Meet Madeline Mona Moon

My name is Madeline Mona Moon. I am a cartographer by trade. I had just gotten back to New York from an archaeological dig in Mesopotamia and was in dire need of another paying gig when I discovered my application to an expedition in the Amazon had been denied. Why? Simply on the basis that I am a woman. I was counting on the job as I had only three hundred dollars to my name. That money would have to stretch until I could find other employment, which wouldn’t be easy during the Great Depression. Twenty-five percent of the country was out of work, and now I counted myself among that army of unemployed as well. I dreaded to think I’d be reduced to selling apples on the street corner.

I was in my one-room flat on the lower east side when a knock sounded at my door after midnight. Gathering a pistol from my purse, I opened the door. There stood a middle-aged man in wire-rimmed spectacles holding a briefcase. “I bring glad tidings,” he said. “Your uncle, Manfred Michael Moon, has passed and bequeathed to you the Moon fortune, including Mooncrest Farm. You are one now of the richest women in the country.”

At first I thought it was a prank as my Uncle Manfred and I had been estranged. Why would he name me as his heir when he had a sister, my Aunt Melanie, living with him? Didn’t make sense. Nevertheless, who was I to punch Lady Luck in the face? After all, it was 1933 and people were starving. I didn’t intend to be one of them. “Where do I sign?” I asked.

Within a week, I found myself in God’s country—the Kentucky Bluegrass with its famous horse farms boasting white fences bordering emerald pastures and elegant Southern mansions where the swells sipped oak-cured bourbon. Dexter Deatherage, my uncle’s lawyer and now mine, personally escorted me to Mooncrest Farm, my new home. I kept reminding myself that I was now mistress of Moon Manor, a palatial mansion. I met the household staff who were less than enthusiastic. After all, I was an interloper and worse—a Yankee in their eyes—but I was determined to make a go of it.

I couldn’t escape the feeling there was something off about Moon Manor. My uncle’s death didn’t feel right, and my suspicions were confirmed after I read Uncle Manfred’s death certificate. It seemed odd to me that a sick man with heart disease and a full time nurse would tumble to his death down the grand staircase. Why was Uncle Manfred out of bed in the middle of the night? Where was his caretaker?

Things became more complicated when I discovered the nurse claimed she had been drugged that fateful night. My imagination ran wild. I felt as though people were conspiring against me and that I was being watched every second. If I died, my aunt would be next in line to inherit the Moon wealth. Would I be next to meet an untimely death?

I couldn’t let my guard down even when my charming next-door-neighbor, Lord Farley, the son of a British duke, began pursuing me. If only Robert Farley hadn’t been so handsome. He was hard to resist, but I didn’t have time for romance. I had a murderer to catch.

About the Book

Murder Under a Western Moon Mona Moon Mystery Book 11 by Abigail Keam

Genre: 1930’s Historical Cozy Mystery Mona Moon is the American Phyrne Fisher!

Synopsis

Mona Moon and her new husband, Robert Farley, Duke of Brynelleth are about to board an ocean liner to Merry Old England for their honeymoon when Mona receives an urgent telegram from Rupert Hunt, her eyes and ears in the Moon copper mines.

POTENTIAL RIOT AT MONTANA MINE STOP DEAD MINER STOP POSSIBLE MURDER STOP COME AT ONCE STOP RUPERT HUNT

Since the copper mines are the financial backbone of Moon Enterprises, Mona has no choice but to drop her plans and travel to Montana on the next train. She and Robert descend into a world of seething resentments, bitter accusations against Moon Enterprises, and bad decisions that pose a threat to Mona’s world. She travels incognito to search out the truth of Rupert’s allegations against the mining management. She must decide if Rupert is trying to prevent an innocent man from being hung for murder or if he is part of a grandiose plot against her. After all, Mona had been kidnapped by Rupert while searching for the Swift silver mine a year ago. Rupert is a scoundrel, but Mona hired him to be her scoundrel. Is this another of Rupert’s games? Regardless of the threat, Mona must get to the bottom of it. Thank goodness Robert is by her side . . . or could Robert have his own agenda?

**Recently selected as one of the Barnes and Noble top 5 picks!!**

Reviews

FIVE STARS! “Whew, what an incredible ‘couldn’t put down’ experience!” -Kings River Life Magazine

FIVE STARS! “Murder Under a Western Moon is a great foray into historical mysteries and serves as another charming, humorous, and well-written installment of the series.” -Readers’ Favorite

About the Author

Award-winning author Abigail Keam writes the Mona Moon Mystery Series—a rags-to-riches 1930s mystery series, which includes real people and events into the story line. “I am a student of history and love to insert historical information into my mysteries. There is an addendum at the end of the mystery to give more information. My goal is to entertain my readers, but if they learn a little something along the way—well, then we are both happy.”

Miss Abigail currently lives on the Palisades bordering the Kentucky River in a metal house with her husband and various critters. AWARDS

2010 Gold Medal Award from Readers’ Favorite for Death By A HoneyBee
2011 Gold Medal Award from Readers’ Favorite for Death By Drowning
2011 USA BOOK NEWS-Best Books List of 2011 as a Finalist for Death By Drowning
2011 USA BOOK NEWS-Best Books List of 2011 as a Finalist for Death By A HoneyBee
2017 Finalist from Readers’ Favorite for Death By Design
2019 Honorable Mention from Readers’ Favorite for Death By Stalking
2019 Murder Under A Blue Moon voted top ten mystery reads by Kings River Life Magazine
2020 Finalist from Readers’ Favorite for Murder Under A Blue Moon
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
2022 Top Ten Mystery Novel by Kings River Life Magazine for Murder Under A Bridal Moon: A 1930s