I love it when an author transports me away to the setting in their books. In this one, I was at a castle in Ireland where it wouldn't stop storming! I love storms and this set the mood for all the adventures Mercy, Lizzie and Mr. Poe get up to. They end up stuck there in the castle with a murderer! It was such a fun read, I was sad when I got to the end. I look forward to reading many more in this series.

I’m a big fan of the author’s Scottish Isle Mystery Series and never realized she had this second series. I discovered it thanks to NetGalley. I had not read the previous books in the series and a little more background from the author would have been helpful but did not distract from the story. I’ll be looking forward to more in the series. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for review.

This was the first book I've read in this series and I was glued to my kindle from page one! I stayed up late into the night to finish as I absolutely could not sleep until I found out whodunnit! This book had everything I love in a cozy. A twisty plot, wonderful main characters, lots of suspense, a spooky setting, lots of red herrings, and a smart dog named Mr. Poe. I can't wait to read the next book in this series. Five stars!!!

Death at Inishmore Castle is book 3 in the Mercy McCarthy cozy mystery series. This is another fun installment about twins Mercy and Lizzie who visit an Irish castle with their neighbor friends and are quickly immersed in a murder mystery (like always). Mercy has a hard time keeping out of the mystery of the "Priest" even though the handsome Detective Inspector Kieran would love for her to let him handle everything. Theirs is a slow-going romance but I still love it! The creepy secret passages through the castle made it so much fun too!

I read/listened to the audio of this book and loved it so much! Kimberly M. Wetherell did a wonderful job narrating.

Many thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Publication date: 10 April 2025

After a murder happens on their trip to an Irish Castle, Mercy and her sister Lizzie are forced to investigate. I really enjoyed the journey to a new location, and the storm that cuts the castle off from the outside world was very Agatha Christie “And Then There Were None”.

This could definitely be read as. Stand alone mystery, but I love the characters and how they’ve developed over the series. I wish some of the usual characters such as Rob and Scott had been more present in the storyline, but it was a fun read overall. The descriptions really brought the castle to life, and it had everything from hidden passageways, false identities, and Irish whiskey.

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

I must say I am such a fan of this author and her series and this one yet again didn't disappoint. What's not to like about 'A grand castle, a glass of Irish whiskey, a good book by the fire… and a rather mysterious murder?'.

I devoured this book in a matter of 24 hours as once I got started I just couldn't stop reading. Love Mercy and her antics, love the cosy feel of the book and the story and the mystery kept me intrigued and guessing throughout. This is a delightful, wonderful cosy read and not just a book but a series I highly recommend.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read adn review this book.

Death at Inishmore Castle is an absolute delight from start to finish. Lucy Connelly delivers a brilliantly written cozy mystery filled with charm, suspense, and just the right touch of Irish flair. Mercy McCarthy shines once again—clever, courageous, and impossible not to root for. The setting is rich and atmospheric, the mystery is tightly plotted, and the pacing keeps you turning pages late into the night. A thoroughly enjoyable and completely addictive read! (I received an advance reader copy and all opinions are my own .)

Inishmore Castle will open its doors for guests. For a test run the local tourism committee of Shamrock Cove is invited together with other guests to check the overnight stay as well as the cooking and craft classes, whiskey tasting, learning more about the gardening, ...
So Mercy and her twin sister Lizzie McCarthy as well as their dog Mr. Poe arrive there looking forward for a fun time with their neighbours. All this is shattered when the first dead body is discovered.
Who is killing a priest? Ok he was not the friendliest person and Mercy is not so sure that he really is a priest but what or more important who murdered the man? As if a dead body would not be the worst the weather is getting worth and worth causing power outings and making it difficult to cross the bridge to go to the castle. Till the police can arrive Mercy is taking over the responsibility to try to find the murder under their roof.


What a cute cosy crime series!
This is my first book of the series so there is no need to be aware of the former ones. We get to know the characters very well and I really like the Shamrock Cove group a lot. There are quite some nice people and so different but what matters most they help each other so wonderfully.
I must say for me the highlight is really the dog Mr. Poe. I fell in love with him.

I like the setting that Mercy is a crime writer and is ending up finding dead bodies and that she can´t stop to investigate. What I like about this series is that Kieran, the Detective, has no issue with her snooping around. Instead he is working together with her. I think this is a nice change to some other series. Also the relationship he has with the twins is nice.

So who loves cosy crime novels and is looking for a new series please check out this one. I really enjoyed the book and was flying through it.

Historic Inishmore Castle is opening its doors for the first time, welcoming guests to a delightful weekend of whiskey tasting and soda bread baking.
Sisters Mercy and Lizzie McCarthy are in desperate need of a relaxing getaway, but their peaceful retreat takes a sudden turn when Mercy discovers fellow guest Father Brennen slumped over a desk in the castle library.
I absolutely love the characters, setting, and writing style in this series. As a fan of the author’s other works, I had high hopes—and this book did not disappoint. It’s fast-paced, full of charm, and packed with mystery. A thoroughly enjoyable read!
#DeathatInishmoreCastle #NetGalley

I do love the Mercy McCarthy cozy mystery series and this one was quick and fun. You don’t have to read this series in order, but it does help to keep all the details in line while you are reading. It seems that wherever Mercy goes, murder follows. I love these characters and how they have pretty large backstories that took place before the series even began. This mystery kept me guessing, too!

Thank you for my copy and for making me part of the tour!!

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Bookouture , for letting me read and review an advanced copy of ‘Death at Inishmore Castle’, by Lucy Connelly.

What better way for bookstore owner but murder investigator, Mercy McCarthy, to get involved when a weekend getaway ends up with a murder investigation, and the police can’t get to the scene because of a huge storm. Along with her sister, Lizzie, and some good friends, Mercy must protect the crime scene and start weeding out the suspects.

This third book in the series has Mercy taking chances and ignoring all instructions from DI Kieran, again, while “helping” with the investigation. As the number of victims increases, the urgency and danger also increases. I liked the setting, an old Irish castle (with secret passages), the characters, and the plot of this story. There was plenty of action to keep a reader involved.

We are back with the McCarthy sisters and this time in an adventure in an OLD CASTLE! You can't imagine how much I was looking forward to this book and it gave me everything I got from the previous ones. From the mystery to our Mercy trying to solve it, come on, where she goes, trouble goes. This time the murder of a "father" in the castle in the middle of a storm makes our protagonist take matters into her own hands until the authorities arrive. This book I feel was a little more graphic (so to speak) than the previous one, I feel there was more mystery and a little more of the tone I'm used to in these books and I liked it, the writing has evolved as we go deeper into the story that by the looks of it (and the little mystery at the end) will be for many more books (and I'm here for it).

I can't imagine what else is in store for us in the adventures of these sisters.

This is only book three in a new series from Lucy Connelly, but I’m quickly becoming invested. These are short and sweet and hold the perfect amount of intrigue. This addition takes place in a castle during a rain storm and has all the fun of a locked room mystery, complete with hidden passageways!

Favorite Quotes:

I’d say I will never do it again, but you’ve met me. I tend to be impulsively curious when things like this happen.

Mr. Poe yawned so big he almost fell over. It was way past his bedtime. He would sometimes try to drag Lizzie by her pajama legs upstairs if she stayed up late watching television. He was a dog with a schedule.

In Shamrock Cove, everyone knew your business, sometimes before you did. It was one of the town’s many quirks.

We didn’t hesitate to run toward the scream, which probably says so much about Lizzie and me regarding danger. We would most definitely be killed early on in any horror movie.


My Review:

This has been such a fun series, and each installment just gets better. The mysteries are well-plotted and expertly paced, the writing is smart, highly amusing, unfailingly engaging, and easy to follow, while the characters are quirky and well-fleshed out. And I absolutely adore Mr. Poe, the smartest crime-solving dog in the world. He deserves his very own superhero cape!

Author is a favorite because she consistently combines interesting characters, settings and plots. This is another excellent example. Thanks to #NetGalley and #DeathAtInishmoreCastle for advanced digital copy.

Another exciting Mercy and Co adventure! This is a wonderful murder mystery set in a secluded, isolated castle with a murderer on the loose. It’s been great to catch up with known characters (especially Mr Poe) and meet new ones. I did suspect who was the culprit but wasn’t sure until the big reveal. This is definitely a book to easily lose yourself in.

Thank you Netgalley

Reading in Between the Wines book review #36/125 for 2025:
Rating: 3 🍷🍷🍷
Book: Death at Inishmore Castle (A Mercy McCarthy Mystery Book 3)
Author: Lucy Connelly
AVAILABLE NOW!!!

Sipping thoughts: I love Mercy and her relationship with her sisters, friends, and Inspector Kiernan. I am glad to see the dog, Poe, return as well. The twins are solving another murder case, but this time in a castle. I am so glad Mercy does not keep her nose where it’s supposed to be. Albeit Kiernan would rather she stay in her lane. I am ready for that relationship to blossom into a romantic one. I am excited to read Book 4 whenever it is released, and I hope the twin’s long lost (missing) dad makes an appearance…or maybe he already has?!

Cheers and thank you to @Netgalley and @Bookouture for an advanced copy of @DeathAtInishmoreCastle.

#DeathAtInishmoreCastle #LucyConnelly #Bookouture #NetGalley #ARC #advancedreader #Kindle #Booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #bookstagram #nicoles_bookcellar #bookworm #bookdragon #booknerd #booklover #bookstagrammer #bookaholic #bokreview #bookreviewer #IHaveNoShelfControl #ReadingBetweenTheWines #fiction #thriller #suspense #mystery #MysteryAndThrillers #GeneralFictionAdult

Death at Inishmore Castle is a delightful Irish cozy mystery that delivers charm, intrigue, and a touch of mischief. Lucy Connelly crafts a gripping whodunit set in a grand castle, where whiskey tasting and soda bread baking take a backseat to murder and hidden secrets.
Pros:
• The setting is pure magic: an atmospheric Irish castle with secret passages and stormy nights. It’s the kind of place I’d love to spend days exploring
• Mercy McCarthy, the FMC, is a sharp, lovable sleuth, and her reluctant sidekick (plus her dog, Mr. Poe) adds humor and warmth. They are well-developed characters, and it was a joy to follow them again
• The mystery is layered with red herrings, keeping readers guessing until the very end and being surprised by the twists.
Cons:
• Some characters could use more depth, as a few suspects feel more like caricatures and a bit flat.
• The pacing slows slightly in the middle and there’s some less suspense, but the final twists make up for it.
A mystery that will surely be appreciate by whodunnit fans a cozy, Irish twist. Grab a blanket, pour yourself a cup of tea (or whiskey), and prepare to be thoroughly entertained!
Many thanks to Bookouture for this digital copy, all opinions are mine

Mercy and Lizzie are headed to a castle for a weekend retreat. It sounds like great fun with classes and there is a whisky distillery. However it soon turns into a locked room mystery when a priest is found murdered in the library during heavy rainstorms that cut them off from the rest of the world.
Mercy cannot help herself, she investigates. The crew from Shamrock Cove do manage to get word to
Detective Inspector Kiernan and he arrives to investigate.
The castle with classes about all sorts of subjects sounds like such a fun idea for a getaway.
There is plenty of mystery. I suspected the guilty party, but there were plenty of suspects.
I highly recommend this series. I love the main characters Mercy, a thriller writer, and her twin Lizzie who loves books, cooking and gardening. Their little dog Mr. Poe is such a great addition to the stories.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read Death at Inishmore Castle.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book to review.

This is such a fun cozy mystery, I have read the 1st book in the series and this is book 3... I think you should read them in order as you get more out of the story, but its not a must.