*received for free from netgalley for honest review* Tbh i wasn't sure about this one to start with but it won be over in the end lol would read more from this author

Thank you, NetGalley, Publishers, and Ellie Brannigan for gifting me a copy of Murder at an Irish Castle in exchange for my honest opinion.

2.5/5 stars

Bridal dress designer Rayne's 30th birthday was not as magical as she imagined. Landon, her boyfriend and business partner is missing along with all her dresses and money from their bank account. You would think things couldn't get worse, but, she gets a phone call telling her that her uncle was killed in a tractor accident. Now she is off to Ireland for the reading of the will, not only does she find out she has a cousin, but, she also inherits his castle. Will she be able to figure out if her uncle's death was an accident, where Landon is, and how to run a castle?

Unrealistic aspects I couldn't get over
-Rayne decides to keep the castle and stay in Ireland for one year, she has a business and the police are trying to find her business partner but sure you can take off.
-Rayne has to complete three designer dresses in around a month and buy all new supplies and materials.

I was torn on this Cozy mystery, Traci Odem did a wonderful job narrating, she was honestly the best part of the book. She did a really job bringing the characters to life, even though they were all unlikable.

Where do I begin... the main mystery didn't wow me or make me interested in it in the slightest. The author started with this interesting mystery about Rayne's boyfriend stealing all of her money and dresses and I wish she had made that the mystery. Instead, we have her uncle's accident, which might not be an accident. It was so long and drawn out that I lost interest in it halfway through, by the end I found myself not caring what had happened.

Then we have Ciara, who is rude, impulsive, and throws temper tantrums whenever someone says something she doesn't like. There were no redeeming qualities for her she was just a frustratingly annoying character.

Will I read the second in this series, yes only due to the fact I was gifted the second one.

This is the first audiobook I have listened to by Ellie Brannigan. I love a good story about a heroine who gets knocked down, picks herself up, dusts herself off and kicks fate in the butt. Traci Odom was the narrator of this audiobook and I felt like she had a smooth voice and held my attention throughout the book. On her 30th birthday Rodeo Drive wedding dress designer Rayne McGrath's life is turned upside down. Her boyfriend disappeared with all her money and several thousands of dollars in custom wedding dresses designed and made by Rayne. Talk about a Happy Birthday. Then she finds out her beloved Irish Uncle dies and she's needed in Ireland where she learns she is heir to McGrath Castle, if she makes the castle and the village profitable within one year. She decides to stay and figure out what happened to her Uncle while dealing with everything else. This was a fun and entertaining book and I would definitely recommend this audiobook.


Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for allowing me to listen to this ALC for my honest opinion.

What a fun audiobook! I loved Rayne and the whole cast of characters in this new cozy series! And I love an Irish setting, especially an old castle! This was a strong start for what is gearing up to be a great new cozy series. Will highly recommend.

Fun and funny cozy mystery. I really liked this read! The story kept me engaged and wanting more! I can’t wait to read more by this author.

I enjoyed this story with all the characters within. The main character was Rayne McGrath.

Rayne McGrath is a bridalwear designer. On her thirtieth birthday she is to meet up with her fiance and have lunch with him. But he doesn't show up. When he doesn't show up she calls and go looking for him. What she finds out surprise her a lot. Because now she not sure what to do. She also finds out that her uncle has pasted and he has left her something. But if she wants it. She must go to Ireland.

This was a fun story to read. It had action, adventure and suspense throughout. It had a few giggles within. It was fun trying to solve the mystery within.

I received a complimentary copy via Netgalley. This is my honest unbiased opinions.

This was such an enjoyable cozy mystery. I loved the narration and setting of this audiobook. I will definitely be picking up more works from this author.

Murder at an Irish Castle was not what I was expecting...I thought it would be more of a mystery and that would be the central story. It is a part of the story, but really the novel centers around trying to save a castle before it falls into financial ruin. It is a bit fluffy, with lots of emphasis on clothes, make-up, and looks.

The narrator is fine, and does a nice job with different accents.

It was easy to follow but if you want a hard hitting mystery, I'd look somewhere else.

Thank you to the publisher and #NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Such a fun cozy read! When I saw that this was the first installment of a new cozy mystery series set in Ireland I was all in! I surely wasn't disappointed. The characters were charming and developed really well. The only critique I had at the beginning to middle of the book was that I found the main character a bit annoying and materialistic. However, this seemed to ease through the book. I plan on definitely picking up the 2nd book when it is released!

Great start to a new series! 4 stars!!!!

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to #NetGalley for this audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

I have to say that I was not impressed with the main character. She came off as shallow and unlikable. My opinion of her did not change much as I listened. I did like the story. I am hoping to read/listen to the next one. I want to know what happens next!

Murder at an Irish Castle is book #1 in the Irish Castle Mystery series by Ellie Brannigan.

LA bridal designer Rayne McGrath got a nasty surprise on her 30th birthday. Then she had to fly to Ireland to find out she inherited the family castle. The inheritance came with caveats she isn’t sure she can live with.

I listened to the audio version and I enjoyed the narration. I almost quit part way through because the 2 main characters, Rayne and Ciara, were not very pleasant. Rayne was an obnoxious American who had an attitude and Ciara had a huge chip on her shoulder. The other characters seemed likable enough. Blarney, the dog, was my favorite. As the story went on, it got better. I enjoyed Rayne’s idea for reviving the castle. The mystery regarding her Uncle Nevin’s death seemed pretty much on the back-burner most of the time. I look forward to the next book to see how things are developing at the castle.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Murder at an Irish Castle is the first in the Irish Castle Mystery Series by Ellie Brannigan. This book opens with protagonist, Rayne McGrath, celebrating her 30th birthday. Her birthday is filled with a couple of not so nice surprises. The first surprise comes when she discovers that her boyfriend and business partner has absconded with all of the money that was in the business bank account as well as the wedding dresses that she has designed for the business. The second is a letter informing her of the death of her uncle in Ireland and a request that she travel to Ireland for the reading of his will. Upon her arrival, she is stunned to find out that her uncle had an illegitimate daughter and that he has left his castle estate to Rayne on the condition that she remain in Ireland and manage the castle for a period of at least one year, with her cousin's help. It is also soon discovered that her uncle's death may not have been the accident that was initially presumed.

Even though this book is a first in series, the author does an excellent job of creating the history of the characters and quickly builds on that to bring forth an engaging story that thrives on the conflicts that are inherent when there are secrets and distance within a family structure. By giving the main characters in this book a conflicted relationship beginning, the author has built in an underlying tension that can further be utilized to ultimately strengthen the bonds as the characters overcome the obstacles placed in their path and force them to better work together. I found the struggles and challenges of the characters to be quite realistic and kept my interest as they found the solutions to not only the dynamics of their relationships but also their ability to work together to resolve the murder and bring the culprits to justice.

The narrator on this audiobook has done an excellent job of creating unique voices for each of the characters, including meeting the challenge of appropriate accents for characters from different areas of the world. The additional inflections that she places during the connecting narration quickly engages the listener and maintains the interest throughout.

I received an ARC of this audiobook from NetGalley and Dreamscape Media and am leaving this review voluntarily.

This is a great murder mystery set in Ireland. There is love, hate, and a dog, what more could you ask for! I thought this was an easy read that kept me engaged and interested until the very end. Although it reminded me of a Hallmark Murder & Mysteries movie, I did thoroughly enjoy it. The narrator is an easy voice to listen to. 10/10 would recommend this book!

This book was a great start to a new series. Well developed characters, difficult individuals, an Irish castle, and you’ve got a great read! The mystery slowly develops and by the time you realize there really was a murder, you’re hooked. And the culprit took me by surprise. I also enjoyed the background story of Rayne’s business partner/potential fiancé’s absconding with the money and custom wedding gowns. I really like Rayne and her ability and willingness to do what it takes to save the castle. I look forward to visiting Ireland again.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

The narration in this book is engrossing. This is a fun cozy mystery set in Ireland. The characters are relatable and the reader is interested in the elements of the mystery. While it is a fun, comforting read, it is not a stand out in the genre. Very enjoyable.

This book was really good! I liked the characters too. I hope to read more by this author soon!
I liked the setting too and the style of the author.

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.

Featured on the February issue of The Cozy Corner on Fresh Fiction: It's a Dog's Day: https://blog.freshfiction.com/kym-roberts-cozy-corner-its-a-dogs-day/


Rodeo Drive bridal gown designer Rayne McGrath has inherited an Irish castle! If that isn’t a fairy tale, I don’t know what is—except fairy tales have evil step-mothers or at least an overbearing half-cousin in Rayne’s case. The pesky relative who should have inherited it all isn’t happy about her father leaving everything to Rayne, and now she’s a pain in Rayne’s side along with the lovable, adorable red setter named Blarney who can make every hour an adventure of mud and muck. To make matters worse, there’s a town—an actual freaking town—dependent on Rayne to turn the estate’s financial affairs around or they’ll all be out of their homes faster than Rayne can salvage her own failing business and catch her errant embezzling business partner/ fiancé.
Yet when the accidental death of Rayne’s uncle appears to be more purposeful than fluke, Rayne decides to take on the Irish countryside full of sheep and find out who wanted the real owner of the castle dead. To complete the cozy atmosphere, you can’t forget the love interest, after all, even a jilted bride needs to know there are good men out there—and Amos fills out his pants in a rather enticing manner—sorry people, but after watching Bridgerton, a lot of us love the idea of the male thighs filling out tight pants. (It’s better than baggy pants that reveal absolutely nothing!) And that’s enough for our jilted bride in the first book. Rayne’s not dead, she’s thirty and thriving, but possibly bleeding responsibility—to her clients back home and her new found relatives and friends in Ireland. Thank goodness Blarney is there to warm her heart—another good dog;)
Ellie Brannigan (Traci Hall) has done a terrific job of starting a brand new series and giving Rayne and her readers an entire village to raise. It’s a bonafide winner with a taste of Blarney.

I shouldn't have been surprised how much I enjoyed this one, as it is a favorite cozy author writing under another name. Lots going on in the plot, but it all comes together. Lots of people to keep up with here but again it all comes together. I really like the core group and their focus on saving the "castle" and the town. And I was surprised by the ending. (Oh and there is a fantastic dog in this one, see the cover!) The audio performance adds to the experience with the different accents, etc.

I loved listening to this book by Ellie Brannigan! The narrator did a wonderful job with the accents and made me feel like I was right there in Ireland. I enjoyed the plot. There was good character development between the cousins and the other characters. Great read!