Patchwork Quilt Murder by Leslie Meier has Lucy Stone covering the opening of the new and controversial community center. We get to see how Lucy, Bill, and their family are doing. Lucy and Bill are now empty nesters. A tragedy does strike the Stone household that will touch a chord with many people. The whodunit has Lucy on the trail of chop happy killer. The mystery does not begin until we are a third of a way through the book. The body is not identified until a little past the halfway point. Lucy asks some questions, but more of her time is devoted to another puzzle. Ted and his wife are acting oddly. Lucy has a feeling it has to do with their son who has returned to town and happens to be working at the new community center. In Patchwork Quilt Murder, the author gets on her soapbox about climate control and mental health as well as the services that should be available to those suffering from mental health disorders. These issues overshadowed the rest of the story. While both issues are important and need addressing, I do not feel a cozy mystery is the right venue. While Patchwork Quilt Murder is the thirtieth A Lucy Stone Mystery, it can be read as a standalone. I have been reading the series since the beginning and I admit that I liked the earlier books better than the last half a dozen or so. I enjoyed the descriptions of the Civil War era quilts. It was interesting learning the history behind them. Patchwork Quilt Murder is the latest A Lucy Stone Mystery with community center coverage, an inflated income, parts popping up, distressing news, rampant rumors, upset parents, and an antique quilt. ( )

A very light, enjoyable, cozy mystery. This is well written. What's not to enjoy about homemade quilts and solving murder mysteries? ( )

4.5 Stars

It has been quite a while since I've read any of the Lucy Stone Mysteries. I don't know why she dropped off my radar, but after reading this book, I will have to do some heavy re-reading! I truly enjoyed this cozy mystery!

As I said, it has been a while, so I was amazed by how contemporary this book was and how twisty-turny the mystery was. The only reason I gave this book less than five stars was that I felt some of the minor issues didn't reach a full conclusion or were just swept under the carpet. It was nothing major and nothing that took me out of the story.

I believe that if you choose to start with this book, you will have no issues with not reading the preceding 29 books. I had no problems, and it's been years since I read my first Lucy book!

*ARC provided by the publisher Kensington Cozies/Kensington Books, the author Leslie Meier, and NetGalley.

#PatchworkQuiltMurder #NetGalley#KensingtonCozies#LeslieMeier ( )

The Lucy Stone series by Leslie Meier is among my favorite cozy mystery series. I've read all the novels and short stories in this series and this one, Patchwork Quilt Murder, is among the very best in this long-running (30 books) series.

I love how Lucy Stone, a small town Maine reporter, uses her work in tracking down stories to help her track down the culprit. The author uses current social issues well in her books. There's also a focus on quilting and antiques in this book.

As much as I enjoyed the plot, in a Lucy Stone mystery, it's the characters that make the book. As a reader, I care about these characters. I'm attached to these characters.

Though it's a long-running series, it still feels fresh to me and I'm hoping there are many more Lucy Stone mysteries to come.

(I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via Net Galley, in exchange for a fair and honest review.) ( )