Wednesday, April 22, 2026

My Thoughts Murder Under A Bitter Moon: A 1930s Mona Moon Historical Cozy Mystery by Abigail Keam

Murder Under A Bitter Moon:

A 1930s Mona Moon Historical Cozy Mystery
by Abigail Keam

About Murder Under A Bitter Moon

Murder Under A Bitter Moon: A 1930s Mona Moon Historical Cozy Mystery
Historical Cozy Mystery
15th in Series
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Worker Bee Press
Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 20, 2026
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0F92Y5XB7

Mona Moon adores Kentucky Derby week, enjoying all the festivities. She is hosting a ladies’ tea and a Derby breakfast herself. The celebration at Moon Manor will include her former professor and mentor, Dr. Beryl Farris. Mona is delighted to have an old friend visit, but is concerned when Dr. Farris confesses that someone has been threatening her. Worried, Mona assigns Pinkertons to protect the professor.
The night before the Kentucky Derby race, Mona is preparing to attend Ed Bradley’s famous Derby Ball. The entire Mooncrest Farm is aflutter with excitement and gaiety for the upcoming event. Celebrities, politicians, and prominent citizens will be enjoying shrimp grits, burgoo, cornbread, country ham, and mint juleps while dishing the latest gossip at this yearly event. Mona’s anticipation is dashed when she discovers Dr. Farris is missing! And Mona fears the worst!

About Abigail Keam

Award-winning author Abigail Keam writes the Mona Moon Mystery Series—a rags-to-riches 1930s mystery series, which weaves real people and events into the story. “I am a student of history and love to insert historical information into my mysteries. There is an addendum at the end of the mystery to give more information. My goal is to entertain my readers, but if they learn a little something along the way—well, then we are both happy.”

Miss Abigail currently lives in a metal house with her husband and various critters on the Palisades bordering the Kentucky River.

AWARDS

2010 Gold Medal Award from Readers’ Favorite for Death By A HoneyBee
2011 Gold Medal Award from Readers’ Favorite for Death By Drowning
2011 USA BOOK NEWS-Best Books List of 2011 as a Finalist for Death By Drowning
2011 USA BOOK NEWS-Best Books List of 2011 as a Finalist for Death By A HoneyBee
2017 Finalist from Readers’ Favorite for Death By Design
2019 Honorable Mention from Readers’ Favorite for Death By Stalking
2019 Murder Under A Blue Moon voted top ten mystery reads by Kings River Life Magazine
2020 Finalist from Readers’ Favorite for Murder Under A Blue Moon
2020 Imadjinn Award for Best Mystery for Death By Stalking 2022 Finalist in Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Finalist for Best Historical Category – Murder Under A Full Moon
2022 Finalist the Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award for Best Historical Category – Murder Under A New Moon
2022 Death By Chance: A Josiah Reynolds Mystery Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Finalist for Best Cozy Mystery
2022 Top Ten Mystery Novel by Kings River Life Magazine for Murder Under A Bridal Moon: A 1930s Mona Moon Mystery
2022 Top Ten Mystery Novel by Kings River Life Magazine for Murder Under A British Moon: A 1930s Mona Moon Mystery

THE MONA MOON MYSTERY SERIES
1930s Historical Mysteries
Murder Under A Blue Moon I
Murder Under A Blood Moon II
Murder Under A Bad Moon III
Murder Under A Silver Moon IV
Murder Under A Wolf Moon V
Murder Under A Black Moon VI
Murder Under A Full Moon VII
Murder Under A New Moon VIII
Murder Under A English Moon IX
Murder Under A British Moon X
Murder Under A Bridal Moon XI
Murder Under A Western Moon
Murder Under A Honey Moon
Murder Under A Cold Moon
Murder Under A Mystic Moon

Author Links
Official Site Facebook Instagram Pinterest Amazon TikTok

Purchase Links – Amazon B&N Kobo Google Books

My Thoughts

Murder Under A Bitter Moon is book fifteen in the Mona Moon Historical Cozy Mystery series that is written by Abigail Keam. I’ve not read the series before and I did know feel like I was missing anything. I absolutely loved this setting. This book is set in the 1930’s and it’s Kentucky Derby Season.

Mona Moon is a wealthy independent woman. It’s not as common back then. However she’s interesting because she seems to find mysteries where ever she goes. I love strong independent women characters even when they find themselves in the middle of a mystery. She and her husband, Robert Farley (Duke of Brynelletth) are preparing for Derby Season.

Her mentor, Dr. Beryl Farris is giving a speech at the ladies tea. Mona wants everything to be perfect. Dr. Farris has been working on some research that may not sit right with southern folks. I’m always fascinated with the way the war was seen through the north and the south. However in this case, on Derby Day, Dr. Farris isn’t anywhere to be seen. Mona need to find out who wants to silence her mentor. Let the adventure begin. Lots of clues in the story. I enjoyed putting the pieces together.

You’ll probably enjoy this book if you like

Cozy mysteries (like Murder, She Wrote vibes), Historical fiction with a twist, Strong, confident female leads, Light suspense without gore and High society drama.

My only regret is that I’m coming into the series at book 15. I must go back and read the whole series.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Great Escapes Virtual Tours for allowing me to read a copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

April 22 – Connie‘s History Classroom – REVIEW

April 23 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT

April 23 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT

April 24 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – SPOTLIGHT

April 24 – Salty Inspirations – SPOTLIGHT

April 25 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT

April 25 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

April 26 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – SPOTLIGHT

April 26 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

April 27 – Sarandipity’s – SPOTLIGHT

April 27 – Sarcastically Yours, Jen– SPOTLIGHT

April 28 – Cozy Up With Kathy – SPOTLIGHT

April 28 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

April 29 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT

April 29 – deal sharing aunt – SPOTLIGHT

Sunday, April 5, 2026

MY THOUGHTS - A Staged Death: Lady Librarian Mysteries by Samantha Larsen

A Staged Death: Lady Librarian Mysteries by Samantha Larsen

A Staged Death: Lady Librarian Mysteries
by Samantha Larsen

A Staged Death is responsible for my latest book hangover, keeping me up to the early morning hours. It was worth every minute. Ms. Larsen is a fabulous storyteller, and I eagerly await each new installment of this series. I am excited to say this is the 1st book to receive my Paradise rating this year, landing it on my Best Reads List for 2026.
~Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book

Dramatics abound in A STAGED DEATH where complex family relations make for an ingeniously plotted mystery.
~Cozy Up With Kathy

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: fans of historical mysteries should not miss out on this series! I’ve read all the books so far in this series and they are all so great.
~Sarah Can’t Stop Reading Books

5-STAR
A Staged Death is a highly entertaining historical mystery in the Georgian Era. I thoroughly enjoyed this book from the first page to the last.
~Novels Alive

If you enjoy historical cozy mysteries, then I recommend you pick up A Stage Murder. I know I will be watching for other books in this series. 4 Stars:
~Carla Loves To Read

About A Staged Death

A Staged Death: Lady Librarian Mysteries
Historical Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Setting – 1787, Bath.
Publisher: Dreamscape First
Audible.com Release Date: March 31, 2026
Listening Length: 8 hours and 30 minutes
Author: Samantha Larsen
Narrator: Marni Penning
ASIN: B0GCGRPKHW

A cozy historical mystery set in the 18th century—perfect for Bridgerton fans!
1787, Bath. Mrs. Tiffany Lathrop has catalogued the entire library at Astwell Palace and is feeling rather dull when Mr. Thomas Montague invites her and her husband Samir to visit Bath. Thomas begs Tiffany to help reconcile his mother Catharine, the Marchioness of Harwood, on his engagement to the famous actress Miss Rosalyn Arden—a beautiful young woman with bright red curls and eyes of mismatched color.
Eager to see his beloved, Thomas stops at the Theatre Royal with Tiffany and they discover a dead body wearing a red wig in Rosalyn’s dressing room. The body is that of Miss Julia Shakespeare, Rosalyn’s understudy and the person who has been blackmailing members of the acting company. Not only are the actors behaving suspiciously, but so are Rosalyn’s newly reconciled relatives that cast her off nine years before when she jilted Sir Frederick Bingham, who then married her younger sister.
If all the world is a stage, then someone acting innocent must be the murderer. Can Tiffany solve the mystery before the final curtain?
©2018 Samantha Larsen (P)2026 Dreamscape First

About Samantha Larsen

Samantha Hastings met her husband in a turkey sandwich line. They live in Salt Lake City, Utah, where she spends most of her time reading, having tea parties, and chauffeuring her four kids. She teaches World Literature at Brigham Young University. Her young adult fiction books are Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selections, and her historical romances are published around the world. She also writes murder mysteries under Samantha Larsen that Publisher’s Weekly called “wildly enjoyable.”

Author Links

Website www.SamanthaHastings.com

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/samanthahastingsauthor/

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SamanthaHastingsAuthor

X https://x.com/HastingSamantha

BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/samantha-hastings

Purchase Links: Dreamscape – Amazon – B&N

MY THOUGHTS

A Staged Death: Lady Librarian Mysteries by Samantha Larsen. I was so excited to get to listen to this audiobook. This is a new to me author, and she can move into my TBR anytime. This book is set in 1787. Which is not a time period that I read about very often.

Librarian Tiffany Lathrop is at it again! She can’t seem to go anywhere without stumbling across dead bodies & a mystery to solve. This time she’s off to Bath with her husband, Samir. They have been invited by Mr. Thomas Montague. He wants them to come along to help smooth out the announcement of his engagement with hs mother.

Rosalyn, his fiance, is a actress - and her understudy is found dead. Tiffany digs in and the question becmes, was Rosalyn the target?

While this is part of a series, I did not have any issues following along, The narrator did a beautiful job in bringing these characters to life. This was a joyful book - with the perfect blend of history, mystery and cozy vibes.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours - for allowing me to read a copy of this book - all thoughts are my own.

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

March 31 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

March 31 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW

March 31 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

April 1 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT

April 1 – Sarah Can’t Stop Reading Books – REVIEW

April 2 – Salty Inspirations – AUTHOR GUEST POST

April 2 – Novels Alive – REVIEW

April 2 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

April 3 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT

April 3 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

April 3 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT

April 4 – The Editing Pen – AUTHOR GUEST POST

April 4 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – SPOTLIGHT

April 4 – Carla Loves To Read – REVIEW

April 5 – Connie’s History Classroom – REVIEW

April 5 – Sarandipity’s – CHARACTER GUEST POST

April 6 – Hall Ways Blog – REVIEW

April 6 – deal sharing aunt – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

Thursday, March 26, 2026

My Thoughts - Mail-Order Baroness Author: Misty M. Beller

About the Book

Book: Mail-Order Baroness

Author: Misty M. Beller

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: February 10, 2026

Five sons of an English duke, all raised in the Rocky Mountains…

James Balfour, the charming middle son of an English duke, is determined to prove he’s capable of taking leadership of his family’s Montana ranch as the next deadly winter approaches. With the household stretched to its limits, James crafts a clever plan to hire Rose Prescott—his childhood best friend—and to right an old wrong.

Rose’s remarkable singing voice was meant to be her gift, but in Virginia City, it’s become her curse. Forced by her stepfather to perform nightly shows, she dreams of escape and a life free from his control. When a newspaper ad for a housekeeper offers her a way out, she risks everything and flees, hoping her stepfather can’t find her. She never expected to return to the Balfour ranch, nor to see James again, whose charm now reminds her too much of the men who’ve betrayed her before.

James’s desire to protect Rose is shaken when his old friend treats him like an enemy. Winning her trust becomes his greatest challenge yet. As tensions rise on the ranch, old secrets and new dangers threaten everything James and his family have built.

With enemies closing in, Rose must decide whom she can trust—and whether she’s willing to fight for the freedom and love she’s always longed for.

From a USA Today bestselling author comes a royal family saga featuring a mail-order bride, a second chance romance, and an aristocratic marriage of convenience…all set in the rugged Montana Territory.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Misty M. Beller is an ECPA and USA Today bestselling author with over 1 million books sold. She writes romantic mountain stories, set on the 1800s frontier and woven with the truth of God’s love.

Raised on a farm and surrounded by family, Misty developed her love for horses, history, and adventure. These days, her husband and children provide fresh adventure every day, keeping her both grounded and crazy.

Misty’s passion is to create inspiring Christian fiction infused with the grandeur of the mountains, writing historical romance that displays God’s abundant love through the twists and turns in the lives of her characters.

Sharing her stories with readers is a dream come true for Misty. She writes from her country home in South Carolina and escapes to the mountains any chance she gets.

More from Misty

Hello Reader Friends!

I’m so excited to be back with you in the Lords of the Rockies world—where Regency roots and Montana grit collide in the best kind of way.

When I first dreamed up this series, I couldn’t stop thinking about what would happen if five sons of an English duke were raised far from ballrooms and titled expectations…out in the wide-open wilderness instead. No polished drawing rooms. No London Season. Just rugged mountains, hard work, and the kind of faith that’s tested (and strengthened) when survival itself requires perseverance.

And now I’m thrilled to share the newest installment with you…

Welcome to Mail-Order Baroness!

One of my favorite things about writing romance is getting to explore the truth that God is always in the business of redemption—of taking what’s been broken and offering something new. That’s one reason I especially love the second-chance romance trope.

There’s just something so moving about two people who have already been hurt—by life, by circumstances, sometimes even by each other—and yet are given an unexpected opportunity to try again. Not because everything is suddenly easy, but because they’re different now. Wiser. Humbled. More aware of what truly matters.

In Mail-Order Baroness, you’ll find a love story rooted in that kind of hope—the kind that doesn’t ignore the past, but doesn’t let the past have the final word either.

If you enjoy stories with:

old wounds that still ache
hard-earned forgiveness
trust rebuilt one choice at a time
and the gentle reminder that God can restore what feels beyond saving

…then I think this one will tug at your heart.

At its core, this book is about a fresh start that doesn’t come from pretending yesterday didn’t happen—but from bravely stepping forward anyway, learning to hope again, and discovering that the Lord can write something beautiful even after disappointment.

I pray you love Mail-Order Baroness! J

Blessings!

Misty

MY THOUGHTS

In this book, We meet James. He is the middle son of an English Duke. He wants to show that he is capable of running the family Montana ranch - and he realizes that he needs to hire some help. So he hires his childhood friend, Rose. Rose has had rough life She has a beautiful singing voice, but she is forced to perform every night. Her stepfather does not care about her, just the money she is able to make. When she answers the housekeeping ad, she has no idea what she is walking into. She is so used to being hurt, so she has a lot of trust issues.

I really liked how when James realized that his childhood friend was the one applying, he became protective of her. He wants to help keep her safe and wants to ensure that her stepfather does not find her. The theme of this story is redemption. I love how Rose evolves throughout the book. I loved catching up with the Balfour family - and look forward to the next book.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Celebrate Lit for allowing me to read a copy of this book - all thoughts are my own.