Kind of a blah mystery.. Murder in an old folks home. Ok and nothing more in my opinion, ( )

The Easter Bonnet Murder is Leslie Meier's 35th Lucy Stone cozy mystery. The series takes place in Tinker's Cove, Maine during the current era. In this installment of the series the town's retired librarian, centenarian Julia Tilley is recuperating from an illness in a senior facility that is known to be the best in the area, Heritage House. However, it soon becomes apparent that it isn't all that great there. 71 year old Agnes Neal goes missing from the assisting living section of the facility right before it's annual Easter bonnet contest. Not many people are concerned about Agnes because she was allowed to come and go as she pleased from her apartment. Also, Agnes was a former international journalist with an active mind. Some folks felt threatened by her eye for details and her lack of interest in following the rules that her caretakers set for her at Heritage House and for some reason, the police are stalling the investigation into her disappearance. Lucy, a part time reporter for the local newspaper, after being contacted by Agnes's daughter Geri Mazzoni, decides to begin her own investigation into Agnes's disappearance.

This story is one of my favorites from the series. It reads like a straight murder mystery. Only the characters necessary to solving the crime are mentioned in the story. Lucy's husband and children are not involved which for me was a plus. They never have much to do with the crimes Lucy is solving but have taken up alot of space in earlier books in the series. I especially loved the Agnes character. While she was dead from page one, what we learn about her career is fascinating. As a journalist Agnes covered several wars before retiring in Tinker's Cove where her daughter lived.

The usual Tinker's Cove setting descriptions were avoided as the retirement home setting took precedence. I preferred it. In the past I have always gotten bogged down in setting details that didn't interest me. Small town Maine is not one of my favorite places. By giving the retirement home all the space it needed for the provision of red herrings and plot twists, the author has given us a complex, contemporary cozy mystery. ( )

Lucy’s elderly friend Miss Tilly is fighting pneumonia, and seems near death, but don’t count her out just yet. She recovers enough to be sent to Heritage House, an expensive senior center offering a variety of care. But something is not quite right at the center, and the more Lucy investigates, the more convinced she is that shady dealings are going on. One of the residents is missing, and the daughter of missing woman begs Lucy to help find her. Meanwhile, on the home front, Zoe is looking for an apartment and a job after graduation. Things aren’t going smoothly for her, either. Zoe discovers her friends aren’t real friends after all. Still, it appears that Bill and Lucy will soon be empty nesters, with Zoe determined to move out. It’s quite an entertaining mystery, with all the characters readers love. It’s interesting to see the kids grow up in this series, and I’m wondering where author Leslie Meier will take it from here. Lucy was always juggling home life with career, and now maybe her life won’t be quite so hectic. Or maybe her son will move back from Alaska with his family, and Lucy will again be meshing childcare as a grandmother with covering news stories! ( )

Lucy hurries to the hospital when she hears that Miss Tilley is gravely ill. Lucy and Rachel, Miss Tilley’s caretaker, enter Miss Tilley’s room to find that her fever has broken and she is back to her normal cantankerous self. After the hospital, Miss Tilley is sent to Heritage House, an assisted living facility for seniors, to recover. When a resident of Heritage House goes missing, the patient’s daughter asks Lucy to help locate her mother. She says that there are rumors that something is amiss at Heritage House. Can Lucy find the missing senior and uncover what is happening at Heritage House? Easter Bonnet Murder by Leslie Meier is the 28th A Lucy Stone Mystery. I believe Easter Bonnet Murder can be read as a standalone. I do, though, recommend reading A Lucy Stone Mysteries from the beginning. It will allow you to get to know Lucy and the rest of the gang (their personalities and backgrounds plus you get to know the town). It is amazing the changes that have taken place since Mistletoe Murder. The story is well-written with developed characters who live in a charming Maine town. It is always a joy to visit Tinker’s Cove, Maine. The mystery was different. A woman is missing from Heritage House, but she is an senior who likes to be active. You do not know if there is a crime for a long time (is the woman just missing or has she been murdered). There are plenty of suspects with various motives. There is little evidence or clues to help Lucy. There is so much going on at Heritage House (the cliques, the intense Easter bonnet competition, all the activities, and potential crimes) that it can be hard to sort the wheat from the chaff. As we near the end, it soon becomes clear who is responsible for the terrible deed. This is the type of story where you need to suspend your disbelief and just go with the flow (leave reality behind). Lucy’s youngest daughter, Zoe will be graduating from college soon and is looking for a job. Zoe comes across more as an immature teenager than someone who is twenty-one. Zoe is focused on herself and there is some drama. I think it will be a good thing for Lucy and Bill to have an empty nest. A romantic getaway is what this couple needs (hint to author). Miss Tilley is such a vibrant character. If she were a little younger (she is around 100), I would love to see her have her own series. She provides humor that lightens up the story. We get to see what life is like inside an assisted living facility. The façade and décor may be lovely, but there is more than meets the eye at this facility. I do not want to spoil Easter Bonnet Murder for you. Let me just say that this is one busy book. I enjoyed reading Easter Bonnet Murder and I look forward to Lucy’s next adventure. Easter Bonnet Murder is an eventful cozy mystery with an Easter bonnet battle, a stubborn and rebellious senior, a missing mother, an independent daughter, a colorful receptionist, and a prying reporter. ( )

This latest installment, the 28th book in the Lucy Stone series set in small town mail, is delightful. I've read them all and I believe this to be one of the better ones.

Lucy uses her assignments at the newspaper to help look into a missing person at senior housing. In this one, Lucy's friend, Miss Tilley, who is recovering from a medical scare, plays an important role as well.

I love the characters in this series and reading one of the Lucy Stone books is like getting together with old friends, though this could be read as a standalone.

I loved it and would recommend it to cozy fans.

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