Death by Irish Whiskey (The Dublin Driver Mysteries) (2024)

Megan and pals are headed to an Irish Whiskey competition, but when one of the competitors drops dead things start looking dicey for the other competitors. Can Megan figure out who offed the competition and appears to be out for the others before another body hits the floor or will she be watching as her friends and loved ones become victims too? With bodies dropping and her personal life in turmoil, Megan needs to scramble if she is going to be able to sort the clues and save her relationships. The characters of this series are so well crafted that they feel as if they are standing next to you rather than just being read off a page. The plot of this story was woven tremendously well showing the angst of personal life while mixing the mystery of murder throughout the story. I am so absolutely engrossed in these characters that I am on pins and needles already waiting for the next book to come out so I can see what happens in Megan's life next! FYI: You really do need to read the entire series in order or you will be completely lost in the relationships and the backstory. Plus, it is hours of entertainment that you don't want to miss out on!

This series used to be fun and interesting. I loved following along as Megan explored her new home of Dublin and got to know the various areas. Now, her girlfriend, Yelena, has been dominating the stories, the adventures have become relationship woes and all the fun has been sucked out of the books. I don’t begrudge anyone finding love but this is not a healthy relationship and I don’t feel that it adds anything to the story. The investigating was at a minimum because Megan spent most of the book wailing and moaning about her lost love. When the mystery was resolved, which it really didn’t feel like it was, it was so confusing that I am not sure exactly what happened. I am done with this series.

I received a copy from #NetGalley for an honest review.

I received a free copy of, Death by Irish Whiskey, by Catie Murphy, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is book 3 of 4 in The Dublin Driver Mysteries. American Cherise Williams believes herself to be of Irish royalty, she goes over to have her DNA tested and is murdered. This was an interesting read.

#DeathbyIrishWhiskey #NetGalley is the latest in this series featuring Megan Malone, A limo driver with the ability to trip over dead bodies then help solve a murder.
I usually love these books, but this one fell a bit flat.
Usually there's a lot of chuckles as I read these books, and I didn't find it in this story.
Life is changing for Megan and I hope the next book is better.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of the book.

I’ve loved this series but unfortunately I didn’t love this one story. It seems to focus on the relationship between Megan and her girlfriend most of the time. I found the whole investigation and setting a bit convoluted and confusing. They were running around in circles. I didn’t fully understand who killed who and why, too many different relationships going on. I hope for better in the next one. #DeathbyIrishWhiskey #NetGalley

This book is the fifth book in the Dublin Driver Mysteries, and I chose it because of an upcoming trip to Ireland. The story follows Megan Malone the so-called "murder driver" because she has a tendency to stumble upon murders and then later solve them.

This time, the story is set at an Irish Whiskey festival, where small-time distillers are vying for a spot as the top whiskey maker. When one famous maker dies at one of the events and the recipe for Megan's uncle's whiskey is found in the dead man's pocket, Megan knows she has to investigate.

This story was good, although it took me a while to get into. I was able to get into it and enjoyed the story. I had not read any of the previous books in the series, and although it did not matter much, I think it would have been helpful to have read some previous books to understand why Megan's girlfriend is so upset with her about being present when the dead man was found.

I enjoyed this story and I'm excited for the taste of Ireland it provided.

I liked this one better than the last one. The author is one of the best cozy mystery writers I've read, personally. I really enjoy this series overall and "Death by Irish Whiskey" didn't disappoint. It was fun, and I liked Niamh in this a lot. We don't see too much of Detective Bourke. It was for natural reasons, but I still missed him. The little bits of Irish culture and history were great, too. Every book in this series seems to improve upon any flaws the previous books might have had. For example, books one and two had irritating Reddit rhetoric and phrasing that was gone by book 3.

One big stride the author made for "Death by Irish Whiskey" is that Meghan and Jelena's relationship undergoes development. Not only that, the development felt appropriate to the plot and not forced. I came away liking both Meghan and Jelena more for it. In book 4, Jelena finally got more "screen time" only to spend nearly all of it angry with Meghan's insistence on inserting herself into murder investigations. It made her a problem character because while Jelena's feelings are totally appropriate, we as readers are going sympathize with Meghan as we want her to solve mysteries instead of staying home. Also, all we know about Jelena is that she's Polish, she likes working out, and she hates Meghan solving mysteries. That part doesn't change in book 5, but it was good to see their relationship actually move, and for Jelena to have some agency for once instead of just complaining.

Meghan spends a lot of this book oscillating between "woe is me, I really am trying not to solve this case!" and "I really do love this kind of thing, it's who I am!" It's a great development for her character after all the disingenuous whining we had to read in book 4. Her reactions to becoming a sleuth have kind of been: Book 1: WTF, Book 2: Again?!, Book 3: Why does this keep happening to me, Book 4: "Why doesn't anyone pity meee? I really am {not} trying!" Her conflicting feelings in Death by Irish Whiskey were really refreshing because it feels like she's finally taking ownership of the whole sleuth thing.

Surprisingly (to me at least), Carmen of Book 2's weird yacht party scene is back. I hated her in book 2 since she seemed to be there only to show that objectification of women is OK as long as it's being done by other women. Which was a weird take for a book that spent so much time harping on about sexism against women. But she really redeems herself in this book and ends up being a likeable character I hope we see more of. Even if she is kind of an over the top caricature of a one percenter.

One minor flaw in this book for me, which will probably not be in the next book if the author holds true to her pattern, is that Meghan and Niamh spend what feels like a lot of time talking about how they are old compared to the young twenty-something women in the novel. Once or twice would be fine, but more than that just kind of comes off as the author wanting to vent about how she feels old now.

"Death by Irish Whiskey" is a great installment to this series. Really, my biggest complaint about it is that I wanted Orla to be in it. How did the author make me like Orla, of all characters?

Megan Malone, is an American living in Ireland and working as a limo driver. She has earned herself the nickname of “Murder Driver” because, since she started at her job, she has developed an unfortunate tendency to find herself swept up in murder investigations. It turns out she’s really gifted at solving mysteries, but her girlfriend, Jelena, does not appreciate Megan’s nickname or her involvement in murder mysteries. In fact, it is endangering their relationship.

When Megan and Jelena are at the Dublin Whiskey Festival’s opening party, one of the competitors ends up dead in a punch bowl. Jelena is furious with Megan because she knows that Megan will not be able to resist getting involved. Megan realizes this is likely to be true because her Uncle Rabbie and close friend Niamh are competing in the festival, and they may well fall under suspicion. The question is whether Megan can protect Rabbie and Niamh, solve the murder, and keep her relationship from falling apart.

My Thoughts
This is the 5th in the Dublin Driver Mystery Series.
I very much enjoyed this book. It had a well-crafted mystery with a good number of suspects, clues, and red herrings. The characters were well-developed, and the recurring ones were very likable. The plot was nicely developed and nicely paced.

Because I hadn’t read the other books in the story, the first chapter felt a bit overwhelming because of the number of characters, but I quickly figured out who everyone was.

Megan is a great lead character. She’s smart, funny, charming, nurturing, and compassionate. I was touched by the wise advice she gave to some of the younger characters. Her self-control is impressive because though she was willing to speak her mind, she knew when holding her tongue was better for the investigation. Fluent in Spanish since her childhood, she also knows some Polish, is studying Yoruba, and wants to learn Irish. Before moving to Ireland, she was an army medic, so she’s also willing to offer medical assistance in emergencies. Plus, she’s got great fashion sense. All around, an amazing character.

The story has a great Irish atmosphere. The author does a magnificent job of writing the Irish accent. She incorporates details about Dublin and Irish culture in a very natural and authentic way. The author lives in Ireland, and had I not known she grew up in the US, I wouldn’t have suspected she had. Too often I find people writing stories based in countries other than their own go so over the top with “local color” that the book actually feels inauthentic - a tourist’s view of what the place is rather than a local’s. That was not the case here. Catie Murphy clearly knows what it is like to live in Ireland.

I was a little bit concerned with having whiskey as a central theme because I know very little about whiskey. I feel like I learned, and actually would enjoy learning more.

I will definitely be seeking out the other books in this series!

I received a free eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Death by Irish Whiskey by Catie Murphy is a fast-paced mystery with lots of Irish Whiskey.

Will Megan Malone find the killer before another competitor dies?

This is the first book in this series I have read. It is set in Dublin, Ireland, and the author gives us an honest look at the countrymen. Her descriptions are wonderfully insightful and bring the entire setting to life.

Megan Malone, the Murder Driver
Our sleuth is Megan Malone. She is American and retired from a branch of the United States military. Megan lives with two Jack Russell terriers and her significant other. She has lived in Ireland for a while and has made some good friends who will stand by her no matter what.

I like Megan. She seems to have a good handle on her life, even if she isn’t lucky in love. Being an American, she uses it to her advantage at times.

The Mystery
At the Irish Whiskey competition, a local retired boxer and new whiskey brewer dies in a punch bowl. Megan is trying to stay out of the investigation, but her reputation as the Murder Driver keeps getting her dragged into the case. After another death and an equally dramatic personal issue, Megan is called to action, and she brings her A game.

The whole installment takes place in three days. Although the story moves fast, the clues are expertly hidden, and I didn’t get the whodunit until right as the sleuth figures it out. My favorite character is Uncle Rabbie. He is like the quintessential Irish grandpa.

Three Stars
My rating for Death by Irish Whiskey by Catie Murphy is three stars. I like the setting and the characters for the most part, yet I didn’t feel like it was calling to me. However, I would still suggest that you check it out. Stories don’t always resonate with everyone, and where this one didn’t with me, it may with you.

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Death by Irish Whiskey by Catie Murphy.

Until the next time,

This review was originally posted on Baroness' Book Trove

Death by Irish Whiskey by Catie Murphy is part of a continuing series, this being the first one I’ve read. Megan is an American woman, relocated to Ireland. For a living she drives a limousine for Leprechaun Limousines. For a life, she lives with and loves Jelena, a woman from Poland. She also has her uncle Rabbie who is not really her uncle, but probably a second cousin. Uncle simplifies things. She has met interesting people driving the limo, including her best friend, movie star, Niamh and Niamh’s boyfriend, police detective Paul Bourke. They were all at the whiskey festival, along with hundred of others. Robbie had a whiskey entered. As did Hannah Flanagan, a podcaster who was kind of a pest, but from an old and established whiskey family. Angus McConal was the face of another brand, but sadly he had just fallen over dead. It was quite the conundrum, when another of Megan’s customers, the very wealthy Carmen de la Fuente called for her, across the room. She could be heard every where. Paul was immediately excused from the investigation as he was too closely involved and Jelena excused herself from Megan’s life, as this murder business had happened once too often for her.

Megan didn’t really investigate. She just asked questions and listened carefully. Paul respected that, the detective on the case, Dirvla Reese, did not. Angus McConal had been a boxer before this whiskey distilling business. Why would anyone kill him? Well, aside from his women, of course. The next morning another distiller, Sean Keane, died. What was going on here? Now Megan and all those involved with the whiskey distillers were wary, even as Megan was warning them to not talk to Hannah, who always had her phone on record. It was a good mystery and these characters were fun. It was fun to listen to Irish idioms at the same time Megan was trying to explain her American ones. Yes, they did figure out the killer, but not until one more person died. Good setting, pacing could be better, fabulous characters, and an interesting setting. Also, two dogs. What more could a cozy mystery want? Thanks Ms. Murphy for an entertaining book.

I was invited to read Death by Irish Whiskey by Kensington Books. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Kensington #CatieMurphy #DeathByIrishWhiskey

Book Review: Death by Irish Whiskey by Catie Murphy

Rating: 3.5 Stars

Prepare to be whisked away to the heart of Dublin's whiskey festival in Catie Murphy's latest installment, "Death by Irish Whiskey." Limo driver Megan Malone is back in action, finding herself entangled in a double murder mystery that threatens to rock her world, despite her vow to stay out of trouble.

Murphy's writing shines through in this captivating blend of Irish humor, sleuthing, likable characters, and the irresistible charm of the Emerald Isle. From the bustling festival grounds to the cozy pubs, the author paints a vivid picture of Dublin that transports readers right into the heart of the action.

In "Death by Irish Whiskey," Murphy strikes a flawless balance between light hearted moments and gripping suspense, keeping readers on the edge of their seats as Megan delves deeper into the case. The intricate web of rivalries, secrets, and unexpected twists adds layers to the story, ensuring that there's never a dull moment.

Say goodbye to Jelena (yay)—the character readers love to hate—and hello to a more focused investigations led by Megan. With well-paced writing and a mystery packed with twists and turns, "Death by Irish Whiskey" keeps you hooked until the very end.

Overall, "Death by Irish Whiskey" is a delightful addition to the Dublin Driver Mystery series that will appeal to fans of cozy mysteries and Irish-themed novels. With its engaging plot, vibrant setting, and a cast of memorable characters, this book sets the stage for more thrilling adventures to come. Grab a glass of your favorite whiskey and dive into this charming tale—it's a journey you won't want to miss!

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️

A murder mystery set in Dublin, Ireland at a competition for up and coming Irish whiskeys. An ex-boxer is murdered at the competition, and Megan Malone is drawn into trying to find the guilty party. There was a lot of fun to the book, with a diverse cast of grounded characters, good stakes, and mostly believable situations. The Irish whiskey angle was fun (and well researched), but didn't require a lot of knowledge or love of whiskey to appreciate. Emotions ran high, and Megan's involvement made a lot of sense.
The book sometimes went out of its way to add realism to a normal citizen being improbably sucked into (and solving) a series of murders. This generally felt pretty heavy-handed, unfortunately, like the author was trying to lampshade the trope instead of just accepting that this is the nature of the trope.
The real dud was the ending. Megan does a lot to try to investigate, but in the end she learns about someone's suspicious behavior by coincidence, and when she confronts that suspicious person they abruptly blurt out who the real killer was. Yeah, ultimately Megan "solved" the murder thanks to a series of convenient blurts, not any actual detective work. It also feels artificially convenient to the plot that, after all the work to try to add some realism to the book, all the guilty parties just confessed on the spot instead of lawyering up.
I found a lot to like in this book, but the ending was sadly ham-handed. I might try the earlier books in hopes the main character does more - fingers crossed.

Enjoyed the plot (by all means murder an expy of Conor McGregor, he's the ideal victim in a cozy mystery), all the banter between Megan and her friends, and the beautiful setting of Dublin--when she mentions going into the whiskey shop across from Trinity, I think I remember passing the very place (or at least the place it's based on) on my way to see the Book of Kells. I even enjoyed the whiskey talk, and I'm right there with Megan in the opinion that whiskey tastes like warm varnish at the best of times.

I also enjoyed, if it can be described so, the breakup of Megan and Jelena. Not because I dislike either of them! It's because most cozy series...stagnate, after a fashion. Part of the appeal of cozies is that it's the same plot over and over in the same setting with familiar characters, and very little changes. It's made clear that, after five books and about two years of book time, Megan is getting a reputation as the "murder driver", and Jelena's response to her girlfriend getting involved in multiple murder cases is the completely reasonable "I don't want this to be my life!" They care about each other, they don't want to break up, but this is Jelena's line in the sand, and Megan can't promise that it won't be crossed.

Raf and Sarah in the next book! Maybe Megan will meet someone new! Maybe she and Jelena can work it out! I don't know what's going to happen, but I look forward to finding out!

Death by Irish Whiskey was an okay read but I just could not love this book like I had wanted to. The mystery part of this book was confusing and the plot was hard for me to follow. I will say though that this is my first time reading this author and this series so I could be confused due to not reading the series in order. I would give this author a second chance and read another one of her books. At the end of the book I still did not understand who killed who or why. For me the amount of relationships was also too many and hard to follow as well. I would still recommend this book to other cozy mystery readers. Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for this ARC read in exchange of my honest review.

3.5/5 ⭐️

The latest Dublin Driver mystery finds Megan involved in a murder that takes place at a whiskey festival. She especially must investigate as her uncle’s whiskey recipe was found in the dead man’s pocket.

This one was slower for me than others in this series. I still enjoyed it and we got a lot more characters along with Megan so it was fun to see those people involved. I do wish it had been spread out across more days so we could have maybe gotten more clues and sleuthing. But I am interested in where the next mystery will go as it seems like Megan’s friends Raf and Sara will be visiting from the states! I do like too that Megan is leaning more into solving the mysteries.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The competition for best whiskey in Ireland will be a publicity bonanza for the winner, and that means there are celebrities involved—like boxer Angus McConal and Megan’s friend Niamh, an up-and-coming actress who’s teamed up with Megan’s uncle, the retired Sligo harbormaster. But rivalries and revelries turn out to be a bad blend when McConal dies at a whiskey tasting. Megan promised her girlfriend she’d quit her amateur sleuthing, but with Niamh and her uncle as suspects, she’s over a barrel .
. .A man is found dead in the punch bowl. Who is responsible for his death?
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion of this book.

Interesting addition to the Dublin Driver Mystery series. A murder occurs during a whiskey festival that Megan and her friends are attending. Even though she promised, Megan just can't help getting involved in the case and trying to figure out whodunit.

Plenty of twists and turns in this one. Megan's personal life features heavily in this one. I'm glad things worked out as they did. Looking forward to reading whatever happens next.

For an easier understanding of the dynamics between Megan and her girlfriend, I recommend reading the previous book first.

Many thanks to Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor or expectation.

Megan is an expat American happy to be working for a limo service in Ireland since retiring 5 years ago (as a medic) after twenty years' service from the US army.
Megan is not happy with being called "The Murder Driver" in the news and several podcasts but she is stuck with it as a truth. It happens again at a whiskey contest and the sleuthing begins under a dark cloud. The publisher's blurb is pretty good, but the characters and plot twists are even better. This one isn't as hilarious as some of the others, but it's still four stars. I have read all of the previous books in series and loved each one.
I requested and received an EARC from Kensington Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

"Jaysus, it's herself, the murder driver!"

In this 5th book in the Dublin Driver series, Megan Malone isn't looking for death, it just seems to find her. Megan, a driver for Leprechaun Limos has taken the weekend off to attend The Dublin Whiskey Festival. Her uncle Rabbie is visiting to promote his whiskey, a collaboration with her friend Niamh. Right from the beginning of the festival a competitor dies suspiciously. Megan can't help herself, she wants to know what happened. After all, she has solved cases before and is known as the Murder Driver.

This was a fast and fun read, as it took place over just a few days. Instead of trying to stay away from the case, I am glad that Megan admitted that she really likes to investigate, but is it really her fate? Her girlfriend seems to think so, and isn't to happy about it. Looking forward to reading more in this series!

This is such a fun series. And I've got to say that even more than the mystery Megan solves in this book, I'm relieved to have another issue resolved. Jelena was fine, but the whole whining about Megan getting involved in solving murders was wearing extremely thin to me by Book 5. So. I'm happy that things came to an end there, and it was handled in a really realistic, relatable way. Even a way that made me feel sympathetic to both of them.

I love the little Irish-isms that the author teaches me through Megan, an expat in Dublin. And I love the look at Irish culture, whiskey, and murder :>)

Review copy provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Ireland. Whiskey. Murder driver

I remember the first time I accidentally sounded Irish
Well, I didn’t know it was going to get fraught, did I!
If someone’s poisoning people with kiwi and other small flightless birds
I’m going to feel slightly guilty if they end up dead
Megan Malone’s Moaning Misery at your service
Tonight you’re just eye candy, not a detective.
I’ll never let the truth get in the way of a good story

With lines like those you know it’s a great book! One of my favorite series, this installment took it to the next level in character development of both the leading lady and several of the supporting cast. An absolute delight!

Death by Irish Whiskey is the fifth book in the series. Megan Malone is back to sleuthing even to the detest of her lover. There is a Whiskey festival and competition in Dublin and few are competing including Megan friend Niamh and her uncle. One of the other celebrities is former boxer Angus McConal. Angus dies during the tasting and Niamh, as well as Megan's uncle are prime suspects. It was good to have a taste of Ireland and some sleuthing shenanigans. An interesting and enjoyable mystery read.

Megan Malone has taken some time off to support her Uncle and friends in a Whiskey competition. Unfortunately, murder didn’t get the memo, as another contestant is poisoned at the opening event. When the victim is found with the recipe to her uncles whiskey, in his hand, Megan knows she hast to step up and clear her uncles name.

Well, she be able to figure out who killed the man, or is this one shot too many for Meagan? Only time, and whiskey will tell.

Love cozy series set an another country? Even better is when an American protagonist leads the way. This serious is a definite must read for me. I love the strength of Megan, as well as all of the supporting characters and puppies, Dip and Wad who help her along each and every day in their own ways. A solid mystery and a great read each and every time.

I enjoy this series. I like all of the characters and the setting, the fact the MC is American and is in Ireland makes it interesting to me since I've never been to Ireland. The mystery kept me guessing.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'm a fan of Catie Murphy since I read The Walker Paper and this cozy series is another winner. Megan, the characters, and the plot are always great, entertaining and surprising.
I strongly recommend this one and hope to read another soon.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I love this cozy mystery series, I love all of the characters in it, and I also really enjoy how this series leans into the genuine weirdness-factor of one non-professional sleuth having so many murders happen around her (and what the consequences are for that, in terms of her other relationships). I can't wait for the next!

I love the intrigue and scenery in Catie Murphy's latest Dublin Driver series. What is mire iconic in Ireland than whiskey so where better to have a murder than a whiskey competition. Megan is sure she is cursed as she finds herself embroiled in another death. The Irish police aren't happy either. The characters and the mystery kept me glued to the page. You will loved it!

I think, in some ways, I enjoyed this one most. I've enjoyed all of the Dublin Driver mysteries. But this time we got to see Meghan experiencing heartbreak, and it felt a touch more real than some of the earlier books.

This is the latest book in The Dublin Driver series. Megan Malone finds herself caught up in a series of murders again. This time it is effecting her relationship with her significant other. I didn’t enjoy this one as much as the last one in this series that I read.

All about whiskey

Lots of emotion, drama, and chaos around a whiskey competition, where several of the competitors are Megan’s friends and relatives. So of course Megan has to do her best to solve the murders!