An Irish Country Christmas
Patrick Taylor
Forge, Oct 28 2008, $24.95
ISBN: 0765320703

In the quaint Irish village of Ballybucklebo, Dr. Fingal O'Reilly and his partner Dr. Barry Laverty deal as always with the vast ailments of the townsfolk while also dealing with respective attractions to the opposite sex. Fingal has doubts about courting effervescent Kitty O'Halloran except when he is near her; than he has no rational thought. Barry is upset because his girlfriend Patricia Spence at Girton College informs him she may not make it in time for his first Christmas in the small Irish village.

However, all that pales compared to a new doctor in town who steals their patients with remedies that should have the man barred. To country doctors O'Reilly and Laverty, Dr. Fitzpatrick should be called Dr. Quack, but as ridiculous as his prescriptions are, he is gaining patients.

The third Irish County medical cozy (see 'An Irish Country Doctor' and 'An Irish Country Village') is a fun tale as O'Reilly and Laverty continues to take care of the villagers by combining modern medical practices with homespun 'cures' like dressing up as Santa. The storyline is warm and uplifting even when Patricia looks like she will not make for the holidays and Fitzpatrick causes harm to the patients he steals. Readers who enjoyed the previous entries will especially want to read this one as the two physicians spend their first holiday season with fans.

Harriet Klausner