This is the first book I’ve read by this author and it was absolutely amazing. This is the third book in the series, A Fen Churche Mystery but can be read as a standalone novel. I devoured this book, it kept my attention from the first page to the last.

It’s 1945 and WWII has ended and Fen Churche boards a steam ship and sails from France to America. Fen is looking forward to meeting new people and dancing in the grand ballroom on the ship. But, nothing seems to go as planned. Not only is a diamond tiara is missing, that belongs to a young actress who is headed for Broadway, but a murder takes place and another body is discovered hidden in a lifeboat. But don’t fret because Fen Churche is on the case, and being the super sleuth that she is, she will solve the case. I was so engrossed in this story, I couldn’t wait to find out if I was right about who did it, and than wham the ending totally blindsides you. Wow, I absolutely did not see that coming. I loved this whodunnit all the way to the last page. Oh my goodness, don’t pass up this edge or seat book….fantastic.

Fliss Chester is a new favorite author for me. I love her writing style and her characters are well developed and I will definitely be reading more of her books. I highly recommend this author. Thank you Fliss Chester for this amazing read.

1945. Fen Churche follows her dreams and sails for New York. She 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. Looking forward to relaxing with her favourite crossword puzzles, Fen’s quiet passage is horribly disrupted by another crime – this time a murder. Fen finds Genie, a young actress bound for Broadway, strangled in her own cabin. With no police on board and a frantic captain, Fen decides to do a little snooping of her own. When another body turns up, hidden in a lifeboat, whilst the ship is in the middle of the Atlantic, Fen feels sure these dreadful crimes are linked. Through her sleuthing she meets light-hearted lieutenants returning from the war, charming cabin boys and snooty first-class passengers who look down their nose at her. But it isn’t until Fen realises that one person is missing from the passenger list that she is finally on the murderer’s trail.
The third book in this well written series & it is easily read on its own. Fen is delightful as always, the descriptions are vivid & I felt as though I was on the steamer. The characters are well portrayed & have depth, some I liked & some I thoroughly disliked. There are twists & turns in this engrossing read & I didn't work out who the killer was, which is always a plus. I look forward to more books in the series & wonder where Fen will go next
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

Unfortunately this book just didn't do it for me. I found it to be such a slow burn that I had to force myself to pick it up to continue reading. Nothing really happened at all during the first 50% of the book. There was a lot of description and friendship building, which was mostly enjoyable, but when the jewellery was stolen and the murders started happening, it unfortunately wasn't all that exciting. I found the ending to be quite anti climactic with lots of easy confessions.
That being said, I really did enjoy the language used, it made me chuckle a lot having grown up in the UK, hearing lots of expressions that I haven't heard in 8years!

It was 1945, the war was over, and Fen Churche was accompanied by James Lancaster as they sailed from France to England where Fen had every intention of disembarking and finally catching up with Mrs B, Kitty and her parents. But meeting with Eloise and her aunt on the La Grasse saw a change of plans, and before Fen could hesitate, her journey to New York was confirmed. With James also continuing on to America, they were sure to have some fun filled days. But when Eloise’s aunt’s priceless jewels were stolen, Fen and James promised to search for them. And that search uncovered more than Fen had bargained for – a body in one of the lifeboats.

As Fen and James investigated, another body was uncovered. What was happening on this supposedly peaceful journey to America? Could Fen uncover the murderer – and the jewel thief – before they docked in New York?

The Moonlit Murders is the 3rd in the Fen Churche Mystery series by Fliss Chester and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed all three. An excellent historical mystery with Fen as a very accomplished amateur sleuth! I hope there is to be a #4. Highly recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

Another entertaining and well written addition to this historical mystery series.
It's a good mystery that kept me hooked and entertained till the last page.
The historical background is well researched and vivid. The mix of historical fact and fiction works and I learned something new. I like how the author describes how WWII wounded people and how they dealt with it.
Fen is a character that grew on me and I love how clever she is.
The character development is excellent and I liked how the relationship between the cast of characters is evolving.
The mystery is complex and solid, full of twists and turns, and some unexpected surprises. It kept me guessing and entertained.
I can't wait to read the next installment, this one is highly recommended.
Many thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

It is 1945, and Fen Churche is ready to go home from her adventures France, where she went in order to find out what happened to her fiancé. Travelling with her friend James on an ocean liner from Le Havre to Southampton, Fen is shocked to find one of the passengers is German. When she learns that James plans to stay onboard until the ship docks in New York, Fen lets her new friends Eloise, an American heiress who was stranded in France for the duration of the war, and actress Genie convince her to accompany them to New York as well. When a theft of priceless jewels leads to the discovery of a murder, Fen investigates, determined to find the culprit before they arrive in New York.

Fen is a great character: intelligent, feminine, practical, generous, and with a good sense of humour. Her method of viewing mysteries as crossword puzzles is a little odd, in fact I can't say I understood how she does it, but it makes sense for the character and her love of crossword puzzles. Her companion James is a good foil, kind of the Watson to her Holmes: charming, gregarious, but not quite as clever as she is. The secondary characters are vividly drawn, and the ship setting is well described. The ocean liner provides a perfect opportunity for an amateur investigation because it offers no escape to the suspects as well as holding Fen to a very strict timeline. Fliss Chester creates a microcosm in which the different classes and nationalities are represented, giving a view of the time period during which the stricter class distinctions were crumbling, and everyone was looking for an escape from the hardships off the war.

The mystery is complex, I admit I did not guess the identity of the murderer at all, yet when the reveal came it made perfect sense. Some of the side mysteries were easier to solve, which had the added benefit of making me feel clever without spoiling the big reveal towards the end. I also love the obligatory exposition scene at the end where Fen explains to the main cast of characters the clues that led to her solving of the cases. This is the third Fen Churche mystery, and the first one I read. I look forward to reading more of Fen’s adventures, after going back to read the first two books.

In short, this is a satisfying mystery with an unusual setting, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Enjoyable cosy crime, set just after the end of WWII. This is the 3rd in the series, I haven’t read the previous two but this stood up well as a stand-alone story - would I have enjoyed it more if I’d read the previous books? Possibly.

Fenella Churche is travelling back home from France by ship after going there to investigate what had happened to her fiancé, accompanied by friend James.

There are a wide range of characters travelling also, a famous radio star, a wannabe film star, a pompous American heiress and her niece, as well as the mysterious man in cabin 13

What happens during the journey is that murders occur and precious jewels go missing. Are the murders and the missing jewels linked? Who is the man in cabin 13?

This was a very well written story and I very much enjoyed it. I look forward to reading more about Fen and James.

3.5 (rounded up to 4)

Thank you to Bookouture and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my review.

Steam Ship Bound...
The third in the Fen Church mystery series, 1940’s set, and Fen is steam ship bound for New York. Glamour and intrigue abound until some missing diamonds cause disruption and a murder is soon to follow. As chaos ensues can Fen crack the case before a killer escapes? Wholly enjoyable historical mystery, a likeable protagonist in Fen and a colourful cast of supporting characters. Enjoyable escapism which can happily be read as a standalone.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'The Moonlit Murders' by Fliss Chester.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Fliss Chester, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

Publication date 21st April 2021

This is the second book I have read by this author and it is also the third book in the 'Fen Churche Mystery' series. The first book I read is the first one in the series and is called 'A Dangerous Goodbye' which I recommend!! This book can also be read as a standalone.

I was originally drawn to this book by its eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis. I enjoyed Fliss Chester's 'A Dangerous Goodbye' and am hoping this will be just as good. It also stated in the synopsis that this book is 'An absolute treat for fans of Agatha Christie, T.E. Kinsey and Jacqueline Winspear', I am a fan of Agatha Christie so am looking forward to see if it loves up to this. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).

This novel consists of 43 chapters and an epilogue. The chapters are short to medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

This book is based in France 🇫🇷 and on a steam ship on the Atlantic.

This book is written in third person perspective and the main protagonist is Fenella Churche. The benefits of third person perspective are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything.

This book is very well written with vivid descriptions. The synopsis and cover suited the storyline perfectly. Although this book is part of a series it can be read as a standalone with no problems at all, any previous cases/information is described in just the right amount of detail, enough for those reading as a standalone to work out what happened but not too much so those who have read previous books in the series get fed up of repetitions.

I love the fact that the protagonist is female, being one myself, and that she has a strong personality and will not back down no matter what is thrown at her, including 2 murders and a theft!!! I devoured it in one sitting.

The plot is intriguing and filled with mystery, thefts, lies, romance, murder and more!!! It has plenty to keep the reader interested and has lots of little clues to help point to the killer. I didn't guess who the murderer was so bonus points there! Nothing worse than working out the killer less than half way through a book. Although the book is a crime one I thought it was still quite a light hearted read and I enjoyed the lovely descriptions and the feeling it gave me of being on a cruise per say. The murders themselves were quite interesting and not straight forward death's and I love the way that Fen does her crosswords to work mysteries out.

The characters were all very interesting with their own personalities, strengths and flaws. I enjoyed meeting Fen and James again as well as the new characters. Mrs Archer was absolutely horrid and her attitude really annoyed me. Genie and Spencer were definitely larger and life and full of fun. Eloise was definitely an interesting character and I'm glad that she finally stood up for herself. I'm looking forward to the next novel in this series and finding out what Fen will get wrapped up in next and where she will be when she does.

Overall a very well written post war crime novel that was easy to read and kept me guessing throughout.

Genres covered in this novel include Mystery and History amongst others.


I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of Agatha Christie, T.E. Kinsey, Jacqueline Winspear and anyone who enjoys a page turning who dunnit.


287 pages.

This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 4/5 (I enjoyed it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

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'Silly, Fen,' she scolded herself and peered out of the cabin door to check no one had heard her talking to herself, before closing it behind her.

Yes! Fen Churche is back! The third novel in the Fen Churche Mystery Series has just been published and I'm so happy. I've been following former landgirl Fenella Churche on her journey to France in search of her fiancé Arthur, as told in A Dangerous Goodbye. Instead of finding him, she stumbles upon multiple murder cases, which she is determined to solve. In France she meets Captain James Lancaster, who is a friend of Arthur's and also investigating his disappearance. After solving the murders, together they start their journey back to England, stopping in Paris to visit Fen's old family friend Rose. It seems murder follows Fen, because in Night Train to Paris her friend Rose gets killed and it's once again up to Fen to solve her murder.

Sad over the loss of her fiancé and her good friend, Fen boards a boat to England, accompanied by James. This is where Fliss Chester's third novel starts: The Moonlit Murders. Aboard, Fen meets lovely new people, most of them American, as the ship will continue on to New York after it has reached Southampton, England. The young Eloise, who's been living in shelter with her aunt during the long years of war, begs her to accompany her all the way to New York. Even though Fen misses home and her friends, she decides to take a risk and sail all the way to America. Especially when she finds out that James is not intending to end his journey in England and will also be traveling to New York!

But of course the journey won't be what they think it will be. Expensive jewellery goes missing and when Fen is searching the lifeboats to see if the jewellery is hidden there, she discovers a body. 'Worse things happen at sea' indeed!

I won't spoil any more of the plot — this is a book you have to experience for yourself! I can only tell you that I almost yelled out loud near the end; I most definitely did not see that particular twist coming! In my opinion, if a detective story can surprise you at the end it's an excellent one.

When a journey to New York is interrupted by missing diamonds and a body in the lifeboat, there is only one woman who can help: Fen Churche! This is the 3rd book in the series and in my mind, maybe the best yet. Lots of suspense, twists and turns and a fabulous portrayal of the era. This can read as a stand-alone but I highly recommend reading the rest. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy for review.

A story full of events set on board a ship travelling from France to New York in 1945.
Fliss uses such good description for everything...the characters, the ship and the setting. It is easy to imagine you are there with them all. The murder plots keep you guessing with fingers being pointed in all directions.
I was very happy with the ending as all loose ends were tied up nicely.

I wasn't able to get into this book. It just wasn't for me. Having said that, it has many wonderful reviews, so it appears I just chose the wrong book for my taste.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of The Moonlit Murders, the third novel to feature amateur sleuth Fenella Churche, set in post war 1945.

After her adventures in France Fen is returning to England, but on the crossing home she is persuaded to carry on to New York. The journey, however, is not uneventful with a jewellery theft and two murders. Fen, aided by her friend James Lancaster and her logical thinking honed by years of crossword solving, starts an investigation.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Moonlit Murders which is a fun read with an engrossing plot. It is told entirely from Fen’s point of view, allowing the reader to get involved and potentially solve the crimes alongside her. I say potentially, because I had no clue and while I recognised some of the wartime and post war references I couldn’t work out their exact implications. I think, however, that they might be totally lost on younger readers.

I found the novel to be a page turner with an interesting plot and characters. It is a fairly gentle read with Fen putting together the information she gathers and her impressions in crossword form. It is a good way of collating what she knows and summarising the plot so far for the reader. There is a steady stream of developments and reveals, engaging the reader’s curiosity and speculation. I thought the solution was neat, tying up all the loose ends and offering a credible solution to what had gone on.

The characters are well enough drawn for the novel and offer a cross section of the relatively more well-to-do (not too many people can afford a sea crossing). The snobby, rich American widow and her niece, the entertainer and his dancer with ambitions girlfriend etc. There are hints of the more egalitarian society to come, but mostly the novel sticks to the mores of the time.

The Moonlit Murders is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

The Moonlit Murders is the third book in the Fen Churche Mystery series. Unfortunately, this was my first book of the series. However, I will be going back and reading the first two. Fen and James are headed home to good ole Blighty from France post WWII. The De Grasse is sailing from France, to England and then on to New York. James decides he isn't ready to go home, and a new friend talks Fen into staying on board to New York. There is an interesting cast of characters that fill the ship. There are also two murders and the theft of some priceless jewels. Fen and James are on hand to solve the mysteries.
This was a fun book to read, and as I stated, I enjoyed it enough to seek out the rest of the series. Thank you #NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to give my voluntary and honest opinion of #TheMoonlitMurders.

I was give. This arc in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book. At times it felt longer than it needed to be but the story was enjoyable

It’s my first time reading this née series (book 3)

The story revolves around a return trip from France to New York with a stop In England. During the trip there is a theft and two murders and it’s up to Fen to figure out who’s to blame

I will read the next book as it’s a good storyline

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. Book 3 of the Fen Churche series. She is on a ship, finally headed home from after the war when another passenger she has befriended has offered to pay for her trip to America. On the way, a large sum of jewelry is stolen and a body is found. Can Fen get to the bottom of this mystery as well? I love her problem solving skills and these cute cozy mysteries! #themoonlitmurders #flisschester #apr2021

Fen Churche is quickly becoming one of my favorite amateur sleuth's and The Moonlit Murders is a great addition! This time she and James are on a ship to New York - well it doesn't start that way, originally she plans of getting off at Southampton and going home. But first come the thefts and then the murders and it is up to Fen to figure out who is behind the different crimes. The ending is a surprise with interesting characters and puzzling plot twists. I look forward to seeing what Fen and James get up to next! Thank you to #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and advance copy of #TheMoonlitMurders.

First off I want to say a huge thank you to the publisher Bookouture , the author Fliss Chester , and to NetGalley for inviting me to join the blog tour for this book as well as letting me read and review it. As soon as I saw this one was up for a blog tour I knew I was going to say yes, because I loved the other book I read in this series, one of the things I love is the main character Fin, in fact I would say this is becoming one of my favorite cozy mysteries series to read , just need o read the first one when I can then I'll be all caught up in this series. But this one was a little bit different then the second book but that's why I liked it so much more and here's why :filled spies, lies, romance, murder and more that that it will keep you turning the pages just to see what happens next .

Some of my favourite series are historical murder mysteries and The Fen Churche Mysteries are quickly joining these titles. Set in the period immediately following the second world war, the first two books followed Fen in France as she looked for evidence of what happened to her fiance and then made her way back to England. Now, leaving France, she makes a detour and travels to New York.
As seems to happen around Fen, it isn't long before something mysterious happens. First with the theft of some near priceless jewels and then with a murder. Fen, with the help of the lovely James, soon starts sniffing around and trying to get to the bottom of what has happened.
Although it's not just Fen who does the sleuthing in these books, James does take more of a supportive role and it's definitely Fen who leads the investigations. James is there to help her out when she needs an extra pair of hands, or just to look after her when things get a bit much.
I really enjoy these stories and can't wait to find out what happens to Fen next. Will she make it back to England before finding herself caught up in something else. It's clear that there's more to James' story than he's shared as yet and he's far from keen to face up to his family responsibilities.
This was a fantastic read and Fen is fast becoming a bit of a favourite with me.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.