his is book 3 in the Mercy McCarthy Mystery book series, and it’s another fantastic one! This can be read as a standalone, but why read it as one when the first two books are equally as fantastic. For this book, we’re set at a castle in Ireland and bad storms make the castle secluded. We have our usual cast of characters from the neighborhood with a few extras here via the guests at the castle, the castle owners, and the castle workers. Of course my favorites were Mercy and Kieran.

With this cozy mystery series, it’s a true whodunnit. There are moments where I sometimes giggle, the dog Mr. Poe is absolutely fantastic and such an asset to Kieran. I can’t wait for him to officially join the force! I also love how even though Kieran seems “annoyed” that Mercy keeps inserting herself into the investigation, he secretly enjoys her help.

As for the whodunit aspect, I didn’t guess at all. I was guessing and going through the investigation right along side Mercy and Kieran. Connelly expertly writes these cozy mysteries and I absolutely cannot wait until the next one in this series!

The latest entry in this Ireland-set cozy series has the same clever plotting, appealing setting, and strong characters of the first two. It also has what is to me one of the drawbacks, although this is likely a matter of personal preference and does not outweigh all the positives. In this outing mystery writer Mercy and her sister, bookshop owner Lizzie, are staying at a local castle that has recently opened as a hotel. While enjoying the planned activities, they discover the dead body of one of the other guests. Things escalate quickly from there as local DI and Mercy’s potential love interest Kieran investigates and Mercy looks into things on her own. The latter point is my main issue with the plot, as Mercy cites her curiosity as a reason to do things that I just struggle to believe are justified by curiosity alone, including snooping into Kieran’s records. Again, I fully recognize that’s a personal judgement, and I still consider this a well-written, engaging mystery. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy. All views are entirely my own and offered voluntarily.

Since this is the third book in the series, it’s time for a bit of a change of scenery. Instead of the usual cozy village of Shamrock Cove, Mercy and Lizzie, and all their neighbours, are staying for a weekend at nearby Inishmore Castle. And what a place! I was in love with the castle (which isn’t that hard as I am a sucker for a good castle) – everything was so detailed and well described that it was easy to picture it all.

But it wasn’t just the castle that made this mystery great fun – the characters made this story come alive as they tried to deal with being stuck in a castle in the middle of a storm (there’s always a storm) with a killer on the loose.

As with the previous two books in this series, I absolutely adored Mercy and Lizzie – the two sisters are a great team and balance each other out very well. While their Shamrock Cove neighbours were all there, some, like Rob and Scott, were more prominent than others in the mystery-solving. It’s nice to get to know some of the supporting cast as well, and I hope they all continue to feature in future stories. There’s not always room for everyone, especially as this book introduced several other characters – the couple who run the castle, as well as several other castle guests.

Mercy works well with Detective Inspector Kieran and his team to figure out who the mysterious guests were and why they were hiding their real identities. It’s an interesting mystery that had me guessing and the story never really slowed down at all so I kept turning the pages – I can never put books in this series down!

This is already the third book in the series but I’m hoping for sooooo many more to come!

*** Thank you to the publisher, Bookouture, for providing me with an e-copy of this book for review purposes

Death at Inishmore Castle is sisters, Merc’s’ and Lizzy’s third story in the Mercy McCarthy Mystery Series. What should have been a restful vacation turns into a murder investigation when a fellow guest at the historic Inishmore Castle is found dead. Then another drowns. It sounds like they need to return home but instead stay to find the truth and the guilty party.

By Lucy Connelly, I loved the castle setting with the hidden or secret passages. The reluctant sister with Mercy gives this story the perfect character dynamic. Brilliant cozy mystery that grabbed me and transported me to the Inishmore Castle. The kind of story that Agatha Christie fans will love.

An Irish castle, a suspicious death or two, an engaging amateur sleuth and a raging storm which keeps everyone from leaving…what more could a reader want? This installment in the series has all that and more to keep readers speedily turning pages. This is a solid mystery rife with plausible red herrings and interesting characters. Highly recommended.

A big thank you to Sarah Hardy and the publisher for issuing me with my review copy of the book and for inviting me to take part on the blog tour.

Death at Inishmore Castle is the third in the cosy crime series featuring sisters Mercy and Lizzie, who in-between running a bookshop and being a successful author, also solve crimes that seem to crop up near their home in Ireland!

When Mercy and Lizzie, along with their neighbours in Shamrock Cove are invited to an opening weekend at Inishmore Catle, they are looking forward to having a relaxing time following the tough times they have had recently, little do they know that they will all be in the middle of another murder and become cut off with a storm heading their way.

Lucy Connelly is doing a wonderful job with this series and it is definitely one of my favourite ones so far. The characters are well written and we learn more and more about them as the series carries on. Although Mercy and Lizzie are twins, throughout the series we learn how different they can be - Lizzie definitely wants to more quiet life whereas Mercy throws herself into investigations! Mr Poe as their dog is always a joy to have around (I feel as though he is a real dog!) and I love how astute he is becoming - clearly having Lizzie and Mercy as his owners is rubbing off on him.

The almost locked room setting in the cut off castle is always a favourite of mine and very reminiscent of the old style of mysteries I have read, complete with hidden passage ways and rooms and this was incorporated well into the story. As is usual, I try not to get too deep into solving the crime as I find I usually end up suspecting everyone and there is quite a full compliment of characters in this story with some more suspicious than others.

I thought everything linked up particularly well and I didn't really guess the ending which was a bit of a surprise to me!

Another really enjoyable addition in the series - looking forward to book 4!

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Sisters Mercy and Lizzie McCarthy are back! This time they are going to an Irish castle for a fun weekend of whiskey tasting, crafts and baking. Mercy needed a break from writing her novel so she decided to tag along with Lizzie. Everyone is ready for a fun time until Mercy discovers a dead body. If you like cozy mysteries that keep you guessing until the end, this book is for you.
“Death at Inishmore Castle” is the third book in the “Mercy McCarthy Mystery Book Series”. It can be read as a stand alone, but Mercy and Lizzie are so wonderful you will want to read the whole series. I look forward to more books about these sisters and there was talk of a strange man at the end. I’m looking forward to seeing how he ties into this storyline. Many thanks to the author, Bookouture and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
This book is for you if you like..
A good cozy mystery
Stories about Ireland
Solving puzzles

#DeathatInishmoreCastle #LucyConnolly #NetGalley #Bookouture #BooksOnTour #BookLove #Bookstagram #NewBook #ILoveBooks #BooksSetInEngland #CozyMystery

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'Death At Irishmore Castle' by Lucy Connelly

OMG Lucy Connelly yet another absolutely incredible page turning must read!! This book is the perfect for any cosy crime lovers!! in fact, just any one who loves an unputdownable read needs to get their copy of this book today!! This book is part of ' A Mercy McCarthy Mystery' series but can be read as a standalone.

OMG!!! SHUT THE FRONT DOOR!!! WHAT HAVE I JUST READ!?!?!? Lucy Connelly you lady are an absolute crime writing legend!!!

Wow!!! Well fair play the first thing I must say is congratulations to Lucy on another absolutely HUGE success!! Absolutely blooming fantastic!! I never did work out who was behind what and that is quite a feat considering it is quite hard to shock me now that I have read so many suspense, mystery and thrillers yet I never did see any of those mind blowing twists coming!! Anyway on with my review....

This book is fantastically written with vivid descriptions that absolutely grip the readers attention and puts them right in the middle of it all smelling and feeling the fresh Irish air and falling in love with Shamrock Cove and the castle. The cover is absolutely stunning and if that doesn't make you want to get absorbed into this page turner the synopsis definitely will!!!

This book is part of ' A Mercy McCarthy Mystery' series but can be read as a standalone. I would not usually reading books out of order but nobody could blame you for grabbing this amazing book with that fantastic and gorgeous cover!! There is a positive side to reading books out of order though and that is I can now go back and read the first two books in this series and get to know Mercy and, Lizzie, Mr Poe and the rest of the characters from the start!! I will also be getting stuck in to Lucy's other mystery series which is called 'A Scottish Isle Mystery' series. An absolutely fantastic page turner by this extremely talented author and I am so glad I have discovered her so I can get stuck into her previous books!! This book has got to be one of the most epic books I've read in a long time!!! It had me hook, line and sinker from the first page and I could not put it down!!! Every time I said one more chapter it ended on a cliff-hanger and I just had to know what was going on!!! If you are going to read this then clear your day because it is truly unputdownable. I started this one afternoon and finished it a few hours later after I read it in one sitting!!! In this incredible novel Lucy transports the reader to Ireland where we meet Mercy McCarthy. the previous two books were set more around the village of Shamrock Cover and Mercy's twin sister Lizzie's bookshop 'Leobhair agus seaniarsmai' whereas this gorgeous addition revolves around Irishmore Castle. The castle is hosting a weekend event of whiskey tasting and soda bread baking. The event is going well until a storm keeps the guests stuck in and the body of Father Brennan is discovered in the library. Initially it seems that he may have drunk himself to death but when Mercy discovers something about the Father and she starts looking into him what she discovers shocks her. When she discovers that the legend of lost treasure may be more than a legend and another body is discovered can Mercy get to the bottom of what is going on before any more bodies are found? Who is the killer and can Mercy stop them? Grab your copy of this absolutely fantastic cosy crime mystery to find out for yourself and I promise that you will not regret it!! With an addictive storyline ram packed with whisky, a cute dog, a castle, stunning settings, mystery, murder, community, family, friendship and so, so, SO MUCH MORE What on Earth are you waiting for?!?!? A true page turner, this book is absolutely compelling with an addictive storyline that kept me guessing throughout. I was continuously questioning who was doing what!! Lucy's vivid and evocative writing talents ensures the reader is sucked deep into the storyline and seeing everything and everyone coming to life in front of their eyes! I just could not put my kindle down!! Filled with mystery, twists, amazing characters and beautiful settings this book is one must read cosy crime!! Congratulations Lucy on an absolutely brilliant and unique storyline that I just could not put down!! I cannot wait to get stuck in to your previous and future books!!

Clear your schedules and get ready to get sucked into an intriguing, page turning cosy crim mystery by an extremely talented author!!!

Although this is the third book in the series I had absolutely no problems reading it without reading the first book 'An Irish Bookshop Murder'. Any details or events that have previously happened are mentioned in just the right amount of detail to let a new reader know what has happened and yet not too much to bore a previous reader.

The characters were very realistic, multi layered and well rounded and again their personalities reflected the storyline and how they would act, etc perfectly. I absolutely LOVE the fact that our protagonist is an AUTHOR and that her sister owns a BOOKSHOP!! i LOVE the fact that they own the gorgeous Mr Poe and that they live in an amazing community in Ireland!! I LOVED the community and their neighbours and I really just cannot wait to get stuck into the previous and all future books by this incredible author!!! Lucy's exceptional descriptions gave a really good in depth view of how the characters were feeling and what they were thinking. Several of the characters were complex and each seemed to be hiding their own secrets which leaves you questioning who is telling the truth and who can be trusted. Every character had their own unique personalities with individual flaws, quirks, secrets, strengths and weaknesses!! They were all very well developed, unique and thanks to Lucy's fantastic evocative writing skills they all came to life before my eyes. That is all I will say as I don't want to run the risk of dropping any hints or spoilers. However, whether you love or hate these characters, they all have their own strong unique personalities and they all bring the story to life playing their roles perfectly.

Another absolutely HUGE SUCCESS by this extremely talented author. This is EXACTLY why you are on my top 3 favourite cosy crime authors club Lucy Connelly and here is to your next guaranteed success 🥂!!

Overall a page turning addictive cosy crime mystery filled with fun, Ireland, community, a castle, a cute pup!! Just what more could you EVER ask for??

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Thank you so much to NetGalley and Lucy Connelly for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Death at Inishmore Castle coming out April 10, 2025. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I really love this author! This is a really fun series. I love the setting in Ireland. I absolutely love castle stories. The characters are just really fun for me. I have enjoyed watching their journey. I think they work well together. I would definitely check out more books in the series.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries!

What starts out as a relaxing getaway for the sisters and their neighbors on the court ends up with mercy trying to solve another case. With a storm that whip up and strands them at a castle, the neighbor are stuck with a killer. Can Mercy help the police solve the case before the storm clears up and everyone takes off or will she get too close and become the next victim?

While I love a good mystery set in a foreign location, I absolutely love them even more when they include an American protagonist. It sure makes her great reading, and I love how well the sisters and the residents of the court interact together. If this were a real place, I’d be packing up and moving over in a heartbeat.

And now #3 in the Mercy McCarthy mystery series. This time it is set in a nearby castle and all the neighbors and Lizzie her twin sister are there as well. It should be a relaxing time for them all until a murder or two happens and Mercy is right into it.

The mystery was really good, so much was happening and of course bad weather and the creepiness of the power tending to go out added to the atmosphere. Of course Mercy goes looking where she probably shouldn't, but Aidan the local detective seems to have accepted her role and expertise. Yet he is also cautioning her, he obviously doesn't want her to be killed. They seem to be growing a little closer in this book.

I didn't work out who was the killer but he was among Mercy's suspects. But then again there were a few of them. I enjoyed following Mercy and Lizzie and Mr Poe the brave little dog who seems to smell out dead bodies. However there is more going on than a killer at work and quite a bit is turned up in the wash by the end. The book ends with a bit of a cliff hanger - not related to the murder mystery at the castle, but a mystery man who seems interested too much in the girls. Is he a stalker or....? Maybe it's the girls long lost father. Whatever, it will bring me back to wanting to read #4 when it publishes.

A cozy mystery to be enjoyed and I recommend it. While it could be read as a stand alone, you'd be missing out on the first two which were very good too.

This was an enjoyable read and took the form of a locked room (Castle) mystery as the killer and suspects are cut off from the outside by the weather. There are 2 mysteries in here one the murders the other the treasure. Both seemed rather easily solved without any real issue and this was a little disappointing as it didn't feel like Mercy and Detective Kieran did a lot. However the scenery and the general spookiness of the Castle added a nice touch. Not the best in the series but enjoyable enough to hold my interest. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Twin sisters Lizzie and Mercy decide to take a whiskey tasting trip to Inishmore Castle. Mercy is a writer who is having writer's block and feels like this trip will really help her get out of her slump. There at the castle her friends and neighbors await her and her sister and their dog Mr. Poe.  However,  the inspiration and rest that Mercy was looking forward to comes to a halt when one of the guests, a priest, is found dead inside the castle's library. Mercy is a detective mystery writer and having worked with real detectives before,  she gets on with securing the crime scene while they get a hold of Detective Inspector Kieran, once the severe weather permits it. Kieran makes it to the castle  with Sergeant Sheila and here begins the search for the killer. They must hurry because on the second day, a nun's body is found floating in a shallow lake. Time is running out as more accidents continue to happen at Inishmore Castle and even Lizzie finds herself facing danger.

Death At Inishmore Castle is a cozy, murder mystery that captivates you from the start and makes you want to read more about the twins and Mr. Poe!
💫💫💫💫💫

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture!

I have to say I really enjoy reading the Mercy McCarthy Mystery series. The cozy mystery aspect reminds me of my favorite Agatha Christie books.
First, I have to say…..I am a big fan of Mr. Poe ;). I do think he is part human….he makes me smile with all he does.
This installment in the series has at a castle instead of revolving around the village and the bookstore. Mercy and Lizzie are there for the soft opening at the castle. There is to be whiskey tasting and other fun activities going on. What they weren’t expecting was a murder.
Mercy McCarthy Mystery is a fun, cozy mystery series that I encourage you to read. Can they be read as a standalone? Yes, I believe this can be done. But, I recommend reading them in order. There is much back story to Mercy and Lizzie that is important to know about. As well as the other main characters.
I can’t wait to see what other “situations” Mercy and Lizzie get into along with Mr. Poe.
Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

"Death at Inishmore Castle (Mercy McCarthy Mystery #3)" by Lucy Connelly has Mercy, her sister and some of their neighbors staying at the Inishmore Castle just outside their little Irish town for a few days. The Castle owners are doing a test run of having guests. There are a few other guests as well. An American couple, a nun and a priest are also guests at the castle. Then a couple of mysterious deaths happen while everyone is trapped at the castle due to bad weather.

Mercy eventually gets in contact with the town police. The detective, her possible love interest, makes it out to the castle with a team. They do their best to track down who the culprit is while they can keep everyone together.

At this point, I just have to be flat out honest: I love this series.

It’s probably my favorite cozy mystery series out there on the market today. It has just about everything I want in a cozy series: great characters, a beautiful setting in an idyllic setting, it makes me laugh just as much as it makes me look over my shoulder, and it does make me work my brain as I try to find out the solution to the central mystery of the book.

So needless to say, this is going to be my third glowing review of the series in a row.

But before I get to that, I have to say, though this is the third in the series, it will work very well as a standalone. It does not spoil the other books and all of the character characters and the setting are introduced very well. So if the plot sounds good to you and you decide that you want to pick up this book, but a wary of starting with the third in a series, never fear. You will have no trouble picking up the plot in this book.

Getting back to this particular story, instead of Shamrock Cove were in a beautiful castle, which adds a new creepy factor to the book because castles really are great setting for a murder mystery and this one doesn’t disappoint. Plus you add in some stories of treasure, deceitful guests, greed, and of course, all of the high jinx that Mercy and her sister Lizzie normally get into which just adds up to plenty of laughs and creepiness along the way, and there’s another winner here in this book.

I also love the character of Mr. Poe. I can’t tell you how much I love this dog. I mean, I’m already a dog person, but he has to be my favorite fictional dog right now. He says written so well that every time he’s in a scene, I’m laughing my head off. It feels weird to say that about a murder mystery book, but it’s true.

As the description says, these books are very reminiscent of an Agatha Christie-type classic detective books, and I love trying to figure out the mystery before the end, though I rarely do because the author creates plenty of suspense and drama that keeps you guessing. It’s a lot of fun and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!

Another fun, cozy mystery following Mercy, her twin sister and their Irish gang. Much like the previous two books, Mercy finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation and she’s trying to find out what happens. This time they’re stuck at a castle and people keep getting murdered. I like how easy these books are to read and keep you guessing along with Mercy. Love all the characters and this one had a little sprinkle of romance which I’m sure will be explored a bit more in the next instalment. I will definitely be keeping up with this group to see what other mysteries Mercy finds herself in.

Mercy and Lizzie are spending the weekend at an Irish castle, along with their neighbors. When one of the other guests is found dead, Kieran comes to help solve the mystery. When a second guest dies and the storms and raging river keep them isolated, Mercy gets more involved in helping to figure out what is going on. Great story and interesting twists keep you reading. Once again you are drawn into life in Ireland and the people living there. I love that Mercy's gut feelings often lead to the killer, even if Kieran needs proof. I like how the neighbors all look out for each other and have created their own family by choice.
I received an advanced copy of the book in exchange for a review.

Death at Inishmore Castle, the third volume in the Mercy McCarthy Mystery series remains true to the Irish spirit, adding a little bit of mystery and suspense.
Lucy Connelly does a great job painting the scene- the ancient castle, the moody weather, and little touches like whiskey tastings.
The story follows sisters Mercy and Lizzie as they head to the castle for what’s supposed to be a peaceful weekend getaway. Of course, things take a turn when a murderer interrupts the festivities. Personally, I felt like the bodies dropped way too fast, and some parts became predictable.
While I liked Mercy's adventurous spirit in the first volumes, this time, I felt like she put herself at risk more than necessary, and she made the investigation even more difficult.
The dog, Mr. Poe, adds a cute little touch, leaning the book into that warm, comforting feel that cozy mystery fans love.
The relationship between Mercy and Kieran also takes shape a little bit more, adding a little bit of sparks to the action.
I gotta say, the ending made me give that extra points. It comes as a total surprise and leaves you hanging.
Overall, it’s an enjoyable read—nothing groundbreaking, but definitely worth picking up if you're in the mood for a classical, atmospheric murder mystery book.
3.5 stars from me.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book

i really love this series so to be able to read this book is amazing....

mercy and lizzie are on a break away from everything to recharge their batteries but its not long before a dead body shows up... that they are all in a castle and the worst weather hits their region beggars belief so mercy comes up with a plan so that the body is guarded and hopefully the killer wont come back until the police arrive

but its not long before things go awry for mercy and the rest of the people at the weekend break and the castle they are staying in has more secrets to reveal

cant wait to read the next book in this brilliant series and loved the teasing bit at the end.....