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Galway Homicide: Hays & Lyons #11

Murder in an Irish Bog

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Too late to find a missing man, are Irish detectives in time to catch his killer?

It is only a passing comment in the post office in a remote part of Western Ireland that alerts police to the disappearance of Davin Faherty.

But foul play is established when his unceremoniously wrapped corpse turns up in a bog. His brother falls under suspicion, but why kill over a near-useless piece of grazing land?

DI Maureen Lyons leads the investigation but relies on trusty Mulholland, the old-school local policeman stationed in Clifden, for the legwork.

She has other problems: an illegal cannabis farm and a prospector from a US minerals company who won’t take no for an answer.

Ultimately, however, DI Lyons will need to get her hands dirty before the killer vanishes into the coastal mist.

185 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 7, 2021

297 people are currently reading
131 people want to read

About the author

David Pearson

33 books119 followers
One of Ireland's most prolific crime writers, David has a total of 24 books published to date across four separate series.

The Galway Homicides - set in and around Clifden on the Wild Atlantic Way

The Dublin Homicides - a grittier set of 6 stories set in the capital of Ireland

The Wexford Homicides - introducing DI Vikki Kirkby

The Mayo Murders - a new series set in and around Westport in County Mayo featuring DI Martin O'Shea and DS Deirdre Maguire.




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5 stars
523 (51%)
4 stars
319 (31%)
3 stars
139 (13%)
2 stars
22 (2%)
1 star
13 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
Profile Image for Anna Willett.
Author 24 books879 followers
March 20, 2021
A missing man’s body turns up in a bog and the race is on to catch a killer.
Murder in an Irish Bog is a fantastic read! The story delivers on everything I’ve come to expect from David Pearson, intriguing mystery, fleshed out characters, humour, unexpected twists and most importantly, and enjoyable read. I highly recommend.
305 reviews
January 9, 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is a police procedural happening in an Ireland district. I enjoyed the use of the comm0n vernacular used by all the characters especially just having family visiting Ireland
Profile Image for Rebecca .
637 reviews3 followers
May 1, 2022
I really like this series of police procedurals set in the Galway area of Western Island. A man’s body turns up in a remote bog area setting off an investigation. Who killed him and why? There are several interesting plot strands as the detectives uncover links to a drug growing gang and a shady American using ancient Laws to gain possession of common land. As ever the tenacious work by the detectives bring it all to a satisfying conclusion. As always I enjoy the relationships between the various characters and the way they all work together.
Profile Image for Lee.
463 reviews9 followers
July 24, 2023
While I enjoyed it, there was a lot of dry fill, such as the description of the airplane one of the characters flew on -- had not one thing to do with the story. The dialogue is getting kind of cartoonish -- OK, go you ... kinda stuff on every page, it seems. This one almost bored me.
Profile Image for Nicola Clifford.
Author 15 books31 followers
January 11, 2022
A friend recommended this book to me and I am so glad he did.
This was the perfect read for a winter's afternoon and it didn't take long to become immersed with the characters, the story and the wonderful descriptions of rural Ireland. I've always loved southern Irish accents and I could hear that accent in the dialogue, the musical gentleness of it flowing through the story.
A great whodunnit which kept me guessing until the end, even though the clues were there, and the twisty plot kept me engaged and wanting more.
I have read this book out of sequence, but will now go back to read the others in the series.
Highly recommended.
Profile Image for M.
1,576 reviews
March 23, 2021
Atmospheric murder mystery in Connemara, Ireland

This quick read mystery of about 200 pages—but with over forty named characters—gets off to a fast start. By the end of the prologue, the reader can reason out how the victim died, and also theorize about the murderer, given his cleanup and disposal methods. Is he organized? Disorganized? Serial or newbie?

This is a solid mystery with a suitable moody atmosphere due to the setting and the foul weather. I did wonder about beginning a procedural with secondary police characters. The author follows-on to set up the storyline and introduce characters at three Gardai stations—one in Galway where the leads, Lyons & Hays, are situated. Others are in Clifden and Roundtree in the countryside, each with its own officers. There are some good twists, but logic helps finger the villain early on. Nevertheless, I kept reading to see how the author resolves the threads. A good read for a rainy day, whilst snugging in a fluffy blanket.

This may be a Kindle-related problem, but there are missing scene breaks—not even a space. I don’t like segueing from an office to the boggy countryside.
Profile Image for Sandra Barker.
Author 22 books26 followers
June 11, 2022
This is a straightforward Irish murder mystery. I especially liked the fact that it is set in Ireland. I love all things British! There's not much fluff in this story, a lot of he said, she said, but a fairly decent plot and some bits of feeling like you are in Ireland. There's only a couple of bad words in the book, which I appreciate, and no gore. Since it is book #11 and I had not read the previous books, it would have been helpful to put the "List of Characters" that's in the back of the book - in the front of the book instead. Even so, I made out okay without having read the previous books. One thing that created confusion for me was the way the author used the first name of the character sometimes and the last name other times in the he said, she said parts, especially the character Maureen Lyons. It took me a while to remember her last as well as her first name as it bounced back and forth.
For the most part, it's a decent Irish mystery with some interesting twists.
Profile Image for Karry.
931 reviews
May 4, 2021
I enjoyed this book about a couple of cops who live just outside of Galway and who are finding it hard to separate the many odd things happening in their region. There are two brothers who have inherited their parents farm, one is lazy and apparently not interested in their farm at all, and though he doesn't have a job, he has plenty of money. The other is working his but off to keep the farm going on his own. There are rumors going around that an American mining company is planning on buying up land and despoiling the environment in order to find gold and copper. Then the slothful brother is found dead in the bog and all hell breaks loose.

I was a little disappointed in the ending but the author tidied everything up in a one & a half page conclusion that somewhat satisfied my concerns...thus the 3 stars.
Profile Image for Susan.
2,225 reviews19 followers
October 2, 2024
An excellent procedural which DI Maureen Lyons solves with persistence and professionalism and a little bit of self-doubt. In the course of a murder investigation, she discovers a wicked plan to exploit the Connemara bog land. In this series, it seems that Irish law is designed to provide opportunities for international criminals. The EU is not mentioned but I could not help but wonder how their regulations would apply given their sensitivity to the despoliation of peat bogs.
1,909 reviews18 followers
April 12, 2021
Excellent!

Terrific characters, whose interactions personally and as investigators , just are wonderful! Definitely read the series in order because of these relationships. The bad guys were sufficiently disgusting and their downfall was very well done! Unusual plot but very interesting and well developed.
5 reviews1 follower
February 2, 2022
Another excellent Galway story

Another excellent Galway story. These are straight forward enjoyable and done by an excellent author. I like the way you can feel you always know the characters. Also like the epilogue, where you find out the longer outcomes. Need more I have become addicted.
Profile Image for Kathy.
3,877 reviews290 followers
August 18, 2023
This book managed to entertain me, but it is not one that I would quickly start up dedicated reading of the other books in the series. It had a different beat, some Irish twists and some quirky characters...not to mention American companies trying to take advantage of some Irish blarney loving characters looking for riches in the bog.

Kindle Unlimited
1,181 reviews6 followers
March 14, 2021
Another Wonderful Story

Another great story by David Pearson in the Galway series with the usual strong characters. Good story line with lots of humour and a really enjoyable read. More please.
434 reviews
March 22, 2021
Another great story following the personal and professional lives of the garda in Clifden in Galway. Who knew there was so much major crime in the west of Ireland. Happily Maureen and her team always manage to bring the bad guys to justice. Love it and cannot wait for more.
Profile Image for dusty stallings.
5 reviews
April 28, 2021
Another good read

I have so enjoyed these characters. I can't wait for the next book. I especially like that the plot and story line is new and different but also realistic. Great fun.
19 reviews
May 19, 2021
It is refreshing to read a dectective novel where the deceives spend their time doing their job an not wrapped up in emotional problems to the extent that one wonders what police force would employ them
An excellent read and looking forward to following your books
Profile Image for Andi Caissie.
199 reviews2 followers
December 22, 2021
sympathy for a murderer

Good tale with lots of twists and turns. I did figure out who the murderer was and found myself actually feeling sorry for the perpetrator. I especially liked the epilogue. Personally, I like knowing what happens after the main story ends.
269 reviews4 followers
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January 28, 2022
I liked the story at the beginning. I found the numerous Irish names confusing and I struggled to keep in mind who was who. I have many other books to read so I dropped this but I may come back to it later.
338 reviews2 followers
September 19, 2022
squeamish

Would’ve rated it less because I thought the author was going to off a well developed character. It took me a few weeks to get over that and continue. Fraud, murder and sadness.
Profile Image for Jay Williams.
1,718 reviews33 followers
March 13, 2023
A Good Tale

The dead man found in the bog leads into complex and interesting story. Both Americans are included in a murder by a Irish by his brother. The information is educational and engrossing. The story use some Irish language, but very to read. I recommend the book.
4 reviews
August 4, 2025
II enjoyed this book, a cosy Irish police mystery. Although I am not Irish I enjoyed the names and language used. The plot was simple and the completion was rather unusual; it was a thoroughly enjoyable story. The fact it was a stress-free story sat well with me.
278 reviews2 followers
March 28, 2021
Another fine Hays & Lyons investigation!
5 reviews
May 9, 2021
An Irish Mystery

Realistic and readable. Captures the chocolate biscuits as well as the confessions. A friend versus greed tale. No brilliant detectives but likable characters.
1 review
May 10, 2021
Great Read

I always enjoy David Pearson's books. Always a good story, great characters and just a re!axing and fun read. This book is no exception I highly recommend it.
Profile Image for agnes warren.
1 review
June 10, 2021
Very enjoyable

I would recommend to anyone looking for an easy read. Action moved along nicely. I enjoyed the characters, all believable.
22 reviews
August 11, 2021
Greed Over Honesty

Family land becomes valuable and brothers cannot agree on a decision when future wealth clouds sound decision making that ends in tragedy!
8 reviews
September 16, 2021
Good read

Good pace kept me interested Great characters. Read out of order which I don,t do.
Recommend it Tony mystery buffs who like light reading
3 reviews
January 7, 2022
Well-written

Good plot with several subplots, yet doesn’t drag. Good development of the major characters but stays on course to avoid getting bogged down.
Profile Image for MoDonasChridhe.
334 reviews4 followers
November 19, 2022
An enjoyable read!

Small town detectives sleuthing out a murder stumble upon an even more devious scheme.
Not everyone is the person you think they are.
Profile Image for Anthony R Woods.
692 reviews3 followers
November 25, 2022
A suspenseful mystery

I love Ireland and it's people. So this is a great mystery that has a lot of intertwining stories which keeps you in suspense until the end. Great characters.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews

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