What do you think?
Rate this book
Home to Ireland Mystery #2.5 - Irish Milkshake Murder
Irish Milkshake Murder
Raise a glass for St. Paddy’s Day but keep a shamrock handy because some of these minty milkshakes are made with murder!
IRISH MILKSHAKE MURDER by CARLENE O’CONNOR
In advance of their St. Patrick’s Day wedding, Tara Meehan and Danny O’Donnell are off to the Aran Islands with their bridesmaids and groomsmen for a joint hen and stag party. The weekend kicks off with the ferry trip to Inis Mór, as the passengers enjoy boozy milkshakes on board and entertainment from a pair of famous Irish-dancing twin brothers. But faster than Tara can say “Oh, Danny Boy,” a murder shamrocks the boat as someone’s spiked shake turns out to be their final round. Stuck in a rural island cottage, while a storm rages outside, Tara must find the Celtic killer before her luck runs out . . .
MURDER MOST IRISH by PEGGY EHRHART
St. Patrick’s Day is drawing near in Arborville, New Jersey and the folks at Hyler's Luncheonette are getting into the holiday spirit with a new, limited-time, Irish-themed menu item--a festive green milkshake appropriately named, “The Leprechaun.” It’s a hit, until a patron is felled by one of the frothy concoctions during a sheep parade through the town. Now, it’s up to Pamela Paterson and her Knit & Nibble knitting club pal, Bettina Fraser, to catch a murderer and put a stop to the sheer madness . . .
MRS. CLAUS AND THE LUCKLESS LEPRECHAUN by LIZ IRELAND
Spring in Santaland means two the elves have more leisure time and iceball season is in full swing! To celebrate, April Claus’s friend, Claire, whips up some minty milkshakes for her bustling ice cream shop, Santaland Scoop. But when the St. Paddy’s promotion makes one elf the target of a decidedly unlucky strike, Mrs. Claus and her friends must figure out if the attack was a failed hit job, a crime of passion, or an extremely unfortunate accident . . .
IRISH MILKSHAKE MURDER by CARLENE O’CONNOR
In advance of their St. Patrick’s Day wedding, Tara Meehan and Danny O’Donnell are off to the Aran Islands with their bridesmaids and groomsmen for a joint hen and stag party. The weekend kicks off with the ferry trip to Inis Mór, as the passengers enjoy boozy milkshakes on board and entertainment from a pair of famous Irish-dancing twin brothers. But faster than Tara can say “Oh, Danny Boy,” a murder shamrocks the boat as someone’s spiked shake turns out to be their final round. Stuck in a rural island cottage, while a storm rages outside, Tara must find the Celtic killer before her luck runs out . . .
MURDER MOST IRISH by PEGGY EHRHART
St. Patrick’s Day is drawing near in Arborville, New Jersey and the folks at Hyler's Luncheonette are getting into the holiday spirit with a new, limited-time, Irish-themed menu item--a festive green milkshake appropriately named, “The Leprechaun.” It’s a hit, until a patron is felled by one of the frothy concoctions during a sheep parade through the town. Now, it’s up to Pamela Paterson and her Knit & Nibble knitting club pal, Bettina Fraser, to catch a murderer and put a stop to the sheer madness . . .
MRS. CLAUS AND THE LUCKLESS LEPRECHAUN by LIZ IRELAND
Spring in Santaland means two the elves have more leisure time and iceball season is in full swing! To celebrate, April Claus’s friend, Claire, whips up some minty milkshakes for her bustling ice cream shop, Santaland Scoop. But when the St. Paddy’s promotion makes one elf the target of a decidedly unlucky strike, Mrs. Claus and her friends must figure out if the attack was a failed hit job, a crime of passion, or an extremely unfortunate accident . . .
352 pages, Hardcover
First published December 26, 2023
About the author
Carlene O'Connor
39 books2,150 followersCarlene O’Connor is the USA Today Bestselling author of The Irish Village Mystery Series, (8 books so far), The Home to Ireland Series (2-books), and the upcoming (2022) County Kerry Mystery series. She comes from a long line of Irish storytellers. Her great-grandmother emigrated from Ireland to America 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.
https://carleneoconnor.net/
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 141 reviews
March 11, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️ -NetGalley ARC
Description:
IRISH MILKSHAKE MURDER by CARLENE O’CONNOR
In advance of their St. Patrick’s Day wedding, Tara Meehan and Danny O’Donnell are off to the Aran Islands with their bridesmaids and groomsmen for a joint hen and stag party. The weekend kicks off with the ferry trip to Inis Mór, as the passengers enjoy boozy milkshakes on board and entertainment from a pair of famous Irish-dancing twin brothers. But faster than Tara can say “Oh, Danny Boy,” a murder shamrocks the boat as someone’s spiked shake turns out to be their final round. Stuck in a rural island cottage, while a storm rages outside, Tara must find the Celtic killer before her luck runs out.
MURDER MOST IRISH by PEGGY EHRHART
St. Patrick’s Day is drawing near in Arborville, New Jersey and the folks at Hyler's Luncheonette are getting into the holiday spirit with a new, limited-time, Irish-themed menu item--a festive green milkshake appropriately named, “The Leprechaun.” It’s a hit, until a patron is felled by one of the frothy concoctions during a sheep parade through the town. Now, it’s up to Pamela Paterson and her Knit & Nibble knitting club pal, Bettina Fraser, to catch a murderer and put a stop to the sheer madness.
MRS. CLAUS AND THE LUCKLESS LEPRECHAUN by LIZ IRELAND
Spring in Santaland means two things: the elves have more leisure time and iceball season is in full swing! To celebrate, April Claus’s friend, Claire, whips up some minty milkshakes for her bustling ice cream shop, Santaland Scoop. But when the St. Paddy’s promotion makes one elf the target of a decidedly unlucky strike, Mrs. Claus and her friends must figure out if the attack was a failed hit job, a crime of passion, or an extremely unfortunate accident.
I love books like these with short novella’s, especially with authors I’ve never read before. It gives me a chance to sample their writing without having to commit to a full length book. All three stories were well written and were perfect for St. Patrick’s Day. I enjoyed the first story the most and will definitely check out more of her books.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read this for an honest review.
Description:
IRISH MILKSHAKE MURDER by CARLENE O’CONNOR
In advance of their St. Patrick’s Day wedding, Tara Meehan and Danny O’Donnell are off to the Aran Islands with their bridesmaids and groomsmen for a joint hen and stag party. The weekend kicks off with the ferry trip to Inis Mór, as the passengers enjoy boozy milkshakes on board and entertainment from a pair of famous Irish-dancing twin brothers. But faster than Tara can say “Oh, Danny Boy,” a murder shamrocks the boat as someone’s spiked shake turns out to be their final round. Stuck in a rural island cottage, while a storm rages outside, Tara must find the Celtic killer before her luck runs out.
MURDER MOST IRISH by PEGGY EHRHART
St. Patrick’s Day is drawing near in Arborville, New Jersey and the folks at Hyler's Luncheonette are getting into the holiday spirit with a new, limited-time, Irish-themed menu item--a festive green milkshake appropriately named, “The Leprechaun.” It’s a hit, until a patron is felled by one of the frothy concoctions during a sheep parade through the town. Now, it’s up to Pamela Paterson and her Knit & Nibble knitting club pal, Bettina Fraser, to catch a murderer and put a stop to the sheer madness.
MRS. CLAUS AND THE LUCKLESS LEPRECHAUN by LIZ IRELAND
Spring in Santaland means two things: the elves have more leisure time and iceball season is in full swing! To celebrate, April Claus’s friend, Claire, whips up some minty milkshakes for her bustling ice cream shop, Santaland Scoop. But when the St. Paddy’s promotion makes one elf the target of a decidedly unlucky strike, Mrs. Claus and her friends must figure out if the attack was a failed hit job, a crime of passion, or an extremely unfortunate accident.
I love books like these with short novella’s, especially with authors I’ve never read before. It gives me a chance to sample their writing without having to commit to a full length book. All three stories were well written and were perfect for St. Patrick’s Day. I enjoyed the first story the most and will definitely check out more of her books.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read this for an honest review.
December 30, 2023
EXCERPT: (Taken from the title story, Irish Milkshake Murder)
Tara Meehan didn't want to disappoint her dear friend Breanna Cunningham, but if she had any doubts about going wild before her wedding, the plastic penis wand Breanna was waving in her face way too enthusiastically solidified her decision. No hen party for her.
ABOUT 'IRISH MILKSHAKE MURDER': IRISH MILKSHAKE MURDER by CARLENE O’CONNOR
In advance of their St. Patrick’s Day wedding, Tara Meehan and Danny O’Donnell are off to the Aran Islands with their bridesmaids and groomsmen for a joint hen and stag party. The weekend kicks off with the ferry trip to Inis Mór, as the passengers enjoy boozy milkshakes on board and entertainment from a pair of famous Irish-dancing twin brothers. But faster than Tara can say “Oh, Danny Boy,” a murder shamrocks the boat as someone’s spiked shake turns out to be their final round. Stuck in a rural island cottage, while a storm rages outside, Tara must find the Celtic killer before her luck runs out . . .
MURDER MOST IRISH by PEGGY EHRHART
St. Patrick’s Day is drawing near in Arborville, New Jersey and the folks at Hyler's Luncheonette are getting into the holiday spirit with a new, limited-time, Irish-themed menu item--a festive green milkshake appropriately named, “The Leprechaun.” It’s a hit, until a patron is felled by one of the frothy concoctions during a sheep parade through the town. Now, it’s up to Pamela Paterson and her Knit & Nibble knitting club pal, Bettina Fraser, to catch a murderer and put a stop to the sheer madness . . .
MRS. CLAUS AND THE LUCKLESS LEPRECHAUN by LIZ IRELAND
Spring in Santaland means two the elves have more leisure time and iceball season is in full swing! To celebrate, April Claus’s friend, Claire, whips up some minty milkshakes for her bustling ice cream shop, Santaland Scoop. But when the St. Paddy’s promotion makes one elf the target of a decidedly unlucky strike, Mrs. Claus and her friends must figure out if the attack was a failed hit job, a crime of passion, or an extremely unfortunate accident . . .
MY THOUGHTS: I enjoyed the first two of these St Patrick's Day themed novellas more than the third which was just a little too much on the silly side for me. Of them all, I liked Murder Most Irish the most. I hadn't read any of the Knit and Nibble series or indeed anything by Peggy Ehrhart previously but will now be watching for more by this author. ⭐⭐⭐.7
Carlene O'Connor has long been an author I read regularly, and I enjoyed Irish Milkshake Murder, although I thought it was pretty obvious who the murderer was. Also the relationship between Tara and Danny seemed decidedly odd - they didn't feel like a couple about to be married. ⭐⭐⭐.3
Mrs Claus and the Luckless Leprechaun just wasn't my cup of tea - t00 cheesy. I couldn't wait for it to be over. ⭐⭐
This novella collection is recommended for anyone who enjoys the more 'themed' cosy-mysteries.
Narrator Callie Beaulieu did a mostly admirable job of narrating these novellas.
Overall rating ⭐⭐⭐
#IrishMilkshakeMurder #NetGalley.
THE AUTHORS: Carlene O'Connor - An admitted wanderer, Carlene spends as much time in Ireland as possible while currently residing in California and Chicago.
Peggy Ehrhart - When Peggy Ehrhart was in the third grade at Our Lady of Peace School in the San Fernando Valley near Los Angeles, she won a Knights of Columbus essay contest and her fate was sealed. It just took her a while to realize that what she really wanted to write was fiction. She an avid crafter, dating from her childhood as a member of the 4-H Club in rural Southern California.
Liz Ireland - Liz grew up in Texas, where she attended high school in San Antonio and college at SMU in Dallas. She now lives on Vancouver Island in British Columbia.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Kensington Books (Kensington Cozies) and Tantor Audio via NetGalley for providing a both a digital and audio ARC of Irish Milkshake Murder by Carlene O'Connor, Peggy Ehrhart and Liz Ireland for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Tara Meehan didn't want to disappoint her dear friend Breanna Cunningham, but if she had any doubts about going wild before her wedding, the plastic penis wand Breanna was waving in her face way too enthusiastically solidified her decision. No hen party for her.
ABOUT 'IRISH MILKSHAKE MURDER': IRISH MILKSHAKE MURDER by CARLENE O’CONNOR
In advance of their St. Patrick’s Day wedding, Tara Meehan and Danny O’Donnell are off to the Aran Islands with their bridesmaids and groomsmen for a joint hen and stag party. The weekend kicks off with the ferry trip to Inis Mór, as the passengers enjoy boozy milkshakes on board and entertainment from a pair of famous Irish-dancing twin brothers. But faster than Tara can say “Oh, Danny Boy,” a murder shamrocks the boat as someone’s spiked shake turns out to be their final round. Stuck in a rural island cottage, while a storm rages outside, Tara must find the Celtic killer before her luck runs out . . .
MURDER MOST IRISH by PEGGY EHRHART
St. Patrick’s Day is drawing near in Arborville, New Jersey and the folks at Hyler's Luncheonette are getting into the holiday spirit with a new, limited-time, Irish-themed menu item--a festive green milkshake appropriately named, “The Leprechaun.” It’s a hit, until a patron is felled by one of the frothy concoctions during a sheep parade through the town. Now, it’s up to Pamela Paterson and her Knit & Nibble knitting club pal, Bettina Fraser, to catch a murderer and put a stop to the sheer madness . . .
MRS. CLAUS AND THE LUCKLESS LEPRECHAUN by LIZ IRELAND
Spring in Santaland means two the elves have more leisure time and iceball season is in full swing! To celebrate, April Claus’s friend, Claire, whips up some minty milkshakes for her bustling ice cream shop, Santaland Scoop. But when the St. Paddy’s promotion makes one elf the target of a decidedly unlucky strike, Mrs. Claus and her friends must figure out if the attack was a failed hit job, a crime of passion, or an extremely unfortunate accident . . .
MY THOUGHTS: I enjoyed the first two of these St Patrick's Day themed novellas more than the third which was just a little too much on the silly side for me. Of them all, I liked Murder Most Irish the most. I hadn't read any of the Knit and Nibble series or indeed anything by Peggy Ehrhart previously but will now be watching for more by this author. ⭐⭐⭐.7
Carlene O'Connor has long been an author I read regularly, and I enjoyed Irish Milkshake Murder, although I thought it was pretty obvious who the murderer was. Also the relationship between Tara and Danny seemed decidedly odd - they didn't feel like a couple about to be married. ⭐⭐⭐.3
Mrs Claus and the Luckless Leprechaun just wasn't my cup of tea - t00 cheesy. I couldn't wait for it to be over. ⭐⭐
This novella collection is recommended for anyone who enjoys the more 'themed' cosy-mysteries.
Narrator Callie Beaulieu did a mostly admirable job of narrating these novellas.
Overall rating ⭐⭐⭐
#IrishMilkshakeMurder #NetGalley.
THE AUTHORS: Carlene O'Connor - An admitted wanderer, Carlene spends as much time in Ireland as possible while currently residing in California and Chicago.
Peggy Ehrhart - When Peggy Ehrhart was in the third grade at Our Lady of Peace School in the San Fernando Valley near Los Angeles, she won a Knights of Columbus essay contest and her fate was sealed. It just took her a while to realize that what she really wanted to write was fiction. She an avid crafter, dating from her childhood as a member of the 4-H Club in rural Southern California.
Liz Ireland - Liz grew up in Texas, where she attended high school in San Antonio and college at SMU in Dallas. She now lives on Vancouver Island in British Columbia.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Kensington Books (Kensington Cozies) and Tantor Audio via NetGalley for providing a both a digital and audio ARC of Irish Milkshake Murder by Carlene O'Connor, Peggy Ehrhart and Liz Ireland for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
November 27, 2023
I love these novella collections. This one features stories by Carlene O'Connor, Peggy Ehrhart, & Liz Ireland. They are a great way to sample authors you haven't read before or to get an extra story from a series!
The mysteries in Irish Milkshake Murder all take place around St. Patrick's Day. The first one is Irish Milkshake Murder by Carlene O'Connor. Tara and Danny are set to be married on St. Patrick's Day. Breanna has planned a hen party despite Tara not wanting one. She has also inexplicably invited Rachel whom Tara hasn't seen in years. For a combined hen and stag party they are off to the Aran Islands. During the ferry ride over milkshakes are consumed and one of the dancers that hitched a ride is murdered.
This was wild and fun. I laughed out loud several times. There is a big storm so it felt very cozy and perfect for Winter. The mystery was very satisfying and my favorite out of the three.
In Murder Most Irish by Peggy Ehrhart a customer at Hyler's diner dies after drinking an electric green milkshake.The victim is the husband of a local college professor and it seems there is no motive for killing him. This novella felt very cozy and I loved all of the food talk. I didn't connect to the main characters that well though and the mystery was the least satisfying of the three, especially how it was solved. I might have enjoyed it more if I had read any of the series before.
Last but not least is Mrs. Claus And The Luckless Leprechaun. St. Patrick's Day is coming to Santaland and iceball fever has struck. The Twinklers are hoping to finally win despite their best player, Crumble, being hurt. When Crumble is found on the ice with a milkshake nearby April has another mystery to solve.
It was nice catching up with favorite characters and meeting new ones like Wobbler the reindeer. There is always humor and magic in this series. The story was over before I knew it. It seemed to solve itself but the overall story is, as always, great.
Irish Milkshake Murder might not be a Christmas book but I think it still makes a perfect Winter read. Thank you to Netgalley for the chance to read. It will be released December 26.
The mysteries in Irish Milkshake Murder all take place around St. Patrick's Day. The first one is Irish Milkshake Murder by Carlene O'Connor. Tara and Danny are set to be married on St. Patrick's Day. Breanna has planned a hen party despite Tara not wanting one. She has also inexplicably invited Rachel whom Tara hasn't seen in years. For a combined hen and stag party they are off to the Aran Islands. During the ferry ride over milkshakes are consumed and one of the dancers that hitched a ride is murdered.
This was wild and fun. I laughed out loud several times. There is a big storm so it felt very cozy and perfect for Winter. The mystery was very satisfying and my favorite out of the three.
In Murder Most Irish by Peggy Ehrhart a customer at Hyler's diner dies after drinking an electric green milkshake.The victim is the husband of a local college professor and it seems there is no motive for killing him. This novella felt very cozy and I loved all of the food talk. I didn't connect to the main characters that well though and the mystery was the least satisfying of the three, especially how it was solved. I might have enjoyed it more if I had read any of the series before.
Last but not least is Mrs. Claus And The Luckless Leprechaun. St. Patrick's Day is coming to Santaland and iceball fever has struck. The Twinklers are hoping to finally win despite their best player, Crumble, being hurt. When Crumble is found on the ice with a milkshake nearby April has another mystery to solve.
It was nice catching up with favorite characters and meeting new ones like Wobbler the reindeer. There is always humor and magic in this series. The story was over before I knew it. It seemed to solve itself but the overall story is, as always, great.
Irish Milkshake Murder might not be a Christmas book but I think it still makes a perfect Winter read. Thank you to Netgalley for the chance to read. It will be released December 26.
December 22, 2023
This was a cool trio of St. Patrick’s Day themed mysteries from three fun series. I liked how the Irish milkshake theme was incorporated into each one, but a little different in each one. In the Christmastown offering that was third, Wobbler the reindeer was cracking me up! But he turned out not to be as big of a coward as he claimed. Now we know how elves and Santa’s people spend St. Paddy’s day! Along with two other fave cozy series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of his book, and my opinions are my own.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of his book, and my opinions are my own.
December 13, 2023
Irish Milkshake Murder is a collection of three St. Patrick's Day-themed mystery novellas. I really enjoy these collections and overall, I liked this one, too. The common theme is milkshakes, but the stories are all very different.
My favorite story of the three is Mrs. Claus and the Luckless Leprechaun by Liz Ireland. The full-length novels I've read in this series are delightful and this novella is just as good. Almost everyone in Santaland is excited to be celebrating St. Patrick's Day and the whole atmosphere is festive. Of course there is a murder and a rumor is started that the weapon was a poisoned milkshake, and it's up to Mrs. April Claus to find out the truth. If you've not yet tried this series, I highly recommend it. It's unique, humorous, and fun to read.
I also really liked Peggy Ehrhart's contribution to the collection, Murder Most Irish. This story is part of the Knit and NIbble series, which I first discovered through a novella in a different collection and became a big fan. The main characters, magazine editor Pamela Paterson and her best friend Bettina Fraser, look into the death of a man who appears to have been poisoned by his St. Patrick's Day milkshake. This time Pamela's work editing articles about fiber crafts may be helpful in solving the crime in this fun series. I'm not a knitter, but I still enjoy hearing about the projects Pamela and her knitting group are working on. Their friendship is also a plus in this series. These stories are well-written and relaxing to read.
The titular story of the collection by Carlene O'Connor, which is part of the Home to Ireland series, was disappointing. The atmosphere of a hen party/bachelorette party and its associated behavior and risque comments doesn't really fit with the cozy vibe of the other stories. I've read one of the full-length novels in this series and enjoyed it, but this story wasn't for me.
Although I was disappointed in one of the stories, I liked the Nibble and Knit and the Mrs. Claus stories so much that it was worth it to me to read this book just for these two stories, so I still would recommend the book.
I received an advance copy of this ebook from NetGalley and Kensington Books at no cost. My review is voluntary and unbiased.
My favorite story of the three is Mrs. Claus and the Luckless Leprechaun by Liz Ireland. The full-length novels I've read in this series are delightful and this novella is just as good. Almost everyone in Santaland is excited to be celebrating St. Patrick's Day and the whole atmosphere is festive. Of course there is a murder and a rumor is started that the weapon was a poisoned milkshake, and it's up to Mrs. April Claus to find out the truth. If you've not yet tried this series, I highly recommend it. It's unique, humorous, and fun to read.
I also really liked Peggy Ehrhart's contribution to the collection, Murder Most Irish. This story is part of the Knit and NIbble series, which I first discovered through a novella in a different collection and became a big fan. The main characters, magazine editor Pamela Paterson and her best friend Bettina Fraser, look into the death of a man who appears to have been poisoned by his St. Patrick's Day milkshake. This time Pamela's work editing articles about fiber crafts may be helpful in solving the crime in this fun series. I'm not a knitter, but I still enjoy hearing about the projects Pamela and her knitting group are working on. Their friendship is also a plus in this series. These stories are well-written and relaxing to read.
The titular story of the collection by Carlene O'Connor, which is part of the Home to Ireland series, was disappointing. The atmosphere of a hen party/bachelorette party and its associated behavior and risque comments doesn't really fit with the cozy vibe of the other stories. I've read one of the full-length novels in this series and enjoyed it, but this story wasn't for me.
Although I was disappointed in one of the stories, I liked the Nibble and Knit and the Mrs. Claus stories so much that it was worth it to me to read this book just for these two stories, so I still would recommend the book.
I received an advance copy of this ebook from NetGalley and Kensington Books at no cost. My review is voluntary and unbiased.
January 6, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed this book of 3 novellas by favorite authors I follow.
All three stories are unique and intriguing, and the characters are familiar and likeable.
I have read previous books by all three authors, and I was delighted to continue reading stories about each.
Most outstanding to me is Liz Ireland's Mrs. Claus mysteries. Imagine being transported to Santaland, where magic happens (and murder)!!!
I highly recommend this light and cozy book, which will keep you entertained and surprise you at the end of each novella.
Thank you, Net Galley, and Kensington Cozies for allowing me to read this book and post a personal review.
All three stories are unique and intriguing, and the characters are familiar and likeable.
I have read previous books by all three authors, and I was delighted to continue reading stories about each.
Most outstanding to me is Liz Ireland's Mrs. Claus mysteries. Imagine being transported to Santaland, where magic happens (and murder)!!!
I highly recommend this light and cozy book, which will keep you entertained and surprise you at the end of each novella.
Thank you, Net Galley, and Kensington Cozies for allowing me to read this book and post a personal review.
December 30, 2023
Irish Milkshakes never seemed so deadly until I read this book. *Winky face. This book was fun to read and also a good sampler for two authors I hadn't heard of before. Now I definitely be on the lookout for their books.
March 20, 2024
Three short stories by three uber cozy writers. The first, by Carlene O'Connor, is the best. Peggy Erharts mystery is solid but overdoes the cozy tropes (the number of cups of tea, coffee, cookies, toast etc described is too much by half), and the last story by Liz Ireland was too ridiculous to get past the first few pages (the protagonist is Mrs Claus and the opening pages involve a reindeer with attitude).
If you're expecting an Irish themed book look elsewhere; this one did not deliver/was not worth the read.
If you're expecting an Irish themed book look elsewhere; this one did not deliver/was not worth the read.
September 16, 2023
#IrishMilkshakeMurder #NetGalley is a fun trio of cozy mysteries that will delight the fans of these authors.
In the first story, a "hen party" goes drastically wrong when someone is killed.
In the second story, a milkshake takes the life of a resident, and Pamela and Bettina find themselves tangled up in another murder investigation.
The third story also involves a milkshake but Mrs. Claus isn't sure that's what caused this elf's death.
I enjoyed all three stories, they were entertaining and fun to read. These short stories are always a pleasure to recommend to others.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of the book.
In the first story, a "hen party" goes drastically wrong when someone is killed.
In the second story, a milkshake takes the life of a resident, and Pamela and Bettina find themselves tangled up in another murder investigation.
The third story also involves a milkshake but Mrs. Claus isn't sure that's what caused this elf's death.
I enjoyed all three stories, they were entertaining and fun to read. These short stories are always a pleasure to recommend to others.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of the book.
March 11, 2024
I enjoy these holiday anthologies that Kensington puts out during the year, but this one missed the mark for me. I think this one missed as two of the three stories were from series I don't read for different reasons. Each one had an Irish Milkshake as part of the story. It might have been the murder weapon, something the characters like to drink or an offering at the local restaurant, but it is there. I enjoyed the first story: IRISH MILKSHAKE MURDER by CARLENE O’CONNOR. Tara Meehan and Danny O’Donnell are off to the Aran Islands with their bridesmaids and groomsmen for a joint hen and stag party. On the ferry to Inis Mór, the passengers enjoy boozy milkshakes and entertainment from a pair of famous Irish-dancing twin brothers. Unfortunately, one of the brothers dies while drinking his shake. This is a bit of a closed door mystery as it had to be someone on the boat. When the captain disappears, he is the main suspect. The investigation continues while on the island, with a storm raging and no one able to leave. It was a fun story with a great investigation and a surprising culprit. The second story: MURDER MOST IRISH by PEGGY EHRHART involves the death of a man after drinking "The Leprechaun Shake". Pamela Paterson and her Knit & Nibble knitting club pal, Bettina Fraser are on the case trying to determine who and why the murder occurred. This series is one I stopped reading due to the amount of detail given about food and knitting projects. The mystery was well written and I enjoyed seeing how Pamela and Bettina sorted it out, but it was just okay. One thing I did like was the recipe for the Irish Coffee Mallow Dessert. The final story, MRS. CLAUS AND THE LUCKLESS LEPRECHAUN by LIZ IRELAND, was the one I liked the least, not because of the writing, but the setting of the North Pole and the characters, Mrs. Claus, elves and reindeer, just didn't call to me. The mystery involved an elf being injured thus endangering his team's entrance into a sporting event, the iceball tournament. There are reindeer with confidence issues that help to save the day, minty milkshakes being sold in the local ice-cream shop and jealousy. The solving of the mystery was well done, but I didn't really care by that point. Again, not the fault of the writing, just me. I'm sure those that enjoy this series will enjoy this one. Overall, just an okay read for me. I did a read/listen to Irish Milkshake Murder narrated by Callie Beaulieu. She is a familiar narrator to me and I enjoy her performances.
October 4, 2023
This is a fun collection of three short stories all set around St. Patrick’s Day and all involving a potentially poisoned milkshake. The collection as a whole is exceptionally entertaining. In general, I don’t enjoy short mysteries, but I did enjoy all three of these. Each story had an intriguing mystery, a cosy vibe, and some laugh-out-loud moments.
Irish Milkshake Murder by Carlene O’Connor is set in Galway, Ireland where Tara Meehan is being dragged off to the Aran Islands for her hen night, a hen night that she has protested from the moment her friend suggested it. When a murder takes place on the ferry, Tara feels even more certain that she is not a fan of hen nights.
Never having met Tara before, I found her very likable. She is kind and seems to be the most mature member of her friend group. Given the length of the story, I found the mystery to be solid and the wrap-up answered most of my questions.
Murder Most Irish by Peggy Ehrhart is set in New Jersey where Pamela Patterson, associate editor of Fiber Craft magazine, and her friend, Bettina, a journalist, try to solve the murder of a man in a local luncheonette.
How have I not heard of this series before?
I love a good cosy culinary mystery, and even at its abbreviated length, this is a good cosy culinary mystery! Pamela and Bettina are excellent crime solvers whose personalities both complement and balance one another. The mystery had just enough clues, red herrings, motives, and suspects for the length of the story. Food is important in a culinary mystery and food wasn’t lacking here.
At the end of the story there were recipes for Irish Coffee Mallow and Shamrock Cookies, plus directions on how to make a knitted potholder!
Again I ask, how have I not heard of this series before?!
Mrs. Claus and the Luckless Leprechaun by Liz Ireland takes place at the North Pole where Mrs. Claus tries to figure out who would want to hurt one of the elves on the Tinkertown Ice Ball team, and who stole the Golden Bootie.
The North Pole Series is a series I know and love. Mrs. Claus, Santa, elves, talking reindeer, sentient snowmen, eggnog and other sweets, cosy cottages - to me, this is the ultimate cosy world, and the perfect setting for a pinch of murder and mayhem. It’s like comfort food in book form.
For those not familiar with the series, this story can stand alone.
Although short, the story does manage to sneak in the elements I look for in a mystery and the humor I expect from the series.
Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Irish Milkshake Murder by Carlene O’Connor is set in Galway, Ireland where Tara Meehan is being dragged off to the Aran Islands for her hen night, a hen night that she has protested from the moment her friend suggested it. When a murder takes place on the ferry, Tara feels even more certain that she is not a fan of hen nights.
Never having met Tara before, I found her very likable. She is kind and seems to be the most mature member of her friend group. Given the length of the story, I found the mystery to be solid and the wrap-up answered most of my questions.
Murder Most Irish by Peggy Ehrhart is set in New Jersey where Pamela Patterson, associate editor of Fiber Craft magazine, and her friend, Bettina, a journalist, try to solve the murder of a man in a local luncheonette.
How have I not heard of this series before?
I love a good cosy culinary mystery, and even at its abbreviated length, this is a good cosy culinary mystery! Pamela and Bettina are excellent crime solvers whose personalities both complement and balance one another. The mystery had just enough clues, red herrings, motives, and suspects for the length of the story. Food is important in a culinary mystery and food wasn’t lacking here.
At the end of the story there were recipes for Irish Coffee Mallow and Shamrock Cookies, plus directions on how to make a knitted potholder!
Again I ask, how have I not heard of this series before?!
Mrs. Claus and the Luckless Leprechaun by Liz Ireland takes place at the North Pole where Mrs. Claus tries to figure out who would want to hurt one of the elves on the Tinkertown Ice Ball team, and who stole the Golden Bootie.
The North Pole Series is a series I know and love. Mrs. Claus, Santa, elves, talking reindeer, sentient snowmen, eggnog and other sweets, cosy cottages - to me, this is the ultimate cosy world, and the perfect setting for a pinch of murder and mayhem. It’s like comfort food in book form.
For those not familiar with the series, this story can stand alone.
Although short, the story does manage to sneak in the elements I look for in a mystery and the humor I expect from the series.
Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 23, 2024
I've been spoiled by more sophisticated murder mysteries. The three authors that each contributed a tale for this book have very different writing styles and have composed what I would call lighthearted, even silly, mysteries. As for the title of the book, they each managed to incorporate something Irish into their story. Carlene O'Connor's story is actually set in Ireland. Peggy Ehrhart's characters have a St. Patrick's Day Eve dinner with a detailed description of the meal, how the table was set, and what everyone wore for the occasion. Liz Ireland has Santa's elves celebrating St. Patrick's Day with a festival. Each author works milkshakes into their story. Two have victims that are actually killed by milkshakes and the third is an attempted, but failed murder where the milkshake proves not to be a lethal.
Apparently each author has her own mystery series where their fans already know the back stories of the main characters and the setting each author uses. I certainly hope young people in Ireland aren't as shallow as O'Connor makes them out to be. I don't care what Ehrhart's journalist is wearing each day or how her husband cooks a meal. And the cutesy names and expressions of the characters in Ireland's Santaland made me groan. I commend these writers for having fun with their craft, finding a publisher, and having a following, but this is the first and last I plan to read of their offerings. They aren't my cup of Irish tea.
Apparently each author has her own mystery series where their fans already know the back stories of the main characters and the setting each author uses. I certainly hope young people in Ireland aren't as shallow as O'Connor makes them out to be. I don't care what Ehrhart's journalist is wearing each day or how her husband cooks a meal. And the cutesy names and expressions of the characters in Ireland's Santaland made me groan. I commend these writers for having fun with their craft, finding a publisher, and having a following, but this is the first and last I plan to read of their offerings. They aren't my cup of Irish tea.
March 11, 2024
3 stars:
Irish Milkshake Murder (Home to Ireland)
Murder Most Irish (A Knit & Nibble Mystery)
4 stars:
Mrs. Claus and the Luckless Leprechaun (Mrs. Claus)
Each story takes place around St. Patrick's Day. They have milkshakes and murder. The third story was silly and fun. The other two were more serious. There is a story that has a sport centric mystery, another story takes place on a ferry, and the other story involves a professor and a diner. Each story was enjoyable and different from the others.
Irish Milkshake Murder (Home to Ireland)
Murder Most Irish (A Knit & Nibble Mystery)
4 stars:
Mrs. Claus and the Luckless Leprechaun (Mrs. Claus)
Each story takes place around St. Patrick's Day. They have milkshakes and murder. The third story was silly and fun. The other two were more serious. There is a story that has a sport centric mystery, another story takes place on a ferry, and the other story involves a professor and a diner. Each story was enjoyable and different from the others.
March 16, 2024
A group of silly, amusing short stories , with a large bit of Irish stirred in
Read
June 12, 2024I don't know why I started reading this and I don't know why I continued reading until I finished the second novella. The first one was a mess and in the novella 'Murder Most Irish' the mystery is way too easy to solve.
January 15, 2024
Carlene’s Irish Milkshake Murder has Tara and her fiance have a joint hen and stag party in anticipation of their upcoming nuptials. This mystery was thoroughly entertaining and reminded me a bit of Agatha Christie novels where the suspects are forced to stay with each other under the circumstances until the murder was solved. Murder Most Irish by Peggy Ehrhart was enjoyable as I love the supporting cast in this series. And of course, Mrs. Claus and the Luckless Leprechaun had all the charming elf names one could desire, adorable setting and funny scenarios within the mystery. This mystery’s red herrings were well done and had me guessing right until the end.
The narrator did a superb job with all the different character voices and adapting to the three authors’ writing styles.
Thank you Kensington Books for the arc and Tantor Audio for the alc. Thoughts expressed in this review are my own.
The narrator did a superb job with all the different character voices and adapting to the three authors’ writing styles.
Thank you Kensington Books for the arc and Tantor Audio for the alc. Thoughts expressed in this review are my own.
April 7, 2024
I loved the Mrs. Claus story, but I had so much trouble finishing the first two stories. It should not have taken me as long as it did to finish this book.
January 9, 2024
I really enjoy these 3 story holiday cozy books. The themes are always fun. Many of the times some of my favorite authors/series are included in these books. I mostly read this book for the knit and nibble novella. I really enjoy that series. It is however fun to read parts of other series to get you to see others that may or may not catch your attention. I hope they keep doing these. It's definitely fun to get fun short extra stories from series you enjoy!
April 11, 2024
This is a fun collection of 3 cozy mysteries that are centered around Irish Milkshakes. These short stories range from 3 to 4 stars for me, giving an overall 4 stars for the collection.
Irish Milkshake Murder by Carlene O’Connor. -3 stars
Prior to Tara and Danny’s wedding go on a trip with their wedding party. The trip to the Aran Island kicks off on a ferry trip to Inis Moir, the party are enjoying some boozy Irish Milkshakes. In addition to the wedding part there were 2 entertainers aboard as well. When one of the milkshakes turns deadly the survivors must discover who among them was a killer.
This story was a little on the slower pace. I didn’t truly connect with these characters but they were realistic though some weren’t that likable. Even though this is a short story there are some well laced red herrings.
Murder Most Irish by Peggy Ehrhart- 3.5 stars (4 Stars)
With St. Patrick’s Day approaching Hyler’s Luncheonette is embracing the celebration with a green minty milkshake. When one of the milkshakes apparently kills one of the diners, Pamela and Bettina, set out to find the murder since they were possible witnesses.
The characters are relatable and realistic. The mystery moves at a slower pace but moved smoothly. There is some fun twists and turns to keep you guessing.
Mrs. Claus and Luckless Leprechaun by Liz Ireland -
4 stars
Spring has arrived in Santaland with iceball season. Claire adds a minty milkshake to her menu of her ice cream shop just in time for the St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations. When one of the elves that was helping Claire by dressing as a leprechaun during the sporting events and celebrations is attached April Clause has to find out who is behind this.
This was my favorite of the three stories. The characters are fun and quirky. The story moves at a quick pace and is easy to follow. There are plenty of surprises to keep the story mysterious.
All thoughts and opinions are my own, I have not been influenced by anyone.
Irish Milkshake Murder by Carlene O’Connor. -3 stars
Prior to Tara and Danny’s wedding go on a trip with their wedding party. The trip to the Aran Island kicks off on a ferry trip to Inis Moir, the party are enjoying some boozy Irish Milkshakes. In addition to the wedding part there were 2 entertainers aboard as well. When one of the milkshakes turns deadly the survivors must discover who among them was a killer.
This story was a little on the slower pace. I didn’t truly connect with these characters but they were realistic though some weren’t that likable. Even though this is a short story there are some well laced red herrings.
Murder Most Irish by Peggy Ehrhart- 3.5 stars (4 Stars)
With St. Patrick’s Day approaching Hyler’s Luncheonette is embracing the celebration with a green minty milkshake. When one of the milkshakes apparently kills one of the diners, Pamela and Bettina, set out to find the murder since they were possible witnesses.
The characters are relatable and realistic. The mystery moves at a slower pace but moved smoothly. There is some fun twists and turns to keep you guessing.
Mrs. Claus and Luckless Leprechaun by Liz Ireland -
4 stars
Spring has arrived in Santaland with iceball season. Claire adds a minty milkshake to her menu of her ice cream shop just in time for the St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations. When one of the elves that was helping Claire by dressing as a leprechaun during the sporting events and celebrations is attached April Clause has to find out who is behind this.
This was my favorite of the three stories. The characters are fun and quirky. The story moves at a quick pace and is easy to follow. There are plenty of surprises to keep the story mysterious.
All thoughts and opinions are my own, I have not been influenced by anyone.
December 27, 2023
This is a trio of St Patrick Day’s mysteries. You’ll enjoy them right now or if you save them for March.
Irish Milkshake Murder – Tara is soon to be married on St Patrick’s Day; however, her friend Breanna is determined to host a hen party (bachelorette). So Tara, Breanna, an old frenemy from New York, and Danny and his friends sit off for an island getaway. A storm is on it’s way and makes the ferry crossing dangerous. But not so dangerous that a passenger should be found dead. Tara needs to clear her friends names and find the murderer in the madcap mystery that will swear you off from hen parties forever. Loved it.
Murder Most Irish – This mystery is set in New Jersey with a group of knitting friends. Pamela and Bettina are just enjoying lunch at Hyler’s when they watch a patron die drinking an Irish mint green milkshake. The duo must clear the diner and discover the murderer. This was a good mystery.
Mrs. Claus And The Luckless Leprechaun – Mrs. Claus, a former Oregonian, is off to find the elf that injured an ice ball star. Out on a career ending injury, Crumble is attacked trying his luck on the ice after a game. His team recruited 2 wild elves from the north to replace him. And the Golden Bootie trophy is missing. This is a fun, light mystery.
Irish Milkshake Murder – Tara is soon to be married on St Patrick’s Day; however, her friend Breanna is determined to host a hen party (bachelorette). So Tara, Breanna, an old frenemy from New York, and Danny and his friends sit off for an island getaway. A storm is on it’s way and makes the ferry crossing dangerous. But not so dangerous that a passenger should be found dead. Tara needs to clear her friends names and find the murderer in the madcap mystery that will swear you off from hen parties forever. Loved it.
Murder Most Irish – This mystery is set in New Jersey with a group of knitting friends. Pamela and Bettina are just enjoying lunch at Hyler’s when they watch a patron die drinking an Irish mint green milkshake. The duo must clear the diner and discover the murderer. This was a good mystery.
Mrs. Claus And The Luckless Leprechaun – Mrs. Claus, a former Oregonian, is off to find the elf that injured an ice ball star. Out on a career ending injury, Crumble is attacked trying his luck on the ice after a game. His team recruited 2 wild elves from the north to replace him. And the Golden Bootie trophy is missing. This is a fun, light mystery.
December 31, 2023
A fun set of listens . I originally chose this as I like the Knit and Nibble series by Peggy Ehrhart and loved this story too. I liked the theme as they all had a milkshake as part. I had not read/listened to anything by Liz Ireland before and plan to find others as I liked the story and the characters in Santa Land. The third story by Carlene O'Connor was as expected, not my taste, but still a good mystery. I liked seeing the characters piece out the mysteries. I would have liked a different narrator for each though as I felt like I was in the same story at times.
April 23, 2024
I read this trilogy for the next installment in Liz Ireland's Mrs. Claus mystery series.
Previously, I read Halloween Cupcake Murder trilogy so I was familiar with the cast of characters in Carlene O'Connor's Irish Milkshake Murder. This book was my least favorite of the three. The Irish Village cast try to solve a murder on a rural island with no electricity or cell service during a storm. It was pretty easy to figure out the murderer and the motive.
Murder Most Irish by Peggy Ehrart features Pamela and Bettina, two members of a suburban knitting club who are at a diner when a murder takes place. There are lots of detailed descriptions of baked goods and fiber arts, more than on the investigation or the townsfolk/suspects.
In Mrs. Claus and the Luckless Leprechaun, a murder takes place at the iceball arena. It's fun to see the residents of Santaland throw themselves into celebrating new-to-them holidays. There always seems to be a dueling / feuding vendor storyline in most of these books which I guess makes it a trope at this point since most of the businesses are retail.
I did like seeing how three authors used St Patrick's Day as a setting and a milkshake as a murder weapon. All three stories are very different. This is a fun, light, easy read.
Previously, I read Halloween Cupcake Murder trilogy so I was familiar with the cast of characters in Carlene O'Connor's Irish Milkshake Murder. This book was my least favorite of the three. The Irish Village cast try to solve a murder on a rural island with no electricity or cell service during a storm. It was pretty easy to figure out the murderer and the motive.
Murder Most Irish by Peggy Ehrart features Pamela and Bettina, two members of a suburban knitting club who are at a diner when a murder takes place. There are lots of detailed descriptions of baked goods and fiber arts, more than on the investigation or the townsfolk/suspects.
In Mrs. Claus and the Luckless Leprechaun, a murder takes place at the iceball arena. It's fun to see the residents of Santaland throw themselves into celebrating new-to-them holidays. There always seems to be a dueling / feuding vendor storyline in most of these books which I guess makes it a trope at this point since most of the businesses are retail.
I did like seeing how three authors used St Patrick's Day as a setting and a milkshake as a murder weapon. All three stories are very different. This is a fun, light, easy read.
August 23, 2023
IRISH MILKSHAKE MURDER by CARLENE O’CONNOR
Against her better judgment, Tara Meehan and Danny O’Donnell are off to the Aran Islands with their bridesmaids and groomsmen for a joint hen and stag party to celebrate their upcoming St. Patrick’s Day wedding. Tara quickly realizes her instincts were right when someone is murdered on their ferry trip – and the murder weapon was a milkshake. Tara doesn’t quite trust the local police to solve the case so she decides to solve the murder herself.
I usually enjoy Carlene O’Connor’s mysteries but I thought this one was just okay. I think the biggest reason is because I just don’t buy the relationship between Tara and Danny although I have tried. And Tara, Danny, and friends made some odd choices during the course of this story. The mystery itself was just okay – I thought it was pretty obvious who the killer was – and the final movements of the victim weren’t entirely believable.
MURDER MOST IRISH by PEGGY EHRHART
Pamela Paterson and her friend Bettina Fraser are at Hyler’s Luncheonette when someone dies in front of them after drinking a poisoned milkshake. Pamela and Bettina have solved a few mysteries in the past and get involved in solving this one – will they be able to find the killer?
Like the first mystery, I thought this one was just okay. I do like Pamela and Bettina as main characters and I would love to have Bettina’s husband in my life! I also like the descriptions of the meetings of the Knit & Nibble knitting club. But like the first mystery I thought it was pretty obvious who the killer was.
MRS. CLAUS AND THE LUCKLESS LEPRECHAUN by LIZ IRELAND
It’s Spring in Santaland so the elves have more time to do things like play iceball. Iceball isn’t for the faint of heart – it can get quite competitive – so when one of the players is attacked, April Claus (wife of Santa) decides to investigate. But what she finds out may shock her.
This was my favorite story of the three. I am still getting used to this quirky series featuring Mrs. Santa Claus as the amateur sleuth and lots fun characters like elves and talking reindeer (a certain talking reindeer adds much humor to this story). This mystery is a bit different than the first two (I won’t spoil why) and truthfully I was so wrapped up in the quirkiness of the characters and situation that I didn’t spend a lot of time trying to figure out who the culprit was so I was a bit surprised when all was revealed.
In the end, I thought Irish Milkshake Murder was an okay collection of stories.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.
Against her better judgment, Tara Meehan and Danny O’Donnell are off to the Aran Islands with their bridesmaids and groomsmen for a joint hen and stag party to celebrate their upcoming St. Patrick’s Day wedding. Tara quickly realizes her instincts were right when someone is murdered on their ferry trip – and the murder weapon was a milkshake. Tara doesn’t quite trust the local police to solve the case so she decides to solve the murder herself.
I usually enjoy Carlene O’Connor’s mysteries but I thought this one was just okay. I think the biggest reason is because I just don’t buy the relationship between Tara and Danny although I have tried. And Tara, Danny, and friends made some odd choices during the course of this story. The mystery itself was just okay – I thought it was pretty obvious who the killer was – and the final movements of the victim weren’t entirely believable.
MURDER MOST IRISH by PEGGY EHRHART
Pamela Paterson and her friend Bettina Fraser are at Hyler’s Luncheonette when someone dies in front of them after drinking a poisoned milkshake. Pamela and Bettina have solved a few mysteries in the past and get involved in solving this one – will they be able to find the killer?
Like the first mystery, I thought this one was just okay. I do like Pamela and Bettina as main characters and I would love to have Bettina’s husband in my life! I also like the descriptions of the meetings of the Knit & Nibble knitting club. But like the first mystery I thought it was pretty obvious who the killer was.
MRS. CLAUS AND THE LUCKLESS LEPRECHAUN by LIZ IRELAND
It’s Spring in Santaland so the elves have more time to do things like play iceball. Iceball isn’t for the faint of heart – it can get quite competitive – so when one of the players is attacked, April Claus (wife of Santa) decides to investigate. But what she finds out may shock her.
This was my favorite story of the three. I am still getting used to this quirky series featuring Mrs. Santa Claus as the amateur sleuth and lots fun characters like elves and talking reindeer (a certain talking reindeer adds much humor to this story). This mystery is a bit different than the first two (I won’t spoil why) and truthfully I was so wrapped up in the quirkiness of the characters and situation that I didn’t spend a lot of time trying to figure out who the culprit was so I was a bit surprised when all was revealed.
In the end, I thought Irish Milkshake Murder was an okay collection of stories.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.
December 21, 2023
This is a wonderful collection of St. Patrick’s Day themed cozy mysteries. If you are new to any of the featured authors, this book is a fun way to sample their work for future reads. I found two new authors to check out!
February 6, 2024
I'm really growing to love these cozy mystery novella collections that Kensington has been publishing. I read some of the series regularly, and some are new to me, but it's easy to follow along with the stories and characters regardless. This one was no exception. With each story centered around a green, St. Patrick's Day milkshake, there was a fun common thread. The first story is almost a locked-room style mystery, taking place on a ferry; the second was a diner poisoning involving sheep; ant the third was another Mrs. Claus solving crime installment. I'm a huge fan of Liz Ireland's Mrs. Claus series, so I knew that story would be a winner, but I also adored the first closed universe short story.
I listened to these on audio and thought the narrator did a wonderful job, especially given the Irish accents in the first one and elfin voices in the last.
Thanks to Kensington for my ARC and Tantor Audio for my ALC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
5 stars - 9/10
I listened to these on audio and thought the narrator did a wonderful job, especially given the Irish accents in the first one and elfin voices in the last.
Thanks to Kensington for my ARC and Tantor Audio for my ALC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
5 stars - 9/10
August 14, 2023
Three short stories from three cozy mystery authors who live on my TBR list!!!! It feels like my birthday! Each story is short enough to read between supper dishes and going to bed. Each is as good as their longer books and will give you the same satisfied feeling when the dastardly crime is solved!
June 21, 2023
Cozy mysteries make me happy! I loved all three of these stories. I can’t wait to read more!
Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for the arc of this book!
Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for the arc of this book!
July 1, 2023
This is an anthology of short stories by three well-known cozy mystery writers. They all take place around St. Patrick's Day, and have that particular theme; although they are very different in content. For the most part, I enjoyed each of them.
In the first by Carlene O'Connor, Tara Meehan is looking forward to her St. Patrick's Day wedding to Danny O'Donnell, an Irish charmer. But she's not thrilled that her best friend Breanna has planned a 'hen party' for her, as she's not much for that kind of festivities. But she goes along with it, even when she discovers that Breanna has invited one of her "frenemies" from the states, Rachel, to join in. When they are boarding the boat to take them to Inishmore, one of the three Aran Islands, a pair of twin Irish dancers beg to be let aboard since they missed their own boat.
What follows is nearly chaos. Breanna is serving up 'boozy milkshakes to everyone (doesn't sound appetizing to me, but then again, I don't drink), and during the ride it begins to rain and the boat sways, and...someone is killed. Murdered, in fact. When they arrive on the island, now closed up because of the storm, Tara vows to solve the murder. The police don't seem to believe them at first, but then things get really strange. Tara and the remaining members of her group must stick together to solve the crime. The ending was indeed surprising, and Ms. O'Coonor brings us another tasty mystery. Five Stars.
Peggy Ehrhart's mystery is different in that it begins at a well-loved local diner, and of course, someone dies. But why? Pamela Paterson and her partner-in-crime, Bettina Fraser work together to come up with a plausible reason for the murder, and, of course, a suitable suspect. But no one that they speak to seems to have a motive to have wanted the person dead. The more they look, the less likely their main suspects seem to be. In this one, I figured out the person and the reason before Pamela and Bettina, but it didn't stop my enjoyment of the mystery. It was well written and worth the read.
My only complaints are that the author spends too much time telling us that Pamela uses her wedding China (we know) and Bettina uses her sage green pottery (we know). Unfortunately for me, Pamela seems like a dull character with little personality and 'oomph' in her life. I do wish she'd change, but we can't have everything, can we? However, Wilfred's (Bettina's husband) makes some delicious meals and I'd love to eat there! Four Stars.
The last story is by Liz Ireland, who writes about life in Santaland. Her protagonist is April Claus, Santa Claus's wife, who is a young bride who's made friends with many of the elves. She and her friend Juniper attend a local iceball game, a noted elf event. But after the game, there is an elf found unconscious on the ice, and April doesn't think it was an accident. She and her friends need to find out who attacked the famous iceball player and why, and they need to do so before St. Patrick's Day hits and the elf's fair is fully in swing.
I have to confess that I am not a fan of fantasy, so this one didn't really draw me in as much as the other two. I also would have liked to have seen more interaction between April and Nick. Ah, well. The mystery is very good, though, and there's enough action to keep you interested. When the ending comes, I was a tad disappointed, but that's just me. Others will probably like this story as well. Four Stars.
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.
In the first by Carlene O'Connor, Tara Meehan is looking forward to her St. Patrick's Day wedding to Danny O'Donnell, an Irish charmer. But she's not thrilled that her best friend Breanna has planned a 'hen party' for her, as she's not much for that kind of festivities. But she goes along with it, even when she discovers that Breanna has invited one of her "frenemies" from the states, Rachel, to join in. When they are boarding the boat to take them to Inishmore, one of the three Aran Islands, a pair of twin Irish dancers beg to be let aboard since they missed their own boat.
What follows is nearly chaos. Breanna is serving up 'boozy milkshakes to everyone (doesn't sound appetizing to me, but then again, I don't drink), and during the ride it begins to rain and the boat sways, and...someone is killed. Murdered, in fact. When they arrive on the island, now closed up because of the storm, Tara vows to solve the murder. The police don't seem to believe them at first, but then things get really strange. Tara and the remaining members of her group must stick together to solve the crime. The ending was indeed surprising, and Ms. O'Coonor brings us another tasty mystery. Five Stars.
Peggy Ehrhart's mystery is different in that it begins at a well-loved local diner, and of course, someone dies. But why? Pamela Paterson and her partner-in-crime, Bettina Fraser work together to come up with a plausible reason for the murder, and, of course, a suitable suspect. But no one that they speak to seems to have a motive to have wanted the person dead. The more they look, the less likely their main suspects seem to be. In this one, I figured out the person and the reason before Pamela and Bettina, but it didn't stop my enjoyment of the mystery. It was well written and worth the read.
My only complaints are that the author spends too much time telling us that Pamela uses her wedding China (we know) and Bettina uses her sage green pottery (we know). Unfortunately for me, Pamela seems like a dull character with little personality and 'oomph' in her life. I do wish she'd change, but we can't have everything, can we? However, Wilfred's (Bettina's husband) makes some delicious meals and I'd love to eat there! Four Stars.
The last story is by Liz Ireland, who writes about life in Santaland. Her protagonist is April Claus, Santa Claus's wife, who is a young bride who's made friends with many of the elves. She and her friend Juniper attend a local iceball game, a noted elf event. But after the game, there is an elf found unconscious on the ice, and April doesn't think it was an accident. She and her friends need to find out who attacked the famous iceball player and why, and they need to do so before St. Patrick's Day hits and the elf's fair is fully in swing.
I have to confess that I am not a fan of fantasy, so this one didn't really draw me in as much as the other two. I also would have liked to have seen more interaction between April and Nick. Ah, well. The mystery is very good, though, and there's enough action to keep you interested. When the ending comes, I was a tad disappointed, but that's just me. Others will probably like this story as well. Four Stars.
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.
October 30, 2023
This is a collection of three stories with different vibes all centered around St. Patrick's Day. The blurb does an excellent job introducing the stories, all by authors I'm familiar with. O'Conner's story was probably the darker toned of the three. That's odd because the characters are coming together to celebrate an upcoming wedding. Bride-to-be Tara isn't enthusiastic about the idea of a hen party, but agrees to go along with the idea. Good thing as everything has already been set up, including the tour boat to take them to a more isolated area. There's a storm coming, too. See where this one's going? Needless to say, things go wrong. A man, a twin Irish dancer, dies after drinking a special holiday milkshake. The guest are already rather, uh, tipsy. The boat captain goes missing, and they spend a great deal of time trudging through mud while getting drenched and blown about. I didn't have a clue who did it, to be honest, and found myself rather lost in the festivities, I guess, as this entry didn't quite grab my interest. That said, I did grin at the reference to television's "Dancing With the Stars".
The second story felt like I was back on solid, familiar turf, however. Peggy Ehrhart's knitting mysteries were one of my introductions to cozy mysteries, so I'm always glad to spend time hanging out with Pamela and her far more flashy reporter friend Bettina. In this case, they've stopped for something to eat when they experience, one, a sheep parade down the street past the restaurant, and, two, seeing a man at a nearby table die after drinking a green milkshake. Bettina takes the lead in their follow-up investigation but we get the cozy size of the mystery, too, as they knit, chat, and visit friends. And, regular readers, you'll be happy to see Pamela's romance is moving along nicely and it's always fun to imagine the fiber related articles she's okaying and editing. In any case, their lives are endangered, that's the nature of cozy mystery amateur sleuths, but, hey, there's a knitting pattern and recipes included with this one. This is the more leisurely of the trio of stories, so relax, have a snack (or shake) handy, and enjoy as they try to sort out who the murderer is and make all the seemingly unconnected clues some together.
Quite frankly, as a fan of Liz Ireland's Mrs. Claus series, I honestly think I asked to review this book solely because I wanted to read Ireland's "Mrs. Claus and the Luckless Leprechaun". It's a fun, whimsical story that somehow manages to make talking reindeer, competitive elves, iceball season, building ice houses for living snowmen, ballooning, Santa Claus, and more seem to make perfect sense. It's spring, so the elves have more downtime and that seems to bring out the competitive, nasty side in some. An iceball (the elf version of hockey?) superstar is sidelined by an injury and winds up being conked in the head by an iceball. April Claus, Santa's wife, is determined that justice be done, all while dealing with an overly officious flying reindeer who also suffers panic attacks, playing in the Santaland band, and trying to find a way to help a quite unlikable elf be successful. Somehow I never quite envisioned Santa's homeland being so complicated but it's a heap of fun to drop in every time to see what's going on there.
Thanks #NetGalley and #KensingtonBooks - #KensingtonCozies for allowing me to spend some time getting my Irish on in three very different locations. I mean, I never quite expected to be virtually eating green ice cream in Santaland. Grin.
The second story felt like I was back on solid, familiar turf, however. Peggy Ehrhart's knitting mysteries were one of my introductions to cozy mysteries, so I'm always glad to spend time hanging out with Pamela and her far more flashy reporter friend Bettina. In this case, they've stopped for something to eat when they experience, one, a sheep parade down the street past the restaurant, and, two, seeing a man at a nearby table die after drinking a green milkshake. Bettina takes the lead in their follow-up investigation but we get the cozy size of the mystery, too, as they knit, chat, and visit friends. And, regular readers, you'll be happy to see Pamela's romance is moving along nicely and it's always fun to imagine the fiber related articles she's okaying and editing. In any case, their lives are endangered, that's the nature of cozy mystery amateur sleuths, but, hey, there's a knitting pattern and recipes included with this one. This is the more leisurely of the trio of stories, so relax, have a snack (or shake) handy, and enjoy as they try to sort out who the murderer is and make all the seemingly unconnected clues some together.
Quite frankly, as a fan of Liz Ireland's Mrs. Claus series, I honestly think I asked to review this book solely because I wanted to read Ireland's "Mrs. Claus and the Luckless Leprechaun". It's a fun, whimsical story that somehow manages to make talking reindeer, competitive elves, iceball season, building ice houses for living snowmen, ballooning, Santa Claus, and more seem to make perfect sense. It's spring, so the elves have more downtime and that seems to bring out the competitive, nasty side in some. An iceball (the elf version of hockey?) superstar is sidelined by an injury and winds up being conked in the head by an iceball. April Claus, Santa's wife, is determined that justice be done, all while dealing with an overly officious flying reindeer who also suffers panic attacks, playing in the Santaland band, and trying to find a way to help a quite unlikable elf be successful. Somehow I never quite envisioned Santa's homeland being so complicated but it's a heap of fun to drop in every time to see what's going on there.
Thanks #NetGalley and #KensingtonBooks - #KensingtonCozies for allowing me to spend some time getting my Irish on in three very different locations. I mean, I never quite expected to be virtually eating green ice cream in Santaland. Grin.
January 10, 2024
"Irish Milkshake Murder" is an Irish holiday anthology of cozy mysteries featuring a trio of cozy mystery authors.
"IRISH MILKSHAKE MURDER by CARLENE O’CONNOR
In advance of their St. Patrick’s Day wedding, Tara Meehan and Danny O’Donnell are off to the Aran Islands with their bridesmaids and groomsmen for a joint hen and stag party. The weekend kicks off with the ferry trip to Inis Mór, as the passengers enjoy boozy milkshakes on board and entertainment from a pair of famous Irish-dancing twin brothers. But faster than Tara can say “Oh, Danny Boy,” a murder shamrocks the boat as someone’s spiked shake turns out to be their final round. Stuck in a rural island cottage, while a storm rages outside, Tara must find the Celtic killer before her luck runs out . . ."
My thoughts: I was under the impression that this particular series from Ms. O'Connor had concluded, so it was a nice surprise to revisit with these characters. Given that there were only 9 people on the boat - including Tara and Danny - the pool of suspects is limited. Secrets are coming out and fingers are being pointed all while a storm rages around them. I did figure out who did it and why before Tara put the pieces together but kudos to Ms. O'Connor for a very creative reveal! 4 of 5 stars.
"MURDER MOST IRISH by PEGGY EHRHART
St. Patrick’s Day is drawing near in Arborville, New Jersey and the folks at Hyler's Luncheonette are getting into the holiday spirit with a new, limited-time, Irish-themed menu item--a festive green milkshake appropriately named, “The Leprechaun.” It’s a hit, until a patron is felled by one of the frothy concoctions during a sheep parade through the town. Now, it’s up to Pamela Paterson and her Knit & Nibble knitting club pal, Bettina Fraser, to catch a murderer and put a stop to the shear madness . . ."
My thoughts: As a novella, readers are not subjected to as much filler detail such as Pamela's breakfast prep routine or Betina's fashions and her production of the perfect cup of doctored coffee. These things still happen - just not as often. Pamela and Betina can't resist getting involved in solving the murder. A few interesting turns that may or may not have had anything to do with the murder and a second attempt at murder before the killer is brought to justice. Mouth watering descriptions of food made me hungry for some of the delights mentioned. 3 of 5 stars.
"MRS. CLAUS AND THE LUCKLESS LEPRECHAUN by LIZ IRELAND
Spring in Santaland means the elves have more leisure time and iceball season is in full swing! To celebrate, April Claus’s friend, Claire, whips up some minty milkshakes for her bustling ice cream shop, Santaland Scoop. But when the St. Paddy’s promotion makes one elf the target of a decidedly
unlucky strike, Mrs. Claus and her friends must figure out if the attack was a failed hit job, a crime of passion, or an extremely unfortunate accident . . ."
My thoughts: This is only the second work that I have read by Ms. Ireland (the first was also a novella). I've tried to expand my imagination to accept the whole premise of Santaland, the elves, talking reindeer and any number of other things the stories include. Aside from the attempted murder, the series in general feels more like a kids mystery. Other than the common theme of St. Patrick's Day and milkshakes, this particular story doesn't really seem to fit with the other two in this anthology. The "cutesy" names, settings and the overall incompetence of the local law enforcement just add to the absurdity. 1 1/2 of 5 stars.
Overall, 3 of 5 stars.
"IRISH MILKSHAKE MURDER by CARLENE O’CONNOR
In advance of their St. Patrick’s Day wedding, Tara Meehan and Danny O’Donnell are off to the Aran Islands with their bridesmaids and groomsmen for a joint hen and stag party. The weekend kicks off with the ferry trip to Inis Mór, as the passengers enjoy boozy milkshakes on board and entertainment from a pair of famous Irish-dancing twin brothers. But faster than Tara can say “Oh, Danny Boy,” a murder shamrocks the boat as someone’s spiked shake turns out to be their final round. Stuck in a rural island cottage, while a storm rages outside, Tara must find the Celtic killer before her luck runs out . . ."
My thoughts: I was under the impression that this particular series from Ms. O'Connor had concluded, so it was a nice surprise to revisit with these characters. Given that there were only 9 people on the boat - including Tara and Danny - the pool of suspects is limited. Secrets are coming out and fingers are being pointed all while a storm rages around them. I did figure out who did it and why before Tara put the pieces together but kudos to Ms. O'Connor for a very creative reveal! 4 of 5 stars.
"MURDER MOST IRISH by PEGGY EHRHART
St. Patrick’s Day is drawing near in Arborville, New Jersey and the folks at Hyler's Luncheonette are getting into the holiday spirit with a new, limited-time, Irish-themed menu item--a festive green milkshake appropriately named, “The Leprechaun.” It’s a hit, until a patron is felled by one of the frothy concoctions during a sheep parade through the town. Now, it’s up to Pamela Paterson and her Knit & Nibble knitting club pal, Bettina Fraser, to catch a murderer and put a stop to the shear madness . . ."
My thoughts: As a novella, readers are not subjected to as much filler detail such as Pamela's breakfast prep routine or Betina's fashions and her production of the perfect cup of doctored coffee. These things still happen - just not as often. Pamela and Betina can't resist getting involved in solving the murder. A few interesting turns that may or may not have had anything to do with the murder and a second attempt at murder before the killer is brought to justice. Mouth watering descriptions of food made me hungry for some of the delights mentioned. 3 of 5 stars.
"MRS. CLAUS AND THE LUCKLESS LEPRECHAUN by LIZ IRELAND
Spring in Santaland means the elves have more leisure time and iceball season is in full swing! To celebrate, April Claus’s friend, Claire, whips up some minty milkshakes for her bustling ice cream shop, Santaland Scoop. But when the St. Paddy’s promotion makes one elf the target of a decidedly
unlucky strike, Mrs. Claus and her friends must figure out if the attack was a failed hit job, a crime of passion, or an extremely unfortunate accident . . ."
My thoughts: This is only the second work that I have read by Ms. Ireland (the first was also a novella). I've tried to expand my imagination to accept the whole premise of Santaland, the elves, talking reindeer and any number of other things the stories include. Aside from the attempted murder, the series in general feels more like a kids mystery. Other than the common theme of St. Patrick's Day and milkshakes, this particular story doesn't really seem to fit with the other two in this anthology. The "cutesy" names, settings and the overall incompetence of the local law enforcement just add to the absurdity. 1 1/2 of 5 stars.
Overall, 3 of 5 stars.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 141 reviews