How fun is a mystery set at an Irish dance competition?

Liffey Rivers and the Mystery of the Sparkling Solo Dress Crown by Brenna Briggs, is the first book in a series about Liffey, a spunky, quirky girl who dreams of qualifying for an Irish dance solo dress, and eats spaghetti and meatballs the night before every competition. Because of her overbearing personality, no one can anticipate what she will do next.

The author pulled me into two new worlds that, as a reader, I may never otherwise explore. The first is the world of Irish dance. Second, Briggs brought me into the city of St. Louis, Missouri, giving me a feel for a place I've  never been.

Liffey lets her imagination run a bit wild, which makes her the perfect sleuth. She notices clues that other people might not even wonder about.

I can see where Liffey’s looniness might be hereditary. I laughed when I heard that her aunt gave a cheer during Liffey’s competition:“Kick ‘em high, kick ‘em low, go, go, go.” Even though I enjoyed Liffey’s eccentricities, her daydreams and a few stray points of view switches gave me whiplash.

I felt pity for Liffey that she was always left alone at competitions, and had no mother to care for her. But pity wasn’t enough to make me relate to her. I could see why the other girls in her Irish dance school avoided her. I would too. Her quirkiness kept things interesting, but at times went past the point where I enjoyed reading about her idiosyncrises.

Liffey internalizes about her fears and dreams in a way that most girls her age can relate to. She wants a solo dress more than anything. She draws her own designs for a dress, notices other girls’ dresses and daydreams about it every few minutes.


The verdict:

Think Nancy Drew meets the Irish dance world. Anyone who loves Irish dance will enjoy reading about Liffey’s adventures.

You can learn more about the adventures of Liffey Rivers at www.liffeyrivers.com.
Purchase Liffey Rivers and the Mystery of the Sparkling Solo Dress Crown on Amazon.


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Readers: Are you an adult Irish dancer, competitive or not, with a story to share? Would you like to inspire others to feel your passion for Irish dancing and culture? Do you have a question about Irish dancing? Please visit www.christydorrity.com.