Customer Reviews

The Second Sorrowful Mystery: A Mystery

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With a wonderfully refreshing piece of literature, Harrington has given us the means to live and breathe Ireland without leaving the comforts of home. Brimming with detailed imagery, the story of Danny, an American who fell in love with the homeland of his ancestors, will capture your imagination as he stumbles through a quaint Irish village searching for the murderer of the parish priest, who also happened to be his best friend. Riddled by several suspects, each with a motive and opportunity, Danny is forced to re-examine his close friends, his faith and even the reverent image he held of his confidant. THE SECOND SORROWFUL MYSTERY, packed with Irish folklore, false leads, scandal, love, lies, and laughter, is a great classic detective story that will keep you captivated right up until the last page.

The Second Sorrowful Mystery by Jonathan Harringtin is the latest in the Danny O'Flarehty series set in Ireland. Harrington has created a new sub-genre of the English cozy with this series. His Irish mysteries carry the same elements as the English cozy: amateur sleuth, village setting, and a limited number of characters who have secret lives. But oh how much more robust are these characters than their neighbors across the Irish Sea. You've never seen the likes of Kathleen Conlon, Breda. Slattery, or the lovely, red-haired Fidelma in Miss Marple's village. Such carry-ons, as the Irish would say. Danny, American, has returned to Ireland to teach for a year in Dublin. He goes to Ballycara in Co. Galway to visit his good friend and parish priest, Fr. O'Malley. O'Malley is murdered, and Danny, though beset with false leads, sorts through them. He finds an old secret out of a dark past prompted the killing. In the end, Danny cleverly sequesters the killer so that the local garda captures the individual, getting the credit for solving the murder. 'Tis a wonderful breath of Irish breeze, sometimes brisk, sometimes gentle, that flows through the book, The reader can hear the lilt and wry humor of the Irish captured so well in the characters' voices. Harrington also judiciously sprinkles bits of Irish history and contemporary life in the unforlding story, all of which adds to its entertainment. This is a fun book of an evening to read-- your Guinness or cup o' tea by your side and a chuckle or two breaking out as you follow Danny O'Flaherty's quest of the murderer and the fair Fidelma.

While visiting Ireland two years ago, American Danny O'Flaherty fell in love with the country and its people, who return his warm regard. The murder of his cousin Rose failed to diminish his feelings one iota. To remain in the country, Danny volunteers to teach in an exchange program. He soon begins working in Dublin.

Whenever he can get away, Danny visits his friends in the village of Ballycara. His closest companion, parish priest Father O'Malley wants to confidentially tell Danny something. Before the priest can do that, he is found dead. Danny thinks someone murdered Father O'Malley and his flock wants the American to investigate. His inquiries lead him to accuse an innocent person, but that fails to stop the obstinate Danny from continuing his investigation. After a second corpse is uncovered, Danny uses himself as bait to set a trap to lure the killer into revealing his identity

THE SECOND SORROWFUL MYSTERY is so atmosphere-laden, readers will think they are visiting a rural Erin village. Danny is adorable as he makes one mistake after another, but stubbornly continues to look into his friend's death. Talented Jonathan Harrington cleverly sets up and executes the mystery so that it seems nearly impossible to guess the killer's identity even the author sprinkles clues throughout the story line. No reader of this novel will feel any sorrow as this is a very entertaining amateur sleuth tale.

Harriet Klausner