A murder mystery - set in Glendara.

This is Book 3 in a 5 series, but it was the first one that I have read. I was able to follow the story without too much difficulty but had to look up the name of Ben's (short for Benedicta!) new love interest as he is called Molloy throughout this book. Apparently, it is Tom.

I really enjoyed this book, the description of the scenery in this part of Ireland is beautiful, and the plot was interesting. However, I feel the ending was left a little bit up in the air presumably because there are 2 more books to follow.

Ben is a solicitor in a small town called Inishowen and is rebuilding her life after the murder of her sister, Faye, by Luke Kirby. We discover that Luke had initially had a relationship with Ben, but she had been dumped for her sister. Luke is accused of manslaughter although Ben is convinced it was murder and at the start of the book he has been released from prison and has supposedly gone to England. On a quick visit to Dublin, Ben is horrified to bump into Luke and although he appears very remorseful, he shows his real self to Ben.

Although disturbing, this meeting is banished from Ben's mind temporarily when the village pub is burnt to the ground and Carole, one of the barmaids go missing. Ben's burgeoning relationship with Molloy and her legal background led her to investigate the mystery surrounding the disappearance. The local people tend to confide in her, and various secrets about their relationships are revealed. When Molloy and Ben are on a walk in the moorland just before Christmas they discover Carole's body, she gets drawn into investigating the murder.

The landlord of the pub that has been destroyed, Tony Craig, was away at the time because he has had to go to Madrid to bring back his wayward daughter, Susanne. Ben is horrified when Susanne turns up at a Christmas dinner with her new boyfriend, none other than Luke Kirby.

There are various twists and turns regarding the small community's various inhabitants, and eventually, the murderer is discovered mainly due to Ben's information.     

I have given this book 4 stars instead of 5 purely because I got a little confused with all the different characters and what had happened to them presumably because I have not read the first 2 books. I also felt the ending was a little lacking but again, presumably because the story will continue. However, I would be extremely interested in reading the next book in the series as soon as possible. 

 Dexter
 
Elite Book Group received a copy of the book to review

Interesting murder mystery!  Ben is a good character that is surrounded with new interesting friends. Her law practice is a busy place so she is touching the lives of many in the neighborhood.  Molloy is not one of the more likable characters.  I don't like how he seems to use Ben rather than care for her. As the town has more death, fire and small incidents Ben has her history come back into her life. I liked the pace of the book. The scenery sounds amazing for the outdoor lover.  But that icy rain made me shiver. Overall a good book,,,I liked it.

The Well of Ice is the third Inishowen mystery by Andrea Carter. Originally released in 2017 in the UK, this reformat and re-release in the USA by Oceanview Publishing is 352 pages and available in hardcover format (other editions available in other formats). 

I was impressed how much the isolated setting played in the entire flavor of the novel. The characters are well rendered, three dimensional, and believable. I liked the way main character Ben is compassionate, intelligent, and loyal to her friends. Although this is the third novel in the series, it worked well enough as a standalone for me to not have any trouble following the story or keeping the characters straight. 

The language is relatively clean (there are some assorted "f-bombs", but they're used in context and don't overpower the story). There is implied consensual sexual content but it's -very- lightly written and there's no NSFW content. I did figure out "whodunit" before the end, but it was more a case of reverse-engineering the denouement (which was well written and exciting). 

The spellings and slang are UK standard. There's a fair bit of Irish idiom and dialogue sprinkled throughout, but it shouldn't present any problems in context, especially for fans of UK/Scots/Irish crime fiction. 

Beautifully written, well plotted, an enjoyable and diverting read. I read a *lot* of books for review in the course of a year, and I fully intend to read the first two books in this series asap. 

Four stars. Recommended for fans of Irish crime fiction, legal mysteries, small-town mysteries (though I wouldn't call this one a cozy). 

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes

The first in this series that I've read, which meant it did take me a bit to connect with the characters and figure out who is who.  Although my preference tends to be with historical mysteries, the strong sense of place in this title did pull me in.  This atmospheric Irish mystery is gritty but not too graphic, with lots of twists and turns.  A good read for a cold winter night.

It’s the holidays, and solicitor, Benedicta ‘Ben’ is trying to close as many accounts as she can before the break. While visiting Dublin to finish one, she runs into Luke Kirby, the man who killed her sister, just out of prison. She’s shaken, but makes it back to her small town only to find that the Oak Pub in town burnt down and Carol the barmaid missing. When Kirby makes an appearance in town, Ben suspects he is behind it all. Now she just has to prove it.

I enjoy this action packed mystery. Well of Ice us full of twists and turns throughout the story. I didn’t connect with any of the characters, nor did I feel that they were very developed or understood. Overall, an entertaining and suspenseful read.

Well, I will start from the end. I gave this book 4 stars partly because I was hoping for a better development in the main characters' relationship.

Too bad I came into the series at book 3. I would have loved to learn more about characters' backstory. I would have loved to be on their journey with them. But...Book 3 is put together in a way that accidental passenger like myself can get the gist of who is who pretty quickly.

I loved Ben (Sarah) and her friends and colleagues. I loved her cat. I felt for Ben with her living alone, recovering from tragedy, soldiering on. I was 100% with her when she, irrationally and not at all 'lawyer-like' wished for things to be different and for people (bad people) to be punishe for the rest of their lives. I do not want to spoil the story but...

The Well of Ice (the Well of Eyes - landmark in Glendara surrounds) is about old secrets, false identities and allegiances, addictions and obsessions, hurt we cause other people and their payback. And it all happens during Christmas holidays, a season to be jolly... in this case not. 

The book was dear to my heart beacause of the settings, Ireland (I've never been but always wanted to), winter with snow, Christmas in the air, budding love - a good ingredients list for something truly interesting and captivating. 4 Stars for mystery, suspense, characters development, plots and sub-plots (minus one star for... you will have to read the book to find out)

Ben O'Keefe is a solicitor in a small town in rural county Donegal.  She moved there for a fresh start after the murder of her sister.  On a work trip to Dublin she bumps into here sister's killer, recently released from prison.  REturning home she finds the local pub burnt down and the barmaid disappeared.  When a body is found on Christmas Day she tries  to help her police sergeant  boyfriend to work out who has caused all the carnage.  Is there more to come?  An exciting read, it portrays the claustrophobia of a small rural town and how many secrets lie beneath the surface

The Well of Ice is the third book in the Inishowen Mysteries series by Andrea Carter. Ben (Benedicta) O’Keeffe is a local attorney in Glendara, a small town in northern Ireland. She has been involved with a couple of mysteries, and is drawn into a new one in The Well of Ice.

Glendara is a very close-knit community, where everyone knows everyone else’s business. For instance, everyone seems to know about Ben and her “secret” boyfriend Sergeant Tom Molloy… so, it’s a surprise when no one knows anything about the local pub burning down and the missing barmaid. Fortunately, Ben has a talent for uncovering secrets and solving mysteries.

I recommend reading the first two books in this series (Death at Whitewater Church and Treacherous Strand) before this one. While the mystery and some of the characters are new, the recurring characters have a history that progresses between books.

An atmospheric mystery with an isolated and wintry setting. The Well of Ice has similarities with cozy mysteries – small town setting, quirky characters, and an amateur sleuth, but it is darker than most cozies. Intriguing mystery that has me looking forward to the next book in the series.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

It was just an okay read. Lot of characters who were involved haphazardly with the disappearance and subsequent murder of a female bar maid and mother , and the burning of a pub. Then there was the introduction of the murderer of the main character sister who served prison time. All in all is was just a meh read that often became bogged down with irrelevant events and characters.

What a good book this was great storyline, great characters,  thoroughly enjoyed this,   was hooked to it, loads of twists and turns in it x

Y’all I was very intrigued by this novel! I definitely enjoyed it even though I wasn’t sure if it would be up my alley. But definitely go and try it out!

The third and well written book in a captivating series. Although I haven’t read the previous books, I could follow the events and characters easily. The author provides adequate backstory for the new reader. There are quite a number of characters and some of them are not developed well. The plot and the suspense are woven well with the climate depicting the mood of the story poignantly. I enjoyed the prose which was different from the other Ireland books and I would definitely recommend it. 4.5 stars

I really enjoyed this book and am just sorry I haven't read the first two books in this series (I didn't realize it was a series).  I didn't feel this book was missing anything though, for not having read the previous ones.  It stands on its own.

I liked all the characters and the writing is excellent.  The descriptions and sense of place made me shiver with the cold and I could practically see the surroundings.

The mystery is very good and I didn't figure out 'whodunnit' which is a rarity in mystery books!!  The ending was a bit convoluted but that's ok.  Overall, it was just a very enjoyable read.

My only question - - am I missing something?  I kept looking for a well of ice!

I've just finished The Well of Ice, the third book in the Inishowen Mysteries series, by Andrea Carter, and now I must wait until the next two books, that have already been published elsewhere, get published in the US. I hate having to wait to see what further trouble Benedicta “Ben” O'Keeffe, gets herself into, in the later books. Because I've got her number now, she's not about to stop being a nosy, busybody who runs headlong into danger, at the worst of times. 

Not too far into The Well of Ice, the local bar burns down, the barmaid goes missing and Ben and Tom, her hunky sergeant, discover a body. Not only that, Luke Kirby, Ben's former boyfriend, who killed her sister, is now out of prison. Pretty much just another anxious month for Ben who, if trouble isn't following her, seems to be following trouble. There is an Agatha Christie/Midsomer Murders vibe to this series where, even if everyone doesn't always know everyone else, they are probably related to each other or have heard of each other, or something to that effect. Everyone knows something and/or is keeping secrets. The world is small in these stories, nobody is safe, and you can count on the weather to be gray, spitting rain, hail, or snow and everybody downing bottles of spirits, like spirits are water. Nothing like my life at all but fun to visit through these stories.

This is a very well-written traditional police and legal procedural.  It is the third in the series, and I wish I'd had a chance to read the first two, but the characters are well-drawn and you are able to jump right into the story.  Benedetta "Ben" O'Keffe is an appealing solicitor and a strong female character (my fave) and this book feels a little like chilly Scandinavian noir mixed with a traditional police/lawyer procedural.  There's a little romance, a moderate amount of crime, and a LOT of good writing.  I was really impressed with the level of research and writing on this one and the setting of the small chilly town really comes to life.  I would definitely read the other books in this series!

Thanks to Oceanview Publishing, the author, and NetGalley for the advance copy!

Benedicta "Ben" O'Keeffe is not having a good day. She's working flat out to get things done before the Christmas holiday. She's sort of planning to spend the holidays with her parents, but they're going to be traveling. She's been seeing Sergeant Tom Malley on the sly, and she's uncertain where that relationship is going. And the worst thing .. she has seen Luke Kirby... the man who killed her sister. He's spent his time behind bars and now he's out again.

In her small community, things are happening. The Oak pub has burned down and investigation shows that it was arson. The young woman who was tending bar is nowhere t be found, leaving her husband and children baffled. While walking the neighbor's dog, Ben and Tom discover a woman's frozen body in the snow. Is this the barmaid?

Ben feels that someone has targeted her community ... and on a personal level, Ben herself.

This is the third in an exceptional series and is easily read as a stand alone. I do recommend reading in order to catch those gems that make it what it is. The intricate plot is well written with superb character development. I look forward to seeing the next installment and following where it goes.

Many thanks to the author / Oceanview Publishing / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

This is the first book I have ever read by this author.  I hope it is not the last.  This was the third book in the series though I did not feel lost as to who was who.  I really hope there will be more books in this series.  I liked Ben and Molloy.  Ben(Benedicta), seemed to fall in to helping Molloy solve this murder.  She seemed to be close to all of the suspects.  I loved the twists and turns.  I received a copy of this book from Oceanview Publishing for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

I received a free electronic ARC of this novel, third in the Inishowen Mysteries but completely stand-alone, from Netgalley, Andrea Carter, and Ocean View Publishing.  Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me.  I have read The Well of Ice of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work.  Andrea Carter writes a compelling story with personable people and an interesting mystery.  I will want more of her stories.  And she paints a lovely picture of the peninsula - I would add that to my bucket list.  

The Well of Ice takes place on the Inishowen Peninsula, County Donegal, Ireland.  Benedicta "Ben" O'Keefe is a  county barrister, an amateur sleuth, and a credit to her community.  Everyone comes to her with their troubles and their secrets, making her at times the only person in the communities of the Inishowen who know what is actually going on.  Sometimes she is more in the know than her fella, Molloy, himself with the local garda.  But it is with his help that she will be able to suss out the people behind the current woes of the community.  We have Carole, barmaid at the Owl and sister of Eddy, gone missing just before Christmas.  Carole has been know to disappear before, but now she and her husband George have two toddlers and it's nearly Christmas! It couldn't be a voluntary walk-about.  And then the Owl burning Christmas Eve.  Arson.  And Susanne, daughter of the Owl Pub's owner, Tony, just gone, before St. Brigid's Day.  Luke Kirby, Ben's former lover and the man who killed her sister ten years ago, has chosen to find his way to  her village after he was released from prison, where he did nine years plus for manslaughter.  Has Luke struck again, or is there someone else stalking local women?

Benedicta 'Ben' O'Keefe is pretty confident that you can't keep a secret in her small town. After all, she has secretly been seeing Sergeant Molloy, and yet, almost everyone she runs in to seems to already know. But when the local pub burns down and the barmaid goes missing, no one knows a thing, even when a body is found. At least not when they talk to Molloy, but Ben seems to have a knack for sniffing out secrets and lies. 
It is no secret to those who know me, that I love a good mystery. This was my first book trip to Ireland, and the descriptions made me wish I could hop on a plane and visit. I was checking Google maps as I read, and as the author notes, Glendara is a town created in her mind, but Inishowen is quite real. This has become a real thing to me during these stay at home times. Making plans for all the places I've read about and will visit when the world goes back to some semblance of normal.
But, I digress...... I loved the character, Ben. A smart and sharp woman who survived a terrible family tragedy. She is loyal to her friends, and when circumstances forced her to reveal the identity of Luke Kirby, a man from her past, her friends have her back too. I am still not sure how I felt about Molloy, but as the story progressed, some things were revealed that made me think that I should give this character a chance. There are more than a few red herrings, and though I did guess the killer's identity, it would have been just as possible that I was wrong.
Intriguing characters, an idyllic location, and a good mystery to try and solve. I hope to see Ben again!

The Well of Ice is the third book in the Inishowen Mystery series featuring solicitor Benedicta 'Ben' O'Keeffe.  I have read the previous novels in the series and was waiting the for this next installment.  As a side note, the next installments have already been published overseas, lucky for them.  

As usual Ben has alot going on, while on a trip to Dublin to visit her parents, she runs into Luke Kirby, the man who killed her sister, freshly released from jail. It is not a pleasant encounter.  

Back home Ben is working hard to get things done so she can celebrate the holidays with her, as yet undefined significant other, Sargent Tom Molloy.  The Oak, is the victim of an arson attack and Carole, the barmaid, is missing.  Ben and Tom find Carole's body while walking on the beach.  The story takes off from here.  Andrea Carter is a wonderful writer.  She does an excellent job of developing her characters and the relationships with each other.  As with any good mystery there are secrets, that are told to Ben, but which she cannot communicate to Tom, much to his frustration,   Ben is nosy and determined to get at the solution.  Tnis is a great series, I highly recommend it.  

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy exchange for an unbiased review.