A Plot to Die For: Murder is blooming in Abbeyford

Hardback Published on: 07/05/2026
RRP Recommended Retail Price: £20.00
Price: £16.99
Save £3.01 (15%)
Free UK delivery on orders over £25, otherwise £3.99
In stock
Usually dispatched within 1-2 days
Make and edit your lists in your account
Check click & collect stock near you
Collect today: Pay in shop
In stock
Usually dispatched within 1-2 days
Check click & collect stock near you
Collect today: Pay in shop

Bookseller Reviews

View all
A Plot to Die For
Big Trouble in Little Ireland!
Cheers and pints of Guinness all round for this fun, witty and hilarious new cosy crime murder mystery from actor, comedian Ardal O'Hanlon. Perfect for fan... READ MORE
Steven at Bluewater

Synopsis

The first in a mystery series from the much-loved Irish actor, writer and comedian, for readers who enjoy the warmth of Graham Norton and the mystery of Death in Paradise, all wrapped up in one small Irish town.

When beloved celebrity gardener Finn O’Leary returns to his hometown of Abbeyford in Ireland to care for his aging mother, he is naturally roped into the Tidy Towns committee.
The Tidy Towns is a competition fanatically fought over by every town and village in the land. And for his best friend’s sister, Aoife, it’s a competition she’s determined to win. With everyone’s favourite gardener on board, she is sure that this year Abbeyford will take home the prize.
But Finn’s not been back long when an alto-baritone at his mother’s choir practice drops dead during a rendition of ‘What the World Needs Now’.
With more at stake than just winning Tidy Towns, Finn soon finds himself trying to solve a murder – or two. For one of his many qualities is that people tend to confide in him…
With his mother, her Nigerian carer and Aoife in tow, Finn sets out to discover just who has brought murder to Abbeyford.

And so it begins.

Publisher information

  • Publisher: Simon & Schuster Ltd
  • ISBN: 9781398539570
  • Number of pages: 480
  • Dimensions: 234 x 153 x 33 mm
  • Languages: English

Customer Reviews

View all
A Plot to Die For
Loved it!
Celebrity gardener Finn O'Leary decides he needs a break and returns to his hometown of Abbeyford to help care for his mother and to try and mend fences wi... READ MORE
Maggie Macdonald
A Plot to Die For
A detailed story from O'Hanlon
From being well aware of Ardal O'Hanlon as a comic actor and standup, I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. It's clear he has a lot to say, as this ... READ MORE
Matt Johns
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.
A Plot to Die For
Murder, Mischief, and Tidy Towns
A Plot to Die For is the first in a new mystery series by Ardal O’Hanlon, who is fast becoming a national treasure. The book takes place in a small village... READ MORE
The Jane Hall
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.
A Plot to Die For
Genuine cosy crime with a dash of Irish craig
This was a perfectly entertaining, easily readable, genuinely cosy crime, that held what it promised - a small village, quirky characters, a couple of murd... READ MORE
Jhanami Ni
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.
A Plot to Die For
A Plot to Die For
As with a lot of series openers, there's quite a lot of setting up - location and characters - to be found herein. At times, I almost forgot there was a de... READ MORE
Ashrae
A Plot to Die For
Cosy Crime
This is a wonderfully character driven slice of cosy crime, there is a certain charm and warmth to the story. As you may expect the narrartive is sprink... READ MORE
Andy  wormald
A Plot to Die For
Murder mystery with Irish humour!
I really enjoyed this book which is a cosy murder mystery from comedian Ardal O'Hanlon and one that delivered on all fronts. We follow Finn, a TV garde... READ MORE
Emily G
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.
A Plot to Die For
A bit too long
This book is long. Very long. Far too long. Were I editing this book, I would prune at least a third of it. There are large passages which are very informa... READ MORE
Paul Lautman
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.
A Plot to Die For
A slow start, but has potential.
A Plot to Die For has all the ingredients of a cosy Irish murder mystery — a charming small-town setting, eccentric characters and plenty of local atmosphe... READ MORE
Laura Bonner
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.
A Plot to Die For
An enjoyable series opener with potential
There was a lot about this book that I enjoyed. The setting was charming, the characters were endearingly eccentric, and I found the underlying trials of t... READ MORE
Chronically Bookish
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.
A Plot to Die For
Perfect summer read
This is one of the funniest cozy crime books I have read, and I really loved Finn and all the people of this little town. Add murder on top and you have th... READ MORE
Elisabeth Pih
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.
A Plot to Die For
Well written cosy crime
Finn O’Leary Celebrity Gardner has taken a break from his TV work and returned to his family home to look after his mother in the town of Abbeyford to car... READ MORE
Michelle De Alwis
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.
A Plot to Die For
Enjoyable
Finn is taking a sabbatical from his BBC gardening programme, he is going home to Abbeyford in Ireland to look after his invalid mother. His mother is ably... READ MORE
K MacLean
A Plot to Die For
Finn's gardening on TV was never this dangerous
Finn is your everyday, next door, celebrity gardener. When he's worrying about his TV tenure, he realises his mum really could be doing with a hand and he ... READ MORE
nicola brooks
A Plot to Die For
Fun read
This is a fun read about a small Irish community with a focus on local celebrity gardener Finn who has returned after quite a time away and also local scho... READ MORE
Sarah Goldthorpe
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.
A Plot to Die For
A great start to the series!
Finn O’Leary is a celebrity gardener who returns to his home town of Abbeyford. He returns to spend time with his mother , and begins to try and reconnect... READ MORE
Zoe Hitchen
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.
A Plot to Die For
Lightweight enjoyable cosy crime
Celebrity TV gardener Finn O'Leary has had to return to his hometown in rural Ireland as his mother needs him. Finn's marriage has broken down and he's qu... READ MORE
Jo-anne Atkinson
A Plot to Die For
Entertaining, fun read.
Set in Ireland in a little town called Abbeyford, celebrity gardener Finn O’Leary has returned from England to look after his ailing mother. What he didn’... READ MORE
Vanessa C Wild
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.
A Plot to Die For
A Cosy Mystery set around an Irish Tidy Towns competition
The home-coming of TV Gardening celebrity Finn O'Leary to help look after his mum Maura begins an amusing and very cosy murder mystery which revolves aroun... READ MORE
Brian Wilde
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.