Review: Murder on the Green

Review: MURDER-ON-THE-GREEN by Christine Knapp

Fiction, Cozy Mystery, Irish setting

4****

Blurb: Shamrocks, scones, secrets, and murder…. By virtue of a lottery windfall, modern nurse midwife Maeve O’Reilly Kensington is taking her sister, Meg, her mom, and some of her mother’s friends from the Hanville Grove senior center, affectionately dubbed the “Ladies of the Lobby,” on a dream holiday to the Emerald Isle. They are welcomed with open arms in Ireland and are instantly captivated by the warmth of the reception and the natural beauty of the landscape. However, the luck of the Irish is not with Maeve when, soon after arrival, she discovers the body of a woman in Ballymoor Green—murdered! Maeve quickly learns that the victim was a relatively recent transplant, somewhat of a recluse, and a thorn in the side of many.  Initially reluctant to get involved, Maeve and Meg soon realize if justice is to be served, it’s up to them to figure out the truth. Spurred on by their lionhearted mother, the pair go to great lengths to whittle down an eclectic list of suspects. Long-buried secrets bubble to the surface, and the M&Ms struggle to bring the guilty party to light. Will the visit be ruined before it even starts? Will the discovery spark an international incident? Will Ireland ever be the same?

THOUGHTS: In this continuation of the Midwife series, Maeve’s mother, Mary Margaret Callahan O’Reilly, wins a big state lottery. Enough to take her entire family and friends to Ireland for a couple weeks to visit family there. Of course things start off badly when Maeve and her sister Meg find a dead body on their first morning and they are faced with dealing with the local constabulary. As they sleuth their way through things, deep secrets are revealed that have been buried for a long time. Also, liked that Maeve got to see how her Irish counterparts worked in midwifery. Nicely done.

I loved the descriptions of where they visit and the family (made me jealous!). The chapter headings in this book have tidbits on Ireland. The only thing missing for me was a glossary on how to pronounce some things. I loved Maeve’s mother and her friends and their sparky spangles. And the food! Yum. Thank goodness the author saw fit to include some of the recipes at the back of the book.

Like the other book in the series, there were slow parts, but also enough fun for me to keep reading. Fall in love with the O’Reilly family and pick this series up.

Recommended.