Murder at an Irish Castle, by Ellie Brannigan

 Publication Feb. 7, 2023

There's something magical about castles. Toss in a gorgeous Irish Setter on the cover and I was hooked. Never mind that wedding gown designer Rayne McGrath's father had described his boyhood home as a fortified manor with a turret.  

Rayne had always enjoyed her childhood visits there to her Uncle Nevin but never expected to inherit McGrath Castle. It's an inheritance with a catch, however. She has to agree to not just live there for a year but make a profit. You'll find out why that stipulation was almost a no-go for Rayne when you read the book. Let's just say, her birthday plans did not go as she'd hoped. 

While the plot centers around "Who killed Nevin McGrath?" the book focuses as much on family and human relationships as Rayne and new-found cousin Ciara's search for answers to the death of Nevin. Ciara has her own issues to settle, both family and romantic, and is on the surface about as unlike Rayne as possible. 

Let's just say that Rayne's Hollywood/Rodeo Drive background, including an actress mother, and designer shoes and clothes hardly prepared her for the occasionally hard-knock life of a small Irish village that relied on McGrath Castle for it's livelihood. Heck, she despairs of ever getting a steady internet connection. Then again, Amos, who is basically described as a blonde Viking type, provides a nice distraction, as does Blarney the Irish Setter, who plays a role in the story. Good boy, Blarney.

So, who would want to kill the man so many depended on? Why was he seeing a doctor? How many of us have a full suit of armor in your hallway? Would you climb up in a castle turret to get an internet signal? Will Rayne be able to make her wedding gown design business work there? Will Ciara and she ever work out a relationship? What other ideas will she/they come up with to help pay the bills? Why is the investigation taking so long? Too bad dogs can't talk.

Who....oh, nope. No more hints. You're just going to have to read the book. And you really should read it. It managed to keep me diverted and entertained while I was dealing with heating issues, a biggie in my home of Alaska, so it is a strong intro to this new series. Thanks #NetGalley and CrookedLaneBooks for providing my virtual trip to Ireland. I will definitely be back. This one is a winner.