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Inishowen Mysteries #6
Death Writes
A local author dies on stage at a literary festival. Ben O' Keeffe has to sort through his complicated estate— and find his murderer while she' s at it.
Solicitor Benedicta “ Ben” O' Keeffe and her boyfriend Police Sergeant Tom Molloy race to Dublin after hearing that some strangers had moved in with Ben' s parents. When they arrive, only Ben' s parents and their strange lodger remain, but come morning the lodger has left. Not wanting to leave them alone, Ben persuades her parents to come and stay with her in Inishowen.
In Glendara, preparations are underway for Glenfest, Glendara' s literary festival. Phyllis Kettle, the local bookshop owner, is especially pleased to have persuaded Gavin Featherstone, the local best-selling recluse writer, to take part.
The festival begins, and an eager crowd awaits Featherstone' s appearance on stage. He is unexpectedly engaging, but when he stands to read from his new book, he stumbles and keels over on the platform.
Ben discovers that she holds Featherstone' s will at the office, drafted by her predecessor. Soon, she' s drawn into a complicated legal wrangle over the man' s estate involving his family and the assistant who lived with him.
But nothing can yet be resolved, as a killer cannot inherit from their victim— and Gavin Featherstone' s death was a murder.
Solicitor Benedicta “ Ben” O' Keeffe and her boyfriend Police Sergeant Tom Molloy race to Dublin after hearing that some strangers had moved in with Ben' s parents. When they arrive, only Ben' s parents and their strange lodger remain, but come morning the lodger has left. Not wanting to leave them alone, Ben persuades her parents to come and stay with her in Inishowen.
In Glendara, preparations are underway for Glenfest, Glendara' s literary festival. Phyllis Kettle, the local bookshop owner, is especially pleased to have persuaded Gavin Featherstone, the local best-selling recluse writer, to take part.
The festival begins, and an eager crowd awaits Featherstone' s appearance on stage. He is unexpectedly engaging, but when he stands to read from his new book, he stumbles and keels over on the platform.
Ben discovers that she holds Featherstone' s will at the office, drafted by her predecessor. Soon, she' s drawn into a complicated legal wrangle over the man' s estate involving his family and the assistant who lived with him.
But nothing can yet be resolved, as a killer cannot inherit from their victim— and Gavin Featherstone' s death was a murder.
336 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 27, 2023
30 people are currently reading
1173 people want to read
About the author
Andrea Carter
7 books243 followersAndrea Carter graduated in law from Trinity College, Dublin. She qualified as a solicitor and moved to the Inishowen Peninsula in Co. Donegal where she lived and worked for a number of years. In 2005 she transferred to the Bar and moved to Dublin to practise as a barrister. She grew up in Ballyfin, Co. Laois.
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December 5, 2023
Death Writes by Andrea Carter
Inishowen Mysteries #6
I look forward to spending time with Glendara solicitor Benedicta 'Ben' O'Keefe each year and this book is the sixth entry in the Inishowen Mysteries. In this latest entry, Ben and her on and off boyfriend, Police Sergeant Tom Molloy, are embroiled in two mysteries. One is the worrisome situation of a strange man living with Ben's parents along with news that about four or five other people have started to stay at their house. At the beginning of the story, Ben and Tom are on their way to Dublin to sort out what is going on with Ben's parents.
The other mystery (a murderous mystery) happens later on. A famous reclusive writer is going to appear at Glendara’s literary festival. This brings a lot of new people to town, a nosy documentary crew, a short story author who will put on a workshop, the famous author's estranged family, and more sightings of the author's assistant than usual. Maybe connected to the festival, Ben's friend, Phyllis Kettle, the local bookshop owner, is acting very troubled but she won't tell Ben why. When the famous writer drops dead on the stage and his death is declared a murder, there are a good number of suspects in his death.
With both Ben and Tom being workaholics, overly dedicated to their jobs and/or sticking their noses in everything (Ben), the two of them are very busy. This is the kind of thing that can put a barrier between them since Tom tends to shut up about work due to Ben's nosiness. But they've come a long way and really are a couple now and Tom allows Ben to know more than maybe he should because he knows she can help him. Ben gets frustrated with him but really knows he cares and is over his head with work at times. I love these two together even when they might be at odds.
This series is full of descriptions of the landscape, the weather, the sounds and smells of the coastline and I feel like I know the place now, even if it's fictional. I also have come to know the recurring characters in the series and look forward to a book coming out each year. Once again, I got wrapped up in the happenings in this world and enjoyed seeing Ben and Tom again.
Pub December 5, 2023
Thank you to Oceanview Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC.
Inishowen Mysteries #6
I look forward to spending time with Glendara solicitor Benedicta 'Ben' O'Keefe each year and this book is the sixth entry in the Inishowen Mysteries. In this latest entry, Ben and her on and off boyfriend, Police Sergeant Tom Molloy, are embroiled in two mysteries. One is the worrisome situation of a strange man living with Ben's parents along with news that about four or five other people have started to stay at their house. At the beginning of the story, Ben and Tom are on their way to Dublin to sort out what is going on with Ben's parents.
The other mystery (a murderous mystery) happens later on. A famous reclusive writer is going to appear at Glendara’s literary festival. This brings a lot of new people to town, a nosy documentary crew, a short story author who will put on a workshop, the famous author's estranged family, and more sightings of the author's assistant than usual. Maybe connected to the festival, Ben's friend, Phyllis Kettle, the local bookshop owner, is acting very troubled but she won't tell Ben why. When the famous writer drops dead on the stage and his death is declared a murder, there are a good number of suspects in his death.
With both Ben and Tom being workaholics, overly dedicated to their jobs and/or sticking their noses in everything (Ben), the two of them are very busy. This is the kind of thing that can put a barrier between them since Tom tends to shut up about work due to Ben's nosiness. But they've come a long way and really are a couple now and Tom allows Ben to know more than maybe he should because he knows she can help him. Ben gets frustrated with him but really knows he cares and is over his head with work at times. I love these two together even when they might be at odds.
This series is full of descriptions of the landscape, the weather, the sounds and smells of the coastline and I feel like I know the place now, even if it's fictional. I also have come to know the recurring characters in the series and look forward to a book coming out each year. Once again, I got wrapped up in the happenings in this world and enjoyed seeing Ben and Tom again.
Pub December 5, 2023
Thank you to Oceanview Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC.
November 26, 2023
One night while preparing for a date with her boyfriend, Police Sergeant Tom Molloy, Benedicta ‘Ben’ O'Keeffe gets a startling call from her parents’ neighbor, claiming that they’ve seen a handful of strangers living in their home. After calling multiple times and getting no response, she and Molloy race down to Dublin hoping that everything is okay.
Arriving at their doorstep, Ben is thankful, and disturbed, by the fact that the only person in the house besides her parents is their mysterious boarder. Not exactly a man Ben is a fan of, she’s relieved the next morning to learn that he’s fled in the night. At the same time, however, she’s uncomfortable leaving her parents alone—until she gets a handle on what’s going on, at the very least.
Back in Glendara, the town is in the midst of getting ready for the annual literary festival, Glenfest. This year is going to be extra special as the local bestselling albeit reclusive writer, Gavin Featherstone has agreed to participate. A boon to the event, it’s sure to bring attention to their little pocket of the world and everyone is excited for the weekend to get underway.
But at Featherstone’s first interview in twelve years, things quickly go downhill despite a dazzling start. After all, when the illustrious writer stands up to give a brief reading from his upcoming book, he collapses right there on the stage. Rushed to the hospital, it is with great shock and sadness when he’s pronounced dead, but for Molloy his suspicion is instantly aroused. Was it really a fluke heart attack or was something much more sinister at play?
Meanwhile, Ben discovers that Featherstone’s will was prepared by her predecessor leaving the estate now in her own capable hands. From the outset it appears a cut and dry case, but quickly turns into a battle between the deceased man’s family and his resident assistant. But as the investigation unfolds and a postmortem is done, the already complicated matter only gets worse. For it seems that Featherstone did not, indeed, die a natural death—it was murder—and a killer cannot profit from their crime.
The sixth book in the Inishowen Mystery series, Death Writes brought me back to the endearing characters and mesmerizing setting of Glendara, Ireland. Much like the first five books, the well-written Agatha Christie-esque plot took me for quite the ride all while easily interweaving both crime fiction and mystery. Already a diehard fan of Andrea Carter, I was unsurprised by how at home I felt as I settled down to rejoin this delightful, quirky cast of characters.
One of my favorite aspects to this series has always been the evocative descriptions, specifically regarding Inishowen. Captivating to the extent that I could easily see it all in my mind, this book was no different. With stunning illustrations of the shore and small town, it left me desperately wanting to visit this fictional Irish village. If only I could plant myself in the corner of Phyllis’s bookshop or grab a pint at Tony’s pub… But, alas, they were all magically plucked from Carter’s rather impressive mind.
The plot itself, however, was somewhat slower than I’ve grown to expect from Carter. Slightly more of a long, slow burn, the deftly interwoven dual storylines had my attention from the very start, just the same. Between the drama with Ben’s parents and the murder of a famed writer, there was no short supply of red herrings and perfectly poised suspicion. While the pace didn’t really pick until quite near the end, my eyes never once wandered from the page. After all, the direction in which this was headed totally evaded my attention and I was well and truly shocked by the final revelation.
The characters themselves, however, were undeniably the best piece to this winning novel. From the blossoming relationship between Molloy and Ben to the various townspeople who I’ve grown to love over the years, their development was steady and true. While they did, at times, perhaps have a classic mystery vibe, they also came across as true-to-life to my eye. Bravo, Ms. Carter, on crafting profoundly unforgettable personas.
All in all, while the pace of this novel was a bit of a letdown in comparison to the prior books, I still inhaled this quick, easy read from beginning to end. If you’re a fan of Deborah Crombie or Agatha Christie herself, you won’t go wrong grabbing a copy of this heartwarming yet compelling murder mystery. A tangled web of secrets and lies, I challenge you to try to work out the truth before the end. I, for one, didn’t stand a chance. Rating of 4.5 stars.
Thank you to Andrea Carter and Oceanview Publishing for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DAY: December 5, 2023
Trigger warning: drug overdose, gaslighting, attempted suicide, adoption, mention of: infidelity, alcoholism, cancer
Arriving at their doorstep, Ben is thankful, and disturbed, by the fact that the only person in the house besides her parents is their mysterious boarder. Not exactly a man Ben is a fan of, she’s relieved the next morning to learn that he’s fled in the night. At the same time, however, she’s uncomfortable leaving her parents alone—until she gets a handle on what’s going on, at the very least.
Back in Glendara, the town is in the midst of getting ready for the annual literary festival, Glenfest. This year is going to be extra special as the local bestselling albeit reclusive writer, Gavin Featherstone has agreed to participate. A boon to the event, it’s sure to bring attention to their little pocket of the world and everyone is excited for the weekend to get underway.
But at Featherstone’s first interview in twelve years, things quickly go downhill despite a dazzling start. After all, when the illustrious writer stands up to give a brief reading from his upcoming book, he collapses right there on the stage. Rushed to the hospital, it is with great shock and sadness when he’s pronounced dead, but for Molloy his suspicion is instantly aroused. Was it really a fluke heart attack or was something much more sinister at play?
Meanwhile, Ben discovers that Featherstone’s will was prepared by her predecessor leaving the estate now in her own capable hands. From the outset it appears a cut and dry case, but quickly turns into a battle between the deceased man’s family and his resident assistant. But as the investigation unfolds and a postmortem is done, the already complicated matter only gets worse. For it seems that Featherstone did not, indeed, die a natural death—it was murder—and a killer cannot profit from their crime.
The sixth book in the Inishowen Mystery series, Death Writes brought me back to the endearing characters and mesmerizing setting of Glendara, Ireland. Much like the first five books, the well-written Agatha Christie-esque plot took me for quite the ride all while easily interweaving both crime fiction and mystery. Already a diehard fan of Andrea Carter, I was unsurprised by how at home I felt as I settled down to rejoin this delightful, quirky cast of characters.
One of my favorite aspects to this series has always been the evocative descriptions, specifically regarding Inishowen. Captivating to the extent that I could easily see it all in my mind, this book was no different. With stunning illustrations of the shore and small town, it left me desperately wanting to visit this fictional Irish village. If only I could plant myself in the corner of Phyllis’s bookshop or grab a pint at Tony’s pub… But, alas, they were all magically plucked from Carter’s rather impressive mind.
The plot itself, however, was somewhat slower than I’ve grown to expect from Carter. Slightly more of a long, slow burn, the deftly interwoven dual storylines had my attention from the very start, just the same. Between the drama with Ben’s parents and the murder of a famed writer, there was no short supply of red herrings and perfectly poised suspicion. While the pace didn’t really pick until quite near the end, my eyes never once wandered from the page. After all, the direction in which this was headed totally evaded my attention and I was well and truly shocked by the final revelation.
The characters themselves, however, were undeniably the best piece to this winning novel. From the blossoming relationship between Molloy and Ben to the various townspeople who I’ve grown to love over the years, their development was steady and true. While they did, at times, perhaps have a classic mystery vibe, they also came across as true-to-life to my eye. Bravo, Ms. Carter, on crafting profoundly unforgettable personas.
All in all, while the pace of this novel was a bit of a letdown in comparison to the prior books, I still inhaled this quick, easy read from beginning to end. If you’re a fan of Deborah Crombie or Agatha Christie herself, you won’t go wrong grabbing a copy of this heartwarming yet compelling murder mystery. A tangled web of secrets and lies, I challenge you to try to work out the truth before the end. I, for one, didn’t stand a chance. Rating of 4.5 stars.
Thank you to Andrea Carter and Oceanview Publishing for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DAY: December 5, 2023
Trigger warning: drug overdose, gaslighting, attempted suicide, adoption, mention of: infidelity, alcoholism, cancer
March 10, 2024
Death Writes is the 6th book to feature Solicitor Benedicta “Ben” O’Keeffe of the small Irish town, Glendara (fictional), on the Inishowen Peninsula. There are two primary plot threads in this episode with the first finding Ben and her guy, Molloy of the Garda, rushing off to Dublin after a phone call from one of her parents’s neighbors. Ben was aware that a man was living with the O’Keeffes and now heard that a few more were there too. It seemed time for an intervention.
Meanwhile, back in Glendara, plans are on for a book festival with a surprise guest. A local man, a long ago Booker Prize winner for his first book, has agreed to attend, his first public appearance anywhere in many years. It’s a coup for the town, the planners and shop owners but will have very unexpected results.
The two stories unite as Ben invites her parents to visit Glendara while questions are being asked in Dublin and they become interested in the festival. There is a busy plot line but well laid out. There are also very evocative descriptions of the land and coast line. It’s easy to see the attraction of the area.
I recommend this series. I’ve now read three and plan to return to the early books that I missed. The people are interesting and have real life concerns even though suspicious death seems to happen relatively often!
Thanks to Oceanview Publishing and NetGalley for a copy of this book. The review is my own.
Meanwhile, back in Glendara, plans are on for a book festival with a surprise guest. A local man, a long ago Booker Prize winner for his first book, has agreed to attend, his first public appearance anywhere in many years. It’s a coup for the town, the planners and shop owners but will have very unexpected results.
The two stories unite as Ben invites her parents to visit Glendara while questions are being asked in Dublin and they become interested in the festival. There is a busy plot line but well laid out. There are also very evocative descriptions of the land and coast line. It’s easy to see the attraction of the area.
I recommend this series. I’ve now read three and plan to return to the early books that I missed. The people are interesting and have real life concerns even though suspicious death seems to happen relatively often!
Thanks to Oceanview Publishing and NetGalley for a copy of this book. The review is my own.
June 30, 2023
Ben (Benedicta) is a solicitor in a small Irish village. She gets a disturbing message from her parents' neighbor that something strange is going on that their house. When she drives to their home, she finds that a strange man who claims to have met them at a grief support group has moved in. She convinces her folks to come and visit her for a literary festival where a well-known reclusive author has agreed to speak. There is a murder; So many people seem to have so much to hide, but eventually long buried secrets are revealed. Although this is part of a series, it reads well as a stand alone. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
January 17, 2024
I would like to thank NetGalley, Andrea Carter and Oceanview Publishing for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
3 ⭐ - this is the sixth book in the Inishowen mystery series, but can be read as a standalone.
Set in Ireland, solicitor Ben O'keeffe is attending Glendara's local literary festival Glenfest with her boyfriend Tom. When Gavin, a keynote speaker takes the stage - reading from his book and he suddenly collapses.
When Gavin dies, Ben and Tom get involved in solving the murder and finding the culprit.
This was a nice murder mystery, I loved the Irish setting and although I haven't read the previous books in the series, I'd still check out the previous books in this series to get a better understanding of Ben(edict).
3 ⭐ - this is the sixth book in the Inishowen mystery series, but can be read as a standalone.
Set in Ireland, solicitor Ben O'keeffe is attending Glendara's local literary festival Glenfest with her boyfriend Tom. When Gavin, a keynote speaker takes the stage - reading from his book and he suddenly collapses.
When Gavin dies, Ben and Tom get involved in solving the murder and finding the culprit.
This was a nice murder mystery, I loved the Irish setting and although I haven't read the previous books in the series, I'd still check out the previous books in this series to get a better understanding of Ben(edict).
December 28, 2023
This series can always be depended upon to bring enjoyment. My latest visit to the Inishowen Penninsula kept me both entertained and intrigued. "Death Writes" is the sixth instalment in what has become one of my favourite mystery series.
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 relationship between Ben and policeman/Guard Tom Molloy has developed over the course of the series and they are now facing challenges in their commitment to each other.
This time out, Ben and Tom try to come to the aid of Ben's parents who have a 'cuckoo' in their home. Ben fears that they are being taken advantaged of, and Tom concurs. Ben invites them to stay with her and they do so for the duration of this novel.
In addition to Ben's personal life, there has been a murder of a prominent, award-winning author at a local literary festival, and Ben is immersed in the investigation due to her office holding the last will and testament of the deceased.
Over the course of this series I have met and come to know several of the peripheral characters. "Death Writes" sheds some more light on the colourful and personable local bookseller, Phyllis, who just happens to be Ben's very good friend.
The end of the novel, and the reveal of the murderer, was nicely done. Ben's personal life will see changes in the next book, and I can hardly wait.
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. I am really enjoying my visits to Inishowen and plan to pursue further titles in the series. Recommended.
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 relationship between Ben and policeman/Guard Tom Molloy has developed over the course of the series and they are now facing challenges in their commitment to each other.
This time out, Ben and Tom try to come to the aid of Ben's parents who have a 'cuckoo' in their home. Ben fears that they are being taken advantaged of, and Tom concurs. Ben invites them to stay with her and they do so for the duration of this novel.
In addition to Ben's personal life, there has been a murder of a prominent, award-winning author at a local literary festival, and Ben is immersed in the investigation due to her office holding the last will and testament of the deceased.
Over the course of this series I have met and come to know several of the peripheral characters. "Death Writes" sheds some more light on the colourful and personable local bookseller, Phyllis, who just happens to be Ben's very good friend.
The end of the novel, and the reveal of the murderer, was nicely done. Ben's personal life will see changes in the next book, and I can hardly wait.
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. I am really enjoying my visits to Inishowen and plan to pursue further titles in the series. Recommended.
December 21, 2023
I tend to enjoy books from Oceanview Publishing. And I thought I would enjoy Death Writes. However, the pacing with this novel was just too slow for my tastes and I'm learning that I tend to gravitate toward fast paced mysteries and thrillers. With Death Writes, nothing remotely exciting occurs even at the 35% point. By then, I would be totally engaged, but I wasn't
Maybe I should have started with Book 1 of the series to get more background. But it wasn't like I was lost at the get-go. However, I think I would have appreciated the characters and locale a lot more.
Unfortunately, I didn't have it in me to forge on after 35%. A sad one star DNF.
I received a DRC from Oceanview Publishing through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
Maybe I should have started with Book 1 of the series to get more background. But it wasn't like I was lost at the get-go. However, I think I would have appreciated the characters and locale a lot more.
Unfortunately, I didn't have it in me to forge on after 35%. A sad one star DNF.
I received a DRC from Oceanview Publishing through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
July 29, 2023
This great Irish mystery can be read as a standalone but is actually book 6 in the series.
Benedicta “ Ben” O’ Keeffe lives a small town life in Inishowen. The book begins when Ben hears from her hometown neighbor that a group of adults have moved in with her elderly parents. She and her police sergeant boyfriend visit and find a cult like group seems to be preying upon them. She rushes her parents back to Inishowen,and help her friends prepare for an upcoming literary festival.
But when the keynote speaker dies on stage, the town life is anything but quiet.
In Glendara, preparations are underway for Glenfest, Glendara’ s literary festival. Join Ben and the group as she tries to get to the bottom of it! Excellent Irish language and slang and a fun mystery all around.
#Oceanview #Oceanviewpublishing #Deathwrites #andreacarter
Benedicta “ Ben” O’ Keeffe lives a small town life in Inishowen. The book begins when Ben hears from her hometown neighbor that a group of adults have moved in with her elderly parents. She and her police sergeant boyfriend visit and find a cult like group seems to be preying upon them. She rushes her parents back to Inishowen,and help her friends prepare for an upcoming literary festival.
But when the keynote speaker dies on stage, the town life is anything but quiet.
In Glendara, preparations are underway for Glenfest, Glendara’ s literary festival. Join Ben and the group as she tries to get to the bottom of it! Excellent Irish language and slang and a fun mystery all around.
#Oceanview #Oceanviewpublishing #Deathwrites #andreacarter
June 25, 2024
3.5 stars
Old family secrets with the power to upend the present and elder abuse are two major themes running through this sixth entry in the “Inishowen” series.
Benedicta “Ben” O’Keefe and her boyfriend police Sergeant Tom Molloy are rushing to her parents’ home after a neighbour informs Ben that he’s seen numerous strangers living in the house.
Ben and Molloy are greeted by Stuart Chambers, a pleasant-spoken man who gave off oily, untrustworthy vibes to me immediately. Ben knows something is up between her parents and Chambers, but can’t get them to divulge whatever Chambers seems to hold over them. All she learns is that her parents met him at a grief counselling group. Apparently, Stuart was there to deal with the impact of his wife’s and child’s deaths, and had been living with her parents for some time.
Ben manages to successfully convince her parents to return to Inishowen with her, dangling the news of an upcoming literary festival in her town to her former librarian mother.
The festival, unfortunately, gets off to a shocking start, when the headlining author collapses on stage and dies soon after. When the death is ruled as murder, Ben and Tom both begin investigating, with Ben using her personal relationships with people (e.g. bookseller Phyllis) who had connections to the dead author to ask questions Tom would not be able to.
Ben also gets a chance to meet the dead man's estranged family when she discovers that she has his will created by her predecessor at her legal practice. There is a substantial estate at stake, and there are people (e.g., the man's adult children, his assistant) who stand to potentially gain a great deal.
This is the first book I've read by Andrea Carter, and I enjoyed it. Ben and Tom make for an interesting couple, with both tending to devote more time to their jobs than anything else. That they have managed to create a respectful and romantic relationship is satisfying, particularly as it's hinted by the author that things weren't always so congenial between them.
Much as I liked Ben, I did find myself a little frustrated with her for being so reluctant to look for a temporary replacement for her pregnant and very capable office manager Leah.
The murder mystery takes precedence in this novel, and the many conflicting and contradictory statements made by possible suspects are carefully teased out by the author. But it's the instances of abusing the trust, goodwill, and financial situations of seniors by people in their lives that is the secondary story, with author Carter showing how grief led Ben's parents to counselling, but also left them open to swindling, while one of Ben's clients is taken advantage of by his relatives.
I enjoyed this book, even though I felt as if the secondary story was resolved too much in the background for it to be satisfying for me. I liked how the murder mystery was wrapped up, though. I was sufficiently intrigued by the main character, and the beauty of the story's setting to consider reading more in this series.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Oceanview Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my review.
Old family secrets with the power to upend the present and elder abuse are two major themes running through this sixth entry in the “Inishowen” series.
Benedicta “Ben” O’Keefe and her boyfriend police Sergeant Tom Molloy are rushing to her parents’ home after a neighbour informs Ben that he’s seen numerous strangers living in the house.
Ben and Molloy are greeted by Stuart Chambers, a pleasant-spoken man who gave off oily, untrustworthy vibes to me immediately. Ben knows something is up between her parents and Chambers, but can’t get them to divulge whatever Chambers seems to hold over them. All she learns is that her parents met him at a grief counselling group. Apparently, Stuart was there to deal with the impact of his wife’s and child’s deaths, and had been living with her parents for some time.
Ben manages to successfully convince her parents to return to Inishowen with her, dangling the news of an upcoming literary festival in her town to her former librarian mother.
The festival, unfortunately, gets off to a shocking start, when the headlining author collapses on stage and dies soon after. When the death is ruled as murder, Ben and Tom both begin investigating, with Ben using her personal relationships with people (e.g. bookseller Phyllis) who had connections to the dead author to ask questions Tom would not be able to.
Ben also gets a chance to meet the dead man's estranged family when she discovers that she has his will created by her predecessor at her legal practice. There is a substantial estate at stake, and there are people (e.g., the man's adult children, his assistant) who stand to potentially gain a great deal.
This is the first book I've read by Andrea Carter, and I enjoyed it. Ben and Tom make for an interesting couple, with both tending to devote more time to their jobs than anything else. That they have managed to create a respectful and romantic relationship is satisfying, particularly as it's hinted by the author that things weren't always so congenial between them.
Much as I liked Ben, I did find myself a little frustrated with her for being so reluctant to look for a temporary replacement for her pregnant and very capable office manager Leah.
The murder mystery takes precedence in this novel, and the many conflicting and contradictory statements made by possible suspects are carefully teased out by the author. But it's the instances of abusing the trust, goodwill, and financial situations of seniors by people in their lives that is the secondary story, with author Carter showing how grief led Ben's parents to counselling, but also left them open to swindling, while one of Ben's clients is taken advantage of by his relatives.
I enjoyed this book, even though I felt as if the secondary story was resolved too much in the background for it to be satisfying for me. I liked how the murder mystery was wrapped up, though. I was sufficiently intrigued by the main character, and the beauty of the story's setting to consider reading more in this series.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Oceanview Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my review.
February 4, 2024
This series is like a comfort read for me. I’m hugely invested in the characters and their personal lives. The mysteries are layered and cunning and I love trying to figure them out. And I really appreciate how much nature plays a role in these books whether it’s the weather or the lonely terrain or gorgeous scenery, the setting is another huge pull towards this series for me.
Hopefully lots more books to come as I’ve an appetite for more.
Hopefully lots more books to come as I’ve an appetite for more.
May 14, 2024
Comprado en Dublín, en la sección de "local authors".
¡Un grato descubrimiento!
Leí 80 páginas de un tirón, completamente atrapada por la narración a pesar de dos aspectos que suelen estropear mi gusto por ciertas lecturas: narrador en primera persona & protagonista no detective.
La ambientación es bucólica y a la vez mesurada, y despierta el deseo de comprar inmediatamente un vuelo a Irlanda.
¡Un grato descubrimiento!
Leí 80 páginas de un tirón, completamente atrapada por la narración a pesar de dos aspectos que suelen estropear mi gusto por ciertas lecturas: narrador en primera persona & protagonista no detective.
La ambientación es bucólica y a la vez mesurada, y despierta el deseo de comprar inmediatamente un vuelo a Irlanda.
June 29, 2023
I was thrilled to get the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book, thanks to the publisher and Netgalley. The series has become one of my all-time favorites, and the books keep getting better and better. The main mystery of the book was unique and complex, and it cast suspicion on the community and created tension in relationships. There was also a very stressful situation involving the parents of the main character, Ben. I love mystery series that make the reader care about the personal lives of the continuing characters as well as solving the crime, and this book did it to perfection. As always, the descriptions of the locale make me want to travel there to see it for myself.
Fans of Elly Griffiths, Deborah Crombie and Louise Penny would love this series. It continues to be a hidden gem, and I hope more people discover it. I highly recommend this book and the series and can't wait for the next installment.
Fans of Elly Griffiths, Deborah Crombie and Louise Penny would love this series. It continues to be a hidden gem, and I hope more people discover it. I highly recommend this book and the series and can't wait for the next installment.
August 16, 2023
Really great mystery, very intricately plotted. I have read the entire series and very much enjoy spending time with the complicated characters the author has created. The author does a fantastic job of creating a sense of place that is nicely at the forefront throughout the read. Excited for the next in the series! Thanks to NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing for allowing me to read an advanced copy.
July 12, 2023
Starts off very interesting then tettets off into another story all together.
It does tinkle back to the first storyline.
I wanted more of that I sounded interesting.
Overall a good read that is easy enough to get into
Before you know it your at the end.
Thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an early release of this book.
It does tinkle back to the first storyline.
I wanted more of that I sounded interesting.
Overall a good read that is easy enough to get into
Before you know it your at the end.
Thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an early release of this book.
December 23, 2023
I've missed only a couple of books in this series - this is the sixth - and more's the pity. Those I did read, this one included, I've thoroughly enjoyed. Mind you, to my mind they're far closer to fitting into the "cozy" category than "thriller," but that's fine with me; sometimes, I'd rather not be overwhelmed with blood, guts and concern that the main character won't make it to the end of the book.
Benedicta O'Keeffe, affectionately called Ben, is a level-headed solicitor in Glendara, Ireland, who sometimes gets caught up in illicit activities. And it's a little refreshing to see that her boyfriend Tom Molloy, a police sergeant, doesn't poo-poo her input nor threaten to hog tie her if she finds herself in the middle of an investigation yet again.
And of course, such is the case here, when things begin with her concern that her parents may have fallen victim to a scammer; Molloy, concerned as well, offers to do what he can to help, bless his heart - and the immediate result is that they agreed to come stay with Ben while things get sorted out. Meanwhile, the townspeople are gearing up for Glenfest, a literary event, and everyone's excited that the notoriously recluse author Gavin Featherstone will be the star of the show. Things roll along swimmingly until his presentation - insights into his soon-to-be-published memoir - a presentation that ends up falling flat. Soon thereafter, Ben learns that her office is the keeper of Featherstone's Last Will and Testament, a document drawn up by her predecessor.
Mostly estranged from his wife and children, Featherstone lived with a young male assistant. All well and good, perhaps, but the inheritance issue takes on more significance when it's learned that the author's death was not an accident. Until the killer is identified, everything is on hold; after all, a murderer is prohibited from receiving money or valuables from the person he or she willingly caused to die. And for sure, several of the potential beneficiaries are on the suspect list.
For the most part, the murder investigation and happenings with Ben's parents' situation move along slowly (though not nearly as slowly as Ben and Tom's relationship); clues are revealed here and there right up to the end, when both situations are resolved after some surprising information comes to light. Also of interest is a twist in that aforementioned relationship - one that, I'm sure, will play out in the next installment. Needless to say, I'm looking forward to it - and thanking the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to catch a pre-release copy of this one to read and review.
Benedicta O'Keeffe, affectionately called Ben, is a level-headed solicitor in Glendara, Ireland, who sometimes gets caught up in illicit activities. And it's a little refreshing to see that her boyfriend Tom Molloy, a police sergeant, doesn't poo-poo her input nor threaten to hog tie her if she finds herself in the middle of an investigation yet again.
And of course, such is the case here, when things begin with her concern that her parents may have fallen victim to a scammer; Molloy, concerned as well, offers to do what he can to help, bless his heart - and the immediate result is that they agreed to come stay with Ben while things get sorted out. Meanwhile, the townspeople are gearing up for Glenfest, a literary event, and everyone's excited that the notoriously recluse author Gavin Featherstone will be the star of the show. Things roll along swimmingly until his presentation - insights into his soon-to-be-published memoir - a presentation that ends up falling flat. Soon thereafter, Ben learns that her office is the keeper of Featherstone's Last Will and Testament, a document drawn up by her predecessor.
Mostly estranged from his wife and children, Featherstone lived with a young male assistant. All well and good, perhaps, but the inheritance issue takes on more significance when it's learned that the author's death was not an accident. Until the killer is identified, everything is on hold; after all, a murderer is prohibited from receiving money or valuables from the person he or she willingly caused to die. And for sure, several of the potential beneficiaries are on the suspect list.
For the most part, the murder investigation and happenings with Ben's parents' situation move along slowly (though not nearly as slowly as Ben and Tom's relationship); clues are revealed here and there right up to the end, when both situations are resolved after some surprising information comes to light. Also of interest is a twist in that aforementioned relationship - one that, I'm sure, will play out in the next installment. Needless to say, I'm looking forward to it - and thanking the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to catch a pre-release copy of this one to read and review.
November 27, 2023
Death Writes by Andrea Carter is the sixth in the Inishowen Mystery series with more layers to it than merely a mystery. The Irish small town coastal setting is beguiling, the main characters quirky and the snippets of romance just enough to intrigue. Secrets and deceptions abound as they are wont to do .
Benedicta (Ben) is a lawyer who also unofficially investigates crimes with her boyfriend and police officer, Tom. This time we learn more about Ben's gullible parents who are preyed upon and taken advantage of in their own home. But the happenings also bring them and their daughter closer geographically and emotionally. Meanwhile, when author Gavin Featherstone makes an appearance at the local book festival, he is interviewed...then hushed up forever. He was about to make unwanted life-shattering revelations.
Though the murder is threaded with red herrings, it is not a difficult whodunit. The family dynamics and setting are what grabbed my attention the most. Returning to the series is like having tea with friends. I like that the series is mostly cozy with a few non=cozy elements.
My sincere thank you to Oceanview Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this delightful novel. I am curious to see what is in store for this crime-solving duo.
Benedicta (Ben) is a lawyer who also unofficially investigates crimes with her boyfriend and police officer, Tom. This time we learn more about Ben's gullible parents who are preyed upon and taken advantage of in their own home. But the happenings also bring them and their daughter closer geographically and emotionally. Meanwhile, when author Gavin Featherstone makes an appearance at the local book festival, he is interviewed...then hushed up forever. He was about to make unwanted life-shattering revelations.
Though the murder is threaded with red herrings, it is not a difficult whodunit. The family dynamics and setting are what grabbed my attention the most. Returning to the series is like having tea with friends. I like that the series is mostly cozy with a few non=cozy elements.
My sincere thank you to Oceanview Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this delightful novel. I am curious to see what is in store for this crime-solving duo.
April 7, 2024
Ben is concerned about her parents who still have their visitor living with them so she’s delighted when they agreed to come a stay with her for a week. The descriptions of the Donegal coast are as vivid as ever. Preparations for the local book festival are underway but not everyone is looking forward to it. Secrets slowly unfold as Ben works her way through the motivations of a number of suspects when the guest speaker keels over during his spot at the festival.
December 28, 2023
Death Writes is the sixth book in the Inishowen mysteries series. Benedicta (Ben) O’Keeffe is a local attorney in Glendara, a small town in northern Ireland. She has been involved with solving a few murder mysteries, and is drawn into a new one.
I recommend reading this series in order. While the mystery is new, the recurring characters have a history that progresses between books. This series has a charming small town setting, quirky characters, and an amateur sleuth.
Death Writes is an atmospheric mystery with a vivid setting.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I recommend reading this series in order. While the mystery is new, the recurring characters have a history that progresses between books. This series has a charming small town setting, quirky characters, and an amateur sleuth.
Death Writes is an atmospheric mystery with a vivid setting.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 16, 2024
The sixth book in a beloved series. Ben has two mysteries to solve in this instalment. A stranger has moved in with her parents and Ben is convinced he is swindling them. And an author dies suddenly at the local book festival and it looks like murder.
Inishowen is a real place and I love how the author brings it alive with vivid descriptions of the landscape. The little towns like Malin and Moville are all very recognisable and I love guessing which local people some of the characters might be based on. The quirky characters are true to life and bring a lot of heart to the series.
The Inishowen Mysteries have a gentler pace than some mystery thrillers but I think it reflects very well the pace of life we have here in the peninsula.
I was particularly happy to see Moville and the Moville Shore Walk appear in this book as it's such a gorgeous place and close to my heart.
I loved the storyline with Ben's parents and I was as excited for them to love Inishowen as much as Ben does. It's so scary to think about how vulnerable the older generation are to con artists and scams and I was glad that Ben had Molloy on hand to help her investigate the man at her parent's house.
The death of the author was also an interesting puzzle to solve as it was riddled with red herrings, secrets and lies.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The series goes from strength to strength but it is advisable to start at book one as there are recurring characters and story arc involving Ben's background.
Death Writes has left me with the question; what happens next for Ben and Mollloy's relationship? Will Ben's parents feature more in the series? I hope they do.
Inishowen is a real place and I love how the author brings it alive with vivid descriptions of the landscape. The little towns like Malin and Moville are all very recognisable and I love guessing which local people some of the characters might be based on. The quirky characters are true to life and bring a lot of heart to the series.
The Inishowen Mysteries have a gentler pace than some mystery thrillers but I think it reflects very well the pace of life we have here in the peninsula.
I was particularly happy to see Moville and the Moville Shore Walk appear in this book as it's such a gorgeous place and close to my heart.
I loved the storyline with Ben's parents and I was as excited for them to love Inishowen as much as Ben does. It's so scary to think about how vulnerable the older generation are to con artists and scams and I was glad that Ben had Molloy on hand to help her investigate the man at her parent's house.
The death of the author was also an interesting puzzle to solve as it was riddled with red herrings, secrets and lies.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The series goes from strength to strength but it is advisable to start at book one as there are recurring characters and story arc involving Ben's background.
Death Writes has left me with the question; what happens next for Ben and Mollloy's relationship? Will Ben's parents feature more in the series? I hope they do.
December 30, 2025
I'm giving this a five because I really enjoyed it. It is set in Inishowen, Co Donegal and as I've been there on short breaks recently I knew most of the places featured in the book. Plus, it gave me ideas of other spots to visit next time. As she was describing places and scenery, I remembered some of them and it made the book really come to life. The story itself is good. Ben(short for Benedicta) is a solicitor and alongside Molloy, the local Garda chief works to solve local crimes and mysteries. This book features a local author murdered at a book festival alongside a worrying situation involving her parents.
This is book 6 in a series of 6, so I'm now keen to read the other 5.
This is book 6 in a series of 6, so I'm now keen to read the other 5.
December 6, 2023
Real Rating: 4.5* of five
The Publisher Says: A local author dies on stage at a literary festival. Ben O'Keeffe has to sort through his complicated estate—and find his murderer while she's at it.
Solicitor Benedicta “ Ben” O' Keeffe and her boyfriend Police Sergeant Tom Molloy race to Dublin after hearing that some strangers had moved in with Ben's parents. When they arrive, only Ben's parents and their strange lodger remain, but come morning the lodger has left. Not wanting to leave them alone, Ben persuades her parents to come and stay with her in Inishowen.
In Glendara, preparations are underway for Glenfest, Glendara's literary festival. Phyllis Kettle, the local bookshop owner, is especially pleased to have persuaded Gavin Featherstone, the local best-selling recluse writer, to take part.
The festival begins, and an eager crowd awaits Featherstone's appearance on stage. He is unexpectedly engaging, but when he stands to read from his new book, he stumbles and keels over on the platform.
Ben discovers that she holds Featherstone's will at the office, drafted by her predecessor. Soon, she's drawn into a complicated legal wrangle over the man's estate involving his family and the assistant who lived with him.
But nothing can yet be resolved, as a killer cannot inherit from their victim—and Gavin Featherstone's death was a murder.
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.
My Review: Workaholics Ben and Tom, two of Glendara's few residents, are on the trail of murder and gaslighting and elder abuse this time. I know the publisher insists these can be read as stand-alones, but they shouldn't be; there's too much texture in this weave to be fully experiencedin one small patch. That said, starting here won't leave you befuddled and confused. Just feeling like you're missing something, because you are.
The family dramas in this entry in the series are parallel: Reclusive writer in the clutches of manipulative "assistant" (about whom there is A Mystery) makes a bookend for Ben's parents' mysterious, controlling-in-a-quiet-way "lodger" (about whom there is No Mystery); the fact is, I see things like these plots delineate a lot here in my assisted living facility on a much lower-stakes scale. I was completely wrapped up in this story, these stories really, from giddy-up to whoa. The issues couldn't be more timely: using the loneliness and vulnerability of the older people who steadily make up more and more of the population for material gain. I really fail to see the problem, as I suspect I'm supposed to, in the case of a caretaker benefiting from the cared-for person's generosity. The less unclear issue is the dreadful misuse of the grief felt by parents whose children have died. This is truly beyond the pale to my mind, to manipulate these miserable, bereft souls for profit.
The stories are very much up to Author Carter's standards of immersiveness and detail-oriented storytelling. There are clues everywhere, and they aren't there by accident despite appearances (well done you, Author Carter!). What you got before, you'll get again, along with Ben and Tom doing their awkward best to screw up their relationship. The Garda are doing their bit, with Tom being promoted away from Glendara again, maybe. These two are very well-suited but they're also rubbish at relationships. In Ben's case, it's old traumas that lots and lots of therapy (which she isn't seeking) would be pressed hard to reduce the symptoms of; in Tom's, he's an Irish man (see previous parenthetical).
This being the sort of real-life drama that makes the factually very unusual occurrence of murder slide down easier. Very few of us ever come into contact with murder, but all of us relate experientially to relationship angst. The side characters, like this book's featured person Phyllis the bookshop owner, are more than props. The reason to read the series in order is exactly so that Phyllis will be building on her previous life, not just doing her bit for the plot of this story by arranging the book festival that we've never heard of before. That kind of grace note, that Phyllis is very much the kind of organizing, managing, busybusybusy person who absolutely *would* arrange a book festival, get national attention for it, and somehow also land up with a murder case during it, and your credulity would not feel even the slightest strain. The good people of Glendara, on the Inishowen peninsula, in the far north of the Republic of Ireland, are presented to us over the course of six books and counting, ready to enfold our attention and reward it with just the right level of domestic drama.
The Publisher Says: A local author dies on stage at a literary festival. Ben O'Keeffe has to sort through his complicated estate—and find his murderer while she's at it.
Solicitor Benedicta “ Ben” O' Keeffe and her boyfriend Police Sergeant Tom Molloy race to Dublin after hearing that some strangers had moved in with Ben's parents. When they arrive, only Ben's parents and their strange lodger remain, but come morning the lodger has left. Not wanting to leave them alone, Ben persuades her parents to come and stay with her in Inishowen.
In Glendara, preparations are underway for Glenfest, Glendara's literary festival. Phyllis Kettle, the local bookshop owner, is especially pleased to have persuaded Gavin Featherstone, the local best-selling recluse writer, to take part.
The festival begins, and an eager crowd awaits Featherstone's appearance on stage. He is unexpectedly engaging, but when he stands to read from his new book, he stumbles and keels over on the platform.
Ben discovers that she holds Featherstone's will at the office, drafted by her predecessor. Soon, she's drawn into a complicated legal wrangle over the man's estate involving his family and the assistant who lived with him.
But nothing can yet be resolved, as a killer cannot inherit from their victim—and Gavin Featherstone's death was a murder.
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.
My Review: Workaholics Ben and Tom, two of Glendara's few residents, are on the trail of murder and gaslighting and elder abuse this time. I know the publisher insists these can be read as stand-alones, but they shouldn't be; there's too much texture in this weave to be fully experiencedin one small patch. That said, starting here won't leave you befuddled and confused. Just feeling like you're missing something, because you are.
The family dramas in this entry in the series are parallel: Reclusive writer in the clutches of manipulative "assistant" (about whom there is A Mystery) makes a bookend for Ben's parents' mysterious, controlling-in-a-quiet-way "lodger" (about whom there is No Mystery); the fact is, I see things like these plots delineate a lot here in my assisted living facility on a much lower-stakes scale. I was completely wrapped up in this story, these stories really, from giddy-up to whoa. The issues couldn't be more timely: using the loneliness and vulnerability of the older people who steadily make up more and more of the population for material gain. I really fail to see the problem, as I suspect I'm supposed to, in the case of a caretaker benefiting from the cared-for person's generosity. The less unclear issue is the dreadful misuse of the grief felt by parents whose children have died. This is truly beyond the pale to my mind, to manipulate these miserable, bereft souls for profit.
The stories are very much up to Author Carter's standards of immersiveness and detail-oriented storytelling. There are clues everywhere, and they aren't there by accident despite appearances (well done you, Author Carter!). What you got before, you'll get again, along with Ben and Tom doing their awkward best to screw up their relationship. The Garda are doing their bit, with Tom being promoted away from Glendara again, maybe. These two are very well-suited but they're also rubbish at relationships. In Ben's case, it's old traumas that lots and lots of therapy (which she isn't seeking) would be pressed hard to reduce the symptoms of; in Tom's, he's an Irish man (see previous parenthetical).
This being the sort of real-life drama that makes the factually very unusual occurrence of murder slide down easier. Very few of us ever come into contact with murder, but all of us relate experientially to relationship angst. The side characters, like this book's featured person Phyllis the bookshop owner, are more than props. The reason to read the series in order is exactly so that Phyllis will be building on her previous life, not just doing her bit for the plot of this story by arranging the book festival that we've never heard of before. That kind of grace note, that Phyllis is very much the kind of organizing, managing, busybusybusy person who absolutely *would* arrange a book festival, get national attention for it, and somehow also land up with a murder case during it, and your credulity would not feel even the slightest strain. The good people of Glendara, on the Inishowen peninsula, in the far north of the Republic of Ireland, are presented to us over the course of six books and counting, ready to enfold our attention and reward it with just the right level of domestic drama.
July 16, 2023
3.5 stars ⭐
I was beyond thrilled when I stumbled upon "Death Writes" by Andrea Carter—a book that evoked the same excitement I feel when diving into an Agatha Christie mystery. Agatha Christie was one of the authors I grew up reading and I could not ABSOLUTELY wait to read to have the same feeling all over again. As the sixth installment in the Inishowen Mysteries series, this novel expertly combines contemporary storytelling with the classic allure of a murder mystery.
The story unfolds as Benedicta "Ben" O'Keefe and Tom Molloy embark on a trip to Ben's parents' house, only to uncover a web of suspicious circumstances surrounding a boarder named Stuart Chambers. As Ben becomes entangled in the investigation, a local literary festival takes a dark turn when a reclusive author is murdered, introducing a multitude of viable suspects.
The Pacing vs Plot: It is a fast and addictive read once you get down to it. There are actually two storylines running parallel—the main one being Gavin the author's suspicious death, and a subplot involving Ben's parents' dodgy lodger in Dublin. As Ben's boyfriend, Sergeant Tom Molloy, provides updates on the investigation, the shocking depths people will go for money come to light. The main plot itself is a tangled web of secrets and lies, with every character seemingly hiding something. It kept me hooked until the final reveal, which, to be honest, had me a bit confused 'cause, for me, it all came out of nowhere. It may be a bit clever but not exactly something you'd encounter in real life.
In conclusion, "Death Writes" is a captivating and expertly crafted addition to the Inishowen Mysteries series. If you appreciate a leisurely-paced mystery with okayishly-developed characters, who you find extremely understandable but not very lovable per se, and a touch of the macabre, this book is definitely worth your time.
thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review
I was beyond thrilled when I stumbled upon "Death Writes" by Andrea Carter—a book that evoked the same excitement I feel when diving into an Agatha Christie mystery. Agatha Christie was one of the authors I grew up reading and I could not ABSOLUTELY wait to read to have the same feeling all over again. As the sixth installment in the Inishowen Mysteries series, this novel expertly combines contemporary storytelling with the classic allure of a murder mystery.
The story unfolds as Benedicta "Ben" O'Keefe and Tom Molloy embark on a trip to Ben's parents' house, only to uncover a web of suspicious circumstances surrounding a boarder named Stuart Chambers. As Ben becomes entangled in the investigation, a local literary festival takes a dark turn when a reclusive author is murdered, introducing a multitude of viable suspects.
The Pacing vs Plot: It is a fast and addictive read once you get down to it. There are actually two storylines running parallel—the main one being Gavin the author's suspicious death, and a subplot involving Ben's parents' dodgy lodger in Dublin. As Ben's boyfriend, Sergeant Tom Molloy, provides updates on the investigation, the shocking depths people will go for money come to light. The main plot itself is a tangled web of secrets and lies, with every character seemingly hiding something. It kept me hooked until the final reveal, which, to be honest, had me a bit confused 'cause, for me, it all came out of nowhere. It may be a bit clever but not exactly something you'd encounter in real life.
In conclusion, "Death Writes" is a captivating and expertly crafted addition to the Inishowen Mysteries series. If you appreciate a leisurely-paced mystery with okayishly-developed characters, who you find extremely understandable but not very lovable per se, and a touch of the macabre, this book is definitely worth your time.
thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review
December 19, 2023
Death Writes
By: Andrea Carter
Publish Date: 05 December 2023
Publisher: Oceanview Publishing
Mystery and Thrillers
#DeathWrites#NetGalley
100 Book ReviewsProfessional Reader
I would like to thank both NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing for allowing me to read and review this book.
Good Reads Synopsis:
Solicitor Benedicta “ Ben” O’ Keeffe and her boyfriend Police Sergeant Tom Molloy race to Dublin after hearing that some strangers had moved in with Ben’ s parents. When they arrive, only Ben’ s parents and their strange lodger remain, but come morning the lodger has left. Not wanting to leave them alone, Ben persuades her parents to come and stay with her in Inishowen.
In Glendara, preparations are underway for Glenfest, Glendara’ s literary festival. Phyllis Kettle, the local bookshop owner, is especially pleased to have persuaded Gavin Featherstone, the local best-selling recluse writer, to take part.
The festival begins, and an eager crowd awaits Featherstone’ s appearance on stage. He is unexpectedly engaging, but when he stands to read from his new book, he stumbles and keels over on the platform.
Ben discovers that she holds Featherstone’ s will at the office, drafted by her predecessor. Soon, she’ s drawn into a complicated legal wrangle over the man’ s estate involving his family and the assistant who lived with him.
But nothing can yet be resolved, as a killer cannot inherit from their victim— and Gavin Featherstone’ s death was a murder.
Book Review:
I really enjoyed reading this book. I gave it 4 stars. This is the 6th book in a series, but in the intro it is stated that you don’t have to read them in order to understand what is going on. If I have time I will probably go back and read some of the books in this series.
In this story Ben is worried about her parents because she received a call from one of their neighbors. She talks her boyfriend in going with her to visit her parents. When she arrives she notice that they have a guest who has taken over the house and the running of things. This guest ends up leaving the house with somethings by the next day because Ben’s boyfriend is in law enforcement. This seems odd to Ben and makes her worry more for her parents. She ends up inviting them to come visit her for a while until her boyfriend can do a little investigating on this guest.
When they get to Ben’s house her parents aren’t sure how long they will stay because they are worried about this guest. They end staying a for while because of the festival that will be going in a few days and one of the guest speakers is one of the parents favorite authors.
A few days later during an interview the author ends up dying. What did he die from? Was it Murder and who would want him dead.
So this book had two mysteries in it and they both were fun to follow and try to figure out. The author death one had a few twist in it and I couldn’t figure it out.
The guest of her parents was a lot easier to figure out.
I highly recommend that you read this book.
By: Andrea Carter
Publish Date: 05 December 2023
Publisher: Oceanview Publishing
Mystery and Thrillers
#DeathWrites#NetGalley
100 Book ReviewsProfessional Reader
I would like to thank both NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing for allowing me to read and review this book.
Good Reads Synopsis:
Solicitor Benedicta “ Ben” O’ Keeffe and her boyfriend Police Sergeant Tom Molloy race to Dublin after hearing that some strangers had moved in with Ben’ s parents. When they arrive, only Ben’ s parents and their strange lodger remain, but come morning the lodger has left. Not wanting to leave them alone, Ben persuades her parents to come and stay with her in Inishowen.
In Glendara, preparations are underway for Glenfest, Glendara’ s literary festival. Phyllis Kettle, the local bookshop owner, is especially pleased to have persuaded Gavin Featherstone, the local best-selling recluse writer, to take part.
The festival begins, and an eager crowd awaits Featherstone’ s appearance on stage. He is unexpectedly engaging, but when he stands to read from his new book, he stumbles and keels over on the platform.
Ben discovers that she holds Featherstone’ s will at the office, drafted by her predecessor. Soon, she’ s drawn into a complicated legal wrangle over the man’ s estate involving his family and the assistant who lived with him.
But nothing can yet be resolved, as a killer cannot inherit from their victim— and Gavin Featherstone’ s death was a murder.
Book Review:
I really enjoyed reading this book. I gave it 4 stars. This is the 6th book in a series, but in the intro it is stated that you don’t have to read them in order to understand what is going on. If I have time I will probably go back and read some of the books in this series.
In this story Ben is worried about her parents because she received a call from one of their neighbors. She talks her boyfriend in going with her to visit her parents. When she arrives she notice that they have a guest who has taken over the house and the running of things. This guest ends up leaving the house with somethings by the next day because Ben’s boyfriend is in law enforcement. This seems odd to Ben and makes her worry more for her parents. She ends up inviting them to come visit her for a while until her boyfriend can do a little investigating on this guest.
When they get to Ben’s house her parents aren’t sure how long they will stay because they are worried about this guest. They end staying a for while because of the festival that will be going in a few days and one of the guest speakers is one of the parents favorite authors.
A few days later during an interview the author ends up dying. What did he die from? Was it Murder and who would want him dead.
So this book had two mysteries in it and they both were fun to follow and try to figure out. The author death one had a few twist in it and I couldn’t figure it out.
The guest of her parents was a lot easier to figure out.
I highly recommend that you read this book.
December 30, 2024
Death Writes is the next instalment in the engaging Inishowen Mystery series, and I particularly liked this one because of the difficulties involving elderly scams of which Ben's parents became victims. I think this happens far more than is reported and I was happy to read about something that may give others clues and warnings so it may not happen to their own parents or elderly neighbours. The other murder plot line wove nicely around the issue with Ben's parents and I really liked how the author wove the two together into a cohesive story.
Because this is the sixth book in the series, I don't really feel like Ben's character developed a lot, but she was still dealing with the demands of her job and her insecurities in her relationship. I never know what to think when I see someone who is so successful professionally be a dolt when it comes to relationship issues, and I definitely roll my eyes when Ben takes things personally when her boyfriend doesn't give her the information she feels she is entitled because she is a lawyer. I should mention here that the love interest is a police detective, Police Sergeant Tom Molloy, and I always hate it when a person feels entitled to information about an investigation when they have no business knowing anything, professionally or personally. And to be honest, Ben is a lawyer, she should know better.Their relationship has grown on me and I have enjoyed the development as they try to work out how to manoeuvre their professional and personal lives to make a relationship work.
The author is very good at tying loose ends in her books and despite having several story lines, everything wrapped up nicely at the end. I actually preferred the one involving Ben's parents over the one involving the writer, but I don't think it had anything to do with poor development or writing skills, simply my preference. I love the descriptions of the town and the area in which Ben lives as it seems to beautiful; I want to visit the place every time I read one of these books. The vivid descriptions are one of the highlights of the books.
Death Writes was a slower than normal entry into this series, but the strength of the book always lies in the characters, characters with distinct personalities and lives. I enjoyed the development of Ben and Tom's relationship and the difficulties they have as they are both workaholics. As I mentioned, the plot was a big slower, and I did prefer one story line over the other, but it was still interesting and entertaining. I am very curious as to what will happen next as the author did throw a big wrench into the story line and I really have no idea what is going to happen in future books. And while this book could be read as a standalone, I do recommend you read the earlier books in order to get a richer understanding of the character and story development between Ben and Tom.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
Because this is the sixth book in the series, I don't really feel like Ben's character developed a lot, but she was still dealing with the demands of her job and her insecurities in her relationship. I never know what to think when I see someone who is so successful professionally be a dolt when it comes to relationship issues, and I definitely roll my eyes when Ben takes things personally when her boyfriend doesn't give her the information she feels she is entitled because she is a lawyer. I should mention here that the love interest is a police detective, Police Sergeant Tom Molloy, and I always hate it when a person feels entitled to information about an investigation when they have no business knowing anything, professionally or personally. And to be honest, Ben is a lawyer, she should know better.Their relationship has grown on me and I have enjoyed the development as they try to work out how to manoeuvre their professional and personal lives to make a relationship work.
The author is very good at tying loose ends in her books and despite having several story lines, everything wrapped up nicely at the end. I actually preferred the one involving Ben's parents over the one involving the writer, but I don't think it had anything to do with poor development or writing skills, simply my preference. I love the descriptions of the town and the area in which Ben lives as it seems to beautiful; I want to visit the place every time I read one of these books. The vivid descriptions are one of the highlights of the books.
Death Writes was a slower than normal entry into this series, but the strength of the book always lies in the characters, characters with distinct personalities and lives. I enjoyed the development of Ben and Tom's relationship and the difficulties they have as they are both workaholics. As I mentioned, the plot was a big slower, and I did prefer one story line over the other, but it was still interesting and entertaining. I am very curious as to what will happen next as the author did throw a big wrench into the story line and I really have no idea what is going to happen in future books. And while this book could be read as a standalone, I do recommend you read the earlier books in order to get a richer understanding of the character and story development between Ben and Tom.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
July 25, 2023
I was beyond thrilled when I stumbled upon "Death Writes" by Andrea Carter—a book that evoked the same excitement I feel when diving into an Agatha Christie mystery. Agatha Christie was one of the authors I grew up reading and I could not ABSOLUTELY wait to read to have the same feeling all over again. As the sixth installment in the Inishowen Mysteries series, this novel expertly combines contemporary storytelling with the classic allure of a murder mystery.
The story unfolds as Benedicta "Ben" O'Keefe and Tom Molloy embark on a trip to Ben's parents' house, only to uncover a web of suspicious circumstances surrounding a boarder named Stuart Chambers. As Ben becomes entangled in the investigation, a local literary festival takes a dark turn when a reclusive author is murdered, introducing a multitude of viable suspects.
The Pacing vs Plot: It is a fast and addictive read once you get down to it. There are actually two storylines running parallel—the main one being Gavin the author's suspicious death, and a subplot involving Ben's parents' dodgy lodger in Dublin. As Ben's boyfriend, Sergeant Tom Molloy, provides updates on the investigation, the shocking depths people will go for money come to light. The main plot itself is a tangled web of secrets and lies, with every character seemingly hiding something. It kept me hooked until the final reveal, which, to be honest, had me a bit confused 'cause, for me, it all came out of nowhere. It may be a bit clever but not exactly something you'd encounter in real life.
[
Characters and the Story: The characters in "Death Writes" are a bit relatable and down-to-earth, making it easy to connect with them. They are how people I know in life would react to it. Ben, in particular, stands out as a character who relies more on her instincts than on conventional detective skills. (I will NOT lie, for 70% of the book I was guessing Ben's gender like OH GOD I FELT LIKE I JUST H A D TO READ THE PREQUELS TO KNOW MORE IN DEPTH ABOUT THE CHARACTERS) The fact that she is not a magical sleuth who stumbles upon every damned clue added a refreshing touch of realism to the story, making her journey all the more engaging. And then there's Tom Molloy, her boyfriend who also happens to be a workaholic police/detective/guard. We see their relationship getting strained as the plot progresses. No bad blood, but not so close as to establish a proper rich romantic relationship, but that may be just due to the nature of their jobs.
(hide spoiler)]
In conclusion, "Death Writes" is a captivating and expertly crafted addition to the Inishowen Mysteries series. If you appreciate a leisurely-paced mystery with okayishly-developed characters, who you find extremely understandable but not very lovable per se, and a touch of the macabre, this book is definitely worth your time.
The story unfolds as Benedicta "Ben" O'Keefe and Tom Molloy embark on a trip to Ben's parents' house, only to uncover a web of suspicious circumstances surrounding a boarder named Stuart Chambers. As Ben becomes entangled in the investigation, a local literary festival takes a dark turn when a reclusive author is murdered, introducing a multitude of viable suspects.
The Pacing vs Plot: It is a fast and addictive read once you get down to it. There are actually two storylines running parallel—the main one being Gavin the author's suspicious death, and a subplot involving Ben's parents' dodgy lodger in Dublin. As Ben's boyfriend, Sergeant Tom Molloy, provides updates on the investigation, the shocking depths people will go for money come to light. The main plot itself is a tangled web of secrets and lies, with every character seemingly hiding something. It kept me hooked until the final reveal, which, to be honest, had me a bit confused 'cause, for me, it all came out of nowhere. It may be a bit clever but not exactly something you'd encounter in real life.
[
Characters and the Story: The characters in "Death Writes" are a bit relatable and down-to-earth, making it easy to connect with them. They are how people I know in life would react to it. Ben, in particular, stands out as a character who relies more on her instincts than on conventional detective skills. (I will NOT lie, for 70% of the book I was guessing Ben's gender like OH GOD I FELT LIKE I JUST H A D TO READ THE PREQUELS TO KNOW MORE IN DEPTH ABOUT THE CHARACTERS) The fact that she is not a magical sleuth who stumbles upon every damned clue added a refreshing touch of realism to the story, making her journey all the more engaging. And then there's Tom Molloy, her boyfriend who also happens to be a workaholic police/detective/guard. We see their relationship getting strained as the plot progresses. No bad blood, but not so close as to establish a proper rich romantic relationship, but that may be just due to the nature of their jobs.
(hide spoiler)]
In conclusion, "Death Writes" is a captivating and expertly crafted addition to the Inishowen Mysteries series. If you appreciate a leisurely-paced mystery with okayishly-developed characters, who you find extremely understandable but not very lovable per se, and a touch of the macabre, this book is definitely worth your time.
December 10, 2023
Death, she writes. Contemporary Agatha Christie reincarnate Andrea Carter, that is. It’s kismet that these two famed mystery authors share identical initials.
In 2022’s THE BODY FALLS, Benedicta “Ben” O’Keeffe had returned from a six-month stint at a Florida law firm to find that Stuart Chambers had insinuated himself into her parents’ Dublin home. He has entrenched himself in their lives like a leech; they’re totally dependent on him. Until Ben mentions that her beau is a Garda Síochána, or police officer. Tom Molloy is Glendara’s top cop. Chambers vanishes for a few days, and Ben learns he duped her parents into signing a will that bequeaths their home to him, an incentive for their demise.
Ben invites her folks to stay in County Donegal, where her mom’s favorite author, Gavin Featherstone, will speak at Phyllis Kettle’s Glenfest, a Glendara literary festival. Many attend the event, if only to see the bestselling author who has become a hermit in a manor house maintained by a suspicious young man named Robbie Cahill. While walking along Ireland’s craggy coast, Ben spies Cahill unceremoniously ousting someone through the back gate. The incident eerily reminds her of Chambers. Featherstone is “a complete recluse. Never leaves the house. Hasn’t done an event in ten years.”
Glenfest is a success, and even Featherstone’s estranged family attends. But the enclosed venue becomes too warm. The author sips from a glass that had been placed within reach, while Róisín Henderson interviews him. His arrogance fades as he touches his chest and gulps more water. And collapses.
The next day, Ben learns that she has in a safe Featherstone’s will prepared by her predecessor --- and that the author had drawn up another “form” will leaving everything to Cahill. Molloy tells Ben, “It does look as if it wasn’t a natural death.” Ben is befuddled. Two wills leaving everything to different people: “No one can profit from a death they have caused.”
A host of characters baffle Ben: Featherstone’s wife, whom he had never divorced, greedy interlopers trying surreptitiously to inherit property, and even Glendara residents who sweep mysterious events under the rug. A dozen individuals with motive and means populate the pages.
The many characters with motive to commit murder in Carter’s novels may be compared to the 1978 film version of Death on the Nile, in which Hercule Poirot visualizes each of nine voyagers on a Nile yacht committing the murder --- by each character doing the deed. In DEATH WRITES, Carter portrays each character with motive as though she has envisaged the scenario. Classic Christie!
Reviewed by L. Dean Murphy
As this review is being published, Bookreporter’s Dean Murphy, an inveterate traveler, is on a yacht sailing along Egypt’s Nile River, perhaps trying to fathom whodunit.
In 2022’s THE BODY FALLS, Benedicta “Ben” O’Keeffe had returned from a six-month stint at a Florida law firm to find that Stuart Chambers had insinuated himself into her parents’ Dublin home. He has entrenched himself in their lives like a leech; they’re totally dependent on him. Until Ben mentions that her beau is a Garda Síochána, or police officer. Tom Molloy is Glendara’s top cop. Chambers vanishes for a few days, and Ben learns he duped her parents into signing a will that bequeaths their home to him, an incentive for their demise.
Ben invites her folks to stay in County Donegal, where her mom’s favorite author, Gavin Featherstone, will speak at Phyllis Kettle’s Glenfest, a Glendara literary festival. Many attend the event, if only to see the bestselling author who has become a hermit in a manor house maintained by a suspicious young man named Robbie Cahill. While walking along Ireland’s craggy coast, Ben spies Cahill unceremoniously ousting someone through the back gate. The incident eerily reminds her of Chambers. Featherstone is “a complete recluse. Never leaves the house. Hasn’t done an event in ten years.”
Glenfest is a success, and even Featherstone’s estranged family attends. But the enclosed venue becomes too warm. The author sips from a glass that had been placed within reach, while Róisín Henderson interviews him. His arrogance fades as he touches his chest and gulps more water. And collapses.
The next day, Ben learns that she has in a safe Featherstone’s will prepared by her predecessor --- and that the author had drawn up another “form” will leaving everything to Cahill. Molloy tells Ben, “It does look as if it wasn’t a natural death.” Ben is befuddled. Two wills leaving everything to different people: “No one can profit from a death they have caused.”
A host of characters baffle Ben: Featherstone’s wife, whom he had never divorced, greedy interlopers trying surreptitiously to inherit property, and even Glendara residents who sweep mysterious events under the rug. A dozen individuals with motive and means populate the pages.
The many characters with motive to commit murder in Carter’s novels may be compared to the 1978 film version of Death on the Nile, in which Hercule Poirot visualizes each of nine voyagers on a Nile yacht committing the murder --- by each character doing the deed. In DEATH WRITES, Carter portrays each character with motive as though she has envisaged the scenario. Classic Christie!
Reviewed by L. Dean Murphy
As this review is being published, Bookreporter’s Dean Murphy, an inveterate traveler, is on a yacht sailing along Egypt’s Nile River, perhaps trying to fathom whodunit.
January 25, 2024
I really love this series. I haven't read them all (although they are on my bookshelf), and to be quite honest they are easily read as standalone stories. Ben O'Keeffe does feature in the books throughout but the author gives enough back story, without overloading with information to make each one totally enjoyable on its own.
I have to own up and say that the Donegal setting is what really sold this series to me. My late Mum was from Donegal and we spent three weeks of every summer there, I still think of it as 'home' and am always attracted by Irish authors, and especially a Donegal setting.
The story begins as solicitor Ben and her boyfriend police officer Molloy are on a mad dash journey to Dublin to check on Ben's parents. She had a phone call from their neighbour, expressing concern that there seemed to be a gang of people living in their house. Ben is really perturbed by what she discovers when she arrives, her parents are vulnerable. Their other daughter, Ben's sister was murdered and it seems that there are folk who are taking advantage of this.
Ben manages to persuade her Mum and Dad to stay with her in Donegal, she tempts her Mum especially with the news that reclusive author Gavin Featherstone will be appearing at Glenfast, the local literary festival in Glendara.
Gavin Featherstone certainly makes an impression, his appearance will never be forgotten. Not only is it his first public appearance in years, but he then drops dead on stage in front of the audience.
As the local solicitor, Ben discovers that she holds Featherstone's will. However, his assistant arrives with a new, more up to date will. When the death is declared a murder, Ben and Molley become totally immersed in trying to find out who killed Featherstone, and why.
Ben and Molley are fabulous characters. Their personal relationship is quite tender and loving, yet when they have their professional hats on, they can find themselves holding back, keeping secrets and actually working against each other. It's a really complex case, with Featherstone's estranged family members appearing, the inclusion of his mysterious assistant and some long-held secrets that are key to the mystery.
The sense of place is wonderfully done, the reader can almost hear the waves breaking on the shore and smell the fine salty air. The small community feel of the town is exceptional, with everyone knowing each other and their business ..... or do they know everything?
Coupled with the drama played out in Ben's own family, her work pressures and the development of her relationship with Molloy, there's a lot going on. However it is all so well tied together, always engaging, often tense and sometimes surprising. A great addition to a fabulous series. Highly recommended.
I have to own up and say that the Donegal setting is what really sold this series to me. My late Mum was from Donegal and we spent three weeks of every summer there, I still think of it as 'home' and am always attracted by Irish authors, and especially a Donegal setting.
The story begins as solicitor Ben and her boyfriend police officer Molloy are on a mad dash journey to Dublin to check on Ben's parents. She had a phone call from their neighbour, expressing concern that there seemed to be a gang of people living in their house. Ben is really perturbed by what she discovers when she arrives, her parents are vulnerable. Their other daughter, Ben's sister was murdered and it seems that there are folk who are taking advantage of this.
Ben manages to persuade her Mum and Dad to stay with her in Donegal, she tempts her Mum especially with the news that reclusive author Gavin Featherstone will be appearing at Glenfast, the local literary festival in Glendara.
Gavin Featherstone certainly makes an impression, his appearance will never be forgotten. Not only is it his first public appearance in years, but he then drops dead on stage in front of the audience.
As the local solicitor, Ben discovers that she holds Featherstone's will. However, his assistant arrives with a new, more up to date will. When the death is declared a murder, Ben and Molley become totally immersed in trying to find out who killed Featherstone, and why.
Ben and Molley are fabulous characters. Their personal relationship is quite tender and loving, yet when they have their professional hats on, they can find themselves holding back, keeping secrets and actually working against each other. It's a really complex case, with Featherstone's estranged family members appearing, the inclusion of his mysterious assistant and some long-held secrets that are key to the mystery.
The sense of place is wonderfully done, the reader can almost hear the waves breaking on the shore and smell the fine salty air. The small community feel of the town is exceptional, with everyone knowing each other and their business ..... or do they know everything?
Coupled with the drama played out in Ben's own family, her work pressures and the development of her relationship with Molloy, there's a lot going on. However it is all so well tied together, always engaging, often tense and sometimes surprising. A great addition to a fabulous series. Highly recommended.
August 15, 2023
This is the latest in Andrea Carter's Irish Inishowen series, full of charm and intrigue, and which makes great use of the beautiful, atmospheric coastal location, with the rich descriptions. It opens with Glendara solicitor Benedicta 'Ben' O'Keefe and her partner, Sergeant Tom Molloy, tensely making their way to her parents, Margaret and Des's home, after receiving a disturbing phone call from one of their concerned neighbours. For some time, they have let a stranger, Stuart Chambers, live in their home. On arrival, it is clear he has taken over their home, but when they wake up in the morning, he has cleared out, taking his belongings. Ben persuades her parents to return with her, they have never visited her, waving the carrot of GlenFest, a local literary festival being organised by bookshop owner, Phyllis Kettle, with Molloy promising to look into Chambers background.
The return journey is marred by what could have been a serious car incident, but fortunately Ben and Molloy escape without injuries. Ben has other pressing issues, her very capable office right hand woman, Leah, is pregnant, and she cannot face the prospect of having to train someone to cover her maternity leave. Phyllis is displaying contradictory behaviour, unhappy then accepting, when the festival manages to secure a headline act in the famous Booker Prize winning writer, Gavin Featherstone, a local recluse, not seen in public in the last 10 years. This snags the interest of national media, creating a real buzz around the event and there is a TV documentary being made. Featherstone is on stage when he suddenly keels over. It turns out he has been murdered, poisoned, and Ben, of course, cannot help but get involved in the investigation.
Both Ben and Molloy are workaholics, which is why their relationship works, though there are the odd bumps, as when Ben arrives at his place with a bottle, expecting and looking forward to a social evening, only to find he only has work on his mind. Carter draws attention to the vulnerabilities of the elderly, open to being taken advantage of by the unscrupulous, and who can be greedy relatives. Ben had become more distant from her parents, who plummeted into the deep despair of grief with the death of her sister, leaving them wide open to the likes of the predatory Chambers. This is a wonderful addition to this terrific crime series, I am looking forward to the next in the series, but I am wondering how Ben and Molloy's felationship will develop with him moving because of his promotion. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.
The return journey is marred by what could have been a serious car incident, but fortunately Ben and Molloy escape without injuries. Ben has other pressing issues, her very capable office right hand woman, Leah, is pregnant, and she cannot face the prospect of having to train someone to cover her maternity leave. Phyllis is displaying contradictory behaviour, unhappy then accepting, when the festival manages to secure a headline act in the famous Booker Prize winning writer, Gavin Featherstone, a local recluse, not seen in public in the last 10 years. This snags the interest of national media, creating a real buzz around the event and there is a TV documentary being made. Featherstone is on stage when he suddenly keels over. It turns out he has been murdered, poisoned, and Ben, of course, cannot help but get involved in the investigation.
Both Ben and Molloy are workaholics, which is why their relationship works, though there are the odd bumps, as when Ben arrives at his place with a bottle, expecting and looking forward to a social evening, only to find he only has work on his mind. Carter draws attention to the vulnerabilities of the elderly, open to being taken advantage of by the unscrupulous, and who can be greedy relatives. Ben had become more distant from her parents, who plummeted into the deep despair of grief with the death of her sister, leaving them wide open to the likes of the predatory Chambers. This is a wonderful addition to this terrific crime series, I am looking forward to the next in the series, but I am wondering how Ben and Molloy's felationship will develop with him moving because of his promotion. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.
July 4, 2023
I would like to thank Netgalley and Oceanview Publishing for an advance copy of Death Writes, the sixth novel to feature lawyer Ben(edicta) O’Keefe set in the fictional town of Glendara on the Inishowen Peninsula in Donegal.
Famous writer Gavin Featherstone is coming out of a ten year reclusion to participate in the local literary festival in Glendara, organised by bookshop owner Phyllis Kettle. He is surprisingly charming given his reputation, but before he can read from his upcoming memoir he collapses and dies. Ben has his will in her office and his assistant has a newer one, so she has to investigate.
I thoroughly enjoyed Death Writes, which is a charming novel, full of secrets and lies. It is told entirely from Ben’s point of view and that makes for an immersive read. The reader knows what she knows and can live the investigation with her and try to guess the outcome alongside her. That didn’t work out particularly well for this reader as, basically, I didn’t have a clue.
The novel has two plot lines, the death of Gavin Featherstone being the main one and a subplot of suspected coercion by her parents’ lodger in Dublin. This latter one burbles away in the background with Ben’s boyfriend Sergeant Tom Molloy providing updates of the Dublin Garda’s investigation. It’s quite shocking the lengths people will go to for money as it’s a long con. The main plot is quite complicated, not so much in its essence- a man dies in suspicious circumstances - but in all the secrets and lies surrounding it. It would appear that anyone with even a tangential relationship to Gavin Featherstone has secrets to keep and lies to tell to cover them up. It’s compulsive reading up until the solution appears and that, quite frankly, made laugh. It’s ingenious but not in the least bit likely. Still, it’s fiction so does it matter when the journey to get there is so absorbing?
I like Ben O’Keefe as she seems natural and real. She’s smart and a bit of a workaholic, but she also likes investigating, basically asking questions and sticking her nose in, and as it’s set in a small town she knows most of the people and can ask her questions in general conversation.
Death Writes is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.
Famous writer Gavin Featherstone is coming out of a ten year reclusion to participate in the local literary festival in Glendara, organised by bookshop owner Phyllis Kettle. He is surprisingly charming given his reputation, but before he can read from his upcoming memoir he collapses and dies. Ben has his will in her office and his assistant has a newer one, so she has to investigate.
I thoroughly enjoyed Death Writes, which is a charming novel, full of secrets and lies. It is told entirely from Ben’s point of view and that makes for an immersive read. The reader knows what she knows and can live the investigation with her and try to guess the outcome alongside her. That didn’t work out particularly well for this reader as, basically, I didn’t have a clue.
The novel has two plot lines, the death of Gavin Featherstone being the main one and a subplot of suspected coercion by her parents’ lodger in Dublin. This latter one burbles away in the background with Ben’s boyfriend Sergeant Tom Molloy providing updates of the Dublin Garda’s investigation. It’s quite shocking the lengths people will go to for money as it’s a long con. The main plot is quite complicated, not so much in its essence- a man dies in suspicious circumstances - but in all the secrets and lies surrounding it. It would appear that anyone with even a tangential relationship to Gavin Featherstone has secrets to keep and lies to tell to cover them up. It’s compulsive reading up until the solution appears and that, quite frankly, made laugh. It’s ingenious but not in the least bit likely. Still, it’s fiction so does it matter when the journey to get there is so absorbing?
I like Ben O’Keefe as she seems natural and real. She’s smart and a bit of a workaholic, but she also likes investigating, basically asking questions and sticking her nose in, and as it’s set in a small town she knows most of the people and can ask her questions in general conversation.
Death Writes is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.
December 7, 2023
This was a quick and enjoyable read, feeling a lot like a police investigation even though the main character is only an amateur sleuth. This is the first book I have read in the “Inishowen Mystery Series.”
Benedicta O’Keeffe is a solicitor in the fictional town of Inishowen, County Donegal Ireland. Her on-again, off-again boyfriend Molloy is, in fact, a police officer, but this appears to be an off-again period in their relationship though they do partner up as the mystery progresses.
The book really includes two mysteries. When Ben and Molloy travel to visit Ben’s parents they discover that an odd individual, Stuart Chambers, is living as a member of Ben’s parents’ home—something that Ben had never known about and her parents were not forthcoming with information. Then Chambers abruptly moves out and disappears. Who is this guy? What is going on? Is something shady happening that Ben’s parents are trying to hide? Ben is determined to find out.
Then the scene moves back to Inishowen where the community is preparing for a huge festival focusing on authors, books, and writing. The huge news is that a reclusive author who just happens to live in Inishowen is to be the main speaker. Gavin Featherstone, winner of the Man Booker Prize, is coming to speak—something he has not done in decades. Then as he is speaking on stage at the keynote event of the festival, Featherstone drops dead. This begins the central mystery of the book. Slowly, Ben and Molloy follow the clues to solve this mystery.
This was a very enjoyable read, though at times it felt as though the author was more interested in focusing on the town and its residents than the two mysteries of the book. For me, that tended to slow the book down. This was especially trough of the first third of the book. As the investigation began to unwind the threads of the murder, it more fully captured my attention.
Though this was the sixth book in the Inishowen Mystery Series, it was the first I have read. It took a bit to come up to speed with the characters, but not much more that most mystery books. By and large, it read fine as a standalone novel. I enjoyed reading it, though it does not stand out as the best I have read this year.
Benedicta O’Keeffe is a solicitor in the fictional town of Inishowen, County Donegal Ireland. Her on-again, off-again boyfriend Molloy is, in fact, a police officer, but this appears to be an off-again period in their relationship though they do partner up as the mystery progresses.
The book really includes two mysteries. When Ben and Molloy travel to visit Ben’s parents they discover that an odd individual, Stuart Chambers, is living as a member of Ben’s parents’ home—something that Ben had never known about and her parents were not forthcoming with information. Then Chambers abruptly moves out and disappears. Who is this guy? What is going on? Is something shady happening that Ben’s parents are trying to hide? Ben is determined to find out.
Then the scene moves back to Inishowen where the community is preparing for a huge festival focusing on authors, books, and writing. The huge news is that a reclusive author who just happens to live in Inishowen is to be the main speaker. Gavin Featherstone, winner of the Man Booker Prize, is coming to speak—something he has not done in decades. Then as he is speaking on stage at the keynote event of the festival, Featherstone drops dead. This begins the central mystery of the book. Slowly, Ben and Molloy follow the clues to solve this mystery.
This was a very enjoyable read, though at times it felt as though the author was more interested in focusing on the town and its residents than the two mysteries of the book. For me, that tended to slow the book down. This was especially trough of the first third of the book. As the investigation began to unwind the threads of the murder, it more fully captured my attention.
Though this was the sixth book in the Inishowen Mystery Series, it was the first I have read. It took a bit to come up to speed with the characters, but not much more that most mystery books. By and large, it read fine as a standalone novel. I enjoyed reading it, though it does not stand out as the best I have read this year.
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