This was another good installment of the Lucy Stone series and it was released right in time for St. Patrick's Day (prompt checked off)! I think I am enjoying her series more and more as I see the author evolving as opposed to some cozies that are always just stuck in the same narrative. I am pleased to finally see her husband making dinner when she gets home instead of screaming for "his meatloaf with mashed potatoes and gravy after a hard day's work" that went on far too long in the early books. Her views of the world have grown and changed and she's not afraid to expand on them in her books despite the fear of backlash. Kudos to you, Leslie Meier! ( )

This Lucy Stone Mystery had a lot going on! We start out with the funeral of Lucy’s father-in-law. As Lucy and Bill get back to Tinker’s Cove, Maine, they discover Lucy’s boss, Ted, has bought the newspaper at the nearby town of Gillead, and they’re going to be expanding and consolidating some services with the reporters there. What this means for Lucy is that a reporter young enough to be one of her kids is now in charge of her and doing everything he can to undermine her at every turn (oh, I loved those scenes!) There’s also a huge Irish parade and festival being planned in town, plus hints of possible local corruption at play. I enjoy the books in this series the most when they’re set in Tinker’s Cove and we see the local politics play into things, so this one was great. Add in a woman who is claiming to be Bill’s long-lost sister from the results of a DNA test, and this was one wild ride!

Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.
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Lucy Stone’s job as a reporter of Tinker Cove Maine’s Pennysaver is about to change. Because of the public’s demand for more news on line or on tv, newspapers throughout the county are disappearing. She fears that is what will be happening to her only to find out the change will be quite different. With a grant from the TRUTH Project, established to help small newspapers survive and cover local events, the paper will be expanding. Her boss is taking over a larger paper in the county.
A new hire, Rob Callahan, comes on board. He previously worked for a daily newspaper in a major US city and now expects to be the top reporter. But the types of stories he is focused on, corruption, etc., are not there and he tries to play the big shot without getting the results he craves, especially when he is charged with being involved with a murder.
The county population is small and, as sometimes happens in small, rural areas, people serve in positions for a long time, employing friends and loyalists, some with very strongly held opinions that do not accept contrary views. I expect some of Meier’s readers will give this book a low rating and refuse to read any more of her books because of that.
This is especially true here when it’s time for the annual Irish Parade.
IRISH PARADE MURDER is a step above the typical cozy mystery with a lot of situations involving current social issues.
Two corrections:
Leslie Meier wrote that Callahan was at the Cleveland Plain Dealer before coming to Tinker Cove and later talks about returning there. Highly unlikely. The PD lost a large number of reporters when a company bought it out for the reasons mentioned above. They would not be likely to rehire him. Also, his incompetence and attitude are way below the standards for the PD.
She presents a quote about joining a club which she attributes to Woody Allen. It is actually a Groucho Marx line.
Because of her dealing with current issues, IRISH PARADE MURDER is a cut above the typical cozy mystery. ( )

Irish Parade Murder by Leslie Meier is the 27th A Lucy Stone Mystery. I have been enjoying Lucy Stone’s adventures since the beginning. Lucy is a part-time reporter with The Pennysaver in Tinker’s Cove, Maine where she lives in a quaint farmhouse with her husband, Bill plus her two youngest children, Sara and Zoe. The family is devastated when Bill’s father passes away. They all go to Florida for the funeral and comfort Edna, Bill’s mother. Lucy returns to work to find Ted is making changes at The Pennysaver. Ted has brought on a new reporter, Rob Callahan who is interested in making a name for himself quickly. Rob forgets that Tinker’s Cove and Gilead are small towns (gossip travels faster than the speed of light and small-town politics are at play). Rob finds himself in hot water when he is charged with the murder of a local corrections officer. Lucy may not be a fan of her rival, but she is not going to let him be railroaded. Lucy has another mystery to solve at home. A woman claims to the daughter of Bill’s father and provides a DNA report. Lucy and Bill are worried the woman is a scam artist. They also cannot find Bill Sr.’s will, which could lead to devastating consequences. Irish Parade Murder is a lively cozy mystery. This latest A Lucy Stone Mystery reminds me of the earlier books in the series. The whodunit involving Rob was multifaceted. I had a good time following the investigation. Lucy delves into the local Irish Catholic community where values have not changed in fifty plus years (things move slowly in Rome). I thought Irish Parade Murder was well-written with developed characters and a charming, small town setting. I look forward to Lucy Stone’s next adventure. Irish Parade Murder is a spirited cozy mystery with political plotting, rival reporters, a DNA dilemma, step dancing sisters, an AWOL will, and happy green hair. ( )

Lucy Stone is back in another exciting adventure! Back home after her father-in-law’s funeral, Lucy walks into some major changes at work. And little does she know that her own personal life is about to change, too. Throw in a couple of suspicious deaths, a new reporter who looks like he might want Lucy’s job, and a mysterious woman with an unusual claim, and you have what turns out to be a great tale, straight from the wonderful imagination of author Leslie Meier whose capable hands have penned an engrossing mystery. Though it’s number 27 in the series, it’s a fresh and relevant look at today’s society. This well written story with the great characters readers have come to love shouldn’t be missed. ( )