#Review The Well of Ice (Inishowen Mysteries) by Andrea Carter @andysaibhcarter

 

Description:

December in Glendara, Inishowen, and solicitor Benedicta ‘Ben’ O’Keeffe is working flat-out before the holidays; the one bright spot on her horizon is spending her first Christmas with Sergeant Tom Molloy.

But on a trip to Dublin to visit her parents, she bumps into Luke Kirby – the man who killed her sister – freshly released from jail. He apologises to her; remorseful, conciliatory … but as she walks away, he whispers something that chills her to the bone.

Back in Glendara, there is chaos. The Oak pub has burned down and Carole Kearney, the Oak’s barmaid, has gone missing. And then on Christmas morning, while walking up Sliabh Sneacht, Ben and Molloy make a gruesome discovery: a body lying face-down in the snow … Soon it becomes clear that these events are part of a plan for revenge that will have devastating consequences for Glendara’s residents.

 

My Thoughts & Review:

The Inishown Mysteries series has been one I’ve followed for a wee while now, and have to admit that I’ve taken a shine to Ben O’Keeffe.  She is a warm and compassionate character who seems to attract trouble regardless of her good intentions.  In this instalment of the Inishowen Mysteries, Ben has found some happiness.  A blossoming relationship with Sergeant Tom Molloy has her beaming with happiness and the promise of time off over the Christmas period is another reason so smile.

Ben’s past is something that is interwoven throughout the series, and the aftermath of her sister’s death has shaped the person she has become.  So when she hears that Luke Kirby, her sister’s killer has been released from prison she is understandably shocked.  Even with logic and legal experience, her gut feelings of being close to the victim mean she cannot comprehend his release from prison.  A chance meeting with him in Dublin throws her, he approaches her with an apology, shows remorse and almost pulls of a genuine act until his mask slips and he shows his true menace, but only Ben witnessed it.

As if the threat of Luke Kirby isn’t enough to keep Ben occupied, there is also the daily business of her legal practise to tie up before the Christmas break, various property sales and court appearances taking up her time.  But the local residents of Glendara have plenty to keep Ben from becoming bored, scandal is afoot when the local pub is burned down and the barmaid goes missing.  Is there a connection between these events? What is the connection to the body discovered upon up Sliabh Sneacht?  Ben’s relationship with Sergeant Molloy gives her a chance to puzzle over the cases, but instead of her getting information from him, she is the one feeding him titbits of information from the locals.

As with the previous books, Andrea Carter really spoils readers with some wonderfully vivid descriptions of the picturesque settings and atmospheric writing.
I would say that this book verges more towards cosy crime, slowly building up the pace and tension, hinting that something more sinister may be up ahead but never actually turning nasty.

On the whole an enjoyable read that brings the series a little more up to date and leaves me wanting to know what the future holds for Ben.

You can buy a copy of The Well of Ice via:

Amazon UK