New Year's Eve Murder (Lucy Stone Mysteries, No. 12) [Large Print] [Paperback]

Leslie Meier (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 2006

After the annual parade of Christmas presents in Tinker's Cove has ended, Lucy Stone and her daughter Elizabeth are ready to ring in the new year in style. Elizabeth has won mother/daughter winter makeovers in Manhattan from Jolie magazine! But the all-expenses-paid trip is bound to have some hidden costs--and one of them is murder. . .

After finally arriving at the offices of Jolie, meeting their fellow makeover candidates, and being treated to a fashion show, Elizabeth is enamored of the extreme outfits and stick-thin models--while Lucy's having some misgivings. The pampering is nice and the glitz and glamour of haute couture is bizarrely fascinating, but bitterness and aggression lurk behind Jolie's hipper-than-thou façade. And things turn downright ugly when self-absorbed fashion editor Nadine Nelson falls mysteriously ill and then dies. . .

Lucy saw first-hand some of the backstabbing going on at Jolie. And the red-hot rumor mill soon reveals that the cliquish connection among the magazine's cabal of high-style executives has stirred up plenty of bad blood over the years. But this Manhattan murder mystery hits too close to home when Elizabeth gets rushed to the hospital with symptoms that are disturbingly similar to Nadine's. Now, it's up to Lucy to dress down a killer before the ball drops in Times Square. . .

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In Meier's solid 12th cozy to feature Tinker's Cove, Maine, reporter Lucy Stone (after 2004's Star Spangled Murder), Lucy and her oldest daughter, Elizabeth, travel to New York City after winning an all-expenses-paid mother-daughter makeover from Jolie magazine. But after arriving in the Big Apple, the duo find the contest is fraught with cattiness, tension and mistrust, complicated by the magazine's haughty editor and bickering staff. The outing turns into a nightmare after Jolie's controversial fashion editor suddenly dies and Elizabeth falls ill from what turns out to be exposure to anthrax. Dividing her time between her daughter's bedside and sleuthing, Lucy discovers a host of misdeeds involving real estate deals, animal rights and long-held secrets. Fans won't mind that Meier's light tone is sometimes at odds with the serious hot-button issues she raises.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Wheeler Publishing (May 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 159722216X
• ISBN-13: 978-1597222167
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,023,396 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Bleh, September 20, 2007

By 

Lois Lain (San Francisco Bay Area, CA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: New Year's Eve Murder (Lucy Stone Mysteries, No. 12) (Paperback)

I keep reading the Lucy Stone mysteries, hoping they'll get better. Unfortunately, they seem to have hit a new low. Anthrax? A secret chemical lab on an abandoned island? Evil scientists? I felt like I was watching an episode of "Scooby Doo" instead of reading a quality mystery novel.

I think Lucy needs to take a rest from her sleuthing.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Yawn in the Big Apple, March 19, 2008

By 

J. E. Stephens "Jeanne" (Florida) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: New Year's Eve Murder (Lucy Stone Mysteries, No. 12) (Paperback)

This was a snooze. It took forever for the murder to take place on Lucy and Elizabeth's trip to the Big Apple. This was probably so that the characters and plot could be developed.

I was skimming in the last few chapters but who actually won the makeover contest and the $10,000? Amazing how things turn out so well in the end.

I missed the Tinker's Cove setting, but I am sure the author is thinking that Tinker's Cove must have the highest murder rate in the nation.

The story line was far fetched but I guess anything is possible in New York. I know this author can do better and already has. I will buy the next installment and I don't regret reading this one.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars What has happened to this series?, February 28, 2006

By 

Kerri in Wisconsin - See all my reviews

This review is from: New Year's Eve Murder (Lucy Stone Mysteries, No. 12) (Hardcover)

I have read every book in this series, and just adored them. I could not wait for the next one to come out. How times have changed! Lucy has turned into a creep, to say the least. Her character in the early books was quite enjoyable - a mom of four, part time employee of the local newspaper, etc. Tinker's Cove sounded like a wonderful, typical little New England town. This book is set in New York, as Lucy and Elizabeth win a makeover. A very promising setting, but it falls apart quickly. In my humble opinion, Lucy has gone from an inquisitive reporter to a pushy, obnoxious, know it all. And she doesn't know it all. If she's not spouting off like some fashion expert to an "FBI agent", she is giving misinformation about animal testing. The author obviously did not do her homework when talking about cosmetics being tested on animals. She makes it sound like some hapless rabbit has to put up with lipstick being painted on, instead of the true process of the animals being forced to injest the make up or have it rubbed into its eyes. The ending of this book is so stupid I had to laugh out loud. And, if you are looking for surprises, don't pick this book. The killer was obvious from the beginning on. I hope the author hits her stride again, because I want the old Lucy back.