This is the eleventh book in the lovely Amanda series. Amanda travels to Ireland for the wedding of her cousin Taylor and his fiancé Roisin. Roisin and her horse go missing just before the wedding and Amanda uses her skills to join in the quest to find her.

As with the other books, we learn about the country she’s visiting and the details are fascinating and well-chosen. The information provides a useful history and geography of the area and is written in a way that is entertaining as well as educational. I now know the origin of the term ‘stinking rich’!

There are red herrings and sinister characters, plus there’s uncertainty about others and their intentions.

This is one of those books that I’d recommend for a young teen reader – although I enjoyed reading it and those days are long behind me!

Amanda in Ireland: The Body in the Bog is book 11 in the series of stories about adventurous Canadian twelve-year-old Amanda Ross. Amanda has travelled to Ireland to be a bridesmaid at her cousin, Taylor’s, wedding. He is marrying Roisin, and Amanda soon meets her and many more of Roisin’s family. Roisin also owns a horse called Aoife, which Amanda can’t wait to go and see. However, events take a dark turn when the bride goes missing, along with her horse, and while Amanda joins in the search, it looks like the wedding will be off.

The books in this series always have a good mystery running through them, but for me, the thing I like most is reading about the history and culture of the place they are set in. Foster weaves this into the plot extremely well. With castles and caves, bogs and a pet cemetery along with much, much more, this one really whetted my appetite to visit Ireland, and shame on me for not already having done so since I live so close!

Amanda is a wonderfully positive and engaging child too, and with her adventurous spirit, she makes an excellent role model for any young girl.

Highly recommended.

A good read and view of ireland

Another gripping mystery featuring teenage sleuth Amanda set in the vibrant green landscape and key historical sites of Ireland, as she faces a family drama fraught with danger.

What should be a very happy family occasion as her cousin Taylor marries the lovely Roisin, is put at risk days before the wedding. Preparations go ahead including a trip to Dublin to finish the fittings for the bridesmaids, including Amanda’s dress. Whilst there she takes the opportunity to visit some of the amazing museums with their ancient Irish history exhibits but whilst there even more disturbing encounters trigger her investigative instincts.

Being in a strange country and not familiar with the different relationships of those around her, Amanda is not sure who she can trust. This means relying on her own ability to follow clues and discover the truth behind a worrying disappearance. This brings her to the attention of some unscrupulous people who are prepared to stop at nothing to get what they want.

As always with this author and series, there are wonderful characters, a clever plot and interesting twists and turns. Darlene Foster always highlights not just the country but the people in a lovely way. Ireland’s rich traditional culture and some of its iconic historical sites are given pride of place and for anyone planning to visit the country, a taste of what they can expect and should put on their to visit list.

This book is aimed at young adults but I always find Amanda’s adventures well worth putting your feet up for a couple of hours and enjoying. They are well written and offer a glimpse into other cultures and traditions. I have no hesitation in recommending this lovely story.

Amanda Ross at twelve years old has seen more of the world than most of us will ever see in our lifetime. This time Darlene Foster's star protagonist isn't traveling with her BFF Leah but off to to Ireland as a junior bridesmaid in her cousin Taylor's wedding. In her customary writing style, Foster blends a mystery while also teaching readers about the geography and culture of a region.

The suspense starts right off the bat when Taylor's fiancee (Roison) and her prized horse (Aoife) go missing. Adding to the drama, Amanda suspects that Jim, Taylor's best man, may somehow be involved in her disappearance, but she doesn't want to come out and make a wild accusation without some proof first. Despite the police and Taylor, to a lesser degree, instructing Amanda to let the garda handle the search, her curious nature and desire to help get the better of her. There are signs she is getting closer, finding horse trailers, horse tracks, manure, and the smell of Roison's perfume, and with danger lurking, Amanda is determined to find Taylor's future wife.

One feature of Foster's story, the eleventh one in the series, that I thought she did well was to create characters that weren't obviously heroes or villains, which kept me guessing. The one thing I wrestled with as a reader was that the family wasn't more distraught at the potential kidnapping and continued to go on making plans for the wedding. Overall, it was a quick and enjoyable read with the author providing many facts about the setting in the flow of the story.

I bought this as a gift, and the person who received it loved it. She read it in one sitting and said it was the best one of the series so far.

‘Amanda in Ireland’ is a captivating story that pulls you in from page one. Amanda comes to Ireland to be a junior bridesmaid at her cousin Taylor’s wedding, but the bride, Roisin, and her beautiful horse are kidnapped. The chain of events that follow is woven together with interesting cultural details and visits to Dunmore Caves, boglands, museums and castles.

Amanda’s curiosity and keen observation land her in trouble more than once when she follows the suspects, but she doesn't give up. Her grit and determination to solve the mystery are noteworthy. She misses her bestie, Leah but writes long emails to tell her about her adventures. Foster keeps the suspense alive till the last page, and it is hard to guess who the real villain is.

It is a marvel how the beauty of the Emerald Isle blends with the country’s traditional games, culture and historical landmarks. This is a wonderful way to introduce young children to beautiful places, and Amanda’s travels are the perfect series for them.

Amanda in Ireland is an adorable, interesting, and intriguing Middle Grade mystery. It’s also the eleventh book in Foster’s Amanda’s Travels series, but it works perfectly well as a standalone.

Twelve-year-old Amanda from Canada is visiting her cousin Taylor in Ireland. Amanda is going to be a junior bridesmaid in Taylor and his fiancee’s wedding. But then the bride and her horse disappear!

Amanda and Taylor chase a thin man and shifty-eyed man all over real-life historic locations: castles, a VERY old school, a tower, caves, a pet cemetery, and even a bog that can preserve bodies for two thousand years.

There are clues and red herrings. (I totally fell for the first red herring. I’d make a terrible detective.) There are also kind people along the way, like extended family and townsfolk and competent Gardai (police officers).

I appreciated that there were discussion questions in the back. Amanda in Ireland would make a fabulous parent-child book club pick!

Fun read, five stars!

I love everything Irish, so I was more than happy to read this book. Irish history and culture leap from the pages in this children’s adventure that involves a missing bride, a lost horse, lurking bad guys, abandoned ruins, and a twelve-year-old sleuth determined to solve the mystery. This delightful book, so reminiscent of Nancy Drew, will entertain and educate any child or adult. I happily give it 5 stars.