Synopses & Reviews
In the latest Museum Mystery from the New York Times bestselling author of Razing the Dead, a suspicious death has Nell Pratt down in the dumps
Nell Pratt, president of the Pennsylvania Antiquarian Society, has something to smile about thanks to a generous donation from a major Philadelphia developer whos willing to help update their museum. But renovations have barely begun when a man is struck by a car in front of the building and killed.
The victim is a construction worker who found a curious metal object while excavating an old privy in the museums basement. Nell thinks the death is somehow connected to the Society, and her suspicions are confirmed when an antiques expert reveals a link between the objects from the cellar and a fellow staff members family.
Now Nell must unearth a mystery with ties to the past and the present. Because when someone is willing to kill over scrap metal, theres no telling what theyll do next
Review
“A wonderful series…Connolly never disappoints.”—
Debbies Book Blog Praise for the Orchard Mysteries
“One crisp, delicious read.”—Claudia Bishop
“Delightful…If you like your mystery filled with the crunch of a juicy apple, then you should be reading this book.”—MyShelf.com
Review
Praise for the New York Times Bestselling County Cork Mystery series: "'Tis a grand thing...The prolific Sheila Connolly...pays tribute to her Irish heritage...Connolly invests this leisurely series opener with a wealth of Irish color and background." --Richmond Times-Dispatch
"Another winner of a series...Connolly's latest is a captivating tale--sweet, nostalgic, and full of Irish charm, but also tightly plotted and full of twists, turns, and shocking reveals." --The Maine Suspect
"[A] well-set and nicely paced cozy." --Library Journal
"The Irish countryside continues to enchant...Maura is a strong lead character, near perfect." --MyShelf.com
Review
Praise for the Museum Mysteries: “Skillfully executed.”—Mystery Scene
“Nell Pratt is exactly the kind of sleuth you want in your corner.”—Mary Jane Maffini, author of the Charlotte Adams Mysteries
“[Connollys] stories always keep me turning pages.”—New York Times bestselling author Julie Hyzy
“[An] engaging amateur sleuth filled with fascinating characters, interesting museum information, plenty of action including a nice twist, and a bit of romance.”—Genre Go Round Reviews
Review
Praise for the Orchard Mysteries “[A] fascinating whodunit.”—The Mystery Gazette
“A winner for cozy mystery fans.”—Lesa’s Book Critiques
“An enjoyable and well-written book with some excellent apple recipes at the end.” —Cozy Library
“The mystery is intelligent and has an interesting twist . . . [A] fun, quick read with an enjoyable heroine.” —The Mystery Reader (four stars)
“[A] delightful new series.” —Gumshoe Review
Review
Praise for the Museum Mysteries
“Sheila Connolly has written another winner in her Museum Mystery series…The facts and history that Ms. Connolly provides certainly adds to the charm of the story…[A] real page- turner.”—MyShelf.com
“A witty, engaging blend of history and mystery with a smart sleuth who already feels like a good friend. … [Connollys] stories always keep me turning pages—often well past my bedtime.”—Julie Hyzy, New York Times bestselling author of the White House Chef Mysteries
“The archival milieu and the foibles of the characters are intriguing, and its refreshing to encounter an FBI man who is human, competent, and essential to the plot.”—Publishers Weekly
“The practical and confident Nell Pratt is exactly the kind of sleuth you want in your corner when the going gets tough. Sheila Connelly serves up a snappy and sophisticated mystery that leaves you lusting for the next witty installment.”—Mary Jane Maffini, author of the Charlotte Adams Mysteries
“The mystery is great, and will have readers guessing all the way until the end.”--RT Book Reviews
Review
Praise for Buried in a Bog:
“Connollys latest is a captivating tale—sweet, nostalgic, and full of Irish charm, but also tightly plotted and full of twists, turns, and shocking reveals…Connollys County Cork Mysteries have a ton of promise.”—The Maine Suspect
“Tis a grand thing…Connolly invests this leisurely series opener with a wealth of Irish color and background.”—Richmond Times-Dispatch
“An exceptional read! Sheila Connolly has done it again with this outstanding book…A must read for those who have ever wanted to visit Ireland.”—Shelleys Book Case
“Anyone with a trace of Irish in them, and all of us who wish we could claim an Irish connection, will welcome the first book in the County Cork series…And, with a country with Irelands history, theres certain to be fascinating murders and mysteries to come.”—Lesas Book Critiques
Praise for the Orchard Mysteries
“A fresh and appealing sleuth with a bushel full of entertaining problems. ”—Claudia Bishop, author of the Hemlock Falls Mysteries
“A delightful look at small-town New England, with an intriguing puzzle thrown in.”—JoAnna Carl, author of the Chocoholic Mysteries
“A promising new mystery series.”—Sammi Carter, author of the Candy Shop Mysteries
Praise for the Museum Mysteries
“A witty, engaging blend of history and mystery with a smart sleuth who already feels like a good friend .”—Julie Hyzy, New York Times bestselling author of the White House Chef Mysteries
“Sheila Connolly serves up a snappy and sophisticated mystery.”—Mary Jane Maffini, author of the Charlotte Adams Mysteries
“National Treasure meets The Philadelphia Story in this clever, charming, and sophisticated caper.”—Hank Phillippi Ryan, Agatha Award-winning author of The Other Woman
Synopsis
The new Orchard Mystery--from the New York Times bestselling author of Golden Malicious and Scandal in Skibbereen
A TREE IS KNOWN BY ITS FRUIT
Its harvest time in Granford, Massachusetts, and orchard owner Meg Corey and her fiancé, Seth, are both racing to beat the New England winter. Meg is bringing in her apple crop with a team of workers, while Seth is working to restore an old building in the center of town. But when his project is set back due to the unexpected discovery of a skeleton under the buildingand even worse, a young man related to one of Megs former apple pickers is found dead behind the local feed storethe couples carefully laid plans are quickly spoiled
Meg cant help but wonder: are they just unlucky, or is there something rotten in Granford? If so, she knows shes got to seek out the bad apple before it ruins the whole bunch
Includes Delicious Recipes
Synopsis
Pub owner Maura Donovan may have Irish kin, but she doesnt seem to have the luck of the Irish. Who could have foreseen that bringing live music back to Sullivans Pub would lead to a dead musician? Summer is ending in County Cork, Ireland, and with it the tourist season. Expat Maura Donovan is determined to keep Sullivans Pub in the black as the days grow shorterbut how? When she hears that the place was once a hot spot for Irish musicians whod come play in the back room, she wonders if bringing back live music might be Sullivans salvation.
As word gets out, legendary musicians begin to appear at the pub, and the first impromptu jam session brings in scores of music lovers. But things hit a sour note when Maura finds a dead musician in the back room the next morning. With a slew of potential suspects, its going to take more than a pint and a good think to force a murderer to face the music.
Synopsis
BEETLE MANIA
While orchard owner Meg Corey dreads the labor of manual irrigation to stave off a drought, her boyfriend, Seth, couldnt be more excited about doing historic renovation on one of Granfords oldest houses. Tagging along as he picks up supplies is supposed to give Meg a much-needed break, but the trip turns rotten when she almost trips over a dead body at an old saw mills forest reserve.
But the body isnt the only frightening discovery she makes. A mysterious insect infestation seems to have migrated to the areaone that could bring serious harm to local woodlands. And it's up to Meg to find out whats behind this sudden swarm of trouble.
Includes Delicious Recipes
Synopsis
Once again Nell Pratt has to dig into the past to solve a murder in the present
Between the challenges of her position as president of the Pennsylvania Antiquarian Society in Philadelphia and of taking her relationship with FBI agent James Morrison to the next level, Nell Pratt has got her hands full. Nevertheless, when a powerful developer approaches the Society to make sure the old dairy farm he wants to level is not hiding any archeological or historical surprises that could derail the project hes planning, Nell decides to make time to personally accompany him to the proposed site.
But when they get to the property, they stumble upon a startling discoverya body floating facedown in a pond. The dead man turns out to be an amateur history enthusiast, who may have uncovered secrets about the farm that got him killed. Now its up to Nell and James to get to the bottom of things before there are more deadly developments
Synopsis
As the new owner of Sullivans 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
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 manors gardener is found murdered, Maura wonders what Altheas 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 historybefore someone else is out of the picture
About the Author
Sheila Connolly is a
New York Times bestselling author and the Anthony and Agatha Awardnominated author of three cozy mystery series. Her Museum Mysteries, set in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, includes
Monument to the Dead,
Fire Engine Dead,
Let's Play Dead, and
Fundraising the Dead. Her bestselling Orchard Mysteries, set in small town Massachusetts and filled with delicious apple recipes, includes
Golden Malicious,
Sour Apples,
Bitter Harvest,
A Killer Crop,
Red Delicious Death,
Rotten to the Core, and
One Bad Apple. Scandal in Skibbereen is the second in her Ireland-based County Cork Mysteries, following
Buried in a Bog.
Sheila has taught art history, structured and marketed municipal bonds for major cities, worked as a staff member on two statewide political campaigns, and served as a fundraiser for several nonprofit organizations. She also managed her own consulting company, providing genealogical research services. In addition to genealogy, Sheila loves restoring old houses, visiting cemeteries, and traveling. Now a full-time writer, she thinks writing mysteries is a lot more fun than any of her previous occupations.
She is married and has one daughter and two cats.