Leslie Meier has done it again! She continues her Lucy Stone series with a fresh mystery about the death of a corrections officer and corruption in the county sheriff's office. Ted Stillings has gotten a grant from the Truth Project and bought the Gilead Gabber, a weekly in a neighboring town. He's also brought in hotshot new reporter from Cleveland Rob Callahan to bring a new take to local news. Lucy and Rob butt heads from the start, but when Rob is accused of murder, she comes to his aid. But can she overcome the grip of the county sheriff and get to the truth?

The mystery is compelling and the characters are still fresh, yet familiar. We begin to see new sides to many of the regulars in Tinker's Cove. Meier is a bit heavy handed with her focus on women's place in society and the influence of the church. The Irish theme to the book also gets a bit forced. But after a wandering beginning, the book jumps to a compelling story that you can't wait to finish. Another winner. I rated this four stars only because of the heavy-handed issues-focused parts. I like Lucy's determination to stand up for herself and keep up with current trends and issues, but some of it was a little over the top and didn't fit naturally into the story.

Thank you to NetGalley for the electronic review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Rating: 4 stars

I'm behind in the series, but it was nice to read regardless. I always enjoy reading what Lucy and her family is up to. I didn't guess the murderer, so it was a well crafted story.. The subplot about Bill's family was interesting and it was nice to see his mother. I look forward to another installment of this series in the future.

Leslie Meier is without a doubt one of my favorite cozy mystery writers. Everytime I read one of her books, I feel like I am taking a vacation to Tinker Cove. The Irish Parade Murder was a little bit different than her usual but I loved it and can't wait for the next one!

Lucy Stone always looks forward to the Tinker's Cove annual St. Patrick's Day celebration. Rob Callahan is a newly hired reporter at the Pennysaver's paper where Lucy works. He is ambitious and young and hopes to replace Lucy as the next star reporter for the paper. That is until he is a suspect in a murder case of a corrections officer. Though Lucy doesn't like him, she still feels that she needs to investigate since she thinks that he is innocent. I really enjoyed this book and I want to thank Net Galley and Kensington Publishers for an ARC e-book in exchange for an honest review.

Life in Tinker’s Cove, Maine, is changing. For the better? Not everyone thinks so. Lucy and Bill Stone are just back from Florida for his father’s funeral. It’s a sad time, but it was nice their kids were all able to be there and share memories of their granddad.

Back home, they’re stunned to receive a letter from a woman claiming to be Bill’s half-sister. She’s done a DNA kit, and it shows their relationship. Is she telling the truth or running a scam? What will it do to Bill’s mom to find out her recently deceased husband had been unfaithful? There has to be a way to protect mom’s interests without implying she’s gullible enough to fall for a scam.

At the Pennysaver, where Lucy is a part-time reporter, things are equally chaotic. Something’s going on, but Ted, her boss, isn’t giving any hints until the deed is done. Lucy’s afraid Ted’s selling the paper but instead he’s expanding and that means a new hire, Rob. He’s a cocky know-it-all who wants all the juicy assignments.

Rob’s sure there’s corruption just waiting to be exposed. Not used to small town life, he’s sure to upset more than a few people. Sure enough, his prying gets him into trouble he never imagined. As much as Lucy dislikes him and wishes he’d just go away, she knows he’s not as bad as it seems. Learning the truth could be hazardous to her health.

On St. Patrick’s Day, everyone is Irish or so the saying goes. However, the huge Irish parade is not as inclusive as the changing times expect—the Vietnam vets, Gay Pride, and other groups are denied permission to join in. Will the townspeople be able to adapt or be determined to remain out of step with the times? And what about Bill’s ‘sister’? Is she or isn’t she? Lucy hardly knows which way to turn.

This is book twenty-seven in the long running series, many reviewed here. Start anywhere, but for the complete picture of Lucy and her family, book one begins when her family isn’t yet complete, when she and Bill are just past newly wed. Irish Parade Murder shows her four children as adults or nearly so, a wonderful way to see the family grow into their personalities.

Either by happenstance or by my subconscious I happened to read this Lucy Stone Mystery over St. Patrick’s Day…my favorite holiday. As always, I really liked this latest Lucy Stone Mystery. I welcome the changes…merging the Pennysaver with another small paper, adding an additional reporter (with ensuing turmoil), the interactions between the family and their recently widowed grandmother, a corrupt sheriff. These changes kept the story fresh, highlighted Lucy’s reporting skills and set the series up for more books to come.

This is book 27 in the Lucy Stone series and it's a keeper. Lucy is worried her job at the Penny Saver is on the line with the hire of a new ambitious man. When he is accused of murder at the annual parade Lucy sets out to prove the police wrong. Lucy is getting older but still is smart enough to figure out the clues. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The latest book in the Lucy Stone series, Irish Parade Murder, by Leslie Meier has our leading lady busy as usual with family and work yet always on hand to solve a mystery. This particular case is on the work front as her reporter job at the local Pennysaver is threatened by the arrival of a new hire from a larger newspaper, Rob Callahan.

Lucy is determined not to let the arrogant new guy push her out, even pursuing her big story on the political fight over who gets to be the next Grand Marshall of the annual Hibernian Knights Society parade in nearby Gilead(whose small newspaper has been bought by Pennysaver owner Ted, looking to expand his press portfolio).

However, Rob finds himself in trouble as the subject of his look into local corruption dies in a car crash that points to him as the prime suspect. Will Lucy put aside her differences and help find the real killer while dealing with some personal bombshells involving her husband's family to boot?

I do enjoy the small town sitcom vibe of the Lucy Stone books and also have noticed the author's addition of real world issues into the mystery mix, which is a good way to keep this little literary corner of the world up to date and engaging.

Thank you Negalley and Leslie Meier for providing me with this book in return for my honest review.

I have recently started branching out from my usual YA Fantasy genre to read books outside of my comfort zone. I had started with The Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke, and I really enjoyed it. I saw a few Leslie Meier books on netgalley and decided to request them, since I seemed to be enjoying the cozy murder genre. The first book I read was the Gobble Gobble Murder. I was a bit underwhelmed by the book, not enjoying it as much as I had anticipated. I thought I would give her another shot with The Irish Parade Murder, since I am of Irish descent and I love all things Ireland. I have to say I was again disappointed. The story was okay and the plot was predictable. I found that I wasn't invested in the lives of the characters and that is important to me when I am reading.

I will give this book 3/5 stars, because it was okay. I am sure there are people who adore this author, and I can see why, it just wasn't my cup of tea.

Lucy Stone has a lot to adapt to in this latest book by Leslie Meier. Changes are happening at the Pennysaver with a new reporter joining them who subsequently is arrested for murder. For as much as Lucy dislikes him she doesn’t believe him capable of such an act. As she investigates she uncovers corruption in the county.
In her personal life, her family is mourning the passing of her father in law. When out of the woodwork comes a sister Bill didn’t know he had. Is she telling the truth that Bills father had an affair or is she after the estate?
I enjoyed this book, however it was a little too political for my tastes.

Irish Parade Murder by Leslie Meier is the 27th A Lucy Stone Mystery. I have been enjoying Lucy Stone’s adventures since the beginning. Lucy is a part-time reporter with The Pennysaver in Tinker’s Cove, Maine where she lives in a quaint farmhouse with her husband, Bill plus her two youngest children, Sara and Zoe. The family is devastated when Bill’s father passes away. They all go to Florida for the funeral and comfort Edna, Bill’s mother. Lucy returns to work to find Ted is making changes at The Pennysaver. Ted has brought on a new reporter, Rob Callahan who is interested in making a name for himself quickly. Rob forgets that Tinker’s Cove and Gilead are small towns (gossip travels faster than the speed of light and small-town politics are at play). Rob finds himself in hot water when he is charged with the murder of a local corrections officer. Lucy may not be a fan of her rival, but she is not going to let him be railroaded. Lucy has another mystery to solve at home. A woman claims to the daughter of Bill’s father and provides a DNA report. Lucy and Bill are worried the woman is a scam artist. They also cannot find Bill Sr.’s will, which could lead to devastating consequences. Irish Parade Murder is a lively cozy mystery. This latest A Lucy Stone Mystery reminds me of the earlier books in the series. The whodunit involving Rob was multifaceted. I had a good time following the investigation. Lucy delves into the local Irish Catholic community where values have not changed in fifty plus years (things move slowly in Rome). I thought Irish Parade Murder was well-written with developed characters and a charming, small town setting. I look forward to Lucy Stone’s next adventure. Irish Parade Murder is a spirited cozy mystery with political plotting, rival reporters, a DNA dilemma, step dancing sisters, an AWOL will, and happy green hair.

This is my first read by this author and it's hard to believe its the 27th book in this series, the ideas and story line were all over the the place. Nothing really happens until about 50%. The shoot off storylines were a bit blah. I'm usually a huge fan of small town mystery novels and I was so excited to enjoy a cozy mystery that sucked me right in but unfortunately this one wasn't for me. I do love the cover!

Lucy Stone and I go way back. I have read this series from the beginning. I love how her character is a small town part time reporter/part time housewife. We have watched her family grow and move out. When her father in law dies in Florida, Lucy and her husband attend the funeral. Upon her return, Lucy sees the writing on the wall and feels her reporter days may be over. Newly hired reporter, Rob Callahan, is wanting her star reporter title. However, when misfortune befalls Rob, Lucy must work to clear his name of murder. With a cluster of suspects, will Lucy be able to find the murderer? I received a copy through Netgalley. A review was not required.

4.5 stars

This is the twenty-seventh book in the Lucy Stone series by Leslie Meier.

This book started out with a bang. Lucy’s boss appeared to be selling the Pennysaver and she and her co-worker were fearful they were about to lose their jobs. They were just waiting for the other shoe to drop. Then her boss threw her a curve ball. They not only weren’t losing their jobs but instead he had much more work in store for them. He had bought a new paper and was brining in a new seasoned reporter, Rob, to help fill out the staff. Turns out, the guy wasn’t as seasoned as he claimed. After poor editing one of Lucy’s stories and changing facts to incorrect info, she had his number. He was pretending to be this big city reporter but only had the experience of a stringer.

Best part of this for me was the anticipation find out who Rob was and how he would impact Lucy’s job at the Pennysaver.

As always, Meier’s books never fail to impress me. I look forward to reading each new title. I am sure she already had all the holidays covered, probably more than once, but that is okay with me. Bring it on. Love the mystery here. Love the characters and how it impacts Lucy’s work and home life with every investigation.

If you like cozy mysteries, definitely check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

This was my first time to read a book from Leslie Meier. I enjoyed it very much. The story was very engaging and the characters were funny, flawed, and overall interesting creations. I did not expect this book to feature so many “ripped from the headlines” topics with police corruption, BLM, and inclusion as themes. I appreciate an author that can respectfully take serious, sensitive real world subjects and integrate them into the fictional world they have created. In some independent reading about the author, I learned that she likes to add these true to life elements to her books. That encourages me to read some of her previous books while I await the next installment.

Irish Parade Murder (Lucy Stone #27) by Leslie Meier was another wonderful installment in the Lucy Stone series. This is a series that I keep coming back for and never get enough. I highly recommend to anyone wanting a great read that you can pick up anytime.

I love Lucy and all her friends/ family. This book is "cozy" but also shows that small towns still have a lot of problems that others have (corruption, fighting, etc). I can't wait to read the next in the series and more about Lucy and her life!

Leslie Meier involves Lucy Stone, journalist, is the Irish Parade Murder. Lucy's paper is reorganized and a big city reporter is getting her stories. Meanwhile she is reporting on the St. Patrick's Day Parade and the politics of who gets to march in it. Reporter Rob is arrested for a corrections officer's murder, but Lucy thinks him innocent. Whodunit? Pleasant cozy.

I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by Irish Parade Murder. I have read all the books in the series and some I have loved way more than others. Lucy was not so negative in this book. She and Bill are on their way to becoming empty nesters. They dealt with a lot of different issues in this book, but that’s pretty normal. Lucy and Phyllis have to deal with a young and obnoxious new co-worker. I think any middle age and older person can relate to this situation. If this book is any indication how the series is going to be, I say keep this series going! While it is helpful to get the back story to read previous books, it is not necessary. Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington for the ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

Not my favorite in the series, though the cover makes me chuckle for some reason. I feel like this series might have run its course. I'll still keep reading them, but I feel like she's running out of good storylines.