In the charming Massachusetts town of Shamrock, everything is Irish, from the bed-and-breakfasts to local businesses and pubs. When Kate Buckley is summoned by urgent texts from her sister, she heads back to her hometown along with her two daughters. When she arrives, she’s confused by her sister’s actions, and she’s even more surprised when she finds a body in the local parish in THE JIG IS UP by Lisa Q. Mathews, the debut mystery in the Irish Bed and Breakfast Mysteries.
Deirdre Donnelly was a professional Irish dancer in the Irish dance show Irish Steps. When her mother became ill, Deidre returned home to take over her family’s dance school and teach. Now she’s dead, and Kate’s younger sister, Colleen, who was Deirdre’s best friend, looks like the prime suspect. Kate knows her sister is messy and complicated, but she’s no murderer. As Kate tracks down a mysterious person outside the parish, she starts to put together the clues. Can she find Deirdre’s killer so the town can move forward with their Paddy’s Week festivities and honor the young dancer? Or will Kate run out of luck and become the next victim of a ruthless, jealous killer?
THE JIG IS UP is an excellent debut in this new Irish-themed series. Set in a town with all things Irish, there is a sense of place and comradery between the townspeople. Kate’s family dynamics are loving and messy. She is a single mother with an ex-husband who lives in Dublin. Her younger sister Colleen is mysterious and secretive, while her father, the retired Chief of Police whose career ended in a shooting, is the family watchdog with a crime scanner. Her mother runs the bed-and-breakfast and could use Kate’s accounting expertise, and Kate’s two daughters are enjoying their visit to Shamrock. The mystery starts quickly and winds its way to the conclusion with several twists and turns and plenty of Irish charm. The mystery includes a stranger in the bushes, a missing fundraising jar, a broken necklace, secret family decisions, competitive dance partners, broken dreams, and old rivalries. THE JIG IS UP reads at a nice even pace with several red herrings to keep readers guessing and enjoying their time in Shamrock with its Irish festivals, dancing, and community spirit. Grab a pint or an Irish coffee and enjoy this charming new Irish-themed mystery series that will keep you entertained and on your toes.
Irish step dance takes a deadly turn in this Celtic cozy series debut, perfect for fans of Carlene O’Connor and Paige Shelton.
Single-mom and police chief’s daughter Kate Buckley is all about family. After she receives an urgent text from her younger sister Colleen, she puts her life on hold and rushes to her Irish-themed hometown of Shamrock, Massachusetts. With her two daughters in tow, she’s ready to fight if it means she can help her charming but hapless sibling.
When they arrive, Colleen claims it was all a misunderstanding. But everything changes in an Irish minute when Colleen’s best friend, Deirdre, a dance show star, is found dead in the parish hall. With the discovery of a possible witness, a chilling motive, and a wee bit of incriminating evidence, Colleen quickly becomes a person of interest in Deirdre’s murder. Convinced her sister isn't a killer, Kate is determined to clear Colleen’s name.
As Kate investigates, Colleen takes charge of Shamrock’s popular Irish dance show in honor of her late friend—with disastrous results. With the St. Patrick’s Week festivities in full swing, Kate must catch the killer before the celebrations are ruined and her sister’s Irish luck runs out.
Excerpt
Chapter One
“Mommy, the shamrock’s not smiling.”
I took another swig of cold coffee from my travel mug and twisted toward the back seat, where my seven-year-old daughter, Bliz—aka Mary Elizabeth—looked confused in the semidarkness. “That means there’s no vacancy, sweetie. The shamrock sign only smiles when there are hotel rooms left.”
On cue, the interior of the Subaru turned neon green. Then black. Then green again. The crazy sign probably kept the Smiling Shamrock Bed & Breakfast guests awake all night. Or flashed in their nightmares.
My older daughter, Maeve, looked up from her phone and unslumped herself from her neck pillow in fourteen-year-old fashion. “Thought we were going to Gram’s.”
She sounded cranky, and I didn’t blame her. The trip to Shamrock had taken double the usual time.
“We are. Just pulling over for a second.”
Apparently, I needed the GPS to direct me through my own hometown. It was so foggy I couldn’t see two feet past the windshield.
Neither rain, nor fog, nor gloom of night . . . Was that how the line went? I’d passed it engraved above the old General Post Office Building in Manhattan a million times on my way to work.
Nope, I’d forgotten the snow part. At least we hadn’t dealt with that tonight. Just double the gloom, which had fittingly led us to the crunchy gravel driveway of the Smiling Shamrock.
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