DEATH WRITES

4 stars out of 5

I've missed only a couple of books in this series - this is the sixth - and more's the pity. Those I did read, this one included, I've thoroughly enjoyed. Mind you, to my mind they're far closer to fitting into the "cozy" category than "thriller," but that's fine with me; sometimes, I'd rather not be overwhelmed with blood, guts and concern that the main character won't make it to the end of the book.

Benedicta O'Keeffe, affectionately called Ben, is a level-headed solicitor in Glendara, Ireland, who sometimes gets caught up in illicit activities. And it's a little refreshing to see that her boyfriend Tom Molloy, a police sergeant, doesn't poo-poo her input nor threaten to hog tie her if she finds herself in the middle of an investigation yet again.

And of course, such is the case here, when things begin with her concern that her parents may have fallen victim to a scammer; Molloy, concerned as well, offers to do what he can to help, bless his heart - and the immediate result is that they agreed to come stay with Ben while things get sorted out. Meanwhile, the townspeople are gearing up for Glenfest, a literary event, and everyone's excited that the notoriously recluse author Gavin Featherstone will be the star of the show. Things roll along swimmingly until his presentation - insights into his soon-to-be-published memoir - a presentation that ends up falling flat. Soon thereafter, Ben learns that her office is the keeper of Featherstone's Last Will and Testament, a document drawn up by her predecessor.

Mostly estranged from his wife and children, Featherstone lived with a young male assistant. All well and good, perhaps, but the inheritance issue takes on more significance when it's learned that the author's death was not an accident. Until the killer is identified, everything is on hold; after all, a murderer is prohibited from receiving money or valuables from the person he or she willingly caused to die. And for sure, several of the potential beneficiaries are on the suspect list.

For the most part, the murder investigation and happenings with Ben's parents' situation move along slowly (though not nearly as slowly as Ben and Tom's relationship); clues are revealed here and there right up to the end, when both situations are resolved after some surprising information comes to light. Also of interest is a twist in that aforementioned relationship - one that, I'm sure, will play out in the next installment. Needless to say, I'm looking forward to it - and thanking the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to catch a pre-release copy of this one to read and review.

Death Writes by Andrea Carter (Oceanview Publishing, December 2023); 336 pp.

MURDER AT GREYSBRIDGE

4 stars out of 5

If you're looking for a well-written, enjoyable series with a bit out-of-the-ordinary setting and characters, may I suggest this one? This is the fourth book in the Inishowen Mysteries series, and I previously read the third ("The Well of Ice"). Both are very entertaining and can stand well alone, though as is my custom, I advise starting any new series at the beginning.

It seems to me I actually like this one a titch better than the third, although it's easy to chalk a big part of that up to being familiar with at least the two main characters. The primary focus is on Benedicta "Ben" O'Keeffe, a solicitor (lawyer) in Glendara, Inishowen, Ireland. As this begins, her romance with police officer Tom Molloy seems to have ended - he left without much explanation, much to her disappointment. She and local veterinarian Harry Dubois are an item, although Ben doesn't seem all that enthusiastic about him. Besides, she's been offered a job in Florida, so maybe now isn't the time to get too serious.

Ben runs O'Keefe & Co. Solicitors in Glendara, and she's off to attend the wedding of her friend and office colleague, Leah. The ceremony and reception is being held at Greysbridge, a storied manor that was purchased and renovated by a member of the original family (and the owners are Ben's clients). It's a beautiful place, but rumor has it that at least one ghost is a frequent unregistered guest - as Ben suspects may be true when she beds down for her first night there. She and Leah also come across some odd features that apparently were added to the house but now are totally sealed off.

The ceremony goes along swimmingly until a young American who has an interest in the property's history appears to have done likewise; problem is, he never learned how. Despite attempts to revive him by Dr. Harry and others, he's a goner. But he's not the last to bite the dust; a second man - another history lover who wants to bring the story to the world, also turns up dead in his room. This time, it's clear that foul play was involved, leading to the suspicion that the young man's death wasn't an accident. And what to Ben's wandering eye should appear but - you guessed it - her ex-lover Molloy, who's come to investigate.

Thrown in the mix are a suspicious gardener, a couple of errant teenage lovers who go missing (with, of course, Ben trying to track them down) and assorted family members, some of whom are reclusives from a nearby island who don't play well with others. Solving the murders is the real focus, though, and that takes Ben and Molloy to the strange island of Inishathair with the hope of returning intact. Like its predecessor, this book has a cast of thousands - yes, I exaggerate - making it a bit of a chore to keep everyone straight. Things work out in the end as well they should, but a couple of ends remain loose (such as the status of Ben's relationships with Molloy and the good doctor). Now I'm ready for the next one, and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy. An-mhaith!

Murder at Greysbridge by Andrea Carter (Oceanview Publishing, November 2021); 353 pp.

THE WELL OF ICE

4 stars out of 5

This is Book 3 of the author's Inishowen mystery series, and the first for me. And I must say that overall, I enjoyed it thoroughly. If I have to get nitpicky, I'll say the number of characters was a bit overwhelming, but once I got into the swing of things I managed to keep the important ones straight.

The star of the show is Benedicta "Ben" O'Keeffe, a solicitor in Glendara, Inishowen, who's desperately trying to clear her calendar for the upcoming Christmas holidays. But instead of seeing bows, boxes and warm hugs from her family and friends, she runs smack dab into the man who murdered her sister Faye. He's just been released from jail, and instead of heading for other parts as she expected, he's right on her doorstep. Long ago, she and he were an item - until he dumped her for her sister and then, well, you know. 

Ben has a relatively new main squeeze, a sergeant with the local police - although their relationship seemed to me to be tenuous at best (anyone who wants to keep a relationship "in the closet" says to me no relationship exists). But they're working at it, sort of, when things in the small community start to go horribly wrong. It starts when a popular pub burns to the ground - a possible arson - and the suspicious disappearance of the pub's barmaid. Then, when Ben and her lover, Tom Molloy, hike to Sliabh Sneacht to see the Well of Eyes, her foot slips in and she dubs it the "Well of Ice." Alas, that's not their only find; the other is the body of a dead female.

Needless to say, Ben has her suspicions that her sister's killer may be involved somehow. But is that simply what she wants to believe because she [understandably] hates him so much? What roles, if any, do the dead woman's husband or the pub owner play? As the plot progresses, it becomes clear that maybe Ben herself is in danger. If that's true, can her boyfriend protect her while he's trying to solve the murder? 

Well, you'll just have to read it to find out - and it's worth the effort. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for giving me a pre-release copy to read and review.

The Well of Ice by Andrea Carter (Oceanview Publishing, November 2020); 352 pp.