Kilbane, County Cork, is again the location for a murder mystery. This one seems over the top, but the reason will become clear. MURDER IN AN IRISH GARDEN features a popular gardening contest held in the town, which has already been good for business. The new restaurant owned by the O’Sullivan family is gaining custom while preparations are underway.

Ireland seems to host as strong a rivalry as anywhere because the Top Garden Contest is abruptly sabotaged. Garda Siobhán O’Sullivan, who is using her spare time to study for exams towards Detective Sergeant, and her husband, Macdara Molloy, already at that rank, just planned on enjoying the spectacular landscape projects. But Cassidy Ryan, one of the competitors, has gone missing, and she is discovered dead in one of the show gardens. Cue an extended search of homes, sheds, vehicles, camera footage and a journalist’s notes. The gardeners are all distraught – perhaps more by the mindless destruction of their roses – and are keen to cast aspersions on other competitors. 

The Irish Village Mystery series has reached book eleven, though not all were set in the same village, as Siobhán occasionally travels and works on other cases. My favourite to date is Murder At An Irish Chipper. Generally, we see the streets of Kilblane and its castle, with cheerful shopkeepers and tidy premises, weddings, parties and baking contests. The gardening contest is certainly something that could occur, and I was in sympathy with the poor gardeners as they discovered vandalism. I won’t go into the details. Everyone is shocked, as a professional garden designer was killed. Cassidy Ryan may have been up to some personal activity that the gardai have to uncover.

If you’ve been following the series you’ll be happy for the siblings who are growing up and branching out; if you are new to the stories, it might be just as well that they’re not all featured in this tale. The family has been in the hospitality business and is now proud to have their new premises instead of renting. I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of the O’Sullivans, though changes are clearly approaching for Siobhán, while her junior officer Aretta Dabiri is becoming part of the family.

Carlene O'Connor does a fine job of creating lifelike characters and we come to care for them over the series. MURDER IN AN IRISH GARDEN is a worthy addition to the mysteries, and shouldn’t put anyone off visiting Ireland. I’d love to see these show gardens as originally intended.