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Irish Village Mystery #9
Murder at an Irish Bakery
In Ireland’s lush countryside locals are buzzing with excitement over the reality-TV baking contest coming to town—until someone serves up a show-stopping murder that only Garda Siobhan O’Sullivan can solve.
In Kilbane, opinions are plentiful and rarely in alignment. But there’s one thing everyone does agree on—the bakery in the old flour mill, just outside town, is the best in County Cork, well worth the short drive and the long lines. No wonder it's about to be featured on a reality baking show.
All six contestants in the show are coming to Kilbane to participate, and the town is buzzing with excitement. Aside from munching on free samples, the locals—including Siobhan—get a chance to appear in the opening shots. As for the competitors themselves, not all are as sweet as their confections. Shenanigans put everyone on edge on the first day of filming, but that’s nothing compared to day two, when the first round ends, and the top contestant is found face-down in her signature pie.
The producers decide to continue filming while Siobhan and her husband, Garda Macdara Flannery, sift through the suspects. Was this a case of rivalry turned lethal, or are their other motives hidden in the mix? And can they uncover the truth before another baker is eliminated—permanently?
In Kilbane, opinions are plentiful and rarely in alignment. But there’s one thing everyone does agree on—the bakery in the old flour mill, just outside town, is the best in County Cork, well worth the short drive and the long lines. No wonder it's about to be featured on a reality baking show.
All six contestants in the show are coming to Kilbane to participate, and the town is buzzing with excitement. Aside from munching on free samples, the locals—including Siobhan—get a chance to appear in the opening shots. As for the competitors themselves, not all are as sweet as their confections. Shenanigans put everyone on edge on the first day of filming, but that’s nothing compared to day two, when the first round ends, and the top contestant is found face-down in her signature pie.
The producers decide to continue filming while Siobhan and her husband, Garda Macdara Flannery, sift through the suspects. Was this a case of rivalry turned lethal, or are their other motives hidden in the mix? And can they uncover the truth before another baker is eliminated—permanently?
320 pages, Hardcover
First published February 28, 2023
1296 people are currently reading
28222 people want to read
About the author
Carlene O'Connor
35 books2,583 followersCarlene O’Connor is the USA Today Bestselling author of The Irish Village Mystery Series, The Home to Ireland Series and the County Kerry Mystery series. The first in the County Kerry Series, NO STRANGERS HERE received a starred review from Kirkus and was the Mystery Pick of the Month at Barnes and Noble in September of 2023. Of all the places across the pond she’s wandered, she fell most in love with a walled town in County Limerick and was inspired to create the town of Kilbane, County Cork. She currently lives in New Mexico.
https://carleneoconnor.net/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 441 reviews
April 4, 2023
EXCERPT: The O'Farrell's had operated this flour mill, and now bakery, for several generations. Fia O'Farrell was the last living member, and given she was single and past middle age, many wondered what she envisioned for its future. The back room, which used to house events, and the ground, middle and top floors of the mill, which used to be open for tours, had all been closed to the public for over a decade. But it was still a gorgeous structure, and the bakery, which was housed in the very front portion of the building, was as cheerful inside as it was out. Siobhán took in the outdoor tables with colourful umbrellas, flowers beaming from planters along the front of the building, and the banner above the wooden doors that read: WELCOME IRISH BAKERS!
ABOUT 'MURDER AT AN IRISH BAKERY': In Kilbane, opinions are plentiful and rarely in alignment. But there's one thing everyone does agree on--the bakery in the old flour mill, just outside town, is the best in County Cork, well worth the short drive and the long lines. No wonder they're about to be featured on a reality baking show.
All six contestants in the show are coming to Kilbane to participate, and the town is simmering with excitement. Aside from munching on free samples, the locals--including Siobhan--get a chance to appear in the opening shots. As for the competitors themselves, not all are as sweet as their confections. There are shenanigans on the first day of filming that put everyone on edge, but that's nothing compared to day two, when the first round ends and the top contestant is found face-down in her signature pie.
The producers decide to continue filming while Siobhan and her husband, Garda Macdara Flannery, sift through the suspects. Was this a case of rivalry turned lethal, or are their other motives hidden in the mix? And can they uncover the truth before another baker is eliminated--permanently . . .
MY THOUGHTS: This is the second book I have read in this series and I enjoyed it far more than the first.
Murder at an Irish Bakery is a delightfully Irish cosy-mystery featuring a husband and wife garda team, both of whom have a sweet tooth.
You're going to have to suspend a bit of belief with this but, hey, it's a cosy, not a police procedural. Similarly, there's no great depth to any of the characters. But I had great fun trying to figure out who was behind the killings, and there's a praiseworthy twist or two to confuse the issue.
WARNING: stock up with snacks before you settle down with Murder at an Irish Bakery, because the beautiful pastries, cakes and desserts described in the course of this book will have you salivating and your stomach rumbling.
BONUS: There's a recipe for Nigella Lawson's Chocolate Guinness Cake at the end with a link to the recipe published in the New York Times.
Murder at an Irish Bakery is easily read as a stand-alone.
⭐⭐⭐.9
#MurderatanIrishBakery #NetGalley
I: @writergirlchi @kensingtonbooks
T: #CarleneOConnor @KensingtonBooks
#cosymystery #contemporaryfiction #detectivefiction #irishfiction #murdermystery #smalltownfiction
THE AUTHOR: Born into a long line of Irish storytellers, Carlene O'Connor's great-grandmother emigrated from Ireland filled with tales in 1897 and the stories have been flowing ever since. Of all the places she’s wandered across the pond, she fell most in love with a walled town in County Limerick and was inspired to create the town of Kilbane, County Cork, the setting of her Irish Village Mystery series.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Kensington Books for providing a digital ARC of Murder at an Irish Bakery, written by Carlene O'Connor for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
ABOUT 'MURDER AT AN IRISH BAKERY': In Kilbane, opinions are plentiful and rarely in alignment. But there's one thing everyone does agree on--the bakery in the old flour mill, just outside town, is the best in County Cork, well worth the short drive and the long lines. No wonder they're about to be featured on a reality baking show.
All six contestants in the show are coming to Kilbane to participate, and the town is simmering with excitement. Aside from munching on free samples, the locals--including Siobhan--get a chance to appear in the opening shots. As for the competitors themselves, not all are as sweet as their confections. There are shenanigans on the first day of filming that put everyone on edge, but that's nothing compared to day two, when the first round ends and the top contestant is found face-down in her signature pie.
The producers decide to continue filming while Siobhan and her husband, Garda Macdara Flannery, sift through the suspects. Was this a case of rivalry turned lethal, or are their other motives hidden in the mix? And can they uncover the truth before another baker is eliminated--permanently . . .
MY THOUGHTS: This is the second book I have read in this series and I enjoyed it far more than the first.
Murder at an Irish Bakery is a delightfully Irish cosy-mystery featuring a husband and wife garda team, both of whom have a sweet tooth.
You're going to have to suspend a bit of belief with this but, hey, it's a cosy, not a police procedural. Similarly, there's no great depth to any of the characters. But I had great fun trying to figure out who was behind the killings, and there's a praiseworthy twist or two to confuse the issue.
WARNING: stock up with snacks before you settle down with Murder at an Irish Bakery, because the beautiful pastries, cakes and desserts described in the course of this book will have you salivating and your stomach rumbling.
BONUS: There's a recipe for Nigella Lawson's Chocolate Guinness Cake at the end with a link to the recipe published in the New York Times.
Murder at an Irish Bakery is easily read as a stand-alone.
⭐⭐⭐.9
#MurderatanIrishBakery #NetGalley
I: @writergirlchi @kensingtonbooks
T: #CarleneOConnor @KensingtonBooks
#cosymystery #contemporaryfiction #detectivefiction #irishfiction #murdermystery #smalltownfiction
THE AUTHOR: Born into a long line of Irish storytellers, Carlene O'Connor's great-grandmother emigrated from Ireland filled with tales in 1897 and the stories have been flowing ever since. Of all the places she’s wandered across the pond, she fell most in love with a walled town in County Limerick and was inspired to create the town of Kilbane, County Cork, the setting of her Irish Village Mystery series.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Kensington Books for providing a digital ARC of Murder at an Irish Bakery, written by Carlene O'Connor for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
October 17, 2024
This book was a free giveaway from Goodreads and the publisher.
I’ll preface this review by saying that I’m not typically a fan of “cozy mysteries”, a subgenre of mystery which follows a very strict formula. It invariably has a female protagonist; is set in a small, idyllic town or village; and it does not contain profanity, violence, or sex. I have nothing against cozies, I just prefer to read books with lots of profanity, violence, and sex.
Carlene O’Connor’s “Murder at an Irish Bakery” is the epitome of cozy mystery. Set in a little village called Kilbane in County Cork, Ireland, the novel features a redheaded Garda (the Irish term for “police officer”) named Siobhan O’Sullivan. (The name, by the way, is pronounced like “Show VON”, as the “bh” sounds like a “v” in Irish. Who knew? Other than the Irish, of course…)
This is, apparently, the tenth book in a series featuring Garda O’Sullivan. She is married to a detective named Macdara, and they are obnoxiously cute together. They flirt constantly and never have sex.
The town of Kilbane has been picked to be the spot for a new baking competition TV show. One of the competitors is a well-known aging celebrity chef, an Irish Julia Child, named Aoife McBride. (The name is pronounced “Eefah”, by the way. Don’t ask why. I have no idea.) There are five other competitors, none of whom are having sex.
Things start off rough right away, when a protestor protesting the deadliness of sugar has a seizure and is sent to the hospital, where he later dies. Then, in the first round, tragedy occurs: Aoife is electrocuted with a faulty mixer. While both incidents look like accidents, Siobhan suspects foul play. The fast-acting medical examiner confirms it: both incidents are murder! And no one is having sex!
There is a bevy of suspects, all with plenty of motives, but none of them are having sex.
Like any good mystery, there is a convoluted plot that Siobhan and her husband (who is a real dolt, by the way, and I have no idea how he keeps his job as a detective) must wade through to find the killer, which they inevitably do.
Sadly, nowhere in the book does anyone have sex, ever. *
*10/17/2024 Addendum: Upon re-reading this review that I wrote in February 2023, I realize that I must have been very very horny. So, apologies yadda yadda...
I’ll preface this review by saying that I’m not typically a fan of “cozy mysteries”, a subgenre of mystery which follows a very strict formula. It invariably has a female protagonist; is set in a small, idyllic town or village; and it does not contain profanity, violence, or sex. I have nothing against cozies, I just prefer to read books with lots of profanity, violence, and sex.
Carlene O’Connor’s “Murder at an Irish Bakery” is the epitome of cozy mystery. Set in a little village called Kilbane in County Cork, Ireland, the novel features a redheaded Garda (the Irish term for “police officer”) named Siobhan O’Sullivan. (The name, by the way, is pronounced like “Show VON”, as the “bh” sounds like a “v” in Irish. Who knew? Other than the Irish, of course…)
This is, apparently, the tenth book in a series featuring Garda O’Sullivan. She is married to a detective named Macdara, and they are obnoxiously cute together. They flirt constantly and never have sex.
The town of Kilbane has been picked to be the spot for a new baking competition TV show. One of the competitors is a well-known aging celebrity chef, an Irish Julia Child, named Aoife McBride. (The name is pronounced “Eefah”, by the way. Don’t ask why. I have no idea.) There are five other competitors, none of whom are having sex.
Things start off rough right away, when a protestor protesting the deadliness of sugar has a seizure and is sent to the hospital, where he later dies. Then, in the first round, tragedy occurs: Aoife is electrocuted with a faulty mixer. While both incidents look like accidents, Siobhan suspects foul play. The fast-acting medical examiner confirms it: both incidents are murder! And no one is having sex!
There is a bevy of suspects, all with plenty of motives, but none of them are having sex.
Like any good mystery, there is a convoluted plot that Siobhan and her husband (who is a real dolt, by the way, and I have no idea how he keeps his job as a detective) must wade through to find the killer, which they inevitably do.
Sadly, nowhere in the book does anyone have sex, ever. *
*10/17/2024 Addendum: Upon re-reading this review that I wrote in February 2023, I realize that I must have been very very horny. So, apologies yadda yadda...
February 6, 2023
This is the 9th book in this cozy mystery series. I have read a few but I haven’t read them all, but it didn’t impact my enjoyment of this mystery at all. I thought this was a particularly twisty mystery with good twists and turns and tricks. I liked that it took place during a baking competition show, it was fun to see the “behind the scenes.” Garda Siobhan thought that guard duty on set of the new baking completion show would be great and she was certain there would be free samples. Taking place in a struggles bakery in town there are celebrity chefs invited to compete. When mysterious things begin to happen and bodies are discovered Siobhan realizes that this isn’t going to be the cake walk she envisioned. The writing is great and the characters are fun. I also love the little glimpse into Irish culture which is always fun.
February 9, 2023
Murder at an Irish Bakery is the 9th book in the Irish Village series. I have read this series from the beginning. It takes place in the town of KIlbane, Ireland. Gardai Siobhan O'Sullivan is the main character in this story. She has been hired to oversee a baking event. All the top Irish bakers were coming to show off their baking. Fia O'Farrell is the owner of Pie-Pie Love bakery in her family's old mill which has been in her family for generations. Macdara Flannery is also a policeman and Siobhan's husband. He is away at a conference. Gardi Aretta Debiri is the newest member to the Kullane Gardai is there to help Siobhan oversee the event. Aoife McBride is the author of many books on baking was going to participate in the contest. She is there to also reveal a secret in her memoir which she is writing. The other contestants are: Ethan Brown, Trisha Mayflower, Martin Murphy, Barry Ryan, Sophia Hughes. The judges are Ronan O'Keefe and Philomena Lemon. The contest will be televised.by Charlie Holiday, camera man and Ruth Barnes the director. The contest is sponsored by an anonymous benefactor. A solicitor William Bains has set it up with Fia O' Farrell.
The story opens with a young man yelling into a bullhorn that sugar kills and making a scene. He leaves and comes back with a sign. Aoife comes out of the mill and powders the man's face with powder on a brush to calm him. A short while later he collapses on the ground and later pronounced dead. Gardia Dabiri goes into the mill to find Aoife where she got the powder compact which they bagged. She said she got it from a chemist in town buy one get one free. Before the contests starts Ruth tells everyone that she saw something in the Green Room. It is a wooden sign carved into a large circle and mounted on top of the barrels. The sign read 3,650 days since the last accident.
The contestants are at 6 different stations. The first day all goes well. After filming a limo arrives with a William Bains in a tux carrying red envelopes and a trolley with wrapped gifts on it. He gives the red envelopes to each contestant to be put at their station but not opened or seen by others until the morning. When they arrive the next day they find red velvet curtains around each station. They open their envelopes and are shocked to find what they say.
This is where the story takes off and leads the reader on an adventure. There is so much that happens it is hard to put all on paper. I will leave it to the reader to enjoy.. The death of Aoife just adds to the story. Siobhan, Macdara and Gardia Dabiri are lead on a journey with all kinds of twists and turns to find who is the murderer to the exciting climax.
Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Publishing Corp. for this ARC.
The story opens with a young man yelling into a bullhorn that sugar kills and making a scene. He leaves and comes back with a sign. Aoife comes out of the mill and powders the man's face with powder on a brush to calm him. A short while later he collapses on the ground and later pronounced dead. Gardia Dabiri goes into the mill to find Aoife where she got the powder compact which they bagged. She said she got it from a chemist in town buy one get one free. Before the contests starts Ruth tells everyone that she saw something in the Green Room. It is a wooden sign carved into a large circle and mounted on top of the barrels. The sign read 3,650 days since the last accident.
The contestants are at 6 different stations. The first day all goes well. After filming a limo arrives with a William Bains in a tux carrying red envelopes and a trolley with wrapped gifts on it. He gives the red envelopes to each contestant to be put at their station but not opened or seen by others until the morning. When they arrive the next day they find red velvet curtains around each station. They open their envelopes and are shocked to find what they say.
This is where the story takes off and leads the reader on an adventure. There is so much that happens it is hard to put all on paper. I will leave it to the reader to enjoy.. The death of Aoife just adds to the story. Siobhan, Macdara and Gardia Dabiri are lead on a journey with all kinds of twists and turns to find who is the murderer to the exciting climax.
Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Publishing Corp. for this ARC.
September 24, 2022
Murder at an Irish Bakery by Carlene O'Connor is a wonderful cozy mystery that is the ninth book in the amazing series: An Irish Village Mystery. I just love this series.
We get to visit the rural, ideal, and stunning landscape of Kilbane, County Cork in Ireland again. I always love hearing about the village, its inhabitants, and the comings and goings. It is also home to our main character Garda Siobhan O’Sullivan, her family, and her husband Garda Macdara Flannery. This time they are roped into a murder mystery when a reality baking show arrives to be televised at their village’s own bakery. The excitement and drama that then ensues is not just about the contest, but about solving the crime…especially before the culprit strikes again.
I love the character development within this series and how they have evolved throughout the books. There is wit, sass, humor, banter, and love. I literally laughed out loud several times. I have read every book and novella within this series and most certainly will continue to do so.
Highly recommend!
5/5 stars
Thank you NG and Kensington Publishing for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 2/28/23.
We get to visit the rural, ideal, and stunning landscape of Kilbane, County Cork in Ireland again. I always love hearing about the village, its inhabitants, and the comings and goings. It is also home to our main character Garda Siobhan O’Sullivan, her family, and her husband Garda Macdara Flannery. This time they are roped into a murder mystery when a reality baking show arrives to be televised at their village’s own bakery. The excitement and drama that then ensues is not just about the contest, but about solving the crime…especially before the culprit strikes again.
I love the character development within this series and how they have evolved throughout the books. There is wit, sass, humor, banter, and love. I literally laughed out loud several times. I have read every book and novella within this series and most certainly will continue to do so.
Highly recommend!
5/5 stars
Thank you NG and Kensington Publishing for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 2/28/23.
March 1, 2023
A mystery to delight your taste buds as well as your brain! A baking competition is in town and our favorite garda are on the job to make sure everything goes smoothly, but someone is determined to not only kill the competitors but also their accessories to the crime! The author weaves a wonderful brain teaser of a mystery while leaving cake crumbs to the killer! The characters are so well crafted that you feel like you are walking beside them rather than just reading about them. I absolutely can't wait to see what the author comes up with next!
November 7, 2022
I have read all the books in this series and love them. The plot of this one was a little hard to believe though. Once you suspended your disbelief the book was very well written and engaging. I do feel like Siobhan is not as likeable in this book as in the others. She is a tad more acerbic than she needs to be. Over all i did like the book just not as much as the others in this series. It will not stop me from reading the next one in this series,
April 21, 2023
Drivel
I am sorry I wasted my time reading this book. The names of the characters were obviously chosen for the difficulty to phonetically pronounce and every character is portrayed as a buffoon. Nothing in the book bears any semblance of reality and the “who done it” part is ridiculous.
I am sorry I wasted my time reading this book. The names of the characters were obviously chosen for the difficulty to phonetically pronounce and every character is portrayed as a buffoon. Nothing in the book bears any semblance of reality and the “who done it” part is ridiculous.
May 9, 2023
I really enjoyed reading this book. I’m not a cozy mystery fan and didn’t expect it to be of interest to me. I thought, however, a free book is a free book. Well, I quickly became a fan of this book: who can resist a small, quirky Irish village where murder has to contend with scrumptious desserts?
One aspect of Carlene O’Connor’s writing that I appreciated was how she peppered the right amount of backstory as needed to maintain the flow of the story, and also to give clarity to relationships, the character’s lives, village history and eccentricities. Since I was starting with book nine of the series, this was welcomed.
The basic premise is a baking contest in Kilbane in county Cork, Ireland. The elusive and famous baker Aoife McBride will be going head-to-head against five other bakers at Pie Pie Love, a non-working flour mill. The owner—Fia O’Farrell--is hoping that this event will help her raise the funds necessary to bring the mill back to working order. But more than tea is brewing as one of the contestants is murdered unnoticed—even by the Garda (Irish police). Will Siobahan—now a member of the Garda--be able to find the culprit and thwart any other murders? More importantly, will she also be able to sample the pies, pastries, and cakes?
I highly recommend you give this book a try. This is a warm, humorous, and pretty good whodunit which may have you baking as you read so just like the characters, you get to partake of the aroma and pleasure of treating yourself.
I would like to thank LibraryThing, and Kensington Publishing Corp for the opportunity to read and review this book.
One aspect of Carlene O’Connor’s writing that I appreciated was how she peppered the right amount of backstory as needed to maintain the flow of the story, and also to give clarity to relationships, the character’s lives, village history and eccentricities. Since I was starting with book nine of the series, this was welcomed.
The basic premise is a baking contest in Kilbane in county Cork, Ireland. The elusive and famous baker Aoife McBride will be going head-to-head against five other bakers at Pie Pie Love, a non-working flour mill. The owner—Fia O’Farrell--is hoping that this event will help her raise the funds necessary to bring the mill back to working order. But more than tea is brewing as one of the contestants is murdered unnoticed—even by the Garda (Irish police). Will Siobahan—now a member of the Garda--be able to find the culprit and thwart any other murders? More importantly, will she also be able to sample the pies, pastries, and cakes?
I highly recommend you give this book a try. This is a warm, humorous, and pretty good whodunit which may have you baking as you read so just like the characters, you get to partake of the aroma and pleasure of treating yourself.
I would like to thank LibraryThing, and Kensington Publishing Corp for the opportunity to read and review this book.
April 7, 2023
This was an authentically Irish book – the names of people and places, the phrases and terms, the location, the food. While it was #9 in the series, it was my first one and read like a stand-alone.
The murders happened right away, during a baking competition held in an Irish bakery. Lots of food descriptions made me crave desserts and especially chocolate. The author provided several red herrings and a variety of possible suspects, with a total of three murders.
But even with the authentic atmosphere, I had trouble with the book holding my interest. I didn’t care all that much about any of the characters, their motivations, or relationships. The novel felt formulaic and predictable. The humor was shallow and immature. I was expecting an enjoyable cozy murder mystery but this was disappointing.
The murders happened right away, during a baking competition held in an Irish bakery. Lots of food descriptions made me crave desserts and especially chocolate. The author provided several red herrings and a variety of possible suspects, with a total of three murders.
But even with the authentic atmosphere, I had trouble with the book holding my interest. I didn’t care all that much about any of the characters, their motivations, or relationships. The novel felt formulaic and predictable. The humor was shallow and immature. I was expecting an enjoyable cozy murder mystery but this was disappointing.
March 3, 2023
This is my favorite in the series so far. Siobhan and Macdara are settling in to married life, her siblings are thriving, the restaurant is coming along, and there’s a baking contest. The mystery was well paced and plotted, and kept me guessing. My favorite parts are where Siobhan and Macdara discuss the investigation and talk through what they know so far; their banter is fun and informative, giving details without rehashing them. Highly recommend this series!
I received a copy from #NetGalley for an honest review.
I received a copy from #NetGalley for an honest review.
March 8, 2023
Murder at an Irish Bakery is the 9th book in the Cozy Irish Murder Mystery series by Carlene O'Connor. I picked up this series with Murder at an Irish Christmas (book 6) which I thoroughly enjoyed, and I'm very keen to read books 1 through to 5.
In this instalment, Garda Siobhán O'Sullivan is being kept busy on the force of Kilbane Gardaí and there is a bake-off competition being held in Kilbane. This is an extremely intriguing tale and protagonist Garda Siobhán O'Sullivan is a great character. She is smart and fiery and has sound reasoning for her thoughts and actions. There are suspects aplenty in this gripping mystery, the details of the plot are very well executed, and the story is amusing and easy to follow. Carlene O'Connor wowed me again with her fluid writing; I was kept guessing until the very end and really enjoyed this cleverly crafted cosy. I thoroughly enjoyed being back with the O'Sullivan crowd. Unravelling the mystery in the pockets of Siobhán was lots of fun and I absolutely love the way Dara and Siobhan work together. Their love and support for one another are wonderful. I found the pacing perfect for the story. Loaded with red herrings and with some humorous one-liners, Murder at an Irish Bakery is a highly recommended five star read and a fabulous story that will be of interest to many cozy readers. Right up until the surprising conclusion, I just had to keep turning those pages and I didn’t figure out the identity of the perpetrator in this mystery, although I had them on my plausible suspect list. I’m certainly game to see what shenanigans Siobhán and the Kilbane rabble get into next.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Kensington Books via NetGalley and this review is my own unbiased opinion.
In this instalment, Garda Siobhán O'Sullivan is being kept busy on the force of Kilbane Gardaí and there is a bake-off competition being held in Kilbane. This is an extremely intriguing tale and protagonist Garda Siobhán O'Sullivan is a great character. She is smart and fiery and has sound reasoning for her thoughts and actions. There are suspects aplenty in this gripping mystery, the details of the plot are very well executed, and the story is amusing and easy to follow. Carlene O'Connor wowed me again with her fluid writing; I was kept guessing until the very end and really enjoyed this cleverly crafted cosy. I thoroughly enjoyed being back with the O'Sullivan crowd. Unravelling the mystery in the pockets of Siobhán was lots of fun and I absolutely love the way Dara and Siobhan work together. Their love and support for one another are wonderful. I found the pacing perfect for the story. Loaded with red herrings and with some humorous one-liners, Murder at an Irish Bakery is a highly recommended five star read and a fabulous story that will be of interest to many cozy readers. Right up until the surprising conclusion, I just had to keep turning those pages and I didn’t figure out the identity of the perpetrator in this mystery, although I had them on my plausible suspect list. I’m certainly game to see what shenanigans Siobhán and the Kilbane rabble get into next.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Kensington Books via NetGalley and this review is my own unbiased opinion.
March 15, 2023
The basic storyline is cute for a cozy mystery pen however, I would have rated this cozy mystery higher if not for a several factors. There are too many errors ie, timeline (a person is there/oh, the person is now arriving), forgetting the first name of a character, etc. I am quite disappointed. I graciously rated the first book in the series higher despite it having significantly more errors. I expected better editing from a sequel. Another factor which definitely lowers my rating of this book is the altering of a major character’s personality. In the first book Macdara was a strong, professional (policeman, in English terminology). Despite marrying the primary character, he should still be able to maintain those personality traits when in a professional situation. He doesn’t. He is presented with the professional skill & experience of a rookie; his wife who is newer to the force exhibits more skill. The author also attempted to represent him as a newlywed, 1 yr in marriage. Instead, the effect lowered the professional attention of both characters. My final comment, even though this storyline was about BAKING as the backdrop, is that the characters didn’t need to think & salivate so extensively.
September 16, 2022
This is a great addition to the series. Siobhan is such a good character. I admire her dedication to her family, and watching her develop into a grown woman has been such fan.
An Irish style cook off is happening in their small village, but we all know something will go horribly wrong, and Siobhan and her new husband will investigate and solve the case.
This was a fun story to read, the case was cunning and the author wove an amazing story.
I'm looking forward to reading more in this series.
#MurderatanIrishBakery #NetGalley
An Irish style cook off is happening in their small village, but we all know something will go horribly wrong, and Siobhan and her new husband will investigate and solve the case.
This was a fun story to read, the case was cunning and the author wove an amazing story.
I'm looking forward to reading more in this series.
#MurderatanIrishBakery #NetGalley
February 20, 2023
“ Murder at an Irish Bakery” the 9th instalment in the "Irish Village" Mystery series by Carlene O’Connor. This is one of my many favourite cozy series and I loved this story!
Locals are simmering with excitement over the reality TV baking contest coming to town —until someone serves up a show-stopping murder that only Garda Siobhan O’Sullivan can solve.
All the talking about sweets and pastries had me drooling, for one to go with my tea as I read the story. The mystery is super interesting and well plotted, and loaded with red herrings. I kept guessing and second-guessing myself on whodunnit right to the very end.
I highly recommend this book to all my cozy loving friends.
I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Kensington Books and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Locals are simmering with excitement over the reality TV baking contest coming to town —until someone serves up a show-stopping murder that only Garda Siobhan O’Sullivan can solve.
All the talking about sweets and pastries had me drooling, for one to go with my tea as I read the story. The mystery is super interesting and well plotted, and loaded with red herrings. I kept guessing and second-guessing myself on whodunnit right to the very end.
I highly recommend this book to all my cozy loving friends.
I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Kensington Books and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
March 21, 2023
Murder at an Irish Bakery Earns 5/5 Baking Challenges … Engaging Gem!
Carlene O’Connor’s Irish Village Mystery series is definitely part of my own “March Madness.” Off to Kilbane, Ireland, to join an eclectic troupe of Irish bakers for a reality show at an historic flour mill, the home of Pie Pie Love bakery. But, a protester repeatedly yelling, “Stop the show! Sugar kills!,” interrupts the filming, then later a murder or two really complicates the investigation for Siobhán O’Sullivan and her husband Macdara, both members of the Kilbane Gardaí, and Aretha Dabiri, its newest member. This series has been a favorite because of Carlene O’Connor’s writing style and witty banter, and this book, with its clever mystery, behind the scenes of a cooking competition, and eclectic cast of characters is one of the best. Top it off with an easy-to-follow recipe for Chocolate Guinness Cake courtesy of Nigella Lawson with a “tweak” suggestion of using Bailey’s in the frosting. Yummmmm! I’m all in!
Disclosure: I received an ARC from Kensington Publishing thru NetGalley. My review is voluntary with honest insights and comments.
Carlene O’Connor’s Irish Village Mystery series is definitely part of my own “March Madness.” Off to Kilbane, Ireland, to join an eclectic troupe of Irish bakers for a reality show at an historic flour mill, the home of Pie Pie Love bakery. But, a protester repeatedly yelling, “Stop the show! Sugar kills!,” interrupts the filming, then later a murder or two really complicates the investigation for Siobhán O’Sullivan and her husband Macdara, both members of the Kilbane Gardaí, and Aretha Dabiri, its newest member. This series has been a favorite because of Carlene O’Connor’s writing style and witty banter, and this book, with its clever mystery, behind the scenes of a cooking competition, and eclectic cast of characters is one of the best. Top it off with an easy-to-follow recipe for Chocolate Guinness Cake courtesy of Nigella Lawson with a “tweak” suggestion of using Bailey’s in the frosting. Yummmmm! I’m all in!
Disclosure: I received an ARC from Kensington Publishing thru NetGalley. My review is voluntary with honest insights and comments.
April 21, 2023
3.5 stars. A cooking show competition has come to Kilbane and Garda Siobhan is on hand to make sure things run smoothly. But, quickly it all goes downhill with an out of control protestor and then the untimely death of a celebrity chef. Garda Macdara joins his new wife to investigate the suspicious death and what follows is a twisty plot as well as some engaging humorous moments. Siobhan is a very likable main character. Kilbane sounds like a truly charming place that I wish I could visit.
January 25, 2023
A wonderful escape to Kilbane, Ireland where we meet up with Siobhan who is tasked with security for a baking contest. She thinks this is going to be the best assignment ever (hello bakery samples!) but is instead met with murder. A fantastic mystery that kept me guessing until the very end. (I received an ARC from Goodreads contest.)
April 12, 2023
I have read all the other books in this series and enjoyed them, whilst suspending disbelief at times and trying to ignore some things that crop up in the stories that are not authentically Irish but rather American. This book was a disappointment. The story is not as well crafted as previous ones. The characters are not as polished as before. I found aspects of the description of the competition boring and feel that setting most of the plot around this event was limiting. Although the author has visited Ireland and has done her research, it was irritating to find references repeatedly to gophers and gopher bait. Gophers may be common vermin in the USA but I have never heard of them being an animal living wild in Ireland. She refers to rat poison once, but ever afterwards to gopher bait/poison. I do hope the next book in the series is a better read than this one was.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 24, 2023
If I were Irish, I'd be offended by the existence of this cozy mystery series -- truly the definition of American cringe to invent a fake village to playact your stereotypical fantasies of Eire. The cop protagonist is kooky and hapless, trying for endearing/relatable and landing on depressing. Her husband, who is also her boss (👎🏽), invites a suspect in an ACTIVE murder investigation to dinner because he bakes a great lemon meringue pie. I don't need all my detectives to be hardboiled grimdark sulkers, but sheesh. Plenty of Murder Village mysteries in the genre are more convincing than this.
The plot is boring because the writing is flat and graceless; I started skimming whole pages to avoid the tepid banter. Picked this up from the library on a whim and gritted my teeth to finish. The author owes the country of Ireland an apology.
The plot is boring because the writing is flat and graceless; I started skimming whole pages to avoid the tepid banter. Picked this up from the library on a whim and gritted my teeth to finish. The author owes the country of Ireland an apology.
March 1, 2023
-- Goodreads Giveaway Winner --
I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway. I have never read any of the other books in the series, but I was still able to enjoy this book (a lot of the background for the characters were missing). This book combines three of my favorite things: reading, the Great British Bake Off, and murder mysteries. This book was enjoyable and what I consider a "cozy mystery". The only downside is that the speed in the book is either 10 or 100. Sometimes, the book is boring, giving time to such a small aspect of the overall thing, and sometimes, the book is going so fast that it is not explaining everything properly. I still enjoyed it and would consider reading more from this series.
I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway. I have never read any of the other books in the series, but I was still able to enjoy this book (a lot of the background for the characters were missing). This book combines three of my favorite things: reading, the Great British Bake Off, and murder mysteries. This book was enjoyable and what I consider a "cozy mystery". The only downside is that the speed in the book is either 10 or 100. Sometimes, the book is boring, giving time to such a small aspect of the overall thing, and sometimes, the book is going so fast that it is not explaining everything properly. I still enjoyed it and would consider reading more from this series.
January 25, 2023
Murder at an Irish Bakery by Carlene O’Connor
The latest in O’Connor’s Irish Village Mystery series, Murder at an Irish Bakery, opens with a protestor against sweets demonstrating at old mill, now bakery, where a reality baking show is about to take place. Two local female Gardai (Irish police) are guarding the soon-to-be set to make sure that things remain calm in the small town of Kilbane even as the filming of the baking competition is ready to begin. Soon there are multiple murder victims that the Gardai needs to solve, not just for the sake of the victims, but to protect their village and particularly the local bakery owner’s business.
This was a fun read, a good cozy mystery. The main character, Detective Sergeant Siobhan O’Sullivan, is married to the Garda Macdara Flannery. This seems to be a little disconcerting since Macdara is the superior Garda officer and in charge of the case and the officers of lesser rank. However, I suppose as long as they continue to successfully solve the crimes in their village, there is no reason for the people in their village to complain. 😊
At first, the murders don’t seems to make sense, but as the Garda (and the reader) learns more about the victims, the picture begins to clear. The characters even helpfully recap what they’ve learned a couple of times in the story, which is helpful to keep up with all the clues.
While the main character, her husband and family were well-characterized, the contestants/suspects were somewhat one-dimensional. They were somewhat stereotypical of celebrities and were written to serve a purpose: to move the mystery plot along to its conclusion. Even as stock characters, they were still entertaining and were written well enough to be entertaining.
When the killer was revealed, I felt like it made sense. Sometimes in a cozy mystery, the resolution seems rushed or illogical, but this one was paced well and was believable. The twist came early enough in the book to allow the reader a chance to figure out the mystery before, or at least, with, the book’s detectives.
Murder at an Irish Bakery is an enjoyable mystery that allows the reader a fair chance to solve the mystery alongside a smart detective duo who would be great friends to share meals and mysteries with.
#AnIrishVillageMystery
The latest in O’Connor’s Irish Village Mystery series, Murder at an Irish Bakery, opens with a protestor against sweets demonstrating at old mill, now bakery, where a reality baking show is about to take place. Two local female Gardai (Irish police) are guarding the soon-to-be set to make sure that things remain calm in the small town of Kilbane even as the filming of the baking competition is ready to begin. Soon there are multiple murder victims that the Gardai needs to solve, not just for the sake of the victims, but to protect their village and particularly the local bakery owner’s business.
This was a fun read, a good cozy mystery. The main character, Detective Sergeant Siobhan O’Sullivan, is married to the Garda Macdara Flannery. This seems to be a little disconcerting since Macdara is the superior Garda officer and in charge of the case and the officers of lesser rank. However, I suppose as long as they continue to successfully solve the crimes in their village, there is no reason for the people in their village to complain. 😊
At first, the murders don’t seems to make sense, but as the Garda (and the reader) learns more about the victims, the picture begins to clear. The characters even helpfully recap what they’ve learned a couple of times in the story, which is helpful to keep up with all the clues.
While the main character, her husband and family were well-characterized, the contestants/suspects were somewhat one-dimensional. They were somewhat stereotypical of celebrities and were written to serve a purpose: to move the mystery plot along to its conclusion. Even as stock characters, they were still entertaining and were written well enough to be entertaining.
When the killer was revealed, I felt like it made sense. Sometimes in a cozy mystery, the resolution seems rushed or illogical, but this one was paced well and was believable. The twist came early enough in the book to allow the reader a chance to figure out the mystery before, or at least, with, the book’s detectives.
Murder at an Irish Bakery is an enjoyable mystery that allows the reader a fair chance to solve the mystery alongside a smart detective duo who would be great friends to share meals and mysteries with.
#AnIrishVillageMystery
June 18, 2024
Entertaining mystery listening ✨🎎🎆🤗
This kindle novel is from my Kindle Unlimited account book 9 of 10
There is a baking show in the village then a murder. But the baking show goes on with another murder. Then a body is found in the bay. The guard solves the case leading to a happy ending.
I would recommend this series and author to readers of romantic family and friends relationships mystery novels. 2024
This kindle novel is from my Kindle Unlimited account book 9 of 10
There is a baking show in the village then a murder. But the baking show goes on with another murder. Then a body is found in the bay. The guard solves the case leading to a happy ending.
I would recommend this series and author to readers of romantic family and friends relationships mystery novels. 2024
March 5, 2023
3.5. I love this series and all the characters. This was a bit slow to start out with a lot of non-action but still enjoyable.
December 31, 2023
Carlene O'Connor's MURDER AT AN IRISH BAKERY, the latest in her Irish Village mystery series, finds Siobhan O'Sullivan working at what could quite possibly be the best assignment she's ever had since becoming a cop.
She's one of those assigned to provide security for a baking competition show that is being filmed in her home village Kilbane. And the bakers are all going to be making anything and everything sweet!
With Siobhan's insatiable sweet tooth, life just doesn't get much better. But the sweet soon turns sour. First there is a protestor to deal with. That would normally be a relatively easy task but when the queen of Irish bakers, Aoife McBride, tries to defuse the man's protests by dusting him with makeup. Instead of making him camera-ready, the man collapses and soon dies at the hospital.
Siobhan and her partner for the event, Aretta Dabiri, now find themselves looking into the mysterious death. Did the Queen Baker just kill a man...or was she the target and just got lucky.
As the saying goes, the show must go on. Despite the death, the baking show begins filming. However, the proceedings take a swift turn towards the darker side of the ledger when it is clear that every other baker in the competition has some kind of problem with Aoife McBride. And while they may have tried to hide this fact, it is soon brought to light under the harsh glare of the camera.
Even that pales though, because once the first round of competition is finished, Aoife McBride is found dead at the station she was competing from. NOW, it is a full-on murder investigation. Siobhan's husband Macdara is called in to assist with the investigation (he's the ranking Garda, after all).
Now Siobhan, Macdara and Aretta have to wade in amongst a group of bakers who are quite clearly suspects and figure out just who might've killed off the victim. Is it any one of the six bakers, the owner of the mill where the competition was being held? Or could it be the mysterious lawyer for the anonymous sponsor of the show?
In all, tracking down the truth leads the team to even more questions...and more than one possible surprise regarding not only the identity of the killer but the truth behind Aoife McBride herself.
MURDER AT AN IRISH BAKERY is a twist-filled story that gives you a host of suspects that will challenge all of Siobhan's puzzle-solving skills in order to catch a killer far less sweet than all the treats being baked up in the competition.
She's one of those assigned to provide security for a baking competition show that is being filmed in her home village Kilbane. And the bakers are all going to be making anything and everything sweet!
With Siobhan's insatiable sweet tooth, life just doesn't get much better. But the sweet soon turns sour. First there is a protestor to deal with. That would normally be a relatively easy task but when the queen of Irish bakers, Aoife McBride, tries to defuse the man's protests by dusting him with makeup. Instead of making him camera-ready, the man collapses and soon dies at the hospital.
Siobhan and her partner for the event, Aretta Dabiri, now find themselves looking into the mysterious death. Did the Queen Baker just kill a man...or was she the target and just got lucky.
As the saying goes, the show must go on. Despite the death, the baking show begins filming. However, the proceedings take a swift turn towards the darker side of the ledger when it is clear that every other baker in the competition has some kind of problem with Aoife McBride. And while they may have tried to hide this fact, it is soon brought to light under the harsh glare of the camera.
Even that pales though, because once the first round of competition is finished, Aoife McBride is found dead at the station she was competing from. NOW, it is a full-on murder investigation. Siobhan's husband Macdara is called in to assist with the investigation (he's the ranking Garda, after all).
Now Siobhan, Macdara and Aretta have to wade in amongst a group of bakers who are quite clearly suspects and figure out just who might've killed off the victim. Is it any one of the six bakers, the owner of the mill where the competition was being held? Or could it be the mysterious lawyer for the anonymous sponsor of the show?
In all, tracking down the truth leads the team to even more questions...and more than one possible surprise regarding not only the identity of the killer but the truth behind Aoife McBride herself.
MURDER AT AN IRISH BAKERY is a twist-filled story that gives you a host of suspects that will challenge all of Siobhan's puzzle-solving skills in order to catch a killer far less sweet than all the treats being baked up in the competition.
April 9, 2023
I won this from a publisher giveaway and was excited to read another cozy. I like reading cozies because they are usually a bit funny and not a lot of gruesome murders. However, there has to be some basics to it like a plot that makes sense, things happening in some sort of order and.....
Okay about the actual book, it seemed like an interesting plot and some quirky characters. However, the storyline jumped around too much without any real reason or thought to the plot. For example, when they are doing the bake off, the judges were looking at what the contestants baked and were surprised with the things....they are cooking in front of everyone. How can they be surprised by the actual things inside the cakes? It's not like they could hide what they were doing. Another example they started the death by chocolate part of the contest and all of a sudden the water wheel is on and everyone goes outside and somehow the baking being stopped is explained as they were taking a break...there was no talk about that.
How do you not talk to everyone involved at the time of the event. They are conducting interviews when the Gardi feel like it not in any order or reason. How do you not talk to store owners where things happened. I have to remember to talk to so and so from the pub...go talk to him. The pacing is off with how the story progresses.
They seemed more interested in keeping the bakery open then solving the crime.
There were too many plot holes and inconsistencies. The main female character seemed to be the lead on the investigation but her husband is the actual head of the Gardi in that town. He clearly seemed like an idiot who was more focused on the food then solving a crime. How the heck did he become detective inspector with that brain.
And don't even get me started on the "wifey". It seemed too staged to create some sort of chemistry between the two characters...there was none.
I will admit maybe it was better if I started with the first in the series but the plot holes and weird pacing didn't work for me. I would probably have given it a one star but I liked the interaction between the brothers/sisters, the recipe in the back and give me a free look at this series.
Okay about the actual book, it seemed like an interesting plot and some quirky characters. However, the storyline jumped around too much without any real reason or thought to the plot. For example, when they are doing the bake off, the judges were looking at what the contestants baked and were surprised with the things....they are cooking in front of everyone. How can they be surprised by the actual things inside the cakes? It's not like they could hide what they were doing. Another example they started the death by chocolate part of the contest and all of a sudden the water wheel is on and everyone goes outside and somehow the baking being stopped is explained as they were taking a break...there was no talk about that.
How do you not talk to everyone involved at the time of the event. They are conducting interviews when the Gardi feel like it not in any order or reason. How do you not talk to store owners where things happened. I have to remember to talk to so and so from the pub...go talk to him. The pacing is off with how the story progresses.
They seemed more interested in keeping the bakery open then solving the crime.
There were too many plot holes and inconsistencies. The main female character seemed to be the lead on the investigation but her husband is the actual head of the Gardi in that town. He clearly seemed like an idiot who was more focused on the food then solving a crime. How the heck did he become detective inspector with that brain.
And don't even get me started on the "wifey". It seemed too staged to create some sort of chemistry between the two characters...there was none.
I will admit maybe it was better if I started with the first in the series but the plot holes and weird pacing didn't work for me. I would probably have given it a one star but I liked the interaction between the brothers/sisters, the recipe in the back and give me a free look at this series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 19, 2023
I would like to thank the folks at Kensington Books and Goodreads for the advanced copy of this book. This is Carlene O’Connor’s ninth book in this series and she doesn’t disappoint. She continues to weave plots with twist and turns throughout. While highlighting village life, romance (Siobhan and MacDara) and the O’Sullivan six family. The Baking competition being filmed in Kilbane has the entire village excited but before it even gets started there is a death that places the competition in doubt.
March 13, 2023
This was an enormous disappointment. The characters were flat and annoying. The plot was predictable. I know everything in cozies happens for a reason, but Siobhan and Macdara just seemed incompetent and greedy, totally distracted by baked goods. Is the author playing into the cop-and-doughnut stereotype? I also really dislike when the murder victim is found dead, fallen in the food. I know they're just fictional characters, but can you leave one shred of dignity? It's also a little disgusting. Also, how unprofessional of Siobhan to say to a suspect, "he's better because he's been baking longer than you have. You're so young." He may be more experienced, but he may not necessarily be better. Also, stop bragging about your Amazing Brown Bread recipe. No one gives a crap.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 3, 2023
Cozy mystery authors really need to bury the trope of the contest. In the last few years, there have been too many and none have been good. It's simple, lazy, and annoying. In this one, there's a baking contest that has come to town. Siobhan and Macdara are happy newlyweds but he seems to have become an idiot. The contest hosts are very annoyingly trite and the "humor" is very simplistic. The contestants are annoying. The murderer knows to much.
This one's a failure. I hope she gets back to better next year.
This one's a failure. I hope she gets back to better next year.
March 19, 2023
Thank you to the publishers for the ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
Friends, this style of writing is not for me. The dialogue between the Irish characters felt like an ad for Lucky Charms. I’m confident that no one actually sounds like that. I didn’t get through much of the plot because I was cringing so hard. There are folks who will love the quaintness of this story, but I’m not one of them.
Friends, this style of writing is not for me. The dialogue between the Irish characters felt like an ad for Lucky Charms. I’m confident that no one actually sounds like that. I didn’t get through much of the plot because I was cringing so hard. There are folks who will love the quaintness of this story, but I’m not one of them.
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