This is the first entry in a new series by Vermont author Sarah Stewart Taylor, author of the Sweeney St. George mysteries, which include the Agatha Award finalist O’ Artful Death (2003).

The Mountains Wild follows homicide detective Maggie D’Arcy from her home on Long Island to Ireland, the home of her ancestors and a place she last visited 23 years earlier in the wake of the still unexplained disappearance of her cousin Erin.  In Ireland, we follow her from bustling Dublin to the wild hills of County Wicklow.  This time another young woman has disappeared, and Maggie hopes to be able to help some old friends investigating the case, as well as finally find out what happened to Erin.

As a fan of Louise Penny, I appreciate good writing in a mystery. The Mountains Wild has that, as well as an interesting story, likeable characters, an atmospheric setting, and a good dose of Irish history and culture. I look forward to the next Maggie D’Arcy book, A Distant Grave, due out in June of 2021.