Steeped in Lies

Steeped in Lies photo

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Former matchmaker Penny Cavanagh recently made a big leap across the Atlantic Ocean, relocating from California to Blarney Green, Ireland, to join her close-knit family in running their popular tearoom. Now, she’s crossing the narrower Galway Bay to the beautiful yet wild isle of Inisheer for a less permanent but just as exciting adventure, attending the inaugural Aran Islands Fiber Festival with her grandmother, Nan, and cousin, Nora Murphy. However, the event suffers a tragic twist when Penny and Nora discover their new friend, Molly Doyle, dead at the craggy base of the island’s sheer cliffs. 

The deceased’s surprising resemblance to Nora causes confusion among the locals, and it is soon revealed that Molly had been spinning yarns about her identity all along. Without much police support on the remote island, Penny feels compelled to put aside her knitting and help investigate what is clearly no accident. She’s certain Molly didn’t slip and fall. Instead, the mysterious woman’s dark, tangled past finally caught up to her—with fatal consequences.  

Despite chiding from their grandmother and unseen danger lurking in the shadows, Penny and Nora pursue every loose thread they can to determine who killed Molly and why. Can the cousins uncover the murderer in sheep’s clothing before disaster strikes again? If not, one of them may be the next victim whose fate unravels at the hands of a killer. 

The Characters

When professional matchmaker Penny  Cavanagh gets caught up in the scandal of a high-profile breakup, she decides it’s time for a vacation. She travels to Blarney Green, Ireland, to visit her grandmother, Nan Murphy, and her favorite cousin Nora. She plans to stay only for a few weeks. Unbeknownst to Penny, they intend for her to stay in Ireland indefinitely to take over Nan’s tearoom, The Merry Teapot. But none of them could know how much trouble is about to fall on Blarney Green.

Nan has barely missed a day of work at The Merry Teapot in 70 years, but she won’t be able to keep up that pace forever. It’s time to ensure the future of her family’s tearoom is safe in the hands of the next generation, and if she can kill two birds with one stone by convincing her granddaughter Penny to move to Ireland and take it over, all the better. Unfortunately, the suspicious death of a tearoom guest is not making for a warm welcome.

Professional artist Nora Murphy is delighted when her favorite cousin arrives in Ireland. Maybe it’s because she grew up with six brothers, but she and Penny have always been close, even when they were far apart. She knows they’ll have all kinds of fun together, especially if Nora can convince Penny to stay in Ireland and move into the tower house she calls home. But when English master gardener Colin Bexley, whom Nora knows from her time in London, is dead within hours of leaving the tearoom and kissing the Blarney Stone, things aren’t looking so good.

Finn Campbell has spent years working his way up through the ranks of Ireland’s police force, Garda Síochána. Now he’s heading the station in his hometown of Blarney Green. He’s near his widowed mother, Linda, who insists that she doesn’t need his help, but he likes being on hand just in case. He’s dated casually, but he’s never found the right woman—until Penny Cavanaugh arrives in town. As the 1384th heir in line for the royal throne, he might just turn out to be her very own Prince Charming. He’d love to ask her out. If he can just keep her out of danger long enough. . .

Irresistibly cute, Earl and Grey come and go as they please between Nan’s cottage and the nearby tearoom. Earl is spunky and sweet but a little on the clumsy side and not quite as good at sneaking around as the typical cat. Grey on the other hand is wise, stealthy, and clever. They have both been known to help their humans uncover clues and solve mysteries.