Murder at an Irish Wedding
(A Half Moon Bay Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Ireland
Independently Published (January 13, 2025)
Print length: 378 pages
Digital ASIN: B0DT1CVWLM
Synopsis . . . Therapist Clementine Moriarty thought her return to the whimsical seaside town of Half Moon in cozy Donegal would be a chance to reconnect with her roots, spend time at her parents' charming little seaside art gallery and heal from heartbreak. But her homecoming is anything but peaceful when she stumbles upon an unwelcome surprise—her ex-fiancé, Greg, is getting married to her best friend, Charlotte, on the very beach where Clementine was supposed to say "I do."
Through a series of unexpected twists and turns, what starts as a personal nightmare soon spirals into an intriguing mystery. An anonymous email had lured Clementine back home, but who sent it and why? As the wedding unfolds, tensions simmer, secrets surface, and Half Moon Bay’s picturesque façade begins to crack. When someone turns up dead with a series of baffling clues and puzzles, Clementine finds herself in the role of unlikely detective as she becomes the prime suspect.
With the help of a heartwarming, blue-haired artist and her sharp intuition, Clementine must navigate a maze of jealous exes, local gossip, and buried betrayals to uncover the truth amid the charming and whimsical backdrop of Donegal. But in a village where everyone has something to hide, will this quirky crime-solving team be able to unmask the killer before it's too late?
Perfect for fans of small-town mysteries, vibrant characters, clever clues, and a touch of romance, Murder at an Irish Wedding will keep you guessing until the final page.
My review . . . Clementine (Clem) Moriarity's escape abroad to get over her broken engagement is interrupted by mysterious email instructions from her mother summoning her home. Clem's return, however, comes as a surprise to all—her mother didn't send the message—and Clem finds Half Moon Bay in a flurry of activity because of the imminent wedding of her ex-fiance to her best friend. To make matters worse, a suspicious death occurs at the wedding and Clem becomes the prime suspect. While the police open an investigation, Clem feels compelled to clear her name and find out who is trying to frame her for murder.
As she digs for clues, Clem discovers that most of the villagers were hurt or mistreated by the victim in one way or another and the list of suspects is quite lengthy. Does Clem, with her psychology training, have what it takes to unravel the mystery and help bring a killer to justice?
Mystery at an Irish Wedding, the first book in the Half Moon Bay mystery series, introduces a picturesque Irish seaside setting and clever protagonist. The plot includes a solid list of strong suspects with plausible motives and a steady feed of twists and turns that keep one guessing whodunit until the very last pages. Beyond being absorbed in this cozy mystery, readers will delight in making the acquaintance of the quirky villagers while cheering Clem on as she tackles the task of getting her life back on track. The appeal of checking in on Clem's personal progress and visiting the charming setting again create a natural desire for further installments in this promising new series.
About the authors . . . L.C. Winters is the pen name for Laura Cavanagh and Colin Vaughan. The authors are from Ireland and hope to bring its culture, cozy atmosphere, legends, and history into their stories. Laura and Colin's cozy mystery romance novels focus on creating a set of clever clues with twists and turns to keep readers guessing until the very end. Their first series—Half Moon Bay Mysteries—is set in a small Irish seaside village and promotes a romanticized view of small-town life with a host of eccentric, lovable characters.
As avid mystery fans (who love the classics, such as Agatha Christie, as well as modern cozy authors like Richard Osman), Laura and Colin enjoy deciphering clues and trying to beat the detective to figure out who committed the crime. They decided to create mysteries with a complex set of interrelated clues delivered in an easy-to-follow story and hope that the endings of each of their mysteries are both a surprise and, at the same time, feel inevitable and ‘right.’
Laura has a degree in Psychology, and this is reflected in protagonist Clementine, who uses her Psychology know-how to figure out the motives, secrets, and inconsistencies of each suspect.
Laura and Colin aim to create heartwarming stories with lovable, quirky characters in a nice, soothing environment that whisks readers away to beautiful, picturesque Ireland and the seaside county of Donegal!
Giveaway . . . Click here to enter for a chance to win a $10.00 Amazon gift card (U.S. only).
Purchase link . . . Amazon
Author links . . . Website | Blog | BlueSky | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram | X (Twitter)
Tour participants . . .
June 12 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT
June 12 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT
June 13 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR GUEST POST
June 14 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
June 15 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
June 15 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – REVIEW
June 16 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
June 17 – Jane Reads – CHARACTER GUEST POST
June 18 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
June 19 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
June 19 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
June 20 – Book Club Librarian – REVIEW
June 20 – Cozy Up WIth Kathy – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW
June 21 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT
June 21 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – AUTHOR GUEST POST
June 22 – Sarandipity’s – AUTHOR GUEST POST
June 23 – Novels Alive – REVIEW
June 24 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT
June 25 – Sarah Can’t Stop Reading Books – REVIEW
June 25 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER GUEST POST
Note . . . I received a complimentary copy of Mystery at an Irish Wedding in exchange for an honest review.
This Blog Tour, Review, and Giveaway post was originally composed and/or compiled and published by Catherine for the Book Club Librarian blog. It cannot be republished without attribution.
