Christmas has come to Tinker’s Cove, Maine, and sleuthing skills are at the top of Lucy’s Stone’s wish list in these two beloved mysteries—now collected in one festive volume for the very first time! . . . NEW YEAR’S EVE MURDER After the annual parade of Christmas presents in Tinker’s Cove has ended, Lucy Stone and her daughter are ready to ring in the new year in style. Elizabeth has won … 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. Soon it will be up to Lucy to dress down a killer before the ball drops in Times Square . . .
CHRISTMAS CAROL MURDER
Lucy Stone is excited about acting in the town’s production of A Christmas Carol. But a real-life Scrooge has everyone feeling frosty. While Tinker’s Cove has fallen on hard times, Downeast Mortgage owners Jake Marlowe and Ben Scribner are raking in profits from misfortune. So when Marlowe is murdered, the suspects are many. But Scribner claims Marlowe’s ghost has come to warn him of his own impending demise—and he’s soon receiving death threats. Now Lucy will have to solve the case faster than she can say “Bah! Humbug!”. . .
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‘Tis the Season Murder by Leslie Meier contains two Lucy Stone holiday mysteries. Christmas Carol Murder (Book Twenty) and New Year’s Eve Murder (Book Twelve) give us a look back at Lucy at different stages in her life. While I had read both books previously, it did not hinder my enjoyment. I had a good time reading about Lucy’s adventures. New Year’s Eve Murder has Lucy and Elizabeth heading to Manhattan for a winter makeover that Elizabeth won from Jolie magazine. There are some humorous situations in this story that had me giggling. Lucy was looking forward to spa treatments and instead receives harsh criticism from Jolie magazines editors. Her lobster watch and duck boots garnered quite a bit of attention. Christmas Carol Murder has Lucy taking to the stage in the local production of A Christmas Carol as Mrs. Cratchit. When Jacob Marlowe ends up dead, many of the town’s residents believe it is karma. Jacob and his partner, Ben Scribner at Downeast Mortgage have been raking in the dough with the foreclosure of properties (and then selling them off for a profit). Lucy has her work cut out for her if she is going to solve this crime. The suspect is longer than Eloise’s Christmas list (I like the movie version with Julie Andrews playing Nanny). I found both stories to be well-written and engaging. It amazes me at how far Lucy Stone has come since Mistletoe Murder. There is a preview of Invitation Only Murder at the end. If you are looking for two entertaining Christmas cozy mysteries, then check out ‘Tis the Season Murder. ‘Tis the Season Murder has murder, mayhem and merriment.
Love all the books in this series.
It was a great mystery, kept our attention. Had funny characters in it.
A fun read.
The I like this series and love the Maine setting.
I liked them both. They have good characters and a lot twists in the road. They were a quick and enjoyable read.
This is a combination of two books…New Year’s Eve Murder and Christmas Carol Murder.
New Year’s Eve Murder
This book in the Lucy Stone series was a little different than the others because it takes place outside of Tinker’s Cove. This time, Lucy gets involved in her typical sleuthing in New York. I always enjoy the books in this series and though different than usual, still very entertaining. There are lots of characters to keep track of, but it keeps your interest. So a fun cozy mystery that fits when you want to curl up in your recliner with a cup of cocoa, a fuzzy blanket, and a good book.
Christmas Carol Murder
One more sleuthing adventure with Lucy Stone has arrived. I enjoy the books in this series and how the family members age at an appropriate rate. While Lucy loves her family, it is interesting to see how the different personalities react with other family members as well as teenage angst and maturing into young adults affects the family dynamics.
This is a book that could touch your heart if you’ve had to personally deal with the financial and/or health problems with which many of the characters have to face. While moments of emotional upheaval and fear arise, you still experience hope, love, forgiveness, and holiday generosity by the time the adventure ends.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
‘Tis the Season Murder combines two of Leslie Meier’s beloved Lucy Stone Christmas novels (Christmas Carol Murder and New Year’s Eve Murder) into one cozy holiday collection!
In Christmas Carol Murder, hard times have fallen on Tinker’s Cove, and when one of the owners of the mortgage company that’s calling in homeowners’ loans is killed by a package bomb there aren’t a lot of broken hearts. Who killed Jake Marlowe, and will surviving co-owner Ben Scribner change his miserly ways before Christmas? Lucy’s on the case!
In New Year’s Eve Murder, Lucy and her oldest daughter, Elizabeth, head to New York after winning makeovers in a magazine contest. Of course murder interrupts their pampering, and Elizabeth falls seriously ill, but Lucy Stone rises to the occasion once again to discover the murder!
In my opinion, you can’t go wrong with a nice cozy holiday themed Lucy Stone mystery, and ‘Tis the Season murder is twice as nice!!! A+
Lucy’s daughter Elizabeth won mother/daughter winter makeovers in New York from a popular magazine and the two are looking forward to spending some time together.
With Christmas over they are excited to head off on their adventure and be pampered for a few days. When one of the beauty consuls dies and it ends up being murder and not the flu Lucy can’t help but to look at all those around them. She soon learns that things are much worse than she thought and when Elizabeth ends up very sick she knows she must find the culprit in hopes that no one else will fall ill.
In this second story Lucy can’t wait to participate in A Christmas Carol, a production the town puts on every year. When one of her cast mates is murdered she wants to find the killer so the show can go on. With death threats showing up it looks like another murder is set to happen but Lucy hopes that she can figure out what’s going on before another death occurs. The show must go on but will all the actors be alive to pay their parts?
This is a wonderful combination of two holiday stories that gives you a look into the Stone’s holiday season. A fun read that will have you looking forward to the holidays.
Tis the Season by Leslie Meier is a compilation and reissue of two previous Lucy Stone mysteries.
Even though I have read every Lucy Stone installment, I enjoyed going back and reading # 12 and 20 again. ( I am a huge fan.)
I will always love Lucy. She is real, relatable, strong, resourceful, and hilarious.
This combo got me into the holiday spirit (woohoo) despite the current hot weather and is great for long-term fans to reread, or for fans reading Lucy Stone for the first time.
Excellent
5/5 stars