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Gasp! I’m reading the first Leslie Meier Lucy Stone cozy and a cat was murdered.
Holy shit, and another character JUST SHOT A DOG! What is happening here?
Okay, I started book 2 to see if it would be a good starting place with no dead animals and a character has run away, and abandoned her “dear, stupid, doggy beast.”
And the plot of book 2 involves incest and sexual assault.
I’m diving into book 3 now because I’m baffled and discombobulated by the marketing decisions behind these books.
I’m diving into book 3 now because I’m baffled and discombobulated by the marketing decisions behind these books.
Book 3 (Trick Or Treat Murder) is closer to what you’d expect. No cozy rules really broken, but still not exactly cozy. I like that Lucy is a mother with a family. She’s trying to balance everything and has to stop breastfeed a newborn while solving a mystery.
Usually we see women who have just survived a breakup or getting fired and move to a new town. Lucy is fully rooted in Tinker’s Cove. She knows the community. She’s also not actively trying to solve the mystery. She’s curious and asks questions, but isn’t exactly a sleuth.
I’ve got the next few books queued up because I’m really fascinated by this series and how it isn’t at all what I expected it to be. Plus, with book 3 I finally feel like I’ve read one I can sell to cozy readers without a disclaimer.
I’m starting Back To School Murder (Book 4) and it opens with a bomb attached to the clock of the Tinker’s Cove elementary school.
Finished book 4. We see Lucy doing more detective work since she’s been hired by Tinker’s Cove’s newspaper, The Pennysaver. She’s also taking a night class so we see her struggling to do something for herself while taking care of her family.
Meier writes Lucy in such an honest way. She’s started to confront an empty nest, she’s not connecting with her husband, and she feels under appreciated. Again, it’s interesting to read a “cozy” with a married women as the sleuth.
Another interesting thing about this series is the timeframe. Book 5 takes place two years after book 4. I’m interested in how that’ll work as Meier gets 15 or 16 books into the series.
Book 5 came out in 1999, and Lucy’s kids are teaching her how to use the internet. This is kind of amazing.
Lucy just discovered that porn is available on the internet.
We also have confirmation that the antiques dealer and his “partner” are in fact homosexuals!
(These 2 things are unrelated)
We also have confirmation that the antiques dealer and his “partner” are in fact homosexuals!
(These 2 things are unrelated)
All done with Valentine Murder. Sadly, both homosexuals did not survive BUT, at the funeral Lucy was moved by Ralph losing his husband. There was real remorse and feeling there and that softened the sting of “bury your gays” popping up. (2 straight characters died too)
Book 6 and Lucy just discovered her son smoking pot in the backyard. Since the book is called Christmas Cookie Murder I feel like there was a missed opportunity for Toby to have the munchies and eat all the cookies before the ill fated cookie exchange.
Up to book 7, Turkey Day Murder. Lucy just said, “There was no random crime here as you would expect to find in a big city.”
She says as she starts to investigate her 7th murder (at least) in Tinker’s Cove.
She says as she starts to investigate her 7th murder (at least) in Tinker’s Cove.
And I’m back on my bullshit! After a few mediocre reads I’m craving more Lucy Stone and started book 8, Wedding Day Murder. I’m worried about Lucy and Bill’s marriage. They’re having issues again.
Usually a cozy series starts with the main character being recently divorced. I don’t know that I’ve read one where the character gets divorced. It hasn’t happened but it certainly seems like a possibility as Bill is resentful that Lucy doesn’t have dinner waiting for him.
