The first book in the Mercy McCarthy book series, and is the perfect cozy mystery book. Connelly writes vividly without being wordy. I could picture the court, I could picture the bookshop, and the little town. There is variety in the cast of characters, inclusive of different races and sexual orientation. All of their personalities were different (which can be hard to do with so many characters), and each of the characters brings something to the storyline. This is probably the first time that I’ve read a book with many characters and didn’t struggle to remember who was who.

Mercy is probably my favorite. She is a writer that does tons of research into her books so that she can get her characters right. Due to that, she has some knowledge in a vast array of things in the world from CPR, to how detectives work, to hacking. It helps give this character so much depth.

The mystery part keeps you wondering who could be behind it all – and it really could be anyone. Everyone seemed to have a motive, but I didn’t know for sure until the reveal.

If you like cozy mysteries, then check this one out

An unexpected inheritance from the grandfather they never met
Has twin sisters, Mercy and Lizzie, making their longest move yet!
They travel from their homes in America to Ireland to start again
After grief and losses have caused both so much pain.

Shamrock Cove is where their new home will be
With a bookshop and cottage they're travelling to see.
Will this be the fresh start that they are needing now?
Both are hoping all will work out anyhow!

Welcomed by the locals and a party to greet them, too,
But when going home they find the Judge dying what should they do?
When he accuses Mercy of murder, she needs to clear her name
And her investigations show how he treated others was a shame!

Mercy is a crime writer and uses her expertise
To look into the case and she doesn't like what she sees!
There are too many possible suspects and threats appear, too,
This wasn't what Lizzie needed after all she's already been through!

There's a definite sense of community, and mystery as well
In this intriguing story that I really enjoyed - I hope you can tell.
The characters are well developed, some seem to become your friends
And there are so many twists, you're not sure how it all will end!

So glad this is the first in a series that is new
I can't wait to read more and hope you will, too!
For my copy of this book I say a huge thank you
As I share with you this, my honest review.

I am always SO EXCITED to be in on the first of a series and this cozy mystery was such a great reading experience! Mercy and her twin sister Lizzie inherit a bookstore in Ireland and have hardly arrived in town when a local judge dies unexpectedly. And he’s just the first! One thing I loved about this book was that the characters had such rich development and complete backstories. It did not feel like the first in a series at all. I loved the bond between the sisters and, like all good cozies, I was guessing, gasping, and laughing while reading!

Thank you so much for my copy and for making me part of the tour! And — I’ve just signed up to receive the second installment when it publishes and to do the blog tour in the fall. Yay!

What a fantastic start to what promises to become a favourite series! I absolutely loved Mercy and her sister Lizzie immediately – even though they are twins, they have such distinct personalities and love and support each other’s strengths and weaknesses. And the fact that they are looking for a fresh start in their grandfather’s home and bookshop is a great beginning.

Mercy really comes into her own – as a successful mystery writer it isn’t hard to see why she would want to get involved to clear her name and protect herself and her sister, especially when the murderer seems to be too close for comfort. And Lizzie is just charming as the more laid-back, outgoing twin, albeit with a tragic trauma in her past.

Mercy and Lizzie aren’t the only characters who I fell in love with. The twins live in a cute ‘enclosed’ neighbourhood where the houses must be inherited and the new owners approved by the other inhabitants. It sounds weird, but trust me, it works here. Their neighbours are all wonderful and varied and I can’t wait to learn even more about each of them in future books.

The mystery was really well done and kept me guessing. I had a good idea who the killer was pretty early on but still continued to doubt my choice until the reveal. There were lots of fun twists and red herrings which made me want to keep reading.

Alongside the main mysteries of this book there was a bit of set up for a plot that I expect will take a bit longer to unravel – the girls know almost nothing of their grandfather and I think discovering more about him, and their father (who they also didn’t know), will be a sub-plot we’ll see again. I can’t wait and am already eagerly anticipating the next book!

I love Ireland: the myths, the lore, the timeless panorama, and the contrast between the high-tech industry and the countryside. A complex and intriguing country that has captured a piece of my heart.
I think that almost everyone dreams of inheriting a shop in a lovely postcard picture village.
So suspend your disbelief and be ready to travel to rural Ireland, meet the residents, and see how Mercy and Lizzie, true New Yorkers, are adapting to the idea of a previously unknown grandfather and a different way of living. They also have to find the culprit of a murder, as Mercy is the main suspect.
I had fun and enjoyed this immersive experience as I read and listened to the audiobook. The voices added layers and made the characters three-dimensional and relatable.
It’s the first in a series, and I’m curious about the next instalment.
The mystery is well done and never takes a backseat: there are no plot holes, and there are enough surprising twists to keep your attention alive. The solution was unexpected and satisfying.
Entertaining and compelling, recommended.
Many thanks to Bookouture for this digital copy and audiobook, all opinions are mine.

From beginning to end I had an amazing time reading this book! The setting of the little Irish town was so cute, I fell for most of the residents of the court from the first time we met them and I was actively rooting for them not to turn out to be the killers. I loved Mercy and Lizzie and their relationship, and OMG did I love that bookstore!!!

Mercy is a writer and I really enjoyed seeing her try and put the puzzle pieces together to figure out who the killer was, and the little flirtatious romance between her and Keiran was pretty comical and adorable once some things were out of the way. This book had me laughing out loud, and my stomach grumbling... There are many mentions of delicious food and the descriptions had me wanting to start cooking. I didn't fully put together who the killer was before it was revealed, although they were on my suspects list lol.. I thought this was a great first book in a series and I can't wait to see whats going to come next for Lizzie and Mercy!

Twin sisters Mercy and Lizzie inherit a bookshop and cottage in Ireland from their grandfather. A grandfather they have never met. After deciding to move to the picture perfect little village of Shamrock Cove, they are shocked to find that crime can be found even in the most beautiful places. When one of their new neighbours dies in front of them - and accuses Mercy of murder - they feel compelled to find out the truth.

As they settle into their new bookshop, they get to know the villagers, and find that secrets lie beneath the surface. The victim was not universally liked. But did any of his neighbours kill him?

Mercy is a mystery writer and uses her acquired skills to help her investigate. Her knowledge on certain subjects puts her in the frame more than once, and the rather attractive local detective sees her as a suspect. Can she convince him of her innocence?

I liked the sisters and the beautiful Irish setting. Seeing the village from the viewpoint of these newcomers worked well, and I found myself immersed in their story. They had very different personalities and different strengths. By pooling these, they made a formidable team. I loved the community element of the story too, and can’t wait to be back in Shamrock Cove again.

An Irish Bookshop Murder by Lucy Connelly

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Bookouture and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

After receiving unexpected inheritance from her grandfather, Mercy and her twin sister Lizzie are now the proud owners of a charming antique bookshop in the tiny Irish village of Shamrock Cove. But before they can take in the beautiful view of the sea, one of their neighbors drops dead!

Mercy finds the Judge, a well-respected man who lives next door, dying on his own doorstep. She rushes to help, but with his final words, he accuses Mercy of murder! Most of their new neighbors hear his words and, with suspicion pointing at Mercy, she decides to investigate the case to clear her name.

Searching amongst the Judge’s old books, Mercy uncovers letters proving several of the townsfolk had reason to dislike the judge—but was it the local pub landlord, the kindly cook or neighborly knitter who killed him?

My Opinion

Mercy and her twin sister Lizzie have inherited a bookshop from a grandfather they have never met. Mercy is an author of mystery novels so when there are a few crimes in the area she feels able to investigate.

An Irish Bookshop Murder is the first book in a new series, and with some great characters it is definitely a series I will be reading. For me this was a nice, easy read that I was able to read over a day. If you are looking for a nice small town mystery then add this to your want to read list.

Rating 4/5

I love a book set in Ireland!! Mercy and her sister Lizzie go to Ireland when their unknown grandfather leaves them a home AND a bookshop. The sisters quickly make friends in the neighborhood but then the Judge, a grumpy man, dies in front of Mercy. Everyone thinks she had something to do with it so she has to clear her name. If you like a cozy mystery, this book is for you!
I am looking forward to more books in this series. I hope we see more of Lolly O’Malley, the nosy, but loving neighbor. Thank you Bookouture for inviting me to be part of the Books on Tour for “An Irish Bookshop Murder” by Lucy Connelly. Many thanks to the author, Bookouture and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
#AnIrishBookshopMurder #LucyConnelly #NetGalley #Bookouture #BooksOnTour #BookLove #Bookstagram #NewBook #ILoveBooks #BooksSetInIreland

Reading Between the Wines book review #80/130 for 2024:
BOOK TOUR!
Rating: 4 🍷🍷🍷🍷
Book: An Irish Bookshop Murder
Author: Lucy Connelly
Available now!! Released on Aug 22!

Sipping thoughts: I think Mercy might be my newest favorite female lead character. I love how strong she is and how she is lowkey witty. Mercy not only laughed and threw shade throughout a murder mystery, one she was a suspect in, but she also decided to investigate for herself. The quaint Irish town that Mercy and her twin Lizzie moved to have some very interesting characters. I guessed who the murderer was but only because I guessed every character <insert smirk>. I enjoyed following Mercy and the sometimes likable, sometimes unlikable sheriff on their journey to solve a mystery. I can’t wait to read and see what Mercy and Lizzie get themselves into in Death by the Book.

Cheers and thank you to @Bookouture and @Netgalley for an advanced copy and Books on Tour of @AnIrishBookshopMurder.

#AnIrishBookshopMurder #LucyConnelly #Bookouture #NetGalley #advancedreadercopy #ARC #Kindle #Booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #bookstagram #nicoles_bookcellar #bookworm #bookdragon #booknerd #booklover #bookstagrammer #bookaholic #bookreview #bookreviewer #IHaveNoShelfControl #ReadingBetweenTheWines #fiction #thriller #suspense #mystery #MysteryAndThrillers #GeneralFictionAdult

I decided to apply for the ARC of this book on NetGalley after reading the synopsis that immediately piqued my interest. It's been a while since I've read a mystery, and while this one was entertaining, a few aspects left me frustrated.
The biggest issue for me was the main character, Mercy. I can't even begin to express how irritating she was, especially with her constant reminders about being a mystery writer. If I took a drink every time she mentioned her "mystery writer's mind" or how she "wrote misteries for a living" I'd have been passed out by 30% of the book!
Her self-centered attitude was annoying.
She seemed to think she had the right to tell the town sheriff how to do his iob and was outraged when he interrogated her and her sister as murder suspects.
Did she really expect to be above suspicion just because she writes mysteries? It was hard to root for someone
SO smug.
On the bright side, the writing style was okay, and the book was fast-paced, which made it easy to read.
The mystery was good too, I didn't guess the murderer's identity until the last chapters.
However, the final reveal wasn't so shocking. Instead of a grand revelation, it felt more like an 'Oh, okay, that's the murderer' moment, and I moved on with my day.
Overall, it wasn't a bad book, it was enjoyable in parts, but the main character's annoying traits kind of ruined my experience. I found myself getting more caught up in my frustration with Mercy than in the mystery itself.

An Irish Bookshop Murder AUDIO by Lucy Connelly is the first in a new series featuring two sisters, Lizzie and Mercy. They have had a rough few months. Mercy, a successful author living in New York City, has been plagued by a stalker. Lizzie lost her fiance and his daughter in a car wreck. They both lost their mother to cancer. Then, they were notified of a grandfather they never knew existed who had left them a house and a bookshop in Ireland. Now, here they were. And there was a murder. Mercy cannot leave it alone despite Lizzie and the very attractive Kieran, the guarda detective both asking her to back off. They are settling nicely. The first half of Mercy’s new book has been sent off and they love it and Lizzie is enthralled by the bookshop, believing she’s found her happy place. But, things keep happening. It’s almost like the stalker. Then Mercy gets shoved into a tree by someone running past her in the dark of night. Things are escalating when there is a second murder.

These two lead characters are both well-rounded and inspiring. Mercy is grounded, stubborn, and focused. Lizzie is is much calmer, kinder, and more gentle. They make a good duo. They house is on a court and there are rules about who can move into a house. They were good because they inherited theirs but they still had no clue about their grandfather or their father. The other inhabitants of the court were friendly and interesting. The last remaining elder was Lolly, who turned out to be Kieran’s grandmother. There was also the judge, now dead, a gay couple, a lovely single woman, and a married couple. The mystery was a good one. Who killed the judge? Despite how crabby he was, the people who spoke at his wake had great affection and respect for him. Why was he dead then? Well written and engaging story with excellent characters. I look forward to more in this series.

The narrator was Kimberly Wetherell who did an excellent job with the characters and the accents. She brought the characters to life, especially Mercy and Lizzie and I look forward to more from her.

I was invited to listen to An Irish Bookshop Murder by Bookoutre Audio and to read by Bookoutre. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #BookoutreAudio #Bookoutre #LucyConnelly #KimberlyWetherell #AnIrishBookshopMurder

* Twins are an interesting angle to a standard trope
* Audio is good
* Writer about writing is always a solid approach
* Intriguing community
* Great character development for a first book in a series
* I don’t buy the way the MC gets some of her info
* The craft shop seems a bit off. Usually the shops are yarn or fabric, not both, in my experience.
* “Do you want to go home” becomes repetitive
* Audio is quite good

I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I received a complimentary ARC copy of An Irish Bookshop Murder (Mercy McCarthy Mysteries) #1) by Lucy Connelly from NetGalley and Bookouture in order to read and give an honest review.

… A well written, fun whodunit with a twisty mystery, quirky characters, a blossoming romance, a few chilling moments and plenty of red herrings which will keep the reader guessing to the end…

The first entry of the new series from one of my favourite authors Lucy Connelly, An Irish Bookshop Mystery (Mercy McCarthy Mysteries) does not disappoint.

When Twin sisters Mercy McCarthy and Lizzie McCarthy both recovering from deeply traumatic experiences, Mystery author, Mercy is stalked by a deranged fan, and entrepreneur, Lizzie loses everything she loves to the point her grief takes an almost dangerous turn. With the recent death of their mother and never knowing much about their father, they are shocked when their paternal grandfather a man they knew nothing about dies leaving them a little cottage and a bookshop in the peculiar little village of Shamrock Cove, Ireland it is just what the sisters needed. Both women looking for a fresh start jump when the opportunity to start over in Ireland presents itself and they decide to leave Texas to head across the pond to Shamrock Cove

Once there, they fall in love with their cottage as well as the bookstore and seem to be fitting in with their new little neighbourhood. They are warmly welcomed by their quirky neighbours except for the grumpy old judge who seems to have a beef with everyone but in particular the two sisters. All is going well until at a neighbourhood party Mercy stumbles across the judge in distress, she goes as far as trying to administer first aid, but when the dying man points to them before taking his last breath, they become prime suspects in what they soon learn is his murder. Mercy a mystery novelist, seems to know a little too much for Kieran, the lead detective who does not approve of her questions. With her experience with consulting law enforcement for her books she figures it is up to her to find proof of her and her sister’s innocence. After a few strange occurrences come to light that suggest that the killer must be one of their neighbours the race is on to get to the truth and catch the murderer before they turn their sights on the sisters.

A well written, fun whodunit with a twisty mystery, quirky characters, a blossoming romance, a few chilling moments and plenty of red herrings which will keep the reader guessing to the end. I appreciated how the author wrote each of the twin sisters as individuals, each with their own unique personalities yet with an unspeakable bond. I love protagonists who are intelligent, strong, down to earth, yet empathetic and vulnerable. I was also impressed by her supporting characters, the friendships they formed felt genuine. My only issue was with the narrative (accents in particular) which at times felt a tad unbelievable. I thoroughly enjoyed this new series and I really look forward to reading more about Mercy and Lizzie as they make their life in Shamrock Cove. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a fun cozy mystery.

OMGoodness! What a delightful new cozy series to curl up with! This is my first read by this author, but it will not be the last! Loved all the characters, the mystery and the twins!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC!

Once again, another interesting read from this author. I like the characters and the setting. It was great visiting an area of Ireland. The mystery kept me guessing.

Thank you to author, publisher, and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a wonderful new series to get yourself lost in - I feel like I say this all the time but I really LOVED THIS BOOK! I was having a little bit of a reading lull and as I was on the blog tour for this book, I thought I would try the first chapter and see how it took me......... and I couldn't put it down. I read it over a few days and felt rejuvinated with my reading.

We are introduced the twin sisters Mercy and Lizzy who discover they have inherited a bookshop and house in a small Irish village from a Grandfather they didn’t know existed and both decide this will be the perfect fresh start for them. Lizzy, is recovering from a devastating personal tragedy and Mercy feels this will be a good move for her own career as an award winning mystery writer, whilst also getting away from her mysterious stalker plus also learning more about their grandfather and his life that they know next to nothing about.

Shamrock Cove is a small cosy village that doesn't usually welcome newcomers. They are a closely knit community but Mercy and Lizzy are welcomed to the village because of their much loved grandfather with a welcome party at the store and immediately feel right at home and know that they have made the correct decision in moving to the other side of the world. However, things take a slightly sinister turn when one of the guests is murdered on his doorstep. As they are new to the village, suspicion does fall on them, especially as Mercy was the first person to come across the body. Due to this Mercy decides to become a character from her own books and investigate a la Jessica Fletcher style (who I also love).

I absolutely loved this book and all the characters who we learn a great deal about. Everyone is under suspicion and I suspected them all as is my usual modus operandis! I was pleasantly surprised when all was revealed as I felt I probably missed some clue on the way.

The author has successfully crafted and put together a wonderful cosy mystery that kept me turning the pages. The characters and their backgrounds are welcome additions that add a lot of depth to the story and I began to hope that some weren’t involved as I had grown attached to them!

I really liked that there were some loose ends that will hopefully follow into the next book where we will hopefully find out more about Mercy and Lizzy’s family. I will be staying tuned as I have already signed up to read book 2!

The first in a new cozy series about Mercy, a writer, who inherits a house and bookshop in Ireland with her twin Lizzie. They are in dire need for a change of scenery so jump at the opportunity. However, on their first day there, a notorious grump is murdered and points at Mercy as the culprit with his dying words. She must investigate to clear her name.

Overall, I liked this one! I think it started out a little slow, but once Mercy got really into the investigating, it definitely picked up. I am curious a little about Mercy as a character, especially in terms of age. She seems around 40? Because she references being with her book agent for 20 years, so at youngest maybe 38? But then there were other things that made her seem younger. Maybe I just missed it! I also liked the crew on the court, and the reveal was surprising - Connelly did a good job of hiding the culprit. I look forward to Mercy's next mystery!

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

The first book in a new series is always sort of a set up no matter what genre you are reading an that is true of cozies. You are getting to know all the characters and getting a feel for the setting.

Mercy and Lizzie are twin sisters who have had misfortunes and are in need a new beginning. They are American's and didn't know about their Irish side until they find out that a grandfather they didn't know has left them his cottage and bookshop in Ireland. So they decide to move there. The place is call Shamrock Cove and it's kind of like a gated community but called The Court. It has a different sort of way of handing down the property.

They hadn't been there long when they are invited to a party to welcome them when they meet a grumpy judge who not long after ends up dead and they are the ones that find him. He even calls out and points at Mercy saying she murdered him. They don't even know him so that was a strange thing and nobody really thinks they did it but they are new to the court.

Mercy is a fairly famous mystery writer and she is suppose to be working on her new book while her sister Lizzie takes care of the bookstore, but the fact that this old man accused her of murder makes her curious about things so she wants to try and figure out the mystery. She drags her sister along at times.

What I liked about this story:

I liked the close bond between the twin sisters. Even though they are twins they are very different, but those differences makes them a great team. I love that it's set in Ireland as that is a place I would like to travel to one day. I liked most of the characters on the court, Lolly probably being my favorite. I found the mystery to be decently hard to solve, the author gives you plenty of suspects. I did figure it out though and at times wondered why the mystery writer was getting dupped. Still it was a decent mystery.

What I didn't like:

The things I didn't like are my personal preference when it comes to reading stories. I don't need social commentaries or buzz words or phrases or things like that in my stories. I read to be entertained and I am not a critical thinker when it comes to reading. I often felt like the author was ticking off some boxes with things that were said. This would make me roll my eyes and take me out of the story. So while I enjoyed certain parts of this story I wasn't as big of a fan of it as I wanted to be. Which is a bummer as I really like her Scottish Isle series which so far doesn't throw in all the things I didn't like in this one. So that being said it was my personal preference that caused me not to enjoy this as much as I wanted too and I think others will be just fine with it and probably enjoy those things I didn't like. I may try book two to see how I get on with it.

So I would recommend this to those who enjoy cozy mysteries.

Overall, I think it is fair to say I liked this book well enough. It was a quick read and I was interested to learn who the killer was. The author created an appealing village and likable characters.

Areas for improvement, in my opinion:
- There was a lot of repetition of details. It felt as though I, as a reader, could not be trusted to remember things.
- The characters, though likeable, were not particularly well flushed out.
- I could do without the subtle anti-fatness.
- The mystery solving felt anticlimactic. If I as the reader was meant to solve the murder, I don't know as it was written to allow me to do that. If that wasn't the intention, I still felt underwhelmed by the resolution.

I think there is a place for this book, and it fits well in the cozy murder mystery genre.

2.75/5 stars - It was somewhere between "it was okay" and "I liked it" for me.