Halloween Cupcake Murder

Irish Village Mystery #9.5

by Carlene O'Connor, Carol J. Perry, Liz Ireland

A trio of sweet-toothed Halloween cozy mystery tales by nationally bestselling authors.

HALLOWEEN CUPCAKE MURDER by CARLENE O'CONNOR
With Galway’s Halloween Mystery Tour only a few days away, Tara Meehan is scouring the town’s curiosity shops for spooky decorations to draw tourists into her architectural salvage store. But when a stranger appears in her shop bearing a cryptic cupcake and an ominous message, Tara suddenly finds herself tangled in a mystery with ancient Gaelic roots, but very modern—and very deadly—consequences . . .
 
MRS. CLAUS AND THE CANDY CORN CAPER by LIZ IRELAND
Christmastown is pulling out all the stops for their Halloween celebration, planning a huge carnival with rides, games, and a candy corn-themed bake-off! But the sweet theme stokes the bitterest of rivalries amongst the elves, until tragedy strikes at Santaland’s newest bakery. The only clue is a cupcake, leaving Mrs. Claus to sort through tricks and treats as she races to unmask a Halloween fiend . . .
 
A TRIPLE LAYER HALLOWEEN MURDER by CAROL J. PERRY
Every October, Salem plunges into a month-long celebration of Halloween and WICH-TV’s Lee Barrett can’t wait to cover the festivities. But rumors swirl after a wealthy bakery owner goes missing—and his beloved cat, Cupcake, is found—under mysterious circumstances. Now, amid Salem’s wicked revelry, Lee must conjure clues to reveal the missing millionaire . . . or the truth about his disappearance . . .

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Halloween, Fiction, Holiday, Cozy, Anthologies

316 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 22, 2023

About the author

Carlene O’Connor is the USA Today Bestselling author of The Irish Village Mystery Series, The Home to Ireland Series and the County Kerry Mystery series. The first in the County Kerry Series, NO STRANGERS HERE received a starred review from Kirkus and was the Mystery Pick of the Month at Barnes and Noble in September of 2023. Of all the places across the pond she’s wandered, she fell most in love with a walled town in County Limerick and was inspired to create the town of Kilbane, County Cork. She currently lives in New Mexico.

https://carleneoconnor.net/

Reviews

[Mallory · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun collection of Halloween novellas. I’ve read some of the books in the first two series but the last one was a new one for me. I enjoyed them all but I enjoyed the middle Novella set in Santaland the best. I do like that they were all quick and fun reads with interesting mysteries that were not too hard to solve but full of interesting and fun characters. The first novella is set in Ireland and Tara finds herself with more than she bargained for when she looked for Halloween decorations to prepare for the Halloween Mystery Tour when she finds the shopkeeper who had helped her find decorations dead in his shop. In the second Mrs. Claus can’t help herself but asking questions to solve both a theft a murder when the local police are way more invested in the upcoming candy corn baking contest than finding a murderer. In the third WICH TV’s Lee can’t wait to be covering the Halloween festivities in Salem Massachusetts and after she saves a cat she realizes that cat may hold the clue to find a missing man.

[Regina the Constant Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ -Audiobook

Three Halloween Novellas that’s all treat and no tricks!

[Scott Rhee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cozy mysteries aren’t my cup of tea, although sometimes they can be fun.

“Halloween Cupcake Murder” by Carlene O’Connor is as saccharine-sweet as the title implies, even with that little word “murder” thrown in.

O’Connor, best known for her series set in an Irish village where the most adorable little murders happen, sets her cupcake-inspired murder mystery in Galway, a city in western Ireland.

American Tara Meehan, visiting relatives in Galway, is looking for Halloween-themed antiques for her architectural salvage store. She meets a likable and eccentric antiquities dealer who is subsequently murdered in an odd way: seemingly poisoned by a Halloween cupcake. Deciding to play sleuth, Meehan uncovers a secret pagan society that may have some nefarious designs on her…

Included in this book is another novella-length mystery: “Mrs. Claus and the Candy Corn Caper” by Liz Ireland. And, yes, it is that Mrs. Claus. Set in Santaland, where Santa, elves, and flying reindeer live out the other 364 days of the year doing normal stuff, the novella features a younger Mrs. Claus who apparently helps to solve mysteries. This one is set on Halloween, a relatively new holiday for Santaland. The festivities are put on hold when an elf is found dead, and foul play is suspected.

Also included is Carol J. Perry’s “A Triple Layer Halloween Murder”. Set in modern-day Salem, Lee Barrett is a program director for WICH-TV. When a local beloved baker goes missing, Barrett goes into investigative reporter mode. It also helps that she has a certain supernatural ability that is quite helpful when solving possible murders.

This book is a fun little sampler of these authors’ long-running mystery series. If you like cozy mysteries (where the sex and violence is nonexistent, and even the murders are inoffensive), you may enjoy this.

Happy Halloween!

[Cozybooklady · Rating 3 out of 5]

The cover of this book immediately grabbed my attention and I quickly downloaded Halloween Cupcake Murder.
The first story seemed to read like Edgar Allen Poe, and the story was interesting.
The second story didn't intrigue me, I just don't seem to enjoy this particular author.
The third story was by one of my favorite authors and it was a good whodunit.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of the book.
#HalloweenCupcakeMurder #NetGalley

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Halloween Cupcake Murder includes three novellas whose mystery involves a Halloween cupcake in some way.

The first story of the book is Halloween Cupcake Murder by Carlene O'Connor. The main character is Tara Meehan from the author's Home to Ireland series. I've read one of the prior books in this series, but it's not necessary to enjoy this story.Tara runs an architectural salvage shop in Galway, Ireland and gets involved in an unusual mystery. This story has an interesting, detailed plot but sometimes moves a bit slowly. I still enjoyed it and it has a great ending that fans of the series will especially like.

My favorite story in the book is Mrs. Claus and the Candy Corn Caper by Liz Ireland. Everyone in Santaland is preparing for a Halloween Carnival and bake-off, but there's a shortage of candy corn, the themed ingredient. The premise of Mrs. Claus solving crimes is unique and this story is so entertaining. I enjoy the characters, the setting, and the humor. Although I've only read one of the prior full-length books in the series, I loved this story and can't wait to read more by Ireland.

The final story in the book is Halloween Murder by Carol J. Perry. I was not familiar with this author, but enjoyed this story which takes place in Salem, Massachusetts. Lee Barrett is a program director and occasional field reporter who sometimes sees visions in reflective surfaces. These visions, along with her cat O'Ryan, are helpful when Lee investigates the case of a missing cupcake baker. The story has a cute ending and I would like to check out other books in this story.

Overall, this is a nice variety of mystery stories that are fun to read and will have you looking forward to Halloween!

I received an advance copy of this ebook from NetGalley and Kensington Books at no cost, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is a good collection of Halloween themed mysteries by three different authors. Ireland, North Pole and Salem. Traditional Ireland, Christmasland and Salem at Halloween.
I wanted to read it because I'm a huge fun of Carol J Perry's Witchy City but I also thoroughly enjoyed the other novellas.
Well plotted and entertaining stories.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

[Rachaelbookhunter · Rating 4 out of 5]

These holiday themed collections are always fun. In Halloween Cupcake Murder you get three mystery novellas with a Halloween Cupcake theme. It's nice because you can read one and take a break or just read them straight through like I did. It's also a chance to sample a writer's work. I hadn't read any of these authors before so let's see what I thought.

The first novella is Halloween Cupcake Murder by Carlene O'Connor. This one has a slightly spooky feel. Great use of giant cupcakes and information about the origins of Halloween. The main character seems smart and makes some good decisions. I'm interested in reading more, especially as part of the storyline encourages you to continue.

The second one is Mrs. Claus and the Candy Corn Caper by Liz Ireland. That's right, this story and series takes place in Santaland. This is my favorite of the three novellas. The writing is wonderful. Everything is fun and magical. I couldn't help smiling at the characters' names and the elves' quirky behaviors. The mystery is great too. The cupcakes here are made with candy corn. I cannot wait to read the series now!

The last one is A Triple Layer Halloween Murder by Carole J. Perry. This is my least favorite of the three. Despite taking place in Salem this felt the least like Halloween. The main character gets visions which didn't seem to be that helpful and the mystery wasn't satisfying. Also, the ending felt rushed. There is great cat action though which makes it worth reading. The cupcakes here have orange marmalade.

I enjoyed this collection and definitely recommend it.

[pam henneous · Rating 3 out of 5]

First novelette was OK, second one I didn't like, third one was my favorite, but I've read all the books in the series.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not usually a fan of novellas for the series I read because they don't really advance the storyline much but these were different, particularly the first one that really threw a whopper at me! All of these were solid mysteries and, if fleshed out, could have been a full book each but were perfect at this length. I enjoyed all three of them. They can be read as standalones but are better read in their place within the series because of the backstories for the characters.

i received a copy from #NetGalley for an honest review.

[Micky Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful collection of Halloween themed cozy mysteries! The reason I picked this book up was because of Carlene O'Connor and her Home to Ireland series. I saw that the first story in the collection is a novella for that series and I couldn't pass that up! Tara has moved from her home in the US to Galaway, Ireland to run an architectural salvage business and home decor store. Unfortunately, she seems to keep finding dead bodies! A wonderfully written cast of characters that are fun as well as lovable wrapped in great plots that keep you reading until you unravel the mystery. I enjoy my visit each time! However, the beauty of picking up a collection of novellas like this is that you get introduced to new characters and series as well. Liz Ireland's novella takes you to Christmastown which is a walk through all of the childhood stories, cartoons and movies about Christmas that we all enjoyed! You have elves, living snowmen, abominable snowmen, talking reindeer and so much more, but with an adult cozy mystery twist. Unfortunately, not all elves are nice and fun loving as Mrs. Claus finds herself having to solve murders more than she cares too! It was a fun read and an incredible walk down memory lane that made me giggle more than once! The third story was also from a new to me series and I think I have found a new batch of favorite characters! Carol J Perry's addition to the collection is a novella from her Witch City Mystery series and I am hooked! Lee works for a local news station and seems to find herself helping to untangle mysteries as she also tries to get her story! She is surrounded by an intriguing cast of characters that are realistic and relatable. I will definitely be going back and catching up on this series so I can be ready for new additions! All three stories use the same theme of Halloween and Halloween cupcakes are central to the story. It is fun to see how each author takes the theme and twists it into a fun and entertaining story with their own unique twists! Now to see if I can find a good batch of Thanksgiving or Christmas novellas to read!

[Tari · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed each of these author’s takes on a Halloween cupcake murder, and it was fun to read stories from some series I hadn’t visited lately. It made me want to go read their latest book or the one I left off with. I quickly did remember who was who, so no worries if anyone’s not read any of these series. The authors did a great job of identifying characters but not giving away surprises from the regular series.

The whodunit in each one was a surprise for me and I loved how even though these were short stories, they had plenty of mystery and details to flesh it out. Always a pleasure reading the Halloween collection from this publisher!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Kensington Cozies via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

[Pulp_Fiction_Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this from NetGalley in return for an honest review. The reason I originally requested this book is because I had recently been reading and enjoyed Carlene O'Connor's Murder in an Irish... series. This book is comprised of three short stories all based at Halloween and with a connecting thread of all of them having something to do with a cupcake (however loosely the case may be). Overall I thought this was an okay read with the quality of story fluctuating somewhat.

Halloween Cupcake Murder - Carlene O'Connor 4⭐

Mrs. Claus And The Candy Corn Caper - Liz Ireland  1.5⭐

A Triple Layer Halloween - Carol J. Perry 3⭐

[Nancy H · Rating 3 out of 5]

The three stories in this book are good mysteries. The middle one, although it is whimsical and fun for those who like that style, was not as much to my taste as were the other two. But all in all, it was a good book.

[Carla · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fun collection of Halloween novellas. I’ve only read the Irish Village and Witch City Mysteries, so the third story was just okay for me.
HALLOWEEN CUPCAKE MURDER by CARLENE O'CONNOR:Tara Meehan is scouring the town’s curiosity shops for spooky decorations to draw tourists into her architectural salvage store. She finds some items in an antique shop, but shortly after, the owner is dead with a cupcake in his mouth. Then someone shows up in her shop with a cryptic message and another cupcake. Who killed the shopkeeper and what does the message mean?
MRS. CLAUS AND THE CANDY CORN CAPER by LIZ IRELAND: Christmastown is planning a carnival and candy corn themed back-off to celebrate Halloween. This causes a rivalry, as well as someone ending up dead from tainted candy. With thefts, arguing and employees sneaking around, will Mrs. Clause be able to find the killer before someone else ends up dead?
A TRIPLE LAYER HALLOWEEN MURDER by CAROL J. PERRY: Set in Salem, October is a month-long celebration of Halloween. WICH-TV’s Lee Barrett loves this time of year and can’t wait to cover the festivities. When a wealthy bakery owner disappears and his cat, Cupcake is found under mysterious circumstances, Lee needs to either find him, or figure out what happened to him.


I enjoyed the Halloween Cupcake Murder the best of the bunch. It had a real Halloween feel to it with a spooky mystery for Tara to solve. It kept me guessing, and although a novella, it was fully fleshed out. The Santaland story was just okay for me, but that is because it is not a series I read. I know from other reviews that it was enjoyable for those who follow this series. It was an interesting mystery and the characters were intriguing as well. Mrs. Claus can’t help herself but asking questions to solve both a theft a murder when the local police are more interested in the upcoming candy corn baking contest than finding a murderer. Carol J Perry's story was a great addition to the series. Lee, an investigative reporter, is a scryer or gazer, which means she sees visions in shiny objects, mirrors, silver, glass etc. This enables her to see things that are clues to the mystery. She interviews, asks questions and puts together the clues to solve this mystery in a satisfactory way. If you want a taste of these author's work and their series, you can easily pick this up and check them out, afterall, Halloween is right around the corner.

[Micky Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful collection of Halloween themed cozy mysteries! The reason I picked this book up was because of Carlene O'Connor and her Home to Ireland series. I saw that the first story in the collection is a novella for that series and I couldn't pass that up! Tara has moved from her home in the US to Galaway, Ireland to run an architectural salvage business and home decor store. Unfortunately, she seems to keep finding dead bodies! A wonderfully written cast of characters that are fun as well as lovable wrapped in great plots that keep you reading until you unravel the mystery. I enjoy my visit each time! However, the beauty of picking up a collection of novellas like this is that you get introduced to new characters and series as well. Liz Ireland's novella takes you to Christmastown which is a walk through all of the childhood stories, cartoons and movies about Christmas that we all enjoyed! You have elves, living snowmen, abominable snowmen, talking reindeer and so much more, but with an adult cozy mystery twist. Unfortunately, not all elves are nice and fun loving as Mrs. Claus finds herself having to solve murders more than she cares too! It was a fun read and an incredible walk down memory lane that made me giggle more than once! The third story was also from a new to me series and I think I have found a new batch of favorite characters! Carol J Perry's addition to the collection is a novella from her Witch City Mystery series and I am hooked! Lee works for a local news station and seems to find herself helping to untangle mysteries as she also tries to get her story! She is surrounded by an intriguing cast of characters that are realistic and relatable. I will definitely be going back and catching up on this series so I can be ready for new additions! All three stories use the same theme of Halloween and Halloween cupcakes are central to the story. It is fun to see how each author takes the theme and twists it into a fun and entertaining story with their own unique twists! Now to see if I can find a good batch of Thanksgiving or Christmas novellas to read!

[Marita · Rating 3 out of 5]

A silly trio of cozy-mystery novellas all set at Halloween and revolving around murder mysteries involving Halloween cupcakes - for real. The first story - set in Galway Ireland - was a little hard to follow and the second story - in which Mrs Claus introduces Halloween to the North Pole - was over the top silly, not that I would expect anything less. The third story, about a reporter in Salem Massachusetts was the cleanest and most compelling of the three. This is not great literature, nor does it purport to be. My only actual piece of relevant criticism is that in the Mrs Claus story there were entirely too many elf characters with goofy elf names. I would have needed to take notes in the margins and tab pages to keep them all straight and clearly no one reading a novella called 'Mrs Claus and The Candy Corn Caper' is going to do that.

Overall, I thought this was silly and fun. It was pretty much exactly what I was expecting based on the publishers' branding and story synopses.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of, Halloween Cupcake Murder, by Carlene O"Connor, Liz Ireland, and Carol J. Perry, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This book has three short stories in it. First story is the one I liked best, Halloween Cupcake Murder, by Carlene O"Connor, this story is set in Galway, Tara finds herself in a mystery when someone is poisoned by a cupcake. I really liked this story, I wish it was longer.

Second Story is Mrs, Claus and the Candy Corn Caper, by Liz Ireland, I loved the title of this story. Christmastown is all set for the festivities of the season until there is a murder. I enjoyed this town and the story.

The third story is, A triple layer Halloween Murder by, Carol J. Perry. This tale is set in Salem at Halloween. Their is a missing millionaire in Salem, can he be found before Halloween, a delightful read.

[Patrizia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ho comprato questa raccolta di tre racconti perché seguivono due delle serie qui rappresentate. Anche se mi sono appena accorta che il libro è stato messo nella serie sbagliata di Carlene O'Connor: non fa parte della Irish Village, ma dell'altra che è in realtà un duetto più vari racconti. Comunque sia, questo racconto è quello della Perry mi sono piaciuti come mi ero aspettato, ma sono stata conquistata da quello che non conoscevo (Liz Ireland), tanto che ho messo in lista i libri di quella serie. Certo che, se continuano a chiedere 15 euro per un ebook, non li comprerò molto presto... Comunque sia, la protagonista è... come posso chiamarla? Mamma Natale. Non abbiamo questa figura nel nostro immaginario... Ho adorato l'ambientazione e la protagonista: non lo credevo possibile, in precedenza avevo scartato la serie proprio per questo, invece ora spesso di riuscire a leggerla presto.

[Janet Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book with novellas from three authors for one reason: Carol J. Perry.
Perry writes a great Witch City mystery series set in her hometown: Salem, Massachusetts.
Here, she gives us a small viewing into what protagonist Lee Barrett deals with, navigating the streets of Salem during the Halliween season. At the same time, she assists her detective boyfriend in solving the mystery of her favorite baker's disappearance.
Excellent story.
I was also glad to be introduced to a new-to-me author: Carlene O'Connor.
Her Halliween mystery adds a local Irish flavor to this mystery. It makes me want to visit Galway. I shall at least be reading more of her Tara Meehan stories.
Unfortunately, I found the last tale too silly for words, so I will decline comment on the third novella in this book.

[Cozy Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a set of three novellas all Halloween them written by three different cozy authors. The Halloween themes are fun and perfectly written. I found them all entertaining,, funny and enjoyable. Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity. My review opinions are my own.

The three enclosed stories are
Halloween Cupcake Murder by Charlene O"Conner
The Candy Corn Caper by Liz Ireland.
Triple Layer Halloween Murder by Carol Perry.

I recommend this fun set of short stories for all who love Halloween and enjoy cozy mysteries.

I’

[Kara Rutledge · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd like to thank NetGalley for the Advanced Readers Copy of this collection that I received for free in exchange for my honest review.

The first novella in this collection is part of a series and is named Halloween Cupcake Murder (Irish Village Mystery, #9.5) written by Carlene O'Connor.  Tara Meehan owns an architectural salvage yard and in search of new products for her store.  When she receives a cupcake and a cryptic message from a stranger, Tara becomes entwined with an ancient mystery tied to Samhain.  I found this story to be intriguing but a little hard to follow at times, but all in all, I really enjoyed this novella.  It was suspenseful without being scary, and I loved that their was a secret society involved.  It made me want to re-watch the movie The Skulls.  Four out of five stars.

The second novella is also part of a series and is entitled Mrs. Claus and the Candy Corn Caper written by Liz Ireland.  Mrs. Claus has introduced the holiday of Halloween to Christmastown, and the locals are planning a huge celebration that includes a candy corn themed bake off.  When an employee is found dead at the newest bakery in town, Mrs. Claus is determined to save the holiday by find out who would be so awful to kill.  I loved the concept of this novella because I love both Halloween and Christmas, but the story seemed to be targeted more towards tweens and teens instead of adults.  For that reason, I had a hard time connecting with this tale.  However, I am will to read other stories written by this author.  Three out of five stars.

The third novella is called A Triple Layer Halloween Murder written by Carol J. Perry and is part of a series as well.  The town of Salem, Massachusetts is amping up for its month long celebration of Halloween, and Lee Barrett is looking forward to covering all the festivities for the local news station.  However, when a local bakery owner goes missing, and Lee's security system captures the bakery owner catching a ride in front of her house, she knows she has to help solve this mystery.  This story was somewhat predictable, but I absolutely loved the fact it took place in Salem, which is one of my favorite places to visit.  The author did a fantastic job of keeping me engaged in the plot and wanting to know what happened next.  I definitely want to read more books in this series.  Four out of five stars.

[A. L. Stroh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the Kindle download of this book of three holiday mystery stories by three authors, Carlene O'Connor, Carol J. Perry, and Liz Ireland. The cover is bright and eye catching perfect for the upcoming Halloween season. I enjoyed all three stories. To be honest the murder in a Christmas Village was my least favorite of the three, but it was still a fun read.

[Jeanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mixed bag, but good selection of novellas. O'connor's was the weakest for me; somehow the plot didn't hold together. I would give it maybe 2.5 stars. I love Perry's Witch City series, so this one was a treat. I had heard good things about Liz Ireland's Mrs. Claus series and the praise is warranted. Her tale was a delight and I am definitely going to pick up more by this author.

[Shauna · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun (can you call tales of murder fun?) autumn read. The second tale which is based in Santaland was a little wacky for me. There is a crime just before a Halloween Celebration being held in the city of Santa and his elves. It was a bit of a stretch, but not too bad. I enjoyed myself overall.

[Cathy Farrell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Of the 3 novellas, I'd think about reading other works by O'Connor or Perry, but not Ireland. Her characters just didn't work for me, being a little too "twee" (borrowed British term, but I can't think of another way to say it)

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun, quick read of three short stories, all featuring Halloween-themed cupcakes. I liked all three but A Triple Layer Halloween Murder by Carol J. Perry was my favorite. Glad to read two new-to-me authors as well.
Now I want some cupcakes….

[Rebecca Werner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three cute little seasonal mysteries.

[Jerri Cachero · Rating 4 out of 5]

A perfect Halloween or anytime mystery! I'm a fan of Carol J. Perry but hadn't read any of Carlene Carter or Liz Ireland's books. Now they're on my "to be read" list!

[Caryn Zdan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read the Carol j Perry one only.

[LittleRead · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love novellas. Even more I love when three of my favorite cozy series are released in one themed novella bundle!

You do not want to miss these if you’re a fan of these three series! And if you’ve not read any of them yet? It’s a great introduction to them. Either way, get your Halloween read on!