It's good to be back in Tinker's Cove where Lucy Stone solves murders and confronts topical issues. This is a long running cozy series where the mystery might not feel as original as it could be (admittedly, cozies are really trope-y) but the characters are wonderful. Each one can be read as a standalone but I suspect most cozy readers have dipped into the series at least once. This time out, there's a murder, a dismembered body, and a disappearance, all centered around a new communist center. And a quilt. And it's sensitive toward mental health issues. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

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 new community center in Tinker’s Cove is getting mixed reviews. Some see it as a place for groups of all ages and interests to meet, while others see it as a waste of taxpayer dollars. The director of the center has big plans, but demands a salary that makes her one of the wealthiest residents of Tinker’s Cove. When a troubled young man disappears, followed by the disappearance of the director, and then dismembered remains are found, Lucy puts her investigative skills to work to figure out what is going on and who is responsible.

Unbelievably, in a time when many series hang around for only a handful of books, this is the 30th book in this series. I really liked the early books, but the last handful have been hit and miss for me. Fortunately, I liked this one better than the previous book in the series, as Lucy was much less annoying this time around. I understand that she misses her kids and is uncertain about her job, but speaking from experience on both counts, you can’t let those concerns take over your life or you’ll miss out on a lot of other great opportunities.

The mystery here was good, and it took a while to determine that there was indeed a murder to solve. The discovery of dismembered body parts made that obvious! Once the victim was identified, several suspects came to mind, but the actual solution was something I would never have considered. The motive was warped, to say the least, and mind-boggling, but given the culprit, it actually made a weird kind of sense.

I look forward to checking out the next book in this series, if only to see where things go from here.

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.

This is my first Lucy Stone read and I was attracted to it because I'm a quilter. Though there really is little to do with a quilt in the story, I enjoyed this book, particularly the cozy setting. I guess I'd call it a cozy, but it is perhaps a bit more complex than the usual cozy and tackles a few issues and has some unexpected twists and turns, some of which defy belief, but hey, it's a novel, so I guess that is fine. It kept my interest and though I got less of a sense of character than place, I'd probably read another of her books in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. I'm sure it will find many readers.

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.

I hadn't read a Lucy Stone mystery in years, so I thought I'dread this one and see where the series characters were and if the stories had improved. Well, it's still not on my list of series to follow. I find Lucy a bit cold, and her children, now grown, are not particularly close nor do they show much grief when the family dog dies, although initially neither does Lucy, although she finally does admit to missing Libby. The mystery centers on the disappearance of the unusually highly paid director of the new community center. The number one suspects appears to be Lucy's friend's son, who suffered a nervous breakdown and has returned home after hospitalization to complete his recovery. Although there are some fictional small towns I'd love to live in, I'll pass by Tinker's Cove, even if it is in Maine.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this book. I have not read any of Leslie Meier’s Lucy Stone series before and really enjoyed this one. I’m going to look up the first in this series. I enjoyed getting to know Lucy Stone and her town. She is a reporter that loves her community and wants to report on all its happenings. The town has a new community center and people are questioning its value. Then body parts start showing up in different places and now has the town on edge. Lucy is doing her best to find out who the body parts belong to and who the killer might be. Turned into a very good mystery.

The story is intriguing and has potential but the execution falls short. The quilt theme, although present is not woven throughout the story. The plot leans heavily on suggesting a character with mental illness has committed the crime. As a cozy, this one is a bit more graphic due to the use of found parts, so it loses the light hearted cozy theme and feels a bit too strong on the side of murder.
Great for fans of Leslie Meier series and will definitely circulate, but this newest installment was not for me!

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of the newest Lucy Stone mystery. It's fun to see Lucy coming into her own as a reporter and not just someone who writes part-time for the paper.

Book #30 (30!) In the Lucy Stone cozy mystery series. I've been following this series since lucy's kids were toddlers, the senior dog, a puppy, her journalism/reporting career in its infancy. Now the kids are grown, there's a grandchild, and the senior dog is slowing way down. But some things never change in Tinker's Cove and one of those things is murder and lucy will always find her way into the center of the mayhem. For a cozy mystery, this book does have some relevant heavy subjects... Mental health, (attempted) suicide, dementia, and the aging pup. Always love catching up with the Stone family!

I've long been a fan of the Lucy Stone Mysteries written by Leslie Meier. In the beginning I struggled with the, but they took a positive turn... after thirty, they're a bit too light and nebulous these days. Nonetheless I appreciate the setting and characters, like welcoming an old friend home again. I'll continue to read them but not for the mysteries.

I enjoy reading the Lucy Stone books and I am always on the lookout for the next one. However, in this case, I had a very strong feeling that I had already read this book. How it could be possible, I don't know, but that is how I felt. Surprisingly in this book, Lucy doesn't run into a ton of trouble trying to solve the murders.

I am so late to the table in reading the cosy mysteries of Leslie Meier! Patchwork Quilt Murder was delightful and it seems I have 29 more in this series that I have missed out on

First impressions, absolutely enchanting. I think by now, it has become clear that Iove cosy mysteries of Regency/ Victorian/ Early-1900s but have receiently begun to explore more contemporary Cosy authors and Leslie Meier is one that will be going on to my TBR list. Meiers narrative is stunning, highly descriptive and immersive with artfully defined characters that fit neatly into a brilliant plot

A quick read, but utterly delightful

Thank you to Netgalley, Kensington Books, Kensington Cozies and the author Leslie Leier for this fantastic ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

When several people in Kango missing, and body parts begin to appear, everyone is perplexed. Lucy finds herself trying to figure out what happened and why.

Piecing together the clues like she does with a quilt pattern, Lucy begins to see a pattern. Can she finish it before the killer tears apart all threads Lucy has pulled together?

There was a time where I felt the series was just repeating itself at times, but I’m glad I held in there because this entry totally changes the game for me. The author not only takes a page out of today’s news, she brings a story to life that makes you care About the characters and wanting to get justice for them. I’ll keep coming back for more in this area as long as it runs.

I've been following this series for some years, having read most of them. It's always nice to revisit Tinker's Cove and catch up with Lucy, her friends and her family.

This time, I had trouble investing in the first half or so of the book. There is a sad part, no spoiler, so that stayed with me for a while. Also involved is a serious topic which plays throughout the story. There are several mysteries that finally got me interested for second half. There is a murder, town difficulties, and different characters to sort out. There are body parts showing up, a fire, and quilts. A lot for a cozy to deal with and wrap up by the end which it did in a satisfying way.

I read cozies to get away from real life and most of the book did that for me. What I did not appreciate was all the talk and preaching on climate control. For that I'd give 2 stars but for the mystery and extras I am going with four.

First, before I dive into the eventual murder, I want to send kudos to Leslie Meier for not shying away from tackling issues that could have been pulled straight from today's headlines. Mental health and the lack of facilities and care, small businesses being swallowed by larger corporate operated ones, budget woes and potential misuse, the autism spectrum, uneasiness about the justice system, the climate crisis, and more are tackled. Meier handles them well and is sensitive to the many aspects of each. I also feel I should mention for those who might be triggered by it, that, well, Lucy's faithful ol' dog Libby crosses the Rainbow Bridge in this episode. Another differentiation between this series and many others is that the characters, human and otherwise, have aged as the series progresses so such an event isn't unexpected. It was handled lovingly and well with many family memories triggered, not to mention a sweet, respectful funeral for sweet Libby.

As for the eventual murder, I think it took until chapter eleven before it became evident that one had taken place. I won't detail the plot as the blurb does an excellent job of that, but will say that while they're aware of a murder, they don't initially have any idea who the victim was. It's probably evident why from the blub. Since the victim is initially unknown, Lucy's suspect list is, well, non-existent. As a result, Lucy finds herself focusing on other issues, one of which is the strange behavior and disappearance of her boss's son who has mental health issues. Unfortunately, the timing is such that he is a suspect. And, where is the new community center's new, highly paid director? Tinker's Cove is already in a bit of an uproar over the money spent on the center and her salary, so her almost immediate vacation and then disappearance are troubling. And what about the Civil War era quilt? Is it real (it's a historical fact such quilts were made, btw) or a fake? And, phew, having lived in Florida during triple digit heat waves, I had a hard time making my climate warming sensibilities not want to scream out to Lucy to go buy an air conditioner. In other words, social issues meet real life and the answer isn't as easy as we'd like.

Bottom line, while I've probably missed an installment here and there, I've loved this series ever since discovering it. I've noticed Meier's more socially conscious leaning of late. This is a more real world aspect while retaining the cozy sense of family, friends, and the sense that we're all connected. Thanks #NetGalley and #KensingtonBooks - #KensingtonCozies for letting me spend time again with Lucy. Now I think I'll go give my furry canine an extra ear scratch.

My first Lucy Stone novel and it was ok.
It definitely has a cozy mystery feel to it and I loved the characters.
The mystery kept me turning the pages and I finished this in one evening.
I enjoyed in guessing who done it and the author did very well with this.
Apparently I got into the middle of a series again, which I always do ugh! But I'm also guessing this could be a stand alone too.
5 stars that kept me interested all the way through. I'd add this one to my favorite shelf of books. A great read! I recommend
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine.

Patchwork Quilt Murder is book #30 in the Lucy Stone series by Leslie Meier. I love this series and would have to say that this installment was probably the most touching book in the series. It's full of twist and turns, touching some sensitive subjects and just when you think the story is wrapping up, it throws in another twist. I highly recommend this series and Patchwork Quilt Murder.

Now that Lucy Stone's children are grown and on their own the plot focuses on current social issues which are not as exiting to read about. The focus is on the latest buzz topics; climate change, global warming, recycling and electric cars.

Lucy's friend Pam has always been proud of her son Tim's academic success. When mental health issues have him unemployed and back home in Tinker's Cove his parents are very concerned. With proper care Tim attempts an entry level job at the new Rec Center in Tinker's Cove. When Tim's verbally abusive boss ends up murdered Tim becomes a suspect. Lucy uses her investigative reporter skills to solve the murder ahead of the police. A happy family event is planned for the next cozy mystery.

This series usually rates a 5 but this particular cozy only rates a 4 for me.

I volunteered to read an ARC from Kensington through Net Galley.