Rating: 4.5🌈
The Tides of March picks up right after the events from Back in the Hunt, the first book to feature the secondary characters from the original Moon Mysteries Trilogy featuring Nelson and Nox. At the end of that story, Nox’s TA Tony was severely injured and was taken out to Poole’s Island, hoping that Ronan, a merrow who lives there, could heal him.
That’s where The Tides of March picks up. But the time frame is somewhat flexible with the narrative flowing back and forth in time to the two important parts of Tony and Ronan relationship, that when they met and the current situation of events.
K Sterling became a go to author for a number of reasons, excellence in writing being one, but Sterling’s work when it comes to mythology, religion, cultural history and the depths of this author’s research is phenomenal. Then to take that knowledge and give it a unique twist, spinning it into epic tale of fantasy , horror, and murder mysteries? Fantastic.
That concept and mythological storytelling is furthered by Tony’s wounding and his unceremonious dumping on Poole’s Island, hoping that Ronan will have no other choice but to help him as a male merrow.
Their relationship will be built around Maryland’s history, Celtic mythology, especially those that pertain to merrows, and Tony’s own revelations about his family background. It’s an astonishing blend of mythology, history, and legends that works for the story, the relationship and its characters. It will also help more over , at the end, move the series arc mystery forward into another story and nearby location.
The vivid imagery and Sterling’s vision for the characters comes together in emotional detail and moments that make them and their situation seem believable.
That battle that brought many of Nox’s inner circle together (and our favorites) was a truly action filled and exciting.
All of these stories are based on locations near to me , something that rarely occurs in books I read. Silver Spring, Maryland? Almost unheard of.
The ending was lovely way to bring the story to a close , give Tony a new beginning and to launch the next adventure, Dead Air.
I’m all in when everyone heads to the Shenandoah Mountains.
Another fantastic story to add to the growing mythology mystery surrounding Nox and company. Highly recommended.
Exquisite covers. No idea who to credit them to.
Moon Mysteries 1 – 3 (first series)
Nelson & MacIlwraith Mystery (Moon Murder Mysteries sequel series)
Back in the Hunt #1
The Tides of March #2
Dead Air #3 – Aug 19,2025
Buy link
Amazon.comhttps://www.amazon.comThe Tides of March: A Nelson & MacIlwraith Mystery (Moon …
Blurb
Welcome to Pooles Island.
Population: 1 very grumpy merrow.
That’s all that Anthony Costa knows about his destination. Weak and barely clinging to consciousness after being attacked by an undead changeling, Tony is left in the care of Ronan O’Sullivan. The young anthropology professor’s fate hangs by a thread and the hideous merrow is Tony’s last hope.
Scorned and abandoned, Ronan has no use for men until he finds a beautiful Roman castaway on his beach. Bound by an ancient oath, Ronan has no choice but to care for Tony. But being a merrow means that Ronan is also burdened by a strong desire to claim the human inhabiting his bed.
There’s more to Tony’s story than he ever imagined and Ronan finds out he’s more than an ugly face, but a mysterious foe has unleashed an ancient horror upon Pooles Island. Ronan sets Tony free in an attempt to fight it on his own and finds himself outmatched by a kraken. Will Tony and his friends make it back in time to save Ronan, or will their love story get swept away with the tide?
**Tides Of March is part of the Nelson & MacIlwraith universe and includes MANY spoilers for the original trilogy.**
- Publisher: Bawdy Books (March 15, 2025)
- Publication date: March 15, 2025
- Language: English
- Print length: 183 pages
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 