The Irish Manor House Murder: A Torrey Tunet Mystery (Torrey Tunet Mysteries)

By Dicey Deere

Book Overview

Ever seeking peace and quiet for her writing, Torrey Tunet believes she has found it in the quaint village of Ballynagh, nestled in the hills of rural Ireland. But something-she can't quite put her finger on it-is awry. With every change in the wind comes some strange news. First, her closest friend, Rowena Keegan, tries to run over the esteemed Dr. Ashenden, her own grandfather and master of the biggest manor in town. Why, Torrey wonders, would anyone want to kill him, least of all his favorite granddaughter?Torrey wants to believe that Rowena's attack on the doctor was a simple fluke, but when the old man later turns up dead in the forest, and Rowena confides a pressing secret to her, Torrrey can no longer stay intentionally ignorant. An outsider, Torrey looks on in bewilderment as mysteries crop up one after another in her beloved Ashenden family, which has taken her under its wing. And when the grandfather's will is read and a gypsy, shrouded in purple, arrives on the scene, family secrets fifty years old reveal themselves just as new ones begin to arise, capturing the attention of young and old townspeople alike. Ballynagh might never be the same.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312206062
• ISBN13: 9780312206062
• Release Date: August 2000
• Publisher: Minotaur Books
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 0.91 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.6" x 1.1" x 6.4"

Customer Reviews

Another page turner in this series.

THE IRISH MANOR HOUSE MURDER is the second in the series of Torrey Tunet mysteries that began with THE IRISH COTTAGE MURDER. And this one's another page turner, just like the first. There are lots of plot twists again. This series has climbed to the top five of my favorites. But I did NOT like the fact that the lover from the last book had already been replaced with no explanation. I like to think of series characters having lives that continue when I'm not reading the books. The sense of time here seems distorted. I really love the subtle stuff -- esp. Torrey's knowlege of language and words (because she's a translator) and her instinct for seeing beyond what she sees. These remind me of Kinsey Millhone (high praise indeed).

An American in Ireland--with murder going on

Torrey Tunet has retreated to a small Irish village to work on her writing. When her best friend Rowena is accused of murdering Rowena's grandfather, Torrey knows she's got to do more than write. Certainly the police aren't going to solve the crime--they have their suspect.Dicey Deere does an excellent job providing motives, characters, and a convincing Irish village atmosphere. Better yet, she hooks the reader and keeps him/her coming for more with plot twists. Just when you think you have the big picture, Deere changes things up and you realize there is even more going on here.

Cute cozy

Though she was not always a respectable person, Torrey Tunet is now a law abiding, highly regarded citizen. She has traveled the world as a translator who fluently speaks over a dozen languages. The Children's Language Institute hires her to write a three language series of books aimed at children. Torrey works out of her grandmother's cottage near the Irish town of Ballynagh where she even solved a murder case (see THE IRISH COTTAGE MURDER).Inspector O'Hare never forgave Torrey for showing him up last year. He likes her even less when she lies about her good friend Rowena Keagen trying to kill her own grandfather, Dr. Ashenden. Rowena spends the night in jail, but is released when the physician denies the story. However, he later dies in what seems like a horse-riding accident. A gypsy swears she has insider information on the accident and will sell to the highest bidder, but she dies in Torrey's bed before she can reveal anything. O'Hare would love to pin the crime on Rowena, thus forcing Torrey to begin sleuthing anew to prove her innocence.This novel is a rich and fascinating tale that gives readers a glimpse into the lives of residents of a remote small Irish village. The delightful charcaters are a motley crew of ordinary but eccentric people keeping secrets that date back to long before many have been born. Torrey has adapted well to her new lifestyle as the locals have accepted her as one of them. If THE IRISH MANOR HOUSE MURDER is any indication of Dicey Deere's talent, this series can expect a long, popular run.Harriet KlausnerFor Pai