| Title | : | Valentine Murder (A Lucy Stone Mystery, #5) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1575664992 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781575664996 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 272 |
| Publication | : | First published February 1, 1999 |
Lucy was already aware that Bitsy’s uppity big city ways rubbed some people in Tinker’s Cove the wrong way. But she has a hunch that motives for the librarian’s violent death run a lot deeper. From Hayden Norcross’s elegant antique shop to Corney Clark’s chic kitchen, Lucy relentlessly snoops into the curious lifestyles and shocking secrets of Tinker’s Cove’s most solid citizens—secrets that will plunge her into a terrifying confrontation with a conniving killer…
Valentine Murder (A Lucy Stone Mystery, #5) Reviews
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Lucy is a new director on the library board, and on her first day, the librarian is found dead in the basement. That's the plot of the 5th Lucy Stone mystery, Valentine Murder. With 6 other directors in the building, plus a few patrons, the suspect list is rather short. But the secret motives are not. Toss in some education about antiques and construction, and this one's a doozy. I could've done less with the commentary surrounding townspeople opinions on alternative lifestyles... it's tough, as the earlier books seemed super conservative and disparaging about anyone that wasn't a white Christian republican while the last few began showing more liberal views which made it more balanced. Ultimately, it's representing probably what a small town in Maine was like 20 years ago, but at the same time, it's more focus than necessary. Side stories are good... mysteries are the focus, and if you want to have all the supporting cast non-mystery moments, maybe they don't need to be so controversial if that book is meant to be a light mystery with a laugh?
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I finished this right in time for the Valentine's Day holiday!
I like these Lucy Stone stories, they are always light and easy to read and this one wasn't any different.
Lucy is one the board of directors for the new library in town when the librarian is found shot to death, from there Lucy becomes entangled in a mystery about money, murder, and fraud.
The ending was the best part for me because I honestly had no clue who the killer was. Meier did a great job of wrapping the story up. -
I’ve been enjoying some of Leslie Meier’s backlist of cozy mysteries set in Tinker’s Cove, Maine. In this one, mother of four Lucy Stone must figure out who is behind the murder of local librarian Bitsy, while trying not to become a target herself. The Valentine’s Day theme and cold, snowy blizzards made for a fun winter treat.
Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader. -
I love mysteries based around a library as libraries are one of my favorite places and I also had no idea when I started reading the book. It's Lucy's first day as a member of the Board of Directors of the library and she brings her young daughter to storytime as they are at the same time. It's noisy in the library with all the kids. They find out no one is doing storytime so Lucy goes in search of the librarian and finds her in the lower level. At first she is a suspect but quickly eliminated.
I enjoyed the book and the mystery. I'm glad I don't have to put up with snow anymore. Yuck!!! -
I read these kind of mysteries because I can read them quickly, they're entertaining, and just because I have a child under 2 doesn't mean I can't take some time for myself. I have to say that I will not be reading anymore Leslie Meier books unless someone can tell me if the tone of the books change. Bill is a jerk. When women read these novels about women in everyday jobs doing extraordinary things, we don't want to read about controlling husbands. She acts helpless. Her car caught on fire and she was afraid to tell her husband because he might get mad at her!? So she told him after he had time to settle down and open a beer. Lucy's kids are jerks too. Her oldest daughter was cute once upon a time and now she is disrespectful and Lucy spends the entire novel saying she is too tired to correct their behavior. I know it was 1999 when she wrote this and things have changed dramatically in 14 years since, but the comments about two of the characters who are gay weren't necessary. If the author has issues with our GLBT friends, fine. To each their own. However, if you are writing a novel for the general public and don't like the gay and lesbian lifestyle, don't write about characters who are gay. The way the book plays out she didn't need to include sexual orientation. It wasn't integral to the plot.
The only reason I gave it two stars instead of one, is because it wasn't poorly written necessarily and I did keep reading until the end. One star books for me are those novels I can't get past page 100 on. -
When Lucy Stone investigates the shooting death of Tinker's Cove's new librarian, she becomes entangled in a web of mystery about the town's most prominent citizens.
The plot was well-conceived and contained plenty of surprises along the way. The descriptions of this quaint Maine town are vivid. Believable, multi-dimensional characters are well protrayed.
An enjoyable cozy mystery. -
I didn't like the character of Miss Tilley at all. It beggared belief that Lucy Stone would get emotional enough to shed tears for the former. This is not progress. This is back to square one. I was aware that the writer tried to work out an unusual climax to this story. Also the balancing act between the investigation and the private life of the amateur sleuth lay anchored at a place where the focus on family life is less considered. I just think that further loss of that factor would not make me a happy bunny. I may lose interest in what, in my opinion, made this series attractive.
My thoughts veered on the practical and the episodic shenanigans of Mr and Mrs Stone. Lucy had confessed in the previous book that she enjoys marital bliss more and more rarely. Yet in this book it seemed, it was hinted, that the couple took the initiative equally. I think this is dishonest and makes the growing up of the souls peopling Tinker's Cove, a side note.
Lucy Stone started as a strong character in this book. Her troubles were less formidable in this book. I think her best point here is her interaction with her 4 year old daughter Zoe. It is safe to say that she is not developing her detective side. She will remain a mom and a woman - though for how long in her early forties, I don't know. There has been a two year gap for the last three books. Lucy may well reach her mid fifties by book nineteen. I have fresh doubts now, and I do wish feverishly that the future tomes do not take a turn for the worse. I cannot believe I read this book in one day. That must mean something about the quality of the book, no? Not all is lost. Not yet. -
Valentine Murder was another enjoyable addition to Meier's Lucy Stone series. The more books that I read in this series the more that I enjoy them. This holiday themed mystery tackles Valentine's Day, and instead of just baking cupcakes with her daughter, Lucy finds herself investigating another murder. Meier does a great job at making the reader feel a part of Tinker's Cove with each book, and I enjoyed seeing the familiar characters that I have grown to love in the book. Lucy does seem to have bad luck with always discovering murders, but in this case it was joining the library board that leads her into this one. Meier does up the stakes in this installment when Lucy's family finds themselves in danger as well. Overall Valentine's Murder was an enjoyable read, and I look forward to reading more of Meier's books in this series.
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This was a really good one! The entire mystery centered around a library and the murder of a librarian and an antique dealer-- all during a winter snow storm. Three of my favorite things- libraries, antiques, and snow!
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Lucy Stone is the newest member of the Tinker's Cove library board and her first order of business is to discover who murdered the librarian! Another nicely woven tale of murder and mystery in Maine, where Lucy must do everything she can to protect her family and the town she loves. A+
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Please see all of my reviews on my blog at
www.robinlovesreading.blogspot.com
Lucy, in addition to being a busy mom of four, and an occasional freelance feature writer for the local newspaper, is now a member of the board of directors at the town's library. She is one of seven directors, and imagine her horror, on the very first day of her new duties, when the librarian, Bitsy Howell is murdered. The detective on the case, Lieutenant Horowitz, is certain that one of the directors is responsible for Bitsy's death. She met Hororwitz before and as he knows of her propensity to get involved, he strictly warns her to leave things to the police.
Over the past few years, several cases have arisen involving the gruesome act of murder, and Lucy was right in the thick of things with the very intent of solving them, which she did admirably. Things will be no different this time - she will not wait around for the police. She intends on finding the murderer as soon as possible, despite being commanded by the detective to stay out of it.
Per usual Lucy Stone style, Lucy knows just who to talk to and just what questions to ask. She is superb when it comes to digging to the bottom of matters. All the while playing sleuth, she is living a real life with relationships and situations that cannot be ignored. I especially love her role as a mother - it brings to much to an already well-written story and series.
However, I want to mention two things that kept me from giving this more than four stars. For one thing, the parents were quite lax with their computer and there was no internet safety for their children. Also, while running to the store, she left her four-year-old Zoe in the car in order to avoid an argument over what the little one might want her to buy. (Actually, she left Zoe in the car alone one other time come to think of it.) While the story may be set in small-town Maine, real dangers (well, fictionalized, but real, you know?) do exist and I feel that these matters weren't handled right. Also, a small thing irritated me - ten-year-old Sarah is in the 3rd grade? Hopefully just an editing error.
As with all connected series and books, familiar characters are back. We don't see as much as one of my favorites in this book, however, Barney Culpepper, but with 24 books in this series, I do hope to see him more. Ms. Tilley remains as cantankerous as ever, but I still feel a bit of patience for her. Bill, Lucy's husband, is growing on me. Then, of course, there is the mystery of the murder. It is handled well and efficiently, with enough twists and turns to keep the story at a fast pace. With only a handful of suspects, it was great fun trying to pinpoint the murderer. For an enjoyable and quick read for lovers of cozy mysteries, even with the problems in the story, be sure to pick up this next installment in the series. I am looking forward to reading Christmas Cookie Murder next. -
I don't usually leave reviews, but this book made me resent every moment I spent reading it in a way I couldn't anticipate. I wanted some nice seasonal fluff. What I got was boredom occasionally punctuated with intense annoyance at the protagonist.
The main issue I have with the book is Lucy herself. She is one of the most unintentionally unlikeable protagonists I've read. She struck me as incredibly arrogant and entitled. She seems to believe herself to be exempt from any real repercussions. For example, near the beginning of the book the detective says that she is a suspect because she found the body. This would be realistic enough. She was there. She was alone with the body. And yet, she just responds by telling the detective (whom she has apparently encountered in other books) that he couldn't possibly suspect her because "he knows her." And worse, this actually works. Sorry, but no. It doesn't work that way. You don't just get a free pass because a cop met you and you don't "seem" like a killer.
This is the first of many scenes that rubbed me the wrong way. She also tries to take her daughter's drawing from a known crime scene and then gets outraged that she isn't allowed to remove it because it "obviously isn't evidence." The man was telling you to leave because it was his JOB, Lucy, and no, you are not entitled to something from a crime scene just because your kid drew it!
At another point she leaves her trash on the table at a fast food restaurant after being mad at something completely unrelated to the restaurant, referring to this as an "act of rebellion." A REBELLION AGAINST WHO???? UNDERPAID WORKERS WHO HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH ANY OF THIS??
Even worse, after having about one conversation with a man, she decides that she know him well enough to know that he couldn't POSSIBLY have depression. When she hears that he committed suicide, she immediately decides that this couldn't possibly have been the case and it MUST have been the work of the murderer. He seemed happy during that one conversation she had with him, so she just be right. Yes. She is really that arrogant.
I could go on like this forever, but honestly I don't mind that she's in the story because at least she made me feel something. The rest of the book draaags, packed with flat characters and needlessly drawn out descriptions of things like tankard history and how lazy teenagers are. This will put me off of cozy mysteries for awhile. 0/10 -
This isn't the sort of book that is going to win accolades or literary awards. It's a predictable (in format, anyway) little cozy mystery, with a 'whodunnit' and some red herrings and plenty of hijinks. When you keep your expectations in check, understanding the sort of book you've picked up, this was another fun installment in a series I've enjoyed thus far. It's exactly what I expected, after reading the first four books in this series. There were parts that made me chuckle. There were parts that made me want to read a little faster. I spent the entirety of the story trying to figure out who was responsible, and why, right alongside Lucy. And in the end, my initial suspicions were right, even though I'd changed my guess several times while I read. The only thing preventing me from awarding four stars to an otherwise amusing read was the fact that I got no explanation or resolution from Horowtiz, who seemed to drop off the face of the earth, despite how events played out. I know some people complain that these books aren't "high quality writing" to which I say: accept the genre for what it is and if this type of storytelling irritates you so much, perhaps cozy mysteries are not a genre for you, and that's ok. I happen to enjoy mixing in some silly, frivolous reading to my reading rotation, and this fits the bill for me.
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Ugh! I have such mixed feelings about this one, coming from the library world. Starting with the end of the book, I agree with the choice to dedicate the library's addition to Miss Tilley, BUT why no memorial for Bitsy or Hayden, as they literally did give more in service to the library than she?
In general, I'm not a huge fan of Lucy, though I do love these books. They're so relevant to the times they were written. Lucy shows a lot of empathy in her musings about other characters, but I truly believes she excuses behaviors too frequently with that in mind. Poor behavior shouldn't be excused, it should be corrected.
In this story, I particularly appreciated the realistic portrayal of callousness of a library board to their staff. Their behavior is also found in many non-profit boards, based on my experience. Suggesting this read to my fellow library workers and volunteers. -
The mystery of who killed Bitsy Howell is similar to
A Midwinter's Tail by Sofie Kelly (2014). Both murders take place in essentially locked rooms with a limited number of suspects. As it's a board meeting, there are even fewer possible murderers. Yet both books take their time padding the plot with extraneous investigation on the assumption that it was done by an outsider. Both though ultimately hinge on what did the victim know about the murderer to lead to such a desperate act?
http://pussreboots.com/blog/2022/comm... -
Clever plot! Kept me guessing till the end! Brrrrr
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I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Valentine Murder by Leslie Meier has Lucy Stone solving the murder of Bitsy Howell before anything bad happens to anyone else.
Will Lucy solve the mystery before the killer goes after her?
Lucy Stone is the newest director on the library's board of directors for Tinker Cove, Maine. She is nervous about her first meeting and hesitates to solve the case despite being asked. Lucy is on the newer side of being a sleuth. She is married and a mom to 4 kids. Three girls and one boy. I love how Lucy solves the case in her way and how she goes about doing that in the early days of her books. Lucy hopes she is raising her kids correctly while trying to do things for herself for a change. Well, despite that, her youngest is only four years old. I love Lucy as a character, and I can't wait to see how different she is in the next book I read.
The Mystery
Two weeks before Valentine's Day, she has her first board meeting, and Lucy decides to get Bitsy for Story Hour when she discovers her body. Lucy takes it upon herself to look into the case but not really look into the mystery. She tries her best not to get too involved in solving the case to risk her kids, her husband, or her own life. Sadly, all sleuths take risks when they try to solve a mystery. I solved the case before Lucy did, but not the motive until she uncovered that since I couldn't figure it out. Okay, I did wish it was someone else, but I quickly ruled them out when I remembered some other clues.
Five Stars
I am giving five stars to Valentine Murder by Leslie Meier and recommending it. This was a fantastic cozy holiday mystery read. I loved how everything happened and the simpler times of the nineties. Ms. Meier brings me into her stories to make it seem like I'm helping the sleuth out, especially with solving the case.
This is another series where it doesn't matter where you pop into the installments. Trust me, and I've read Lucy at different stages of motherhood, her journalism career, and her love life with her husband. Either way, Ms. Meier knows she has a great series on hand and one that doesn't look like it's going to stop any time soon. For which I am grateful.
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Valentine Murder by Leslie Meier.
Until the next time,
Happy Reading!
This review was originally posted on Baroness' Book Trove -
I rarely ever take notes while reading a book but there was a moment in this book where I contemplated not finishing I was so offended. This time around I made a few notes and I am sharing them with you. Let me start by saying this I do not know what compels me to read these books at this point and after reading this one I’m not sure if I will and here is why. Lucy is prone to the woe is me inner dialog I put up with it, Lucy is prone to being virtuous to the point where your so sick of hearing about her guilt because of the suffering of others, and most all we all put up with Bill, who is no more than Meier’s literary afterthought. Bill serves no purpose other than to be an antagonistic figure we all remember during the Halloween murder mystery when Lucy was in the hospital shortly after Zoe was born? Bill left Lucy there with no ride and no calls he never even bothered to attempt to collect milk from Lucy for the baby? Bill is usually selfish and chauvinistic and thinks Lucy’s place is in the home. I don’t feel like Bill is a supportive and loving husband and in one of the other books he had taken to drinking and being sullen if anything he is an arse. However, I did not expect to discover was that Bill was a bigot especially in 1999 considering that Billy and Lucy are products of the 50’s meaning they should have learned a lot living through the 1960’s and 1970’s I thought enlightenment was the reason for moving to Tinkers Cove?
In this offering Lucy is involved in another murder somehow she was asked to join the Library’s board (yeah right) and of course the Librarian and a board member are killed. One of the members was framed he also happens to be gay and when Lucy mentions that she visited him and his partner Bill makes a remark letting us the reader know he thinks gay is not ok. Well he is entitled to his opinion I guess but you would think Meier would know better than that considering how much things have changed over the past 20 years, while there are no overt slurs that offended me for some reason especially when Bill used the term their lifestyle the undertone was clear to me. I thought what, gay or straight we all are humans it’s not like Hayden and his partner were selling drugs and had a meth lab in their basement or involved in nefarious activities. That statement to me was rather asinine I felt like Meier was pushing her own personal belief systems on us like how she harps all of the time how Lucy tries to feed her kids healthy meals, but in this book Lucy is giving Zoe candy to keep her quiet and taking her to McDonalds so she can space out and not have to deal with her kid for 5 minutes. She not only leaves Zoe alone in the car and then is lectured about it by Julia but does it again while she goes into the store. Lucy also decides after her Subaru has been destroyed by a car fire not to let Zoe who is about 4 ride in the rental car without a booster seat which Maine has a law stating children under 80 pounds must ride in a booster seat. We even learn what Meier thinks of internet porn here which I could stand to do without.
What is going on here Lucy is supposed to be super mom and suddenly she is a bad mother that to me is pretty inconsistent. Let’s preach morality while the main character lets her kids play in the road where two of them are almost hit by a speeding truck. Do not even get me started on the Detective who blames Lucy for the death of his suspect because she asked a question come on? What is going on here? The writing has become beyond lazy and it’s far fetched. Suddenly out of nowhere Lucy is also investigating gambling and the lottery in Tinkers Cove as well and that also becomes important to the plot, which came out of left field and just felt forced and to be a lame plot device. The murder, the motive, and the killer are easy to guess.
Usually these books are consistent and that is why I read them they are not as good as other cozies out there but they are entertaining enough. This book however had nothing to offer me the reader between Lucy’s mood swings and lack of responsibility as a mother to all of the plot holes and obviousness pertaining to the murder this book is a waste of the reader’s time and serves more to infuriate them then entertain them. What I cannot fathom is why the other reviews have not pointed out the fact this book is so different from the others. Lucy may not be mother of the year yet suddenly she is letting her kids play in the road. It almost feels like someone else wrote this book, or Meier decided to pen a book in short order and did not bother with character consistency. I think that this book can be considered a standalone and if you do not like what I have pointed out you can skip this book and move on to the Thanksgiving book which is next in the series. I think I will read it, but I will keep in mind if that book is anything like this one it has nothing to offer me. I am a vivacious reader who expects to not only be entertained but to find substance in the content of my reading material. This book offers nothing other than to leave the reader wondering what Lucy’s problem is. The Lucy in this book is so different from the Lucy we have seen in the other books its almost baffling. -
4.5 stars* I really enjoyed this one! It was a great mystery but it did seem to have some unnecessary details and went off on random tangents, but other than that, it was a great story and perfect for this month!
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Attending her first library board meeting, Lucy Stone didn't expect to find the librarian murdered either. Lucy is warned away from investigating the case leaving it to professionals. Nothing is adding up in regards to the murder. Will Lucy discover the truth? Find out in Valentine Murder.
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Cute and a great mystery! Review to come!
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Library setting interest. .
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Just a Three
It's an easy read. However, there really is nothing at all riveting about the story line. A so so book. -
When plucky freelance writer Lucy Stone joins the library board in her small Maine town, she unexpectedly finds herself knee-deep in murder. Right before her first meeting, Lucy discovers librarian Bitsy Howell shot through the heart in a workroom. A state police detective tells Lucy that only board members were present at the time of the unpopular librarian's death; he also warns her to stay away from the investigation. Lucy agrees but, still curious, she decides to find out as much as she can about the other suspects, and learns that each board member was hiding a potentially lethal secret. She also discovers that the library's prized antique tankard, which was recently appraised by antique dealer Hayden Northcross, is a fake. When Hayden dies in what looks like a suicide, it's assumed by the cops?but not by Lucy?that he had killed Bitsy because she'd realized he'd stolen the authentic tankard. Before Lucy can piece together all the clues to reveal the culprit, her children are nearly run over, her car is set afire and her husband is placed in mortal danger. Meier's (Back to School Murder, etc.) inclusion of the domestic details attendant to Lucy's small, close-knit community add charm to this otherwise routine, if lighthearted, cozy
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Lucy Stone mysteries are good for a quiet afternoon. Leslie's books are shorter than your average cozy. In fact they are really about the same length as most Harlequin Romances.
I love Lucy and her family and friends. They feel like real small town people to me, when I read these books, but I have to say there are a few things that bother me, not just with this book, but with some other cozies like this.
1. How do people find other people to kill in these small towns? I mean, I've lived in a small town for all of my 37 years and there haven't been that many murders here.
2. It is 1999 and Lucy doesn't understand the internet and the web? I had my first computer in that year and I felt like I was way behind the times! What's up with that.
3. How does she get away with not turning assignments in at the newspaper. Freelance or no, a deadline's a deadline.
All these things aside, this was a really cute story. A murdered librarian. a stolen pewter tankard, and a caterer who cheats with her recipes. The clues point to so many different people and believe it or not, for as cheesy as these stories are, you won't guess the killer. However I had a hard time figuring out what happened and to whom towards the end.
A cute fluffy read, but not one of the best in the Lucy Stone series. -
One of the things I like about Leslie Meier's books is the fact that so many of them are perfect for holiday themed reading. Lately I have been trying to read holiday cozies around the holiday. This is one of her earlier books and it was fun to read that Zoe was only four and the other children were still in school, considering that the last book I read of hers had Toby married with a child. Lucy Stone has become a familiar character and I love reading about her.
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This series just can't level out for me. One book is extremely good, and the next is extremely disappointing. I stick with it because just when I feel like screaming the series gets good, but then it backs off again. Ugh. This book, however, was one of the more solid in the series. The characters were mostly good. Bill was slightly better in this book, though as a character I still can't stand him most of the time. The mystery was superb. I absolutely love any mystery set in the snow; it just adds something to the entire story. Overall, pretty solid; I'm currently reading the next one.
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Fun, easy read. I liked how we got to see more of Lucy's family members in this book. Never really got boring, and not only one climax. There were important things happening all throughout the book.
