Murder in an Irish Garden by Carlene O'Connor Series: Irish Village Mystery #11
Published by Recorded Books on February 25, 2025
Source: NetGalley
Genres: Mystery
Length: 9 hrs 34 mins
Pages: 304
Format: Audiobook
Purchase at Bookshop.org or Audible
Add on Goodreads
Everything’s coming up roses for garda Siobhán and the rest of O’Sullivan family in quaint Kilbane, County Cork, Ireland—until a murder investigation blooms out of a deadly gardening competition.
While Siobhán studies for her Detective Sargeant exams, her brother, Eoin, prepares for the grand opening of his new restaurant, The O’Sullivan Six, and concocts a plan to enter Kilbane’s Top Garden Contest to boost business. But trouble brews when Eoin hires a mercurial landscape designer known for her killer designs. His new partner’s unflattering reputation and questionable practices nearly eclipse her talents—and plunge the prestigious competition into chaos.
A lush and intricate winning garden emerges from the controversy, with a spectacular golden statue in the center of the display. But in a devastating twist, the work of art leads to the shocking discovery of a bold and brutal work of murder.
Everyone in town has an opinion about who committed the crime and planted the evidence, from easily bribed sponsors to green-with-envy gardeners. And with another golden statue found in Eoin’s garden display, rumors about his involvement intensify. As local gossip buzzes and a list of suspects grows, it’s up to quick-witted Siobhán and her husband, Macdara, to suss out the guilty culprit’s identity . . . before the competition buries another victim.
I listened to Murder in an Irish Garden on audio and I loved the narrator’s accent. She helped place the book solidly in Ireland. And I love hearing names and places pronounced correctly.
The story starts off with Siobhan studying for her detective sergeant exam with help from her husband, Macdara. This somehow leads to a fight that has them bickering through the first half of the book, which I found annoying, especially since I couldn’t see what the big deal was to begin with. Maybe they always argue? I’ve only read one other in this series.
This time, the mystery centers around a garden competition. One of the competitors is found murdered and everyone’s gardens have been ruined. Multiple crime scenes and plenty of suspects make it a complicated case. Everyone seems innocent and and everyone seems guilty.
While the plot was good, I also enjoyed all the garden and flower talk. Maybe I’m just dreaming of summer and spending time outside without having to bundle up. And thinking maybe I should plant a garden – I shouldn’t, unless it’s very small. Our dogs already have the back yard a muddy mess.
About Carlene O’Connor
Carlene O’Connor comes from a long line of Irish storytellers. Her great-grandmother emigrated from Ireland to America filled with tales and the stories have been flowing ever since. 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. Carlene currently divides her time between New York and the Emerald Isle.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges: