Smitten by Books

 

Christmas Cookie Murders
Author: Leslie Meier
Publisher: Kensington
Pub. Date: October 1, 2000
ISBN-13: 978-0758228901
Retail: $6.99

For Lucy Stone, the best thing about Christmas in Tinker’s Cove has always been the annual Cookie Exchange. But the usual generosity and goodwill is missing from this year’s event which turns out to be a complete disaster.

Petty rivalries and feuds that have long been simmering finally come to a boil, leaving a bad taste in the mouths of many guests, including Lee Cummings who accuses Tucker Whitney of stealing her recipe for low-fat, sugar-free cookies. But the icing on the cake is when Tucker is found strangled in her apartment on the following morning.

Who could’ve wanted Tucker dead badly enough to kill her? Despite all of the ingredients for danger, Lucy sets out on the trail of a murderer and soon uncovers a Christmas secret best left wrapped.

~*~*~

‘Tis the Season for merriment and murder compliments of Leslie Meier and her tasty twist of murder in Christmas Cookie Murder.

Lucy Stone has been around the block a time or two when it comes to solving unexpected crimes—much to the alarm of the local police and her family and friends. With Christmas around the corner, Lucy hopes for festive merriment and peace. However, when she decides to take on the annual Cookie Exchange, she gets anything but merriment and peace –topped with a murder of one of her party guests. With so many disheartened feelings and secrets among her guests, rivalries and jealousies, the mood is anything but festive and the suspect list is anything but short.

Tinker’s Cove, Maine is a small, cozy town, where everyone knows everyone. Just like any other town, Tinker’s Cove is suffering from economic pains and strife. To top things off, there seems to be a drug problem running rampant, particularly among the young people. Morals are beginning to be questioned and secrets are getting darker. Lucy knows that something must be done and as a writer for the local paper, she is thrown in the midst of the town’s dishevel and the questionable ethics of the town’s newest head of the police department.

What Lucy discovers will shock everyone, if she lives to tell about it.

Christmas Cookie Murder is number seven in Leslie Meier’s Lucy Stone Mystery series. Though this is my first by the author, I found myself quickly and easily thrown in to the world of Lucy Stone. For me, the story flowed well and the characterization was very well done. As a lover of the cozy mystery genre, I thought this story was a bit darker, though on a serious level, dealing with the wide-spread epidemic of drug trafficking and drug abuse. The lengths that offenders go to, to keep their secrets are both deadly and horrifying. Ms. Meier does a great job portraying this, as well as bringing a bit of humor and humanity to her story.

Lucy Stone is a character that is very easy to relate to. She is a loving mother, who is trying her best to raise her children—ranging from teen to pre-school age, a dedicated friend, wife and a hard worker. She wants nothing but justice and happiness for her children as well as justice and truth for others. Many readers will easily be able to relate to her and understand her feelings and emotions as she goes through day-to-day living and complications. Okay, so most readers, me included, don’t deal with amateur sleuthing on top of that, but that’s what adds the entertaining kicker and pleasure for readers.

I truly enjoyed Leslie Meier’s style of writing and greatly look forward to reading more by this author.

Rating: 7 (Good)

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Reviewed by: April