Nelson & MacIlwraith

Moon Murder Mysteries #3

by K. Sterling

The Moon Murder Mysteries conclude…

Nelson & Nox are hunting for the real killer behind the Moon Murder Mysteries, but they’re having to do that while preventing a god from getting what he wants.

Curses abound and Nelson is learning more than he ever thought possible about sex magick, but will their love be enough?

Nox is a little bit witchcraft. Nelson is a little bit Federal Bureau. Together, they’re a wickedly good team, but can they solve the puzzle and catch a murderer before Nox’s fate catches up with them?

Nelson & MacIlwraith: Moon Murder Mysteries is a paranormal mystery trilogy, with an MM couple, plenty of spice, killers to catch, and an overarching magical storyline based on Celtic mythology.

Genres: Paranormal, Romance, Mystery, M M Romance, Magic, Queer, Fantasy

290 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 20, 2024

About the author

Author of the popular Nannies of New York and Boys of Lake Cliff book series, K Sterling has self-published dozens of books. K. is known for fast-paced romantic thrillers and touching gay romcoms. There might be goosebumps and some gore but there’s always true love and lots of laughter.

Reviews

[Mx. T *Chaotic Reader* · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨ARC REVIEW✨
Ok, I think I am ready to review now after a few days to process...What a ride! I wasn't sure I could love these two more, but K. Sterling proved me wrong (I really should stop thinking it can't get better with her...) If Nelson were even more loyal, intelligent, caring and sexy, I'd have a heart attack from swooning. Take me glamping, Nelson, I'm begging you. And if Nox were even more smart, resourceful, magical and utterly amazing, I'd...yeah... I'd have another heart attack. Teach me, Nox, I'll be the best student. So yeah, that's me swooning to death over their relationship, which I find to be so wholesome and sweet. Their trust in each other was beautiful to read about, their protectiveness and loving admiration toward each other....Gah, perfect!

We get more sex magic in the form of ✨mystical edging✨, which apparently has become my new kink *furiously fanning themselves* . Also, can we take a moment to appreciate the brilliant way sex is used in the end? If demigods are horny idiots, what about gods...?

Clance and Merlin were back to being their awesome selves, now almost forgiven, and I'm all for it. I liked how they seemed more human now that all their secrets are out in the open.

The Badb storyline and the resolution to the murders was super satisfactory. I already suspected who the evil person could be, but the more I learnt about their corruption and general yuckiness the more I wanted them to pay.

And Felton FBI-shitty guy should rot in hell btw. Ugh, disgusting being!

All in all, this trilogy was amazing: the murder mystery, the characters, the magic, the multiple interwoven storylines, the love story... LOVE IT!

(Special mention to our delightful paramedic Bryn Cadwalleder 👀👀. I want to know more, K. When will we learn MORE!?)

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded to 4 stars
[I received a digital arc for an honest review]

“Because you see the man— the human— in me and you loved him, not an heir or a pawn in a prophecy you could manipulate.”

The Third book in the Nelson & McIlwraith Moon Murder Mystery series by K. Sterling brings closure for our two leading men , Nox and Nelson . Now that they have figured out who the villain in their story is they have to find a way to prove it without putting any one else at risk. Along the way they also continue and master the art of their sex magic. Which leads to helping Nox take hold of his own destiny .

Overall the Nelson & McIlwraith Moon Murder Mystery series has been an entertaining ride filled with folklore , mystery , betrayal , finding your soul mate , steam , destiny and a happy ending .

[Patti · Rating 5 out of 5]

When we last saw Nox and Nelson (and Merlin, and Clancy) they were *incoherent shouting to cover spoilery information* and now everyone is *more of that shouting* - How’s that for a vague recap?

Need more? I feel like I can share this little bit without ruining anything -
This one opens with Nox coming off a bit of a tea bender, where he’d been looking for answers at the bottom of each pot.
All around, communication is happening, hallefreakinlullah! This is, of course, helping the whole too many secrets situation and healing some pretty deep wounds. Love to see it.

Speaking of things I love - sex magick escalating with ✨mystical edging✨and 💫magickal chastity💫 - for two people who look like they shouldn’t be compatible on paper, they are definitely 🔥 making it work 🔥

I won’t spill the deets, but the mystery is wrapped up in a satisfying way. I enjoyed yelling ‘Ha! Knew it!’ while blatantly ignoring my wrongful accusation of another person…

I found myself having feelings over things I never would have expected (bees, enforced hugs, diner meals, camping, sparks…keys 👀) If I took a little reading break with only about 10% to go both because I felt weirdly emotional and didn’t want it to end, that is between me and my kindle. And you. If you’re still reading this.

Side note - I remain eternally grateful for footnotes with pronunciations, even if I’m still mentally butchering them between reminders
So thanks to the author for that and the arc itself, I have so enjoyed reading this series!

[Rod Lujano · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so pleased and shocked we learned the identity of the Moon Murdered pretty soon, I like to say I knew who it was but in reality I suspected everyone for a minute.

Nelson and Nox and their friends get their HEA after going through so much in three books, their love for each other never waiver

But the true highlight of the book and the series was the final battle.

I was shocked to the core, honestly my jaw hit the floor. I don’t think I ever read a scene like that and I was pleased and aroused?

I don’t wanna spoil too much it but let’s just say that sex magick is always the answer and gives a new meaning to the frase “go f*ck yourself”.

Honestly this series went out with a bang

[Kassa · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the final installment of Moon Murder Mystery by. k.sterling you will find yourself being edged continuously right up until the hard winning climax where a Happy Ever After awaits. ✨ K.Sterling has created an amazing world that uses Celtic mythology, murder mystery and spicy magic to build a book series that keeps you on your toes.

When reading about Nox and Nelson you can feel the raw emotions in the text. At times I could feel myself crying, screaming, and just feeling exposed. The power of love …. as cheesy as it may sound is one of the strongest magics out there. In this book series you can see that strength.

As with any mystery review I aim to not share to much about the plot since that can take away from some of the fun. However, I will say that if you are looking for a book that is spicy, has ACE rep, funny, has a murder most foul and keeps you on your toes. THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU.

I will be doing a reread of this series around Halloween time to see if there were any hidden easter eggs I missed. I need a notebook for all the amazing parts of this book.

(I received a ARC copy for an honest review of this book)

[Vayl · Rating 4 out of 5]

tentada a ponerle 5 estrellas por el final
4.75

[Alastair H · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I have never been more in love with you and I have never felt more loved than I do right now."

It's the conclusion of this wonderful trilogy and I could not be more excited to talk about it! This book was a bright spot among all my work this week.

What I love about this trilogy is there is so much going on in the best way. It's such a good overarching story with detailed plot lines and so much substance. It's a great read if you like incredibly sweet romances that also have super engaging plots. The romance isn't forgotten at all despite all the excitement going on which I love.

And god I have said this before but I'll always say it again, I so much appreciate authors who write ace spec characters. Especially in romance books. Nelson is just such a good character and his asexuality is celebrated which is so beautiful when a book is steamy like this one.

Also the interactions have just gotten better as Nelson and Nox have gotten closer. I was laughing all the way through chapter 3 because they're just so funny and cute together. Even at the culmination of the drama they find time to be irreverent. I feel like in some series that follow the same couple, the couple gets together, and then the relationship kinda just stalls out, staying the same level of intimacy for the rest of the series. These books definitely do not do that, the relationship palpably deepens and grows in each installment.

I don't want to discuss the plot too much in this review because spoilers, but it was a conclusion that lived up to the expectations I had for it and as sad as I am so see it done I'm happy Nelson and Nox maybe get to relax for a hot second because wow, they deserve it 😂

*I received an ARC of this book, these are my honest opinions and I'm giving them voluntarily* ♥️

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wowowowow what an ending to this amazing trilogy. No literally. The ending of this book played out in such a way that I was gasping and wondering “Is this really happening?? Is this how it ends??” And then the epilogue made me even happier knowing that Nox + Nelson’s future is a good one🥹

There were so many parts of this book that I was not expecting but were so well executed in the overarching plot line. There were even spicier— and kinkier— moments between Nox and Nelson is this final book (if that’s even possible). A quick look at the trigger warnings at the beginning can give you a good hint of what I mean👀

At the end of this series, all I can really say is thank goodness for Nelson always asking follow up questions because there were some points where I was also like “What are you three talking about???”😂 And also thank goodness for Nelson taking care of and cherishing Nox through all the crazy twists and turns thrown their way.

I wish I could devour more of these two + Merlin and Clancy, but I’m happy and at peace with the ending🥰 If you have any interest in Celtic mythology + murder investigations + sex magic (yes, it’s as good as it sounds), you NEED to check out Nelson and MacIlwraith!! Book One is already out with Book Two being released March 12th and Book Three is out March 20th. Reminder to read them in order and one after the other to not forget all the important details within each book!

Side note: I need the “Cuddling In The Country” playlist on Spotify asap because I would listen to it on repeat.

Thank you to the author for providing me with an ARC copy! I absolutely loved it!🥰

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable ending to this series from Nelson and Nox.
I am glad Nox got through the equinox and am pleased there will be further books in the series. My only hope is now that 'HIM' was solved we cut back on the mythology. It did nothing for me and I enjoyed the books more when they were just concentrating on the mystery.

[aspeccharactersoftheday]

Grady Nelson from Nelson & MacIlwraith is acespec!

https://www.tumblr.com/aspeccharacter...

[Edwin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh

Everything she learned about sex between men obviously came from watching porn. She doesn't quite get how it really works. The sex scenes weren't really necessary nor were they very good. The books are too long and filled with so much unnecessary filler. The wrapping up and solutions were poorly done and so anticlimactic that I regret the amount of time I invested in reading these three books. I should probably have written this as a review of the first book to give potential readers a fair warning.

[Dear Reader 0801 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was super excited to read this final installment of the trilogy and how things wrapped up for Nelson and Nox. They have been piecing things together after the events of the first book and trying to determine who was the overall mastermind behind those awful events from that book. Absolutely recommend reading the prior two books as this is a continuation of the story.

After the events of book 2, Nox and Nelson are feeling the pressure of dealing with the imposter Badb, the looming pressure of the Dagda and the fallout of what they learned about Merlin and Clancy. When Merlin and Clancy finally work together and bring Nox who they believe the Badb is, it’s absolutely a shock for all and a race to put the puzzle together. There are some twists and turns for this group as the uncovers each piece of evidence confirming their suspicions on who the culprit truly is. This runs alongside Nox and Nelson’s work for Nox to gain control of who he is and the deadline for the prophecy approaches.

There are some references in this book and I was so grateful for not only the translation guide but also the footnotes throughout for translations and explanations. It’s a great read for those with an understanding of mythology but I thought the author did a great job for those readers not as familiar but including these.

[Jared (jareadforfilth) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 🌟

What a good conclusion to this trilogy!! I love the way this series went and how this one had two pretty major plot points—catching the murderer AND stopping Nox’s approaching ascension—to really fill out this book. I feel that these two things could have been at odds with each other, but they weren’t at all and both major plots were fun in their own ways. The entire series really has been building up to both, and the culmination of that suspense was 🤌🏻💋

Also, if you like spice, girrrrrrl this series is for YOU!!! That last scene? Biihhhhh my face melted 😂 READ THIS SERIES!!

Thank you so much to the author for the gifted copy!!

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wow did this series go downhill. I thought the first book with the murder mystery, cults, and the two opposite personality main characters was interesting and was curious to see where the series went. But the flaws in the first book (Nelson has no personality) just got worse. Meanwhile the mystery aspect was mostly dropped, Merlin and Clancy are not nearly as interesting as the author thinks, and the mythological plot makes absolutely no sense. Also, the author apparently forgot that her characters supposedly have jobs since they haven't been in weeks.

[K-Me · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was everything I wanted for the wrap up of this trilogy. The murder mystery is solved, and I was pleased it was more toward the beginning than the end. I was totally here for Nox and Nelson. Their relationship is genuinely as cute as it is steamy. They grow really close in this final book intimately and emotionally. This has been a fun and magical adventure! I would love a short story visiting them again later on.

[joani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful Nox

I just love Nox, his strength and wisdom. He is so powerful and love just radiates from him. Nelson is awesome as well. He knows exactly how to love And protect Nox even from himself. Its time for him to tan
Me down the evil Man who wants to be him. Twisted in his own jealousy and rage. Nox also has to deal with his upcoming birthday that just might just be his last day.

[Kristy Johnston · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a trilogy and I’ll be reviewing books 1-3 together so expect this review under all three though I rated each book differently. The mystery presented in book 1 is not completely resolved until book 3. There are companion novels that follow that I’m not sure I’m going to read. This story follows FBI agent Grady Nelson when he assigned to a possible missing persons report that his boss thinks is just a nuisance case. Nelson is assigned to work on the case with Professor Lennox “Nox” MacIlwraith, an expert on the occult, also rumored to be a psychic and a witch.

I was attracted to this series since it had witches, MM romance, a mystery and Irish mythology. There was a lot of Irish mythology, pronunciation keys, glossaries, and a quite a few footnotes, so if those bug you be warned. Honestly, it was a mishmash of a lot of different mythology at times and while I enjoyed it in parts, sometimes it felt like it might have been too much.

I found the initial mystery to be intriguing but was a bit disappointed in the overall arc of the story. It came on strong in the beginning but lost momentum in the subsequent books, overshadowed by other elements. At times, I really enjoyed the witchy elements. The sex magick took over as the dominant practice at one point (this trilogy is spicy). I honestly found it confusing, almost ethereal and it just didn’t make a lot of sense to me, especially at moments that were apparently important to the story. I would have enjoyed seeing Nox practice other types of magic equally.

As far as characters, I often preferred the supporting cast over the main characters. I adored Merlin but often felt Clancy was more of an enigma. I enjoyed Tony the TA, Aubrey and Howard as well as a few other supporting characters. Nox was sometimes an interesting character, and others just went off in his own world that I wasn’t quite following. I thought I was going to enjoy Nelson in the beginning, I love a stiff Fed, but the initial presentation of his character shifted in a way that didn’t feel like a natural progression to me.

If you enjoy spicy witchy/druid characters that speak Gaelic, give this a try, you may enjoy it more than me.

[Nathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

honey pot

Three books of buildup with a shadowy nemesis, and the resolution blink and you miss it swift, because evil isn’t all that.

Defeating good, (the good god, a terrible all consuming live) on the other hand, takes more work and a bit of D/s, and a guy whose one hundred percent devoted to you. Good thing Nox had one of those handy.

[Anna Beck · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this series! Nelson and Nox were great characters. The trilogy introduced me to things I had never heard of. And that always makes me happy. The relationship between Nelson, Nox, Merlin, and Clancy was so familial and wonderful how they were lost then found their way back to each other. If you can handle different (I.e., magick, Druids, gods, MM, etc), this series is wonderful!

[Amy K. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This took me longer than usual to finish because I was so nervous about the climax of the trilogy, but I should have trusted that Sterling would leave us with the *best* ending and all the good feelings. I won't say more than that, but I will add that this book, like the others, is thoughtful, well-researched, scorching hot, sweetly tender, and full of all kinds of good feelings.

[Stacy Mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better than the second book, but still distracting

About halfway through the book, I stopped worrying about the footnotes or trying to pronounce things correctly and was able to enjoy Nox and Nelson’s story. Hopefully the next one isn’t as complicated.

[Daniel Hand · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great conclusion to this adventure. Spoiler Alert, so excited to see there is a hint of more to come for this duo. Nelson and Nox have become one of my favorite crime solving teams. I especially love all Celtic references in this story.

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great ending to Nox and Nelson’s stories. The resolution with the Dagda was frankly a little confusing and I’m not so sure how well I fully understood it. But, I did enjoy the book and all the characters.