Leslie Meier does not disappoint with her Lucy Stone series! I always love the ones that circle around a holiday, so Easter Bonnet Murder was perfect.

Easter Bonnet Murder is a cozy mystery by one of my favorite authors. It is a book that is easy to recommend. I always look forward to a new book by Leslie Meier..

I really enjoy Leslie Meier's books and this was another great read! Lucy and her friends/ family are such warm characters and I can't wait to read the next book!

It's Easter in Tinker's Cove and Leslie Meier is on a case! I'm a huge Leslie Meier fan and this is #28 in her popular series. You don't need to read the books in order to enjoy them, she gives enough backstory that you will quickly find your way around the main characters and the supporting characters. When a beloved retired reporter meets her end at a senior center, Lucy Stone knows there is more here than meets the eye. As always, Lucy Stone digs below the surface to determine who had the means, motive and opportunity to kill Agnes. A delightful read, as always.

Love the Leslie Meier series! She definitely does not disappoint! This one was great! Laugh out loud antics !

Suspects in this story are plentiful, and most seem to have good, or at least relatively normal motives. However, given the Easter theme, the contentious bonnet contest, and possible corporate fraud, the motive may not be all that important; anyone could have a reason for the victim to go missing or be murdered. Evidence is sparse, and during a great deal of the book, no one even knows that there is a victim; even Lucy isn’t certain. For me, there was just a little too much going on that was not plausible, and the motive of the actual killer was not very realistic. The clues, what there were of them, really didn’t seem to tie into the murder and the red herrings were practically nonexistent. I enjoy Leslie Meier’s writing and always have, but I am beginning to think that it’s time for this series to end or somehow evolve into something more memorable. I did not like Zoe, Lucy’s youngest daughter in this story, and she has been getting worse with each book; she is selfish, uncaring, and immature. Even Lucy’s husband appears to be a bit character at this point. Nevertheless, there are entertaining parts to this book and even moments of intense emotion, and for those reasons only, I will read the next book and hope that the author can fix some of the problems that she had with this book and maybe do something about Zoe's view of life and it's all about her mentality.

Today I am current on the latest Lucy Stone Mystery, Easter Bonnet Murder, written by Leslie Meier. I began the series only because it had a novella in a collection with another author I liked, since they all penned tales set in Maine, a state of which I am quite fond. In 4 months, I've read over 35 books by the author (some were novellas above and beyond the core 28 in the series). Several were hits; a few were misses. The early ones were not so good in terms of political views and commentary. It got much better, but then the stories turned too flaky. This was a really strong one with minimal political commentary and a complex story that came together in the final pages. Glad to end on a high note... not that the series is ending, but because I won't have one to read for several months since the next is a 2023 release or perhaps a lite in-between novella much later this year. A break will be nice, but I look forward to returning to them soon.

Lucy helps solve the murder of Agnes when she suddenly disappears from a local Senior Center- Heritage House.

This is one of my favorite cozy mystery series! I enjoyed the storyline of figuring out what happened to Anges and the insight into issues at Senior Centers. I love Lucy's character. Being an investigating reporter is a great profession for someone who likes sleuthing. I also like that Lucy's character is down to earth; it makes her easy to relate to. This is a fast read which is great for someone that likes to finish a book in a day.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I have read all of the books by Leslie Meier and sadly, I think the series needs to end. The story felt strained and was not really enjoyable, I do not know that I will continue with future books.

This is another fun one in the long running Lucy Stone series by Leslie Meier. Things are looking fishy at a local senior residence in Tinker's Cove when a woman goes missing and is later discovered dead just before the big Easter Bonnet contest. Things seem on the up and up at the home to Lucy, but the more she investigates, the more questions she has. Miss Julia Ward Howe Tilley plays a key role in the book and is as feisty as ever.

This is a series that could go stale, but Meier keeps things fresh. Her later books each seem to have a social cause that runs through the book. This one deals with health care and the plight of vulnerable seniors. I'm not sure I life the slightly preachy tone that she's started to take in her books, but Lucy has evolved and gotten to know her mind, so it kind of fits.

Not my favorite, but a solid book.

Thanks to NetGalley for the electronic review copy. All opinions are my own.

Rating: Three stars

As I've read this series from the first book, I expected another great mystery and this one did not disappoint. Lucy will go to great lengths to make sure that her friend Ms. Julia will be safe in her temporary new home to recover from an illness. One thing that I love about this series, is the relationships between the characters.

The mystery is well-written and kept me guessing until almost the end. Of course, I had to keep reading to see if I was correct in my thoughts.

I stayed up very late into the night to finish this one and can't wait for the next one.

Agnes Neal is a former journalist, used to traveling the world for a story. Now she’s an avid bird watcher, willing to get up early to spot new birds. She lives at Heritage House in the retirement community section. She’s happy with her choice until one day she’s seen leaving the facility to go birding and isn’t seen again.

Her car is still in the lot, her credit card hasn’t been used, nor the ATM. When her daughter reports her missing mother to the police, they can’t do anything official until she’s been gone for twenty-four hours. To speed things along, the daughter also calls the newspaper office and asks reporter Lucy Stone to run a notice in the next edition.
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Image Source Kensington
In the meantime, Miss Tilley, former librarian, has fallen at home. She’s sent to regain her strength at Heritage House in the skilled nursing section. The plan is to move up to the assisted living area and then home again. While Heritage House has an outstanding reputation, it’s not home. Lucy puts Miss Tilley on the lookout for anything out of the ordinary in hopes of finding a clue to Agnes’ whereabouts.

At home, Lucy’s youngest daughter, Zoe, is ready to move out on her own. Apartment hunting is stressful for both of them. Zoe doesn’t want Lucy’s advice, Lucy doesn’t want Zoe to rent an unsuitable or unsafe apartment.

With her boss, Ted, working from the other office in the next town, Lucy has more leeway at the newspaper but Ted is only a scolding phone call away if he disapproves.

As Lucy discovers, whether she’s dealing with a sulky teenager, a recovering librarian, or a missing stranger, motivation is the key to finding out what’s really going on.

This is book twenty-eight in the series which has seen Lucy go from a newlywed young mother to a grandmother facing an empty nest for the first time. Along the way, she’s helped solve many a mystery. Of the group of close friends who meet for breakfast, Lucy is the one who has changed the most over the years, and for the better. Readers should feel free to jump in anywhere, but with twenty-eight books in the series, there are plenty of mysteries to add to a to-be-read stack.

delightful. meier writes of such a lovely community in which murders invariably happen. Lucy Stone is the reporter who is always involved in solving crimes - much to the local police force's disdain.

This book includes homes for the elderly and the financial ways that they prey on the elderly.

always a good, quick read - cheers to this newest book by meier

Easter Bonnet Murder by Leslie Meier is book 28 in the A Lucy Stone Mystery. It can be read as a stand alone.
There are plot twists that have you guessing to the end. There is friendship, family, and humor.
When a resident comes up missing from a local senior living complex, Lucy is asked to not only check into the missing woman but also, the Easter bonnet competition. She soon finds out the hidden secrets in the home and can only hope she isn't next.
I was given an ARC from Kensington via NetGalley for an honest review.

Even 28 books in, this is still a fun series. This one centers around the senior living place, Heritage House. Reporter Lucy Stone is there to cover the annual Easter Bonnet Contest, and her dear friend, Miss Tilley, is also recovering there. But all does not go as planned at Heritage House when one of the residents goes missing and she is found several days later murdered inside the emergency stairwell. Lucy suspects things are not on the up and up at Heritage House and determines to find out what is happening there, both for the murdered woman's sake and for fear of something happening to her friend Miss Tilley.

The 28th installment of the Tinker’s Cove mystery series finds Lucy investigating Heritage House, home to senior citizens and also a recovery center. Once a resident goes missing, there are plenty of suspects to question.

I always love my visit to Tinker’s Cove because the characters are comforting and the mysteries are always interesting.

Hard to believe that we are 28 books into this cozy mystery series. I loved this book. I found Lucy to be right on the spot when it came to doing what she does best - solving murders, all while being a capable wife and mother as well as fulfilling her job as a part-time reporter.

In this addition to a series that I have been enjoying over the past few years, Lucy engages herself in her endeavors to locate a missing woman. While busy looking for answers, Lucy finds herself distracted when Mrs. Tilley falls ill and is hospitalized. Ms. Tilley is well-advanced in years, and her current health battle is definitely concerning. As Mrs. Tilley is recovering in a rehab home, a dead body is discovered.

When one of the other residents named Agnes turns up missing, those in authority are not very concerned. The rehab has a lot of freedom for its residents and it is thought that the missing elderly woman has gone to visit someone perhaps. However, Lucy is asked to locate her, and before long, Agnes is discovered to have been killed.

This story was simply a lot of fun. Lucy is at her best in this book. We do have appearances of her husband Bill and her youngest daughter Zoe, so the continuity is perfect. However, this book could be read as a standalone novel.

Having listened to this audibook narrated by Karen White made a good story even better. I am looking forward to the next book in this delightful series.

Many thanks to Kensington Books and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Enjoyed with adventure with Lucy. I like the back story of the war in Bosnia something that many people have forgotten. Also very relevant with senior living facilities and the fraud that many are committing.

The timing of this book is uncanny given the times we're in right now... but overall a quick read if not a bit unbelievable...

Poor Lucy though..... the last few paragraphs sum up the plight of a middle aged mom... the biggest event of her working career and she doesn't even get a chance to share it...

I have been an avid Leslie Meier fan for quite sometime; however she took a turn into political views several books ago and I stopped reading. I am happy to say that Easter Bonnet murder returned to Lucy’s old focus: family and job. This was a delightful read, and I was thrilled to visit with Lucy and friends again, especially Miss Tilley. I was very happy to see Lucy’s relationship with her youngest daughter progress, but did not like Zoey as a person, but I appreciated that Lucy and Bill seemed to realize this. The mystery at the retirement home was a great one; no one was singled out as a suspect until it all came together. I may need to reread the series as I have forgotten the cozy feel of friends I got when visiting with Lucy and friends in Tinkers Cove.