• A Turn for the Bad

  • County Cork Mystery Series #4
  • By: Sheila Connolly
  • Narrated by: Amy Rubinate
  • Length: 7 hrs and 14 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (347 ratings)

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A Turn for the Bad  By  cover art

A Turn for the Bad

By: Sheila Connolly
Narrated by: Amy Rubinate
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Publisher's summary

After calling Ireland home for six months, Boston expat Maura Donovan still has a lot to learn about Irish ways - and Sullivan's Pub is her classroom. Maura didn't only inherit a business, she inherited a tight-knit community. And when a tragedy strikes, it's the talk of the pub.

A local farmer, out for a stroll on the beach with his young son, has mysteriously disappeared. Did he drown? Kill himself? The child can say only that he saw a boat. Everyone from the local Gardaí to the Coast Guard is scouring the Cork coast, but when a body is finally brought ashore, it's the wrong man. An accidental drowning or something more sinister?

Trusting the words of the boy and listening to the suspicions of her employee, Mick, that the missing farmer might have run afoul of smugglers, Maura decides to investigate the deserted coves and isolated inlets for herself. But this time she may be getting in over her head....

©2016 Sheila Connolly (P)2016 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Infused with Irish color and history, as well as richly drawn characters, Connolly's latest offers a diverting armchair excursion to the Emerald Isle and a loving affirmation of Ireland's charm." ( Richmond Times-Dispatch)

What listeners say about A Turn for the Bad

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Disappointing!

I've enjoyed the first couple books in this series, mostly because I love that part of Ireland. This one was just plain bad. Moira, the main character, was not at all likeable, and her heroics and vanity are rather ridiculous. I'm not sure I can read another. Maybe it is partly the narrator, whose voice for Moira is a bit snobby, and not at all sympathetic. But the story, also, was just too simplistic and far-fetched. Moira snaps at the two men who care about her over stupid things, and it's a stretch to imagine why any man would like her, at least in this book.

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8 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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  • KD
  • 09-23-19

I’m not sure how to rate this series...

I’ve never been in this situation before. I love the books but find myself seriously disliking the main character. I won’t go into specifics but how can someone have so few interests and insights? I love the other characters and the plots.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

The end...

This is the last of the books in the series that I plan on listening to.

First, they read less like mysteries and more like scripts for a drama.

Second, Maura is just not all that likable. She's not very trusting and emotionally closed off, which makes her less believable as a popular owner of a pub. She gets snarky and rude with people who are trying to help her out with things she is trying to learn, and doesn't seem to learn from her behavioral mistakes, which seems to be a standard for Connolly's characters.

Two of the three employees at the pub also have personality issues that make them less-than-appealing as people you want to root for. Rose is the exception. Also, if it wasn't for Old Billy, then the pub wouldn't be interesting at all.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

A Lot of Filler Material

What was most disappointing about Sheila Connolly’s story?

Several times the main character in the book went over the story as if to remind the reader what had happened so far. She either told the story to herself or to others. As a reader, I wanted the plot to move forward not to rehash what I've already heard.

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3 people found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
  • GC
  • 04-10-20

Disappointed in this book

I really enjoyed the first two books in this series and was looking forward to the rest. The third book was ok but not as good as the first two. However, the 4th book , A Turn For The Bad, was very disappointing. It was the story itself that fell short. I got so frustrated I almost stopped listening, but I did want to know what happened even though I thought I knew very early on. This book was not well written. The author had Maura - who previously showed great insight when evaluating circumstances surrounding a crime, suddenly lose half of her IQ. I thought in the beginning of the series, she would ultimately become a Garda as she thought like a detective and was able to solve crimes the police were not. In this book, so much of the time she was coming up with such ridiculous scenarios that it became frustrating. More than that, the author had her repeating the same scenarios over and over - almost as if the author had to fill more pages - but nothing was added to the story. I figured out what probably happened to the missing farmer within a very short time - yet I estimate almost 2/3rds of the book was just going in meaningless - and worse - idiotic circles. The beginning and the last hour and a half ( where Maura's IQ went back to normal ) were worth listening to but the rest wasn't. Perhaps the author was rushed to meet a publishing deadline, because she definitely has the talent to write a good story. I'm returning it, I'd advise you skip this one and move on to the next.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Missing Man, Watery Grave, Bad Choices

The fourth in the County Cork Mysteries finds the town looking for John Tully, a dairy farmer, the missing father of a young boy. Its the talk of the pub and owner, Maura Donovan is just as worried as the rest about the man. I've loved this series so far, and still do . . . but the lines are getting more blurred as some of the choices made become more unsettling . . . and the justifications at times just don't set well. At about the same time a body washes up on the beach, a man that nobody recognizes. Besides the missing dairyman and the washed up corpse, Maura's artist friend, Gillian is back in town, even though its the off season . . . and she needs Maura's help and support. All the familiar folks are still in the picture, including Old Billy, one of my favorites. Sean and Mick are still competing for Maura's affections, but that all takes a back burner as the search for John Tully and another more sinister plot comes to light. The intrigue is ramped up to warp speed near the end, with a most unexpected and satisfying conclusion to this unusual story.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

A Little Disappointing

This book is in the same vein as the first three of the series. Maura Donovan is a young woman who travels to Ireland after the death of her Grandmother. Maura has lived her entire life in Boston. When she arrives in Ireland she is shocked to learn she has inherited Sullivan's Pub.

This series of books describes her experiences in Ireland. She is an admirable young woman who is smart, but inexperienced in life. As I read I try to imagine how I would have fared in similar circumstances. I doubt I would have done as well as Maura has.

Though there is a mystery here, I believe the heart of the story is about Maura's experience and the other people who live in this small Irish village. That is a charming story.

The fours books in this series take place over a relatively short period on time. While I've enjoyed the series, I'm now ready to see Maura's story progress. Maybe the story can jump ahead 6 months or a year and some changes have taken place.

Narration by Amy Rubinate is superb.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Each book is unique!

I want to thank the author for writing a book that i feel i don't have to edit while I'm reading for pleasure!

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

I'm glad I didn't give up on this

I almost gave up on this one. The main character Maura is so difficult to see as a heroine. She apparently was so self absorbed growing up that she never bothered to learn anything about her poor Grandmother's prior and current life. She is rude, insensitive and doesn't think before she acts. By the end, she may be maturing!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Enjoyable Story

A very enjoyable mystery and narration with believable characters. Good pace to the story. Look forward to more!

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