With family tensions intensifying in Tinker’s Cove, part-time reporter Lucy Stone could really use some time off the grid—but disconnecting from reality comes at a deadly price . . . Lucy doesn’t know what to expect as she arrives on a private Maine island owned by eccentric billionaire Scott Newman, only that the exclusive experience should make for a very intriguing feature story. An avid … feature story. An avid environmentalist, Scott has stripped the getaway of modern conveniences in favor of an extreme eco-friendly lifestyle. A trip to Holiday Island is like traveling back to the nineteenth century—much to the dismay of the island’s other residents . . .
Before Lucy can get the full scoop on Scott, she is horrified to find one of his daughters dead at the bottom of a seaside cliff. Stuck on a clammy island with murder suspects aplenty, Lucy must tap into the limited resources around her to outwit a cold-blooded killer—before it’s lights out for her next!
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A great twisted storyline but a bit much for me with the setting on the island and all the “throw back” lifestyle.
This is my first Leslie Meier book, it is a good mixture of mystery with suspense. I loved that it took place on an island, (Agatha Christie), and that people kept turning up missing. The cast had no shortage of suspects and it was fun to suss one out. I enjoyed book 26 — and lucky me—I can now start at the beginning!
October 1, 2020
Always fun!
This one was quite the adventure back in time. Loved the unique characteristics sprinkled throughout this group, it made for an entertaining read!
Another great Lucy Stone cozy mystery. An extremely wealthy environmentalist rebuilds the buildings on a Maine island near Tinkers Cove and Lucy is invited to stay a week to interview him and write a story about the renovations that return the island to 1800’s living. Of course things can’t ever go as smoothly as planned where Lucy is concerned and before you know it, there’s a murder on the island and two little boys also go missing. How will Lucy be able to help figure out who did it when she can’t even have any contact with anyone on the mainland? Pick up this great book to find out what happens next in the life of Tinkers Cove’s best amateur slueth.
Kind of repetitive
It was a who done it and made you keep reading. This should be a good series Lucy seems to have interesting adventures want to read more
Always like a book when I learn something unanticipated-in this case learned about Puffins.
Fantastic book, a real page turner. Suspense right up to the end. This book is great and should be made into a movie (the first time I’ve ever felt this way about a book). I’ve read all of Leslie Meiers books and this is by far the very best.
It was predictable, but I did learn something about puffins.
This book was disappointing, I’ve always liked her books but I’ve decided not bother for a while. There are too many books to read to waste time on something this boring.
One of her best books to date
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading others in the series. I see that it has gone into 26 books which is quite an accomplishment! I loved the island setting, an interesting choice with lots of plot possibilities.
Lucy Stone is ready to leave Tinker’s Cove for a writing assignment on Holiday Island. After visiting the island with her husband to celebrate the restoration completion of the island’s mansion, Lucy is invited back by the owner, Scott Newman, to write an exclusive feature story. The island’s inhabitants live without modern conveniences such as electricity, gas and phones, living their lives as early residents of the island once did.
While enjoying a morning walk around the island, Lucy has the unfortunate luck of finding one of Newman’s daughters dead after an apparent accidental fall from a cliff. The accident is quickly discovered to be a murder. With no phones to call the authorities, Lucy and the others are forced to stay on the island and wait for the state ferry to make it’s scheduled visit.
This is book 26 in the Lucy Stone Mystery series. I enjoy this series and recommend it. This book can stand alone, but the series is enjoyable from the beginning. This book introduces us to a new cast of characters while leaving our regulars back in Tinker’s Cove. They are interesting and slightly mysterious. I found myself wondering how Lucy could trust some of these strangers after only having just met them. The quiet island setting is lovely. I enjoyed the pace of the story. I listened to the audio version and it held my attention for hours. I look forward to the next book in the series.
Intriguing book! Scott Newman has bought a nearby island and returned it to 19th Century living. Lucy wants to do a story for the Pennysaver and goes to the island for a visit. The day after her arrival, one of Scott’s adult daughters is found dead at the bottom of a cliff. Later, his younger sons disappear after going on a scavenger hunt. It is clear that something is not right with this family. Everyone seems to have secrets and Lucy is almost fearful for her life. Things come to a head once the boys are found. Very intriguing with lots of secrets and twists. I look forward to more of Lucy’s adventures and hope to see more of her friends and family in the next book as well as Tinker’s Cove.
This is the 26th book in the Lucy Stone Mystery series, and the first I’ve read. I didn’t do to badly following along since the story is set on a remote island a few miles off shore.
I liked Lucy and the others characters. I found them interesting and engaging. And the mystery was intriguing.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor.
Invitation Only Murder by Leslie Meier is the 26th A Lucy Stone Mystery. I have read every single A Lucy Stone Mystery and it has always been one of my favorite series. I like Leslie Meier’s conversational writing style which makes every story a pleasure to read. I have watched Lucy go from working a part-time job as a customer service rep at night while taking care of her four kids during the day to reporter at the Pennysaver with only two college aged kids at home. She has solved over two dozen mysteries, but this one is by far the most dangerous. After finding Parker Newman dead at the bottom of a seaside cliff, Lucy becomes stuck on an island with a killer. There is no way for them to contact the outside world once the island’s boat were discovered missing. Scott Newman purchased Fletcher’s Island and is only using technology available in the early 1900s (no cell phones, televisions, motorized boats, electricity). The story moved along at a steady pace as Lucy helps out in the kitchen, explores the island, spends time with Scott Newman’s twin boys, and attempts to narrow down the suspects. Most readers will have no problem identifying the culprit before the reveal. I kept hoping for a twist to surprise me. Lucy came across as judgmental in Invitation Only Murder. I can certainly understand her views considering the island residents, but it was unlike Lucy. I also did not understand the attitude of some of the island’s residents. If I was on an isolated island with a killer, I would do whatever it took to get help. I did enjoy the foggy atmosphere of the island which made it feel spooky (great atmosphere for a mystery). Invitation Only Murder was disappointing to me. It felt different from the other books in this series. I missed Tinker’s Cove and its residents. The story lacked that cozy feel that I love in the Lucy Stone mysteries. It was interesting to learn about Puffins which nested on the island. If you have not read any of the other book in A Lucy Stone Mystery series, I do not suggest starting with Invitation Only Murder. I do, though, highly recommend reading this charming cozy mystery series with the intrepid Lucy Stone. Invitation Only Murder has impish twins, frightening fog, sniping sisters, a crazy killer and absence of contemporary conveniences.
Lucy has been invited to stay on billionaire Scott Newman’s island and write up her observations for the paper. Scott who is an environmentalist has stripped the island of all its modern conveniences and dialed it back to the nineteenth century. Lucy is excited about the experience and looks forward to getting his family’s thoughts on this older way of living. It all started out well until Lucy makes a horrible discovery on her walk, she finds one of Scott’s daughter’s dead. Did the young girl fall, was it an accident or was it something much more sinister. Lucy soon learns they are stuck I the island without any way to communicate with the outside world. It seems the boats that were on the island have been destroyed and according to her hosts they have to wait several days until the local ferry is meant to come pick Lucy up. Things go from bad to worse when Scott’s twin boys end up missing and I one can find them. Finding herself in this situation has Lucy determined to figure out just what the neck is going on but will the answers come her way before someone else disappears or even dies? Follow along and find out just what happens!!!
Action Packed Murder Mystery
This is one exciting murder mystery that does not really fit the ‘cozy mystery’ genre. It is not tense or gory or anything. It is not cupcakes and afghans and puppies, either. The plot and storyline are great. There is plenty of action as well. There are no good suspects for the crime and nothing is as it seems. This is a book that I couldn’t put down by one of my favorite authors. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.
Invitation Only Murder is the 26th Lucy Stone Mystery, and although Lucy doesn’t have the company of her regular cast of friends and family in this particular story, it’s just as charming as the previous 25! Lucy has been invited to stay for several days on a private, isolated island off the coast of Tinker’s Cove, without any modern conveniences, but when she finds a young woman’s dead body on her morning walk her working holiday turns into a nightmare. Stranded from civilization until the weekly ferry arrives, tensions run extremely high and Lucy has to fight for her life against a murderer! Another winner by author Leslie Meier! A+
Invitation Only Murder by Leslie Meier is the most recent installment of the Lucy Stone mystery series.
This book takes Lucy out of Tinker’s Cove for the majority of the book and places her on a small local island that is about 10 minutes away accessible only by boat/air. Lucy is invited over the 4th of July weekend to stay with Scott Newman and his family (an ultra rich businessman who has created an island set up as if it was 1850 modern convenience wise). He has restored the island and handed it over to a Land trust to conserve and save the Puffin population much to everyone’s surpise, including the Hopkins family that has lived there for generations.
Needless to say, the stay amounts to much more including a murder mystery, along with a real “bang” of any ending.
While I will always love Ms Meier and Lucy Stone, this book was a little extended for me in the amount of a hot mess that occurred while on the island, as well as the fact that I love Tinker’s Cove, the Stone family, and all of the community’s inhabitants and would have much rather read a story involving any of those factors. However, I will never stray from Lucy, so I will still give this 4.5/5 stars.