Spotlight/Guest Post ~ Death On Clare Island by Martha Geaney @marthageaneyauthor
Author: Martha M. Geaney
Publisher: Turlough, Nolan Publishing
Pages: 232
Genre: Mystery
Star O’Brien is a haunting voice for the dead, the missing, and the lost.
Star O’Brien is a successful American information broker who can’t
solve the mysteries of her own life. She comes to County Mayo, Ireland
to settle her dead lover’s estate and look for her Irish mother who has
been missing since Star was six years old. She is on the scene on Clare
Island, when a body is discovered. It seems like a closed case involving
the island’s dangerous cliffs and drug abuse. Star didn’t believe it
when the police dismissed her mother’s disappearance as “abandonment”
and she can’t believe the stories she is hearing about the dead young
man.
Star must separate truth from fiction in the testimonies of those
close to the victim including the head of an anti-drug foundation, a
volatile ex-lover, a besotted young art student, and a restorer of the
island’s ruins. Before long, Star’s investigation becomes the catalyst
for a second murder, and she must work fast to avoid becoming the third
victim. As she uncovers the truth about the murders, this fiercely
independent, complex, female protagonist must also own up to her own
past and a potential future with a charming new confidant.
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So many people ask me why I chose Ireland to set my Star O’Brien mystery series, I thought I’d explain. I was four years old when I first visited Ireland with my parents. My dad was from Cork; my mother from Mayo. I remember my dad helping me up to kiss the Blarney Stone. I remember sitting in my Uncle Willie’s kitchen surrounded by aunts and uncles. The music and the tea flowed in an even tempo. Most of all I remember visiting my Aunt Annie’s shop where she gave me a Crunchie bar. The culture, the loving family members, and the beautiful lush landscape spoke to my soul. When I was sixteen, my parents sent me to boarding school in Mayo. That’s when I made lifelong friends and got to socialize with the cousins. I’ve returned whenever I can to Ireland over the years.
And, by the way, I always have a Crunchie bar when I’m there. All these reasons and more are why when I decided to write an indie series. I had to set the story in the place I love so much and know so well. Of course, Star O’Brien is American, or a Yank, as the Irish like to say. That meant I had to find a reason for her presence in Ireland. The solution was an inheritance involving a cottage in Castlebar, County Mayo. I also believe that setting is one of the characters in a novel. For example, I use descriptive images of the cottage to reflect Star’s emotions. Of course, in a mystery novel, pacing is important. This means I have to find ways to get the reader up to date on the setting with snippets of information. It’s challenging to set the mood and emotions without getting too descriptive.
The scenes in Death on Clare Island are set on Clare Island. I’ve spent many magical days there in the summer. I decided to use this as the backdrop for the first book in the series. The beaches, the cliffs, and the expansive never-ending view of the Atlantic Ocean provide the perfect setting for a murder. The first time I visited the island I purchased a guide map. It outlines the historical landmarks and hiking paths around the island. I still have that map. One of the things I’m working on right now is to upload copies of the map to my web site. Readers might enjoy the opportunity to download a copy and use the map to follow along as they read the book. Let me know what you think!
Follow and contact me on Facebook @marthageaneyauthor.com or on my web site: http://www.martha-geaney.com.
She is also the author of the Star O’Brien fiction series which is set
in the west of Ireland, and the United States. Martha was born in New
York City but lived in New Jersey beginning at the age of eight. In
2017, Martha and her partner, Bill, moved to Florida where she enjoys
cooking, reading, swimming, and her Schipperke puppy, Turlough.
Before turning to indie writing, Martha was a teacher, management
consultant, university professor, and the dean of a business college. It
was her leadership experience as a management consultant and her
research for her doctorate that prompted Martha to write a self-help
book for women who aspire to leadership roles.
Martha’s passion for Ireland began when she made her first trip, at
the age of four, to County Mayo, birthplace of her mother, and to County
Cork, birthplace of her father. She returned to Ireland again at the
age of sixteen to attend a boarding school in Castlebar, County Mayo,
for two years. Since then, Martha has visited her cousins and friends in
Ireland for more than thirty-five years. It is her love for the people,
the country, and all its beauty that inspired her to create a mystery
and suspense series, set in Ireland, about an amateur detective, Star
O’Brien, who is an American.
She is currently working on her second Star O’Brien novel.
Website Address: https://martha-geaney.com/
Facebook Address: http://www.facebook.com/marthageaneyauthor
