In this installment of the series, Lucy Stone knows that the victim of a shooting murder, Tina Now, was feuding with Bar Hume over the popularity of their respective 16-year-old daughters Heather and Ashley. Tinker's Cove is still reeling from the disappearance 10 months earlier of a teen youth counselor, and Bar's arrest is almost as shocking. In digging for answers regarding the alleged killer mom, Lucy uncovers some awful revelations about Bart Hume, Bar's philandering cardiac surgeon husband. However, his mistress is killed in a suspicious car accident. Lucy and her teenage daughter Sara become caught in a deadly game of cat and mouse.

The story delves into a few social issues, such as controlling parents, gun control and bullying. The author is not preaching here but allows the use of current affairs in her writing. It worked well for this book. The first clue to the identity of the perpetrator of the crime was introduced at the midway point. My guess concerning whodunnit turned out to be correct. However, I still enjoyed the read. ( )

Mother’s Day is a bit of a mess this year in Tinker’s Cove, Maine. Lucy’s family is there to celebrate, including her DIL Molly and new grandson Patrick, who has his mother a bit harried. A missing girl has been all over the news, and when her body is discovered, Lucy is assigned to cover the case. There’s also an intense rivalry going on between two intense tiger-moms in town, both of whom have super successful senior girls who may be bullying Lucy’s daughter Sarah. Lots going on in this one! It’s always fun when you read a book from nearly two decades ago and they’re talking about flip phones and MySpace and pop culture figures like Tonya Harding and Paris Hilton. ( )

Aaah, it is Mother’s Day and Lucy Stone is having an an enjoyable day with her family. While eating out, the nice atmosphere in the restaurant is disturbed by a woman upset that she and her family didn’t get a specific table. The woman, Barb Hume, and the woman she was sniping at, Tina Nowak, already had bad reputations. As a matter of fact, they were known ad mean moms.

When one of them is shot dead in a public place, Lucy, the ever-enthusiastic amateur sleuth, is bound and determine to getting to the bottom of things.

I am quite familiar with Lucy, as I have read each book in the series to-date. I enjoy her efforts at balancing her insatiable need to solve murders, all while being a busy housewife, mother and reporter. I enjoyed this story for the most part, and was rather saddened when the killer was identified.

This was a fast-paced read that I devoured in one sitting. The next book in this series is Wicked Witch Murder. ( )

Lucy is running in all directions, staying on top of her job, maintaining her household tasks, and keeping tabs on her family. And lately, her teenage daughter Sara is the one needing extra supervision. Playing fast and loose with the rules of the family, Sara finds herself in trouble and grounded, but she is also the victim of some bullying from her so-called friends. But murder trumps all other problems, and shows no respect for Mother’s Day. This well-written cozy is really a gritty account of a surprising murder. A great installment in the series, it departs from its cozy nature with the inclusion of some interesting but despicable characters. Well done. ( )

excellent book--a real page turner! ( )