The Moonlit Murders by Fliss Chester

The Moonlit Murders
by Fliss Chester

ISBN-13: 9781838886479
ebook: 303 pages
Publisher: Bookouture
Released: April 21st 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
1945. Fen Churche books passage on a steam ship from France to America, excited to dance the night away in the glamorous ballroom and play games on deck. Then a diamond tiara goes missing, and Fen promises to find it when her friend Genie is accused. During the search, they find the body of a German passenger hidden in a lifeboat. Then Fen finds Genie, a young actress bound for Broadway, strangled in her own cabin. With no police on board, Fen decides to do a little snooping of her own.

Fen feels sure these dreadful crimes are linked. Through her sleuthing she meets light-hearted lieutenants returning from the war, charming stewards, and snooty first-class passengers. Can Fen solve the case before they dock in New York and the killer escapes for good?


My Review:
The Moonlit Murders is a mystery set in 1945 in France and on the ocean. This is the third book in the series. You don't need to read the previous books to understand this one, and this one didn't spoil the whodunit of the previous mysteries.

This was a clue-based puzzle mystery. Fen asked good questions, was observant, and was able to link the clues together to solve the mysteries. It seemed obvious from nearly the beginning who was the jewel thief, though I wasn't certain until the end about whether or not that person had a partner. Whodunit was guessable based on the clues. Each clue just made me more certain of who murdered the German. The clues weren't quite so clear cut about who murdered Genie. The main characters were interesting, engaging, and had realistic reactions to events. Historical details like turns of phrase or rationing were woven into the story and brought it alive in my imagination without slowing the pacing.

There was no sex. There were only a few uses of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting historical mystery.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.