Excerpt from MURDER ON THE GREEN by Christine Knapp
"Well, you certainly look comfy," Meg said, eyeing my navy jersey pants and top.
"It's an overnight flight, Meg. I thought this outfit was perfect."
Meg was niftily attired in a jet-black Eileen Fisher crepe ensemble. As usual, she
would look cover-ready on arrival in Dublin.
By means of defending my wardrobe choice, I said, "I do hope we get a few hours
of shut-eye. Can you imagine clearing customs with our group after no sleep?"
We pulled up to Hanville Grove and saw a large crowd at the entrance. Mom,
Gaby, Louella, and Ethel were front and center, surrounded by green balloons. All of
them were adorned in long sequined emerald scarves.
"Ireland may never recover," Meg said as we exited the Uber. "Come to think of
it, we may never recover."
Laughing, we rolled our suitcases over to the gathering. A few minutes later, the
limo pulled up. As we got in, goodbyes were called out by the large group.
"Have a wonderful time."
"Don't forget we need photos."
"Kiss the Blarney Stone, but don't break a hip."
"Drink a pint of Guinness for me. Actually, drink two."
"Erin go Bragh."
Finally, we were fully loaded, wheels up, and rolling for Logan Airport.
Champagne popped, and Mom and her friends chatted excitedly nonstop. I put my head
back into the deep leather seat. We were on our way!
The Aer Lingus lounge was heavenly. Sitting in a comfy chair, I feasted on scones
and tea to get myself in an Irish state of mind. It was a delightful new experience with a
lounge to wait in and plane seats that converted to beds. No wonder passengers
disembarking from the front of the aircraft always looked so well-rested.
Once seated on the aircraft, our group took up a large portion of the business class
cabin. Meg had placed Mom and her friends in front of us so we would know if they
needed any assistance. From our vantage point, we could see Mom, Gaby, and Ethel
chatting nonstop to the cabin crew. Although Louella was silent as usual, she was
listening intently to every word. They undoubtedly were relaying every minute detail of
our trip.
"That gab fest could be considered a 'friendly' hostage situation," Meg muttered as
she leaned back and shut her eyes.
"Welcome. May I get you a beverage?" asked a deeply dimpled, middle-aged
female flight attendant.
"A gin and tonic, thanks," Meg said.
"A glass of Chardonnay, please."
"I hope the ladies don't keep you on your feet all night," Meg commented.
"They are so excited. I love to see their joy. I've already heard about the amazing
lotto win and every one of the relatives they will visit."
As she moved to the fiftyish chestnut-haired guy sitting across the aisle, I heard
her ask, "Going home or on holiday?"
"I'm a first-timer. I'm going to a work conference in Dublin."
He ordered a whiskey neat and settled back in his seat. Hopefully, our group
would not disturb his trip.
Once in the air and over Canada, Meg and I were served a delicious roast chicken
meal. After dessert, we both got up to stretch and visit the restroom before trying to sleep.
"What are you girls doing? Why are you both up at the same time?" Mom cried
out as we passed her row.
Mom was seated beside Gaby. On her pull-down table was a small wooden statue
of Saint Christopher, the patron saint of travelers. Even though he had been slightly
demoted and his feast day removed from Catholic calendars, Mom never gave up on him.
Along with the saint, a large bronze crucifix, vials of holy water, colorful prayer cards,
and an oversized, white, glow-in-the-dark rosary made a tableau of divine protection. Her
collection could easily rival a Vatican Museum display. For an extra safeguard, Mom had
adorned Gaby's seat with rose-scented rosary beads and a lacy black mantilla often worn
at Catholic masses years ago.
"We're going to the restroom, Mom," Meg said.
"Only one of you at a time! The plane must be balanced. Maeve, you can go when
someone from across the aisle gets up." Even though Meg and I were seated behind her,
Mom kept an eagle eye on us.
Mouth agape, I went back to my seat. There was no sense arguing aerodynamics
on an international flight with Mom.
As I buckled my seatbelt, the man across the aisle spoke, "When you're ready, I
can get up with you, so the plane won't go down."
"Thank you for understanding. It's my mother's first flight."
As we talked, I discovered his name was Rob Larson from Portsmouth, New
Hampshire. He was an IT professional and planned to stay in Dublin for the week.
Amazingly, during the entire flight, he always got up when I did and kept Mom appeased.
When I returned to my seat, I started watching Waking Ned Devine in honor of
Mom's lottery win. Although I grew up listening to my father's Irish brogue, I wanted to
prepare to hear the accent full-time. About halfway through, I fell asleep dreaming of
cozy peat fires, rocky coasts, and colorful characters.
"Maeve, look," Meg said, touching my arm and startling me awake.
A patchwork quilt of green appeared out the plane window and stretched for
miles. It was magnificent! Who knew green came in so many shades?
Applause broke out in the rows ahead of us. Mom, Gaby, Ethel, and Louella had
the window shades up and were applauding the view.
Ireland, here we come. Rest, relaxation, family, new sights, and no sleuthing!
I couldn't wait.
Copyright © 2025 by Christine Knapp, Courtesy of Gemma Halliday Publishing
Modern Midwife #5
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?
Mystery Amateur Sleuth | Mystery Cozy | Mystery Woman Sleuth [Gemma Halliday Publishing, On Sale: June 24, 2025, Paperback / e-Book , ISBN: 9798286846368 / eISBN: 9798224162703]
Christine Knapp practiced as a nurse-midwife for many years. A writer of texts and journal articles, she is now thrilled to combine her love of midwifery and mysteries as a debut author. Christine currently narrates books for the visually impaired. A dog lover, she lives near Boston.
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