Book Review: Buried in Shamrocks by Lisa Q. Mathews

   Disclosure / Disclaimer: I received this ebook, free of charge, from Crooked Lane press via #netgalley, for review purposes on this blog. No other compensation, monetary or in kind, has been received or implied for this post. Nor was I told how to post about it. All opinions are my own

Kate Buckley returns to her Irish-themed hometown for the summer, but when her ex becomes the prime suspect in his fiancée’s murder, she must clear his name for the sake of their daughters, perfect for fans of Elle Cosimano and Carlene O’Connor.

Synopsis:

Kate and her daughters, Maeve and Bliz, are back in Shamrock, Massachusetts, and Kate faces a big decision: Should they move back to their hometown for good? As she contemplates the idea, all the businesses in town, including her family’s B&B, the Buckley House, are busy preparing for the annual Great Shamrock Fair in hopes of luring back tourists after a murder during St. Patrick’s Week.

But when Kate’s ex, Ian, arrives in town from Ireland to perform with his band at the festival and his new fiancée, Fallon, is found dead at the fairgrounds, any chance of a fun and peaceful family summer goes up in green smoke. 

Much as she wants nothing to do with her ex, Kate knows Ian is innocent. Amid the swirl of activity in town and her sister Colleen’s determination to keep the annual Miss Shamrock contests alive, Kate enlists her devastated eldest daughter and her father, the former Shamrock police chief, to help her unwind the trail of evidence. 

With clues—and danger—piling up, can Kate find Fallon’s true killer and save her ex, before the Great Shamrock Fair and the town’s chances for a summer full of green go bust?

Review:

Book 2 in the series picks up about a year after the first one- Kate has settled her and the girls into a new apartment, she has a new job, but then she decides to being the girls home for the summer, to help her folks with the B&B, and get away from the heat of her apartment. What she doesn't know is that her ex, and his family, are going to be arriving from Ireland for the local music festival. Now she has more issues to deal with- a absent father who wants more than she wants to let him have with her girls, his family who suddenly have an interest in her girls, and a family who isn't telling her the whole truth about how the B&B is doing. Add in some sisterly drama, and summer isn't as peaceful as she thinks it is going to be...then her husband is murdered and her life is chaos, with everyone trying to alter her life. There's a lot of real-life suspension, but overall it's a quick enjoyable read.

About the Author:

Lisa Q. Mathews began her publishing career as a Nancy Drew book editor. She also wrote for other popular kids’ series, including Mary-Kate and Ashley, Sweet Dreams, and the Lizzie McGuire Mysteries. After years working in New York, she returned home to New England, where she now writes mysteries for adults, including the Irish Bed & Breakfast series and the Ladies Smythe & Westin series. Her short story “Fly Me to the Morgue” was an Agatha Award finalist. A member of the mighty Quinn clan (also Nolan, Stinson, and Keady), Lisa lives in New Hampshire with her family, including a crazy golden retriever and a lucky black cat.