This cozy mystery takes the reader on a delightful journey filled with Irish charm, quirky characters and mouthwatering baked goods. The mystery is engaging and I loved Wellington. This was a great addition to the series.
Many thanks to Kensington and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I have read almost all of the books in the Beacon Bakeshop series and will definitely go back and read the first one (the only one I have yet to read). I loved the St. Patrick’s Day focus and all of the delightful leprechaun and green St. Patty’s treats and decorations. The characters in Beacon Harbor, Michigan are becoming like family. From Lindsey Bakewell, the owner of the Beacon Bakeshop, to her significant other, Rory, and the other folks in town, you will find yourself drawn into the story. Lots of twists and turns will have you turning the pages quickly to see what surprises are in store and exactly who killed the leprechaun. You will be left guessing until the very end as clues are sprinkled like gold in the pot at the end of the rainbow throughout the story. I strongly encourage you to get lost in the books of the Beacon Bakeshop series. You will be in for a treat and a delightful trip through the pages.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Cozies 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!

Murder at the Blarney Bash is the 5th book in the Beacon Bakehouse series. I've read all books in the series, and have enjoyed them. However, I didn't find this one to be as good. It seemed like things kept being repeated through most of the book. It felt like the book could have been half the length based on what material there was. I never thought that way about the previous books in the series. I hope the next in the series has more to it because the series is good. Kennedy is my favorite character. I wish she got more respect.

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books/Cozies for this ARC. I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion. I am posting this review to my blog, Goodreads, Bookbub, & Amazon accounts.

I love holiday themed books and I love reading them during the holiday! Could the title be anymore appropriate for St. Patrick’s day?

St. Patrick’s days celebrations are taking place and it just so happens that Rory’s family has moved from Ireland and is (literally) setting up shop in town. Once again the green light of the lighthouse shines and not in honor of the festivities. A local is found murdered and a leprechaun with treasure is on the loose. What a great story! I enjoyed the treasure hunt and the introduction to Rory’s family. A very cozy feel, despite the murder. Once again the character of Kennedy spoils an otherwise lovely story. I try. I really do. But I find no redeeming qualities in her, even after her trip abroad. So I choose to ignore her. Unfortunately that does cause me to drop the rating a bit. Solid 3.5 stars (more if Kennedy was canceled!) I do think this can be read as a standalone and I definitely recommend reading it. (Just ignore Kennedy).

Thank you Netgalley and #Kensington for the eARC of Murder at the Blarney Bash in exchange for an honest review.

Do you like to read books that are set during holiday seasons? I love holiday themed books!

It’s St. Patrick’s Day in the small town of Beacon Harbor, Michigan that is located on the shores of Lake Michigan. Lindsey Bakewell, amateur sleuth, and baker, is cooking up all sorts of St. Patrick’s day delights to celebrate the opening of the Blarney Stone, a new Irish import store. It’s a dangerous time in Beacon Harbor during the holidays. When a leprechaun is murdered, Lindsey is on the case.

My thoughts:
• I love the holiday theme to this book; I haven’t read that many St. Patrick’s Day books.

• The quant setting in a small Lake Michigan town is a lot of fun. I also enjoy all of the characters.

• This is the fifth book in the Beacon Bakeshop mystery. I have read the fourth book and this one. You can read them as stand-alone novels, but it is nice to get to know the characters. I need to go back and read the first three books!

• I love that this book is self-aware.

o “‘We’ve been known to investigate murders before around here.’’And are there many murders?’ she asked, looking rather frightened at this. ‘I was under the impression that this was a friendly village.’”

o “What was I doing? Was I really hosting a town hall meeting over possible sightings of a man dressed as s leprechaun...who’d been brutally murdered . . . possibly by Rory’s uncle? Was I insane? Had I reached rock bottom? Is this what living in a small village on the frozen shores of Lake Michigan did to people?”

o Moments like these made me laugh out loud.

• The story did move a bit slowly for me.

• I love how food was discussed throughout the stories and there were tasty looking recipes at the end.

Overall, Murder at the Blarney Bash was a fun holiday themed cozy mystery.

Book Source: Review copy from NetGalley. Thank-you! Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was a great addition to the beacon bakeshop mystery series, but it can be read as standalone. This is the perfect cozy mystery to read for st. patrick's day.

I have been reading this series from the start and it just keeps getting better. The plot and the characters are great. Also, I really love the author’s writing style.

I had a long bonus layover tonight, so I decided to read this book, which is the perfect St Patrick's Day read. This is my 4th book to read in the series. It has everything festive - sightings of a leprechaun, rainbows, gold and green goodies to eat.

Four months ago, the tragic events of a Halloween gone awry caused baker and amateur sleuth Lindsey Bakewell’s best friend, Kennedy Kapoor, to leave their small town of Beacon Harbor, Michigan. Kennedy had needed to lick her wounds back in her hometown of London, England, and had regretfully broken up with her boyfriend, Beacon Harbor’s own Officer Tuck McAllister, in the process. Now she’s back with a new boyfriend in tow, just in time for the village’s St Patrick’s Day celebrations.

Tuck has also seemingly moved on. He’s begun dating Colleen O’Connor, the cousin of Lindsey’s boyfriend Rory Campbell. Colleen and her father Finn have only recently arrived in America, having decided to leave a string of bad luck behind them in Ireland to open a new gift shop and pub in Beacon Harbor instead. Finn has already charmed plenty of the locals with his good looks and ability to spin a tall tale. In fact, he’ll tell anyone who will listen that his bad luck in Ireland was a direct result of having run afoul of a leprechaun.

Ordinarily, Lindsey and Rory would consider this a bit of harmless blarney… except for the fact that a strange small man dressed as a leprechaun has been frightening folks in Beacon Harbor all St Patrick’s Day. Worse, he appears to have been the person behind the near-fatal attack on harmless Fred Landry, one of their village officers. When Mr Leprechaun is found dead the next morning, and Finn miraculously turns up with a pot of actual gold, all eyes turn to Finn as prime suspect in the green-clad man’s murder.

Trouble is, though, no one has any idea who Mr Leprechaun might actually be. Finn swears that he never harmed the fellow, only tricked him into revealing where he’d hidden his pot of gold. Rory is convinced of his uncle’s innocence, and soon enough, he, Lindsey, Kennedy and Tuck are investigating what happened. Because surely leprechauns aren’t real, and there must be a completely logical reason for all the strange things happening in Beacon Harbor?

It’s certainly an eventful return for Kennedy, who is one of my favorite characters in this series alongside Lindsey herself. I was genuinely scared at the end of the previous book, <a href=”https://www.criminalelement.com/cooking-books-murder-pumpkin-pageant-darci-hannah/”>Murder At The Pumpkin Pageant</a>, that we might never see her again. I’m so glad she’s back, even if I do find the dynamic between herself and Rory occasionally tiresome. Lindsey, fortunately, does her best to run interference and make sure that they’re all on the same team when capturing crooks.

There were five delicious recipes included here, all of dishes wonderfully described in the novel. I decided to try out this one:

QUOTE
Colleen’s Famous Irish Soda Bread

4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup melted butter
1 ⅓ cup buttermilk
1 egg
1 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350°. This recipe works great in a cast-iron skillet. If you don’t have one, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, or the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. On low speed, stir in the melted butter, the buttermilk, the egg and the raisins. Mix just until a soft dough forms. Don’t overmix the dough. It’s going to be a little sticky. Using your hands, form the dough into a large ball. Place the shaped dough into the iron skillet or on the prepared baking sheet. Using a sharp knife, cut an X into the top of the dough. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until the bread has a nice golden-brown crust. Enjoy!
END QUOTE

I decided to omit using raisins in this recipe, as I’m not the hugest fan of them but really wanted to bake a soda bread. In fairness, raisins aren’t truly traditional so I didn’t feel bad not adding them here. That said, I do recommend using a very level amount of both baking soda and baking powder in this: I’ve grown a bit sensitive to the taste of both and found that my heavy hand when measuring out ingredients meant that I occasionally got a metallic taste when enjoying this otherwise terrific bread. The Irish soda bread is especially good slathered with butter, and contrasts deliciously as an accompaniment to savory dishes.

Next week, we make another Irish-inspired dish while celebrating more spring holidays with several very different sleuths. Do join me!

Thank you to Netgally, the publishers, and Darci Hannah

When I requested this book I was unaware that it was apart of a series, one that requires you to read the previous books for this one to make sense. I am unable to read all the previous books along with this one before the publish date. Therefore, I will rate this a fair 3/5 stars and will adjust the rating and review when I am able to read all the books in the series along with this one.

Book 5 in the Beacon Bakeshoip series by Darci Hannah
I really enjoyed the plot of this story, and the characters. It’s definitely cozy, and it was a good time. I have not read this author before and I’m happy i have now.

Well anyone who loves a good Irish tale will definitely get into this latest tale by Darci Hannah. We have leprechauns, green beer and pots of gold in this latest visit Beacon Harbor. I really enjoy this book. It feels like coming back home to see what my favorite characters are up too. I especially love Wellington. I was totally wrong on whodunit, maybe because I wanted a particular person to be guilty, who knows. It was fun getting the gang back together to sleuth this one out, a perfect reunion for Lindsey and her bestie.

Book Review: Murder at the Blarney Bash by Darci Hannah

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 Stars

Alright, folks, grab your shamrock sugar cookies and let's dive into "Murder at the Blarney Bash" – a cozy mystery that's as charming as a lighthouse on the shores of Lake Michigan.

So, we're back in Beacon Harbor with our amateur sleuth Lindsey Bakewell and her trusty sidekick, Wellington the Newfoundland. They're knee-deep in St. Patrick's Day prep at the Beacon Bakeshop when things take a wild turn. Lindsey's boyfriend's uncle, Finnigan O'Connor, lands himself in some serious trouble after being accused of a leprechaun-themed murder. Yep, you heard that right – a pot of gold, a missing shillelagh, and a whole lot of blarney.

Now, let's address the elephant in the room – Kennedy. Ugh, can we talk about a character going off the rails? She was like a totally different person in this book, and not in a good way. But hey, aside from that, the writing was spot-on. The mystery had me guessing with all its red herrings, and the pace kept me turning those pages.

The characters (well, except Kennedy), the adorable dogs, and the charming setting – all still top-notch. And let's not forget those mouth-watering recipes at the end. A nice little bonus that brings a taste of the story right into your kitchen.

In a nutshell, "Murder at the Blarney Bash" is a solid addition to the series, despite a bump in the road with one character. If you're a fan of cozy mysteries with a sprinkle of Irish flair, this one's for you. Can't wait to see what Lindsey and the gang get up to next!

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️

Murder once again comes to Beacon Harbor,Michigan. Lindsey Bakewell and her staff are busy whipping up delicious treats for St. Patrick’s Day when a man dressed as a leprechaun is murdered .
When Rory’s uncle is suspected of the crime claiming he found a pot of gold while following a leprechaun all suspicion points to him . Lindsey and her staff once again set out to solve the murder.


I love this series !! Each installment is better than the last . I just can’t read Hannah’s books on an empty stomach.

I just reviewed Murder at the Blarney Bash by Darci Hannah. #MurderattheBlarneyBash #NetGalley

A quirky storyline that falls short. Cozy mysteries do not always have depth, but Murder at the Blarney Bash is too superficial and the plotting is repetitious and slow. There is a blend of humor yet the mystery element feels forced and I began to wonder if Darci Hannah had any idea where she was going with the plotting since it culminated in an out of nowhere conclusion.

I have enjoyed the previous book in this series, but I should have DNF’d this one.

Darci Hannah’s “ Murder at the Blarney Bash” was an awesome St. Patrick’s Day book. Rory’s uncle and cousin have moved to Beacon Harbor from Ireland to open an Irish store. Following a leprechaun on St. Pat’s night, uncle Finn finds a pot of gold. A drunken vision? Nope. The leprechaun has been seen all over town for two days. When he’s found murdered the next morning, Lindsey, Rory, Kennedy, and the rest of the gang begin their own investigation.

Love her books, and this one is just as good.

Murder at the Blarney Bash was a fun cozy mystery filled with twists and turns.

Love the characters and the overall storyline.

Murder at the Blarney Bash
By Darci Hannah
Kensington
January 23, 2024

Review by Cynthia Chow

It’s St. Patrick’s Day in Beacon Harbor, and Beacon Bakeshop owner Lindsey Bakewell is baking up a storm of green-tinted, Guinness and Baileys infused treats. She’s also thrilled that her boyfriend Rory O’Connor’s uncle and cousin are arriving from Ireland to open their Blarney Stone Irish gift shop and will even be leading the town’s annual Leprechaun Parade. Despite all of the Paddy’s Day celebrations going on, Lindsey was not prepared to literally run into a Leprechaun with her Jeep or learn that the same Leprechaun is seen attacking Village Hall clerk Fred Landry with a shillelagh and leaving him in a coma. Lindsey doesn’t believe in Irish fairies of course, but she can’t deny now being covered in green glitter or that the sprite she saw running was dressed in vintage clothing and was observably not a child. It only gets weirder when the Leprechaun himself is later found murdered with the same walking stick, after being stalked by Finn who was on the trail of a Pot O’Gold.

Even though he’s the primary suspect Finn is not held by the police for long, allowing Lindsey to focus on the other dramas occurring in the town just off Lake Michigan. After a traumatic recent event Lindsey’s best friend Kennedy Kapoor has returned, bringing along all of her usual over-the-top antics and self-involved behavior. Having broken the heart of police officer Tuck McAllister, Kennedy has arrived in Beacon Harbor with a souvenir from London in the form of her new boyfriend, Niall Fitzhugh. He seems rather amused with the Americans, especially with rumors of a pot of gold circling and Finn adamant that he had found just one of many hidden treasures. Lindsey and Rory are less than enthusiastic about Finn’s determination to track down the wee folk, as there is not only a real live murderer on the loose, a simmering love square threatens to disrupt their family and group of friends.

Nothing will get readers in the mood for St. Patrick’s Day like the shamrock-themed decorations and Baileys-filled treats that abound in this 5th of the series. A delicious recipe for Baileys and Guinness cheesecake is included in the end, as is one for an Irish Guinness Stew. Cozy lovers will also appreciate the presence of Lindsey’s ginormous Newfoundland pup Wellington, whose encounter with a skunk starts off the novel. The self-centered Kennedy has had her confidence knocked a bit down since earlier installments, which allows her to be (slightly) more sympathetic and definitely more tolerable. While her jealousy at seeing Tuck move on with Rory’s cousin makes Kennedy more human, it also has Lindsey questioning whether her best friend is ready for a relationship at all. The writing is at its most entertaining when it focuses on the charming and very entertaining characters who reside in Beacon Harbor, and Lindsey and Rory the perfect couple. The Beacon Lighthouse Lindsey calls home, as well as the new boathouse she and Rory renovated, allow for a unique setting and place for them to gather and celebrate. Clever writing, a finale that will surprise all, and a very satisfying conclusion leaves readers wanting more, exactly what mystery readers want in their favorite mystery reads.

This was a cute cozy mystery. Lindsey is preparing for St Patrick’s Day when a Leprechaun runs into her car then disappears. A man fitting the description of the leprechaun is found murdered a few days later. I enjoyed all of the characters and watching them solve the murders .

Murder at the Blarney Bash is book #5 in the A Beacon Bakeshop Mystery series by Darci Hannah.

I really like the characters in this book, though I’m not a Kennedy in this one. The St. Patrick’s Day theme was fun with all the wonderful baked goodsRory’s Uncle Finn and Colleen opening their pub and shop. I love the setting. The mystery had enough twists and turns to keep me guessing until the end. I look forward to the next installment.

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