Book Review: Christmas Cookie Murder

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Christmas Cookie Murder     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Leslie Meier
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Woman Main Character   Amateur Sleuth   Cozy
Series: Lucy Stone # 6
Kensington, Nov 1999, $19.95, 232 pp.

The quiet town of Tinker's Cove, Maine is a place where everyone knows everyone else's business and doors or cars are never locked. It is Christmas time, but newspaper reporter Lucy Stone struggles with the season's spirit after an overflowing toilet drowned her cookie party. Lucy likes the newest female resident, Tucker Whitney, an assistant at the daycare center.

Before Lucy can truly pursue a friendship, Tucker is found strangled to death. All the townsfolk know that Tucker was having an affair with Steve Cummings, who was separated from his wife Lee. The acting police chief arrests Steve for murder, but even his wife strongly feels her spouse is incapable of performing the act. Lucy begins to snoop, which lands her into more trouble than she ever has been in before and she knows trouble with a capital T.

The Lucy Stone mysteries are reminiscent of the Jessica Fletcher TV series even though the heroine of Tinker's Cove is much younger. The towns are similar with their respective residents interchangeable. However, Lucy Meier places her own special mark on each novel as readers have a refreshing opportunity to meet each character. CHRISTMAS COOOKIE MURDERS is simultaneously the most humorous yet melancholy of the all the books. By pulling off such a dichotomy inside an intriguing who-done-it, Ms. Meir demonstrates her writing abilities that turn this amateur sleuth into a fine novel.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner