Turkey Trot Murder
(Libby/OverDrive eBook, Kindle)

Lucy Stone is dismayed to discover illegal drugs have established a foothold in bucolic Tinker's Creek, Maine, in Meier's timely 26th mystery featuring the part-time reporter and full-time snoop (after 2016's British Manor Mystery). When pretty college-age Alison Franklin takes a fatal plunge into any icy pond, everyone in town assumes it was suicide related to drug use (but the reader knows otherwise from the prologue). The victim's father, billionaire real estate developer Ed Franklin, blames "Mexicans." Meanwhile, TV chef Rey Rodriguez aims to open an upscale restaurant in time for Thanksgiving. At the town hall meeting where Rey describes his plans, a woman in the audience expresses concern about the influx of drugs from Mexico and Rey's being Mexican (he's in fact American). Complications ensue when Rey's handsome 30-year-old son heaps attention on Lucy's teen daughter, Zoe. Meier's focus on racism gives this cozy a serious edge rare for this subgenre. Agent: Meg Ruley, Jane Rotrosen Agency. (Oct.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Meier dips her toes into the issues du jour as opioid addiction and white supremacy invade Tinker's Cove.While training for the Turkey Trot 5K along Blueberry Pond, local reporter Lucy Stone (British Manor Murder, 2016, etc.) discovers the body of lovely, blonde Alison Franklin, who appears to have died after accidentally falling through the ice. The subsequent drug arrest of three Mexicans, however, ignites a firestorm as rumors spread that Alison was high on opioids supplied by undocumented immigrants. Signs touting America for Americans spring up across the rural landscape, paid for by Alison's father, Trump look-alike Ed Franklin. The multimillionaire, whose ostentatious mansion and pregnant young trophy wife once made tongues wag and heads shake across Tinker's Cove, has now become a populist hero, especially to the residents who want to stop television chef Rey Rodriguezwho patiently explains that his ancestors are from Spain, not Mexico, every chance he getsfrom opening a high-end restaurant on the site of the defunct Olde Irish Pub. Franklin tries to use his clout at a town council meeting, where he explains, "When one Mexican moves in you get a lot more. They're like mice." Next thing you know, someone's shot a hole through Franklin's skull as he drives down the street in his oversized SUV. Now Lucy's had enough. She needs to find out who's targeting the Franklin family before her town tears itself apart. Unlike the Public Theater's assassination of Julius Caesar, Meier's offing of a Trump avatar may fly under the radar. The dots between drugs, immigrants, and murder just can't be connected neatly enough to qualify this entry as either old-fashioned puzzle or contemporary social commentary. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

The serenity of Tinker's Cove, Maine, is shattered when an arsonist creates havoc and sends amateur sleuth Lucy Stone, introduced in How to Murder the Man of Your Dreams, on her second adventure. After several historic buildings are damaged or destroyed by fire, the stakes escalate when the body of socialite Monica Mayes is found inside the charred wreckage of her summer home. Lucy, mother of four, including new baby Zoe, casts a suspicious eye on Roland Mayes, Monica's unfaithful husband, and decides to do a little investigating of her own. Lucy's husband, Bill, a restoration carpenter, has reluctantly joined the local historic commission, which has recently denied the plans submitted by unsavory Randy Lenk to remodel his gas station. Another suspicious fire coincides with Halloween trickery and leads to a red hot finale. Although the plot is thin, the charming setting and likable cast, including crotchety old Miss Tilley, former librarian and head of the historic council, and Lucy herself, juggling motherhood and murder, make for enjoyable reading. (Oct.) Copyright 1996 Cahners Business Information.

Lucy Stone is dismayed to discover illegal drugs have established a foothold in bucolic Tinker's Creek, Maine, in Meier's timely 26th mystery featuring the part-time reporter and full-time snoop (after 2016's British Manor Mystery). When pretty college-age Alison Franklin takes a fatal plunge into any icy pond, everyone in town assumes it was suicide related to drug use (but the reader knows otherwise from the prologue). The victim's father, billionaire real estate developer Ed Franklin, blames "Mexicans." Meanwhile, TV chef Rey Rodriguez aims to open an upscale restaurant in time for Thanksgiving. At the town hall meeting where Rey describes his plans, a woman in the audience expresses concern about the influx of drugs from Mexico and Rey's being Mexican (he's in fact American). Complications ensue when Rey's handsome 30-year-old son heaps attention on Lucy's teen daughter, Zoe. Meier's focus on racism gives this cozy a serious edge rare for this subgenre. Agent: Meg Ruley, Jane Rotrosen Agency. (Oct.)