The Last of the Moon Girls - Barbara Davis - A Short Summary & Review

 The Last of the Moon Girls - Barbara Davis - A Short Summary & Review

By: a.d. elliott | Take the Back Roads - Art and Other Odd Adventures

A Rite of Fancy Book Recommendation and Review

Returning home after the death of a grandparent.

A short summary:

After the death of her grandmother, Lizzy Carroll returns to the isolated family estate she once fled, a place steeped in rumor, ritual, and long-simmering secrets. The women in her family have always lived on the edges of their community, bound together by traditions that outsiders label strange and dangerous.

As Lizzy sorts through what was left behind, she uncovers a decades-old mystery connected to an abandoned child and a tragedy the town has never fully forgotten. What begins as a reluctant homecoming quickly becomes an unraveling of generational truths, forcing Lizzy to confront both her inheritance and the cost of belonging.

My favorite quote from the book:

"Illusions have no power - unless we insist on clinging to them."

- Barbara Davis, The Last of the Moon Girls

Questions to ponder while reading:

Does your family have a past?

How is your relationship with your mother?

My review:

This is a quick, fun little mystery with just enough darkness to keep the pages turning. The Last of the Moon Girls blends family dysfunction, folklore, and suspense into a story that doesn’t linger too long, but lingers just enough.

The novel leans unapologetically into its pagan undertones. Ritual, herbal lore, and feminine power are woven through the narrative, not as spectacle, but as family language passed down through generations. The dysfunction here feels earned, less melodramatic than quietly corrosive.

What makes the book especially enjoyable is its mood. This is a “dark and stormy night” read: candles lit, rain tapping at the windows, secrets surfacing in whispers rather than shouts. It’s not heavy or punishing, just satisfyingly eerie and emotionally grounded.

The Last of the Moon Girls is a comfort mystery with teeth: atmospheric, readable, and perfect when you want intrigue without exhaustion.

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About the Author
a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller traveling through life

She shares her journeys at Take the Back Roads, explores new reads at Rite of Fancy, and highlights U.S. military biographies at Everyday Patriot.

You can also browse her online photography gallery at shop.takethebackroads.com.

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