Another Review at MyShelf.Com

An Early Wake
A County Cork Mystery Series , #3
Sheila Connolly

Penguin Group (USA)
2/4/2014 / ISBN 9780425252505
Mystery / Cozy / Contemporary / Ireland

Reviewed by Brenda Weeaks

 

It's six months later and Bostonian Maura Donovan is still running the pub in Ireland that she inherited. Maura has Mick and Rose to help with the pub, Bridget to confide in, and then there is Sean and their possible or not so possible relationship. Sullivan's Pub is just breaking even, but Maura wants to do better. Lucky for her a student named Tim shows up researching the old days of music and tells her Sullivan's was the place to be back in the day. That unassuming dark room at the back of the pub, now packed with stuff, once held many late night impromptu gatherings with both professional and amateur musicians.

When word gets out about Sullivan's and the infamous musician who just showed up, a night of music is expected. Maura agrees because she needs the money. One thing she doesn't need is a dead body in the back room, which is what she gets the night after the party. There's plenty of suspects, since the pub was full the night of the murder but there's very little evidence for Sean and Maura follow. The two work diligently to solve the murder and get a little help in the end. It's a complex mystery with plenty of false leads.

An Early Wake is centered around the pub and the village. Leap is a peaceful Irish village holding on to the old ways while the world changes around them. It's a place where everyone still looks out for each other, even newcomers. It's during this case that Maura realizes this is where she belongs. Her little cottage is more than enough, and she doesn't need a computer or cell. Reading this series makes me want to jump on a plane and runaway to Ireland!

Buried in a Bog #1
Scandal in Skibbereen #2
An Early Wake #3
A Turn for the Bad (no review) #4
Cruel Winter #5
Many a Twist #6


Reviewed 2015
© MyShelf.com