Halloween Murder

I totally skipped that this was 2 books in 1 at first and I've no idea how, but there ya go. I love getting those bundles. This one was a bit unique as Lucy's kids were young in the first book (one still in an infant carrier) and all grown up in the second. Huge leap in time. In the first book, Lucy and her friends are putting on the annual Halloween party for the kids to allow them a safe place to have fun. Sadly, while preparations are underway, a serial arsonist has decided to start Trick-or-Treating early, leaving buildings burned all over town. One dead body has already been found in the burned remains. Will Lucy be next? In the second book, Lucy is a grandma and a hard working reporter. When a Wiccan moves to town and opens up a store, Lucy's open-mindedness is challenged. When that Wiccan becomes a house guest after her home and store become unsafe due to prejudice and a mob mentality, Lucy has to address her preconceptions of the faith verses the practitioner of the faith. She isn't the only one having a hard time with the changes in town which becomes pretty obvious when she stumbles over a dead body while walking her dog. Caught between two extreme mentalities in town, people's safety and well-being are definitely in question as the town prepares for Halloween festivities in the midst of some of the worst storms seen in some time. Both of these books were excellent and dealt with actual thought-provoking issues. I love that as Lucy processes things, the reader is led to question their own thoughts on various issues. With relationships that are easy to relate to and people written as though you could find them on any street, it was easy to lose yourself in these stories. I think the biggest issue I had was adjusting to the time gap between books. If you are looking for an excellent value and a great holiday read, I highly recommend this. Thank you to Leslie Meier, Kensington Books, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book and share my thoughts and opinions with others.

Trick or Treat Murder While Lucy Stone is whipping up orange-frosted cupcakes for her town’s annual Halloween festival, an arsonist is on the loose in Tinker’s Cove. When arson turns into murder, a little digging in all the wrong places puts Lucy too close to a shocking discovery that could send all her best-laid plans up in smoke. Wicked Witch Murder Not everyone in Tinker’s Cover is enchanted with newcomer Diana Ravenscroft and her quaint little shop offering everything from jewelry to psychic readings. But a gruesome murder of Diana’s friend has Lucy Stone uncovering a deadly web of secrets, and a spine-chilling brush with things that go bump in the night. -- Series: A Lucy Stone Mystery Author: Leslie Meier Genre: Cozy Mystery/compilation Publisher: Kensington Books Halloween Murder is a compilation of two previously published books in the Lucy Stone Mystery Series. Both stories are enjoyable and easy to read. Both stories focus on Lucy Stone and her amateur sleuthing in two different murder cases. Story one, Trick or Treat Murder takes place right after the birth of Lucy’s 4th child. She is a new mom again and having difficulty dealing with everything. Someone is burning down old historic homes and building in in Tinker’s Cove, and Lucy fears her home will be next. Unfortunately, one of the homes was not empty when the fire destroyed it. Sticking her nose in where it doesn't belong tends to get it scorched, and Lucy soon finds herself going up in smoke as the killer decides that she knows too much. In story two, Wicked Witch Murder takes place in the future after Lucy’s kids are all grown up, or most of them. A new business in town is ruffling feathers and causing some residents to harken back to a time when witches were burned. Lucy isn’t a fan of Diana Ravenscroft’s new store, and she isn’t sure what to make of witchcraft, but she knows that several people truly dislike it enough to want to run Diana out of town on a rail. When someone is murdered, fingers point to Diana and her coven. Lucy ends up smack in the middle of the investigation and becomes a target of an overzealous bible thumper who is trying to scare the residents of Tinker’s Cove into reinstating the witch hunt, possibly with a witch burned at the stake. Both stories are very interesting and filled with plenty of action. The writing is flawless, creative and entertaining. There is a bit of confusion when moving to the second story as most readers will anticipate a linear passage between stories. However, the span between them is large and can be frustrating for some. In general, these are very good stories and worth the time to read. I highly recommend this series and this compilation. I do recommend that readers familiarize themselves with the series to get a good understanding of who the characters are, as well as a bit of background as there is little to none within this particular book.

Halloween Murder by Leslie Meier contains two previously published A Lucy Stone Halloween Mysteries. Trick or Treat Murder takes us back to Tinker’s Cove, Maine where Lucy Stone has recently given birth to Zoe. There have been a rash of fires around town where someone is setting fire to older homes. The latest victim is the Hopkins Homestead owned by Monica and Roland Mayes. This time fire officials find the deceased homeowner, Monica Mayes inside the home. The Hopkins home was Bill’s first big project after they moved to Tinker’s Cove. Lucy and Bill became friends with Monica as she oversaw the renovations. When not baking cupcakes for a Halloween party, working out at The Body Shop to lose the baby weight or taking care of her family, Lucy is looking for the elusive arsonist. Lucy needs to proceed with caution or she could get singed. Wicked Witch Murder has Lucy reluctantly visits Solstice with her friends Pam, Rachel and Sue. It is the purple shop owned by newcomer Diana Ravenscroft. Diana is a proclaimed witch who provides psychic readings at her shop. Lucy is out walking Libby when she finds a burned corpse in a clearing tied to a tree. Something sinister is at work and Ike Stoughton is not a fan of Diana or her shop. He makes his opinions known with a letter to the editor. Lucy is less than thrilled when she finds Sarah and Zoe along with Abby Stoughton practicing witchcraft at home. Lucy would prefer to avoid Diana, but it is unavoidable when Diana needs a safe haven. The victim is identified as Malcom Malebranche, the head of Diana’s coven. With Diana at the top of the suspect list, Lucy has no choice but to investigate (or the lady will never leave her home). Can Lucy find the killer in time? Trick or Treat Murder and Wicked Witch Murder are the two books included in Halloween Murder. They are not new stories to A Lucy Stone Mystery series. They are book three and book sixteen respectively. It has been a while since I have these two books and I enjoyed revisiting Lucy and Tinker’s Cove at a different time. The stories contain good writing with steady pacing. We get to see how Lucy and her family have changed over the years. The book contains friendly characters, a charming town and two good mysteries. I found the whodunit is Wicked Witch Murder to be more complex than that in Trick or Treat Murder. Halloween Murder can be read as a standalone. All the information a reader needs is provided. Halloween Murder contains two entertaining cozy mysteries that will enthrall you. My rating for Halloween Murder is 4 out of 5 stars. Join Lucy and her friends in Tinker’s Cove for a wicked good time.