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Irish Castle Mystery #2
Death at an Irish Wedding
Bridal wear designer-turned-entrepreneur Rayne McGrath remains in the Irish countryside ready for some wedding mayhem in this charming and colorful cozy, perfect for fans of Carlene O’Connor and Sheila Connolly.
Rayne McGrath’s efforts to save the rundown family castle she inherited were an epic failure after she accidentally set fire to the tower and tanked the budget. Is the castle haunted, or is she just unlucky? Meanwhile, her cousin, Ciara Smith, is anxiously booking their joint calendar with special events in the hopes of bringing the property around before they lose everything.
When a bridalwear client from LA asks Rayne for help as her guest list spirals out of control, Rayne nabs the answer to her prayers. McGrath Castle is the perfect destination for the exclusive and intimate wedding party of heiress Tori Montgomery and her fiancé, heartthrob actor Jake Anderson. But this white veil occasion turns into a nightmare when Tori’s best friend’s assistant, Tiffany Quick, is found dead.
It’s feared Tiffany jumped from the tower, but that theory is quickly put in doubt as secrets within the wedding party come to light. And as the villagers protest this new wedding venue venture, Rayne begins to wonder if she will succeed in her endeavor or lose it all.
Rayne McGrath’s efforts to save the rundown family castle she inherited were an epic failure after she accidentally set fire to the tower and tanked the budget. Is the castle haunted, or is she just unlucky? Meanwhile, her cousin, Ciara Smith, is anxiously booking their joint calendar with special events in the hopes of bringing the property around before they lose everything.
When a bridalwear client from LA asks Rayne for help as her guest list spirals out of control, Rayne nabs the answer to her prayers. McGrath Castle is the perfect destination for the exclusive and intimate wedding party of heiress Tori Montgomery and her fiancé, heartthrob actor Jake Anderson. But this white veil occasion turns into a nightmare when Tori’s best friend’s assistant, Tiffany Quick, is found dead.
It’s feared Tiffany jumped from the tower, but that theory is quickly put in doubt as secrets within the wedding party come to light. And as the villagers protest this new wedding venue venture, Rayne begins to wonder if she will succeed in her endeavor or lose it all.
- GenresCozy Mystery
288 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication December 10, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
June 3, 2024
#DeathatanIrishWedding #NetGalley is the first book I've read by this author and I found it to be quite interesting.
Rayne and her cousin Ciara are trying to save the family castle, so when they have the opportunity to host a celebrity's wedding, they jump at the chance.
Unfortunately things turn bad when a death sets free a spiral of twisted secrets.
I'm looking forward to reading more in this series.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.
Rayne and her cousin Ciara are trying to save the family castle, so when they have the opportunity to host a celebrity's wedding, they jump at the chance.
Unfortunately things turn bad when a death sets free a spiral of twisted secrets.
I'm looking forward to reading more in this series.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.
July 15, 2024
Loved! Loved! Loved! This is an atypical murder/mystery. Second book in a series of Irish Castle Murders. I don’t feel like I missed anything by not having read the first book. This one stands quite well on its own. Central characters, cousins, Rayne and Ciara McGrath. Inherit the castle from Ciara’s father, upon his untimely death in the last book. Rayne moves to Ireland and learns that it is stipulated in the will that the girls are to have the castle firmly in the black and they are also to save the village of McGrath from itself by not allowing the villagers to stay firmly against becoming progressive in the world. First Tara follows Rayne to Ireland and has asked to have a secret wedding there with only those who are trusted to keep the wedding a secret.. The girls had decided to turn the castle into a destination wedding and retreat venue and they had asked Tara if they could use some of her approved wedding pictures in their wedding brochures. Each meal would be centered around Irish food and traditions, ending with a large Medieval Irish feast, bonfire and Celtic dancing. The castle was equipped with medieval furniture throughout the centuries. andeven bejeweled placewares. I ,definitely recommend this as a must read. I am looking forward to reading the rest in the series and any other books by Ellie Brannigan, my newest favorite author. Thanks to the following for allowing me to read an early unedited version for which I am giving my own personal opinions.
#NetGalley,
#CrookedLaneBoos
#EllieBrennan
Publication Date: December 10, 2024
#NetGalley,
#CrookedLaneBoos
#EllieBrennan
Publication Date: December 10, 2024
July 11, 2024
"Death at an Irish Wedding (Irish Castle Mystery #2)" by Ellie Brannigan sees Carlene, her cousin and the whole castle crew getting ready and hosting a top secret celebrity wedding. Then, the night before the actual wedding, one of the guests is found at the base of the tower that had a fire previously. All that bad luck in one place is adding fuel to the fire of some of the villagers who don't think the castle should be a wedding venue.
This one is a bit different in that Charlene doesn't always seem to be actively trying to investigate sometimes. She's either just making a highly observant observation or a clue lands in her lap. There are a few moments too of traditional cozy mystery main character snooping too.
This one is a bit different in that Charlene doesn't always seem to be actively trying to investigate sometimes. She's either just making a highly observant observation or a clue lands in her lap. There are a few moments too of traditional cozy mystery main character snooping too.
Want to read
May 30, 2024This is a NetGalley Read Now book. I have selected it as an experiment to explore NetGalley's Text to Speech option.
June 10, 2024
Rayne McGrath moved to Ireland from LA after her a) boyfriend Landon stole all her money and gowns from her Rodeo Drive wedding gown business; and b) her Uncle Nevin passed and left her his estate -- including a run-down castle that she has a year to make into a profitable endeavor or lose everything and be swallowed up by a neighboring shire. With the help of her cousin Ciara, she's working on doing so, hoping that the wedding scheduled with heiress Tori Montgomery and actor Jake Anderson will bring in the needed funds to get them through for awhile.
But almost immediately things begin to go wrong, and when Tori's friend Amy's assistant Tiffany is found dead on the castle grounds, she wonders if maybe the stars are against her. At first everyone thinks Tiffany jumped due to unsettling news, but Rayne and Ciara soon find out from the garda that it's murder. Not being able to tell anyone, they try and continue with the wedding plans, get past the glitches, and hope for the best. But the issues don't stop. Even with the accidents unfolding, Tori wants her wedding to go forward, and all Rayne can do is try and make it happen. Even if it kills her...
This is the second in the series, and I was just as enchanted as I was with the first. Rayne is settling in her new life as lady of the manor (although she won't use the name); hoping that her cousin will see eye-to-eye with her on improving things. Unfortunately, when the celebrity wedding was scheduled, Rayne didn't think it would be such a nightmare. Really a nightmare. A diva bride (and maid of honor), surly assistants, a constantly drunken member of the entourage, and, at least, the wealthy and decent parents of the bride -- who will do anything for their daughter's happiness.
When the murder occurs, Rayne needs to keep it under her hat, which isn't easy, since one of the guests is a killer. Or is it one of her new hires on the farm? All Rayne knows is that a murderer is in their midst, and needs to be found before the weekend is up and the guests leave. Things begin to go even more awry when there are several 'accidents' and suddenly Garda Dominic needs Rayne's help in finding out who's at fault.
When the ending comes and everything fits together, we see that the clues were there: I had a bit of a hunch toward the beginning, glad I was right, and even more, glad I read this book. The reason for murder is very sad indeed, and no excusing the crime. But the book gives you clues throughout, a few red herrings, a misdirection, and a wonderful ending. I look forward to the next in the series. Highly recommended.
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.
But almost immediately things begin to go wrong, and when Tori's friend Amy's assistant Tiffany is found dead on the castle grounds, she wonders if maybe the stars are against her. At first everyone thinks Tiffany jumped due to unsettling news, but Rayne and Ciara soon find out from the garda that it's murder. Not being able to tell anyone, they try and continue with the wedding plans, get past the glitches, and hope for the best. But the issues don't stop. Even with the accidents unfolding, Tori wants her wedding to go forward, and all Rayne can do is try and make it happen. Even if it kills her...
This is the second in the series, and I was just as enchanted as I was with the first. Rayne is settling in her new life as lady of the manor (although she won't use the name); hoping that her cousin will see eye-to-eye with her on improving things. Unfortunately, when the celebrity wedding was scheduled, Rayne didn't think it would be such a nightmare. Really a nightmare. A diva bride (and maid of honor), surly assistants, a constantly drunken member of the entourage, and, at least, the wealthy and decent parents of the bride -- who will do anything for their daughter's happiness.
When the murder occurs, Rayne needs to keep it under her hat, which isn't easy, since one of the guests is a killer. Or is it one of her new hires on the farm? All Rayne knows is that a murderer is in their midst, and needs to be found before the weekend is up and the guests leave. Things begin to go even more awry when there are several 'accidents' and suddenly Garda Dominic needs Rayne's help in finding out who's at fault.
When the ending comes and everything fits together, we see that the clues were there: I had a bit of a hunch toward the beginning, glad I was right, and even more, glad I read this book. The reason for murder is very sad indeed, and no excusing the crime. But the book gives you clues throughout, a few red herrings, a misdirection, and a wonderful ending. I look forward to the next in the series. Highly recommended.
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.
June 13, 2024
This is the first that I have heard of / read this series. I'll admit, the cover caught my attention as well as the title. Who doesn't love mystery books in Ireland? The author is also new to me, however, after this book, I will be finding more books by them to read.
Even though I started on the second book of the series, I had no problem following along on what had transpired in the first book and the list of characters. I loved the characters. Each one is so down to earth and ready to do whatever it takes to save their family's village and castle. Yep, you read that right: castle. Who doesn't enjoy a good castle in their stories?
The guests, being movie stars, and assistants, etc. were mostly intolerable. (You expect that, as more often than naught, we find our movie heroes to usually be rather stuck on themselves.) The hotel royalty was actually pretty decent, and I liked them right away. Tori, being the heiress and bride, she was different than I expected her to be. Yes, she had her stuck-up moments but for the most part, she was really quite lovely and human.
The groom and his groupies, (that's what I am calling them) were pretty awful. Then again, that could just be me. Normally, when someone says that a man has boyish charm, I usually see that as a red flag for 'can get anyone to do whatever he wants but is actually very fake.'
Rayne and her cousin are simply wonderful. You throw in Cormac, Amos, Maeve, a few other of the staff and I just loved them. I hated Gillian and Bram at first read. Why? I don't know, for some reason their characters rubbed me the wrong way from the git go.
I loved the mystery. The possibility of ancient ghosts and spirits wandering around the castle's halls almost gave it a kind of romantic gothic feel. You can feel the history of the place coming off of the pages. I would give anything to see this place, if it were real.
I had guessed about 50% on the actual killer. It was really hard to pin down exactly which one I thought when there were so many good choices. I really disliked most of these people.
The ending was great though, so much stuff happens and then bang! It was like one firework blasting off after another one. I loved that it was stair stepped instead of just one big giant shebang. Just when you think you can't get any more surprised, then here comes another wallop!
This author has themselves a new fan. There was so much drama throughout the entire book, it really kept me guessing. It was a super fun read and I adored it from the beginning. I will be back for more. I highly recommend.
Thanks to Net Galley, the publishers, and to Ellie Brannigan for the ability to read and review this book. All opinions are honest and are completely my own.
Even though I started on the second book of the series, I had no problem following along on what had transpired in the first book and the list of characters. I loved the characters. Each one is so down to earth and ready to do whatever it takes to save their family's village and castle. Yep, you read that right: castle. Who doesn't enjoy a good castle in their stories?
The guests, being movie stars, and assistants, etc. were mostly intolerable. (You expect that, as more often than naught, we find our movie heroes to usually be rather stuck on themselves.) The hotel royalty was actually pretty decent, and I liked them right away. Tori, being the heiress and bride, she was different than I expected her to be. Yes, she had her stuck-up moments but for the most part, she was really quite lovely and human.
The groom and his groupies, (that's what I am calling them) were pretty awful. Then again, that could just be me. Normally, when someone says that a man has boyish charm, I usually see that as a red flag for 'can get anyone to do whatever he wants but is actually very fake.'
Rayne and her cousin are simply wonderful. You throw in Cormac, Amos, Maeve, a few other of the staff and I just loved them. I hated Gillian and Bram at first read. Why? I don't know, for some reason their characters rubbed me the wrong way from the git go.
I loved the mystery. The possibility of ancient ghosts and spirits wandering around the castle's halls almost gave it a kind of romantic gothic feel. You can feel the history of the place coming off of the pages. I would give anything to see this place, if it were real.
I had guessed about 50% on the actual killer. It was really hard to pin down exactly which one I thought when there were so many good choices. I really disliked most of these people.
The ending was great though, so much stuff happens and then bang! It was like one firework blasting off after another one. I loved that it was stair stepped instead of just one big giant shebang. Just when you think you can't get any more surprised, then here comes another wallop!
This author has themselves a new fan. There was so much drama throughout the entire book, it really kept me guessing. It was a super fun read and I adored it from the beginning. I will be back for more. I highly recommend.
Thanks to Net Galley, the publishers, and to Ellie Brannigan for the ability to read and review this book. All opinions are honest and are completely my own.
June 26, 2024
This is the 2nd installment in the Irish Castle mystery series. Rayne McGrath has inherited the ancestral castle in Ireland and per the terms of her Uncle Nevin’s will she must bring the castle back to profitability and save the village during in one year. Rayne decides to do what she knows best which is weddings. Prior to Ireland, her ex-boyfriend Landon stole all her money and dresses from her successful Rodeo Drive wedding dress business. Rayne is working from Ireland to complete all the dresses who had orders prior to this and one of those clients is hotel heiress Tori Montgomery who is marrying movie star Jake Anderson. Tori decides she wants to move up her wedding and get married in Ireland. With the help of her cousin Ciara and selling off her designer handbag collection, they get the Tower along with two cottages ready for the wedding party. Tori, Jake and their entourage arrive and it is clear that not is all merry with this group. When Tiffany the assistant of Tori’s bestie Amy if found dead from falling from the tower Rayne starts to wonder if this venture and the castle is cursed. Tori decides she wants the wedding to proceed and when all sorts of mishaps around the castle, Rayne has to wonder if the suspect is someone in the village or within the wedding party. Rayne is desperate to keep the group happy but also wants to help find out who did this to Tiffany. This is a delightful and entertaining read. The story is fast paced and lots of good supporting characters in Cormac, Aine, Amos and Maeve and it was good to see Ciara and Rayne working together. Also I love Blarney, Rayne’s irish setter. This is good continuation to this series. Highly recommend and looking forward to the next installment.
June 20, 2024
The 2nd in the Irish Castle Mysteries continues to follow Rayne McGrath after her LA life was upended and now she owns an old Irish castle following the death of her Uncle. Leaving LA behind was a tough choice but she has been able to restart her wedding dress design business and expand into hosting weddings, with the help of the Castle staff and her surprise cousin, Ciara. Her Uncle’s will outlined that Rayne and Ciara must work together to turn a profit within a year and they have found a way to coexist and work towards a common goal. Unfortunately, the first wedding they are hosting brings with it Hollywood actors and business moguls and lots of drama. When one of the guests is found dead, Rayne must keep the wedding plans going to make a profit and keep the castle. Everyone has their own agenda and it is hard to piece out who is for the wedding and who is against it. To create more intrigue, Rayne has to deal with upset villagers who do not want her business and the castle to do well AND her ex-boyfriend/partner and his crimes. The intertwining cases make things difficult for Rayne even with the help of her loyal Irish Setter, Blarney. This book had me guessing who did what to whom and why until the very end.
July 1, 2024
This is the second book in the Irish Castle Mystery series. It could be read as a stand-alone, but do yourself a favor and read the first in the series, too. It’s that good! Rayne has inherited a castle in Ireland and has to live there for one year and not only make the castle profitable, but also save the village. A wedding dress designer and Hollywood girl, Rayne is learning to adapt to a different lifestyle. She and her cousin, Ciara, are trying to set the castle up as a wedding venue and are hosting their first wedding. The wedding party are rich, entitled, and everything is a struggle. When a murder occurs at the castle, things get more complicated. And now members of the village are turning against them and Rayne’s ex has escaped jail and may be coming after her.
I enjoy the setting and all the members of the staff at the castle. I didn’t guess the identity of the murderer at all. There were so many excellent suspects! I’m already looking forward to the next in the series.
Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the ARC.
I enjoy the setting and all the members of the staff at the castle. I didn’t guess the identity of the murderer at all. There were so many excellent suspects! I’m already looking forward to the next in the series.
Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the ARC.
June 25, 2024
3.25 stars
This second series entry has some things going for it but the plot doesn't ultimately hang together too well. The setting is stellar - an old Irish castle run by two cousins, Rayne and Ciara, who are desperately trying to keep the venue alive as an event site, to benefit both them and the village.
A Hollywood actor and his fiance have secretly rented the castle. American Rayne designs uber high end wedding gowns but is not exactly a wedding planner. Her cousin Ciara helps with the business on the Irish side. So, plot hole, this billionaire family buys an expensive dress but nobody thinks to get a photographer, or flowers, or makeup. When one of the wedding party's staff winds up dead, The Garda decide not to tell anyone it's murder. Bad feelings amongst the bridge, groom and everyone else involved threaten to sink the whole top secret enterprise.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This second series entry has some things going for it but the plot doesn't ultimately hang together too well. The setting is stellar - an old Irish castle run by two cousins, Rayne and Ciara, who are desperately trying to keep the venue alive as an event site, to benefit both them and the village.
A Hollywood actor and his fiance have secretly rented the castle. American Rayne designs uber high end wedding gowns but is not exactly a wedding planner. Her cousin Ciara helps with the business on the Irish side. So, plot hole, this billionaire family buys an expensive dress but nobody thinks to get a photographer, or flowers, or makeup. When one of the wedding party's staff winds up dead, The Garda decide not to tell anyone it's murder. Bad feelings amongst the bridge, groom and everyone else involved threaten to sink the whole top secret enterprise.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 4, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for giving me ARC in exchange for my honest review. First of all I loved the book definitely an amazing example of cozy mystery. The characters were well written, the descriptions of the castle and the environment was very vivid. It felt like you really live in the place. Even though I didn’t read the first book in the series I easily understood what was going on thanks to the author’s small references. (Also the Irish accent references were on point) Ending was amazing I tried to guess the killer throughout the book but unfortunately I was wrong. So that’s another good thing a little bit of surprise! The conversation between characters, the incidents, chapters everything was easy to read. Overall I loved the book! And I am definitely going to read other books of the author’s.
Thank you Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for giving me ARC in exchange for my honest review. First of all I loved the book definitely an amazing example of cozy mystery. The characters were well written, the descriptions of the castle and the environment was very vivid. It felt like you really live in the place. Even though I didn’t read the first book in the series I easily understood what was going on thanks to the author’s small references. (Also the Irish accent references were on point) Ending was amazing I tried to guess the killer throughout the book but unfortunately I was wrong. So that’s another good thing a little bit of surprise! The conversation between characters, the incidents, chapters everything was easy to read. Overall I loved the book! And I am definitely going to read other books of the author’s.
July 9, 2024
Rayne McGrath, a bridal wear designer and her cousin Clara Smith are hoping to save the family castle by advertising as a wedding destination Managing to book a private wedding for two movie stars, Rayne is hoping the publicity the castle will receive after the marriage is reported will bring more bookings. Unfortunately, a tragic accident involving an assistant to one of wedding party turns out to be murder. When it is revealed that the assistant was compiling notes on the wedding party, the question is what did she uncover that lead to her murder.
#IDeathatanIrishWedding #CrookedLaneBooks#NetGalley
#IDeathatanIrishWedding #CrookedLaneBooks#NetGalley
June 28, 2024
I enjoyed reading a cozy mystery set in an Irish castle. The drama was fantastic, and the setting was beautiful. At first, there were a lot of characters to keep track of, but as the story unfolded, you got to know more about them.
Thank you, Crooked Lane Books for sharing the book through @netgalley all opinions are my own.
Thank you, Crooked Lane Books for sharing the book through @netgalley all opinions are my own.
June 12, 2024
This cozy murder mystery sequel is a fun, quick read, although there are a lot of a (crazy) new characters to keep track of.
Thank you for the digital review copy Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley.
Thank you for the digital review copy Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews