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A haunted castle, a pair of international jewel thieves, and a hotel fire -- so begins Regan and Jack Reilly's honeymoon in Ireland...Private Investigator Regan Reilly and her husband Jack, head of the Major Case Squad in New York City, have just gotten hitched! They've headed to Hennessey Castle, a romantic spot in western Ireland, to escape the world and the criminals they deal with daily. But their getaway is anything but relaxing!

Their first afternoon in Ireland, Regan and Jack stop at an old graveyard on the edge of town where they find a tombstone marked REILLY. Intrigued, they discover it belongs to a talented lacemaker by the name of May Reilly, who died in 1822. Legend has it that after making an exquisite tablecloth for a banquet at Hennessey Castle, May was never paid and she has haunted the castle ever since. That same night, the hotel's fire alarm sounds, the guests are temporarily evacuated, and the next morning May Reilly's famous tablecloth is discovered missing. When two international jewel thieves claim responsibility for the theft in a taunting note to Jack, who has been on their trail for more than a year, the Reilly's honeymoon comes to an abrupt end.

Working with Regan's Irish cousin Gerard Reilly, Regan and Jack are in for the adventure of a lifetime through the tiny villages and crowded pubs of the Emerald Isle.

Audio CD

First published April 17, 2007

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About the author

Carol Higgins Clark

68 books835 followers
Carol Higgins Clark was an American mystery author. She was the daughter of author Mary Higgins Clark , with whom she co-authored novels, and the former sister-in-law of author Mary Jane Clark.

Born in New York City, Clark received her B.A. from Mount Holyoke College in 1978 and then studied acting at the Beverly Hills Playhouse. She was the author of the Regan Reilly mystery series. She also acted in several films.

Clark's New York apartment building, The Belaire, was hit by a small plane flown by New York Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle on October 11, 2006. Her 38th floor condominium was just a floor below the main impact zone. She was not injured in the accident.

She appeared on the game show, To Tell The Truth.

Carol died at the age of 66 on June 12, 2023 of appendix cancer.

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5 stars
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3 stars
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 300 reviews
Profile Image for Luffy Sempai.
783 reviews1,085 followers
August 20, 2021
Laced is one of those books that's more than the sum of its parts. Each of these books can be read in any order. But here, Laced happens after Hitched, when the main heroine got married.

I said that Regan Reilly is the main heroine. But she is not the main character. That honor is shared by the four crooks on the run and committing crimes at the same time.

I loved the premise of a honeymoon in Ireland. Fortunately for me, the author did not make her characters speak Gaelic. This is a book when even the least important character can be funny as hell. I fully recommend this book, and hope that you start the series by reading Laced.
Profile Image for Anita (Hearts and Whodunits).
1,012 reviews18 followers
June 8, 2017
I really loved this mystery. Regan is a private investigator and Jack is the head of the major case squad in New York City. They're on their honeymoon in Ireland where suspected jewel thieves stole an ancient Celtic treasure. Then, they left Jack a note meant to taunt him. But, instead, Jack and Regan are determined to find their quarry. What does a ghost and seven paintings have to do with it? You're going to have to read this book to find out!
179 reviews11 followers
September 13, 2010
Having just recently returned from Ireland, I picked this book to sort of keep the ambiance going. I wasn't quite ready to leave Ireland behind. This is also the first time I have read anything by Carol Higgins Clark and I really enjoyed this book.
Profile Image for Madeline.
147 reviews28 followers
May 31, 2022
This is slightly cringe-worthy. But only slightly, the rest is actually more boring than cringey. It took me a bit to get into the story (like three quarters of the way through XD), and I really wasn't all that invested even then. The narrative keeps jumping between different viewpoint for wayyyy too many people and it was hard for me to keep track of what was going on. This jumpiness actually caused me to be more on the side of the villains in this story than the Reilly couple (yes, I am aware that they are married, they were just married, they are now on their honeymoon, they are mr. and mrs. reilly... It doesn't have to mentioned it every other paragraph ;p). So while the story had potential, I think that the telling of it dragged quite a bit and lacked the flavor of a true master story teller that just comes with natural talent and lots and lots of practice. I do have to allow for the fact that I did finish it though (which may have only been slightly influenced because I'm so behind in my reading challenge this year *smiles innocently*), so it did have enough flavor for me to push through. I would recommend to those who like cliché mysteries.
Profile Image for Vixxi.
118 reviews48 followers
June 21, 2018
i love this book so much because it takes place ireland which i hope to visit some day . i love the ending of this book because it was not what i thought would happen . i love the history of hennessy castle with lace table cloth. this is a great book that makes me want to visit ireland so i can visit all the castle their .
Profile Image for Spencer.
1,570 reviews19 followers
September 17, 2020
2020
If you typically like Carol Higgins Clark books, then you will probably like this one. However, I found it to be trite, boring, and disappointing. I used to be such a big fan of hers (when I was in high school), but I guess I've grown as a reader since then.

First of all, some of her sentences were so ridiculous. - Reflexively, he grabbed his wrist. The watch was gone! How did she do it? The woman was a genius!
He fell in love.
- 30 pages in and I just rolled my eyes. It doesn't get any better from there.

As always I felt disappointed in the Regan and Jack characters as well. They are both so underdeveloped and boring that it's ridiculous. I wish CHC and decided to do something else with the age group she was writing for. I think that she would have excelled at going with the young adult mystery set (like the Nancy Drew readers), instead of trying to hit the adult crowd. Even though Regan is supposed to be on her honeymoon in this story, she still feels like a high schooler to me. I just cannot see her as a grown woman. She acts so young and childish to me. Plus, as far as detective work goes, I just can't take Regan or Jack as professionals.

I don't understand why CHC has to have so many subplots in her books, either. It's something of a trend that I've noticed with her and I'm beginning to wonder if it's because she can't flesh out a full story without adding completely unnecessary storylines to the plot. Explain to me why I should care about the housekeepers paintings with equal verve to the jewel thieves that are our main villains? Because I'm gonna tell you, I don't give one whit about Margaret. I don't care about Brian and Sheila. I don't care about their troubles with Dermot. I guess his only real purpose to the story is so that he can have a helicopter ready when the Reilly's need it. Maybe CHC couldn't figure out any other way that the Reilly's could have caught the jewel thieves that they had already discovered the identities to, the family of, and the entire history for.
Profile Image for Sarah.
364 reviews
March 24, 2014
I used to read each new book in this series as soon as it came out. After awhile, I got bored with them. They seemed pretty repetitive and almost comical and that wasn't what I was interested at the time. I decided to pick them up again because I am now more interested in lighthearted fun mysteries versus scarier, more suspenseful ones.

The setting and plot were very interesting to me. Regan and Jack head off to Ireland on their honeymoon and have one enjoyable day before realizing the top jewel thieves in North America are in Ireland and trying to ruin their good time. Along the way, we are introduced to a fun cast of characters with a subplot of a fun run as the background for how the killers get caught.

I love running (if you know me personally you know that) and I loved that the author wove in running details so well. The fun run was held the weekend of the NYC marathon for those that want to stay in shape but aren't hardcore competitive. The author did make it sound like NYC is a race you can 'just sign up for' and that's really not the case. It also sounds like, if the author did her research, that Galway is a running city and they host a lot of running events throughout the year. If that's true, then I'll put it on my list of places to go for destination runs!

All in all, a great mystery and a great series. As my TBR pile gets smaller, I'll look to the library to continue reading this series.
Profile Image for Michael Curtis.
61 reviews1 follower
November 5, 2023
I don't read much genre fiction, but I see Mary/Carol Higgins Clark on the shelves all the time so I figured I would try one. I chose this for the setting and themes: Ireland, ghost story, jewelry thieves, and a castle location. I didn't expect another "Great American Novel", but I figured the setting and themes would provide lots of entertainment and plenty for a writer to dive into. I was disappointed by the superficial writing. It had a wireframe-the-plot-fill-in-with-sentences kind of feel. Two American couples running around the Irish countryside and no mention of the driving differences or Irish accents. Other that saying the characters ordered "Irish stew" at restaurants, there was little description of being in Ireland, or in a castle. The ghost story angle - which sort of alluded to the Hound of the Baskervilles - was a real missed opportunity. Regarding jewelry, Claddagh rings were the only thing the story delved into. An inordinate amount of writing was devoted to two characters getting caps on their broken teeth. The plot partially turned on that point about dental caps, but the important issue to me is: did it need to? The set up interested me, the final product was disappointing.
Profile Image for Ellen Moore.
681 reviews8 followers
January 28, 2016
In the 10th volume of this series, Regan and Jack are honeymooning in Ireland. Their lives get involved with two pairs of criminals--one couple that Jack had been trying to catch in NY before they left. A valuable old lace tablecloth displayed in the hotel where they are staying is stolen. Two persons have broken teeth and go to a very strange dentist also figures in this story. Relatives of Regan's and a Reilly ghost are also involved. There is a talented primitive artist who works at the hotel and a wealthy man who is trying to buy her art. The book is full of action and quirky characters. It was a fun read.
Profile Image for Laura Brown.
296 reviews10 followers
January 25, 2018
This story was read by the author. She should have spend the money to have a professional read it. Her reading the simplistic text made it even worse than it may have been if a pro had recorded it. Ugh. When will people learn that DYI isn't always the best idea!
91 reviews
April 4, 2023
Laced is A Regan Reilly Mystery book ten by Carol Higgins Clark.

I rate this book 4 1/2 stars.

Regan has just married Jack Reilly. Regan's maiden name is also Reilly, but they are from different families.

They go to Ireland for their honeymoon. They are staying at Hennessey Castle. Hennessey Castle has a famous lace tablecloth that was said to be made by May Reilly. (No relation to either Jack or Regan.) May Reilly made a lace tablecloth almost two hundred years ago, and it is said to haunt Hennessey Castle because she worked hard on it and never received pay.

This gorgeous tablecloth made by May Reilly can be seen displayed in the memorabilia room of Hennessey Castle. One night while the castle guests sleep, the fire alarms go off, and everybody rushes towards the exit.

When people get to the door, they find out it was a kitchen fire that has been taken care of, and the fire department makes them outside while it inspects the Castle to ensure it is safe for everybody to stay in it.

Everybody hears a scream after the fire. Somebody broke the glass in the display case in the memorabilia room where Hennessey Castle keeps the lace tablecloth, which is missing! The hotel management finds a message addressed to Jack and Regan Reilly. It is from the jewel thieves Jane and John Doe that he has been after for some time.

Jane and John Doe decide to steal the lace tablecloth to ruin Jack Reilly's honeymoon, as because of his relentless pursuit of the thieves, they are not happy. They think they should have the right to steal what they want.

There is also a subplot of Brian and Sheila O'Shea, who have promised Dermot Finnegan, a wealthy man who moved from Ireland and is living in Phoenix and wants paintings painting he gave millions to them to bring over to Phoenix from Ireland. The O'Sheas tells Dermot Finnegan that a nun paints the images in a cloistered convent. They would give Margaret one hundred euros for the paintings and keep the rest of the millions Dermot gave the "nun" who painted the pictures.

The O'Sheas go to Margaret's cottage to pick up the paintings and find she is burning them. They find out she gave some pictures to friends and convince her to get them back from her friends.

The rest of the book is about The O'Sheas going around the countryside with Margaret to get those pictures from Margaret's friends and Jack and Regan searching for Jane and John Doe.

I enjoyed this book as it was fast-paced, and the last few chapters were suspenseful. I loved the mystery.

I enjoyed how the book showed us how the Irish live.
Profile Image for Juanita.
776 reviews8 followers
May 17, 2018
Review: Laced by Carol Higgins Clark. 05/10/2018

This was a great mystery. I didn’t keep up with the series but this book could be read alone. This is the tenth book of the Investigator Regan Reilly series. It started out with the Jack’s and Regan’s wedding followed by their adventurous honeymoon at the Hennessy Castle in Ireland.

The first day of their honeymoon started off with a jog to the old graveyard at the edge of town. The first grave stone was marked Reilly but not related to either one of them. It was May Reilly who died in 1822 and known as a lace maker in her day. The legion of her existence was an exquisite laced tablecloth she made for a banquet at Hennessy Castle that she was never paid, which is exhibited with the castles relics, and some say she has haunted the castle through the years. Also staying at the castle was another American Irish couple, Sheila and Brian O’Shea who own a business selling Irish memorabilia and they were there to pick up some paintings from an older lady who thought they were not valuable. However, this couple didn’t want Jack or Regan to know what they were doing. They had a habit of scamming people.

The honeymoon is put on hold the next morning and an investigation was under way looking for the laced tablecloth that had been stolen during the night from the memorabilia room at the castle. A diversion of a small fire was set in order for the thieves to get what they wanted and quickly left the castle to another location. They referred themselves as Jane and John Doe the same international jewel thieves Jack has been trying to find for over a year. How did Jack know who they were? Well, they left a calling card at the scene for Jack. I don’t believe Jack and Regan will be having much fun on their honeymoon until they get these two mysteries under wrap…


Profile Image for Linda Munro.
1,934 reviews26 followers
March 1, 2020

This was to meet another library challenge, read a book at the library. I will be honest, I did intend to read the entire book at the library but I finished it at home. Ops!

Jack and Regan Reilly are in Ireland for their honeymoon; but thieves that Jack has been tracking have decided to insinuate themselves on the Reilly’s celebration. The couple has chosen to stay at world renown Hennessy Castle, little could they have anticipated that the jewel thieves known as John and Jane Doe would be following them.

Before realizing that they were being stalked by jewel thieves; Jack and Regan learn that Hennessy castle is supposedly haunted by a local lace maker who was never paid for her creation before her 1822 death.

A middle of the night kitchen fire dampens the holiday; but when Jack and Regan learn that the lace tablecloth made by May Reilly has been stolen and a note has been left for them; things take a turn to the serious.

Irish history and Irish lore fill the pages, giving a sense of reality to the story.

As usually, a quick and easy read.
Profile Image for Patti.
625 reviews2 followers
October 4, 2025
in prior book of this series, Regan and Jack are now married and on their honeymoon in Ireland. After checking into the Hennessy Castle, a fire breaks out in the kitchen and during all the commotion, a beautiful laced tablecloth from the 1800s is stolen from the castle. Of course, PI Regan and her husband Jack, head of the Major Case Squad in New York City are on the case. Regan and Jack soon discover that the missing tablecloth was stolen by a Jane and John Doe who choose to leave a calling card and have been taunting Jack with several crimes he has been investigating. Jack and Regan are determined to catch these thieves and get them behind bars. LACED, just like all the Regan Reilly mysteries in this series, are fast paced with quirky characters.
Author 2 books
June 16, 2019
Disappointing. First: Many thoughts and sentences were so simple they made me laugh, because they belonged in a children’s book. Second: The main characters (Regan and Jack) who were private investigators received too much help from others in solving the mystery. They were underdeveloped, boring and did not carry the story. Third: The plot was confusing, because Ms. Clark developed subplots that also were criminal activity mysteries. All of which was over the top. Fourth: Some of the Irish characters were interesting but there were just too many random things going on. The book needed a good scrubbing.
Profile Image for Kellene.
1,151 reviews17 followers
July 10, 2018
This was the first of this series that I have read in a while, and I only got it because I needed an audio book in a hurry for a trip. It wasn't bad, but there was way too much going on much of the time. Also I was in the last little bit of the final CD thinking it wasn't going to get resolved, then BOOM everything happens, it's over and yeah. Didn't like that at all. But it served its purpose... I made it through the drive before I made it through the book.
Profile Image for Pattie aka Grand.
441 reviews2 followers
September 9, 2020
A cute quirky light “mystery” without any really bad perps and a young couple who seem to garner crimes to solve no matter where they are— even in the backwoods of Ireland on their honeymoon. Carol Higgins Clark follows in her mother Mary Higgins Clark’s footsteps and writes a sweet series of these books featuring Reagan Reilly. To be honest, these books are not my cup of tea- pun intended— but my Mom loved them. When I read one, I so so in honor of Evelyn.
Profile Image for Marilyn.
24 reviews
July 3, 2024
Laced by Carol Higgins Clark was my first read of this author. Was a very fast simple read which is great for the 52 reading club. There were references to her previous books but they didn’t complicate the plot too badly. There was two separate mysteries going which kept the novel interesting. Don’t think I’ll jump into the rest of the series but makes me want to compare her books to her mothers!
864 reviews11 followers
October 18, 2025
I love this delightful series with its punny, one-word titles. In this volume, Regan and Jack Reilly, who just got married in Hitched, are honeymooning in a haunted castle in Ireland. A fire is set in the kitchen on their first night, so no hot breakfast there. As the Reillys hunt for the arsonist, they also deal with a bizarre housekeeper, a pair of jewel thieves, and a couple of scam artists.
Profile Image for Ashley Nichols.
203 reviews2 followers
December 8, 2018
I only give three stars because it’s Ireland and I wanted to drink Irish tea reading it. As much as I loved the previous book, this book was like too republican. Its white ppl honeymooning in Ireland. It even includes a story of a white immigrant who can to the US and built himself from nothing. I just can’t relate to any of this content.
Profile Image for MELANIE.
810 reviews6 followers
July 13, 2019
Reagan et jack sont en lune de miel en Irlande. Des voleurs, qui sont toujours arrivés à échapper à la police, décident de commettre un vol en Irlande pour narguer jack.

Ce n'est pas un coup de cœur, je me souviens de tomes précédents plus intéressants. C'est bien pour se changer les idées, c'est une lecture facile et rapide. Pas mal mais rien d'extraordinaire.
Profile Image for Nicole.
72 reviews9 followers
March 4, 2020
This book delivered more than I expected! First off I mistakenly thought it was by Mary Higgins Clark at first glance so I was not exactly sure what to expect from it. However it was an easy read, had likable characters and an easy plot to follow. I loved how everything came perfectly together at the end. I wasn’t sure if it was going to with so many different views.
Profile Image for Carole.
1,629 reviews
October 5, 2020
Regan and her new husband, Jack, are on their honeymoon in Ireland. The first night a couple of jewel thieves who Jack has been trying to catch pull a job right under his nose. The honeymoon becomes a hunt for the thieves. Add in a couple of cons who are ripping off a local artist and are staying at the same castle as the newlyweds.
25 reviews
July 4, 2024
Unfortunately, I was not into this book. Quite honestly it confused me more than anything. I didn’t quite get why they had the thieves, who stole the tablecloth and then another set of thieves regarding art. I just did not quite understand it all and am left confused. I just couldn’t get into this book at all, which shocked me because I have enjoyed Carol Higgins Books in the past!
418 reviews
December 30, 2024
A pleasant quick "read", on audio (abridged). I've read other Regan Reilly mysteries. This one is set on her honeymoon with Jack Reilly, in Ireland. Lots of charm, and quite a few "small world" connections.

Unlike her mother's books, she doesn't ramp up the tension, making these nice diversions.

Best wishes to Regan and Jack!
384 reviews1 follower
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September 24, 2025
R & J are on their honeymoon in Ireland. Not one, but 2 criminal couples are in the area. One sets a fire in their hotel & steals an antique tablecloth. They leave a card for Jack. After following many clues, the answer falls in their lap & both couples are caught. R & J can enjoy the end of their honeymoon!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
15 reviews
December 30, 2025
J'ai mis longtemps à lire ce livre. Sur les aspects positifs, on est complètement immergé dans les paysages irlandais, comme une envie d'y aller après cette lecture. Cependant, le livre entrecroise pleins d'histoires différentes et je peux même dire trop d'histoires différentes à mon goût. Face à ce nombre d'histoires la fin me semble bâclée.
265 reviews
September 9, 2017
I found one of the main characters Reagan to be slightly snotty. It was a little odd to add that characteristic to this character and it made me not like her. Overall, the story-line was a nice little mystery.
Profile Image for Jamie.
26 reviews
May 14, 2019
I think of the Regan Reilly Mystery books as quick and easy reads. I've enjoyed most of them in the form of audiobooks. Fast paced and exciting. Very convenient that these novels can be read out of order!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 300 reviews

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