Ireland - check. Bookstore - check. Coffee - check. Cozy murder mystery - CHECK! This was a really fun listen, the story moves along quickly and there's a quaintness to it all. Slam dunk cozy crime fiction.

This is a hard review to write because I liked the actual story but I absolutely hated the narration of the audio book. If I had read a physical copy I probably would have given it more stars.

When the vast majority of characters in a book are irish the narrator should be, if not irish, at the very least be able to do an Irish accent. The accents she tried to do were just bizarre!

As for the actual book. I have all ready said I liked the story but a LOT more research on ireland should have been done before setting a book here. One example off the top of my head. If you order a drink in an pub over here called a 'black and tan' you are much more likely to receive a slap in the face and a lifetime ban than an invitation to join the local qui team.

Maybe it's because I am from Ireland that it annoyed me so much but it was full of misleading insulting stereotypes.

As this is the first book in a series I truly hope more research is done for the rest of the books... (at the very least have an Irish person proofread it). The characters are very likeable and have so much potential. And the actual storyline was really good. It's just such a pity the stereotyping let it down so badly.

If your not irish and don't know anyone who is you will probably love this book!

Who doesn't love a cozy mystery set in an Irish village with a cottage, a bookshop and a fun cast of characters?
That's the basis for Lucy Connolly's "An Irish Bookshop Murder." Twin sisters inherit their grandfather's home and bookshop in Ireland. One twin is a mystery writer and the other is recovering from the loss of her partner and stepdaughter.
This wasn't just a fun cozy mystery, it also dealt with healing from loss and reconnecting with an unknown relative through stories about their life.
I really enjoyed this read, for the story and mystery itself, but also the characters, sisterly relationship and of course the setting.
The narrator did a good job, using both American and Irish accents where needed. Her timing was well-done.
I look forward to the next book in this series, and I'm hoping we spend more time in the charming bookshop.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture Auduo for the opportunity to listen to this ARC.

An Irish Bookshop Murder is a fun start to a new cozy mystery series by Lucy Connelly. I really enjoyed her Scottish Isle series so was excited to read this one as soon as I heard she had a new series coming out. It was entertaining to watch Mercy and her twin sister Lizzie work to figure out who was the murderer in their new little town and butt heads with the local handsome police chief. And who can resist a book that has a bookshop in it?! It was a perfect book to listen to as I traveled to the Cliffs of Moher with my family. I could just imagine the sweet little town of Shamrock Cove and would totally love to visit there!

I read/listened to the audio book which I really enjoyed. Kimberley Wetherell did a wonderful job narrating.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Publication date: 22 August 2024

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this audiobook!

I really enjoyed this cozy crime mystery. The narrator was fantastic and really added to the overall vibe of the story. The author’s style of writing kept the book interesting and easy to follow.

A true cozy mystery read! Lucy Connelly’s books are a great series to check out for those that love Carlene O’Connor.

The main characters Mercy and Lizzie McCarthy were so likable and enjoyable to follow. The members (and suspects) of their new community are quirky and engaging. I felt the ending was a bit rushed, but overall it delivered on being a fun, cozy mystery.

The narrator was enjoyable and the pace of the book was good.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Cozy mysteries is one of my favorite genres. Add in an Irish setting and I am all in. I enjoyed meeting all the charaters, many of whom were a bit quirky but likeable. There seemed to be a little romantic interest brewing between Mercy and the detective that I would like to see grow throughout future books. One of my favorite moments was seeing Lizzie stand up for herself. She'd been dealing with grief from the loss of her mom, fiance and future bonus daughter and lost herself a bit to PTSD. Then it was as if she said no more and got the strength to face off with the detective and tell Mercy to stop coddling her,

There were only a few of things that didn't work for me:
1) Mercy asking for a spoon to put in someone's mouth when they appeared to be having a seizure. The first thing you learn in a first aid class is never try to stick anything in a person's mouth when they are having a seizure. You turn them on their side if possible and support their head. A simple internet search or even a first aid class would have made a difference here.
2) The big reveal just didn't make sense and fell flat. The reason behind the killer's actions felt like the author didn't really think that part through. It was rushed and just thrown together.
3) This was a little longer than it needed to be. The story was stretched out far longer than necessary.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and look forward to visiting the characters and Shamrock Cove again. Oh and the narration was perfect. Please stick with the same narrator for the rest of the series.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture Audio for the ALC.

Story: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Narration: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Overall: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

After receiving an 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. Their plans take a turn when a body is found.

I loved the start to a new cozy series. There’s a hint of romance, which i always enjoy. I loved how Mercy is an author. I can’t wait to see where this story goes.

ALC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: An Irish Bookshop Murder by Lucy Connelly

✨ Small-town charm
✨ Murder mystery
✨ Strong sibling bond

An Irish Bookshop Murder combines all the elements I love—an idyllic village, a cozy bookshop, and a thrilling murder mystery. The story follows twins Mercy and Lizzie as they inherit both a house and a bookshop in Shamrock Grove after their grandfather's death—a man they never even knew existed. The close-knit community is initially hesitant to accept them, but the twins quickly find their footing.

Mercy, a mystery writer herself, can’t help but dive into detective work when she suspects the local police are not up to solving the crime. While I appreciated her passion, there were times when her constant interference became a little frustrating. She seemed convinced the detective was out to get her, which felt a bit over the top, especially given she was a legitimate suspect. I wished she had respected the investigation more at times.

The audiobook narrator did a solid job distinguishing the characters, though some of the accents felt a bit exaggerated, which threw me off occasionally. That said, the narration was still easy to follow.

As much as I enjoyed the book, I found the ending a bit rushed, and I had guessed the twist earlier than expected. Despite that, An Irish Bookshop Murder was a fun and engaging read, and I’m already looking forward to the next book in the series.

A big thank you to Lucy Connelly and NetGalley for the ARC audiobook!

A perfect cosy murder mystery set in a small town bookshop with a array of colourful unique characters, What's not to love?

The very definition of cozy, this is a feel-good story of two sisters working together to save each other and the bookstore they inherited from an unknown grandfather, and also get to the bottom of the murder of their new neighbor.

This didn't stand out to me as memorable or exceptional, and I have liked other books by Lucy Connelly much more than this one. However, it hits the spot when you need something cozy, and something championing women and their struggles. Also, they are fish out of water in this new country, with new responsibilities, and you will easily want to step into their shoes despite the dead bodies, family secrets, and accusations flying. It's good, clean, fun.

An Irish Bookshop Murder is the story of Mercy and Lizzie, twins who inherit their grandfather’s bookstore in Ireland. But on their first day there, someone Murders their new neighbor. Will they figure out who and why?

4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


✨ a small town thriller
✨ murder
✨ a friendship



✨the story was focus on twins who inherit a bookshop in a small village after there grandparents die. As the village was small and people can easily recognise together and they welcomed the twins.
As one of the twins, Mercy is an author and struggle with it she turns into a detective work.
As some of the events was annoying because she was interrupting some of the police work.
Other than that, it was an easy read for a small village thriller .



✨ Thankyou #bookouture for the opportunity to read this arc for a honest review.





🫶🏼shaye.reads

Thank you to Lucy Connelly and NetGalley for the ARC (audiobook).

I really liked the sound of this story - a small town, a bookshop, a murder - everything I love in a book. And it didn't disappoint. The story follows twins Mercy and Lizzie after they inherit a house and a bookshop from their grandfather after he dies (a grandfather they didn't even know about I should add). The area of Shamrock Grove they move to is incredibly tight-knit and some are hesitant to welcome them to "the Court", though they very quickly find their place.

Mercy is a mystery writer and therefore takes it upon herself to become detective, especially when she suspects that the local detective is 1. not great at his job, and 2. fixated on arresting her at any opportunity. I did get a bit fed up of her at times because she really did not respect that the police have their job to do, and acted like him looking into a suspicious suspect (her lol) was a waste of time. Spoiler alert: until the police look into you, they don't know that.

I was unsure on the narrator at times. The accents she went into were wild at certain points - I even started to think her American accent was fake. But still, she was consistent in the characters so it was easy to follow along.

I wasn't a big fan of the ending, mainly because I sussed it out earlier on but also the rush of the last couple chapters seemed an entirely different pace to the rest of the book.

I did really enjoy this book and I'm looking forward to the next ones in the series.

An Irish Bookshop Murder by Lucy Connelly is a cute, cozy murder mystery set in Shamrock Cove. Twin sisters Lizzie and Mercy move from Texas to a cottage in Shamrock Cove. They inherit it and a bookshop from their grandfather. Trouble started shortly after they arrived. The detective, Kieran did not think it was a coincidence that the trouble started then. Mercy is a murder mystery writer, trying to finish her next novel and settle into life in a new place.

The characters of the Cove were likable. I'm looking forward to the second book in the series!

Thank you for the advanced reader copy.

This was a great start to the new A Mercy McCarthy Mystery series. I love that Mercy and Lizzie inherited the bookstore and house from the grandfather they never knew and that this inheritance is giving them the opportunity to learn more about their father's side of the family. I hope in future books that the village is more welcoming of the sisters.

Kimberly Wetherell did a great job narrating this novel. Kimberly kept a great pace and made listening to this book an enjoyable endeavor.

I’m very thankful for this NetGalley audiobook and I enjoyed it, though I found the characters a bit annoying at times, specifically the main ones. Repeating writers brain as an excuse for things got old fast. The town however omg it was gorgeous. I was absolutely in love, I wish I could live there even with the murder mystery. I felt transported to the mystical town and I loved it. I even loved the potential romance a bit. I enjoyed the murder mystery but I did feel like I would’ve preferred it if it was harder to work out. It was pretty simple and I felt like the crime just wasn’t realistic enough like why would that person do that for those reasons exactly?? The logic didn’t feel like it worked out but that may just be me. Overall I loved the atmosphere, romance and enjoyed the murder mystery.

Mercy, a coffee lover and a crime writer moved to Ireland from Texas with her twin, Lizzie after receiving unexpected inheritance from their grandfather. They are now owner of a cottage and a cozy bookshop in Shamrock Cove.
But the day they arrive in the village, the judge drops dead on his own doorstep and when Mercy tries to help him, he accuses her for murder. So now Mercy is trying to get her cleared by trying to solve the mystery by herself.
The setting is beautiful and cozy. The villagers are very sweet so its difficult to suspect most of them. I loved all the scenes of bookstore.
I loved seeing Mercy and Lizzie's sisterly bond. Also how Mercy took care of Lizzie because she was going through some things.
The process of solving mystery was fun and I loved seeing Mercy in her detective element. But the mystery itself got solved quickly in the last few pages and it was underwhelming. The reasons for the murder didn't justify the crimes.
I will still read the next book in the series since it was a debut novel and I think the author has potential to write better mysteries.

After inheriting a house on an exclusive estate, and a bookshop from their late grandfather that they didn’t know existed, Mercy McCarthy and her twin sister Lizzie relocate from Texas to a small village in Ireland called Shamrock Cove. When the Judge, a prominent figure in town, dies right in front of them shortly after their arrival, Mercy, a mystery writer puts the twins in danger by investigating his death.

I loved this charming, cozy mystery. The small seaside town setting of Shamrock Cove was beautiful despite the murder and is full of interesting characters – it made me want to move there and work in a bookshop! The main characters, Mercy and Lizzie are likeable, funny and have a great relationship.

I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was brilliant. Her Irish accents were amazing, and she voiced the range of different characters so well, it was easy to tell them apart.

The pacing was a perfect blend of day-to-day activity to help you get to know the characters and the setting, mixed in with some action and small reveals (but not enough for me to guess who was responsible for the murder!).

I did feel like some questions were left unanswered but these had more to do with the main characters’ story/back story rather than the murder case so I feel like they will be covered in future instalments which I am looking forward to.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for this ALC.

EXCERPT: I stood in front of the navy front door and looked up at our new home. The spring breeze ruffled my hair, and the fresh scent of the sea assailed my senses. I rubbed the shamrock keyring in my hand, hoping for a little of its luck to rub off on me. The house had a beautifully kept, small front garden. I glanced at my twin sister and hoped we had made the right choice in moving to Ireland.

ABOUT 'AN IRISH BOOKSHOP MURDER': After receiving an 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?

Then Mercy’s chief suspect turns up dead and she receives a threatening note, typed on paper from her own bookstore… Ireland was supposed to be a fresh start for Mercy and Lizzie, but dead bodies keep turning up.

Does Mercy have what it takes to nail the culprit, or will the killer close the book on her time in this charming Irish village?

MY THOUGHTS: Set in a small Irish seaside village, Shamrock Cove, An Irish Bookshop Murder is the start of a new cosy series by Lucy Connelly.

The cottage sounds somewhat grander than anything I would call a cottage and the fact that it is in a Close and a desirable residence that people may, quite literally, kill to gain admittance to only reinforces my suspicion that it is more like a grand house, complete with secret doors and passages and a plethora of rooms. Certainly it is large enough that both sisters can live there, seemingly without tripping over one another.

The residents of The Close and the proprietors of the local businesses make up the main characters, and suspects, in this cosy murder mystery. How hard would it be to move somewhere new and then be worried that people you were counting on to be new friends may in fact be murderers?

It seems that no sooner have Mercy and Lizzie arrived - they don't even get time to move in! - than they have their first body on (or should that be in?) their hands. With their fresh sets of eyes and their lack of any preconceptions about the potential suspects, they are able to see things that perhaps the local detective can't (or won't) and that doesn't exactly endear them to him. Mercy and Lucy suspect him, and he suspects them! This leads to some sharp exchanges between these characters and several trips into the interview room of the local station.

This is a thoroughly enjoyable read with an entertaining cast of characters. I certainly didn't guess the villain or the motive and it wasn't for lack of trying!

I enjoyed this author's Scottish Isle mystery series and now it seems her Mercy McCarthy series is going to be every bit as good!

I received both a digital and audio ARC and did a read/listen. I enjoyed both formats and could not choose between them. The audio is well narrated by Kimberley Wetherell.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.1

#AnIrishBookshopMurder #NetGalley

THE AUTHOR: Lucy loves traveling the world, but her favorite place is at home with her dogs and family. That said, she's always up for adventure and is constantly on the lookout for killer inspiration--as in who will be the next killer in her books?
She has a master's degree in humanities and enjoys learning all the things. And she's been published by many other names.

Thank you to Bookouture and Bookouture Audio for providing both a digital and audio ARC of An Irish Bookshop Murder by Lucy Connelly for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.