A Honeymoon of Havoc: A Closed-Circle Travel Cozy Murder Mystery
(A Cotswold Antique Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Setting – Sri Lanka
Publisher : Kanga Press
Publication date : March 4, 2026
Print length : 216 pages
Paperback
ISBN-10 : 1917168764
ISBN-13 : 978-1917168762
Kindle
ISBN-13 : 978-1917168755
ASIN : B0G15SF8N1
Audiobook
ASIN B0GRGPF8BS
It’s love at first light on a golden Sri Lankan beach… until the tide turns deadly.
Café owner, Keya Varma, is overjoyed to escape the English Cotswold winter for tropical sunshine, and her happiness soars when her CSI partner surprises her with a marriage proposal. A quiet ceremony on a golden beach seems the perfect start to their life together. But paradise loses its sparkle when a priceless sapphire disappears, and a body is found on the sand.
With the local police quick to accuse the newlyweds, Keya’s honeymoon takes a disastrous turn. Caught between suspicion and island bureaucracy, she must depend on logic, courage, and the support of her calm and capable husband to clear their names.
From sacred temples to moonlit beaches, clues glitter amid lies and deception. But as truth proves hard to uncover, Keya learns that even the most precious gems can hide deep flaws.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Keya and Sujin leave behind the chilly Cotswold winter, seeking warmth and adventure in the tropical paradise of Sri Lanka. Shortly after their arrival, Sujin surprises Keya with a heartfelt marriage proposal. The couple quickly decides to celebrate their union with a small, intimate ceremony on the picturesque beach.
At their hotel, a gemstone exhibition is underway. One of the dealers offers Keya the opportunity to wear a stunning sapphire necklace and earrings for her wedding day, asking only that she allow him to photograph her adorned in the jewels. Persuaded, Keya agrees to the arrangement.
After the wedding and the photographs, the couple returns the gems. However, not long after, another priceless gemstone vanishes. While walking on the beach, Keya and Sujin stumble upon a dead body. The police, finding them near the scene, arrest them on suspicion of murder. Fortunately, their connections help secure their release. Drawing on their backgrounds from the Cotswolds, Keya and Sujin work to clear their names and uncover the real culprit.
Despite the chaos, the newlyweds manage to enjoy some sightseeing. Yet their honeymoon is filled with turmoil. The questions remain: Can they locate the missing gemstone and identify the murderer? Or will they be forced to return home with the mysteries unresolved?
This series is a spin-off from the Dotty Sayers Antique Mystery Series. Keya’s journey has been remarkable; she is now more confident, owns a café, and works as a crime scene investigator. Her love for Sujin is mutual and profound. I love that this book features them on their own, away from the Cotswolds. Keya gets to meet members of his family, and he shares some of his favorite places with her. They are blissfully happy, even with a murderer and a thief on the loose. They freely offer to help solve both.
One relative of Sujin’s is Superintendent Mahinda Attanayake of the Kandy Police Division. He welcomes their help on both cases. Keya teams up with him as he questions suspects. He knows immediately that she has good instincts. Mahinda gives Sujin his own assignments. After a lot of legwork, I was taken aback when the killer was revealed and how the death happened. The case of the missing gemstone was a little easier to solve, but I enjoyed how that part of the story played out.
The story offers a virtual journey through Sri Lanka with Keya and Sujin. The author’s rich descriptions bring scenes to life, from climbing to see the giant Buddha to watching elephants—especially two babies—pass close to their safari vehicle. The magical beach wedding and other sights are vividly portrayed, making me feel present alongside the characters. The book also imparts knowledge about Buddhism and the gem mining industry, shedding light on the unfair treatment of miners and the influence of landowners.
I escaped right into A Honeymoon of Havoc. Every person Keya and Sujin met and interacted with was intriguing and interesting. Every place they ventured, except the jail, was beautiful. Their wedding is touching, and their vows are delightful. I can’t wait until Keya’s mother finds out they eloped. There is sure to be some fireworks. I won’t have to wait too long.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to the author for providing me with an ARC.
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About the Author
Victoria Tait was born and raised in Yorkshire, England, where she developed a lifelong love of tea and British traditions. Inspired by the works of Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, and Murder, She Wrote, she writes cozy mysteries infused with her signature British charm.
Her determined and hard-working female sleuths are joined by colourful but realistic teams of helpers, and her settings are vivid and evocative. With intrigue, surprises, and gentle humour, Victoria’s page-turning stories are the perfect blend of mystery and charm, best enjoyed with a cup of tea and a slice of cake.
You can find Victoria at VictoriaTait.com ‘
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Find all of Victoria Tait’s books HERE.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” “As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.”
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