I really loved this first book in a new to my series and author. I can't wait to read the next one. The characters and location really add to the plot. This book keeps you guessing until the end.

I went into this one with low expectations because I am not a huge fan of her cozy series Irish Village because the MC in that one drives me crazy, so I was plesantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this one. The main female character is so much better than in the other series and I really like the male detective as well. I like that this one while not real gritty is not real cozy either it's sort of in between. Can't wait to get to the new one when it comes out!

Veterinarian Dimpna Wilde hasn’t been home to County Kerry in years. The murder of a prominent man in her hometown with rumors of an affair with her mother has put her father in the Inspector’s crosshairs. Dimpna leaves Dublin following her own scandal to take over the family practice and try to clear the family name. Secrets abound in her small town and she’s keeping one of the biggest.

O'Connor is at her best, twisting and turning events so fast that you can't wait for the next move. This book was like a chess game making the reader wonder what could happen next. Her characters play with all your emotions. Excellent read. Highly recommend!

Since I recently watched both Broadchurch and All Creatures Great and Small, I feel like you could shake them together and roll them out in Ireland and wind up with this dark and twisty novel. Local racehorse owner Jimmy O'Reilly is found dead. Clues point to the local vet, Eamon Wilde, his wife and the tiny footprints found on his yacht. Dimpna hasn't been back to Dingle in twenty-seven years. Sadly, Dimpna's father has the beginnings of dementia, so when she hears of the murder, she heads home. Also a vet, Dimp is instrumental is getting the practice back on its' feet while navigating questions from the new Detective Inspector. It was a really good read, with lots of avenues of suspects and old secrets. It's a bit dark and the past in Dingle for Dimpna wasn't ok and deserves a bit of a warning.

This book surprised me a little bit because it did not capture my attention right away. It probably wasn't until about halfway through that I started to really enjoy it, all of the pieces of the puzzle fell together well and there was a small twist at the end, A prominent man in the town Dingle, Johnny O'Reilly, was found dead on the beach and a local family very quickly become the main suspects. Dr. Eamon Wilde along with his wife and son. Dr. Wilde's daughter, Dimpna, comes home as soon as she hears the news. She hasn't been home in 27 years because of the O'Reilly's but she immediately knows her family will be the first suspects. What happened 27 years ago that made Dimpna never return home? Will she be able to get the suspicion of murder away from her family?

Well to-do Johnny O’Reilly is found deceased on a rocky beach in Kerry, in NO STRANGERS HERE, the first of Carlene O'Connor's County Kerry Mysteries. Someone left a strange message spelled out in pebbles. While there isn’t much on-page violence, this is not a cosy crime story. NO STRANGERS HERE refers to the way that Dimpna Wilde, a veterinary surgeon, closes her practice in Dublin and arrives home in Kerry for the first time in over twenty years. She’s just in time to find her father, the respected local vet, coming down with dementia and being implicated in the unexplained death.

Detective Inspector Cormac O'Brien has arrived in the seaside town of Dingle and is getting to know the local Guards. The larger towns of Tramore, Tralee and Killarney draw tourism, but Dingle has lost its cheerful dolphin recently, and life is subdued. As a racehorse owner, Johnny O’Reilly gave employment, but he seems to have made enemies. Come to that, half the town has a grudge against someone, which may mean an abundance of mysteries in the future.

I enjoyed parts of the read, but early on, Dimpna is treating a bitten pup and is glad he’s had his rabies shots – when rabies is not found in Ireland. I could ignore that, but later, a whole chapter is devoted to an ill cat whose heartworm medicine may not have been administered. Heartworm is again not an Irish issue. It’s good to make the American public aware that pets need care, but regional research would have made the book believable.

Animals abound, which I like, given so many detective books are devoid of animals unless they further the plot. Farm animals, pets, working dogs, and racehorses are part of life, so it’s great to feature a vet character and countryside. Dimpna was a single mother at a young age, which can’t have been easy, and she has admirably raised her son and trained in a demanding profession. Because this is the first book in a series, there's a large cast of characters to keep track of as well as background information about the people and places in the story.

NO STRANGERS HERE also draws attention to the gradual slide into dementia of a much-loved man, and the effect this has on family members and friends. This issue is increasingly important, given that people are living longer, and society will have to become more supportive. Carlene O’Connor has a great deal to say, and her established readership will no doubt be interested in this departure to Kerry from her earlier Irish Village Mysteri

Carlene O’Connor is known for her cozy mysteries set in Ireland and this book, No Strangers Here, is a departure for her. It works really, really well. O’Connor places the action in the scenic Dingle Peninsula, very popular with tourists. A wealthy local man, Johnny O’Reilly, has been murdered and the scene is “set” with oddities that show this was no suicide. At the same time, Dimpna Wilde, a veterinarian, widowed tragically, returns home to Dingle from Dublin, prompted by financial issues and the news that her father, also a veterinarian, is suffering from dementia. This is momentous, as she hasn’t stepped foot in Dingle for 27 years. The reader gradually finds out why.

The book’s plot is dark, twisty and complex. The characters are extremely well drawn, from Dimpna and her family to several of the locals, as well as the detective called in from Killarney, Cormac O’Brien. You can feel the love that Dimpna has for all the animals she cares for. The description of an emergency call to attend the birth of a foal, was both enlightening and harrowing. I heartily recommend this book to mystery fans.

It looks like more stories may be coming in the future, presumably featuring Cormac O’Brien and, I hope, Dr. Dimpna Wilde. I will be certain to read the next one when that happens!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book, although I’m rather late to it. I bounced between the ARC and the published audiobook, courtesy of my public library. The narrator, Emily O'Mahony, did a wonderful job with the various voices and accents.

A new series by a wonderful author. Liked this one just fine, although sometimes a new series takes a bit to get to know the characters. Otherwise, highly recommend this cozy murder mystery set in Ireland.

Veterinarian Dimpna Wilde returns to her hometown of Dingle, in County Kerry, Ireland, to clear her mother of a murder charge.

About No Strangers Here

On the same day veterinarian Dimpna Wilde loses her clinic to foreclosure, she finds out
her father may be suffering from dementia, a prominent member of her hometown was murdered, and her mother was the last to see the murder victim alive, meaning Dimpna’s mother is a murder suspect.
The murder victim is Jimmy O’Reilly, a wealthy racehorse owner. He was propped up against a boulder and staring out to sea. Beside him was an empty vial of medication used by veterinarians and “Last Dance” spelled out in shiny black stones. Detective Inspector Cormac O’Brian is dispatched from Killarney to Dingle to solve the case. An outsider, he’s at a distinct disadvantage on several fronts. He doesn’t know the dark intertwined history of O’Reillys or the Wildes, the family suspected of being involved in Jimmy’s murder. It’s a complicated case and becomes more complicated when Dimpna returns to the village she left 25 years ago.
She returns to a father suspected of suffering from dementia, a brother refusing to return her calls, and a mother suspected of having an affair with the dead man. She doesn’t really trust the detective inspector to properly investigate the case and knows she must clear her mother’s name with or without the DI’s help. The killer, however, has no wish to be caught, and will silence Dimpna to keep their identity secret.

My thoughts

I read this book in two days. O’Connor does a fantastic job with the twists and turns of the plot. She immerses the reader into Irish village life. Because the people, their issues, and keeping secrets from those closest in their lives transcends cultures, the book’s setting and characters feels familiar.
O’Connor is a cozy mystery author, but this book isn’t a cozy. It’s darker than her previous books, but just as well written. The characters are complicated, the tangled plot keeps the reader guessing, and the Irish setting all work together to draw the reader in. I’m look forward to reading the next book in this series. Highly recommend.

Yes. I was reading but not writing anything about it. Do I regret that now? Yes. Does that mean you might want to ignore your inbox? Maybe.

I’m trying not to carry 2022 reads into 2023 but we will see what we get.

With Carlene O’Connor I got what I always get and that is a satisfying semi-cozy mystery with lots of twists and turns and an even more satisfying A-Ha! moment.

This book is no different, and I am so glad I managed to get an advanced copy of it (even if my review is a little late…Too much book time = less computer time) because ultimately this is actually the book that kickstarted me right out of a slump I was going through.

Dr. Dimpna Wilde is a good character, she is whole, rounded and well written, with flaws and mistakes in her past and some heartbreaking life moments that she does not allow to define her (though she should probably talk to someone…seriously. So should her son.) She is inquisitive, as all mystery protagonists should be, and determined, with a heart that cares so much for animals I know we would get along just fine.

Cormac O’Brien is the kind of detective I love too, because he doesn’t take more shit than he should from anyone else, which in my estimate makes him wonderful. He’s determined enough to get the job done, but not misogynistic the way so many detectives are so I didn’t feel the need to slam the metaphorical book shut and toss away my ereader. His scenes with the other cops, and his explanation of the case, and his reprimands about disrespecting anyone were just what I needed, a balm to my weary soul shall we say.

Dingle is its own character in this novel, and it deserves it from what I can see. There’s a more than enough colourful cast of characters set against a backdrop of beautiful Irish countryside. When I closed my eyes I could picture the buildings, the cliffs and the water.

I truly cannot wait to see what comes next.

No Strangers Here is the first entry in a new series by Carlene O’Connor. It is the start of some titles by this author that move away from the cozy genre.

Dimpna is a vet who left Dingle (where she grew up) a number of years ago. During the time she was away, Dimpna raised a son from whom she has kept a very big secret, married but found that scandal surrounded her husband, and was left struggling. She decided to return to Dingle, where a man had been murdered, her parents were suspects, it wasn’t clear if an old friend could be trusted, and more.

The body is found with a message. Does it mean what Dimpna thinks it might? How deeply will she be drawn into events and what will it be like to see an old friend with police connections as well as interact with the detective on the case? As can be guessed by this description a lot goes on in these pages.

I enjoyed this book. I will look forward to the next in the series.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for this title. All opinions are my own.

Right from the start I was intrigued by the two main characters, Detective Inspector Cormac O'Brien who leads the investigation into the death of a prominent member of the Dingle society, and Dimpna Wilde, who hasn't been home in over twenty years, for reasons that connect directly to the murder and has her family as prime suspects.

Both of these characters are presented against stereotype for their professions. Dimpna, a veterinarian, is a waif of a woman, just barely 4 feet tall and looking more like a fairy than a doctor. O'Brien takes an unorthodox approach to handling suspects, much to the chagrin of the Dingle officer who works with him. He is also slight of build and officers wonder if he could take down a suspect if needed.

Dimpna's father is one of the suspects in the case, and he is in the early stages of dementia, which adds a definite wrinkle to the investigation. Plus, he has ignored his clinic for some time, and Dimpna arrives to find it all in disarray. As the story progresses, the secret that Dimpna, and others, have kept is slowly revealed, and I was surprised at how some of the mystery was resolved. That is always the mark of stellar writing.

I must admit that I have a great fondness for animals, much like Dimpna, and I worked in a veterinary hospital in the States for many years. I could relate to her love of animals and her desire to always help them no matter what.

A great mystery with so much going on beneath the surface.

Dimpna Wilde has had a rough year, first finding out that her husband was cheating his clients and then dealing with his suicide. Her son took off soon after the death. Dimpna is trying to give him time and space. She hasn't been to her hometown in 27 years, but her family's in trouble and it's time for her to face her past.

The trouble is worse than she imagined. There has been a murder and either someone in her family is responsible or they're being framed.

This is a great story with several twists and turns. I love reading about the Irish countryside, and reading the occasional Gaelic words.

A new mystery series by one of my favorite authors, this story takes place in Dingle, Ireland. Dimpna is a veterinarian who left Dingle after a traumatic event in her life. Dimpna returns after a man is found murdered, and her parents become suspects. There are many twists and turns, as a new detective in Dingle, Cormac O’Brien is assigned to the case. A bit darker than her previous cozy mysteries, but I enjoyed it.

No Strangers Here was my first novel by this author, but I had heard great things! I was very excited to receive a copy of this book and I was not disappointed!! It was set in Ireland and the author really set the scene and made you feel like you were there. It was the perfect escape and kept me guessing until the end! I look forward to reading more from this author!

Brilliant mystery crafted to keep you guessing and entertained for hours! I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery as just when I thought I was on the correct thread of untangling the right suspect, something else popped up to make me realize that I was on the wrong path! Excellent character development had you both loving and hating particular characters then realizing that maybe you weren't actually getting the full story on their personalities just yet. I love a great mystery that keeps me engaged and thinking! This is definitely that and being set in Ireland makes it just the perfect step away from reality for me that I need when I want to sink into a good book. Twisted characters intertwine to make this plot absolutely believable and while the plot twists and turns, you totally understand how you get to the conclusion. I absolutely love this author's storytelling and can't wait to read more from her soon!

As a fan of Carlene O’Connor’s previous cozy novels, I was excited to pick up the first book in her new County Kerry Mystery series, No Strangers Here. This excellent thriller novel introduces fascinating new Irish characters, and will inspire thriller readers to want more installments.

O’Connor has a knack for making her readers feel like they are actually in Ireland. The setting feels authentic and those who have been to Ireland will experience a bit of familiarity in the surroundings in which the novel takes place. Dimpna Wilde is a second generation veterinarian who grew up in Dingle helping in her father’s practice, but moved to Dublin without returning home for over 20 years. When she loses everything due to a scandal with her husband and his subsequent suicide, she returns to Dingle to find that Johnny O’Reilly, the wealthiest man in the town, has been murdered; her father, who is suffering from dementia, is the main suspect.

O’ Connor does an excellent job of introducing Dimpna and developing her character. There is a detective, Cormac O’Brien, working the case, and he and Dimpna definitely have chemistry. There are plenty of ups and downs as the story progresses, and the suspense builds throughout. Readers who like to experience difference cultures will especially enjoy this novel and will hate the wait until the next installment comes out.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

Dimpna WIlde is a veterinarian, just like her father. She grew up in a charming town in Ireland called Dingle, and when she grew up, she left and didn’t come back. She had her reasons for that. And now she has reasons for heading back home. When things went bad in Dublin, she held on there as long as she could. But it wasn’t until she got the phone call that she had decided she finally, after well over twenty years, had to head back home to Dingle.

Johnny O’Reilly was dead.

Johnny had been the patriarch of the wealthy O’Reilly family. He had been found dead on the beach with Last Dance spelled out in rocks next to him and a tarot card, The Devil, in his pocket and medicine used to put down animals next to him on the pristine beach.

Detective Inspector Cormac O’Brien is new to the area, but as soon as he makes his way to the beach that is the final resting spot of Johnny O’Reilly, he knows that he is facing the case that could make or break his career. The local Garda don’t know him yet, don’t trust him, but he has to find a way to get them on his side. They know all the locals. They know the gossip. He can’t solve this without the rest of the force, but it will be an uphill battle to find the killer.

He can tell immediately that the scene was staged. But then they realize that there was a witness, a child, based on the size of the footprints, and find that a local 13-year-old girl has gone missing. Dimpna saw her on her way to town and knows where to look for her. It’s one of her dogs who tracks the girl, and Dimpna is the one who finds her in an abandoned building and brings her out to safety. But this one triumph for Dimpna doesn’t offset all the bad news she’s had since returning home.

It turns out that her father has been suffering from dementia, which has gotten worse, and his veterinary clinic has suffered. He is separated from her mother, who is a tarot card reader. And after all these years, Dimpna still feels responsible for the death of one of their finest race horses. It had gotten out of the barn and was hit by a trailer before it could run its first race. The horse was named Last Dance.

It’s clear to Dimpna that someone is trying to frame her family for the death of Johnny O’Reilly. Either she can trust the new DI Cormac to solve this one, or she can work it out for herself and keep her family out of prison.

No Strangers Here is the first in a new series by Carlene O’Connor. I’m a fan of her cozy mysteries, especially the Irish Village Mystery series, but this new series is quite different. These are more nuanced and atmospheric, with strong characters and a charming setting. But this is a darker story, more layered, with the motives of the killer reaching far back into the past and attacking the good people of Dingle on many levels.

As I said, I love O’Connor’s cozy mysteries, but I really enjoyed this one as well. I was pleased to see how well she made the switch from the lighter mysteries to this complex story of humanity and all of its worst and best qualities. No Strangers Here is beautifully written, with characters who feel genuine and a plot that flows with intelligence and integrity. O’Connor’s cozies are a light snack, an appetizer, a slice of cake. This book is a meal, and it should be savored by readers of dark thrillers and mysteries that slowly reveal those secrets that can lead to murder.


Egalleys for No Strangers Here were provided by Kensington Books through NetGalley, but they also sent me a physical ARC to review.

When I first started reading this book I was thoroughly confused because I had forgotten that this was the first book in a new series! I quickly figured out that I hadn't met these characters before and I was very excited to get into the meat & potatoes of the story and figuring out who all the key players were.

This was a great first book, Carlene did a great job of introducing Dimpna Wilde and her family. I like that bits of her past were parceled out throughout the book providing clues to the current crime.

Very much looking forward to reading book #2 in the County Kerry series.