Brava, Ms. Meier! I have been a fan of the Lucy Stone mystery series from the beginning, but had decided I would not continue reading them. The reason was because in the last books and novellas, the murders were rushed and not well developed, or they were a very minor part of the books, so I skipped the previous book, "Patchwork Quilt Murder".

When I saw that her latest mystery was available for me to read on Net Galley, I requested it just to see if the pattern continued or not...

I was ever so pleasantly surprised! Lucy Stone is back with a vengeance!! I found this book to be just as gripping and cozy or even more so than the earlier books that kept me avidly reading and wanting more.

Most of the familiar characters and their quirkiness are there for the reader to enjoy interacting with, and the subplots are just as mesmerizing and fun. I was again transported to Tinkers Cove, Maine to ride along Lucy as she tries to solve a terrible murder or two...

Ms. Meier must have done so much research to embellish the stories that accompany the murder. I love to learn new facts in books, and this one had plenty of interesting topics.

I was very satisfied when the murderer was revealed and the reasons why. I have only one negative thing to say...I was sad that the book ended. I have now bought PATCHWORK QUILT MURDER and will read it soon.

Again, I am so glad that this book is a quality mystery by a beloved author.

Thank you to Net Galley, to Kensington Cozies for offering me an advance copy for me to read and post a personal review. I also thank Ms. Meier for writing it! I highly recommend it!

This is my absolute go-to series for a comfort read, and this latest novel did not disappoint. All of the elements of a Lucy Stone mystery were there and a more challenging than usual mystery to solve. Recommend!

Lucy's daughter is engaged and the future in-laws seems to run all the activities. Lucy continues working hard as a reporter for the local community paper but the murder of the local historian causes her to question much about her community. Were the Native Americans treated unfairly years ago? Are Zoe's future in-laws somehow tied to underhanded activities from the past? Lucy takes it as a personal mission to find the truth. Was a quick, cozy read. At times, very true to life with some of the political commentary. Thanks to Net Galley for the arc.

This was a fast paced, family drama cozy mystery. Lucy finds herself tangled in a murder investigation, along with trying to control her daughter's future in laws. Poor Lucy wants nothing more than to write a good story and enjoy having Zoe home for a visit. But, things get out of hand FAST, and it is all she can do to keep up with everything. Lots of great characters that seem to be connected in unique ways, and a touch of family drama. As always, Leslie Meier delvers an enjoyable read. I look forward to the next adventure of Lucy and friends.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Bridal Shower Murder, Leslie Meier’s newest mystery, is another entertaining novel in her Lucy Stone series. One thing that I particularly love about this series is that neither the characters nor their lives are static; all the characters have aged and evolved throughout the series. Lucy has gone from a mother with a young family to a middle aged wife and mother with a career in journalism. The books typically are centered around a holiday, trip or event, in this case the marriage of her youngest daughter Zoe to a nice young man with overbearing parents. Another thing I appreciate about Ms. Stone’s writing is that she is able to share her personal thoughts and opinions without being too heavy handed. Often women’s fiction can be overbearing and I feel Ms. Stone does a good job of making her points about any number of subjects. In this book she addresses the challenges that face the LGBTQ community and those faced by Native Americans now and in the past. Along the way, Lucy also solves a murder mystery. Lucy is an endearing character. She works very hard and does much to please everyone else, but I find her unfiltered inner thoughts to be especially entertaining.

This is a solid four and a half star read. I recommend it highly to those who enjoy cosy mysteries, small town stories and might like to take a trip to Maine.

Thanks, NetGalley, for an ARC copy of this book. The opinions stated are solely my own and I was not required to write a positive review.

Murder aside, the word that comes to mind first for the Lucy Stone series is family. We've watched Lucy grow, as did her family, from the time she was a young mother to now, the upcoming marriage of her youngest, Zoe. Of course, this being Tinker's Cove, you know things won't go smoothly. There's a murderer for Lucy to track down while trying to finalize Zoe and Chad's wedding day. Hetty Furness, head of the Tinker's Cove Historical Society, is missing, then found dead. She's been murdered.

Why? No one is quite sure initially, but Lucy doesn't let that detour her. Never mind that she's a bit busy dealing with Zoe's sudden announcement, trying to gather the family from across the globe, dealing with Ted, the annoying publisher of the Courier newspaper, formerly Pennysaver, while supporting Chad as he deals with his own family issues. Oh, boy, wait till you meet his mother. He's such a sweet, charming young man, a first-baseman for the minor league team he plays for, but, oh, my, his mother is a piece of work. I won't detail the plot further other than to say it definitely deals heavily with not just family but family secrets, history, and long-standing prejudices. Do we really know who the people about us really are? Through it all, Lucy is quite aware of the clock ticking as the wedding approaches, wondering how to pull everything together. The side-stories, maybe not all side-stories, are intriguing and we learn a bit about history in the process. Lucy even manages to maintain her sense of humor through it all, not easy when husband Bill decides to play the tough father upon Zoe's arrival with Chad in tow. Let's just say, it's fortunate Bill's a baseball fan.

Bottom line, this was a fun, intriguing read. The themes range not just with family but with young love, siblings being there for each other (you'll learn exactly how far the drive from Alaska to Tinker's Cove is), and how one sibling marvel of organization pulls a lovely setting and reception together practically overnight. Lucy has an amazing family, let's face it. Of course, that one lives in Alaska makes this Alaskan enjoy it all the more. Thanks #KensingtonPublishing - #KensingtonCozies for answering my plea and sharing an early virtual invite to the wedding. It's going to be interesting seeing how Lucy deals with the newly extended family.

Another murder in Tinkers Cove and intrepid reporter Lucy Stone is on the case. In addition to crime solving, this time around Lucy has to cope with overbearing future in-laws as well. A solid entry in the series and easy enough for new readers to catch on. A fun read.

Lucy Stone is excited about her youngest daughter Zoe's engagement to Chad, a charming minor league baseball player, but soon finds herself swept up in the whirlwind of wedding plans and family drama. As Lucy learns more about Chad's complicated past and his deep connections to Tinker’s Cove, her instincts as an investigative reporter kick in, especially when her soon-to-be in-laws, Penny and Nate Nettleton, start taking over the wedding arrangements.

Things take a dark turn when Penny organizes a surprise Tuscan-themed bridal shower, which goes off without a hitch—until a prominent guest, Hetty Furness, the head of the Tinker’s Cove Historical Society, goes missing. Hetty is later found murdered, and Lucy’s curiosity about the event’s strange dynamics leads her into a web of secrets and intrigue, where nothing is as it seems.

A great cozy mystery that is a MUST READ!

This is part of a long-running series, and it is fun to see familiar characters once again. They are well-crafted and realistic, making this an engaging read. It is fun to sleuth along with the characters, and there are a number of red herrings to contend with. Fans of the series will enjoy the latest installment.

Bridal Shower Murder is the latest book in the Lucy Stone series and does not disappoint. Lucy's youngest daughter Zoe is newly engaged to Chad Nettleton, a ball player. Zoe's future mother in law Penny is a very pushy woman who insists on giving Zoe a huge themed wedding shower, and does not include Lucy or even Zoe in on the planning. When local historian Hetty Furness is viciously murdered, Lucy digs deep to find out who killed her friend.
This is an entertaining lighthearted cozy with great characters and plenty of red herrings that kept me guessing until the very end.

Bridal Shower Murder is a quick cozy mystery . Overall it the characters are entertaining . There are a couple slow spots but I enjoyed it .
Lucy’s daughter , Zoe gets engaged to a ball player and in the middle of that one of her coworkers is murdered. They believe the murder has something to do with Hetty, her coworker finding out about secrets in the town history .
Bridal Shower Murder is another Leslie Meier success . Thank you NetGalley and publisher for an Arc for my opinion.

Loved catching up with old friends! Book 31 in cozy Tinker;s Cove series.

Lucy Stone's daughter Zoe's move to Portland has opened many doors for the young Communications Director. The latest includes a fiancé. When Lucy finds herself dodging nosey neighbors who are taking over wedding plans much to Lucy & Zoe's distress, the Courier (Formerly the Pennysaver) coverage of the historic society's latest display becomes the source of a murder. The Native town of Pine Tree was demolished and is the site of a local log home company now. When Hetty Furness agrees to close the present exhibit and research from the Metinnicut history to be included in the exhibit she is murdered. There is so much going on keeping up with the plot makes putting down the book a challenge. I want to know what's next!

A lovely reconnect with the entire Stone family as Lucy's children are now all adults with their own lives.

This was actually my first book by the author, at least to my knowledge. However it won’t be my last. A fun read, and just what I needed. Thanks Netgalley and publisher.

An entertaining addition to the series that keeps you guessing whodunnit and why right up til the end.

Overwhelmed with surprise, Lucy Stone receives a phone call from her daughter Zoe, informing her that Zoe will be bringing a friend named Chad home. However, Zoe fails to provide Lucy with any details about this young man. As a reporter, Lucy finds it relatively straightforward to conduct some research on Chad. The revelation that Chad is a minor league baseball player does not provide Lucy with sufficient information to form an opinion about him. Additionally, as Zoe is Lucy’s youngest daughter, her husband Bill also harbors significant reservations.

What else is Lucy to do? Think about planning the wedding and bridal shower of course. However, her pushy friend Janice, best friend Sue and the to-be groom’s mother are all vying to throw the bridal shower. This definitely creates tension. This situation is further complicated by Zoe and Chad’s desire to maintain the secrecy of their engagement.

As Lucy Stone’s mind drifted from wedding shower thoughts, a chilling murder shook the town. Overwhelmed by grief and empathy for the victim, Lucy’s unwavering determination to uncover Hettie’s killer remains unshaken. Amidst the pursuit of justice, Lucy is acutely aware that the wedding day promises to be fraught with challenges, particularly due to the impending arrival of in-laws.

I have loved this series from the very start, having read all the previous books as well as the novellas. It has been enjoyable watching Lucy go from being a young mother who now has four adult children, as well as a grandson. Having been a reporter for years, looking for that next byline sometimes came with its own problems. And, don’t think that Tinker’s Cove is a sleepy little town. Murder after murder has taken place over the years, as this is usually the case with cozy mysteries. Factor in the deeper issues touched on in this latest entry, Bridal Shower Murder was an excellent read.

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

I enjoyed this book and would recommend it. Lucy Stone gets involved in another murder mystery. This is another good addition to a very good series.

Bridal Shower Murder by Leslie Meier is an excellent cozy mystery that is the the 31st book in the Lucy Stone Mystery series.

This series holds a special place in my heart as it was the first cozy mystery series I ever read and created a love for this genre thatI did not even know existed. I have read all 31 books and the numerous novellas and hope that it never ends. A lot of the books have holiday, season-related, or special occasion themes which I always love. I have followed Lucy Stone, her family and friends, and the quaint town of Tinker’s Cove, Maine for 26 years. They literally feel like part of my own family.

The murder/mystery was creative, the side stories engaging, and the pace and dialogue were as always excellent. I laughed several times at the cute one-liners. What can I say? I love this series.

Here’s to the next installment!

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Kensington Publishing | Kensington Cozies for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 3/25/25.

This is a nice book for a cozy evening's read.. I did have a little problem with one character who needed to be told to get lost, but since that's true in real life, I can't really complain about it in a book. The ending is also exactly what I'd been yelling at them to do, so it was a very satisfying conclusion. I can't wait for the next book.

I enjoyed the book quite a bit. It did seem like the tribal problems were just thrown in and then incorporated into the story when it was apparent that they were needed in the story. Otherwise, it was quite entertaining.

Lucy's youngest is in love and getting married. But weddings are often stressful, especially with a soon-to-be mother-in-law wanting to call all the shots
So when a murder occurs in town Lucy feels stress from every direction and a need to find a way out. Excellent!