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govmarley's review against another edition
3.0
We are off to Ireland with Maura to visit her grandmother's village to fulfill her dying wish. This book was ok despite Maura, who I found to be a huge bore and a bit rude.
She hops on a plane with little notice and even less thought and is welcomed with open arms by these lovely people. She thanks them by being surly, suspicious, and kind of dense, tbh. But you can tell exactly where this is going because it's book 1 in a series. You know she's going to stay in Ireland, you know there will be a love triangle (even though it's barely hinted at in this one, I'm kind of a cozy expert, so sorry to future spoil you, friends). The mystery ends up making sense in the end and the setting is quaint with some strong supporting characters so I'm in for book 2 at least.
3 stars and you'll probably want to book a trip to Ireland, bog bodies and all.
She hops on a plane with little notice and even less thought and is welcomed with open arms by these lovely people. She thanks them by being surly, suspicious, and kind of dense, tbh. But you can tell exactly where this is going because it's book 1 in a series. You know she's going to stay in Ireland, you know there will be a love triangle (even though it's barely hinted at in this one, I'm kind of a cozy expert, so sorry to future spoil you, friends). The mystery ends up making sense in the end and the setting is quaint with some strong supporting characters so I'm in for book 2 at least.
3 stars and you'll probably want to book a trip to Ireland, bog bodies and all.
a_ab's review against another edition
3.0
Although I picked the book for the mystery aspect, I ended up greatly enjoying the fact that the mystery was not prominent at all. The discovery of the main character's heritage is the main focus, and since we are taken on this journey with her, it felt natural and fascinating.
The book is too slow and too long, so it only works for the right mood and unhurried reading - great for relaxed rainy days.
The book is too slow and too long, so it only works for the right mood and unhurried reading - great for relaxed rainy days.
kiramke's review against another edition
3.0
An adequate cozy, light on the mystery aspect. But I enjoyed memories of Cork and some bits and pieces of Irish countryside (and its experience for an American) rang true and made me laugh.
xenaschakram's review against another edition
3.0
I'd give it 2.5 stars. The main character got on my nerves somtimes, but overall it was pretty good.
wildflowerz76's review against another edition
2.0
Maura's grandmother has just died. Her mother abandoned her after her father died and her grandmother is the only family she really had. So, when it's her grandmother's dying wish that Maura takes a trip to a small town in Ireland, Maura goes. She's not quite sure why she's there, but she's game.
Maura is quite possibly the most boring protagonist I've read in a while. The family thing, you can't help. But she also has no friends or even friendly coworkers at home in Boston. She doesn't appear to have any personality at all. She doesn't like anything. She doesn't read or bake. She doesn't collect figures of unicorns or write an underground feminist zine. There's not even talk of a tv show, movie, or music group she likes. She has zero personality, other than being super negative. Other than that, the story was good and the side characters were interesting. But too much of the story got bogged down in describing Irish law or history. And don't even get me started on trying to explain the familial relationships here. I couldn't follow.
We got this one and a few of it's sequels in at the store the other day, so I thought I'd give it a go. But I don't think I'll continue.
Maura is quite possibly the most boring protagonist I've read in a while. The family thing, you can't help. But she also has no friends or even friendly coworkers at home in Boston. She doesn't appear to have any personality at all. She doesn't like anything. She doesn't read or bake. She doesn't collect figures of unicorns or write an underground feminist zine. There's not even talk of a tv show, movie, or music group she likes. She has zero personality, other than being super negative. Other than that, the story was good and the side characters were interesting. But too much of the story got bogged down in describing Irish law or history. And don't even get me started on trying to explain the familial relationships here. I couldn't follow.
We got this one and a few of it's sequels in at the store the other day, so I thought I'd give it a go. But I don't think I'll continue.
veereadstoomuch's review against another edition
2.0
I like cozy mysteries. They are usually a quick, fun read.
However, this one was a little weird because it felt like things just happened to her. To me, the mystery was something that happened in the background and that the book was mostly set-up for later books.
When the mystery is solved, it's pretty anti-climactic.
However, this one was a little weird because it felt like things just happened to her. To me, the mystery was something that happened in the background and that the book was mostly set-up for later books.
When the mystery is solved, it's pretty anti-climactic.
slferg's review against another edition
4.0
Maura Donovan has a problem. Her grandmother has died and left her a note saying she wants her to go to Ireland where her grandmother grew up. Maura has no family in America and her grandmother has always wanted her to go visit. After everything is settled, there is enough money set aside for a plane ticket and she finds a packet of letters her grandmother has saved from an old friend she has been corresponding with. So she writes to inform the friend of her grandmother's death and her wish that she would visit. She is promptly asked to come visit. Maura has lost her job, her landlord has informed her he is selling the apartment she and her grandmother lived in to a developer who is turning it into a condo. With no prospects and no home, there's nowhere for her to go but Ireland. So, she does and begins to settle in. Visiting the pub across from where she is staying, she finds the manager's daughter behind the bar overwhelmed by customers so she offers to help since she has worked in bars before. The pub is so busy because everyone is talking about a body discovered in a bog. They don't know yet if it's hundreds of years old or more recent. She wants to help Rose, who seems to be stuck at home running the pub and looking after her dad. Also, she is spending time visiting with her gran's old friend and finding out about the life her grandmother never spoke of. Her friend's grandson is an interesting to her as well as several others about the small village. And someone has tried to run her off the road. Why? Who has she upset in the short time she's been there?
dbanquer's review against another edition
1.0
For the first 50 pages I thought I might have picked a winner, but Maura is condescending and rude, which means the protagonist is completely unlikable. There isn’t really much of a mystery here, even for a cozy. The descriptions of the Irish countryside are lovely, but there just isn’t much else going on.
khoar's review against another edition
2.0
Last summer, I took on a HUGE yard project. While working on the project, I blew through all of M.C. Beaton's Agatha Raisin cozy mysteries series. In an attempt to find some light reading for this summer, I picked up a few of Sheila Connolly's books from 3 of her different series. Unfortunately, Sheila Connolly is no M.C. Beaton. The characters are not well developed. The writing is very elementary. The storyline is just not very interesting. I won't be picking up the second book in this series.
hilakay's review against another edition
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0