Murder in an Irish Village

January 18, 2016
Siobhán O’Sullivan, the feisty 22-year-old heroine of O’Connor’s lively debut set in Kilbane, County Cork, Ireland, has been running the family bistro while taking care of her five siblings, who range in age from 10 to 24, since their parents died in a car crash. As the first anniversary of the fatal accident approaches, the family suffers another shock with the discovery of a dead man in their dining room, a pair of scissors jutting from his chest. James, the eldest brother, turns up later, battered and bloody, with no recollection of the previous night’s events. When James becomes the prime suspect, Siobhán determines to clear his name, but she must stay one step ahead of a murderer who also calls Kilbane home. The cheeky and close-knit repartee among the O’Sullivans goes on too long at times, but their antics are sure to appeal to cozy fans, who will also appreciate the warmth and spirit of the people of Kilbane. Agent: Evan Marshall, Evan Marshall Agency.

April 25, 2016
Film and theater actress Lennon has a thick, musical brogue that she uses to great advantage reading this whodunit set in the village of Kilbane in County Cork. The Irish cozy’s heroine, Siobhan O’Sullivan, and her five siblings were orphaned a year ago when their parents died in a car crash blamed on drunken driver Billy Murphy. Billy was sent to prison, and Siobhan was forced to forgo college to run the family bistro. Shortly after Billy’s brother, Niall, returns to town claiming to have proof of Billy’s innocence, he is found dead in a booth at the bistro. When James, Siobhan’s hot-tempered brother, is arrested for the crime, she decides to find the real murderer, much to the dismay of her potential love interest, handsome local copper Macdara Flannery. Lennon crafts vocal personalities for each character—gruff Niall; bellicose food market manager Mike Grainger; Siobhan’s angry brothers, James and Kieran; fast-talking, genial bicycle shop owner Seamus Sheedy; his chirpy wife, Bridie; and Sheila Mahoney, a local beautician with a chip on her shoulder. Lennon is so perfectly tuned to the protagonist that you can almost hear Siobhan’s flame-red hair being wind-tossed as she races from neighbor to neighbor, interrogating them with vigor and determination. A Kensington hardcover.