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Washington Poe #3.2
Once in a Red Moon
In Once in a Red Moon, whilst on a murder-mystery evening in deepest darkest Northumberland, Poe manages to annoy everyone whilst simultaneously solving a mystery - what happened to a five-carat red diamond called the Red Moon of Coonowrin.
Audiobook
First published January 1, 2020
1 person is currently reading
804 people want to read
About the author
M.W. Craven
49 books2,684 followersM. W. Craven was born in Carlisle but grew up in Newcastle, running away to join the army at the tender age of sixteen. He spent the next ten years travelling the world having fun, leaving in 1995 to complete a degree in social work with specialisms in criminology and substance misuse. Thirty-one years after leaving Cumbria, he returned to take up a probation officer position in Whitehaven, eventually working his way up to chief officer grade. Sixteen years later he took the plunge, accepted redundancy and became a full-time author. He now has entirely different motivations for trying to get inside the minds of criminals . . .
M. W. Craven is married and lives in Carlisle with his wife, Joanne. When he isn’t out with his springer spaniel, or talking nonsense in the pub, he can usually be found at punk gigs and writing festivals up and down the country.
M. W. Craven is married and lives in Carlisle with his wife, Joanne. When he isn’t out with his springer spaniel, or talking nonsense in the pub, he can usually be found at punk gigs and writing festivals up and down the country.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
December 19, 2022
A very short story where the grumpy and reluctant Washington Poe accompanies Tilly to a Christmas party in an old mansion. The highlight was to be a mock murder game that the cranky Poe solves while urged on by the outspoken Tilly. The distraught owner of the estate explains over drinks the reason he has become impoverished and forced to sell the property. The loss of a precious, rare diamond is behind the impending bankruptcy where the mansion will be converted to a hotel. Poe solves the theft of the jewel through his ingenuity and is looking forward to attending the next celebration with Tilly.
April 8, 2023
Over the course of five novels and several short stories, Mike Craven has created two socially off kilter protagonists who have inspired a loyal following. Detective Sergeant Washington Poe combines a military background, an eidetic memory and a very casual acquaintance with respect for authority. He has formed an unlikely friendship with the department’s civilian computer programmer, Tilly Bradshaw. Tilly is a socially underdeveloped computer prodigy with a limited range of appropriate conversational responses. All the while, she manages to radiate a sense of fair play and inner goodness. Their relationship is laced with brilliant repartee, unconventional social reactions and epiphanous leaps of logic and deduction. The attraction of the series centers around the dynamic between these two characters as they navigate the perils of their professional and personal association.
The short story “ Once in a Red Moon” contains all the elements that have inspired a devoted cadre of readers. Set during Christmas season, the plot finds a very reluctant Poe accompanying an exuberant Tilly to a combination dinner and mystery solving event at a decaying country mansion.During the course of the evening, Poe’s skills manage to dazzle as he unwinds a heretofore unsolved conundrum. Moreover, with a loving nod to Arthur Conan Doyle, Poe exercises a Holmesian moment of inspiration to uncover an additional mystery that no guest had anticipated.
Fans of this series will revel in these few brief moments with Poe and Bradshaw. For those new to these characters, this short story is an enticing portal into the well plotted, witty world that the protagonists inhabit. After entering their realm for a few moments, one leaves refreshed and ready to confront the weightier demands of reality with renewed vigor.
The short story “ Once in a Red Moon” contains all the elements that have inspired a devoted cadre of readers. Set during Christmas season, the plot finds a very reluctant Poe accompanying an exuberant Tilly to a combination dinner and mystery solving event at a decaying country mansion.During the course of the evening, Poe’s skills manage to dazzle as he unwinds a heretofore unsolved conundrum. Moreover, with a loving nod to Arthur Conan Doyle, Poe exercises a Holmesian moment of inspiration to uncover an additional mystery that no guest had anticipated.
Fans of this series will revel in these few brief moments with Poe and Bradshaw. For those new to these characters, this short story is an enticing portal into the well plotted, witty world that the protagonists inhabit. After entering their realm for a few moments, one leaves refreshed and ready to confront the weightier demands of reality with renewed vigor.
March 18, 2022
This is an extremely short story demonstrating Poe's uncanny skills as a detective. There's Tilly too with her spot-on and honest observations. The first part of the story where Poe solves a mock murder in a locked room was funny.
Then Poe solves the mystery of the missing diamond 'The Red Moon', which reminds one of Sherlock Holmes stories. (There are very few crime novels about missing diamonds these days 😀)
Then Poe solves the mystery of the missing diamond 'The Red Moon', which reminds one of Sherlock Holmes stories. (There are very few crime novels about missing diamonds these days 😀)
December 29, 2024
3.5/5
A solid short story featuring Washington and Tilly. I liked it, but objectively speaking, it's nothing extraordinary. A quick audio bite(39 minutes when listened at 1x or less than 20 minutes when listened at 2x speed, which is my preference) for fans of the series.
A solid short story featuring Washington and Tilly. I liked it, but objectively speaking, it's nothing extraordinary. A quick audio bite(39 minutes when listened at 1x or less than 20 minutes when listened at 2x speed, which is my preference) for fans of the series.
July 30, 2025
A Washington Poe short story available to read online:
https://www.thecrimevault.com/thecrim...
https://www.thecrimevault.com/thecrim...
March 24, 2023
Take note, this is what a crime/mystery short story should be; no short cuts, a strong plot and even sub plots, interesting, exciting, some action and plenty of deduction not trickery.
Loved Wimsey’s impersonation by Cummerbund.
Loved Wimsey’s impersonation by Cummerbund.
December 7, 2021
Tilly was great in this! An enjoyable nod to golden age mysteries. Sherlock Holmes is mentioned, Agatha Christie also did the stolen jewels short story more than once, and I'm sure others did too.
January 2, 2022
This was a good find on the publishers website. A lovely free short story to give you your Poe and Tilly fix. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
February 4, 2025
*Book Review *
This is a short audiobook that I stumbled across when look at @m.w.craven books. This is book 3.2 in the Washington Poe series. I was super excited when I found this little gem.
It is only 39 minutes long so, of course, I devoured it in one sitting whilst on my lunch. I have a bit of a love hate relationship with short stories, I think they make a nice change from time to time but then I get annoyed as I’m always left wanting more from it. This was not the case with this short story. I found the plot it be engaging and very interesting.
This little snippet is just purely Poe and Bradshaw, and I love that. I went into it knowing what to expect from the dynamic duo, but yet once again I was left surprised. Their chemistry is just fab, they bounce of each other perfectly and you just can’t forget them.
The way that Craven has been able to create not one, but two main characters that I am 100% a huge fan of is just marvellous. I feel like they are actually real people that I know and interact with.
I think I may be addicted to Cravens work (just saying) It is just seamless and the flow is perfect. Just when I think he can’t top the last one he ceases to amaze me. The pictures that he describes and creates are just phenomenal, you truly feel like it has actually happened of you have been to the areas he’s describing.
This short audio was a fab change to his deep, sordid writing and was a laugh and being able to see the fun cosy side he can create.
Great little snippet to give you a sample of his work, but it does come with a warning……
I warn you…
YOU WILL BE HOOKED!! ❣️
This is a short audiobook that I stumbled across when look at @m.w.craven books. This is book 3.2 in the Washington Poe series. I was super excited when I found this little gem.
It is only 39 minutes long so, of course, I devoured it in one sitting whilst on my lunch. I have a bit of a love hate relationship with short stories, I think they make a nice change from time to time but then I get annoyed as I’m always left wanting more from it. This was not the case with this short story. I found the plot it be engaging and very interesting.
This little snippet is just purely Poe and Bradshaw, and I love that. I went into it knowing what to expect from the dynamic duo, but yet once again I was left surprised. Their chemistry is just fab, they bounce of each other perfectly and you just can’t forget them.
The way that Craven has been able to create not one, but two main characters that I am 100% a huge fan of is just marvellous. I feel like they are actually real people that I know and interact with.
I think I may be addicted to Cravens work (just saying) It is just seamless and the flow is perfect. Just when I think he can’t top the last one he ceases to amaze me. The pictures that he describes and creates are just phenomenal, you truly feel like it has actually happened of you have been to the areas he’s describing.
This short audio was a fab change to his deep, sordid writing and was a laugh and being able to see the fun cosy side he can create.
Great little snippet to give you a sample of his work, but it does come with a warning……
I warn you…
YOU WILL BE HOOKED!! ❣️
February 13, 2023
Tilly and Poe are the best characters in the history of all novels, EVER!
May 17, 2024
A special Festive Freebie read from M W Craven ..
A very short story, but packed full of our favourite duo .. very clever with lots of laugh out loud one liners - a very enjoyable read ..
Love the nod to both Christie and Conan Doyle ..
A very short story, but packed full of our favourite duo .. very clever with lots of laugh out loud one liners - a very enjoyable read ..
Love the nod to both Christie and Conan Doyle ..
January 23, 2025
~ Book Review ~
Once In A Red Moon by @mwcraven
This was a snappy short story that I binged on in one sitting. It's a 39-minute audiobook, so easy to do. But I was hooked from the get-go and felt compelled to listen to it all.
If you know me, short stories aren't my vibe, but this was really engaging, and for a quick listen, it had a very strong and interesting plot.
I'm addicted to Craven's unique writing style. I find it flawless, seamless, with a nice flow. He consistently creates intricate settings, with great detail and description. This one is set in an old, disheveled Victorian-style home in Northumberland during the Christmas period, which I could easily imagine.
This solely focuses on Tilly Bradshaw and Washington Poe. Since I've read the first three books from the Poe series, I feel like I deeply appreciated this short tale. I knew what to expect from their teamwork, and yet it still managed to take me by surprise. The chemistry between these two is marvelous; they are memorable characters that have a passion for solving crime.
Craven has managed to produce two protagonists that I'm addicted to. They are polar opposites in terms of personalities, and yet the unlikely friendship is just fab. They have brilliant chemistry and really do make me chuckle. I'm connected to them as if they were real.
For this short tale, the eccentric Tilly has dragged Poe to a murder mystery for a Christmas festivity. From the get-go, you can imagine Tilly being extremely excited about this and the forever grumpy Poe doing many eye rolls. The mystery itself turns out to be a slight flop due to Poe being quick off the mark, but nothing is ever smooth sailing for these two. Poe always manages to dig deeper, over-involve himself, and get enthralled in more drama. Can he solve a further mystery of what happened to a five-carat red diamond?
Mentions of Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christie, linking to the stolen jewels theme, which I'm sure is a very popular one. Craven manages to make this unique and set it aside from the golden oldies.
This little snippet was a little break from the intense writing of Craven and allowed a little self-indulgence in the fun, witty side. Listening to Washington Poe and Tilly Bradshaw compared to reading about them was brilliant. If you want to have a taster of his writing, listen to this; you don't need to read the others.
Once In A Red Moon by @mwcraven
This was a snappy short story that I binged on in one sitting. It's a 39-minute audiobook, so easy to do. But I was hooked from the get-go and felt compelled to listen to it all.
If you know me, short stories aren't my vibe, but this was really engaging, and for a quick listen, it had a very strong and interesting plot.
I'm addicted to Craven's unique writing style. I find it flawless, seamless, with a nice flow. He consistently creates intricate settings, with great detail and description. This one is set in an old, disheveled Victorian-style home in Northumberland during the Christmas period, which I could easily imagine.
This solely focuses on Tilly Bradshaw and Washington Poe. Since I've read the first three books from the Poe series, I feel like I deeply appreciated this short tale. I knew what to expect from their teamwork, and yet it still managed to take me by surprise. The chemistry between these two is marvelous; they are memorable characters that have a passion for solving crime.
Craven has managed to produce two protagonists that I'm addicted to. They are polar opposites in terms of personalities, and yet the unlikely friendship is just fab. They have brilliant chemistry and really do make me chuckle. I'm connected to them as if they were real.
For this short tale, the eccentric Tilly has dragged Poe to a murder mystery for a Christmas festivity. From the get-go, you can imagine Tilly being extremely excited about this and the forever grumpy Poe doing many eye rolls. The mystery itself turns out to be a slight flop due to Poe being quick off the mark, but nothing is ever smooth sailing for these two. Poe always manages to dig deeper, over-involve himself, and get enthralled in more drama. Can he solve a further mystery of what happened to a five-carat red diamond?
Mentions of Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christie, linking to the stolen jewels theme, which I'm sure is a very popular one. Craven manages to make this unique and set it aside from the golden oldies.
This little snippet was a little break from the intense writing of Craven and allowed a little self-indulgence in the fun, witty side. Listening to Washington Poe and Tilly Bradshaw compared to reading about them was brilliant. If you want to have a taster of his writing, listen to this; you don't need to read the others.
April 12, 2023
Was ist die sicherste Methode, ein aufwändig inszeniertes Krimi-Dinner für alle Beteiligten gleichermaßen zu ruinieren? Man lässt einen professionellen Ermittler mitmischen, der zu allem Überfluss auch noch überhaupt kein Interesse daran hat, dass irgendjemand – inklusive ihm selbst – bei diesem Event eine gute Zeit hat.
In etwa so lautet die Prämisse der Kurzgeschichte “Once in a Red Moon”, die ursprünglich als Bonus-Inhalt in “The Curator” erschien, dem dritten Thriller aus der Reihe um den etwas grummeligen Washington Poe und seine kongeniale Partnerin Tilly Bradshaw. Letztere hat ihren Kollegen und väterlichen Freund nämlich zu einer solchen mörderischen Abendunterhaltung eingeladen – oder besser gesagt mitgeschleppt, denn an seine Zusage zu diesem “Spaß” kann sich Poe nicht mehr erinnern.
Bei manchen Autor:innen sind Kurzgeschichten fast schon halbe Romane, bei dieser mittlerweile frei auf der Verlagswebsite einsehbaren Dreingabe ist die Bezeichnung jedoch wörtlich zu nehmen, denn diese Geschichte ist wirklich äußerst kurz und in wenigen Minuten zu lesen. Dennoch bietet sie für Fans der Reihe das, was man sich von ihr erhofft: einen interessanten, verblüffenden Fall und höchst amüsante Dialoge zwischen den beiden Hauptfiguren, welche auch hier bestens harmonieren – auch wenn sie selbst das so nie zugeben würden.
Dass Washington Poe das an Geschichten von Sherlock Holmes erinnernde Rätsel mehr oder weniger aus dem Nichts löst und man nicht wirklich zum Mitraten eingeladen wird ist angesichts der Kürze der Story zu verschmerzen, und so liefern die letzten Worte dieses Krimi-Appetithäppchens zugleich eine passende Wertung: “This has been fun. […] Can we do it again next year?”
In etwa so lautet die Prämisse der Kurzgeschichte “Once in a Red Moon”, die ursprünglich als Bonus-Inhalt in “The Curator” erschien, dem dritten Thriller aus der Reihe um den etwas grummeligen Washington Poe und seine kongeniale Partnerin Tilly Bradshaw. Letztere hat ihren Kollegen und väterlichen Freund nämlich zu einer solchen mörderischen Abendunterhaltung eingeladen – oder besser gesagt mitgeschleppt, denn an seine Zusage zu diesem “Spaß” kann sich Poe nicht mehr erinnern.
Bei manchen Autor:innen sind Kurzgeschichten fast schon halbe Romane, bei dieser mittlerweile frei auf der Verlagswebsite einsehbaren Dreingabe ist die Bezeichnung jedoch wörtlich zu nehmen, denn diese Geschichte ist wirklich äußerst kurz und in wenigen Minuten zu lesen. Dennoch bietet sie für Fans der Reihe das, was man sich von ihr erhofft: einen interessanten, verblüffenden Fall und höchst amüsante Dialoge zwischen den beiden Hauptfiguren, welche auch hier bestens harmonieren – auch wenn sie selbst das so nie zugeben würden.
Dass Washington Poe das an Geschichten von Sherlock Holmes erinnernde Rätsel mehr oder weniger aus dem Nichts löst und man nicht wirklich zum Mitraten eingeladen wird ist angesichts der Kürze der Story zu verschmerzen, und so liefern die letzten Worte dieses Krimi-Appetithäppchens zugleich eine passende Wertung: “This has been fun. […] Can we do it again next year?”
August 13, 2022
The Washington Poe books are quickly becoming my favourite series. The characters are very special, the plots intriguing and so well written. This was a bonus free read I downloaded off and made an excellent short read.
Two excellent characters in Washington Poe and Tilly Bradshaw that have a special chemistry that also has plenty of humour. Poe is a disgraced policeman who doesn’t hold back and together with the socially inept Tilly Bradshaw who although is a genius has lived a very sheltered life, make a perfect partnership.
This short story has more than a small measure of humour as the pair solve the mystery of the missing diamond.
Two excellent characters in Washington Poe and Tilly Bradshaw that have a special chemistry that also has plenty of humour. Poe is a disgraced policeman who doesn’t hold back and together with the socially inept Tilly Bradshaw who although is a genius has lived a very sheltered life, make a perfect partnership.
This short story has more than a small measure of humour as the pair solve the mystery of the missing diamond.
December 20, 2023
4.25⭐
It's Christmas and Tillie Bradshaw has dragged Poe along to a Christmas party at an old mansion. Where a mock murder game is going to take place. Only a real murder takes place instead. Which gives Poe the chance to shine.
And it's a very entertaining, banter filled short story. That fan's of the series will enjoy.
It's Christmas and Tillie Bradshaw has dragged Poe along to a Christmas party at an old mansion. Where a mock murder game is going to take place. Only a real murder takes place instead. Which gives Poe the chance to shine.
And it's a very entertaining, banter filled short story. That fan's of the series will enjoy.
June 5, 2022
Only a short story, but I can never get enough of Washington Poe and Tilly
https://www.thecrimevault.com/thecrim...
https://www.thecrimevault.com/thecrim...
August 9, 2022
Very short story in which Poe solves an old robbery case in a mansion. Again he sees what no one is able to see, and at first sight.
I’ve missed here Tilly. She is there, but not very important in the story.
It is not bad, but not really needed, so you can jump it and go for the full books.
I’ve missed here Tilly. She is there, but not very important in the story.
It is not bad, but not really needed, so you can jump it and go for the full books.
January 26, 2023
Another brilliant little Tilly and Poe book. It's an incredibly short piece, but who can complain when it is online for free! Even despite the brevity, the usual feeling unanimous across the books breathes through. Fabulous!
December 22, 2023
Tilly drags Poe to one of those "murder mystery" dinner scenarios and while Poe seems to solve the Event/Dinner drama in a heartbeat, he decides to wander around - because why not, he was bored.
He then finds himself in the middle of an ACTUAL mystery that may just be a bit more dangerous than anyone was expecting.....
He then finds himself in the middle of an ACTUAL mystery that may just be a bit more dangerous than anyone was expecting.....
August 31, 2024
Good old fashioned whodunnit set in an estate that had previously been the site of the theft of a famous red gem called the Red Moon. Poe figures it out quickly and recovers the stone after two years.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 12, 2025
a short story, available online, that allows a glimpse into the 'poe' world, as poe and tilly attend a murder mystery dinner party.
it's alright. the plot is quite implausible to me, but it was fun nonetheless.
it's alright. the plot is quite implausible to me, but it was fun nonetheless.
December 6, 2021
Amusing Christmas themed short story mystery with Poe and Tilly :)
December 12, 2021
Short but witty, a fun festive read.
January 4, 2022
Fun. Very short, short story.
March 17, 2022
A treat for all fans of Tilly and Poe.
May 24, 2022
A fun little novella in the Washington Poe "universe" set around Christmas. Really liked it.
June 10, 2022
A great short story with a neat murder mystery set up!
June 18, 2022
Uma pequena história de Natal com Poe e Tilly. Lê-se bem :)
June 19, 2022
Decent short story from the master of crime
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews