After returning from her father-in-law’s funeral in Florida, Lucy can almost hear the death knell of her part-time reporter job the instant she meets new hire Rob Callahan. He’s young, ambitious, and positioning himself to become the Pennysaver’s next star reporter. Adding insult to injury, Lucy only gets assigned the local St. Patrick’s Day parade once Rob passes on the story. But before beer flows and bagpipes sound, Rob becomes suspected of destroying more than other people’s careers . . .
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It’s a shock when Rob is suddenly charged with sending a corrections officer from town to a fiery death. Contrary to the evidence, Lucy seriously doubts her office rival committed murder, and she’s willing to follow that nagging hunch into the darkest corners of the community if it means shedding light on the truth . . .
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As an unnerving mystery unfolds, a strange woman reveals news that could change everything for Lucy and her family. Troubles in her personal and professional life are colliding, and Lucy comes to realize that she’ll sooner discover a four-leaf clover than confront a killer with the gift of the gab and live to tell about it . . .
Release Date:Â Jan 26, 2021
Series:Â A Lucy Stone Mystery
Book:Â 27
Publisher:Â Kensington
Price: $12.99
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Lucy Stone doesn’t know what to think about her job. First she thinks she’s about to lose her job as part-time reporter for the local newspaper in Tinker’s Cove, Maine. Then, she learns her boss is actually expanding the paper, which would be a good thing except he has also hired a young, know-it-all reporter who is being given all the top assignments. Even though Lucy doesn’t care much for Rob’s journalistic talent or his people skills, when the brash reporter is accused of murder, Lucy has doubts. She uses her own investigative skills to get to the truth of the murder case.
Many of the books in the Lucy Stone series are tied to a specific holiday and the focus of this book is St. Patrick’s Day. Many of the stories the newspaper is covering and the drama in the book revolve around the town’s St. Patrick’s Day celebrations and traditions which aren’t always inclusive to all the local residents. Lucy’s interviews with parade participants work well to show the contrast in opinions of the town. When Rob is accused of murder, I like that Lucy is able to put her personal feelings about him aside to objectively investigate the crime. Rob is so obnoxious, I found it hard to feel sorry for him even when it looked more and more like he was innocent of the murder, but lucky for him, Lucy was a bigger person and kept searching for the truth!
In addition to the obstacles Lucy is facing at work, she also has a personal issue to deal with. When her husband Bill’s father dies, a woman comes forward claiming to be Bill’s half sister. Lucy and Bill are afraid the woman is a fraudster trying to make a claim on Bill Senior’s estate. This mystery as well as the murder investigation are both interesting. I was surprised the author tackles such a heavy topic as police corruption in a cozy mystery, but it does fit in well with the plot. The story is dramatic and entertaining even if the way things work a little too easily at the end. Overall, this is a solid installment in this well-written series.
~ Christine
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