Last Updated on April 22, 2026
Spending time in Shamrock with Kate Buckley and her boisterous, big-hearted family feels a bit like being adopted by your favourite Irish relatives.
Buried In Shamrocks, the second book in Lisa Q Mathews’ Irish Bed & Breakfast Mystery series, is full of music, mishaps, murder, and that unmistakable “pull up a chair and stay awhile” vibe that cozy readers love.
Lisa draws on her own Irish heritage, Irish-American family traditions, and even her kids’ days as low-key Irish dancers to bring Shamrock and the Buckleys so vividly to life.
I had the chance to ask Lisa about the inspiration behind the series, the real-life roots of Shamrock, her Nancy Drew days, and which of her characters she’d actually want to share breakfast with – and her answers are every bit as charming and insightful as her books!
Lisa Q Mathews Interview
Q. How much of your own Irish heritage or family traditions influenced Buried in Shamrocks and the series in general?
A. I wrote the Irish Bed & Breakfast Mysteries as a valentine to both my Irish heritage and my family’s Irish-American traditions.
I have one older sister, with enough years between us that we were almost 2 only children of the same parents. But we have 31 cousins in the States and others in Ireland, and my kids’ dad is from Dublin.
They grew up in a very Irish neighborhood in Brooklyn, which was the model for Shamrock. We all share the same traditions and values, though our actual experiences may be different.
Q. When you developed the book outline in your head, did it turn out the same on paper?
A. The basic set-up of the town of Shamrock and the members of the Buckley family were in my head from the beginning.
I first wrote The Jig is Up as a YA through Maeve’s POV, but my wonderful agent repped adult books, so I rewrote it in Kate’s 3rd-person POV.
I felt as if she was keeping info too close to the chest, though, so I wrote yet a third version from Kate’s first-person perspective.
Three times the lucky charm, ha!
Q. What scenes were the most fun for you to write in this book?
A. The full-family scenes, I think, with all the comings and goings and mild slagging and general shenanigans.
But my kids were lowkey Irish dancers, and I loved reliving scenes at our neighborhood dance school, where the emphasis was sharing, respecting, friendship, and having fun rather than fancy dresses, wigs, and intense competition.
Q. Can you introduce us to one of your favorite characters in Buried in Shamrocks, and why do they stand out to you?
A. I especially enjoyed writing Marty McCleary, the Chief’s old buddy from Ireland who leads a traditional Irish band and plays to his own fiddle.
Marty has a twinkle in his eye and generally demonstrates good humor, but he can be a sly one as well.
He loves impromptu sessions, telling stories, Gram’s biscuits, and maybe a pint or two.
Q. If you could book a weekend at the Buckley family’s B&B, which character would you want as your breakfast companion?
A. Tough question! Kate would make sure we had our rashers and muffins and make polite conversation, but she might be mentally adding items to her “to-do” list.
Colleen, on the other hand, would talk nonstop, telling me all the best places to go in Shamrock and maybe even share some town gossip.
The Chief would be engrossed in the Shamrock Sentinel with his tea, checking the police blotter.
Maeve would likely be having a lie-in upstairs. But 7-year-old Bliz is a sparkling conversationalist at any hour. I’ll go with her.
Q. If the Irish B&B books became a TV series, who would you cast as Kate Buckley and her father, the Chief?
A. It’s fun to think about this!
For Kate I’d go with the kind, smart, practical and protective Jennifer Garner (she even has the Buckley dimple!).
I envision Bess as a young Amy Adams, or maybe Saoirse-Monica Jackson.
For the Chief? The larger-than-life but sadly late Brian Dennehy.
Q. You started your publishing career editing Nancy Drew. How did that background help (or challenge) your own mystery writing?
A. I read so many cozy mysteries (I didn’t realize they were “cozy” at the time) as a kid that I think I internalized the rhythm, plot turns, cliffs, and pursuit of justice that distinguish cozies as a genre.
But working as a Nancy Drew editor really drilled those elements in for me, because Nancy herself is always very clear.
And then, to help pay my New York City rent on an editor’s salary, I started writing kids’ mysteries under pseudonym as a side gig.
That gave me a lot of “cozy” practice!
Q. Many of your mysteries feature strong, funny women, so what draws you to writing these kinds of characters?
A. Recently I realized that my favorite characters in books and TV shows as a kid were strong, funny girls – so perhaps now as a grownup I’m writing ones a lot like them, but all grownup.
Q. If you could have dinner with any fictional sleuth (besides your own!), who would it be and why?
A. I have a feeling I’m not the only mystery author who’d choose Jessica Fletcher, but she would be my top choice.
I’d love to visit Cabot Cove, which isn’t far from my own New England town (or Shamrock).
Knowing Jessica (well, as much as I can without really knowing her), I suspect our conversation would be mostly professional in tone. But I’m sure I’d learn from her how best to balance sleuthing with writing.
On an old-school typewriter in a cozy Victorian house in an idyllic, seaside town with (mostly) amiable people.
Q. What is the one thing that most readers would be surprised to know about the life of an author?
A. When people learn I’m a writer, usually the first thing they say is, “Oh, how fun!” And it is, most of the time.
But there are a lot of ups and downs in publishing, and it sometimes feels as if you are riding a roller coaster and your seat belt is coming undone.
The “ups” are lovely – landing that agent or book contract, typing “The End,” meeting wonderful fellow readers and authors, winning awards.
But then there are those days when no one shows up to your bookstore signing, or a reviewer didn’t love your characters as much as you do. All part of the crazy journey!
My favorite part is when I open my physical book, skim the pages, and think, Did I really write this?
Q. What is your favorite book of all time? And why?
A. I really had to think about this question, because I have so many favorites! But the one that stands out most is Karen by Marie Killilea.
There is a sequel titled With Love from Karen and a children’s version called Wren.
At 7, I saw the adult titles on a spinner rack (Karen showed a little girl with pigtails on the cover) in a store and begged my mom to buy them (as it turned out, Santa brought them).
Written by her mom, they tell the true story of Karen, who was born with cerebral palsy, and her (very) Irish-American family during the 1940s and 50s.
I’m sure many parts went over my head, and I had to look up a few words, but I remember crying and laughing. A lot.
The author’s next-door neighbor and good friend was Jean Kerr, who wrote Please Don’t Eat the Daisies.
Thank You Lisa Q Mathews!
A huge thanks to Lisa Q Mathews for taking the time to chat, and for lifting the curtain a little on Shamrock, the Buckleys, and the world behind Buried in Shamrocks.
It’s always a treat when an author’s answers are as generous and entertaining as their books.
If you’re new to her work, I highly recommend not only the Irish Bed & Breakfast Mysteries but also her other cozy series, The Ladies Smythe & Westin Mysteries, which offers its own blend of wit, warmth, and amateur sleuthing.
I’m already looking forward to my next fictional stay in Shamrock, and to whatever mystery Lisa dreams up next.
Roll on the next book!
