Book of Moons: A Bast Mystery [Hardcover]

Rosemary Edghill (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1995

The heroine of Speak Daggers to Her returns in her second mystery, in which Bast, the mostly modern witch and amateur detective, investigates the murder of a bookstore owner in downtown Manhattan.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

While known for her Regency romances, Edghill shifted genre with Speak Daggers to Her (LJ 4/1/94) and introduced Bast (a.k.a. Karen Hightower), a practicing witch and amateur sleuth. In her second adventure, Bast "discovers" Mary, Queen of Scots, and the possibility that Mary practiced witchcraft. Bast even meets the current pretender to the Scottish throne, then unwittingly hides a stolen antique spellbook attributed to Mary. Because she is suspicious of other such thefts, Bast looks for connections to the murder of an occult bookstore owner. Edghill portrays this New York subculture with humor and panache and provides a unique, if sometimes cynical, perspective. Recommended.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 220 pages
• Publisher: Forge; 1st edition (November 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312856059
• ISBN-13: 978-0312856052
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,011,053 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Don't buy this!, June 26, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Book of Moons: A Bast Mystery (Hardcover)

For less money, you can buy "Bell, Book, and Murder" instead, which is a compilation of all three Bast books (including this one). Wish someone had told me before I bought all four!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another "must read" by Rosemary Edghill, June 28, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Book of Moons (Bast) (Mass Market Paperback)

The second book in Rosemary Edghill's Bast series is another winner. The plot involves a mysterious book, The Book of Moons, which is alleged to have belonged to Mary, Queen of Scots. It raises all sorts of delicious questions about whether she was a witch and is this book her Book of Shadows. It's also a great mystery. What is the secret behind this book that is causing someone to kill for it. By the end of the book I was convinced that Mary, Queen of Scots did have a Book of Moons and it's out there somewhere. I can't wait for the third book in the Bast series

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Still good, January 25, 2001

By 

Annette Hrisko-Allen (pdx,usa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Book of Moons: A Bast Mystery (Hardcover)

While I still enjoyed reading about the further sleuthing adventures of Bast, I honestly thought the "moment of truth" took a whole lot longer than a moment. But, the denoument was a realistic and satisfying conclusion.

One thing that I wish Edghill would do is develop the backgrounds of her principal characters. There's no mention of what brought Bast to the decision of joining the Craft. What was she in her pre-Craft existence?

The villian was a bit contrived, as well. The motive for murder was fine, though typical. Edghill's fleshing out of the baddie was lacking, dare I say it, "human interest". Sure, the villian is a vehicle and foil for the hero's progression through the narrative; but, a villian should also be able to do something more than be mean and wave about a firearm.

What I found more interesting was the interplay between Bast and her fellow coven members. Edghill once again blows up the myth that all pagans and Witches are loving and chummy with one another. Bast has to make a decision whether or not to "leave the nest" because, even in the best of circumstances, people do grow apart.

A good book, but not as good as the first.