In Murder at an Irish Chipper by Carlene O’Connor, gardas Siobhán and Macdara Flannery’s belated seaside honeymoon takes an unexpected turn when a murder occurs at a fish and chips shop. They put their romantic getaway on hold to dive into the investigation, but can they crack the case? As you race through the pages to find out, enhance your reading experience with these Sea Salt Caramels!
Makes approximately 64 (1-inch) pieces
- Vegetable oil, for brushing
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 4 tablespoons honey
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons water
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Garnish: Sea salt
- Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, allowing excess to hang off all 4 sides. Brush parchment paper lightly with oil.
- In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt together cream, butter, and salt. Once butter has melted, remove pan from heat and set aside.
- In a heavy-bottom saucepan, combine honey, sugar, and 4 tablespoons water, stirring well. Bring to a rapid boil over high heat, and continue to boil until mixture turns a deep golden brown color, approximately 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
- Pour butter mixture into sugar mixture, working slowly and stirring constantly. Be careful that the mixture doesn’t boil over.
- Have a candy thermometer handy. Return mixture to the heat and cook until caramel reaches 250° and turns a light amber color, until it passes the hardball test, approximately 10 minutes. (To test the caramel, carefully drop a teaspoon of the mixture into a bowl of cold water. It’s ready if the mixture turns into a crisp and brittle ball.) Remove pan from heat, then add vanilla extract and stir well.
- Pour mixture into prepared pan. Place pan on a cooling rack and allow it to cool. Once it’s fully cooled, refrigerate, covered, for at least 4 hours.
- Using parchment paper as handles, lift block of candy onto a cutting board. Cut into 1-inch squares.
- Garnish with a sprinkle of sea salt, if desired.
- Wrap squares individually in wax paper, if desired. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks, or freeze for up to 1 year.
A belated honeymoon turns into a busman’s holiday when gardas Siobhán and Macdara Flannery find themselves investigating a dead body found in a fish and chips shop . . .
Siobhán’s brother Eoin’s new family restaurant, The O’Sullivan Six, is so close to opening—but waiting on the necessary permits plus the heat of July in the village of Kilbane in County Cork is driving everyone a bit mad. Macdara Flannery comes to the rescue with a plan—take a holiday by the sea and stuff themselves with fish and chips to support the struggling business of the aptly named Mrs. Chipper.
But when they arrive, a crowd is gathered in front of the closed shop: a local fisherman with a fresh cod delivery, a food critic, Mrs. Chipper’s ex-husband who’s opening a competing fish and chips shop directly across the street, and a repairman to fix the vent for the deep fryer. With Siobhán and Macdara as witnesses, a local handyman gets the locked door open, only to find the proprietor lying dead and covered in flour at the base of a ladder, its rungs coated in slippery fat. Clearly this was not an accidental tragedy . . . .
Even as the local garda take over the murder investigation, Siobhán and Macdara can’t help themselves from placing their long-delayed honeymoon on hold—at least until they can help apprehend an elusive killer.
Carlene O’Connor is the USA Today best-selling author of the acclaimed Irish Village Mysteries, the County Kerry Novels, and the Home to Ireland Mysteries. Born into a long line of Irish storytellers, her great-grandmother emigrated from Ireland filled with tales in 1897, and the stories have been flowing ever since. Of all the places she’s wandered across the pond, she fell most in love with a walled town in County Limerick and was inspired to create the town of Kilbane, County Cork, the setting of her Irish Village Mystery series. She is a member of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime and currently divides her time between New Mexico and the Emerald Isle. Please visit her online at CarleneOConnor.net. Follow her on Instagram at @writergirlchi or on Facebook at facebook.com/CarleneOConnormysteries.
