A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

Murder in an Irish Garden is the eleventh in the Irish Village mystery series by Carlene O’Connor, but I haven’t read any of the earlier books. My thanks go to Kensington Books, RB Media, and NetGalley for the review copies; this book is for sale now.

I was drawn to this book because it features three of my interests: mysteries, Ireland, and gardening. On the downside, it’s definitely a cozy mystery, and I am generally not a fan of cozies, except for the ones that have a bit of an edge, the sort that make true cozy readers complain. I mention the latter because for me, this felt too sedate; on the other hand, true cozy fans may find it is just about right for them.

The premise is that the annual gardening contest, which features a significant cash prize and a great deal of prestige, is about to take place. The village’s most serious gardeners have spent considerable time, effort, and money preparing their gardens for the event, but then one of the displays turns out to have a corpse inside it; the body is that of an entrant who isn’t from the village, an outsider who’s using the competition as a stepping stone to get her admitted to another contest that has a massive cash prize. Cassidy Ryan, the outsider, has been murdered. Village cops Siobhan and Macdara, who are a married couple, are tasked with solving the crime.

As the story opens, we find the two cops—called garda—in a marital dispute, and our protagonist, Siobhan, has an internal monologue that switches back and forth between murder and her pique at Macdara. I felt the latter was overdone, but I also wonder if I had read some of the earlier books, whether I would be more invested in their romance. Of course, they eventually resolve their dispute, and they crack the case.

I was lucky enough to have access to both the digital and audio versions. This proved to be even more helpful than usual, as I was able to hear the story through the delightful Irish brogue of reader Caroline Lennon, and at the same time, I learned the pronunciation of a few common Irish names that I’d only seen in print until now. Between these things and the fact that the narrative is linear and lends itself to the audio format so beautifully, I recommend that interested readers select either the audio alone, or a combination of both. I read multiple books at a time, and because it is easily followed, it’s the story I have chosen to hear while driving.

The characters felt poorly developed to me, with external qualities—this gardener loves goats, that gardener is formal and rather picky—serving as the only development that I found. I would have liked to see some dynamics, and some agreeable qualities for the deceased included. There was almost nothing about gardening, which would have been fine, had there been character development, but alas. For this reason, I rate the digital version 3 stars, but for the reasons mentioned earlier, the audio version is elevated to 4 stars.

Murder in an Irish Garden is the 11th book in An Irish Village Mystery series. It's been many years since the O’Sullivan family lost their parents and Siobhan was responsible for raising her 5 siblings. In this outing, Eoin (pronounced Ian), prepares for the grand opening of his new restaurant, The O’Sullivan Six. He also plans to enter Kilbane’s Top Garden Contest to boost business. He hires a well-known landscape designer known for her killer designs, but with an unflattering reputation. The other competitors are not happy that a professional designer will be competing in the contest. Although there is a lot of chaos, on garden emerges as a possible winner, with it's golden statue as the focal point. But, where is Cassidy Ryan? When her body is found in a rather gruesome twist, everyone in town has an opinion about who the murderer was and why she was killed.

I always enjoy a visit with the O'Sullivan family. Siobhan is under pressure in this book as she is studying for her Detective Sargeant exams, and is frustrated by the practice questions. She takes her stress out on her husband, Macdara, who lets it roll off his shoulders. This is not the normal Siobhan, so how will this affect her work as a garda? The mystery in this book was a good one. There were so many suspects, but also lots of red herrings. With twists that I didn't see coming, and a culprit(s) that were surprising, I finished this one totally satisfied.

“Murder in an Irish Garden” is the wonderfully done eleventh book in Carlene O’Connor’s Irish Village Cozy Mystery series. What I love about this series is the O’Sullivan clan, led by Siobhan who raises her brothers and sisters after the death of their parents. Throughout the series the siblings have grown up, matured including Siobhan’s marriage to Macdara Flannery. In this book Siobhan is feeling the pressure of studying for her Detective Sargeant exams, dealing with the fact that her siblings are moving on with their lives, and the opening of her brother Eoin’s new restaurant. Add in a murder during a Top Garden Contest and her hands are filled. The murder was one of the strangest ones I have read (and I’ve read a lot of cozy mysteries) not only the positioning of the body (truly unique) but the planting of the evidence. Halfway through the book, as I was trying to figure out whodunit, I did start thinking “what if” and it turns out I was correct. Still, there were plenty of twists and turns and red herrings to make this a very enjoyable book. And the ending will no doubt have readers smiling.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.

Our beloved protagonist, Garda Siobhán O'Sullivan and detective Macdara Flannery, are at it again. This time Siobhán is boning up for the Detective Sargeant exam and Macadara is pressing all the wrong buttons as he coaches her through the test questions. Meanwhile, Siobhán's brother Eoin is readying up his new restaurant, "The O'Sullivan Six", for its grand opening. In conjunction with the opening, he's offered grounds across from the restaurant to a esteemed garden designer for her entry into the garden design competition. When an oversized delivery arrives, the designer is nowhere to be found. Over the course of time, a body is discovered, a number of suspects all have motive, and the perpetrator must be apprehended so that the restaurant can open without a dark cloud hanging over it. The good detective and the detective wannabe are on it!

Author Carlene O'Connor has done a lovely job of laying out the several lovely gardens. One can easily imagine the delicate scent of roses and all the wonderful blooms therein. Her writing flows well; the dialogue is at times amusing yet also endearing; and the characters are well developed - each with their own demons and virtues. The best character of them all is that of Siobhán. She's bright, intelligent, plucky, caring and highly intuitive. Nothing gets past her. There is also a fair number of red herrings planted throughout the story. It's a well spun yarn which all comes to a satisfying conclusion. It's definitely among the better cozies I've read.

Although this eleventh book in series can stand on its own, the series is perhaps best enjoyed starting from the beginning as each book builds upon the last. If you enjoy a good cozy mysteries with an Irish lilt, then this is a series which I can easily commend to you.

I am grateful to Kensington Books for having provided a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.

Publisher: ‎Kensington Cozies
Publication Date:‎ February 25, 2025
Number of Pages: 304
ISBN: ‎978-1496744456

I love the O'Sullivan clan and how close they are with each other. The ending was beautiful, I loved the surprise they had for Siobhan and the presentation. The mystery was great! I was able to figure it out slightly before the reveal. Looking forward to reading the twelfth book in the series when it has been written and published.

Carlene O'Connor continues her popular Irish Village mysteries with Murder in an Irish Garden. Siobhan is studying for her Detective Sergeant exams when the Garda are called to the wreckage of the garden installations which were to be judged for the village garden contest an annual affair. Cassidy, a professional gardener who entered this contest for the first time, is found dead, painted gold, in one of the gardens. Multiple suspects and sites overwhelm the Garda. It all seems linked to the Headless Horseman Irish myth. But all is not what it seems. The answer is darker and deeper than first appears as Cassidy was drowned three days before her body was found. See if you can unravel this town intrigue.

Murder in an Irish Garden AUDIO and print by Carlene O’Connor is a welcome addition to this series. MacDara and Siobhan are now married and most of Siobhan’s siblings have fled the nest. Eoin’s restaurant is nearly ready to open and Kieran is playing with a band that actually earns money sometimes. Siobhan is studying for the sergeant’s exam and MacDara is helping her study. Not a good move as they are now not speaking. Then there’s a murder and they have to investigate which requires they talk to one another. It’s Kilbane’s Annual Top Garden Contest and at first things seems to be going smoothly. Then, one night someone breaks in and trashes the gardens. Also, when Eion’s garden is searched a macabre scene greets them. The murdered woman, frozen, posed, and decorated in gold paint. And sadly, no one had much good to say about her, which made finding a suspect more difficult. Pretty awful, huh?

MacDara and Siobhan are a great couple. They have been working together for years successfully and Siobhan is fully prepared to forgive him for his arrogance as soon as he apologizes. He has not, for several reasons: he doesn’t know he is supposed to and if he did he wouldn’t think it was required. Newly married. He’ll learn! This was a good, if gruesome, murder for a small town and it shook all the gardeners and the gardai involved. Things happened quickly and of course, they were able to solve the murder. These are terrific characters and if you love Ireland, this is the series for you. It is as Irish as it gets.

Caroline Lennon is the reader and she did a fine job. I was able to adjust to her accent quickly and was always able to tell who was talking. This is the first of O’Connor’s books that I have both read and listened to and I think that I prefer reading. The accent was just too distracting for me to focus on some of the things going on. No reflection on Lennon.

I was invited to listen to Murder in an Irish Garden by RB Media and to read by Kensington Publishing. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #RBMedia #KensingtonPublishing #CarleneOConnor #CarolineLennon #MurderInAnIrish Garden

Murder in an Irish Garden is the eleventh book in the Irish Village Mystery series by Carlene O'Connor. In this installment, Siobhán is studying for her Detective Sergeant exams while navigating conflicts with her husband. Eoin is preparing for the grand opening of his new restaurant, The O'Sullivan Six, and the village is gearing up for Kilbane's Top Garden Contest.

Eoin enters the contest to attract attention and business for his new restaurant. However, a murder disrupts his plans and overshadows the contest. Siobhán and her husband, Macdara, take on the investigation.

Carlene O'Connor does such a nice job on the Irish Village Mystery series. The characters are engaging, the mysteries are consistently compelling, and the Irish setting is beautifully depicted. "Murder in an Irish Garden" is just as enjoyable as the previous books in the series.

The mystery is fast-paced and suspenseful, featuring a variety of suspects, each with their own theories about what happened and who is responsible. Siobhán and Macdara's bickering adds entertaining conflict, and several intriguing minor subplots weave through the story. Additionally, there are interesting facts about plants and Irish gardens sprinkled throughout, which I found quite enjoyable.

I had a lot of fun reading Murder in an Irish Garden. I checked out the audiobook from my library and listened to it after finishing the book. I highly recommend the audiobook; the narrator is fantastic and truly brings the story to life.

EXCERPT: They reached the tent. It was situated across from Eion's farm-to-table restaurant, a short stroll away. Once the garden was unveiled, restaurant guests could walk through the installment either before or after their dinner, and it would remain on the property throughout summer for folks to enjoy. It was ingenious of Eion to think about doing this, even if it had gotten him in some hot water with the other contestants. Now that they were near the tent, Siobhán was surprised that all was quiet.
'Hello?' she called out. 'Cassidy Ryan? There's a large delivery here. Some kind of statue?'
There was no reply. 'She must be on a break,' Siobhán said. 'Would you like me to sign for it?'
The lad glanced at this paperwork. 'It clearly states that only Cassidy Ryan can sign for it.'
'A rule follower,' Macdara said. 'Good man.' He gave Siobhán a pointed look.
'Wait there then and I'll see if my brother knows where she is.' Siobhán ignored Macdara and headed for the restaurant.
Macdara followed her. 'Let's try another question. 'Susan is walking to work one morning -'
'Not strolling?' Siobhán shot back.
'Two men suddenly come up behind her - Harry and Joe -'
'Is this the same Joe that struck the cyclist?'
'They say, "we won't hurt you as long as you give us the bag."' Macdara was getting into it, acting out the role. Just as he was speaking, the restaurant doors opened and a young woman with long brunette hair emerged with a camera slung around her neck. She had not only caught the tail end of his statement, but Macdara was acting as if Siobhán had a handbag and he was going to snatch it.
The woman's eyes were panicked. 'Leave her alone,' she yelled, running towards Siobhán. She started to tug on Macdara as she screamed at Siobhán. 'Where's your bag?'
'I'm not carrying one,' Siobhán said. She glared at Macdara. 'And neither was the person in that scenario.'
The woman let go of Macdara and stepped back, confusion planted on her pretty face.
'Of course she was carrying a handbag,' Macdara said. 'How could they try and rob it off her if she wasn't?'
'Then why doesn't it clearly state that she was carrying a handbag? Good old Harry and Joe just said, "Give us the bag!" For all I know it was a SuperValu bag.'
The woman's eyes ping-ponged between them, her shiny pink lips agape. She was slim and her dewy face was dotted with freckles. 'Do either of you want me to call someone?'
Macdara turned to the young woman. 'We're reading test questions,' he said. 'My stubborn wife is studying to become a detective sergeant.' He shook his head. 'Or I should say she's actively avoiding studying.'
Siobhán put her hands on her hips, realising that to this young woman she probably looked like a typical wife nagging her husband. But some things couldn't be helped. 'And my detective-sergeant husband is drilling me with practice questions that do not make an ounce of sense because they were written by men with limestone for brains!' Siobhán could feel her blood pressure tick up. She wanted to hit something. Preferably him.
'Stop overthinking every single little detail,' Macdara said. 'When you become a detective-sergeant, you can lobby to change the questions. But if you don't get out of your own stubborn way, you're never going to pass the exams!'
'How many times are you going to call me stubborn?'
'As many as it takes to get through to you!'
The woman backed away slightly, her hand going to her camera. If she started to film them, Siobhán was going to yank it off her neck and stomp on it. She was dying for the woman to start filming them. The young woman held up her right hand and flashed a diamond on her engagement finger. 'Should I take this as a warning?'
'Yes,' they said in stereo.

ABOUT 'MURDER IN AN IRISH GARDEN': Everything’s coming up roses for garda Siobhán and the rest of O’Sullivan family in quaint Kilbane, County Cork, Ireland—until a murder investigation blooms out of a deadly gardening competition.

While Siobhán studies for her Detective Sargeant exams, her brother, Eoin, prepares for the grand opening of his new restaurant, The O’Sullivan Six, and concocts a plan to enter Kilbane’s Top Garden Contest to boost business. But trouble brews when Eoin hires a mercurial landscape designer known for her killer designs. His new partner’s unflattering reputation and questionable practices nearly eclipse her talents—and plunge the prestigious competition into chaos.

A lush and intricate winning garden emerges from the controversy, with a spectacular golden statue in the center of the display. But in a devastating twist, the work of art leads to the shocking discovery of a bold and brutal work of murder.

Everyone in town has an opinion about who committed the crime and planted the evidence, from easily bribed sponsors to green-with-envy gardeners. And with another golden statue found in Eoin’s garden display, rumors about his involvement intensify. As local gossip buzzes and a list of suspects grows, it’s up to quick-witted Siobhán and her husband, Macdara, to suss out the guilty culprit’s identity . . . before the competition buries another victim.

MY THOUGHTS: There's plenty of action in this (Book 11!) of the Irish Village Mystery series. Siobhán is studying for her detective-sergeant exams with the help of husband Macdara; Eion's restaurant, The Six, is preparing for its grand opening; and it is the final week of the Kilbane Top Garden contest.

It's always wonderful to catch up with the O'Sullivan family, although Siobhán seems to be a little out of sorts, being punctilious over the wording of practice test questions, picking squabbles with Macdara, and wanting to hit people who annoy her - which seems to be everyone at the moment. So not Siobhán! Is it just the pressure of the upcoming exam or is something else afoot?

As the big day of the garden competition judging nears, odd things begin to happen, culminating in a body being found in very strange circumstances.

This was a lovely twisty mystery with more suspects than I could poke a stick at! My head was fair spinning as evidence seemed to point to first one, then another. I was completely wrong with my suspicions. The denouement set me back on my heels - it was a solution that had never occurred to me! I don't know how realistic it was, but it sure was entertaining.

I have read or listened to most books in this series, enjoyed them all, and am always excited to see a new book in the pipeline. I was lucky to be able to combine reading with listening to Murder in an Irish Garden written by Carlene O'Connor with the audiobook superbly narrated by Caroline Lennon. If I had to pick between the two, the audiobook would win by the narrowest of margins - it's the Irish brogue. It gets me every time.

⭐⭐⭐.8

#MurderinanIrishGarden #NetGalley

MEET THE AUTHOR: Born into a long line of Irish storytellers, Carlene O'Connor's great-grandmother emigrated from Ireland filled with tales in 1897 and the stories have been flowing ever since. Of all the places she’s wandered across the pond, she fell most in love with a walled town in County Limerick and was inspired to create the town of Kilbane, County Cork, the setting of her Irish Village Mystery series.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Kensington Publishing roe providing an e-ARC and RB Media for providing an audio ARC of Murder in an Irish Garden, written by Carlene O'Connor and narrated by Caroline Lennon, for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

Siobhán is back in action and better than ever! Married life is rolling along although with the occasional hiccups and the family restaurant is about to launch a soft opening at the reveal of the garden club entries. The only major issue is that someone has a problem with the gardens and gardeners so it's up to Siobhán and the other guards to solve the case before more damage can be inflicted. Once again an outstanding story has been woven to delight and entertain readers! I do think that this mystery was much more complex than others thus creating an even more enjoyable mystery experience. I loved the story and the outcome! As with the other books in the story, the characters personal lives are woven throughout and exciting things are in store for the future! I can't wait for the next book! All I can say is that I am greedy for more!!!

ARC Review,
#readingtheworld2025 country no.5 Ireland 🇮🇪

💐Murder in an Irish Garden by 
Carlene O'Connor
Book 11 of An Irish Village Mystery

💐Everything’s coming up roses for garda Siobhán and the rest of O’Sullivan family in quaint Kilbane, County Cork, Ireland—until a murder investigation blooms out of a deadly gardening competition.


💐An interesting cozy mystery with wonderful characters. I haven't read the other books in the series, but I fell in love with the O’Sullivan siblings.
The mystery revolves around a gruesome murder in the Kilbane’s Top Gardening Competition.
Siobhan, who is studying for her detective sergeant exam and her husband Macdara, were extremely relatable characters, and I love their banter. This pair is excellent in sleuthing. Siobhan's brother Eoin, prepares for the grand opening of his new restaurant, The O'Sullivan Six, hires a mercurial landscape designer known for her killer designs and after much controversies the outcome is a gorgeous, and stunning garden with an incredible golden statue.
But, a shocking twist, there's a brutal murder in all the beauty. Chaos unravels, and the whole town starts gossiping.
Then it's Siobhan and Macdara and the unsolved mystery.
Love the suspense buildup, loads of suspicious circumstances, and many suspects. I love Siobhan's family's growth and her love for all of them. The readers who are familiar with the characters through previous books would surely admire it more. The climax is superb and I couldn’t guess it. Everything tied up neatly.
Recommended for cozy mystery fans.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC.

I love everything about the world that Carlene O'Connor has created in her An Irish Village Mystery series. The O'Sullivan family saga is full of charm, fun, mystery and overcoming challenges. 'Murder in an Irish Garden' has Eoin planning for the opening of his restaurant and Siobhan studying for her Detective Sergeant exam and she is in a constantly unreasonable mood. Her relationship with her husband is put to the test and exacerbated by a murder that directs suspicion to Eoin. I can't recommend this book highly enough, but do yourself a favor and read the entire series. It is a joy!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

My goodness what a tangled garden of weeds with goats and headless flowers. And that is as far as I can go without ruining the surprises of this story.
It is well written. The mystery is twisty. The characters in the village shine through. Siobhan and MacDara are a good pair. There are surprises in store for the O’Sullivan six, but the ending notes are sweet. In some ways the wrap up at the end made me wonder if this series is ending. I hope not as the characters and the setting have grown dear over the course of the 11 books.
I encourage you to visit Ireland and a garden competition through Murder in An Irish Garden.
I listened to the audiobook and liked the narrator.
Thanks to Netgalley, Kensington books and RBMedia for the opportunity to enjoy this book.

Another great addition to the series! While the garden theme is not my favorite of this series, the mystery more than makes up for it and ends with a solution I was never going to guess. The fighting between Siobhan and Macdara was a little distracting but it all works out eventually. It’s heartwarming to see the siblings all growing up and starting lives of their own but I feel the pain almost as much as Siobhan as I feel like I’ve watched them grow up, too. This series just gets better and better.

(3.75 stars)
I’d been meaning to try this cozy mystery series for quite a while and finally decided to jump right in with the latest book, Murder In An Irish Garden, which is book eleven in the series.

It turned out to work just fine as a standalone, although I’m sure I would have enjoyed it even more if I’d read at least one or two of the earlier books, to get to know the main characters better.

Siobhan is studying for her detective sergeant exam. The book opens with her studying practice questions with her husband, Macdara, also a member of the Garda, and the whole thing made me laugh, with Siobhan questioning the wording of the questions.

The action takes place in Kilbane in County Cork, Ireland. I mainly listened to the audiobook version and loved the accent of the narrator, Caroline Lennon. (It honestly reminded me so much of an Irish friend I have, who hails from Cork.)

The story revolves around a town-wide garden competition. Several amateur gardeners are vying for the top prize, along with one professional landscape designer. So there are quite a number of characters to keep straight, but it wasn’t a problem for me. At the same time as the preparations for the garden competition, Siobhan’s brother, Eoin (pronounced Owen, apparently) is ready to open his new restaurant. Things get complicated, and of course, we have a murder to solve.

This series seems a bit different from the “typical” cozy mystery series in that the main character(s) aren’t amateur sleuths, so that was a refreshing change.

I really enjoyed this book and would now like to go back and read some of the earlier ones in the series.

Thank you to Recorded Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook and to Kensington Cozies and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I listened to this one on audiobook and I thought the narrator did a great job. It really made the story to come to life and really put me in the Irish countryside where it was set. This is book 11 in the Irish Village Mystery series and while I haven’t read them all I’ve read and enjoyed several and this one was no exception. This mystery centers around a garden contest where one contestant is found murdered in a rather creative and gruesome way. Siobhan is studying for her detective Sargent exams and is determined to find the killer in this gruesome murder. This one had some good twists and a wonderful mystery. I like these characters quite a bit, especially Siobhan, she makes a great sleuth to follow. Overall I gave this 4.5 stars which I rounded up because it was a fun mystery.

This series is so charming, and I love that the author has continued to find new situations for the characters, and to allow the characters room to grow (and there is a LOT of development in this one!). Good, solid suspects for a mystery that has interesting components. The dialogue in this one is excellent.

With a garden show in town, everyone is excited to see the gardens that the competitors have designed. However, no one was expecting any of this. With a body of the top contender posed in her bar, Siobhan and the team find themselves trying to find out who went through all of this effort and why.

With plenty of suspects, red herrings galore, and the O’Sullivan five, this is another enjoyable read in this series. I actually root for each of the siblings and their futures, and I love that the author continues moving and progressing their lives forward as they grow up throughout the series. I hope this series continues for a very, very long time to come.

Murder in an Irish Garden is book #11 in An Irish Village Mystery series by Carlene O'Connor.

Macdara is “helping” Siobhán prepare for her Detective Sargeant exam which causes a bit of a clash. I can’t believe how things have changed and the characters have grown through the series. Eoin is getting ready for the grand opening of his new restaurant. And then there is a murder at a top garden contest. Siobhán and Macdara have a lot of suspects to sift through since the victim was not the nicest person. This was a wonderful addition to the series.

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