Murder at Greysbridge: An Inishowen Mystery

Benedicta (Ben) O’Keeffe, a solicitor in Inishowen, County Donegal, is attending a wedding at the Greysbridge House Hotel when a young American visitor, a non-swimmer, drowns. When a second guest, an Englishman, is also found dead, apparently poisoned, the police are called in. Sergeant Tom Malloy, Ben’s ex-boyfriend, leads the official investigation, while amateur sleuth Ben begins her own inquiry.

The story’s ingredients create a sense of suspense and mystery that carries the plot well. For a start, there’s the covered footbridge to nowhere (it connects two parts of the house, but one end is blocked off). Then there are rumors of ghosts and alleged appearances of Lady Grey, a former resident who died of unknown causes. And there are some strange characters, including the groom’s decidedly odd family from Inishathair, a nearby island, and a secretive pair of romantically involved teenagers.

Ben and Malloy’s on again, off again romance provides another layer of intrigue that complicates their mostly separate investigations. While the various strands of the plot are skillfully woven together throughout the story and are all squared away by its end, some readers might find the conclusion rather flat. Nonetheless, Murder at Greysbridge will satisfy most mystery fans.