Scandal in Skibbereen (County Cork Mystery, #2)

by Sheila Connolly

As the new owner of Sullivan’s Pub in County Cork, Ireland, Maura Donovan gets an earful of all the village gossip. But uncovering the truth about some local rumors may close her down for good in this mystery in the County Cork series.

Bostonian Maura is beginning to feel settled in her new Irish home, just in time for summer tourist season to bring fresh business to her pub. But the first traveler to arrive is thirsty for more than just a pint of Guinness. Althea Melville is hot on the trail of a long-lost Van Dyck painting.

Maura agrees to help Althea meet with the residents at the local manor house, the most likely location of the missing art. But when the manor’s gardener is found murdered, Maura wonders what Althea’s real motives are. Now, to solve the secret of the lost portrait and catch a killer, Maura will have to practice her Irish gift of gab and hunt down some local history—before someone else is out of the picture...

• ISBN10: 1410470393
• ISBN13: 9781410470393
• Publish Date: 1 October 2014 (first published 4 February 2014)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Wheeler Publishing
• Edition: Large type / large print edition
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 435
• Language: English

Reviews

[Mystereity Reviews]

Scandal In Skibbereen This is the second book in the series, and this book was even better than the first. I identify in a lot of ways with Maura and her thought processes, so I find her to be a believable and likeable character. I loved the date with Sean, I could put myself in the same situation easily.
 
The plot with this one was a little convoluted; a gardener at an estate is murdered at the same time a brash New Yorker shows up looking for a valuable painting that could be at the estate. I got the feeling that the plot was stretched out a little too much (it could've been solved in half the amount of time) but I enjoy the setting and the characters so much, I didn't really mind. 
 
Seriously, though, if Maura doesn't punch Jimmy in the mouth soon, I'll go over there and do it for her.