Murder Under A Honey Moon: A 1930s Mona Moon Historical Cozy Mystery Book 12

Mona Moon Mystery #12

by Abigail Keam

Mona Moon and her new husband, Robert Farley, Duke of Brynelleth, are on their honeymoon at last. They have just boarded the RMS Majesty ocean liner. The couple are looking forward to visiting Robert’s ancestral English home, Brynelleth, and then off to Paris before winding up on the Italian Riviera. After a romantic evening of dancing until the wee hours of the night, Mona and Robert discover their suite has been ransacked and Mona’s jewelry, supposedly secured in their stateroom, has been stolen. Mona is horrified, as some of the jewelry belongs to the Brynelleth Estate and were cherished pieces of Robert’s mother. The ship’s crew searches the ocean liner, and a gold brooch turns up in a bartender’s cabin. It is the same bartender who served Mona earlier in the evening. The only problem is the bartender has been murdered and the rest of the jewelry is still missing.

Genres: Historical Fiction

250 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 19, 2024

About the author

Hello Gentle Reader,

I am Abigail Keam, the award-winning author of the Josiah Reynolds Mystery Series and the 1930s Mona Moon Mystery Series.

I am a professional beekeeper and have won 16 awards for my honey. I live in a metal house overlooking the Kentucky River. I have the great fortune to live near some of the most beautiful horse farms in the Bluegrass.

In addition to the Josiah Reynolds Mysteries, I also write the Princess Maura Tales (Epic Fantasy) and the Last Chance Motel Series (Sweet Romance).

I love animals, Kentucky bourbon, and chocolate. Now if they could combine bourbon and chocolate together, I would be in heaven.

I come from a family of storytellers, so it was only natural I would put my stories to paper. I do so hope my tales give you some pleasure and enjoyment. I would certainly love to hear from you. Signing off now to get back to writing. Yours truly,
Miss Abigail

AWARDS
2010 Gold Medal Award from Readers’ Favorite for Death By A HoneyBee: A Josiah Reynolds Mystery

2011 Gold Medal Award from Readers' Favorite for Death By Drowning: A Josiah Reynolds Mystery

2011 USA BOOK NEWS-Best Books List of 2011 as a Finalist for Death By Drowning: A Josiah Reynolds Mystery

2011 USA BOOK NEWS-Best Books List of 2011 as a Finalist for Death By A HoneyBee: A Josiah Reynolds Mystery

2017 Finalist from Readers’ Favorite for Death By Design: A Josiah Reynolds Mystery

2019 Honorable Mention from Readers’ Favorite for Death By Stalking: A Josiah Reynolds Mystery

2019 Murder Under A Blue Moon: A 1930s Mona Moon Mystery voted top ten mystery reads by Kings River Life Magazine

2020 Finalist from Readers' Favorite for Murder Under A Blue Moon: A 1930s Mona Moon Mystery

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

Reviews

[T Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the latest of Keam's "Mona Moon" series. Again, Robert and Mona are boarding an ocean liner, setting out on their honeymoon. Will they set sail for a romantic, UNEVENTFUL honeymoon??
Of course not! We're talking mystery here.
I love the way Keam weaves history and fascinating historical figures into Mona's adventures. This book is no exception. Mona encounters a bookish academic, a lady spy, a fascist-sympathizing British woman and the incomparable Noel Coward -- all of them real historical people who seamlessly fit into Mona's world.
Another great read!

[Susan Reads Cozies · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first book from this series and from this author. I usually do not read many historical cozy mysteries. I enjoyed this book a lot. I was instantly drawn to Mona’s character. She is confident and heroic. I like that Mona can hold her own when it comes to other people and their comments. She can give as good as she gets. I was laughing quite a bit. I love the relationship between Mona and her new husband, Robert. They complement each other well. I want to check out some of the other books in the series just to get more of Mona’s personality.
 
This had a murder mystery along with the mystery of the missing jewels. I like when there is more than one mystery to solve. You are trying to figure out if it’s related or not. There were a few times in the book where I was surprised. I was not expecting that outcome. The author does a good job of keeping you entertained with witty comments or wondering what is going to happen next.

[Cozy Reader Lady · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Murder Under a Honey Moon (A 1930's Mona Moon Historical Cozy Mystery #12)" by Abigail Keam is an example of why I don't do ocean liners/cruise ships. It had examples of nearly everything that could go wrong while on ship across the Atlantic while being set in a pre-World War II era. The author does a good job establishing time era and yet still making it feel modern enough to not irritate modern mindsets.

The mystery was part jewel theft part murder mystery. Poor Mona Moon just can't escape trouble and relax. It at least gets acknowledged that it's starting to wear her out. She has to track down what happened to her stolen jewelry while a slowly sinking ship, post hurricane, and murder are high on everyone else's mind. There are a few good suspects but the one I had in mind eventually was it. I'm not totally sure why I settled on them but something about them just stuck out to me.

[Mellie Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

If you love a story with the charm of the 1930's, drama, and romance all in one, this book is a must. Join the high seas adventure as Mona and Robert Farley sail off on a honeymoon, which leads them to a different kind of excitement than they were expecting.

[Carrie Schmidt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poor Mona and ‘Lord Bob’. They’re still trying to have a relaxing honeymoon cruise after their plans were derailed in the previous book, Murder Under a Western Moon. I hate to be the bearer of misfortune for them, but it’s not going to happen in this book either. Maybe third time will be the charm? At least they do make it onto the ocean liner (just barely) and set sail in Murder Under a Honey Moon but even that doesn’t quite go according to plan. All manner of disaster awaits them – basically, if you can think of something to derail a cruise it will happen in this book – but that just makes the plot layers all the more entertaining. In other words, it’s bad news for these two newlyweds… but good news for readers!

One of the things I enjoy most about the Mona Moon series is the parade of historical figures that Mona and her dashing duke seem to encounter in each book. Some personalities are more well-known than others but they’re always fascinating to read about, including the author note at the end that gives further details on the real-life people featured. Murder Under a Honey Moon features playwrights, journalists, spies, professors, and an infamous socialite with ties to Hitler, and I enjoyed ‘meeting’ them all through the magic of fiction and watching their interactions with Mona and Robert – and each other, too. For her own part, Mona remains almost unflappable when it comes to doing what must be done, something that makes her a strong and savvy investigator. I thought her sleuthing in this book was quite insightful, and she earned several kudos from me for going the extra mile in uncovering the evidence this time around.

Bottom Line: Set sail on the high seas with Mona Moon and her new husband, but hold on tight to a life preserver because it’s definitely not a smooth voyage. Intriguing historical figures join the journey, making for colorful companions and representing the tone of the era well. Mona continues to delight as a strong personality with a big heart, her penchant for solving crimes adding further dimension to her character and keeping the story moving forward at its easy pace. I enjoyed this variation on Christie’s locked room mystery trope, and I look forward to whatever adventure Mona and Robert find themselves embroiled in next.

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

first reviewed at Reading Is My SuperPower

[Valerie Irwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are a fan of Author Abigail Keam and appreciate her finesse for story telling, you are, no doubt, already a Mona Moon fan. If, however, you are new to this series, I invite you to find a cozy nook to curl up in, grab a cup of coffee and settle in as you read this delightful and captivating latest adventure of Mona Moon!!

A few weeks after their wedding, Mona and Roger are finally able to set sail to England as they begin their honeymoon! Things get off to a rough start when they are nearly stopped from boarding due to a simple ploy to keep their well known identities hidden from the public. Once they are finally boarded and cleared through security, they make the most out of their first night on board with dinner at the Captain's table, where they are introduced to some fascinating guests, followed by a night of dancing, music,song and romance. As they return to their room, however, they find it has been ransacked and the family jewels, which Roger had provided for Mona to wear during their wedding, have been stolen. But how? Their doors were locked as were the cabin windows! Though the jewels were insured, they had been used as collateral for loans to improve his family estate in England and could cause the bank to call in the loan if their theft was made public.

Mona is not new to solving mysteries and this one would require her utmost attention. When one crew member is found dead and then another, something is not adding up. Together with her new husband and several interesting cruise companions, Mona faces everything from stalkers and hurricanes to pirates and heroic feats of courage to solve this newest mystery!!!

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Murder Under a Honey Moon is a historical mystery about Mona Moon and Robert Farley, who are traveling on a 1930's ocean liner for their honeymoon. After Mona's jewelry is stolen and the main suspect is murdered, they decide to investigate the case.

I wanted to read Murder Under a Honey Moon because I enjoy both historical mysteries and cozy mysteries, and this book falls into both genres. The 1930's setting (unusual for me with historical reads) and long ago ocean liner travel was appealing.

This book is part of the Mona Moon series. I have not read the other books (yet!) but had no problem enjoying this mystery as a standalone read.

I thoroughly enjoyed this smart, well written mystery. The 1930's historical details were interesting. I especially liked the ocean travel and the inclusion of characters like Noel Coward, Martha Gellhorn, and Unity Mitford, one of the Mitford sisters. The snappy dialogue in the book was delightful!

The mystery plot was well done and kept me guessing. I enjoyed Mona and Robert as amateur sleuths.

I am glad to learn about this mystery series, as I enjoyed Murder Under a Honey Moon and look forward to reading further with the series. I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys historical mysteries, cozy mysteries, and 1930's settings.

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the author, the publisher and Books R Us FB page.

Yes, I know this is the 12th in the series but I entered the giveaway because the plot looked interesting and didn't care what number it was. This is my first book by her.

An interesting mystery set in the 1930s aboard a ship traveling from the United States to England with Mona Moon and her new husband Robert Farley (also known as the Duke and Duchess of Brynelleth), who are on their honeymoon, when their room was ransacked and her jewels were stolen. They weren't only expensive but needed for an important issue. Mona is horrified, as some of the jewelry belongs to the Brynelleth Estate and were cherished pieces of Robert’s mother. The ship’s crew searches the ocean liner, and a gold brooch turns up in a bartender’s cabin. It is the same bartender who served Mona earlier in the evening. The only problem is the bartender has been murdered and the rest of the jewelry is still missing. There is one famous person on board who befriends Mona – the playwright Noel Coward.

It all comes together at the end of course.

Another 2 day read for me.

[Miss W Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder Under A Honey Moon is Book 12 in the Mona Moon series by Abigail Keam.

I love Mona Moon, one of the best characters I have read in historical fiction cozy mysteries.

She has so much going on, as always and I really enjoyed this book so much!

Mona and her new husband are on their honeymoon, FINALLY! They are on a large ocean liner.

When the two are out on a romantic night they return to their room to find Mona's jewelry stolen!!

The mystery doesn't end there, and Mona is kept quite busy as the weather has turned and there is a murder mystery. The author does such a fantastic job with the time period of pre WW2!

I really loved the setting of the ocean liner.

There was no shortage of suspects, and I didn't guess who it was.

This is a well written perfectly paced murder with great characters that i have come to love!

[DJ Sakata · Rating 5 out of 5]

Favorite Quotes:

Of course, my dear, we are British. We don’t make a fuss. It’s unbecoming and makes for awkward situations. We don’t want another Titanic on our hands.

She looks like the village milkmaid next to you, because you look like a queen.

My Review:

This was an active tale placing Mona Moon and her new royal husband aboard an ocean liner containing jewel thieves, murderers, Pinkerton agents, pirates, a sinking ship, fascists, socialites, and Noel Coward. I revel in the clever and entertaining manner in which Ms. Keam weaves historical figures and events into her compelling stories. I tend to keep Mr. Google busy during perusal.

[Laura Steinert · Rating 2 out of 5]

First of all, the cover art STILL shows a miniature poodle when it should be a standard poodle. It's almost as if no one in production of these twelve books has ever read one. Infuriating. Secondly, I skipped two books that I will now never read as Mona took a voyage without her dog--which means it probably died in one of the books I missed.
The book is still light, silly fun that fills a boring evening.

[Phyllis Bernstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars.
This was the first book I’ve read by this author. I really enjoyed this historical cozy mystery. Mona and Robert go on a cruise for their honeymoon and murder and robbery follow them. This book was entertaining, funny at times. It reminded me of the old Thin Msn series. Loved the banter between Mona and Robert. The mystery had good surprises

[Shanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast Paced Engaging Read!

Abigail Keam does it again! I don't know how she can write so many stories that are so delightful to read. There is never a dull or disappointing moment when you pick up her books! I can't wait for the next one in the series to continue the adventure!

[Michelle Steffen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 12 of the Mona Moon mystery series did not disappoint. Finally Mona and Robert are on their long awaited honeymoon when murder, stolen jewels and pirates interfere with their plans. A fast paced fun read that had me guessing until the end.

[Karla Hoskins · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very exciting read

If you enjoy mysteries with twists and turns, the author certainly gave them to you this time. A time or two I thought this might be the last book , but our heroine prevailed. So on to the next book.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful characters based on fact. Cozy mystery. I knew most of the facts at book conclusion but always welcome a refresher in history

[Emily Gawlak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nothing I love more than a murder mystery set on a ship. I love this book! There’s so much going on. Going incognito backfires on Mona and Robert and it’s the beginning of many issues that transpire. It’s an excellent addition to the series. Highly recommend!

[Barbara Brabiner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Abigail Keam cannot write a bad book