Moonlight Mayhem: Moon Mystery Series, Book 2

Moon Mystery #2

by Helen Haught Fanick

Maggie Flynn's simple country wedding in West Virginia's enchanting Canaan Valley is everything her aunts hoped for, and Andrea Flynn and Kathleen Williamson are looking forward to a joyful weekend celebration. Murder is the last thing on anyone's mind, but when one guest has multiple enemies present, it becomes a reality. Poison in a late-night cup of tea proves fatal, and it's obvious that plenty of family members and their friends have reason to want the victim dead.

When a second murder occurs, members of the wedding party become even more certain that a killer is stalking the halls of the Alpenhof Hotel where they're staying. Andrea and Kathleen join forces with Sheriff Ward Sterling to figure out who's killing the guests in this quiet mountain resort. And there are clues - or are they just red herrings? A book of poetry, a flower garden, and artificial fingernails are among the discoveries the sisters discuss with the sheriff. They're hoping the investigation won't put their lives in danger, but security at the hotel is lax and door locks are flimsy. If the sisters can dig up enough clues, maybe they can solve the puzzle before the killer takes aim at them. However, at bedtime they're bracing their door with the back of a chair, just in case.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Fiction

Audible Audio

First published January 5, 2012

About the author

Helen Haught Fanick is a member of a large family of writers. Her mother published many children's stories, her brother is a newspaper editor and nonfiction writer, her son is a successful mystery novelist, and nearly everyone else in the family writes poetry or short stories.

Helen grew up in West Virginia and now lives in Texas, and both states provide settings for her novels. Her work includes cozy mysteries, suspense novels, a World War II espionage novel, and short stories, all available through Amazon for Kindle. The novels are also available in paperback.

A short story impressed Helen’s fifth grade teacher, and she’s been writing ever since. She’s won several local and state awards and two national awards in the Writer’s Digest Competition. Moon Signs, Book I of the Moon Mystery Series, was a quarter-finalist in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards.

Reviews

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maggie Flynn and her fiancé Stefan had decided their wedding would be held at the Alpenhof Hotel which they owned and ran. All their guests could join them before the wedding and stay on afterwards if they wanted. Maggie’s aunts, Andrea Flynn and Kathleen Williamson were looking forward to the weekend; to spending time with Maggie and getting to know Stefan’s family. Canaan Valley in West Virginia was well known as a tourist destination, and Kathleen and Andrea were keen to play tourist as well.

When a body was discovered it seemed like it was a heart attack – but investigation proved otherwise. And with a second body turning up, Andrea, Kathleen and Sheriff Ward knew there was a murderer among the guests at the hotel. But how could they find who it was? With the need to keep everyone safe, but not allow anyone to leave the hotel, time was of the essence. The two sisters did all they could to uncover clues as to the identity of the killer or killers – but was it putting their own lives in danger?

Moonlight Mayhem is my first by author Helen Haught Fanick (even though it’s 2nd in the Moon Mystery series) and I thoroughly enjoyed the well-written cosy mystery. Plenty of twists and clues to keep the imagination going, and with some beautifully visualized scenery in the mountainous countryside, Moonlight Mayhem is worth recommending. It’s been on my TBR since September 2012, so I’m glad I’ve finally read it!

[Patricia Gligor · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Maggie Flynn's aunts, Andrea and Kathleen, travel to the Canaan Valley of West Virginia for their niece's wedding, they have no idea what's in store for them. Although the wedding turns out to be everything they'd hoped for, soon after the young couple leaves for their honeymoon, two guests are found murdered in their Alpenhof Hotel. Andrea and Kathleen are determined to find the killer. . . or killers, preferably before the newlyweds return.
"Moonlight Mayhem" is a delightful sequel to "Moon Signs" and I highly recommend it.

[Richard K Woodruff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read..

Light, interesting, and fun humor!! I am sure that I will be reading the rest...definitely keeps you reading. Fun stuff..

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second in the series. I thought the narrator did a good job to enhance the story. She used many different inflections to portray the various characters.

There was more than one killing. Laslow, the uncle of Stefan and his once business partner are killed in their rooms in the Alpenhof Inn. Our amateur sleuths are assisting Chief Ward with the investigation. I found the relationship with the law a pleasant and refreshing experience. Most cozy mysteries have an antagonistic relationship between the police and the sleuth(s).

Loved the twists, turns and sometimes the simplicity in the characters. This not to say they are your stereotypical southern West Virginia folks.
So, our sleuths are trying to link the murders and it takes some doing to find a common denominator.

Looking forward to book 3.

[fred jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder at the wedding

Andrea and Kathleen have returned to the Canaan valley for niece Maggies wedding. Nobody expected a murdered guest. With members of the wedding party prime suspects they begin an investigation. I found this one an improvement on book one with more realistic police involvement and a tighter mystery. An entertaining well written story with a good mix of characters and suspects. Narration is really good. I received a complimentary copy of the audio from the author and am leaving a honest voluntary review.

[Georgia Tumbleweed McNabb · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this Audible books in return for a review. This story was Very slow moving with more written about irrelevant things than the actual Story itself. Book has more of Drinking Coffee, Reading books, Taking a Nap, and Going out to eat than about the main story. Narrator speaks to softly and volume has to be at it's highest and even then there are times you cannot really hear what is being said. All in all a very disappointing story.

[Ms TRACEY MAY PAYNE · Rating 4 out of 5]

Moon phase

I have enjoyed the first 2 books in the series and although I can’t ski I would love to visit the scenic setting. I am curious why Helen uses the term moon sign rather than moon phase. I understand moon sign to be the zodiac sign the moon is in and phase is new to dark moon. Despite this I’m about to start book 3.

[Bob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

This is the second in this series that I’ve read. There are usually several possible suspects to choose from. I like reading these books because she takes the reader through the story to a proper or logical ending. Easy to read and she makes the main characters very likable.
I will definitely read more of her books!

[Opal Sibley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun mystery

This book was fun to read. Although there were a couple of murders the sisters kept getting involved with trying to solve them making it amusing. I liked the way the characters stayed the same as the prevbook.

[sharon check · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another cozy mystery

Not a bad read but too much coffee and cake/cookies. The characters are interesting and some twists and turns so I gave it a 4 stars but just barely because of the repetitive references to food.

[Dot Engelhardt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clever whodoneit

The characters are fun to get to know. Even though you suspect the killer proving it becomes exciting. Descriptions of the area are very enjoyable as well.

[Enid Kleiner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great, fast read

I enjoyed this book, as well as the first! It sparked intrigue and kept my interest until the end. Enjoy

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like the two retired ladies in these stories. The story is well written and you aren't sure you discover the murderer until almost the very end. Would recommend.

[Lelia Fix · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stories From Home

I grew up in West Virginia and these stories are so interesting to me. My home was in the Kanawha Valley.

[Jeanne Jenkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun book to read. I was born in West Virginia and the book takes place there. I have not been there for 60 years, so must of the place in the book, I had never heard of. However, it was nice just thinking about the place. Of course, there was a murder or two. Lots of people that certainly could have done it. I was surprised when at the end of the book, the murderer was revealed. Even if you have never been to W. Va. you will still like this book.

[Margaret · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pleasant American cozy mystery. The Miss Marple aged sleuths, two sisters, get into trouble but eventually of course solve the crime. The setting is in and around the beautiful Canaan (emphasis on second syllable) Valley of scenic West Virginia. For me, it was fun to read about Seneca Rocks, Elkins,Blackwater Falls, and other spots so familiar and well loved but not seen for many years.

[bex · Rating 3 out of 5]

I guess I enjoyed the read well enough but not as well as I remember having enjoyed the first one. The narrator rambled a lot, they didn't seem very concerned about finding the murderer despite believing they were living in the same hotel, and the beginning felt like a bit of a background dump. But it was still a decent cozy style mystery.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was as enjoyable as the first two. I enjoy the sisters and how they work together on solving the murders. I also enjoy the vacation-type atmosphere of them staying in the bed and breakfast their niece owns.

[Kaye · Rating 1 out of 5]

Stupid, stupid book! Not worth the time I put into it. Endless pots of coffee being made and consumed. Most action in book is when characters are eating something, making plans to go eat somewhere. Not much plot. Shallow, unfleshed out characters did not engage me in any way. No sense of place.

[Lisa McDowell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 2 as good as book 1

I've enjoyed the characters development from the first book to the second book. The mystery was a nice evening read and wasn't predictable. Looking forward to the next one.

[Maggie Bourdeau]

Enjoyed the second in the series. Like the lady characters. Waiting for the third to either be free on Kindle or read-for-free on my monthly subscription to Amazon. Won't buy it though. Too much other good stuff out there to read.

[Véronique Chrétien · Rating 5 out of 5]

A small page turner of a mystery. Nice continuation of the character development in this second installment. The end result of the plot developpement is not predictable to a tee nor is it completely out there.

[Inga Johns · Rating 4 out of 5]

thoroughly enjoyed reading this one.

[Anam Cara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second in the series. Can't wait to read the next one!

[Diane Paules · Rating 4 out of 5]

Moonlight Mayhem

I enjoyed my older lady sleuths again. This is developing into a nice series. I cannot wait to get my hands on Hunters Moon when it's available for the iPad.

[Laurie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Second in the Moon series. I have enjoyed reading this sequel. The characters and settings are enjoyable.

[Carole]

cute mystery - better than I thought it would be.

[Pam]

Light, amusing, interesting read. I like the characters but they sure spend a lot of time eating, drinking, and napping. I will, of course, continue reading this series.