I enjoyed that we didn't follow the detectives too much, this is not a police procedural. The Setting is fantastic. There Were a lot of characters to remember.

Many thanks to Net Galley and RB Media for an audio copy of No Strangers Here for an honest review.

This is a mystery that is very well done. The narrator did an excellent job.

There has been a murder in a small town in Ireland. Dimpna Wilde hasn't been home in years. The man that has been murdered was rumored to be her mother's affair. Her father has been showing signs of dementia. Her family is caught up in the murder, so she moves back to help clear her family.

Yes!!! This was a great read!! The plot was well done with some twists and turns. I found myself rooting for the characters in this book. The setting in Ireland was described exceptionally well and I felt like I had been there by the end. Great read

This is the first book I've encountered by this author and I found it to be the perfect winter mystery read. Delightfully descriptive it places you directly in the Irish setting and the narrators suitably moody tone matched the book's overall tone - well done.
This is an excellent option for those who enjoy some of the big deceive style mystery author's such a Michael Connolly, Lisa Scottoline or Nora Roberts, and want to enjoy a new author to their mix. The horse racing elements were even reminiscent of a Dick Francis novel. I wouldn't hesitate to jump into more from this author!
Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced digital audio copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Jimmy O’Reilly is a wealthy racehorse owner who is found dead on a rocky beach in Dingle. He is dressed in a suit and his dancing shoes and propped up on a boulder with a cryptic message spelled out in black stones on the beach. Detective Inspector Cormac O'Brien is dispatched out of Killarney to lead the murder inquiry, and knows there are a lot of secrets and he's determined to unearth every last buried secret. Dimpna Wilde moved to Dublin to work as a vet, but things are not going well. She moves back to Dingle to clear her family of suspicion in O'Reilly's death. Her father has increasing dementia, her mother is rumored to have been having an affair with Jimmy O'Reilly and her brother won't speak to her, so there is a lot going on. As Dimpna begins to get renew her acquaintances. she finds out that there is a lot going on in the horse business, such as jealousy, greed, theft and extortion. Who really killed Jimmy O'Reilly.

I have read several of Carlene O'Connor's cozy mysteries, but this is not a cozy, it is darker, twistier and quite atmospheric. The small town is full of secrets, but the O'Reilly family is sure they know who the murderer is. They put pressure on Cormac O'Brien to arrest Dimpna's father and she has to deal with the O'Reilly's where there is no love lost. I liked both Cormac's character and Dimpna's and look forward to seeing more of them in subsequent books. There were some twists, various questionable characters and lots of clues and red herrings. I enjoyed following this mystery and seeing how it was solved. It was a solid police procedural, with Cormac trying to figure out if some of the townspeople know more than they are willing to share. I am looking forward to what is next in the County Kerry Mystery. I listened to this audiobook narrated by Emily O'Mahony. I did take some time getting used to her accent and voice, but once I did, I enjoyed her narration. I recommend you pick up No Strangers Here and get in at the beginning of this new series by Carlene O'Connor.

A great crime thriller, with many twists and turns. It is full of great characters and I really like they style of writing! Great surprise for the ending . Would definitely recommend

A riveting story set in beautiful Ireland, I enjoyed it and will be on the lookout for more books from Carlene O'Connor, I did struggle a little with the audiobook version and think I would have gained more from reading a physical copy. The narration although lovely, for me, didn't add to the characters and differentiate from them enough. But I would definitely recommend the book.

Dimpna has avoided coming home to Dingle for as long as she can. Family drama and her past is just something she really wants to avoid. But, she is here now and there has been a murder of Jimmy O’Reilly and her parents are possible suspects. Her father has dementia and her mother is rumored to be sleeping with Jimmy. So the complications just keep getting worse!

I loved Dimpna. She is very secretive and just a unique character. I was really rooting for her. You have to read this to find out. She has just had quite a few things happen to her and she is struggling to keep it together. Add in the murder and the beautiful setting and you have an all around good book!

The narrator, Emily O’Mahony is excellent. She did a fabulous job with the accents and all the different voices.

Need a story which will keep you guessing…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for the audio copy in exchange for a honest review. Vet Dimpna Wilde is called back to her home town following a murder as her parents are prime suspects. Set in beautiful Dingle Ireland Dimpna sets out to find the killer and clear her parents names. Detective Inspector Cormas O’Brien is leading the murder enquiry. A great read with unexpected twists and turns.

This is your classic “every town has its secrets” mystery that wraps you in blankets soaked in darkness and intrigue. The body of Jimmy O’Reilly, a wealthy racehorse owner, is found on a beach with a message and an empty bottle of veterinary medicine. It’s a case that gives Detective Inspector Cormac O’Brien a run for his money.
Dimpna Wilde returns home after being absent for many years, throwing herself back into the family drama and past that she left behind. Her hope is to clear her family name; however, what she comes back to is a father with accelerating dementia, a brother who’s avoiding her, and rumors that her mother may have been in a relationship with the deceased Jimmy O’Reilly.
While Dimpna takes over the family practice, she also has to solve the mystery surrounding the homicide and save her family. The problem is, the deeper she digs, the more twists and turns she takes, unraveling secrets she might not have wanted to know to begin with.
This book is dark and it is RICH! The characters are gripping and the mystery is so intricately woven that I kept going back for more. It is full of plot twists you can’t even guess at and characters that reel you in with their human-ness. At some points I was rooting for Dimpna and others, I wanted to shake her; that is character development. None of her characters were one-note and I felt for all of them by the end. Ireland and the people of the town are brought to life through the writing of Carlene O’Connor. There is beauty in being able to make your readers not only see the characters and plot in their heads, but also the landscape in which they are depicted.
My only misgiving was that it took a little bit to get into. I listened to an audiobook version provided by NetGalley and I had to pause and come back to it a few times before it finally took off. But once it did, it was a great read! Overall, I give this book a 4 out of 5 stars.

Really enjoyed this audio book and will look out for more of the series as I am interested to know what happens next in the world of Dr Dimpna Wilde
I listened to this is a couple of days so that to me is always a good sign in for a good book

My introduction to the author Carlene O'Connor was through 'Christmas Cocoa Murder' which was part of a collection of three cozy mystery novellas.

No Strangers Here is her foray into the mystery/suspense genre and it is an excellent start to a new series that I look forward to reading. A well plotted book with interesting characters and a backstory that plays well into the murder case.

The narration by Emily O' Mahony is brilliant as she manages to bring the whole book--setting, characters, atmosphere--to life with her soothing voice and accent. I could picture the entire book playing out in my mind with her narration and I enjoyed listening to her a lot.

My thanks to NetGalley, the audiobook publisher RB Media/Recorded Books and the author for the audio Arc of the book.

I am a huge fan of Carlene O’Connor’s Irish Village Mysteries. This first book in a new series sets a darker tone and it’s contrast with its setting in beautiful Dingle adds to the story and atmosphere. Emily O'Mahony brings the story to life and allows the reader to close their eyes and think they are sitting in an Irish pub, listening to a local story.

No Strangers Here (County Kerry Mystery, #1)
by Carlene O'Connor (Goodreads Author)
Colleen Chi-Girl's review of Nov 07, 2022
Bookshelves: 2022, audio, contemporary, crime-mysteries, ireland-irish, netgalley, thrillers, women-centered

I really, really enjoyed this 1st novel in a new crime series called County Kerry Mysteries for several reasons. First, it's a really interesting and compelling mystery, second, it's set in S.W. Ireland, and finally, I listened to it on audio (my favorite form of reading) with the lovely narrator, Emily O'Mahony, who helped create, maintain, and add to the mood of this who-dunnit thriller.

Local racehorse owner, 68 year old, Johnny O’Reilly is found murdered on the beach in Dingle. Enter the well-respected Detective-Inspector Cormac O'Brien to head up the case who won't stop until the murder is solved.... it doesn't matter who is keeping secrets.

Also featured is single-mom and female veterinarian, Dimpna Wilde, who is originally from Dingle, but who lives and works in Dublin. Dimpna left home/Dingle for good reason many years ago, which the listeners will discover bit by bit, like an onion unpeeling it's layers. There is a long-ago mystery that will explain many of the missing facts. Dimpna is called home because her veterinarian father has been accused of this murder and this story is just riveting! I'm already looking forward to book #2 in this series.

I am grateful to have received this ARC from the publisher, NetGalley, and the talented author, Carlene O'Connor.

This spellbinding mystery is set in Ireland, and the author delivers using descriptions of authentic Irish people and rugged, windswept landscapes. The book was a little challenging to get into, but once in I wanted to keep reading until I found out who committed the heinous crime. The author leads the reader to believe that there are at least 10 people who were capable of committing murder. Dimpna Wilde, the heroine and main character, is described as a "miniature Viking." She makes up for her diminutive stature by being incredibly strong, resourceful, and intelligent. She's been keeping a secret for 27 years and suddenly a lot of people are privy to it. The past is coming back to haunt her and the present is full of danger. This is a must-read book!

Solid start to a new mystery series set in Ireland, following a likable veterinarian (who pities those who don't love animals).

In NO STRANGERS HERE, Dimpna is brought back to her hometown when her parents are suspects in a murder inquiry. She's kept her distance since moving away, including shielding her son from the identity of his biological father. But now Detective Inspector Cormac O'Brien, dispatched out of Killarney, is asking questions -- including how a vial of veterinarian medication came to be found near the dead body, a few weeks after it was reported missing from Dimpna's father's vet practice.

I thought this one was well plotted so as not to be super predictable, and I liked the way the narrative included Cormac's perspective in addition to mostly Dimpna's (and a few flashbacks). It also felt refreshing for the two main characters in a crime fiction novel to be generally likable people. NO STRANGERS HERE included two themes/plot devices that aren't personal favorites, which is to say that I expect to like the next book in the series even more.

Emily O'Mahony's narration helped me to place the story in Ireland. Given the accent used, I listened to this book at a slower speed than usual to be able to understand each word - but a tradeoff I was willing to make, so the audio could increase the atmospheric pull of the novel.

This book was super thrilling and it had me on the edge of my seat the entire time to see what other secrets come out!

I wanted to read No Strangers Here because of the premise. I like little cozy mysteries especially when they are based in different countries and this book is set in Ireland. Since I have never read books by Carlene O'Connor, I thought this would be a great starting point.

No Strangers Here is set in a small town of Ireland. It starts with a murder, which the catalyst for family reunions and more killing. Dimpna Wilde is a veterinarian who lives in Dublin, until murder occurs in her hometown. She returns to find her family in disarray. Her brother is working for the O'Reilly's and is caught up in a blackmail scheme, her father is losing his memory and is the main suspect in the murder of the richest man in town. Dimpna is on a mission to clear her father's name and resolve her own secrets that have haunted her. Did her father commit murder? If Dimpna's father did commit murder, would she turn him in? Or did someone do a really good job at framing her family? Will Dimpna be able to conquer her own demons?

I loved the imagery of Ireland in this book. I really felt like I was there admiring the landscape. I thought the premise of the book was really good and I was excited to read it. This was more a cozy mystery rather than a thriller but was still a decent read.

When I listen to audiobooks, I really want to be drawn into the book because of the narrator. In this book it felt like the author forgot to act and they were really just reading the book. There were many times where the narrator made mistakes and moments where I was not sure if she was the girl or guy character. In those instances, I would have to rewind to figure out who said what a few minutes prior. This book was extremely slow. It took me a lot longer to read the book because it was long winded. At parts of the book, I was tempted to fast forward just so I could get away from comments about Dimpna's height or trivial details that could have been deleted. I also felt like the ending was rushed. It was all wrapped up in a bow in the last 25 minutes. It just seemed very contrived. With all of that being said as a first book, maybe I will give a second book to the series a try.

No Strangers here was not horrible, but it was not my favorite book. I would recommend for people who do not read thrillers and like cozy mysteries.

Thanks to NetGalley for giving me this book as an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley & RB Media for providing an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I've been buying Carlene O'Connor for my Mystery section for a while now, and finally had the opportunity to try one of her books. While I enjoyed the book, I'm not sure if listening to it on audio was the best introduction.

Emily O'Mahoney has the loveliest accent; I enjoyed listening to her voice. BUT, she barely differentiates between characters in terms of tone/timber, making it very difficult to tell who is speaking. In addition, there are odd little pauses in her reading, almost a stammer. I assume that this is a production issue, and the producer should have stopped and done a retake. Likewise, that should have happened on the odd places where the voice actor used the wrong pronoun!

The story itself is entertaining, if extremely quirky. Dimpna Wilde left her hometown of Dingle 27 years previous, after allegedly letting the star racehorse Last Dance out of his stable the night before his big race, resulting in his getting run over my a truck. Now, Dimpna is a vet, returning home after the double whammy of losing her vet practice to creditors (her husband committed suicide after doing dishonest business deals and left her and her adult son to pick up the pieces) and her parents being suspected of murdering Jimmy O'Reilly, who is what passes for landed gentry in this little village. Jimmy was the owner of Last Dance, the dead horse, and he was left at the base of a cliff with sea stones painted with auto body paint, arranged to spell the horse's name.

Dimpna quickly takes over her father's vet practice, as he is now ill with dementia (but somehow no one intervened and he's been doing a bad job caring for animals for how long now?). She also catches up with her former high school sweetheart, Paul Byrne, who was a police, but was booted from the force for beating up a domestic abuser. This is where things get a bit silly. Dimpna is a very small person; much is made of this throughout the book. It gets annoying. Dimpna is an interesting character on her own, with a big backstory and a strong character. But O'Connor really goes to town on her statue and how she's been teased about it her whole life (and in the media when the scandal about her husband was in the news). She also makes Dimpna the love interest of several different characters, which is a plot device I loathe.

These problems bogged down the story for me and made it less believable (but trust me, it's hard to believe even without them), unfortunately. I gather that O'Connor is trying to break away from cozies a bit, and this definitely is a bit dark (it has animal death, of course, plus rape, domestic abuse, suicide, the list goes on). It also has some very Hollywood TV movie aspects, such as a one-armed man and an evil scion of a well-to-do family (but he's changed!).

The story wraps up nicely enough and there isn't the expected happy romantic ending (one bright spot!). There's nothing wrong with it, just not my particular cup of tea, and I guess I expected better from such a popular author.

Narrated by Emily O'Mahony ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Such a beautiful soothing voice

Story by Carlene O'Connor ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Yes! YES!! YES!!!
I loved the narrator, I loved the story, I loved the characters and the pace at which this unfolded!!

First time trying or hearing of this author but I would gladly spend my wage buying her books from this point forward.