This collection of three cozy mystery novellas set in Maine was one of the books I was most looking forward to this fall. It did not disappoint. Well written mysteries in each novella and the perfect notes of seasonal fall cheer!

In “Halloween Party Murder” ( )

Halloween Party Murder by Leslie Meier, Barbara Ross, and Lee Hollis contains three fun Halloween themed novellas. Halloween Party Murder by Leslie Meier, Death of a Halloween Party Monster by Lee Hollis, and Scared Off by Barbara Ross are the three novellas. Each novella relates back to a series written by that author (A Lucy Stone Mystery, A Hayley Powell Food & Cocktails Mystery, and A Maine Clambake Mystery). The three stories go well together with all of them set in Maine and involving a Halloween Party. I enjoyed reading all three Halloween-themed stories. Lee Hollis’ was intriguing as it was a closed room mystery. It has Hayley Powell trying to figure out which of her guests could have committed murder. Halloween Party Murder by Leslie Meier picks up where Haunted House Murder ended. A haunted house turns deadly. Scared Off has Julia’s niece calling for help when a sleepover ends up with an out-of-control party. The police arrive to find the homeowner’s renter dead in the backyard. All three books are well-written with great characters and steady pacing. It is fun catching up with the characters from these entertaining cozy mysteries. These are three fun Halloween treats. Halloween Party Murder contains three spooktacular tales that have Halloween hijinks, mysterious murders, a creepy clown, startling screams, troubled teens, problematic party, and three stellar sleuths. ( )

Three real good Halloween mysteries. IT is a can't miss, ( )

HALLOWEEN PARTY MURDER: A perfectly good murder mystery, but I just wasn't looking for something so realistic as opposed to a nice escape from reality. Suppose that comes from dealing with spousal abuse professionally.
DEATH OF A HALLOWEEN PARTY MONSTER: This one was a pretty good whodunit, but the best part was the wacky characters and (sometimes slapstick) humor!
SCARED OFF: A teen Halloween party ends up being crashed by boys with beer and the chaperone winds up dead and the shed. Good story!
RECIPES! ( )

I know it's way too early for Halloween, but since I enjoy these authors, I thought I'd start early. I was disappointed in one, but very pleased by the other two. For the individual ratings:

⭐Halloween Party Murder by Leslie Meier: Lucy's husband Bill is finally changing her mind about how she feels regarding the newcomers to Tinker's Cove, Ty and Heather Moon. And to show she's willing to give them a chance, she's happy to help with the haunted house they're planning for the community, especially when much of the proceeds will benefit the needy in her town. But the night of the party, Lucy finds Heather near death in the tub, and later learns she died. Now with Ty accused of murder, and her friend, who's running for the state assembly, defending him, there are more problems than she ever expected, especially since there's a murderer running around loose...

I really wanted to like this, but unfortunately Ms. Meier has turned this into a political rant. I'm not going to get into it here, but let's just say that I read for entertainment, not to be preached to politically, nor to be told that my way of thinking is just wrong if it doesn't jibe with yours. So no, I did not enjoy this story at all, but others might.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Death of a Halloween Party Monster by Lee Hollis: Hayley is throwing a Halloween party at her new restaurant, Hayley's Kitchen, for a select group of friends. But after the party is breaking up, Lydia comes across the dead body of Boris Candy, who was once dressed as Pennywise the clown, but is no longer -- not that it matters, anyway. Now police chief and brother-in-law to Hayley, Sergio, is questioning the remaining guests to see which one of them committed the deed. But with tempers flaring and accusations flying, it's not an easy task. Now Hayley's trying to put the pieces together but can't believe one of her friends is the guilty party...

This was a terrific short story perfect for Halloween. I found this one the most hilarious of the three, mainly because I love the banter between Hayley and her two besties, Lydia and Mona. They make quite a trio. We get to see a different side of Sergio, and some unexpected situations that lead to a discovery of sorts. It's fun, intriguing, and a quick read that will have you laughing throughout.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Scared Off by Barbara Ross: When Julia's niece Paige calls her from a friend's house, sounding panicked, Julia heads over there only to find police already arrived. When she locates Paige and her friend Vanessa, she's allowed to take them home. It seems that a tenant in the upstairs of the Victorian home, Mrs. Zelisko, is dead, and the girls are insisting they saw her flying like a ghost. But can Julia find out the truth? Everyone has different stories, but the woman isn't a ghost, so why did they see her, and who could have murdered her?

With Julia still reeling from her personal life, she's thrown into a murder investigation she didn't want, but is part of nonetheless. Now she's sifting through the questions and responses to try and find out the truth. What she does discover throws a lot of people in town, and suddenly there's more to the story than anyone expected...

This is a very interesting short story, and they aren't always easy to write. While it doesn't have the humor of Ms. Hollis (both authors); it does have a lot going for it. Julia is once again using her wits to figure out the problem, with her state police friends Binder and Flynn letting her in on the investigation, since she's been helpful in the past. The answers come slowly but strangely, and no one expects that when it does become clear that this could ever have happened. We also learn something a bit delightful toward the end, giving us a peek into what the future might hold. A delightful, refreshing story.

In the end, I gave the entire thing five stars because I liked the last two stories immensely. It's only because I don't want to read about politics of any kind (unless I'm reading political science, etc.) in my escapism. Other than that, I would definitely recommend this to others. ( )