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IRISH MILK SHAKE MURDER by Carlene O’Connor, Peggy Ehrhart, and Liz Ireland is a rollicking collection of three cozy mystery novellas that capture the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day. I can’t think of a better way to start the festivities than making an Irish milkshake (heavy on the Irish whiskey of course) and catching up with favorite characters or finding a new series to start if you’re not familiar with them. I’m always impressed that each author manages to fit in a full mystery, with enough intrigue, in such short stories!
The first story, Irish Milkshake Murder by Carlene O’Connor, finds protagonist Tara Meehan, taking a ferry trip to the Aran Islands with her fiancé and friends for a hen and bachelor party she was dead set against having. The mystery is like a “closed room” puzzle to solve, after one of the three passengers unknown to Tara dies after drinking a milkshake on board the ferry. Stranded on the island because of a massive storm, finding the killer becomes necessary before they can strike again. I love closed room mysteries, and Ms. O’Connor is an expert at writing those. There were plenty of twists and turns amongst the well-written atmospheric backdrop that kept me on my toes.
The second novella, Murder Most Irish by Peggy Ehrhart, is homey with a small-town vibe. Protagonist Pamela Paterson and her BFF, Bettina, witness the murder of a patron at their favorite diner after he drank a green Irish milkshake. I like that the two women are of a “certain” age and that they use that to their advantage to get gossip and dig up dirt on who might have wanted the man dead. This is a slower-paced read but still enjoyable, following along with Pamela and Bettina, and visiting with their Knit & Nibble’s knitting club. These are characters you’d like spending time with and calling friends. The author also includes a recipe.
The third book, Mrs. Claus and the Luckless Leprechaun by Liz Ireland, is my favorite by far. Her imaginative North Pole setting and humorous dialog, characters, and situations had me devouring the story. Ms. Ireland knows how to capture the spirit and the festivities of the holiday and this newest story has it in spades…err shamrocks. The introduction of Mrs. Claus’ new reindeer, Wobbler, had me in stitches, and I was delighted as his role in the story unfolded. The mystery and reveal were creative and kept me turning pages. Honestly, I’d love to see a Mrs. Claus set of novellas covering every single holiday of the year!
Ms. Ehrhart kindly provides a recipe for Irish Coffee Mallow in the book and I’m happy to share it here. This is a delicious twist on traditional Irish coffee and makes the perfect ending to your St. Patrick’s Day dinner. Easy to make and the fact that it needs at least six to eight hours to chill, you can make this ahead of time–even a day in advance–freeing up precious time to prepare dinner. Rich and creamy, I liked that the Irish whiskey didn’t overwhelm the custard-like dessert, but instead, complemented the coffee flavor. With a dollop of whipped cream for garnish, your guests will enjoy this yummy dessert!
Amazon Synopsis
Irish Milkshake Murder by Carlene O’Connor: In advance of their St. Patrick’s Day wedding, Tara and Danny are off to the Aran Islands with their bridesmaids and groomsmen for a joint hen and stag party. The weekend kicks off with the ferry trip, as the passengers enjoy boozy milkshakes on board. But a murder shamrocks the boat as someone’s spiked shake turns out to be their final round. Stuck in a rural island cottage, while a storm rages outside, Tara must find the Celtic killer before her luck runs out . . .
Murder Most Irish by Peggy Ehrhart: As St. Patrick’s Day is drawing near, the folks at Hyler’s Luncheonette are getting into the holiday spirit with a festive new green milkshake. It’s a hit, until a patron is felled by one of the frothy concoctions. Now, it’s up to Pamela Paterson and her Knit & Nibble knitting club pal, Bettina Fraser, to catch a murderer and put a stop to the sheer madness . . .
Mrs. Claus and the Luckless Leprechaun by Liz Ireland: To celebrate Spring in Santaland, April Claus’s friend, Claire, whips up some minty milkshakes for her bustling ice cream shop, Santaland Scoop. But when the St. Paddy’s promotion makes one elf the target of a decidedly unlucky strike, Mrs. Claus and her friends must figure out if the attack was a failed hit job, a crime of passion, or an extremely unfortunate accident . . .
A huge thank you to Peggy Ehrhart for providing a print copy of IRISH MILKSHAKE MURDER! Contest ends March 17, 2024 at 11:59 pm PST and is limited to U.S. residents only. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)
In Murder Most Irish, Wilfred Fraser invents a special dessert for his St. Patrick's Day Eve meal. It's a twist on an old-fashioned recipe involving marshmallows and coffee, but he adds Irish whiskey. the alcohol in the whiskey evaporates, but the distinctive flavor remains.
The mallow needs to chill for six to eight hours before serving, so if you plan to serve it for dessert, start in the morning. As a bonus, you can use leftover breakfast coffee instead of making more for the recipe. It makes six not-too-large servings.
- 1 cup strong coffee
- 20 regular-sized marshmallows
- 1/4 cup Irish (or other) whiskey
- 1 cup heavy cream
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Heat the coffee in a small saucepan over medium heat. Without removing the saucepan from the heat, add the marshmallows, a few at a time, and stir. It might seem that they are going to bob about, remaining whole forever, but they eventually melt completely in the coffee. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the contents cools slightly.
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Add the Irish whiskey. (If you want to make sure the alcohol in the whiskey evaporates, add it as soon as you remove the saucepan from the heat.) Let the mixture cool to the point that you can touch the outside of the saucepan comfortably.
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In a medium bowl, whip the cream to soft peaks. Add the coffee mixture to the bowl, stirring until it's completely blended in. A wire whisk makes this process simple.
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Ladle the mixture into six small dessert dishes--old-fashioned stemmed dessert cups made from clear glass are ideal--and chill for six to eight hour.
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Garnish with extra whipped cream if desired.
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I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I have marshmallows. And I’m Irish, I’m intrigued.
Love the recipe I have Irish in me from my Dad’s side. Your book sounds very good, thanks
Penney
Sounds like a delicious recipe. Thanks for the giveaway.
You had me at coffee! This looks delicious! Happy St. Pat’s Day! Love the book!!
Erin go Braugh!! Can’t wait to read this book.
Recipe sounds yummy and so does the book.