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Modern Midwife Mysteries #4
Murder at First Light
Lighthouses, nannies, and murder…
Life has calmed down for modern nurse midwife Maeve O'Reilly Kensington, following her daughter's eventful arrival into the world. Her family has settled into a welcome routine, and Maeve is about to break new ground as the first faculty midwife at Rosemont College in the quaint New England town of Langford.
Unfortunately, her tranquility is short-lived. During an early morning row on the bay, Maeve witnesses a jogger stumble out of Langford's iconic lighthouse, First Light, and collapse. He is later pronounced dead, and Maeve wonders if it was a natural death or foul play. First Light had rescued many in the past but certainly didn't save this hapless soul.
When Maeve and her indomitable sister, Meg, assist a young Irish nanny caught in the aftermath of the death, they land headfirst in the world of Langford's posh "Yummy Mummies." Will the fearless M&M's crack the case? Will Maeve adapt to the college world? Life in Langford carries on…with its usual mix of midwifery and murder!
Life has calmed down for modern nurse midwife Maeve O'Reilly Kensington, following her daughter's eventful arrival into the world. Her family has settled into a welcome routine, and Maeve is about to break new ground as the first faculty midwife at Rosemont College in the quaint New England town of Langford.
Unfortunately, her tranquility is short-lived. During an early morning row on the bay, Maeve witnesses a jogger stumble out of Langford's iconic lighthouse, First Light, and collapse. He is later pronounced dead, and Maeve wonders if it was a natural death or foul play. First Light had rescued many in the past but certainly didn't save this hapless soul.
When Maeve and her indomitable sister, Meg, assist a young Irish nanny caught in the aftermath of the death, they land headfirst in the world of Langford's posh "Yummy Mummies." Will the fearless M&M's crack the case? Will Maeve adapt to the college world? Life in Langford carries on…with its usual mix of midwifery and murder!
- GenresCozy Mystery
228 pages, ebook
Published January 7, 2025
2 people are currently reading
29 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
January 11, 2025
This is such an interesting cozy with an unusual sleuth; Maeve (rhymes with brave), is a 6 foot tall midwife. Right there I am instantly intrigued because I had not come across a taller than average sleuth or a midwife sleuth. This is a modern day cozy that educates as well as entertains, much like Maeve herself. Maeve will be wearing multiple hats in this cozy and each one plays an integral part in the mystery solving. While this is my first time reading a Modern Midwife Mystery, it is the fourth book of the series and I had no trouble becoming completely immersed in the story.
A unique aspect of this book is that each chapter is started off with an informational tidbit based on gynecological terms so you learn something new or at least the meaning of some fancy medical words. These little entries fit in perfectly because Maeve is taking on a teaching position at Rosemont College for the nursing program in addition to continuing with her midwifery job at Creighton Memorial Hospital. Jeremy Archer, an emergency room nurse and the deceased’s brother confides in Maeve that he thinks that foul play was involved. How could Theo Archer, a very healthy man training for an Ironman race have dropped dead of a heart attack? Maeve’s curiosity is peaked and it looks like she and her older sister Megan, lovingly nicknamed the M&Ms, are ready to be on the case.
The sisters are going to be busy hunting down clues and suspects because it seems that not everyone thought that Theo was such a great guy. Not that they needed much prodding to start poking but this time their brother and police officer Patrick asks them to keep ears and eyes open. Theo Archer was VERY successful and lived in the Mariner Heights neighborhood, home to the “Roses” aka ladies who attended Rosemont or the “Yummy Mummies” as Meg and Maeve have so dubbed them. The Yummy Mummies remind me of the Ladies Who Lunch only younger and a little bit snobbier. Even their British nannies, from THE Bloomsby School have a certain air about them. Suspects include a teacher who claims plagiarism, an app creator who was left out of the big business deal, the investor who bought the over hyped business that may be underperforming, and the soon to be ex-wife who signed an ironclad prenup,
This mystery is like a full term pregnancy with all of the changes and mood swings. You will laugh, you will sigh, you will be shocked, and you’ll be well entertained. You will also be fed if you make use of the recipes at the back of the book which will make a complete meal. I for one am on the hunt for fresh tarragon and have already prepped the salad dressing. This is a thoroughly enjoyable story which means that I will need to go back and read the ones that I was unaware of while waiting for the next book to drop.
A unique aspect of this book is that each chapter is started off with an informational tidbit based on gynecological terms so you learn something new or at least the meaning of some fancy medical words. These little entries fit in perfectly because Maeve is taking on a teaching position at Rosemont College for the nursing program in addition to continuing with her midwifery job at Creighton Memorial Hospital. Jeremy Archer, an emergency room nurse and the deceased’s brother confides in Maeve that he thinks that foul play was involved. How could Theo Archer, a very healthy man training for an Ironman race have dropped dead of a heart attack? Maeve’s curiosity is peaked and it looks like she and her older sister Megan, lovingly nicknamed the M&Ms, are ready to be on the case.
The sisters are going to be busy hunting down clues and suspects because it seems that not everyone thought that Theo was such a great guy. Not that they needed much prodding to start poking but this time their brother and police officer Patrick asks them to keep ears and eyes open. Theo Archer was VERY successful and lived in the Mariner Heights neighborhood, home to the “Roses” aka ladies who attended Rosemont or the “Yummy Mummies” as Meg and Maeve have so dubbed them. The Yummy Mummies remind me of the Ladies Who Lunch only younger and a little bit snobbier. Even their British nannies, from THE Bloomsby School have a certain air about them. Suspects include a teacher who claims plagiarism, an app creator who was left out of the big business deal, the investor who bought the over hyped business that may be underperforming, and the soon to be ex-wife who signed an ironclad prenup,
This mystery is like a full term pregnancy with all of the changes and mood swings. You will laugh, you will sigh, you will be shocked, and you’ll be well entertained. You will also be fed if you make use of the recipes at the back of the book which will make a complete meal. I for one am on the hunt for fresh tarragon and have already prepped the salad dressing. This is a thoroughly enjoyable story which means that I will need to go back and read the ones that I was unaware of while waiting for the next book to drop.
January 9, 2025
Murder at First Light is the fourth book in the Modern Midwives Mystery series written by Christine Knapp. Even though I have only read the first book, Murder at the Wedding and now this fourth book, I can tell you that as soon as I started reading Murder at First Light I was totally involved in it, I was reaquainted with the characters and ready to see what happened .... and boy, oh boy !!!
In Murder at First Light main character Maeve, who is always busy, is again taking on a lot but she is going to excel in it, like she does with everything she does. Maeve is a midwife working at Creighton Memorial and has just agreed to a dual appointment with Rosemont College. She will teach the nursing students as well as provide gynecological care to the faculty and students as well as continue her duties at the hospital. She will be split between the two places and she is excited to be doing it.
Unfortunately on one of her morning rowing trips, she nears First Light Lighthouse and sees people frantically waving. She pulls up and jumps out to see if she can assist. She sees a man on the ground and people working on him. Emergency units were called and Maeve's brother Patrick arrives. Patrick is the Deputy Chief of Police and Maeve and their sister, Meg, have helped Patrick in the past with some cases. But seeing as they do not know what caused the man to collapse, maybe it won't be something bad.
Maeve soon learns that the man did not make it and his brother is an RN at the hospital. It doesn't take long for Maeve and Meg (the M&M's) to begin their investigation especially when they learn that one of the suspects is the deceased man's nanny. And this nanny is from the same organization that Maeve's nanny is from.
Maeve and Meg are going to go into a very prominant and powerful area that they are not use to at all. But they know that they have to do it to ensure that the correct person or persons pays for the murder !!
Readers will love this book ! The storyline and the characters are awesome and some you will want to be friends with .... while others you will enjoy hating !!!
January 7, 2025
Maeve O'Reilly Kensington is now a mother of two girls under the age of two years old. You'd think she'd have her hands full enough with a husband, her girls, a dog, and her midwife job. However, she also takes on a new role as a midwife instructor at Rosemont College in Langford, Massachusetts. To top things off, she stumbles upon a death of a fitness enthusiast at the First Light lighthouse. It appears to be a case of a fatal heart attack. However, the victim's brother who works at the same hospital that Maeve does informs her that he was poisoned - a case of murder. The victim's nanny for their child has been wrongly accused of his murder.
Maeve, along with her older sister Meg, help to figure out the true culprit.
I adore this series. I learn so much about a woman's reproductive system and the birthing process. The mysteries and characters are stellar.
Thank you to the publisher for a review copy.
Maeve, along with her older sister Meg, help to figure out the true culprit.
I adore this series. I learn so much about a woman's reproductive system and the birthing process. The mysteries and characters are stellar.
Thank you to the publisher for a review copy.
January 8, 2025
Murder at First Light is another clever mystery in this delightful midwife series! I really enjoy these mysteries. I love all the description, especially about the midwives. Maeve is a wonderful counterpart to her more flamboyant sister Meg. I love how they stepped up to help that Irish nanny. I never figure these out. There is an awesome twist at the end. I read these so fast and it is hard to wait for the next one!
January 7, 2025
Another really great book in this series. I enjoy the uniqueness of the main character and the knowledge of the author. I hope there will be more in this series.
October 22, 2024
Thoughts: This is the fourth in a series. As such, since I hadn’t read the previous ones, I wasn’t sure who all the characters were and what their relationships were, but the author quickly brought me up to speed without hitting me over the head with the information. I really liked Maeve. She’s a no-nonsense kind of person who knows what she’s doing, but still admits she has doubts about some things. Just not about her midwifery. It’s the whole teaching at a college that makes her gulp. But she handles it with the same aplomb as she does delivering a baby in the backseat of a van (which she does in the opening scene).
I found the tidbits of information at the beginning of each chapter interesting. I just wasn’t sure what they were doing there. This was a murder mystery, not a study of obstetrics. The beginning of the story started out rather slowly for me, but did pick up once the body appeared. There were plenty of suspects for her and her sister (the M&Ms! LOL) to investigate and pass along any info they got to their cop brother Pat.
There were quite a few stereotypes as far as characters went, but the author wove them in with enough skill that you didn’t mind. I loved Maeve’s mother. She’s a hoot in a wheelchair and sparkles. And her sister is stylistic in her fancy clothes and shoes. But the funniest part was the “Yummy” crowd at the posh gym. All that spandex in lollipop colors! Had to laugh at that. Especially when the M&Ms joined them. Maeve was definitely not comfortable in her violet outfit. And her coworkers! They were fun too.
In other words, though there was some slowness, there was enough LOL moments that I kept reading and smiling.
Recommended.
Disclosure of Material: I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”
I found the tidbits of information at the beginning of each chapter interesting. I just wasn’t sure what they were doing there. This was a murder mystery, not a study of obstetrics. The beginning of the story started out rather slowly for me, but did pick up once the body appeared. There were plenty of suspects for her and her sister (the M&Ms! LOL) to investigate and pass along any info they got to their cop brother Pat.
There were quite a few stereotypes as far as characters went, but the author wove them in with enough skill that you didn’t mind. I loved Maeve’s mother. She’s a hoot in a wheelchair and sparkles. And her sister is stylistic in her fancy clothes and shoes. But the funniest part was the “Yummy” crowd at the posh gym. All that spandex in lollipop colors! Had to laugh at that. Especially when the M&Ms joined them. Maeve was definitely not comfortable in her violet outfit. And her coworkers! They were fun too.
In other words, though there was some slowness, there was enough LOL moments that I kept reading and smiling.
Recommended.
Disclosure of Material: I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”
January 12, 2025
This was absolutely incredible. Maeve and Will are navigating things quite well with their two young daughters. Maeve is given an opportunity to teach about what she loves most. On her morning rowing exercise she sees someone in need of medical attention and offers aid. Little does she know she will be further involved in the days to come. I absolutely love the crime solving antics between Maeve and Meg. Their mom also provides a bit of help this time around. The killer was not at all who I expected nor the true reason behind it. What a great book.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.
September 16, 2025
3.5 ⭐️ like a Scooby Doo mystery. I really love the characters ❤️
October 31, 2025
Enjoyed the fourth book of the series. Very easy reading.
December 31, 2024
Another absorbing murder mystery solved by a midwife and a real estate broker. The midwife and real estate broker happen to be sisters who have solved other murders. Their brother (the police chief) normally tries to discourage his sister's involvement in crime solving. This time he asked for their help and fortunately they solved the case.
Marvelous characters besides the sisters and their families include hospital co-workers, patients, students, nannies, and the Yummy Mummies.
The book encompasses a wide variety of interesting topics, careers, and lifestyles. It's more than a murder story. It's a well written life story that uncovers the culprit who almost got away with murder. Engaging and exciting, it was hard to put down!
Marvelous characters besides the sisters and their families include hospital co-workers, patients, students, nannies, and the Yummy Mummies.
The book encompasses a wide variety of interesting topics, careers, and lifestyles. It's more than a murder story. It's a well written life story that uncovers the culprit who almost got away with murder. Engaging and exciting, it was hard to put down!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews