A Mystery in the Agatha Christie Tradition - Patchwork Quilt Murder

 I pre-ordered this book at some point earlier this year and forgot all about the pre-ordering. I recently got around to reading it and it is a five-star book for me. The Lucy Stone series is marketed as a cozy mystery series and to be sure there are craft and cooking themes in many of the books, but the series is more in the vein of a classic Agatha Christie-style mystery. 

In this book we say goodbye to an old friend, not Ms Tilley, I'm almost certain she is immortal. There are some heavy themes in this book including frank discussions of mental illness. Leslie Meier excels in writing books that address the current moments in society and how that affects the imaginary town of Tinker's Cove. Lucy Stone and the other residents feel like real people and it's very easy to immerse myself in her books. It's like visiting family. 

I read the books out of order, there isn't any romantic subplot, Lucy has her same group of friends, and the children grow up. If you prefer romance-free cozies, this could be a good series for you. 

This cover is quite cute! 

I sent my third book off to my editor and am using my writing time to try and make social media posts. This is my latest attempt using Canva. How many hours will it take to gain some mastery of Canva? I've got a long way to go! 

The Sunday Post- Have you finished watching Bridgerton yet?

 

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news a

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly, or for a monthly wrap-up. you can write about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly, or for a monthly wrap-up. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme

Having finished my rough draft of Is This Love Fur Real, I watched the second half of Bridgerton yesterday.  It was very well done, I thoroughly enjoyed Penelope and Portia coming to a better understanding and healing their relationship.  Portia Featherington is one of my favorite characters. I read many a social media post about the season while scrolling and geez Louise people really go overboard on critiques. 

Readingwise, I finished The Diva Goes Overboard and am a third of the way through the latest Lucy Stone cozy mystery.  I'm also listening to a Kim Harrison audible exclusive. I'll be making a concerted effort to make my posts about these books and more this week. 

I've completed the first week of summer school and we only have two weeks left!  Summer school is only three and a half hours per day four days a week and we only go through June twenty-seventh, so it's nice. I'm working in a classroom of junior high kids. I was worried they would be a lot to handle, but I have found they are just wonderful and delightful!

In garden news, my zinnias have bloomed and we have cucumbers!  How was your week? 

Oh I almost forgot yesterday I ran a 5K for Imerman Angels!  Bonus was my middle kiddo ran it too! It was his first race!

The race is held at Montrose Beach (Lake Michigan) 

And here are my garden pics!

Mother of the Bride Murder ARC from Net Galley!

 Here is the tagline from the publisher: "As part-time Tinker’s Cove, Maine reporter Lucy Stone says “oui” to her daughter’s surprise wedding invitation in France, she must also make a different kind of vow—to catch a killer!"

If you've read my blog before,  you know I enjoy the Lucy Stone cozy mystery series. I've read many of the books over the last five years and I was delighted that Kensington and Net Galley provided me with an ARC for Mother of the Bride Murder which will be published April 25th. 

I am of the opinion that sometimes you connect with a cozy sleuth and sometimes you don't and that is A-OK.  I connect with Lucy Stone even though I don't always agree with her.  We live in Lucy's head in these books and so we really get to know her thoughts and opinions. After reading many of her adventures, I find that the reason I will read this series as long as Leslie Meier writes them is that Lucy and the Tinker Cove crew feel like real people. They are written with depth and the dialogue sounds just like you might have in your own daily life. 

Reading this book I was worried about Lucy's relationship with Toby more than I was about the actual murder. I'm glad that by the end of it, they were in a good place.  However because of what happens, now I'm pretty concerned that Molly is never going to want to move back to Maine.  I miss the days when Molly lived nearby. She's a great daughter-in-law. 

I was also reminded in this book that Elizabeth is my least favorite of the daughters, she always seems to be too interested in wealth. See, the characters are normal everyday middle-class-ish people you probably know. I could write a really long post going on about everything in the book like I was telling you about my neighbor, that's how Lucy feels after you read some of this series.

My rating for this book is 4. It's a good solid book, I liked that much of the drama involving the Stone family could have been avoided if Marie and Hugo had been upfront with their guests. I do prefer when the whole book takes place in Tinker's Cove. 

If you haven't read any of this series, you can read this book, you don't have to know all about the other books. 

Happy November! Thanksgiving is Coming and I'm in Holiday Planning Mode #TheSundayPost

   

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly, or for a monthly wrap-up. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme 

How was your first week of November?  I feel pretty good about mine. I ordered our Christmas photo cards from Walgreens. I ordered a few heat-and-serve side dishes from Boston Market for our Thanksgiving Feast, it's a family Tradition. I took down the Halloween decorations, left up all the general fall decorations, and added my Thanksgiving decorations. This year I finally got a blow-up turkey for our front yard, something I've been wanting to do for years but the price wasn't right until this year! I also ordered a couple of Thanksgiving-themed Snoopy shirts. Fun for me and fun to wear when I work at the school with kiddos. Plus I canvassed twice for my congressman, and we completed and dropped off our mail-in ballots. 

I also sent my Tastefully Simple recipe newsletter  Here is a link to it if you'd like to check it out click here

What have you been up to? Do you happen to have any fun Christmas-themed reads you can recommend to me? Esp. if I can do an audiobook--

Today I'm finishing Cold Days another book in the Harry Dresden Files and I will have a review on either Monday or Tuesday. Then I'm diving into a Lucy Stone Thanksgiving-themed mystery! 

Tired of the Heat? Try Reading This Book to Put You in an Autumn Frame of Mind

 

Book Nine in the long Lucy Stone Mystery series had lots to make me happy. As ya'll know I'm a Lucy Stone fan.  The Lucy Stone Mysteries, never fail to give me warm fuzzies of nostalgia, and a longing to hop on a plane and head to Maine. 

>> As an aside, imagine my surprise in finding out that Leslie Meier doesn't live in Maine! From all these books I had assumed she was born and raised in Maine>> 

This book starts with the Summer solstice, so it is a witchy book that spans all of summer and then climaxes at Samhain (aka Halloween) which I found to be delightful and why I recommend reading this now as we slowly march toward those crisp fall days. If you like a seasonal read and you enjoy the mythology of witches and some Wiccan discussion and lore, you will enjoy this cozy. You can read it without having read other books in the series, you shouldn't feel lost. 

As someone who has read other books in the series, I found this comment by Lucy to be pretty funny since a couple of years ago there was a series of murders in their subdivision- also Lucy was in a gangland shootout in Book four I think, and so on and so on.  People in Tinker's Cove REALLY need to start locking their doors!  Hazardous town to live in--especially if you are new to the area, ha!

Four stars for this installment. Lots of cranky Lucy and witchy stuff! 

Miss Tilley Lives! The lastest book in the Lucy Stone Series!

Here we are, book number 28.  I had to wait until my turn to get this one from the local library. So I'm not alone in reading this series.  There are other Lucy Stone fans around me. 

I was really happy to see that Miss Tilley, the oldest person in Tinker's Cove and possibly the world is still alive and kicking. Although she has had some health setbacks and is at an assisted living facility.  The reason for the murder is interesting, and there is a nice subplot about possible Medicare fraud. Lucy spends much of the book at the Assisted Living Facility so we meet some new people, but there's still time for breakfast at Jake's and scenes with Phyllis and Ted.

Sweet Zoe who was introduced as a baby in book one is now graduating from college and looking for her first apartment. In this book, she has taken over the title of the most annoying child. a title once held by all her older siblings in other books. 

This was an enjoyable entry in the series. I liked the easter egg and bonnet talk and as always I enjoy Maine weather talk. I don't know how many more books there might be left in this series, but I hope there are a few more to come! 

Ukrainian Easter Eggs 

 

Bake Sale Murder and Wedding Day Murder-

 I'm doubling up on some of my reviews this week since they are shorter books by the same author in the same series.  Today I'm talking about book 13 and book 8 in Leslie Meier's Lucy Stone series.

This is book number 13 in the Lucy Stone Mystery Series. This book focuses on the murder of course, but also on harassment and bullying going on with the high school football team and the cheerleaders.  In this book, I once again wonder if we are to draw the conclusion that Sara has an eating disorder.  This would probably be more clear if I read the series in order? At least I know that if she does, she must get help because in recent books she is doing well and is an adult. This book also contrasts moms with young kids vs. Moms whose kids have left the nest.  

I didn't like the resolution of who the killer was very much, this book on that front was a disappointment for me. 

I rate it as a 3.

Look at this original cover!  It looks so dated now!  Wedding Day Murder is book 8 in the series and was published in 2001!  It's as old as my middle child!  Time really flies. This book focuses on Sue, Lucy's friend that I find to be overbearing. In this book Sue's daughter is getting married. I don't think it is until about the halfway point in the book before there is a murder.  I assumed the person who was killed was going to be the victim so I was waiting around waiting for the murder to happen.  

Since much of the appeal for me in these books is actually the day to day happenings in Tinker's Cove and Lucy's internal monologue, I enjoyed this book. All the kids still live at home in the book--although Toby and Elizabeth are in college. Elizabeth has apparently taken up smoking, I hope she quits that pretty soon!  In the end the killer manages to get himself caught--and we do get a wedding just not the one advertised at the beginning of the book! 

I rate this one as a 4! 

The Sunday Post - Happy Football Day and Happy Valentine's Day!

 

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly, or for a monthly wrap-up. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme 

I hope you had a nice week and that if you celebrate today with lots of wings, nachos, and tasty beverages you have a wonderful game and that your team wins!

And let me wish you a Happy Valentine's Day!  I have put together bags with little goodies for the kids and the hubs for Monday. I'm also planning to make a bar mix that looks very yummy and cheesecake-y 

I am hoping it is as good as it looks

This week I continue with talking about books in series I have been reading.  When I've not been reading I have been watching the series The Last Kingdom.  The beginning of the first season was a little slow as I tried to learn the characters but wow was Season Two great!  I have two more seasons to enjoy and then the final season--season 5 comes out March 9th. 

Uhtred, Son of Uhtred in the Middle, just a Saxon born, Dane raised Lord hanging with his two besties. 

How about you?  Any plans for Valentine's Day?  OH, I just remember I'll be spending my afternoon at the dentist-- fun times!  

Ah Yes More Leslie Meier...

 

I am not complaining whatsoever, so don't think I am, that being said.  I think Miss Tilley has stopped aging.  We see time passing, now Lucy's grandson is 3, but I swear Miss Tilley has been in her mid-nineties for at least 10 years now.  Which is fine with me, it's fiction she can live forever, I'll suspend my disbelief. 

In a twist from most Lucy Stone books, in this story, no one, including Lucy, is sure that the deaths in the book are actually even murders. The main storyline revolved around elder abuse and do people even care when a rich person is the one who is being abused--albeit in the most opulent of homes. 

For a change, in this book, I found Lucy's friend Sue, almost likable. (did you know that likable or likeable is the correct spelling- I did not!)   

Ultimately it turns out that the deaths were murders and once again Lucy is the one who figures it out, and the murderer once again tries to kill poor Lucy.  But as we like to see, all's well that ends well. In this book, I found that Lucy had really hit her stride in balancing knowing bad stuff can happen anywhere and doing what she could to help her community.  I find that is an overarching theme. I do love how she has grown in the role of an investigative reporter, albeit at a tiny paper that is called the Pennysaver.

I give this book a 4.25.

Now if you will indulge me for a moment, I have to share this quote from a book I reviewed previously.  I love this.  Phyllis is me! This is how I feel about March in Chicagoland! 

Seasonal Winter Reading Means I'm Reading Leslie Meier!

 As you know, I love to read the cozy mystery genre.  In reading cozies, I find that there are some amateur sleuths that I just really like.  Leslie Meier's Lucy Stone is one of those characters. Sometimes she is cranky and sometimes I disagree with her, but I feel like if she was an actual person I would enjoy her company. 

I mean, I like this series so much that I'll read them out of order, this is really saying something since I have a very strong preference to read a series in order.  However, when it comes to Lucy Stone, I know her and the family well enough that I don't mind.  What I have found is that I really like the books that take place during Winter in Tinker Cove, so I read the Winter books in the Winter and it's a comfort. The other reason I return to this series is that, especially in the first twenty or so books, the stories give me double nostalgia.  Life for Lucy reminds me of when I was a kid and also the days when my kids were smaller. St. Patrick's Day Murder which is book 17, is no exception, all the double nostalgia I could want and plenty of talk of slush on the streets and cold winds blowing. 

One of the things I liked about this book is that Leslie Meier added in just a whisper of magic. A mysterious crow appears in some critical moments. Also, the story is chockful of Irish folklore and some Irish History as well as an Irish Musical.  So if you enjoy all things Irish, you really must read this book.

  

As often happens, Lucy, our investigative reporter, manages to get herself into a scrap. Now that this point, I have come to acknowledge that Lucy is the kind of amateur slueth that will put herself in harm's way.  I'm not a fan of that, but it comes with the territory of this series and I've made peace with that aspect.  She really needs to at least carry mace or a tazer! 

I'm giving this book 4 stars, I thought the mystery was decent, I like the Irish-ness of the story and I felt that we got a nice amount of side character participation. 

The first scene of this book takes place in Florida.  I almost had a panic attack thinking that this book was going to take place in March in Florida. As I mentioned earlier, one of my favorite parts of this series is the time devoted to the discussion of Maine weather!  Fortunately, by the next chapter, the family was home in Maine.  This book takes place 9 years after the St. Patrick's Day Murder which meant that Zoe was now in College!  Kids grow up so fast!  

I enjoyed that Bill, Lucy's husband, was more involved in this book. In the early books, I found him pretty annoying, but overall, I've come around to liking him. Lucy and Bill are a good pair. For years I have wondered how in the world the newspaper stayed in business, and in this book, Leslie Meier secures a future for the paper and Lucy's job. Thank Goodness!

Leslie Meier continues to do a wonderful job writing kids and young adults that sound and act like actual kids and young adults. In this book, Lucy has finally come around and stopped saying "oh my goodness" how could this happen here! Which was great. Bad stuff can happen anywhere and when you are writing over 20 books in a cozy series, there is going to be more murder per capita than just about anywhere. 

This book was a nice installment in this long series, and I am looking forward to reading Easter Bonnet Murder which I have a hold on from my local library. 

4 Stars to Irish Parade Murder

Another January is Almost Over #TheSundayPost!!!!

 

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly, or for a monthly wrap-up. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme 

Happy end of January!  We had some lake effect snow on Friday, so now our backyard is good and covered with about six inches of snow.  A mere pittance of snow compared to what has been hitting the East Coast this weekend! 

Today is the final day of my 14-day reset, this is the first time I have gone grain and dairy-free. And potato-free, and processed food-free.  I don't think I can keep it up though.  I really miss cheese and potatoes.  My thought is I'll do my level best to continue to avoid processed food and grains, but I will have a moderate amount of cheese and potatoes. I did make mashed cauliflower that tasted amazing as well as a pork stir fry w/riced cauliflower where the stir fry was tasty enough that I didn't miss actual rice. Also if I could share one more virtuous moment, not that this really should count since I didn't put any effort into it.  I'll have had a Dry January come Tuesday when the month is officially over. 

Last Food Comment!  I posted about a Gluten-Free Pie Crust the other day, I got it from imperfect produce.  I worked out really well and I hope I'll be able to find it again. Mmm pie. I could go for a pie.  

How was your week? 

Coming up this week on my blog: 

Valentines Day Week! Let's Start with Chocolate Covered Murder! #BookReview

This book is the 18th book in the series and was published nine years ago. I have found that with this series, you don't have to read the series in order.  Lucy Stone is a favorite cozy sleuth of mine. She's a mom of four kids and who grow up during the series and lives in an old house in the small town of Tinker's Cove located in Coastal Maine.  In earlier books, Lucy used to say things like "how could this happen in our quiet town, this is the sort of thing that happens in cities.  (cue eye roll from me).  Fortunately, by this point in the series, Lucy has realized that bad stuff happens everywhere. Her husband is around but mostly know for watching sports, working, and sometimes saying the wrong thing to his wife. This book is no exception as he tells Lucy "a few extra pounds is sexy" when Lucy is feeling bad about a weight gain.  

Lucy is often crabby and frequently nosy, the nosy part comes in handy since she is a reporter at the local Penny Saver and also because there are many a murder in Tinker's Cove. I imagine it is second only to Stephen King's Derry, Maine in murders per capita.

This series is known as a cozy series, but I have found it really doesn't match up with the typical cozy conventions. As is typical for this series Leslie Meier is going to talk about heavy topics, this one deals with opioid addiction and sexual consent.  There is some really outdated thinking highlighted in this book about women's behavior and fortunately, as the book goes on, Lucy does change some of her earlier judgemental inner monologues. 

If you are looking for a Valentine's Day-themed book with a potential serial killer,  look no further! 

Much to my dismay, the book didn't include chocolate recipes--or at least the e-version from my library didn't so here is a Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Recipe from Food Network.