What do you think?
Rate this book
Inishowen Mysteries #5
The Body Falls
Solicitor Benedicta (Ben) O’Keeffe returns to her practice in Glendara where a charity cycle event is delayed by torrential rain, trapping the cyclists in town. Then the body of the event organizer washes down the mountain, literally falling onto a passing vehicle. Bridges are down and roads are impassible. The town is cut off with a murderer at large in the community. Fear predominates—chaos ensues—and Ben redoubles her efforts to find the killer before they strike again.
Perfect for fans of Louise Penny, Lisa Gardner—and, of course, Agatha Christie
Perfect for fans of Louise Penny, Lisa Gardner—and, of course, Agatha Christie
337 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 2, 2020
56 people are currently reading
1197 people want to read
About the author
Andrea Carter
7 books241 followersAndrea Carter graduated in law from Trinity College, Dublin. She qualified as a solicitor and moved to the Inishowen Peninsula in Co. Donegal where she lived and worked for a number of years. In 2005 she transferred to the Bar and moved to Dublin to practise as a barrister. She grew up in Ballyfin, Co. Laois.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 131 reviews
October 31, 2023
The Body Falls by Andrea Carter
(Inishowen Mysteries #5)
Drawing on real life massive flooding in 2017, the fifth entry in the Inishowen Mysteries series has Benedicta (Ben) O’Keeffe arriving home after a six month work assignment in Florida. It's as if the skies were waiting for the moment she arrived back in Glendara, Inishowen to open up more than usual, releasing enough water to wipe out homes, bridges, land, roads, anything in its way. This event allows a dead man to fall from a high bank onto the car of the local vet. The flooding is so bad that a potential murder victim has to take a back seat to all the flood related disasters.
In the very short time that the dead man was alive while Ben was in town, Ben got to meet the man, his wife, and several of the cyclists that were riding in his charity event. That event was postponed due to the rain and now it's called off because the event organizer is dead and his past misdeeds have caught up with him in more ways than one. At first Ben isn't her usual extremely nosy self because she's still jet lagged and trying to find her feet again in Glendara, which is hard to do when she's walked into such a disaster zone. Ben and Sergeant Tom Molloy tiptoe around each other briefly but it seems they will handle their six month estrangement in a friendly (and leaning towards even friendlier) manner.
Usually Ben's extreme, and often dangerous, habit of stomping into crime scenes and taking investigations into her own hands irritates Tom. But he's so busy with all the flooding disasters that he actually welcomes any help she can give in ferreting out leads in the murder case. Ben's friend Phyllis has to nudge Ben into helping HER brain storm the murder case and who might be the potential murderer but once Phyllis gets Ben's crime solving juices going, she's on the trail. It's not like Ben is really qualified to solve murders and fight crime since she is a solicitor but that's never stopped her before and won't stop her now.
Having read all five books in this series, it's nice getting to see people and locations we know again. I always have to keep in mind, though, that no person or location is safe. We've lost people and places in former books and places took a big hit in this latest story. We end this story knowing the series isn't over, yet, because we know that Ben has some more sleuthing to do, so I have at least one more book ahead of me.
Publication: Nov 1, 2022
Thank you to Oceanview Publishing, Edelweiss, and NetGalley for this ARC.
(Inishowen Mysteries #5)
Drawing on real life massive flooding in 2017, the fifth entry in the Inishowen Mysteries series has Benedicta (Ben) O’Keeffe arriving home after a six month work assignment in Florida. It's as if the skies were waiting for the moment she arrived back in Glendara, Inishowen to open up more than usual, releasing enough water to wipe out homes, bridges, land, roads, anything in its way. This event allows a dead man to fall from a high bank onto the car of the local vet. The flooding is so bad that a potential murder victim has to take a back seat to all the flood related disasters.
In the very short time that the dead man was alive while Ben was in town, Ben got to meet the man, his wife, and several of the cyclists that were riding in his charity event. That event was postponed due to the rain and now it's called off because the event organizer is dead and his past misdeeds have caught up with him in more ways than one. At first Ben isn't her usual extremely nosy self because she's still jet lagged and trying to find her feet again in Glendara, which is hard to do when she's walked into such a disaster zone. Ben and Sergeant Tom Molloy tiptoe around each other briefly but it seems they will handle their six month estrangement in a friendly (and leaning towards even friendlier) manner.
Usually Ben's extreme, and often dangerous, habit of stomping into crime scenes and taking investigations into her own hands irritates Tom. But he's so busy with all the flooding disasters that he actually welcomes any help she can give in ferreting out leads in the murder case. Ben's friend Phyllis has to nudge Ben into helping HER brain storm the murder case and who might be the potential murderer but once Phyllis gets Ben's crime solving juices going, she's on the trail. It's not like Ben is really qualified to solve murders and fight crime since she is a solicitor but that's never stopped her before and won't stop her now.
Having read all five books in this series, it's nice getting to see people and locations we know again. I always have to keep in mind, though, that no person or location is safe. We've lost people and places in former books and places took a big hit in this latest story. We end this story knowing the series isn't over, yet, because we know that Ben has some more sleuthing to do, so I have at least one more book ahead of me.
Publication: Nov 1, 2022
Thank you to Oceanview Publishing, Edelweiss, and NetGalley for this ARC.
November 15, 2022
And then this happened, and next, this happened, and then this happened....
3.25 stars
The Body Falls is a mystery about a murder in a small Irish town during an unprecedented storm.
Ben, short for Benedicta, a solicitor, has just returned to her practice in Glendara after spending the past 6 months in America. She returns to a storm that brings flooding, chaos, and murder to her quiet town. With help from the eccentric locals, she puts together the pieces behind a shocking murder.
This is book #5 in the Inishowen Mystery series, but the first for me. It was fine to read as a standalone, as enough was explained that I wasn’t lost or lacking in terms of the characters or town.
The challenge for me was the narrative style--there is a lot of reporting on events. For example, Ben would share that she got a coffee, then rode her bike, and then checked in at her office, and then this happened, etc. More showing would have been appreciated.
However, once I caught onto the rhythm of the narrative style, I was able to connect, but it took effort on my part.
Ben is the sole narrator, and she is likable and easy to root for. I enjoyed reading about the town and its inhabitants, especially Phyllis.
This is a pretty clean read without guts, gore, sex, etc., but the occasional F-bomb is dropped in, which felt out of place. Overall, this is an enjoyable, if slightly predictable series--the characters and setting make it worth reading!
I was lucky enough to win a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway!
3.25 stars
The Body Falls is a mystery about a murder in a small Irish town during an unprecedented storm.
Ben, short for Benedicta, a solicitor, has just returned to her practice in Glendara after spending the past 6 months in America. She returns to a storm that brings flooding, chaos, and murder to her quiet town. With help from the eccentric locals, she puts together the pieces behind a shocking murder.
This is book #5 in the Inishowen Mystery series, but the first for me. It was fine to read as a standalone, as enough was explained that I wasn’t lost or lacking in terms of the characters or town.
The challenge for me was the narrative style--there is a lot of reporting on events. For example, Ben would share that she got a coffee, then rode her bike, and then checked in at her office, and then this happened, etc. More showing would have been appreciated.
However, once I caught onto the rhythm of the narrative style, I was able to connect, but it took effort on my part.
Ben is the sole narrator, and she is likable and easy to root for. I enjoyed reading about the town and its inhabitants, especially Phyllis.
This is a pretty clean read without guts, gore, sex, etc., but the occasional F-bomb is dropped in, which felt out of place. Overall, this is an enjoyable, if slightly predictable series--the characters and setting make it worth reading!
I was lucky enough to win a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway!
March 22, 2020
Andrea Carter takes us back to Inishowen, the small town of Glendara, in Ireland with her latest in her solicitor Ben O'Keefe crime series. It begins with the end of a 6 month stint for Ben in the coastal Sarasota resort town in Florida, a sun soaked time, learning about and practicing elder law. It was in part a way to escape a personal dilemma that she was unsure how to react to, a marriage proposal that didn't feel right from Sergeant Tom Molloy, when they hadn't even been together. She arrives in Dublin, to spend a night with her parents, only to find a strange man, Stuart Chambers, staying with her parents which leaves her feeling worried and concerned. She returns to Glendara, only to find the place overrun by cyclists in colourful lycra getting prepared for a charity race starting the following day, and her locum solicitor replacement, Marina, far more haphazard in her working practices than she is.
A number of the cyclists and organisers are staying with Mary McCauley at her 10 bedroom bed and breakfast guest house. The sunshine of Florida is to become a distant memory for Ben as in sharp contrast, Inishowen comes to be pounded by merciless and relentless biblical rains that culminate in broken bridges and Glendara becoming completely cut off from the rest of the country. With people stranded and the cyclists unable to begin their race, the police, Molloy and McFadden, are under severe strain. Their pressures are exacerbated when mud landslides result in a body falling on vet Maeve's jeep at night. The body turns outs to be Bob Jameson, the head of the charity benefiting from the cycling fundraiser, and oddly, given there are no snakes in Ireland, he has been bitten by a snake on his hand and no post mortem can take place until the rains subside.
According to Derek, Bob's twin brother, and his wife, Amanda, Bob is a good man with no enemies, but how then did he end up being murdered? Molloy and Ben work the case together whilst organising help and support for the community in their hours of need. As they dig deep, it soon begins to emerge that the only mystery is that the odious Bob managed to live as long as he did and that whoever killed him deserves a medal. This is a series I have really enjoyed reading, although there is an unevenness in the narrative at times here, it is entertaining, with a host of local characters that are wonderful to catch up with, such as the bookseller, Phyllis Kettle. Ben and Molloy work through their issues to settle into a relationship that they have become comfortable with going public. A great read. Many thanks to Little, Brown for an ARC.
A number of the cyclists and organisers are staying with Mary McCauley at her 10 bedroom bed and breakfast guest house. The sunshine of Florida is to become a distant memory for Ben as in sharp contrast, Inishowen comes to be pounded by merciless and relentless biblical rains that culminate in broken bridges and Glendara becoming completely cut off from the rest of the country. With people stranded and the cyclists unable to begin their race, the police, Molloy and McFadden, are under severe strain. Their pressures are exacerbated when mud landslides result in a body falling on vet Maeve's jeep at night. The body turns outs to be Bob Jameson, the head of the charity benefiting from the cycling fundraiser, and oddly, given there are no snakes in Ireland, he has been bitten by a snake on his hand and no post mortem can take place until the rains subside.
According to Derek, Bob's twin brother, and his wife, Amanda, Bob is a good man with no enemies, but how then did he end up being murdered? Molloy and Ben work the case together whilst organising help and support for the community in their hours of need. As they dig deep, it soon begins to emerge that the only mystery is that the odious Bob managed to live as long as he did and that whoever killed him deserves a medal. This is a series I have really enjoyed reading, although there is an unevenness in the narrative at times here, it is entertaining, with a host of local characters that are wonderful to catch up with, such as the bookseller, Phyllis Kettle. Ben and Molloy work through their issues to settle into a relationship that they have become comfortable with going public. A great read. Many thanks to Little, Brown for an ARC.
November 27, 2023
After a six month stint in Florida, solicitor Benedicta “Ben” O’Keeffe returns to her law practice in the small Irish village of Glendara. Arriving back home, she finds that a charity cycle event has been delayed by torrential rain, trapping the cyclists in town. Then the body of the event organizer washes down the mountain, literally falling onto a passing vehicle. Bridges are down and roads are impassible. The town is cut off with a murderer at large in the community. Fear predominates—chaos ensues—and Ben redoubles her efforts to find the killer before they strike again.
The fifth novel in the Inishowen Mystery series, The Body Fallswas a fun, easy yet strong mystery with plenty of crime fiction elements. With captivating scenery of Northern Ireland, the descriptions were wonderfully evocative, making me feel like I was there in Inishowen during a torrential storm on the harsh coast.
The characters were the central draw for me. Don’t get me wrong, the plot is compelling and winding, but it’s the people in the book that caused the story to come alive. Carter managed to craft a town full of quirky, entertaining individuals that are perfect representations of what you’d expect to find in a small Irish village (and which made for a highly delightful read). Ben, however, is the only truly deep character complete with a well-drawn background, which created a stellar character who I have become more and more connected to with each book. To top it off, the rather incestuous tangle of relationships was even authentic, each with a amusing twist, giving many true-to-life eccentricities.
One of the few issues that I did find, however, was the lack of at least one significant and unanticipated twist. Perhaps because I’ve been reading mostly thrillers, none of the twists and turns (as there definitely were some) left me gasping from a new revelation.
Irregardless, the straightforward storyline developed effortlessly into a first-rate locked room murder mystery which delightfully sets up the next book (which I can’t wait to read). If you like slightly softer crime fiction novels (not particularly gritty and without overly disturbing scenarios), this is a book you’ll just have to pick up! Rating of 4.5 stars.
Perfect for fans of Louise Penny, Lisa Gardner—and, of course, Agatha Christie.
The fifth novel in the Inishowen Mystery series, The Body Fallswas a fun, easy yet strong mystery with plenty of crime fiction elements. With captivating scenery of Northern Ireland, the descriptions were wonderfully evocative, making me feel like I was there in Inishowen during a torrential storm on the harsh coast.
The characters were the central draw for me. Don’t get me wrong, the plot is compelling and winding, but it’s the people in the book that caused the story to come alive. Carter managed to craft a town full of quirky, entertaining individuals that are perfect representations of what you’d expect to find in a small Irish village (and which made for a highly delightful read). Ben, however, is the only truly deep character complete with a well-drawn background, which created a stellar character who I have become more and more connected to with each book. To top it off, the rather incestuous tangle of relationships was even authentic, each with a amusing twist, giving many true-to-life eccentricities.
One of the few issues that I did find, however, was the lack of at least one significant and unanticipated twist. Perhaps because I’ve been reading mostly thrillers, none of the twists and turns (as there definitely were some) left me gasping from a new revelation.
Irregardless, the straightforward storyline developed effortlessly into a first-rate locked room murder mystery which delightfully sets up the next book (which I can’t wait to read). If you like slightly softer crime fiction novels (not particularly gritty and without overly disturbing scenarios), this is a book you’ll just have to pick up! Rating of 4.5 stars.
Perfect for fans of Louise Penny, Lisa Gardner—and, of course, Agatha Christie.
October 3, 2020
Solicitor Ben(edicta) O’Keefe returns to Ireland after a six month stint in Sarasota, Florida. After visiting her parents (and there’s a mystery there just waiting to be solved ....) she drives back to her Donegal home. It’s biblically raining the metaphorical cats and dogs which doesn't make driving easy. Once she reaches Glendara she’s astounded to find a charity bike race in preparation. This is eventually called off as the weather worsens and the competitors and their entourage have to start put. Events take a very dark turn when a body falls on to Ben’s friend Maeve’s Jeep, washed down from the hillside by torrential rain. This is the beginning of a tangled mystery that Ben and Garda Tom Molloy are eager to solve.
The rain plays a huge part in the novel and I find this all to easy to imagine after terrible flooding near where I live earliest this year. The fact they become cut off adds a good claustrophobic and damp atmosphere to the storytelling. It’s well written although I think the plot is a little uneven but it’s very colourful and has a lot of really good characters with the exception of the victim. It would seem there’s quite a queue of people who have reason to hate him which adds a great deal to the intriguing mystery. This deepens and become quite entangled and an interestingly convoluted web of deceit.
Overall, it’s an enjoyable easy read, I love the setting, the craic and there are some great characters and animals! I’m looking forward to the next instalment as it’s left on a good cliffhanger.
With thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group/Constable for the arc for an honest review.
The rain plays a huge part in the novel and I find this all to easy to imagine after terrible flooding near where I live earliest this year. The fact they become cut off adds a good claustrophobic and damp atmosphere to the storytelling. It’s well written although I think the plot is a little uneven but it’s very colourful and has a lot of really good characters with the exception of the victim. It would seem there’s quite a queue of people who have reason to hate him which adds a great deal to the intriguing mystery. This deepens and become quite entangled and an interestingly convoluted web of deceit.
Overall, it’s an enjoyable easy read, I love the setting, the craic and there are some great characters and animals! I’m looking forward to the next instalment as it’s left on a good cliffhanger.
With thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group/Constable for the arc for an honest review.
May 26, 2024
Real Rating: 4.5* of five, rounded down because.
The Publisher Says: Bridges Down—Roads Impassable—Killer Trapped
April in Florida and Benedicta (Ben) O’Keeffe is enjoying balmy temperatures during the last few days of a six month stint with a U.S. law firm. A week later, she returns to Glendara, Inishowen, where a charity cycle event is taking place. The town is abuzz with excitement, but it starts to rain, causing the cyclists to postpone the start of their event and stay overnight in the town. The rain doesn’t stop—it becomes relentless, torrential.
In the middle of the night, Police Sergeant Tom Molloy is called out to Mamore Gap, where a body, dislodged from a high bank by the heavy rain, has fallen onto a passing vehicle. It is identified as Bob Jameson, a well-known charities boss and the organizer of the cycling event. Stunned, the local doctor finds evidence of a recent snakebite. Terrible weather persists and soon bridges are down and roads are impassable. Glendara is completely cut off and since there are no native snakes in Ireland, could there be a killer trapped in the community? With no help from the outside world, it’s left to Molloy—with Ben’s assistance—to find out who is responsible for Bob Jameson’s bizarre death.
The novels in the Inishowen Mystery Series stand on their own and can be read in any order.
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.
My Review: I don't entirely agree with the publisher that these books can be read in any order. I myownself suggest that you begin at #1 Death at Whitewater Church, and progress in an orderly fashion to this one, #5. But that is, of course, merely a recommendation.
I think, though, that without having seen Tom Molloy the Garda sergeant and Ben develop their feelings for and about each other, I'd've missed a major pleasure of the series mystery. Going back to earlier books, knowing what's happened in this book, would negatively impact my pleasure in the read. After Ben's return from Florida, which is totally unexplored in this book but where groundwork has been laid for future troubles to come Ben's way, she gets right back to trouble in her parents' home: The Usurper, as she mentally refers to him, has moved in and taken over the day-to-day running of their lives. They met in a group for grieving parents that all belong to. Ben, jet-lagged and knowing she's out of line to speak about the living arrangement of compos mentis adults, still feels...weird...about the situation.
However, Inishowen and six months' absence-worth of work to catch up on the disposition of ring a loud bell. To her own mild surprise, Ben is really looking forward to her homecoming...it's really home, she knows after leaving it. The locum, Marina, and her legal assistant are no doubt going to need to spill a lot of tea. Yay! Except for the filthy weather forecasted for the whole of Ireland that she must pilot her Mini (befouled by having been lent without her knowledge or consent to The Usurper) through, this is a great day.
Oh Ben. Sweet summer child.
Based on the factual Irish flooding and resultant disasters of 2017, there's really no let-up of either rain or trouble for Ben, Inishowen, Tom Molloy, and a certain murdered party. (Whom I loathed from his first appearance. Though I found Author Carter's description of him perilously close to body-shaming.)
What mostly happens in this entry into the series is rain. Ungodly, Biblical-flood rain. Stuff falling over, people needing rescuing rain, and all of that's real. The author even points us, in her Acknowledgments, to national Irish papers doing the story in 2017. Everything that happens to the deadie happens because gawd let loose a strong stream of atmospheric water on Inishowen. How's that for a ready-made plot?!
What we get, in book five, is a reckoning of sorts between Ben and Garda Tom Molloy for their very tentative relationship's new course. I loved the way it led Tom, in extremis with the flooding, to resign himself to Ben's usual snooping...even saying at one point he needed the help given the tragic weather-disaster consequences.
As this book deals with someone being murdered whose murderer(s) I found delightful for their willingness to do it at all...cleaning the gene pool, I call it...that I was almost ready for an Orient Express solution. I didn't get one. Darn it. But instead there were more deaths to Inishowen's people revealed. I am always glad that the author does this for us, makes the characters matter to us and still tells the tough stories that require resolution.
I'd say this entry was the best in the series. I feel more clear about Tom and Ben and their whatever. And the ending makes me think there's a lot of mileage in the couplehood they have set course for. In many ways they remind me of Mr. and Mrs. North, the Lockridges' sleuthing pair, in their earlier adventures. I hope that vibe continues.
The Publisher Says: Bridges Down—Roads Impassable—Killer Trapped
April in Florida and Benedicta (Ben) O’Keeffe is enjoying balmy temperatures during the last few days of a six month stint with a U.S. law firm. A week later, she returns to Glendara, Inishowen, where a charity cycle event is taking place. The town is abuzz with excitement, but it starts to rain, causing the cyclists to postpone the start of their event and stay overnight in the town. The rain doesn’t stop—it becomes relentless, torrential.
In the middle of the night, Police Sergeant Tom Molloy is called out to Mamore Gap, where a body, dislodged from a high bank by the heavy rain, has fallen onto a passing vehicle. It is identified as Bob Jameson, a well-known charities boss and the organizer of the cycling event. Stunned, the local doctor finds evidence of a recent snakebite. Terrible weather persists and soon bridges are down and roads are impassable. Glendara is completely cut off and since there are no native snakes in Ireland, could there be a killer trapped in the community? With no help from the outside world, it’s left to Molloy—with Ben’s assistance—to find out who is responsible for Bob Jameson’s bizarre death.
The novels in the Inishowen Mystery Series stand on their own and can be read in any order.
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.
My Review: I don't entirely agree with the publisher that these books can be read in any order. I myownself suggest that you begin at #1 Death at Whitewater Church, and progress in an orderly fashion to this one, #5. But that is, of course, merely a recommendation.
I think, though, that without having seen Tom Molloy the Garda sergeant and Ben develop their feelings for and about each other, I'd've missed a major pleasure of the series mystery. Going back to earlier books, knowing what's happened in this book, would negatively impact my pleasure in the read. After Ben's return from Florida, which is totally unexplored in this book but where groundwork has been laid for future troubles to come Ben's way, she gets right back to trouble in her parents' home: The Usurper, as she mentally refers to him, has moved in and taken over the day-to-day running of their lives. They met in a group for grieving parents that all belong to. Ben, jet-lagged and knowing she's out of line to speak about the living arrangement of compos mentis adults, still feels...weird...about the situation.
However, Inishowen and six months' absence-worth of work to catch up on the disposition of ring a loud bell. To her own mild surprise, Ben is really looking forward to her homecoming...it's really home, she knows after leaving it. The locum, Marina, and her legal assistant are no doubt going to need to spill a lot of tea. Yay! Except for the filthy weather forecasted for the whole of Ireland that she must pilot her Mini (befouled by having been lent without her knowledge or consent to The Usurper) through, this is a great day.
Oh Ben. Sweet summer child.
Based on the factual Irish flooding and resultant disasters of 2017, there's really no let-up of either rain or trouble for Ben, Inishowen, Tom Molloy, and a certain murdered party. (Whom I loathed from his first appearance. Though I found Author Carter's description of him perilously close to body-shaming.)
What mostly happens in this entry into the series is rain. Ungodly, Biblical-flood rain. Stuff falling over, people needing rescuing rain, and all of that's real. The author even points us, in her Acknowledgments, to national Irish papers doing the story in 2017. Everything that happens to the deadie happens because gawd let loose a strong stream of atmospheric water on Inishowen. How's that for a ready-made plot?!
What we get, in book five, is a reckoning of sorts between Ben and Garda Tom Molloy for their very tentative relationship's new course. I loved the way it led Tom, in extremis with the flooding, to resign himself to Ben's usual snooping...even saying at one point he needed the help given the tragic weather-disaster consequences.
As this book deals with someone being murdered whose murderer(s) I found delightful for their willingness to do it at all...cleaning the gene pool, I call it...that I was almost ready for an Orient Express solution. I didn't get one. Darn it. But instead there were more deaths to Inishowen's people revealed. I am always glad that the author does this for us, makes the characters matter to us and still tells the tough stories that require resolution.
I'd say this entry was the best in the series. I feel more clear about Tom and Ben and their whatever. And the ending makes me think there's a lot of mileage in the couplehood they have set course for. In many ways they remind me of Mr. and Mrs. North, the Lockridges' sleuthing pair, in their earlier adventures. I hope that vibe continues.
October 19, 2022
I regard this as a cozy mystery and think it will be popular with many readers. Since this is the 5th book in the series, and I had not read the previous ones, I felt it would be more meaningful for those who read the earlier books. I wanted to know more about the recurring characters, the friendships and past relationships. It was an easy read, slow at first, but became more interesting when a possible murder occurred.
Benedicta O'Keefe, a solicitor, is returning home to Ireland after a six-month leave to practice law in sunny Florida. She is looking forward to being home and back to her legal practice in Inishowen. Ben has some unresolved issues with Garda Police Sergeant Tom Molloy. He proposed just before she left for Florida. On her way, she stops to visit her parents and is troubled by some significant changes in their home. Her parents seem quite happy with it all.
Ben no sooner arrives in Inishowen but is surprised to see an influx of cyclists there for a charity event, and available guest rooms are quickly filling up. The cyclists and tourists attending the charity event are stranded. Heavy rain starts, becoming torrential. Homes are flooded with belongings inside, roads are washed out and impassable, bridges are damaged, and people need to be rescued, fed and moved to shelters. Tom is busy overseeing the disaster and organizing help.
Amid the flooding, the local veterinarian's van is damaged. She is in shock as a dead man's body falls on top of her vehicle. The body was dislodged from the top of a muddy cliff along the roadside. The dead man is identified as Bob Jameson, the organizer of the cycling event to raise money for Alzheimer's care. He was also heavily involved with other charities and ran an orphanage in Nigeria. A snake bite is seen on his hand. Did that have anything to do with his death? Snakes are not native to Ireland. Was the bite from someone's harmless pet snake, or could it be a venomous African snake connected with enemies he made in Africa? Bob was a ruthless, dishonest businessman, but after witnessing hardships in Nigeria, he claimed to have reformed and was devoting his life to helping unfortunate people at home. There are rumours of fraud and embezzlement within his charities, and he has made many enemies. His car was nowhere near the death scene, so it looks like he was lured there. He was not known as someone to hike, especially not at night in a rain storm.
The roads in and out of the town are impassable. The charity event has been cancelled, and the cyclists are stranded. The forensic team and the coroner can't arrive to examine the body to determine the cause of death.
Ben considers herself an amateur sleuth and is determined to solve the mystery. Tom has not approved of her interfering in police work, but he is so busy with the flooding problems that he will accept any help she can provide. After helping her friend Phyllis save the books in her store that is starting to flood, they share information and gossip about possible suspects. Ben talks to Ben's widow and twin brother. Is the killer among the outsiders now stranded in town, or are they one of its residents?
The story ends with a cliffhanger. Ben's apprehension while visiting her parent's home may be confirmed.
Thanks to NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing for the ARC in return for my honest review.
Benedicta O'Keefe, a solicitor, is returning home to Ireland after a six-month leave to practice law in sunny Florida. She is looking forward to being home and back to her legal practice in Inishowen. Ben has some unresolved issues with Garda Police Sergeant Tom Molloy. He proposed just before she left for Florida. On her way, she stops to visit her parents and is troubled by some significant changes in their home. Her parents seem quite happy with it all.
Ben no sooner arrives in Inishowen but is surprised to see an influx of cyclists there for a charity event, and available guest rooms are quickly filling up. The cyclists and tourists attending the charity event are stranded. Heavy rain starts, becoming torrential. Homes are flooded with belongings inside, roads are washed out and impassable, bridges are damaged, and people need to be rescued, fed and moved to shelters. Tom is busy overseeing the disaster and organizing help.
Amid the flooding, the local veterinarian's van is damaged. She is in shock as a dead man's body falls on top of her vehicle. The body was dislodged from the top of a muddy cliff along the roadside. The dead man is identified as Bob Jameson, the organizer of the cycling event to raise money for Alzheimer's care. He was also heavily involved with other charities and ran an orphanage in Nigeria. A snake bite is seen on his hand. Did that have anything to do with his death? Snakes are not native to Ireland. Was the bite from someone's harmless pet snake, or could it be a venomous African snake connected with enemies he made in Africa? Bob was a ruthless, dishonest businessman, but after witnessing hardships in Nigeria, he claimed to have reformed and was devoting his life to helping unfortunate people at home. There are rumours of fraud and embezzlement within his charities, and he has made many enemies. His car was nowhere near the death scene, so it looks like he was lured there. He was not known as someone to hike, especially not at night in a rain storm.
The roads in and out of the town are impassable. The charity event has been cancelled, and the cyclists are stranded. The forensic team and the coroner can't arrive to examine the body to determine the cause of death.
Ben considers herself an amateur sleuth and is determined to solve the mystery. Tom has not approved of her interfering in police work, but he is so busy with the flooding problems that he will accept any help she can provide. After helping her friend Phyllis save the books in her store that is starting to flood, they share information and gossip about possible suspects. Ben talks to Ben's widow and twin brother. Is the killer among the outsiders now stranded in town, or are they one of its residents?
The story ends with a cliffhanger. Ben's apprehension while visiting her parent's home may be confirmed.
Thanks to NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing for the ARC in return for my honest review.
January 9, 2023
Solicitor Benedicta ‘Ben’ O’Keefe has spent the past six months working for an American law firm after fleeing Ireland following Sergeant Tom Molloy’s surprise marriage proposal. With her stint coming to an end, she prepares to return to Inishowen and the life she’d left behind. When she arrives in Glendara, she finds it crawling with bicycles and cyclists who are in town for the Amazing Grace Malin to Mizen Charity Cycle. The locals are ready for the hoards to move on, but just when it appears the visitors will finally be leaving to begin the race, the skies open and it starts to rain. Not just normal rain, however, as Inishowen has always had its fair share of precipitation, but a torrential downpour that dumps a month’s worth of rain in a twenty-four hour period.
In the middle of the night, Police Sergeant Tom Molloy receives a phone call requesting his presence at Mamore Gap where a body has just fallen onto a vehicle. It’s Bob Jameson, both the organizer of the race and the CEO of the charity behind the event. But, after looking examining the body at the scene, the doctor believes Bob died from a snakebite. The only problem is that Ireland doesn’t have any native snakes on its shores. Was he accidentally bitten by a loose pet snake? Or was it intentional? Afterall, he was driven out to the Mamore Gap and left there by someone.
Overnight, the storm continued to worsen and they wake up to the news that two bridges have collapsed. Glendara is cut off frojm the outside world. As the investigation heats up, Molloy and his deputy, Andy McFadden, find themselves entirely on their own. There’s no backup or assistance from the forensics or the medical examiner. If it was murder, will they be able to apprehend whoever is responsible before anyone else is put in danger? Without outside help? Because it appears Glendara is on its own.
The fifth novel in the Inishowen Mystery series, The Body Falls was a fun, easy yet strong mystery with plenty of police procedural-esque elements. With captivating scenery of Northern Ireland, the descriptions were wonderfully evocative, making me feel like I was there in Inishowen during a torrential storm on the harsh coast.
The characters were the central draw for me. Don’t get me wrong, the plot is compelling and winding, but it’s the people in the book that causes the story to come alive. Carter has managed to craft a town full of quirky, entertaining individuals that are perfect representations of what you’d expect to find in a small Irish village (and which make for a highly absorbing read). Ben, however, is the only truly deep character complete with a well-drawn background, which created a stellar character who I have become more and more connected to with each book. To top it off, the rather incestuous tangle of relationships was even authentic, each with a delightful twist, giving many humanizing and entertaining quirks.
One of the few issues that I did find, however, was the lack of at least one significant and unanticipated twist. Perhaps because I’ve been reading mostly thrillers, none of the twists and turns (because there definitely are some) left me gasping with a new revelation. Irregardless, The straightforward storyline developed effortlessly into a first-rate locked room murder mystery which delightfully sets up the next mystery book (which I can’t wait to read). Unfortunately, I’m going to have to wait as The Body Falls was just released in the United States. If you like slightly softer crime fiction novels (aka not particularly gritty and without overly disturbing scenarios), you’ll enjoy this one! Rating of 4.5 stars.
Trigger warning - childhood cancer, physically abusive spouse, dementia, drug use, fatal car accident
In the middle of the night, Police Sergeant Tom Molloy receives a phone call requesting his presence at Mamore Gap where a body has just fallen onto a vehicle. It’s Bob Jameson, both the organizer of the race and the CEO of the charity behind the event. But, after looking examining the body at the scene, the doctor believes Bob died from a snakebite. The only problem is that Ireland doesn’t have any native snakes on its shores. Was he accidentally bitten by a loose pet snake? Or was it intentional? Afterall, he was driven out to the Mamore Gap and left there by someone.
Overnight, the storm continued to worsen and they wake up to the news that two bridges have collapsed. Glendara is cut off frojm the outside world. As the investigation heats up, Molloy and his deputy, Andy McFadden, find themselves entirely on their own. There’s no backup or assistance from the forensics or the medical examiner. If it was murder, will they be able to apprehend whoever is responsible before anyone else is put in danger? Without outside help? Because it appears Glendara is on its own.
The fifth novel in the Inishowen Mystery series, The Body Falls was a fun, easy yet strong mystery with plenty of police procedural-esque elements. With captivating scenery of Northern Ireland, the descriptions were wonderfully evocative, making me feel like I was there in Inishowen during a torrential storm on the harsh coast.
The characters were the central draw for me. Don’t get me wrong, the plot is compelling and winding, but it’s the people in the book that causes the story to come alive. Carter has managed to craft a town full of quirky, entertaining individuals that are perfect representations of what you’d expect to find in a small Irish village (and which make for a highly absorbing read). Ben, however, is the only truly deep character complete with a well-drawn background, which created a stellar character who I have become more and more connected to with each book. To top it off, the rather incestuous tangle of relationships was even authentic, each with a delightful twist, giving many humanizing and entertaining quirks.
One of the few issues that I did find, however, was the lack of at least one significant and unanticipated twist. Perhaps because I’ve been reading mostly thrillers, none of the twists and turns (because there definitely are some) left me gasping with a new revelation. Irregardless, The straightforward storyline developed effortlessly into a first-rate locked room murder mystery which delightfully sets up the next mystery book (which I can’t wait to read). Unfortunately, I’m going to have to wait as The Body Falls was just released in the United States. If you like slightly softer crime fiction novels (aka not particularly gritty and without overly disturbing scenarios), you’ll enjoy this one! Rating of 4.5 stars.
Trigger warning - childhood cancer, physically abusive spouse, dementia, drug use, fatal car accident
November 19, 2022
In The Body Falls, solicitor Ben O’Keeffe has just returned to Glendara in Inishowen after a sabbatical of sorts at a law firm she has had experience with in the past. After 6 months away in Sarasota, Florida, she wants to see the state of her law practice, kept in operation with a locum in her absence, her various friends, her cat Guinness, and, not the least, Molloy, the Garda Sargent who inexplicably proposed before she left.
Before she can accomplish much, it begins to rain. And a cycling for charity group, many of whom are staying in Glendara in advance of the the event, will find themselves stuck in the small town as rain continues. Then “a body falls” quite literally and an investigation begins.
This is my second book read of the series and I enjoyed it. I find the characters and setting interesting and easy to get to know. In this episode, the weather becomes a character too as it shapes the landscape and characters’ actions, a new reality across the world now.
Thanks to Oceanview Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC.
Before she can accomplish much, it begins to rain. And a cycling for charity group, many of whom are staying in Glendara in advance of the the event, will find themselves stuck in the small town as rain continues. Then “a body falls” quite literally and an investigation begins.
This is my second book read of the series and I enjoyed it. I find the characters and setting interesting and easy to get to know. In this episode, the weather becomes a character too as it shapes the landscape and characters’ actions, a new reality across the world now.
Thanks to Oceanview Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC.
October 23, 2022
Inishowen Mystery #5
Solicitor Benedicta (Ben) O'Keefe returns to her practice in Glendara where a charity cycle event is delayed by torrential rain, trapping the cyclists in town. Then the body of the event organiser washes down the mountain, literally falling onto a passing vehicle. Bridges are down and roads are unpassable. The town is cut off with a murderer at large in the community. Fear predominates - chaos ensues - and Ben redoubles her efforts to find the killer before they strike again.
This is the first book in the series that I've read. Filled with twists and surprises, I was quickly pulled into this story. There were parts that were a little drawn out in this descriptively written story. The story is based on a real flood from 2017. The characters were well developed and believable. I did guess some of the plot details, but not them all. This is a well written whodunit that's easy to follow.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #OceanviewPublishing and the author #AndreaCarter for my ARC of #TheBodyFalls in exchange for an honest review.
Solicitor Benedicta (Ben) O'Keefe returns to her practice in Glendara where a charity cycle event is delayed by torrential rain, trapping the cyclists in town. Then the body of the event organiser washes down the mountain, literally falling onto a passing vehicle. Bridges are down and roads are unpassable. The town is cut off with a murderer at large in the community. Fear predominates - chaos ensues - and Ben redoubles her efforts to find the killer before they strike again.
This is the first book in the series that I've read. Filled with twists and surprises, I was quickly pulled into this story. There were parts that were a little drawn out in this descriptively written story. The story is based on a real flood from 2017. The characters were well developed and believable. I did guess some of the plot details, but not them all. This is a well written whodunit that's easy to follow.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #OceanviewPublishing and the author #AndreaCarter for my ARC of #TheBodyFalls in exchange for an honest review.
April 20, 2022
3.75 stars
I liked the community of Inishowen on the northernmost coast of Ireland. Perhaps it was the quirky characters, the different weather or the atmosphere of small-town living in such a different setting. Whatever it was, they had just enough crime to keep solicitor and amateur sleuth, Ben O’Keeffe, and her lover, Sergeant Malloy, busy.
When a dead body literally fell on her friend’s car, it gave new meaning to ‘death from extreme heights’. Adding to the conundrum was the person was bitten by a snake but died of a heart attack. Because of a charity event, there were plenty of visitors in Inishowen and potential killers. It reminded me of working on a puzzle and trying to fit all the pieces together.
Because this is a series with enough regulars on the pages, I would advise not reading The Body Falls as a stand-alone. If you do, you might become overwhelmed and not enjoy all the nuances and quirky characters I mentioned earlier.
There’s also the relationship between Ben and Malloy that rears its head once in awhile. Are they a couple or aren’t they? Honestly, I wanted more Malloy. What’s going on in his head, his earlier life (parents? childhood?), what made him decide on his career and just how important is Ben to him?
I expect after reading the last chapter, another story is to come. Well, I am ready.
Thank you to Andrea Carter, NetGalley and Ocean View Publishing for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
I liked the community of Inishowen on the northernmost coast of Ireland. Perhaps it was the quirky characters, the different weather or the atmosphere of small-town living in such a different setting. Whatever it was, they had just enough crime to keep solicitor and amateur sleuth, Ben O’Keeffe, and her lover, Sergeant Malloy, busy.
When a dead body literally fell on her friend’s car, it gave new meaning to ‘death from extreme heights’. Adding to the conundrum was the person was bitten by a snake but died of a heart attack. Because of a charity event, there were plenty of visitors in Inishowen and potential killers. It reminded me of working on a puzzle and trying to fit all the pieces together.
Because this is a series with enough regulars on the pages, I would advise not reading The Body Falls as a stand-alone. If you do, you might become overwhelmed and not enjoy all the nuances and quirky characters I mentioned earlier.
There’s also the relationship between Ben and Malloy that rears its head once in awhile. Are they a couple or aren’t they? Honestly, I wanted more Malloy. What’s going on in his head, his earlier life (parents? childhood?), what made him decide on his career and just how important is Ben to him?
I expect after reading the last chapter, another story is to come. Well, I am ready.
Thank you to Andrea Carter, NetGalley and Ocean View Publishing for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
December 10, 2022
After police sergeant Tom Molloy proposed to her, solicitor Benedicta (Ben) O��Keefe spent six months working in Florida. She returns to her practice in Glendara, Inishowen just as rains of Biblical proportions cause flooding, bridge collapses, and the immediate isolation of the small town. It traps members of a cycle group who were staying at the local B & B awaiting the start of a charity race. When the dead body of the race’s organizer falls from on high onto the local vet’s car, it is up to the two man Garda department to investigate. Of course, Ben, can’t keep her nose out of the investigation and soon many secrets are revealed.
It was entertaining getting to know the townspeople in Ben’s life as well as the temporary visitors with all their entangled relationships. The setting was quite atmospheric, especially the descriptions of the flooding waters. Lots of tea drinking and pub visiting in between the investigating. But the fireplace in the pub certainly warmed up the chilly, wet days and nights. The story was fast paced, engrossing, with great character development.
This is the fifth in a series that was recommended to me by a fellow bookstagrammer. It is the first one I have read but felt it did fine as a standalone. I think you could categorize this as a cozy mystery and have seen comparisons of Ben with Miss Marple, although she is much younger. The ending clearly leaves open a storyline for the next installment of the series.
Thanks to #netgalley and #oceanviewpub for the ARC.
August 24, 2022
Benedicta (Ben) O'Keefe is a solicitor in Inishtown, a small town in Ireland. She's been working in Florida for a few months, and comes home to find a charity cycling event coming through town. There is a torrential rainstorm and flooding and the event is paused; then one of the organizers is found dead. Was it murder? Was this man really a selfless devotee of charities as some said, or an embezzler who believed, as one man claimed, that "charity begins at home?" The author really conveys the intensity of being trapped in town when the bridges are flooded out, and of course everyone is on edge because of all of the strangers in town and the mysterious death. I really like this series, but was disappointed that the author resorted to something I dislike: a cliffhanger ending. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
March 23, 2023
Having read the first novel in this series back in 2018, I've been regularly invested in reading each book and this is the fifth instalment. The series has maintained its quality, and I look forward to reading more of life and escapades of Ben O'Keefe.
With themes of charity fraud, sibling rivalry, elder abuse, and the awesome and staggering power of nature this novel was a real page turner. The setting is atmospheric, and the characters likeable. After reading this book I felt decidedly soggy, so well written were the flood scenes. The Inishowen Peninsula did experience devastating floods in 2017 and the author based those scenes on that. The Peninsula was complete isolated from the rest of the country with bridge collapses, downed trees, and multiple road closures.
The author is a solicitor herself, so that part of the narrative is knowledgeable and convincing. Not gritty by any means, yet somehow more serious than a 'cozy'. The frissons of romantic tension between Ben and policeman/Guard Tom Molloy have developed over the course of the series and they are now facing the truth of their feelings for each other.
I can see how Ben's 'nosiness' coupled with her line of work and her romantic interest in the town's policeman will engender many more interesting stories for this series. The ending left the reader with a perfect segue into the next book. It is a series I intend to follow with alacrity. Recommended. ♣
With themes of charity fraud, sibling rivalry, elder abuse, and the awesome and staggering power of nature this novel was a real page turner. The setting is atmospheric, and the characters likeable. After reading this book I felt decidedly soggy, so well written were the flood scenes. The Inishowen Peninsula did experience devastating floods in 2017 and the author based those scenes on that. The Peninsula was complete isolated from the rest of the country with bridge collapses, downed trees, and multiple road closures.
The author is a solicitor herself, so that part of the narrative is knowledgeable and convincing. Not gritty by any means, yet somehow more serious than a 'cozy'. The frissons of romantic tension between Ben and policeman/Guard Tom Molloy have developed over the course of the series and they are now facing the truth of their feelings for each other.
I can see how Ben's 'nosiness' coupled with her line of work and her romantic interest in the town's policeman will engender many more interesting stories for this series. The ending left the reader with a perfect segue into the next book. It is a series I intend to follow with alacrity. Recommended. ♣
July 3, 2022
The Body Falls
⭐️⭐️⭐️.75 (Rounded to 4 ⭐️ for rating)
Genre: Mystery / Crime
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 11/1/22
Author: Andrea Carter
Publisher: Oceanview Publishing
Pages: 320
Goodreads Rating: 4.02
I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.
Synopsis: Ben O'Keeffe returns to Glendara, Inishowen where a charity cycle race is taking place. But it starts to rain, the rain doesn't stop; it increases to become relentless, torrential. In the middle of the night Sergeant Tom Molloy is called out to Mamore Gap, where Bob Jameson, dislodged from a high bank by the heavy rain, has fallen onto the vet's jeep. The local GP confirms that the cause of death was a snakebite. When the continued terrible weather causes Glendara to be completely cut off, with a killer at the heart of the community. Who is responsible for Bob Jameson's death? One of the strangers in town or someone closer to home? It's left to Molloy, with Ben's assistance, to find out what is going on.
My Thoughts: I live in Florida and can see a possibility of this occurring. Even if some of the thoughts are off the chart, I still enjoyed this book. This is part of a series, while I did okay with just this as a stand alone, it would be a better reading experience to read the whole series in order. This is No. 5 in the series. The characters are well developed, were mysterious, had some depth, and were well written. Even though Bob is a victim, we soon find out that he is not very liked, as a result, the amount of possible suspects mounts high. The author’s writing style was complex, provided the character nuances, twisty and full of tension, and was just written nicely. The author was extremely detailed, you felt as if you were there in Ireland with Malloy and O’Keeffe. I would recommend the entire series, a good mystery read.
⭐️⭐️⭐️.75 (Rounded to 4 ⭐️ for rating)
Genre: Mystery / Crime
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 11/1/22
Author: Andrea Carter
Publisher: Oceanview Publishing
Pages: 320
Goodreads Rating: 4.02
I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.
Synopsis: Ben O'Keeffe returns to Glendara, Inishowen where a charity cycle race is taking place. But it starts to rain, the rain doesn't stop; it increases to become relentless, torrential. In the middle of the night Sergeant Tom Molloy is called out to Mamore Gap, where Bob Jameson, dislodged from a high bank by the heavy rain, has fallen onto the vet's jeep. The local GP confirms that the cause of death was a snakebite. When the continued terrible weather causes Glendara to be completely cut off, with a killer at the heart of the community. Who is responsible for Bob Jameson's death? One of the strangers in town or someone closer to home? It's left to Molloy, with Ben's assistance, to find out what is going on.
My Thoughts: I live in Florida and can see a possibility of this occurring. Even if some of the thoughts are off the chart, I still enjoyed this book. This is part of a series, while I did okay with just this as a stand alone, it would be a better reading experience to read the whole series in order. This is No. 5 in the series. The characters are well developed, were mysterious, had some depth, and were well written. Even though Bob is a victim, we soon find out that he is not very liked, as a result, the amount of possible suspects mounts high. The author’s writing style was complex, provided the character nuances, twisty and full of tension, and was just written nicely. The author was extremely detailed, you felt as if you were there in Ireland with Malloy and O’Keeffe. I would recommend the entire series, a good mystery read.
March 28, 2020
I would like to thank Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for an advance copy of The Body Falls, the fifth novel to feature lawyer Ben(edicta) O’Keefe, set in the Inishowen peninsula, Donegal.
Ben returns to Glencara from a six month working sabbatical in Florida to find the town overrun with cyclists at the start of a charity run. The run doesn’t get started as the weather takes a bad turn and storms and flooding cut the town off. That evening the local vet is out on a call when a body hits her jeep. The body is Bob Jameson, organiser of the charity bike run and man of many secrets and enemies, presumed murdered by a snake bite.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Body Falls which is an easy read with a good mystery attached. I loved the anarchy of a body rolling down a hill and hitting a vehicle, most unusual and attention grabbing and then the snake. I had forgotten that there are no snakes in Ireland, so more subversion. The scene is finally set by the weather conditions, torrential rain and flooding. It’s like something out of a gothic novel and all that’s missing is the thunder and lightning or do power cuts count?
Set against this gothic background the investigation is fairly gentle and yet, compulsive. Bob Jameson is an extremely unpleasant man and it would appear that many people in town for the cycle race would have reason to kill him. As the secrets are gradually revealed it seems that nobody mourns him and some go as far as to applaud the killer. This latter is well concealed and I didn’t have a clue until the denouement. In fact, I gave up trying to guess with so many potentials.
This is a novel about people and I found it engrossing. With the storm there is no forensic investigation so it’s all about talking, information gathering and deduction. The characters are well drawn and believable, if a little helpless and cowered. Ben and her friends are their usual nosy selves and this gives the novel a warm and homely feel.
The storm and its effects pervade the novel, cutting the town off and making them self reliant. It can’t help but feel normal almost in these times of quarantine. It can’t be anything but accidental but it certainly feels relevant.
The Body Falls is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.
Ben returns to Glencara from a six month working sabbatical in Florida to find the town overrun with cyclists at the start of a charity run. The run doesn’t get started as the weather takes a bad turn and storms and flooding cut the town off. That evening the local vet is out on a call when a body hits her jeep. The body is Bob Jameson, organiser of the charity bike run and man of many secrets and enemies, presumed murdered by a snake bite.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Body Falls which is an easy read with a good mystery attached. I loved the anarchy of a body rolling down a hill and hitting a vehicle, most unusual and attention grabbing and then the snake. I had forgotten that there are no snakes in Ireland, so more subversion. The scene is finally set by the weather conditions, torrential rain and flooding. It’s like something out of a gothic novel and all that’s missing is the thunder and lightning or do power cuts count?
Set against this gothic background the investigation is fairly gentle and yet, compulsive. Bob Jameson is an extremely unpleasant man and it would appear that many people in town for the cycle race would have reason to kill him. As the secrets are gradually revealed it seems that nobody mourns him and some go as far as to applaud the killer. This latter is well concealed and I didn’t have a clue until the denouement. In fact, I gave up trying to guess with so many potentials.
This is a novel about people and I found it engrossing. With the storm there is no forensic investigation so it’s all about talking, information gathering and deduction. The characters are well drawn and believable, if a little helpless and cowered. Ben and her friends are their usual nosy selves and this gives the novel a warm and homely feel.
The storm and its effects pervade the novel, cutting the town off and making them self reliant. It can’t help but feel normal almost in these times of quarantine. It can’t be anything but accidental but it certainly feels relevant.
The Body Falls is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.
May 5, 2022
The Body Falls is told in the first person. Ben O’Keefe (those who know her, call her Ben, those who do not, Benedicta) has been working in an American legal firm, has enjoyed it, and the firm wants to maintain ties with her when she returns to her business in Ireland. Ben appreciates the confidence in her skills but is keen to return to her own legal practice, her parents, and an unresolved relationship with a person known only to the new reader of what I understand to be a series, as Molloy.
Amongst all the detail, I was rather disconcerted that the protagonist was not named until Chapter 3, and then only with a mistaken given name. Although this set the scene for the unsettling relationship she finds her parents have formed with a man, now a guest in their house, for a reader new to this series to have an unnamed main character for this length of time, seems unnecessary. Ben does not like the newcomer and resolves to visit her parents more frequently. However, on her return to her practice, she finds that mysteries there take up all her time. Again, I found this an odd plot structure. Why dangle the possibility that the mystery is going to be woven around the parents, Ben’s newfound commitment to them, and the stranger?
The book is full of detail, references to other writers or events that demonstrate Angela Carter’s familiarity with a range of subjects but add little to the novel. For me, there needed to be more clarity about the major plot, with the detail illuminating the plot, characterisation, and Ben O’Keefe’s story. Although Molloy features, and adds to her story line, I saw little character development in the main protagonist. Ben becomes involved in a murder mystery, the body of the title, which falls during a storm onto the local vet’s vehicle.
Solving the murder becomes Ben’s main activity, frustrated by the deluge of rain which floods the town, destroys property, and creates a difficult timeline for the investigation. At the same time, it provides clues to the identity of the murderer. This is a good plot device, and would have held up well if there had not been the flaws I refer to earlier in this review.
At the end of the novel, the mystery is solved. However, there is brief return to the parents and stranger development with which Ben’s return home began. Possibly this will form the basis of the next novel. However, a new reader will need some background, not only to the new mystery, but to Ben and her relationships with Molloy and her parents. Although I found this an unsatisfying read in some ways, I would be prepared to try another, perhaps beginning with an earlier book in what I perceive to be a series.
Amongst all the detail, I was rather disconcerted that the protagonist was not named until Chapter 3, and then only with a mistaken given name. Although this set the scene for the unsettling relationship she finds her parents have formed with a man, now a guest in their house, for a reader new to this series to have an unnamed main character for this length of time, seems unnecessary. Ben does not like the newcomer and resolves to visit her parents more frequently. However, on her return to her practice, she finds that mysteries there take up all her time. Again, I found this an odd plot structure. Why dangle the possibility that the mystery is going to be woven around the parents, Ben’s newfound commitment to them, and the stranger?
The book is full of detail, references to other writers or events that demonstrate Angela Carter’s familiarity with a range of subjects but add little to the novel. For me, there needed to be more clarity about the major plot, with the detail illuminating the plot, characterisation, and Ben O’Keefe’s story. Although Molloy features, and adds to her story line, I saw little character development in the main protagonist. Ben becomes involved in a murder mystery, the body of the title, which falls during a storm onto the local vet’s vehicle.
Solving the murder becomes Ben’s main activity, frustrated by the deluge of rain which floods the town, destroys property, and creates a difficult timeline for the investigation. At the same time, it provides clues to the identity of the murderer. This is a good plot device, and would have held up well if there had not been the flaws I refer to earlier in this review.
At the end of the novel, the mystery is solved. However, there is brief return to the parents and stranger development with which Ben’s return home began. Possibly this will form the basis of the next novel. However, a new reader will need some background, not only to the new mystery, but to Ben and her relationships with Molloy and her parents. Although I found this an unsatisfying read in some ways, I would be prepared to try another, perhaps beginning with an earlier book in what I perceive to be a series.
August 18, 2022
Okay, the story starts slow, then a body comes tumbling down, then the rest of the story is about who did it and why. I figured it out the culprit early. If you read it simply as a story, with a beautiful part of Ireland being flooded with a dead body thrown in and all the drama that the event entails, then you will enjoy the book. I look at it as a human drama, not a murder mystery. However, I am difficult to please when reading mysteries. I tried to give it a 3 1/2.
I recommend. Thank you, @Netgalley #Oceanview #TheBodyFalls
carolintallahassee
I recommend. Thank you, @Netgalley #Oceanview #TheBodyFalls
carolintallahassee
May 7, 2022
Thanks netgalley for the book! I went into this book pretty blind but I had hopes of it being a good thriller. I found myself bored and felt the main character was pretty annoying. This wasn’t so much a thriller and in the end everyone openly confesses. I found myself bored and skimming pages to so I could finish.
October 29, 2022
The story unfolds with Irish solicitor Benedicta “Ben” O’Keeffe finishing up a six-month stint working for an American law firm in Sarasota, Florida. Then she travels back home to Glendara, a village on the Inishowen peninsula in the north of County Donegal in Ireland, arriving the day before a charity bicycle race kicks off. But calamity ensues when unrelenting torrential rains cause widespread flooding of homes and businesses in the area and eventually wash out the roads and bridges, completely cutting the town off.
Not only does the disaster delay the bicycle race, more misfortune occurs when the local vet and Ben’s friend Maeve drives along a road and rushing water causes a dead body to fall from a hillside onto the hood of her car. When the body falls, the police respond and identify the victim as Bob Jameson, the organizer of the benefit race. With the authorities focused on the addressing the serious flooding effects, and reinforcements unable to access the town, Ben and her romantic interest, police sergeant Tom Molloy struggle to solve the case, discovering along the way that Jameson had secrets and may not have been as altruistic as he appeared.
While The Body Falls is the fifth book in the series, it’s the first of Carter’s books I’ve read. I found the synopsis intriguing when I saw the book listed on Edelweiss and requested an advanced reader copy, expecting the book was a traditional mystery. But I quickly realized it’s a cozy mystery when I began recognizing all the earmarks of the crime & mystery sub-genre (lots of tea, cat fancier, small town or village setting, crime solving amateur sleuth heroine with a police officer friend or significant other, etc.). Crime thrillers and hard-boiled detective novels are more my style and I rarely read cozy mysteries. But I wasn’t at all disappointed I chose this book thanks to Carter’s engaging writing style and skillful storytelling. It grabbed me from the first page. I found it a delightfully entertaining read with a well-crafted mystery plot that engages the mind.
I really like Benedicta “Ben” O’Keeffe, a realistic and relatable character. As I read the book, Jessica Fletcher of Murder She Wrote fame kept coming to mind, although I imagined Ben a younger woman. As a legal professional, she has the life experiences and skills required that equip her to solve crimes as an amateur sleuth. And she is an intuitive, inquisitive, and bright woman, everything you need in a heroine. Having a relationship with Tom Molloy, head of the village two-man police force, makes it convenient for her to find out things that she would otherwise not have access to help solve the crime. Carter’s lively supporting characters are equally important to the plot, many of whom are funny, eccentric, and entertaining secondary characters. The book is fast-paced, with several twists throughout the book which hold the reader’s interest. I couldn’t put it down and read it easily in one sitting.
This is a novel that you could easily enjoy as a standalone, but why deprive yourself with four other books in the series? I know I plan to read more of Andrea Carter’s work. Fans of authors like Carlene O’Conner’s Siobhan O’Sullivan and Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple should definitely check this one out.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss used for this review, which represents my own honest opinions.
Not only does the disaster delay the bicycle race, more misfortune occurs when the local vet and Ben’s friend Maeve drives along a road and rushing water causes a dead body to fall from a hillside onto the hood of her car. When the body falls, the police respond and identify the victim as Bob Jameson, the organizer of the benefit race. With the authorities focused on the addressing the serious flooding effects, and reinforcements unable to access the town, Ben and her romantic interest, police sergeant Tom Molloy struggle to solve the case, discovering along the way that Jameson had secrets and may not have been as altruistic as he appeared.
While The Body Falls is the fifth book in the series, it’s the first of Carter’s books I’ve read. I found the synopsis intriguing when I saw the book listed on Edelweiss and requested an advanced reader copy, expecting the book was a traditional mystery. But I quickly realized it’s a cozy mystery when I began recognizing all the earmarks of the crime & mystery sub-genre (lots of tea, cat fancier, small town or village setting, crime solving amateur sleuth heroine with a police officer friend or significant other, etc.). Crime thrillers and hard-boiled detective novels are more my style and I rarely read cozy mysteries. But I wasn’t at all disappointed I chose this book thanks to Carter’s engaging writing style and skillful storytelling. It grabbed me from the first page. I found it a delightfully entertaining read with a well-crafted mystery plot that engages the mind.
I really like Benedicta “Ben” O’Keeffe, a realistic and relatable character. As I read the book, Jessica Fletcher of Murder She Wrote fame kept coming to mind, although I imagined Ben a younger woman. As a legal professional, she has the life experiences and skills required that equip her to solve crimes as an amateur sleuth. And she is an intuitive, inquisitive, and bright woman, everything you need in a heroine. Having a relationship with Tom Molloy, head of the village two-man police force, makes it convenient for her to find out things that she would otherwise not have access to help solve the crime. Carter’s lively supporting characters are equally important to the plot, many of whom are funny, eccentric, and entertaining secondary characters. The book is fast-paced, with several twists throughout the book which hold the reader’s interest. I couldn’t put it down and read it easily in one sitting.
This is a novel that you could easily enjoy as a standalone, but why deprive yourself with four other books in the series? I know I plan to read more of Andrea Carter’s work. Fans of authors like Carlene O’Conner’s Siobhan O’Sullivan and Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple should definitely check this one out.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss used for this review, which represents my own honest opinions.
March 25, 2022
Lovers of classic mysteries will be familiar with the locked-room trope, in which a finite set of characters is stuck in one place with a murderer in their midst, à la Murder on the Orient Express. Here the “room” is the real northern Irish town of Inishowen, which is cut off from the outside world when a month’s worth of rain falls in 24 hours, with all roads and bridges leading out of town destroyed by floods. The townspeople come together well enough, including the protagonist, solicitor Benedicta (Ben) O”Keefe. When readers last met Ben,, in Murder at Greysbridge, she was heading off to New York for six months, partially to get a break from her confused relationship with a local police sergeant (he hasn’t gone anywhere and the fate of the on-again, off-again relationship is an enjoyable subplot).
She returns to find her hometown awash but her small law firm ticking along nicely, even if her replacement didn’t know how to leave any surface paper-free. Not moving along so well is a charity cycling event that’s supposed to run from nearby Malin Head, Ireland’s most northerly point, to Mizen Head, it’s most southerly, with weather keeping the cyclists restlessly bound to Inishowen. Then the rain brings a more macabre result: on a late night call, the local vet’s car is hit by a falling body. Ben once again gives her Sergeant beau a run for his money in the investigation stakes, uncovering family secrets, local scandals, and contentment with her Inishowen lot along the way.
Lovers of grittier cozies are the audience for this one.—Henrietta Verma
For more reviews of new crime fiction, subscribe to our weekly newsletter, First Clue: https://www.getrevue.co/profile/First...
She returns to find her hometown awash but her small law firm ticking along nicely, even if her replacement didn’t know how to leave any surface paper-free. Not moving along so well is a charity cycling event that’s supposed to run from nearby Malin Head, Ireland’s most northerly point, to Mizen Head, it’s most southerly, with weather keeping the cyclists restlessly bound to Inishowen. Then the rain brings a more macabre result: on a late night call, the local vet’s car is hit by a falling body. Ben once again gives her Sergeant beau a run for his money in the investigation stakes, uncovering family secrets, local scandals, and contentment with her Inishowen lot along the way.
Lovers of grittier cozies are the audience for this one.—Henrietta Verma
For more reviews of new crime fiction, subscribe to our weekly newsletter, First Clue: https://www.getrevue.co/profile/First...
October 26, 2020
I love a book that makes use of the elements, I have read quite a few this year that have been set in claustrophobic snowy conditions but I haven’t read one with torrential rain until now. Heavy rain scares me more than snow because heavy rain can cause flooding and as a non swimmer that terrifies me!
Returning to the idyllic town of Glendara after a six month stint at an American law firm, Ben O’Keefe is looking forward to returning home. She is looking forward to seeing all her friends, her cat and the man who asked her to marry him, Garda Sergeant Tom Malloy.
The town is busy, full of cyclists taking part in a charity cycle through the beautiful countryside, the pubs are full and the B & B’s are full, the cyclists are very welcome visitors to the area, little do they know that their stay is about to be extended.
The rain starts and continues to fall, it is heavy and persistent, the roads start to flood and the force of the water damages bridges and it also gives a mighty shock to a passing vet when a body slides down a remote banking and lands on her car.
The body is identified as the organiser of the race, Bob Jamieson, what was he doing out in that area in the dark on such a horrific night, was his death an accident or is someone to blame. It quickly becomes apparent that Bob was not the saint he was made out to be and the list of suspects gets longer and longer. The fact that the town is now marooned means that a killer is walking amongst them.
Will Ben and Molloy be able to find out the truth before the rain stops?
I did not for the life of me realise that this was a series, I was several chapters in before I realised that something had obviously gone down with a lot of these characters already, but I think this is a good thing as you could quite happily read this as a stand alone book. There is enough detail given to give you an idea of what has gone before. This is a cracking read in a stunning setting with a very likeable protagonist. There are enough suspects to stop you from guessing straight away too, anyone could be guilty.
Thanks to Net Galley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review
Returning to the idyllic town of Glendara after a six month stint at an American law firm, Ben O’Keefe is looking forward to returning home. She is looking forward to seeing all her friends, her cat and the man who asked her to marry him, Garda Sergeant Tom Malloy.
The town is busy, full of cyclists taking part in a charity cycle through the beautiful countryside, the pubs are full and the B & B’s are full, the cyclists are very welcome visitors to the area, little do they know that their stay is about to be extended.
The rain starts and continues to fall, it is heavy and persistent, the roads start to flood and the force of the water damages bridges and it also gives a mighty shock to a passing vet when a body slides down a remote banking and lands on her car.
The body is identified as the organiser of the race, Bob Jamieson, what was he doing out in that area in the dark on such a horrific night, was his death an accident or is someone to blame. It quickly becomes apparent that Bob was not the saint he was made out to be and the list of suspects gets longer and longer. The fact that the town is now marooned means that a killer is walking amongst them.
Will Ben and Molloy be able to find out the truth before the rain stops?
I did not for the life of me realise that this was a series, I was several chapters in before I realised that something had obviously gone down with a lot of these characters already, but I think this is a good thing as you could quite happily read this as a stand alone book. There is enough detail given to give you an idea of what has gone before. This is a cracking read in a stunning setting with a very likeable protagonist. There are enough suspects to stop you from guessing straight away too, anyone could be guilty.
Thanks to Net Galley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review
November 5, 2022
This was my first in Andrea Carter's Inishowen Mysteries, although it is book five in the collection. It's set in a small Irish town, Glendara at a time of extreme rain which coincides with a bicycle race. On her way back to Glendara after a six-month work stint in Florida, solicitor Benedicta (Ben) O’Keeffe visits her parents in Dublin and finds a strange man living with them. The bad weather causes severe flooding cutting off part of the town. During the night Ben is woken by her friend, a vet informing her that a body just landed on her jeep's roof. Ben considers herself an amateur sleuth and is determined to involve herself in solving the mystery which is being handled by the police, Garda Tom Molloy, and assisted by Garda Andy McFadden.
Suitable for reading as a standalone novel, I enjoyed this tale and I'm keen to read the previous instalments.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel, at my own request, from Oceanview Publishing via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
Suitable for reading as a standalone novel, I enjoyed this tale and I'm keen to read the previous instalments.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel, at my own request, from Oceanview Publishing via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
January 18, 2023
I previously read book 4 in this series and thought that it dragged. This book was an entertaining read with a well paced plot and characters that have grown on me. About 20% into the book, a body rolls down a hill into a passing car. Subsequent investigation reveals suspicious circumstances, but the Garda(police) are hampered in their investigation, because of a record breaking rainfall which has caused floods cutting off the town. This book would work as a stand alone. There is only the one death and no graphic violence or bad language, making it suitable for cozy mystery fans
I liked the vivid landscape descriptions. There are multiple suspects and I was not sure who the killer was until the end. I plan to continue reading this series.
Quote: "The sea today was mirror-still like a lake; it looked as if you could walk across it without any divine power. I'd never seen the sea in Inishowen look like that."I
The main character is Ben(Benedicta) O'Keeffe, a solicitor(lawyer) in Inishowen, Donegal, Ireland. She helps the Garda in solving the suspicious death, while reconnecting with last lover, Garda Sergeant Molloy. I rate it a solid 4 stars. The author is a practicing solicitor in Ireland.
Thanks to Oceanview Publishing to sending me this eARC through NetGalley.
#TheBodyFalls #NetGalley.
I liked the vivid landscape descriptions. There are multiple suspects and I was not sure who the killer was until the end. I plan to continue reading this series.
Quote: "The sea today was mirror-still like a lake; it looked as if you could walk across it without any divine power. I'd never seen the sea in Inishowen look like that."I
The main character is Ben(Benedicta) O'Keeffe, a solicitor(lawyer) in Inishowen, Donegal, Ireland. She helps the Garda in solving the suspicious death, while reconnecting with last lover, Garda Sergeant Molloy. I rate it a solid 4 stars. The author is a practicing solicitor in Ireland.
Thanks to Oceanview Publishing to sending me this eARC through NetGalley.
#TheBodyFalls #NetGalley.
October 16, 2023
First time that I've read a book by this Author. I loved it, the heroine is extremely likeable as are all the town characters. It really was like an old school murder mystery. I will definitely be looking out for her other novels!!
August 12, 2023
I was happy to be back with these characters and loved the rainy atmosphere. Plot wasn't my favorite though.
May 10, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing for an advance copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.
Returning home to Inishowen after tragedy, solicitor Benedicta (Ben) O’Keefe finds herself drawn into the mystery of a murdered local visitor. As the town is battered by a torrential flood, all entries and exits to the town are washed out and impassible— with the real killer trapped in the town. Now, Ben and her partner, Tom Molloy, must race to uncover the murderer before it’s too late.
This was my first book by Andrea Carter, and I enjoyed it. It’s always a little hard stepping into the middle of a series without having read the previous books— I definitely think that there were points where additional context for some of the characters and their relationships would have been helpful. So, in that sense, although it’s a good story, I might not necessarily recommend readers starting with this book if they have not read any previous books in the series. However, I’m a sucker for a good ‘locked-room’ type of mystery, so I loved the set up of this book, especially as you realize that there is more to the murdered man than it initially appears and many people may have wanted to kill him. Even without the additional context of the other books, I soon settled into the story and was caught up in the mysterious death of the victim. I was also really intrigued by where Carter left the story, which I’m hoping is a teaser for the next book in the series. All in all, I would say that this is an enjoyable read for fans of Irish mysteries, especially those who are looking for something a little more realistic than a cozy mystery without getting too gritty. 3.5 stars.
Returning home to Inishowen after tragedy, solicitor Benedicta (Ben) O’Keefe finds herself drawn into the mystery of a murdered local visitor. As the town is battered by a torrential flood, all entries and exits to the town are washed out and impassible— with the real killer trapped in the town. Now, Ben and her partner, Tom Molloy, must race to uncover the murderer before it’s too late.
This was my first book by Andrea Carter, and I enjoyed it. It’s always a little hard stepping into the middle of a series without having read the previous books— I definitely think that there were points where additional context for some of the characters and their relationships would have been helpful. So, in that sense, although it’s a good story, I might not necessarily recommend readers starting with this book if they have not read any previous books in the series. However, I’m a sucker for a good ‘locked-room’ type of mystery, so I loved the set up of this book, especially as you realize that there is more to the murdered man than it initially appears and many people may have wanted to kill him. Even without the additional context of the other books, I soon settled into the story and was caught up in the mysterious death of the victim. I was also really intrigued by where Carter left the story, which I’m hoping is a teaser for the next book in the series. All in all, I would say that this is an enjoyable read for fans of Irish mysteries, especially those who are looking for something a little more realistic than a cozy mystery without getting too gritty. 3.5 stars.
April 11, 2022
Thank you NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing for the eARC.
This 5th in the Inishowen series is as lovely as the previous ones. It starts in Florida, where Ben O'Keeffe has just finished a 6-month stint at her old law firm. When she gets back to Ireland her first stop is at her parents' where a young man is staying with them. Ben is very suspicious, but after getting back to Inishowen she is jetlagged, has to start getting her practice back to normal and then an enormous flood hits. She has no way of getting to her home, everything is cut off. However, the one good thing is Molloy is there, and she realizes they missed each other. Then a body falls on a car driven by a friend and there's a murder to be solved under extremely taxing circumstances. The man was the leader of a biking trip to raise money for charity.
As usual, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I really like Ben and the funny, cute relationship she has with her cat. The resolution of the case was a surprise; I kind of guessed, but not properly. It was a bit sad and the final paragraph sets us up for the 6th in the seried. It looks good!
Definitely recommended!
This 5th in the Inishowen series is as lovely as the previous ones. It starts in Florida, where Ben O'Keeffe has just finished a 6-month stint at her old law firm. When she gets back to Ireland her first stop is at her parents' where a young man is staying with them. Ben is very suspicious, but after getting back to Inishowen she is jetlagged, has to start getting her practice back to normal and then an enormous flood hits. She has no way of getting to her home, everything is cut off. However, the one good thing is Molloy is there, and she realizes they missed each other. Then a body falls on a car driven by a friend and there's a murder to be solved under extremely taxing circumstances. The man was the leader of a biking trip to raise money for charity.
As usual, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I really like Ben and the funny, cute relationship she has with her cat. The resolution of the case was a surprise; I kind of guessed, but not properly. It was a bit sad and the final paragraph sets us up for the 6th in the seried. It looks good!
Definitely recommended!
June 20, 2022
This is the fifth book in the series, set in a small village in Ireland named Inishowen - which is an actual small village in Ireland! I didn’t know going into this that this was the 5th in a series. Unfortunately, it did matter a little bit - there was a lot of unspoken history - or things touched on that I would have preferred to know the full background of. So, the moral of the story is - read this series in order!
Now, to this particular book….
Ben is the main protagonist. She is a female solicitor - with a pretty cool name in my opinion. This is a classic locked-room murder mystery, although in this case a locked-town, or rather a town surrounded by downed bridges and flooded roads due to a biblical rainstorm. This rain and flooding did actually happen in the “real” Inishowen too, back in 2017.
This all sets a delicious atmosphere to tell the tale, which I loved. Part cozy mystery, part good solid murder mystery - I’d definitely recommend.
Oh, and a wonderful little twist right at the end. It looks like I’ll be waiting for the 6th book in the series!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my free copy in exchange for my honest review.
Now, to this particular book….
Ben is the main protagonist. She is a female solicitor - with a pretty cool name in my opinion. This is a classic locked-room murder mystery, although in this case a locked-town, or rather a town surrounded by downed bridges and flooded roads due to a biblical rainstorm. This rain and flooding did actually happen in the “real” Inishowen too, back in 2017.
This all sets a delicious atmosphere to tell the tale, which I loved. Part cozy mystery, part good solid murder mystery - I’d definitely recommend.
Oh, and a wonderful little twist right at the end. It looks like I’ll be waiting for the 6th book in the series!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my free copy in exchange for my honest review.
May 30, 2022
I’m always on the lookout for Irish mysteries that may also have a touch of thriller in them. I avoid cozies at all costs when I spot them. Unfortunately, my need for a story that moves along rapidly with main characters who are intriguing was not satisfied by The Body Falls. I kept wondering when all the details about persons, places, and things would pull together as a whole that propelled the plot. I’ve been spoiled by Adrian McKinty (both series and stand-alones), Patricia McGibney’s Lottie Parker, all of Tana French, and John Banville’s “Snow” and early Quirke books. “Snow”, for example, has what I think of as the perfect balance of strong setting and atmosphere as well as non-central characters that serve the plot. Its subplot only enriches the main story and is rewarding in itself. For me, The Body Falls doesn’t have the elements that pull me into a mystery, but many readers don’t share my taste.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 131 reviews