“Ferrying tourists around Dublin for the Leprechaun Limo Service makes quite a change after years in the military. Still, Megan Malone is enjoying her life in Ireland. She likes the scenery, the easy pace, the quirky, quick-witted locals. Everything–except having one of her clients drop dead at the statue of fabled fishmonger, Molly Malone.
Most restaurant critics notch up their share of enemies. Elizabeth Darr, however, was a well-loved international star. She and her husband, Simon, had just had dinner when Elizabeth collapsed, and spoiled seafood is the first suspect. The restaurant’s owner, worried her business is doomed, begs Megan to look into it. Between her irate boss and a handsome Garda who’s both amused and annoyed by her persistence, Megan has her hands full even before she’s cajoled into taking care of two adorable Jack Russell puppies (which she is almost definitely not keeping). But if cockles and mussels aren’t to blame, can Megan find the real culprit . . .before another fishy death occurs?”
Okay, I’ll admit it… I picked up this book because I’m a sucker for anything set in Ireland. I’ve only been reading cozy mysteries for a couple of years, so without that, I’m not sure that this book would have been on my radar. I am glad that I found it, though.
A lot of the draw for me was the setting. I’ve spent some time in Dublin and found myself recognizing landmarks mentioned in the story. Obviously, that won’t be a factor for anybody unfamiliar with the city, but I do think that the author does a good job of painting a picture of Dublin and letting readers get a taste of what it’s like.
In other respects, the book has a lot of the things that make a cozy mystery so engaging: a couple of adorable dogs; quirky characters; an intriguing mystery; and a bit of romance thrown in for good measure. I do have to give a shout-out to the fact that the main character, Megan, is a female Army veteran with training as a medic. While a lot of cozy mysteries have a female main character, it’s nice to see one with a less-than-usual backstory.
Think of this as a “comfort read” for the run-up to St. Patrick’s Day. Dead in Dublin is a fun read and it’s well worth investing your time in this series.
