Book Review: "Easter Basket Murder" by Leslie Meier

In the delightful collection of Easter-themed capers set in coastal Maine, "Easter Basket Murder" showcases the talent of three renowned cozy mystery writers - Leslie Meier, Lee Hollis, and Barbara Ross. As readers put on their springtime best and grab a basket, they are thrust into a world where Easter egg hunting takes an unexpected turn towards danger and intrigue.

The book weaves together a series of mysteries that are as charming as they are suspenseful, featuring fan-favorite sleuths from the long-running bestselling cozy mystery series. Each author brings their unique storytelling style to the collection, creating a diverse range of plots and characters that are sure to captivate readers.

EASTER BASKET MURDER by LESLIE MEIER

⭐⭐⭐ Stars

In Tinker's Cove, businesses are at odds over an Easter Basket-themed promotion aimed at increasing in-store sales. Conflict arises when a valuable golden egg, created by a reclusive Maine artist, is stolen. Part-time reporter Lucy Stone takes on the task of investigating three struggling entrepreneurs who become suspects in the theft. As Lucy delves deeper into the case, a seemingly harmless shopping spree takes a sinister turn when a murder occurs, forcing her to prevent the killer from striking again and uncovering a town scandal in the process.

My thoughts…In all honesty, I must admit that Lucy isn't my favorite character in this book series. I tend to steer clear of the full-length books featuring her, but I found her more bearable in these novellas. This one was decent. It had an engaging plot with plenty of red herrings to keep me guessing. Admittedly, there wasn't as much investigating as I would have liked, but overall, I still found it enjoyable. Surprisingly, Lucy wasn't as annoying and preachy in this one, which made the reading experience more pleasant than I had anticipated.

DEATH BY EASTER EGG by LEE HOLLIS

⭐⭐ Stars

The storyline revolves around Hayley Powell, a columnist and restaurateur in Bar Harbor, preparing for an egg hunt with her grandson Eli. However, the festivities take a dark turn when a peanut butter treat leads to the death of the Easter bunny. Hayley finds herself in the midst of a murder mystery and must unravel the clues to prevent further harm.

My thoughts…Out of the three novellas in the series, this one didn't quite hit the mark for me. I'm a fan of the series overall, but one thing that bugs me is how the author keeps throwing in these flashbacks right in the middle of the action. It totally messes with the flow of the story, and that was especially true for this novella. It just made it hard for me to stay engaged and really get into the plot.

HOPPED ALONG by BARBARA ROSS

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Stars

In "Julia Snowden’s Easter Sunday at Windsholme," a picturesque mansion on a secluded Maine island, the festive atmosphere is disrupted when a dead body is found in the garden, only to disappear mysteriously. This unexpected turn of events transforms a simple Easter egg hunt into a perilous quest for the truth. Armed with just a copy of The Adventures of Peter Rabbit, Julia must unravel the puzzle to determine whether she is unwittingly entangled in a murderer's sinister scheme.

My thoughts…Out of the three stories I read, this one totally won me over. It had a pretty decent plot that had me hooked, a mystery that kept me on my toes, characters I actually liked, and a cool setting that I could picture myself in. Two thumbs up - definitely my fave of the bunch.

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️

"Easter Basket Murder" is a charming cozy mystery that will appeal to fans of the genre. With its engaging characters, picturesque setting, and well-crafted plot, it's the perfect addition to any mystery lover's bookshelf.

While the mysteries itself may not be the most complex or challenging, it's the journey rather than the destination that makes this book a joy to read. The Author's writing's are witty and engaging, with plenty of twists and turns to keep readers entertained.

Highly recommend.

This consists of three short stories. The first is Easter Basket Murder by Leslie Meier. Tinker's Cove is holding a raffle for an Easter basket. The main prize in the basket goes missing and Lucy being the reporter she is, sees a story and is determined to solve the mystery.
The second is Death by Easter Egg by Lee Hollis. Bar Harbor has their annual egg hunt and Hayley takes her grandson to the event. He finds an easter basket with candy that Hayley notices belongs to the man playing the Easter bunny. When she goes to return the basket, she finds him dead. This was a cute short story and I really enjoyed reading about Hayley's grandson.
The last is Hopped Along by Barbara Ross. Julia finds a dead body in the garden by Windsholme. There is some confusion as to who the dead body is, and Julia is determined to get to the bottom of it.

I read Leslie Meier’s series, featuring amateur sleuth Lucy Stone. In this series, and this installment she continues to grow and expand her horizons. That’s what keeps this series from becoming too repetitive!

This was a fun cozy mystery read! I love that you get three stories for the price of one!
Easter Basket Murder-
I always enjoy a good Lucy Stone Mystery! This one shows Lucy’s compassionate side as she helps local artist Karl Klaus get his life back in order. The ending was full of surprises and adventure.
Death by Easter Egg-
This book was about an empty safe deposit box, plumbing problems, and a dead Easter Bunny. The plot is complex as the reader has to put the pieces together to figure out how all three events are related. This story also includes recipes for potato dishes. Gotta love a new recipe to try!
Hopped Along-
This was my favorite of the three cozies. It had the best storyline that kept me guessing what happened! The characters are complex but charming. The story ended abruptly, which was a disappointment, but had a happy ending. I am excited to read the next book in the series! This book also includes a recipe for cooking lamb.

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

I love cozy mysteries and surprisingly, this was my first in the Leslie Meier series about Lucy Stone with two additional stories by Lee Hollis and Barbara Ross.
The Lee Hollis story follows Hayley Powell in the Food and Cocktails series (including seasonal recipes) and the Barbara Ross story follows Juliana Snowden of the Maine Clambake series. All of them are tied together by their Maine settings.
I don’t feel as if readers need to have read the rest of any of the three series to enjoy this collection.
My favorite of the three was the Lucy Stone mystery following the part time reporter as she investigates small town businesses after a theft and murder. Great for fans of Tonya Kappes.
The Lee Hollis title was more difficult for me to follow and I found the flashbacks to be confusing. (This may have been helped with some background or previous reading of the series.) Food themed cozy mystery enthusiasts will love the included recipes.
The final Barbara Ross story was more suspenseful than the first two and a real page turner with plenty of clues as well as twists and turns.
Overall a wonderful collection to celebrate Easter and spring that is sure to be popular with seasonal readers.

3 springtime themed cozy mysteries written by some of my favorite cozy authors. These three ladies have a dedicated space in my home library. Their stories are always entertaining as well as excellent mysteries.

Not a big fan of novellas but I can’t seem to stay away from these collections. They tide me over until a full-length story comes out in my favorite series. The Lucy Stone was one was my least favorite. I have stopped reading this series because it just isn’t for me anymore and this story was typical with what has become of the series – short on investigating, long on preaching about social issues. I enjoyed the Hayley Powell story and felt that it could have been expanded on just a little to make a full-length novel; it had everything it needed as a novella but there was enough there for a full book. Barbara Ross’ stories seem to always be my favorites. Her writing draws me in quickly and there is not wait in this one for the crime to be committed; it starts fast and keeps this pace the whole way through. Overall, I enjoyed the stories and recommend them for a quick fix between full-length novels.

This is a collection of three Easter-themed novellas with the common thread of an Easter basket. I’m a fan of all three series, so this was a great way to catch up with the stories while waiting for the next book. If you aren’t familiar with the authors or series, this is a great way to check them out.

Easter Basket Murder is a novella in the Lucy Stone Mystery series by Leslie Meier - 4 stars
Death by Easter Egg is a novella in the Hayley Powell Mystery series by Lee Hollis - 5 stars.
Hopped Along is a novella in the Maine Clambake Mystery series by Barbara Ross - 5 stars.

Thank you to the author, Kensington Books, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

This book is a collection of three short mysteries. Each story is set in a small town in Maine at Easter time, which is before the tourists arrive. Each story has a strong female amateur sleuth. Each story also involves an Easter Basket.

I very much appreciated the small town atmosphere in all the stories. They captured fairly accurately what life is like in a small town with a tourist-based economy, from the struggles of businesses in the low-season to the speed with which gossip spreads.

Easter Basket Murder by Leslie Meyer

In an attempt to bring local shoppers to Tinker’s Cove to spend money, the chamber of commerce plans an Easter event. Shoppers who collect enough Easter egg stickers from making purchases in local stores, win the chance to receive a large Easter basket filled with chocolates, gourmet goodies, and a golden egg by the reclusive artist Karl Klaus. When the egg is stolen and a man winds up dead, Lucy Stone, a reporter from the local paper, begins an investigation of her own.

Short mystery stories rarely work for me. It can be hard to craft an intricate mystery in such a limited space. In this case, the mystery was good. There were adequate clues to figure out what had happened. However, I felt like the sub-plot with the artist slowed the pacing a bit too much. Ultimately, Lucy didn’t really solve the crime, though she did catch the culprit.

Death by Easter Egg by Lee Hollis
Hayley’s grandson is visiting for Easter, and Hayley is excited about taking the 2-year-old to the Easter egg hunt at the school. Several days before the hunt, there is a robbery at the local bank. At the Easter egg hunt, Hayley sees the bank president arguing with the Easter bunny. When the Easter bunny is murdered, Hayley is determined to find answers.

This story had a nicely developed mystery, entertaining characters, and a nice dose of humor. Hayley was a clever sleuth and a patient grandmother.

In between some chapters there were segments called “Island food and spirits” that appear to be Hayley’s blog with reminiscences of Easter’s past, thoughts on family, and recipes. Not being familiar with Hayley from other books, these inter-chapter segments were confusing at first, though the stories were funny and I appreciated the recipes.

Hopped Along by Barbara Ross

Julie and her family are on their island off the coast of Maine for Easter. Julie is supervising her nephew’s Easter egg hunt, when the boy run out of the garden yelling that the Easter bunny is there, and he’s dead. There are no non-human mammals on island, so Julie rushes to see what has upset her nephew, and she finds a man in a top hat and morning suit unconscious in the vegetable patch. When she returns with help, the man is gone. A search of the island reveals nothing other than an Easter Basket.

This was my favorite of the three stories because I felt it had the most detailed characters and the best atmosphere. The mystery was definitely perplexing though there weren’t a lot of clues and red herrings because of the short length.

I’ve already added one of Barbara Ross’ Maine Clambake Mysteries to my TBR.

I received a free eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I love when these three put their stories together in one book. I always enjoy catching up with the folks in each story. We start out with Lucy and the good folks in Tinker’s Cove. There was some disagreeing going on among the folks in this one. But things have a way of working out. Next, we have Haley. I wish I had some of Eli’s energy. In this story we have some interesting things going on at the bank as well as some interesting dating strategies. In the third story we are back in Busman’s Harbor with our lobster friends. This was an interesting case. One you don’t come across every day. Thank goodness for good observation skills. I enjoyed all three stories and can’t wait to go visit with all these folks again. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.

Easter Basket Murder is a compilation of three novellas: Easter Basket Murder by Leslie Meier, Death by Easter Egg by Lee Hollis, and Hopped Along by Barbara Ross. All three were indicative of their respective author’s styles and characters. In Meier’s contribution we we find ourselves back in Tinker’s Cove with part-time reporter, Lucy Stone. It is good to be home with Lucy as she investigates several mysteries, not the least of which is the death of the town jeweler. Business has been poor so the Chamber of Commerce has put together a plan: an Easter card with blank Easter eggs which would be covered by stickers each time a shopper purchased $10 or more at a main street merchant. It actually worked out well, except for the largest part of the prize being stolen, then found in a really unlikely place, leading to murder. Lucy is getting really good with her phone and has posted several videos of police actions. Anywhere but his small town, these would probably not be allowed.

Lee Hollis takes us back to Hayley’s diner, where something interesting is always happening. This time it’s a breakup fight between Whiskey, the plumber, and Janet, the bank teller. It cost Haley free slices of lemon pie for everyone in the restaurant, led to a murder, and of course, to Sergio and Haley putting the pieces together and solving the crime. Hopped Along takes us back to the clambakes on Morrow Island and Julia and Tom investigating a murder of a total stranger that takes place in an uninhabited summer home nearby. Julia’s intuition tells her there is more than meets the eye to this crime, and Tom follows her lead. It is an entertaining mystery. These three authors are old standbys on the cozy mystery front, and it is enjoyable to return to places where the reader knows the people and appreciates the relationships. Murder is never a good thing, but these three authors turn it into interesting reads. Meier seems to be getting a little more graphic recently, but still falls in the cozy category. Well written and entertaining. Thanks, ladies!

I was invited to read Easter Basket Murder by Kensington Books. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Kensington #LeslieMeier #LeeHollis #BarbaraRoss #EasterBasketMurder

I really enjoy these collections of cozy mystery novellas that have a holiday theme. As a whole, this isn't my favorite collection, but the three stories are still quick, easy reads. Each story is set in Maine and has something to do with an easter basket, but all have very different plots.

Easter Basket Murder by Leslie Meier features part-time reporter Lucy Stone. Lucy investigates the theft of a valuable golden egg sculpture from an Easter basket and then a murder! The story has some pacing issues, but is entertaining overall and is fun to read. Fans of the full-length books in this series will enjoy this shorter story.

Death by Easter Egg by Lee Hollis involves an Easter egg hunt, the Easter bunny, a misplaced Easter basket, and a murder. I had a hard time relaxing with this story due to Haley's out-of-control young grandson, but the mystery is interesting.

Hopped Along by Barbara Ross features the main characters from the author's Maine Clambake series. The story includes a disappearing body, a murder, and a mysterious Easter basket. I like this series and the main character, Julia. The story is very unusual and to say more would spoil it, but even though this is a short novella, be prepared for a few twists and turns before the story ends. Things mentioned at the very end have me eager for the next book in the series to come out!

I received an advance copy of this ebook at no cost from NetGalley and Kensington Books, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.

I really enjoyed these Easter basket themed mini murder mysteries by three of my fave cozy mystery authors. It’s always fun to visit Tinker’s Cove with Lucy, Bill and all their friends. I’d actually guessed the killer in that one. Boy was that an exciting showdown and Lucy got an amazing story from it to report.

When I got to the Hayley Powell story, it wasn’t so easy to guess that, and there was an awesome plot twist toward the end. We got to catch up with Mona, crazy as ever and now chasing a grandkid around who seemed oblivious of her. Hard to think of Hayley as a grandma as well but Mona was really cracking me up. We even got a really good Sergioism!

Julia Snowden in the third story was celebrating Easter on the island where they always had clambakes. The murder turned into a super twisty puzzle that seemed impossible to unravel, but Julia and Tom managed to figure it out. Once the perp was found, the ending jumped to Memorial Day which meant opening the clambakes was just a month away.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book, and my opinions are my own.

A wonderful anthology filled with three fun cozy mystery reads from some great authors. In story one Lucy Stone is covering the story of a stolen golden egg crafted by a famous artist. She is looking at several locals who might have had a reason to steal the egg. Follow along and see if Lucy can figure out who the thief is and why the stole the egg.
In story two Hayley is excited that her grandson is in town to celebrate the Easter holiday. She soon realizes that having him around isn't as wonderful she thought it would be. While at a local Easter egg hunt the Easter Bunny is found dead by what looks like an allergic reaction. Hayley sees it as murder and wants to find out who killed the Bunny and why. Can she figure put who the killer is before the police close the case as accidental?
In story three Julia Snowden is with her family on their island celebrating the Easter holiday. When her nephew finds a man who looks dead Julia investigates but when she brings her policeman boyfriend to check on things the man is gone. Julia decides she must determine who the man was, what he was doing on their island,.and what became of him. Follow along and see where the clues lead her.

Three stories with an Easter theme set on the coast of Maine.
A town scandal comes to light when a murder occurs during a shopping spree spurned on by the chance to wind a rare golden egg.
How could a peanut butter treat kill the Easter Bunny? Hayley intends to find out.
A man in a morning suit is seen laying in a garden by a six year old boy. When adults go to check it our the body is gone. Then a man in a morning suit if found murdered in an empty vacation home. Is it the same man?

Oh no, I lost track of the date. I have a number of typos for you:
Death by Easter Egg:

CH. 13 - Are you talking about Whis ... rest of sentence missing
Ch. 15 - her delectable pre-fixe dinner: prix-fixe
Ch. 15: day-today fires: day-to-day

Hopped Along
Ch. 1 - He loved his job and a Maine State Police.... as a Maine State Police...
CH. 3 -"Wee!" - Whee, not tiny
Ch. 10 - My heart speed up - sped up

Review:
I loved all of these stories: They aren't too long and are well written with good mystery plots, from a prize egg to a missing Easter Bunny to a disappearing body. Definitely a good Easter read - or anytime.

Three great Easter murder mysteries!
Easter Basket Murder – Return to Tinker Cove where the Easter holiday is being celebrated by a Easter Basket contest. Hoping to revive some of the local businesses, Tinker Cove is having a contest for a giant Easter basket of goodies. Including a golden egg by a celebrated local artist. But everything goes awry when the Easter egg disappears from the bank. This is a fun Easter story.

Death by Easter Egg – In Bar Harbor, Hayley’s grandson and parents have joined them for Easter. Eli is pretty noisy and rambunctious and loves that Easter candy. At the local celebration the Easter bunny disappears and Eli is found with the bunny’s basket complete with epi pen. Join Hayley in trying to clear her grandson of murder.

Hopped Along – Windsholme is ready to celebrate its first Easter in many years. The renovations are complete and preparations are underway. When a dead body is reported on the island, Julie reports the issue. Unfortunately, when she goes to show the body, he’s vanished. In later days as she puzzles the problem, she visits a friend’s vacant home. Only it’s not so vacant. The puzzles grow and the solution is intriguing. I enjoyed this novella.

This book contains 3 cozy novellas surrounding the Easter holiday.

Easter Basket Murder by Leslie Meier is a Lucy Stone novella. 2.5-3 stars.
I enjoyed these when she first started writing them but now I feel all the characters are super judgy and just unpleasant. The story centers around the Tinker's Cove Chamber of Commerce trying to boost local economy sales with an Easter basket raffle. The story itself was cute but I felt the murder mystery and whodunit part was very rushed, like Meier got to near completion and thought, "oh I forgot to off someone!" I adore these compilations but more and more Lucy is not my favorite.

Death By Easter Egg by Lee Hollis - 5 stars.
I LOVE the Hayley Powell mysteries and cannot get enough of them. They are the driving reason why I wanted this book and it did not disappoint.

Hayley's son Dustin, his girlfriend and their 2-year-old Eli come to visit grandma for the Easter holidays. Hayley is ever busy at her restaurant and offering prix-fixe Easter dinner specials is proving to be quite popular. There is a jewlery heist from a safe deposit box that has everyone at the bank puzzled as to where the jewels went and the Easter Bunny is given a basket with peanut butter eggs despite his severe allergy. Hayley is on the case to find out what really happened. This one felt a little rushed too but I thought the plot was better than the first novella. I cannot wait for more Hayley adventures.

Hopped Along by Barbara Ross - 4 stars
This one is based on Ross' Maine clambake mystery series, which I admit I have not read other than a smattering of the novellas in some of the other book compilations. She is a very good writer and I enjoyed this story, especially about the Easter bunny wearing a top hat. Somehow that just makes sense. I found the relationship between Julia and Tom to be a bit weird. However, since I have not read her series I am getting just a snippet of the whole picture.

This was a fun Easter cozy fest and I highly recommend it if you are fans of any or all of these authors.

My thanks to Kensington Cozies and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Easter Basket Murder brings back 3 wonderful authors whose writing and mystery series really mesh well together. Each of their writing styles compliment the others. I am a huge fan of all three. Leslie Meier returns us to Tinker Cove and Lucy Stone. As the town prepares for Easter, tension builds when the grand prize disappears. Will Lucy be able to figure out the crime? Lee Hollis returns with Hayley Powell is on the case. When a peanut butter egg kills the Bunny, will Hayley figure out if the Easter Bunny was the intended victim? Finally Barbara Ross brings Julia Snowden's family home for Easter. When a body is found on the island but then vanishes, will Julia and her family have a happy Easter? I love these novellas which they write as a supplement to the regular series. I was already a fan of Leslie Meier, I have now read all of the Julia Snowden stories. Next I plan to read the Lee Hollis series. I look forward to more from these. I received a copy through Netgalley. A review was not required.