Customer Reviews

New Year's Eve Murder (Lucy Stone Mysteries, No. 12)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

Small-town journalist, and amateur sleuth, Lucy Stone, can't believe it when, on Christmas Eve, she receives a letter from her daughter Elizabeth's college requesting that she provide them with $16,000 by the beginning of the year, so she can resume her studies. She has already splurged on holiday gifts for her four children, and beloved husband, and can't even contemplate how she will come up with another $16,000 on such short notice. However, when Elizabeth surprises Lucy with the news that they have been chosen to participate in a Mother/Daughter Makeover Contest in New York City, sponsored by the Cosmopolitan-esque JOLIE magazine, Lucy is excited to have the opportunity to put the bit of financial distress behind her - even if it's just for a short time. Now, as Elizabeth and Lucy begin their three-day stay in the Big Apple, Lucy begins having concerns about her last-minute departure, as well as the fashion-obsessed people surrounding her. Suddenly, Elizabeth has stopped eating, the result of watching a waif-like fashion show up-close-and-personal; and Lucy begins picking up signs that the JOLIE employees slinking around in their glitzy garb are hiding something downright ugly. When Nadine Nelson, JOLIE's self-absorbed fashion-editor falls ill, and then kicks the bucket, Lucy knows that something underhanded is taking place. She has seen the amount of backstabbing going on around her, and feels that Nadine's death was anything but accidental. However, when Elizabeth begins exhibiting the same symptoms as Nadine, and is rushed to the hospital, Lucy realizes that it's up to her to begin snooping around, in an attempt to uncover the truth about Nadine's death; otherwise, Elizabeth may not survive long enough to see the ball drop in Times Square.

With so few mystery novels embracing New Year's Eve, I was more than ecstatic to find that Leslie Meier's Miss Marple-esque character, Lucy Stone, was embarking on a mystery that would take her to the heart of New York City, just as the ball was about to drop. Unlike previous Lucy Stone mysteries, Meier has taken small-town Lucy out of her comfort zone, and dropped her smack dab in the middle of the boisterous, booming city known as New York - home of high fashion, sample sales, and screeching subways. Lucy, however, unexpectedly manages to hold her own. She quickly picks up city lingo, and learns how to maneuver through New York City in no-time. While Lucy is a believable, easy-to-relate to, down-home character, I did find it hard to sympathize with her daughter, Elizabeth. Elizabeth comes off as a spoiled, ungrateful, gossipy individual through the entire first-half of the book. She acts as if the world owes her a living, and expects everyone to feel sorry for her. Her personality seems to change slightly towards the second-half of the book, however, that may have something to do with the fact that she is not as prevalent of a character after the first 150 pages. I will admit, however, that even with Elizabeth's sour disposition, Lucy manages to shine like a diamond, and make NEW YEAR'S EVE MURDER a sparkly addition to Meier's enchanting series.

Erika Sorocco

Elizabeth and her mother Lucy have won a makeover in a contest by Jolie magazine. They, along with five other mother-daughter duos, go to New York for a weekend. The contestants will all be judged, and the winning duo will win $10,000.

Lucy has just received a letter stating that due to their income increasing, they owe $10,000 towards Elizabeth's tuition that would have previously been covered by her scholarship. That would be a problem except that this year their income has dropped significantly. Lucy wants more than ever to win that $10,000 prize.

During the makeovers, the fashion editor is killed and Elizabeth is hospitalized. It turns out Anthrax is the reason for both. Lucy sets off to find who could have sent it and why. She uncovers a lot of misdeeds, including quite a few hot-button issues.

I really like this series. Lucy is a fun character. This time she is outside her comfort zone, and because of that I think we see a different side of her. I didn't mind that. I thought it was written to fit the context of the story and situation, as well as the fact they were in New York city.

I highly recommend this book and look forward to reading the next in this fabulous series!


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On the day before Christmas Eve, the Stones of Tinker's Cove, Maine, receive a letter from the college that their daughter Elizabeth attends stating that since their income went up last year, they owe $10,000 that previously would have been covered by a scholarship. The problem is that this year the Stone's income has dramatically dropped due to the economy; they don't have a clue how they are going to raise the money.

Elizabeth entered a contest sponsored by Jolie magazine that won her and her mother along with five other mother-daughter duos complete makeovers. Elizabeth tells her that all the contestants will be judged and the winner will win $10,000 which makes Lucy want to win more than ever. While they are receiving their makeover, the fashion editor is murdered and Elizabeth is hospitalized when she becomes ill. The causes of the death and the illness are anthrax. Lucy is determined to find out who sent it to the office so that they can figure out how the editor and her daughter came in contact with it. That decision almost gets her killed by a terrorist organization though not the kind one usually reads about in the papers.

Fans who appreciate the Jessica Fletcher books and Miss Marple stories will love this fine cozy amateur sleuth mystery. Leslie Meier modernizes the heroine, who is a likeable, believable and understandable character. The jealousies, uncertainties and in fighting between the workers at the magazine give the audience plenty of suspects who wanted the fashion editor dead. Leslie Meir has written a charming holiday mystery that readers will love for its' humor and originality.

Harriet Klausner

I don't expect literary brilliance from a paperback "cozy" but I do expect at least a couple of semi-believable characters. The six pairs of contestants were trite stereotypes: the sensible New Englanders, rich valley girls, big-haired Texans, ultra-churchy southerners and hard-edged New Yorkers. Who did I forget? Oh, yeah, the forgettable and characterless midwesterners. Add in a few stereotypical New York bigshots and a ridiculous plot and you have New Years Eve Murder. It was a quick read, but a waste of two hours nonethe less.

I have read all of the Lucy Stone Mysteries and can't wait for the next one to be published. Once I picked one up, I had to read the entire series.

I had purchased and read Mistletoe Murder, which I enjoyed a lot. This book was not a good follow-up. It just dragged. I am an avid reader, and it seemed to take me "forever" to get through this one. The storyline and the details just did not seen believable. I am not sure if I will take a chance on reading any of the others she has written. I was very disappointed.

I enjoy the main characters and the Maine setting. It is a fun book series to read. I recommend reading the books in order.