Maeve sits down for a question-and-answer session with dru’s book musings so that we can learn more about what makes her tick. Let’s see what Maeve has to say.

What is your full name?
I’m Maeve O’Reilly Kensington

How old are you?
I’m thirty-six.

What is your profession?
I’m a certified nurse midwife.

Do you have a significant other?
Yes, a wonderful partner.

What is their name and profession?
My husband is Will Kensington and he runs a fabulous catering company called A Thyme for All Seasons.

Do you have any children?
Yes, I have two daughters. Rowan Margaret is two and Sloane Genevieve is one.

Do you have any siblings?
There are four of us. I have two older siblings, Patrick and Meg. I also have a younger brother, Aidan.

Are your parents nearby?
My father died when I was in high school, but my mother, Mary Margaret Callahan O’Reilly, lives in a nearby town.

Who is your best friend?
My sister Meg. We laugh, we cry, and life is so much richer with her in it. She is my sister and my best friend.

Do you have cats, dogs, or other pets?
I have a feisty short haired dachshund named Fenway. I often say, who rescued whom?

What town do you live in?
I live in Langford, a lovely New England seaside town in Massachusetts.

What type of dwelling do you own or rent?
My family is so lucky to own Primrose Cottage. It is a converted carriage house with a wonderful garden and a glimpse of the Atlantic.

What is your favorite spot in your home?
My kitchen is the heart of my home. It’s where we eat daily and celebrate family events. It has a fireplace and overlooks my garden.

What is your favorite meal and dessert?
My husband is an amazing chef who always cooks for us. My favorite meal is grilled swordfish, corn on the cob, asparagus and roasted red potatoes. My favorite dessert is my Triple Fudge chocolate cake. The recipe is in Murder at the Wedding.

Do you have any hobbies?
Well, I am very busy with my two girls and my work, but I try to row on the bay a few times each week. I also knit badly and read mysteries.

What music do you listen to?
I love Broadway show tunes, Motown and, of course, Taylor Swift.

What is your favorite color?
I can easily fall in love with all shades of purple.

What is your favorite vacation spot?
I’ll only been a few times, but Maine captured my heart from my first visit.

Are you a morning or night person?
Because of my profession and my children, I have become a morning person who turns in early. Calling me after 9PM is a lost cause.

What is your idea of a really fun time?
My entire family gets together for dinner every week. It can be home cooked or take out. The food is secondary to the constant banter and love. It’s the O’Reilly version of Blue Bloods.

If you were to write a memoir, what would you call it?
Stay Calm and Call the Midwife

Amateur or professional sleuth and whom do you work with?
I am purely an amateur sleuth. I’m lucky to have my older sister Meg and my indomitable Boston Irish mother as my partners.

What is a typical day in your life like?
On workdays, I rise early, kiss my husband Will goodbye and have a quick snuggle with my girls before I leave for Creighton Memorial Hospital. Usually, I help a few babies come into the world and hopefully don’t come across any dead bodies on the way home.

Giveaway: Christine has generously offered to give away one print copy of Murder at First Light. To enter, please leave a comment below. One entry per person and the giveaway is limited to U.S. residents only. Giveaway ends January 11, 2025. Good luck everyone!

Murder at First Light: A Modern Midwife Mystery, Book 4
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Release: January 2025
Format: Print, Digital, Audio
Purchase Link

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!

About the author
Christine Knapp practiced as a nurse-midwife for many years. A writer of texts and journal articles, she is thrilled to combine her love of midwifery and mysteries as a fiction author. Christine currently narrates books for the visually and print impaired. A dog lover, she lives near Boston.

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