions.
I love this series by Andrea Carter, she gives us a great sense of location, an atmospheric coastal area with all the intrigue, gossip and secrets of a small Irish town, where everybody knows everbody, and where it takes forever for outsiders to be considered as part of the community. Carter's background in law led her to create a central protagonist that is a solicitor, a woman with a dark and secret past which threatens her carefully constructed persona and move to Glendara, where she considered she was safe. I very much enjoyed reading this entertaining addition to the series, there a number of threads that all begin to connect together at the end. Many thanks to Oceanview Publishing for a copy of the book.
April 1, 2023
3.5 stars
There are some character inconsistencies and I always have a problem with that. When a character is on full alert and suspicious about a person and then decides to spent the night with them I get very frustrated!
There are some character inconsistencies and I always have a problem with that. When a character is on full alert and suspicious about a person and then decides to spent the night with them I get very frustrated!
September 2, 2019
Treacherous Strand is the second book in the Inishowen Mysteries series by Andrea Carter. Ben (Benedicta) O’Keeffe is back with another mystery in the small town of Glendara. When Marguerite, one of Ben's clients, ends up dead, Ben believes the death to be suspicious. The more Ben uncovers about Marguerite's life, the more she believes Marguerite was killed.
An atmospheric amateur sleuth story. Ben is an attorney living in a small Irish town. It is a very close-knit community, where everyone knows everyone else's business. Ben moved to the town several years earlier, and is still considered an outsider. She doesn't know the family histories and the stories from the town's past. She's learning though. With her work and occasional sleuthing, she's picked up a lot of info about some of the locals.
I recommend reading the first book in this series, Death at Whitewater Church, before this one. While the mystery and some of the characters are new, the recurring characters have a history that progresses between books.
This book reads almost like a cozy mystery - small town, quirky characters, and an amateur sleuth. There is a little romance thrown in, but the story focuses more on the mystery than Ben's love life. An enjoyable read for fans of cozies with atmospheric settings.
I received a free digital copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
An atmospheric amateur sleuth story. Ben is an attorney living in a small Irish town. It is a very close-knit community, where everyone knows everyone else's business. Ben moved to the town several years earlier, and is still considered an outsider. She doesn't know the family histories and the stories from the town's past. She's learning though. With her work and occasional sleuthing, she's picked up a lot of info about some of the locals.
I recommend reading the first book in this series, Death at Whitewater Church, before this one. While the mystery and some of the characters are new, the recurring characters have a history that progresses between books.
This book reads almost like a cozy mystery - small town, quirky characters, and an amateur sleuth. There is a little romance thrown in, but the story focuses more on the mystery than Ben's love life. An enjoyable read for fans of cozies with atmospheric settings.
I received a free digital copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
September 3, 2019
Set in the fictional town of Glendara on the Inishowen Peninsula in County Donegal, Solicitor Ben (Benedicta) O'Keeffe gets involved in the death of one of her clients.
Marguerite's body was found washed ashore on a remote beach. The manner of death s suicide. But Ben isn't buying that. What Ben finds out is that Marguerite was pregnant, she had drugs in her system, and she hated being around the water. She also had a large knock to the back of her head.
If it was murder, who would have wanted this quiet older woman dead? Her various lovers? The father of her baby? The cult she escaped from many years ago? Or was this a random assault?
Ben pieces together the last few weeks of Marguerite's life and what she discovers puts her own life at risk.
The small town atmosphere lends credibility to the residents, some quirky, some with secrets, and some with long buried secrets that pose danger to anyone exposing them. The mystery is well done, the pacing is smooth, and the characters are finely drawn. Although second in the series, this is easily read as a stand alone.
Of interest ...these atmospheric and immersive mysteries are being adapted as a television series to be filmed in Inishowen.
Many thanks to the author / Oceanview Publishing / Edelweiss for the digital copy of this Crime Mystery. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
July 29, 2020
Treacherous Strand is the second in this Inishowen mystery series featuring Ben (Benedicta) O'Keefe, a solicitor and reluctant sleuth. When one of her clients is found dead from a fall that is ruled a suicide, Ben believes there is more to the story and begins to investigate on her own. It isn't long before she finds far more than she bargained for.
I loved the first book in this series and have now started reading the third by Andrea Carter. The pace is a bit slower than the "thrillers" I normally read but I liked getting to know the towns people and the background of Ben. I do wish there was a bit more character development but overall I have totally enjoyed this series - obviously! Each of the two books that I've read thus far can be read on their own; there is enough back story to carry you along although I think you would like them more if you read them order. I highly recommend them all.
I loved the first book in this series and have now started reading the third by Andrea Carter. The pace is a bit slower than the "thrillers" I normally read but I liked getting to know the towns people and the background of Ben. I do wish there was a bit more character development but overall I have totally enjoyed this series - obviously! Each of the two books that I've read thus far can be read on their own; there is enough back story to carry you along although I think you would like them more if you read them order. I highly recommend them all.
April 6, 2017
‘Treacherous Strand’ by Andrea Carter
Published by Constable, 4 April 2017. ISBN: 978-1-4721-1854-7
Treacherous Strand is the second book in the series featuring Solicitor Benedicta 'Ben' O'Keeffe. I see that I said in my review of the first book, Death at Whitewater Church. ‘This one of the most intriguing mysteries I have read in a long time.’ And delightfully nothing has altered this author’s ability to weave a fascinating mystery.
The news of the discovery of a woman’s body on a beach in the Inishowen peninsula has Ben in a panic to learn the identity of the victim. When she does she is overcome with remorse. Marguerite Etienne was her client and for the second time in her life Ben has let someone down.
After a brief investigation the local police Sergeant Tom Molloy records Marguerite's death as a suicide. But Ben cannot let it go at that. Although her initial investigation shows Marguerite to have been a quiet woman with no friends she is determined to find out the truth behind her death.
Spurred on by the casual and indifferent way the people that Ben speak to have reacted to Marguerite’s death Ben digs deeper and discovers that she had been brought up in a French Doomsday cult - The Children of Damascus. The unexpected delivery into Ben’s hands of some overlooked possessions of Marguerite’s discloses that she had escaped the cult some 20 years earlier leaving behind her baby daughter.
Despite discovering many odd coincidences and connections, nothing makes sense, but Ben doggedly continues to question anyone who had contact with Marguerite. This brings her into contact with Simon Howard, the sculptor who lives in the cottage next to Marguerite, and whom she said was a friend. But when Simon begins to pay Ben attention she is not certain that she can trust him. The one person she does trust is Sergeant Tom Molloy, but what had been for several years a good working relationship had changed nine months ago and Ben had no idea why, but was surprised at how much she cared about that.
As Ben continues to investigate Marguerite’s life she finds there are people that could have a motive to kill Marguerite to keep their secrets just that – secret, and so the possible suspects mount up.
I loved this clever and ingeniously plotted book, but then I love a good mystery. And this intriguing mystery gripped me from start to finish. Most highly recommended.
------
Reviewer: Lizzie Sirett
Published by Constable, 4 April 2017. ISBN: 978-1-4721-1854-7
Treacherous Strand is the second book in the series featuring Solicitor Benedicta 'Ben' O'Keeffe. I see that I said in my review of the first book, Death at Whitewater Church. ‘This one of the most intriguing mysteries I have read in a long time.’ And delightfully nothing has altered this author’s ability to weave a fascinating mystery.
The news of the discovery of a woman’s body on a beach in the Inishowen peninsula has Ben in a panic to learn the identity of the victim. When she does she is overcome with remorse. Marguerite Etienne was her client and for the second time in her life Ben has let someone down.
After a brief investigation the local police Sergeant Tom Molloy records Marguerite's death as a suicide. But Ben cannot let it go at that. Although her initial investigation shows Marguerite to have been a quiet woman with no friends she is determined to find out the truth behind her death.
Spurred on by the casual and indifferent way the people that Ben speak to have reacted to Marguerite’s death Ben digs deeper and discovers that she had been brought up in a French Doomsday cult - The Children of Damascus. The unexpected delivery into Ben’s hands of some overlooked possessions of Marguerite’s discloses that she had escaped the cult some 20 years earlier leaving behind her baby daughter.
Despite discovering many odd coincidences and connections, nothing makes sense, but Ben doggedly continues to question anyone who had contact with Marguerite. This brings her into contact with Simon Howard, the sculptor who lives in the cottage next to Marguerite, and whom she said was a friend. But when Simon begins to pay Ben attention she is not certain that she can trust him. The one person she does trust is Sergeant Tom Molloy, but what had been for several years a good working relationship had changed nine months ago and Ben had no idea why, but was surprised at how much she cared about that.
As Ben continues to investigate Marguerite’s life she finds there are people that could have a motive to kill Marguerite to keep their secrets just that – secret, and so the possible suspects mount up.
I loved this clever and ingeniously plotted book, but then I love a good mystery. And this intriguing mystery gripped me from start to finish. Most highly recommended.
------
Reviewer: Lizzie Sirett
September 19, 2019
3.5 stars
This is a cozy mystery set in Donegal Ireland. It features a young attorney, Ben, short for Benedicta, in a small town. She has a client that is a survivor of a fearsome cult that wants to make a will. Ben puts off the the production of the will for a few days and the client dies that night. The police thinks its suicide but Ben is convinced its murder. The book centers around Ben trying to prove her theory.
The part about the cult is quite interesting and the sense of place is wonderful. Ben does some silly things especially as she's an attorney but it is a cozy mystery. I wish I had read the first book as I lost quite a bit without it especially about a key component, the murder of her sister.
I would read more in this series because I like the supporting characters and the setting but I would read Book 1 first. I won this in a GR giveaway. Thanks GR.
This is a cozy mystery set in Donegal Ireland. It features a young attorney, Ben, short for Benedicta, in a small town. She has a client that is a survivor of a fearsome cult that wants to make a will. Ben puts off the the production of the will for a few days and the client dies that night. The police thinks its suicide but Ben is convinced its murder. The book centers around Ben trying to prove her theory.
The part about the cult is quite interesting and the sense of place is wonderful. Ben does some silly things especially as she's an attorney but it is a cozy mystery. I wish I had read the first book as I lost quite a bit without it especially about a key component, the murder of her sister.
I would read more in this series because I like the supporting characters and the setting but I would read Book 1 first. I won this in a GR giveaway. Thanks GR.
February 13, 2025
I think it was 3 1/2. Given that it took me 5+ years to read this, it shouldn't be a surprise that I lost the thread occasionally. Plus, I'm not that crazy about cult books. And this book does involve a cult.
Marguerite successfully left a cult, but had to leave her daughter behind. And, she is the daughter of the leader of the cult. She comes to Bennie O'Keeffe to do her will. Ben kind of puts her off, has things on her mind or whatever. Next thing she hears is that Marguerite has committed suicide. How can that be? Before her will was done? Ben can't let it go.
It seems like Malloy has gone back to his old girlfriend. So Ben isn't batting a thousand in the romantic front.
Then the ferryman is found dead. He recently stopped drinking so maybe he fell off the wagon. Ben doesn't believe that either. Too Convenient. He had been the last known to see Marguerite.
Too many coincidences here. And Ben isn't buying it. But she misses the biggest coincidence of all and she doesn't even know it.
On to #3 - The Well of Ice.
Marguerite successfully left a cult, but had to leave her daughter behind. And, she is the daughter of the leader of the cult. She comes to Bennie O'Keeffe to do her will. Ben kind of puts her off, has things on her mind or whatever. Next thing she hears is that Marguerite has committed suicide. How can that be? Before her will was done? Ben can't let it go.
It seems like Malloy has gone back to his old girlfriend. So Ben isn't batting a thousand in the romantic front.
Then the ferryman is found dead. He recently stopped drinking so maybe he fell off the wagon. Ben doesn't believe that either. Too Convenient. He had been the last known to see Marguerite.
Too many coincidences here. And Ben isn't buying it. But she misses the biggest coincidence of all and she doesn't even know it.
On to #3 - The Well of Ice.
March 13, 2021
Having read the first novel in this series back in 2018, I'm ashamed to say that it has taken me three years to get to the second one. After reading "Treacherous Strand" I realized that I shouldn't have waited so long. I blame my lengthy TBR.
With themes of infidelity, bloodlines, redemption, and doomsday cults, this novel will keep you interested and the flow of the narrative is smooth. The setting is atmospheric, and the characters likeable.
My only personal quibbles with the story are 1) Ben should have known better than to put herself in some of the circumstances she found herself in; and 2) I'm not comfortable with reading about cults.
The author is a solicitor herself, so that part of the narrative is knowledgeable and convincing. Not gritty by any means, yet somehow more serious than a 'cozy'. The frisson of romantic tension between Ben and policeman/Guard Tom Molloy only slightly impact the story, but in a good way.
I can see how Ben's 'nosiness' coupled with her line of work and her romantic interest in the town's policeman will engender many more interesting stories for this series. It is a series I intend to follow when time permits and I have just purchased the third novel "The Well of Ice" which I am greatly anticipating. Recommended. ♣
With themes of infidelity, bloodlines, redemption, and doomsday cults, this novel will keep you interested and the flow of the narrative is smooth. The setting is atmospheric, and the characters likeable.
My only personal quibbles with the story are 1) Ben should have known better than to put herself in some of the circumstances she found herself in; and 2) I'm not comfortable with reading about cults.
The author is a solicitor herself, so that part of the narrative is knowledgeable and convincing. Not gritty by any means, yet somehow more serious than a 'cozy'. The frisson of romantic tension between Ben and policeman/Guard Tom Molloy only slightly impact the story, but in a good way.
I can see how Ben's 'nosiness' coupled with her line of work and her romantic interest in the town's policeman will engender many more interesting stories for this series. It is a series I intend to follow when time permits and I have just purchased the third novel "The Well of Ice" which I am greatly anticipating. Recommended. ♣
September 21, 2020
Ben( Benedicta) O'Keefe is a solicitor in the small town of Glendara in Ireland. Her past is never far from her thoughts, and it guides much of what she does. When a client dies, she feels responsible. It isn't the first time she brushed someone off, even though she had no way of knowing what would happen.
Marguerite led a lonely life and Ben is determined to make sure justice is served. The official verdict is a suicide, but the facts don't add up to Ben. Why would anyone want to murder Marguerite? Could her quest for the truth put her own life in danger?
So I am officially a lover of a book set in a small town, a cozy mystery, and an engaging cast of quirky but lovable characters. Marguerite’s death and life were so sad, and I was right behind Ben in wanting to understand what had brought her to this point in life. There is also a glimmer of a potential romance in Ben's future which could add another dynamic to the story.
If Ben was a real person, I would wish that she could learn to be a little kinder to herself and perhaps not run off after leads alone! She is an amateur sleuth with a big heart and an intriguing past, present, and I hope future.
Marguerite led a lonely life and Ben is determined to make sure justice is served. The official verdict is a suicide, but the facts don't add up to Ben. Why would anyone want to murder Marguerite? Could her quest for the truth put her own life in danger?
So I am officially a lover of a book set in a small town, a cozy mystery, and an engaging cast of quirky but lovable characters. Marguerite’s death and life were so sad, and I was right behind Ben in wanting to understand what had brought her to this point in life. There is also a glimmer of a potential romance in Ben's future which could add another dynamic to the story.
If Ben was a real person, I would wish that she could learn to be a little kinder to herself and perhaps not run off after leads alone! She is an amateur sleuth with a big heart and an intriguing past, present, and I hope future.
October 2, 2019
I am really loving this series! This is the second I have read and I liked the first one so much that I jumped on this one from Edelweiss the second I saw it available to read. It looks like I might now see the rest in the series anytime soon {very, very sad face} as they don't appear to be available easily. But I will keep my eye out because I love this author's writing. Her characters are so interesting with just the right amount of details to give great insights but not so much that I'm skipping parts. And both of these books had, what I thought, to be really excellent mysteries. They kept me guessing right to the end with enough red herrings to make me always thinking I knew who did it, only to be wrong each time. A really great read! Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publsiher for allowing me to read a copy; opinions are my own.
March 20, 2017
Despite its ominous cover, this books is essentially cosy crime. Nothing wrong with that, obviously, and it's got a good dollop of Irish moodiness and dark atmosphere, so it never becomes cloyingly sweet like some of the US offerings in the genre. I found the ending somewhat rushed, and the description of the sect a bit stereotyped. However, there was a lot of small-town mentality and gossip, a bit of romance, untrustworthy characters galore to make up for it. It was fun to read, although perhaps the solicitor's legal details were a bit too much.
October 29, 2020
Solicitor Ben O'Keeffe is shocked when one of her clients is found dead on the beach in their small Irish village. Marguerite had only lived there a few years, and Ben learns that she was a former member of a doomsday cult in France. Did she really take her own life, as the police believe? Or was there something in her past that had come back to haunt her? Three and a half stars for this atmospheric Irish mystery. Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for this ARC.
January 2, 2020
I have seen other reviews call this one a 'cosy' mystery and I think that is a pretty good description. I can easily see this being adapted into a 2-hour Sunday evening ITV crime drama and, for UK readers, I hope that would tell you all you need to know. For non-UK readers, however, this is a murder mystery set in a small town on the west coast of Ireland, where everyone knows everyone and they all have history with one another which means that, as the story unfolds, it seems like anyone could have something to do with the murder. Our detective is a local do-gooding/meddling solicitor, balancing her crime solving with defending drink drivers and attending local charity waxing events. It is nicely paced and structured with new information dripped into the story to keep the interest (Perfect for those ad-breaks, too) and has a couple of moments of jeopardy at the climax to wrap it all up. There's also some romance sprinkled in for good measure if that's your thing. Overall, a bit formulaic but good nonetheless and I can see a lot of people enjoying it.
January 7, 2020
There are many small reasons I didn't really like this book, and yet no major over-riding one. I didn't develop any empathy for the character of Benedicta. She jumped to conclusions, brushed off people she should have been more careful with, and gave time to people who were questionable. She appears to be hung-over for half of the novel, which is another less than endearing trait.
Even though the setting is remarkable, I did not develop a true sense of the place; that is one of my main reasons for reading international fiction novels. And I can not even pinpoint why that is the case, as there were the usual odd village characters, and a beautiful but sometimes dark setting.
Perhaps the fault is mine for not reading the first novel in the series. The other problem for me was that I had guessed the parentage of Hugh, & Seamus, well before the ending. And this is totally silly, I know, but the treatment of the cat...no one puts cats out every night today. It goes against everything a vet would recommend. And you do not go away and leave your pet.
Even though the setting is remarkable, I did not develop a true sense of the place; that is one of my main reasons for reading international fiction novels. And I can not even pinpoint why that is the case, as there were the usual odd village characters, and a beautiful but sometimes dark setting.
Perhaps the fault is mine for not reading the first novel in the series. The other problem for me was that I had guessed the parentage of Hugh, & Seamus, well before the ending. And this is totally silly, I know, but the treatment of the cat...no one puts cats out every night today. It goes against everything a vet would recommend. And you do not go away and leave your pet.
June 15, 2023
Another good Donegal mystery
Benedicta O’Keeffe is an Irish solicitor who has moved to a quiet village in northern Donegal to get away from difficult memories in Dublin. I read the first in this series—this is the second—so I remembered her backstory. This book fills in some of that backstory so that someone who is reading the series for the first time has an understanding of why “Ben” is in Glendora and why she is so nosy when it comes to crime.
In this book, Ben feels guilty because a client of hers, Marguerite Etienne, seems to have committed suicide. Ben had cut short a meeting with Marguerite earlier that day and because of that, Marguerite killing herself with the unfinished business seems off to her. The Garda rule her death a suicide but Ben doesn’t want to write Marguerite off that quickly, especially as, like Ben herself, Marguerite hadn’t been a part of the village for that long. Ben feels like Marguerite deserves more than to be simply a cipher.
Of course, as in any book where the main character is a snoop, her investigations get Ben into difficulties and danger. There were times where I thought she was going way overboard, putting herself into too much danger, especially in the last 50 pages. Going off to a wilderness part of Norway with a perhaps murderer? Still, it certainly made for a lot of page turning!
There’s a bit of romance in the book too, between Ben and the detective, Malloy. For those who read the Ruth Galloway series, I actually prefer this relationship although there are some similarities of being “star crossed”.
But, mainly, I like reading the Inishowen books because they bring back the Ireland I’ve become familiar with over the past several years: wildly beautiful, with secretive but appealing people, appalling weather at times but ultimately a place I would love to visit more often than I am able to. These books bring it a bit closer to me.
Benedicta O’Keeffe is an Irish solicitor who has moved to a quiet village in northern Donegal to get away from difficult memories in Dublin. I read the first in this series—this is the second—so I remembered her backstory. This book fills in some of that backstory so that someone who is reading the series for the first time has an understanding of why “Ben” is in Glendora and why she is so nosy when it comes to crime.
In this book, Ben feels guilty because a client of hers, Marguerite Etienne, seems to have committed suicide. Ben had cut short a meeting with Marguerite earlier that day and because of that, Marguerite killing herself with the unfinished business seems off to her. The Garda rule her death a suicide but Ben doesn’t want to write Marguerite off that quickly, especially as, like Ben herself, Marguerite hadn’t been a part of the village for that long. Ben feels like Marguerite deserves more than to be simply a cipher.
Of course, as in any book where the main character is a snoop, her investigations get Ben into difficulties and danger. There were times where I thought she was going way overboard, putting herself into too much danger, especially in the last 50 pages. Going off to a wilderness part of Norway with a perhaps murderer? Still, it certainly made for a lot of page turning!
There’s a bit of romance in the book too, between Ben and the detective, Malloy. For those who read the Ruth Galloway series, I actually prefer this relationship although there are some similarities of being “star crossed”.
But, mainly, I like reading the Inishowen books because they bring back the Ireland I’ve become familiar with over the past several years: wildly beautiful, with secretive but appealing people, appalling weather at times but ultimately a place I would love to visit more often than I am able to. These books bring it a bit closer to me.
March 12, 2021
I love this series. It vibes like a modern day Agatha Christie with a fabulous Donegal setting, and a meddling young solicitor Ben (Benedicta) who seems to attract trouble. I love Ben and spending time with her and the other inhabitants of this small town is a pleasure. The mysteries are twisty and fun to work out. Looking forward to reading on in this series.
November 19, 2022
Good entry in the series. I really like the setting and characters; I have hopes that Ben and Molloy will move forward as well. I figured out some of the elements but not all, so it made for a good mystery.
October 3, 2024
I really enjoy this series and I’ve read them out of order but it doesn’t matter IMO.
I love that this series is set in Innishowen, Ireland, 🇮🇪. The author created wonderful in depth characters: the main character, Ben O’Keefe, short for Benedicta, a couple secondary characters that you’ll know from other novels in the series, as well as a French woman found dead near the shore along with some new characters introduced in this novel in this beloved series.
I love that this series is set in Innishowen, Ireland, 🇮🇪. The author created wonderful in depth characters: the main character, Ben O’Keefe, short for Benedicta, a couple secondary characters that you’ll know from other novels in the series, as well as a French woman found dead near the shore along with some new characters introduced in this novel in this beloved series.
January 27, 2024
Another good read about life in Inishowen, following Ben O’Keeffe (solicitor) as she feels compelled to investigate the death of a young client. The police, including Sgt. Tom Molloy, are convinced its a suicide, but Ben is sure there’s more to it. When she discovers the victim escaped a religious cult but left her daughter behind, Ben becomes fully enmeshed in the mystery, to the exasperation of Sgt Molloy and others. Creates a great sense of place, of small-town community, and what it’s like to be a newcomer and thus an outsider in such a place. The continuing romantic tension between Ben and Molloy continues unfulfilled . . .
“Doherty and McLaughlins are people who belong in Inishowen, have always belonged. I do not belong here. Although I have lived here for seven years, I will always be an outsider. In many ways this peninsula has saved me, for my position as an accepted outsider has allowed me to keep my past to myself, to be only who I choose to be and not what my past has made me. But it’s never as simple as that, is it? For the one person you can never escape is yourself.”
“Doherty and McLaughlins are people who belong in Inishowen, have always belonged. I do not belong here. Although I have lived here for seven years, I will always be an outsider. In many ways this peninsula has saved me, for my position as an accepted outsider has allowed me to keep my past to myself, to be only who I choose to be and not what my past has made me. But it’s never as simple as that, is it? For the one person you can never escape is yourself.”
August 17, 2016
A woman's body washes up on a remote beach on the Inishowen peninsula. Partially-clothed, with a strange tattoo on her thigh, she is identified as Marguerite Etienne, a French woman who has been living in the area.
Solicitor Benedicta 'Ben' O'Keeffe is consumed by guilt; Marguerite was her client, and for the second time in her life Ben has failed someone who needed her, with tragic consequences. So when local Sergeant Tom Molloy dismisses Marguerite's death as the suicide of a disturbed and lonely woman, Ben cannot let it lie.
Read the first book which i enjoyed and I really enjoyed this too.
The remote setting of the books is really great, and the town and its inhabitants so well drawn .
Benedicta (Ben ) is a great character as are some of her friends.. She's feisty and smart has a troubled past which can come back to haunt her and a big crush on the local policeman Molloy .
Ben just can't help snooping when she thinks there is a mystery to solve and she gleans much of her information from the inhabitants of Glendara, as they are a close knit community ,with their own history. They like to gossip but also look out for one another.
A really good read and hope there will be more in this series.
Solicitor Benedicta 'Ben' O'Keeffe is consumed by guilt; Marguerite was her client, and for the second time in her life Ben has failed someone who needed her, with tragic consequences. So when local Sergeant Tom Molloy dismisses Marguerite's death as the suicide of a disturbed and lonely woman, Ben cannot let it lie.
Read the first book which i enjoyed and I really enjoyed this too.
The remote setting of the books is really great, and the town and its inhabitants so well drawn .
Benedicta (Ben ) is a great character as are some of her friends.. She's feisty and smart has a troubled past which can come back to haunt her and a big crush on the local policeman Molloy .
Ben just can't help snooping when she thinks there is a mystery to solve and she gleans much of her information from the inhabitants of Glendara, as they are a close knit community ,with their own history. They like to gossip but also look out for one another.
A really good read and hope there will be more in this series.
December 27, 2018
The Treacherous Strand is the second book in the Inishowen mysteries series featuring solicitor Benedicta ‘Ben’ O’Keeffe. This outing sees Ben investigating the suspicious death of one her clients, a troubled French woman, which the police has ruled suicide. Her unconsummated romance with a local policeman is on rocky ground, so she is pursuing the case solo. Inevitably, her nosing about unearths secrets and unsettles the small rural community. The cosy-feel to the story, the close rural village set-up, the colourful community and mix of characters, and a blow-in lead character reminded me of the TV series Ballykissangel given a mystery spin. The result was a certain charm to the storytelling, with a plot that jaunted along. While there was strong telegraphing as to the denouement, there is also a nice twist. My main issue with the tale was the over-use of two plot devices to make everything work: interruptions that led to information not being passed on or the deliberate holding back of things when they should have been shared regardless of any personal romantic strife. There were also a couple of things that made little sense to me. Nonetheless, this is a story carried along by its charm and lead character and was an enjoyable read.
August 18, 2019
Really enjoyed the second installment of this book from the wilds of North Inishowen. Carter's writing is engaging and places you as the reader at rhe heart of the book. She captures the ruggedness of Donegal spectacularly and balances its rigged wildness with the warmth and community spirit of the characters in her book - no doubt from her experience working in Donegal. There were some great twists in this book, just like "Death at Whitewater Chapel", I couldn't foresee who was the culprit.
I particularly love the relationship she builds between her protagonist and stoic Garda Molloy. Again she captures the essence of the typical Irish person when facing the a relationship: avoidance, ignorance, shyness and awkwardness. It seems real, and much closer to what I have seen in my own life - people aren't overly affectionate but the love and trust is real and strong.
I would really recommend this series if you are all intrigued by Mysteries such as the Shetland or Vera series by Ann Cleeves. It's similar in a way, but carves it's own place within the genre.
I particularly love the relationship she builds between her protagonist and stoic Garda Molloy. Again she captures the essence of the typical Irish person when facing the a relationship: avoidance, ignorance, shyness and awkwardness. It seems real, and much closer to what I have seen in my own life - people aren't overly affectionate but the love and trust is real and strong.
I would really recommend this series if you are all intrigued by Mysteries such as the Shetland or Vera series by Ann Cleeves. It's similar in a way, but carves it's own place within the genre.
April 11, 2021
In Irish, Breag means falsehood. Or Lie. Trawbreaga is Treacherous Strand. The currents in Trawbreaga Bay are dangerous and unpredictable. Now they have snatched a woman's body and deposited it some twenty kilometers further down the coast.
The woman, Marguerite Etienne, has lately come to Glendara to live. And, more recently, has come to Ben O'Keeffe for the purpose of having her will drawn up. She seemed nervous. Afraid. And she never came back to sign the final copy,
Though the Guards are leaning toward Suicide as cause of death, Ben is not at all sure. So, off she goes to try to make sense of the whole thing.
This is a well-scripted mystery, with many twists and turns. An enjoyable read.
I read this Library Book, published by Oceanview Publishing, 2016
The woman, Marguerite Etienne, has lately come to Glendara to live. And, more recently, has come to Ben O'Keeffe for the purpose of having her will drawn up. She seemed nervous. Afraid. And she never came back to sign the final copy,
Though the Guards are leaning toward Suicide as cause of death, Ben is not at all sure. So, off she goes to try to make sense of the whole thing.
This is a well-scripted mystery, with many twists and turns. An enjoyable read.
I read this Library Book, published by Oceanview Publishing, 2016
October 25, 2023
I really liked this book! This series takes place in the fictional town of Buncrana on the actual Inishowen Peninsula of north Ireland. Ben (Benedicta) O'Keefe, the local solicitor, is asked by Margeurite Etienne to draft her will immediately. Ben tells Ms. Etienne to return after the will is drafted, typed and ready for her signature. But before she can return, Marguerite's body washes up on the shore of Lagg Beach. The Guarda write her death off as suicide. Not convinced and haunted by guilt, Ben investigates. Along the way she discovers deception, adultery, skeletons in closets, blackmail and a doomsday cult connection that leads her to Bergen, Norway. She finds a host of suspects and a love interest or two.
September 24, 2019
This is a good, strong mystery set in picturesque Ireland, loaded with Irish law tidbits, and replete with red herrings. Would have liked to have seen a bit more romantic tension between the lawyer and the detective, and a bit more dread or fear around the visit to the cult headquarters. The tone remained at a steady beat so it was not exactly a page turner. A really good novel, but perhaps not an award-winning one.
Fans of Ann Cleeves' Shetland mysteries may enjoy this series.
Fans of Ann Cleeves' Shetland mysteries may enjoy this series.
July 16, 2024
This book is such a disappointment. I did not realize this is the second in a series, but it did not take long to figure that out. Too many poorly inserted references to the previous book. The story is lame. The characters are cardboard cutouts at best. And the ending is simply awful. The real mystery behind this book is how it got published in the first place. My recommendation is to just walk away.
May 31, 2024
I found this second novel in the series to be better than the first, although there are still some issues I have with how the author wraps up each mystery. I like the protagonist and love that there’s relationship angst involved. I definitely want to read all the books in this series.
August 5, 2017
Another good one!! :)
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