Patchwork Quilt Murder

Lucy Stone #30

by Leslie Meier

During a heatwave in Tinker’s Cove, Maine, part-time reporter Lucy Stone becomes unseasonably entangled in handmade quilts—and a twisted case of murder . . .

When a community center opens in town, many embrace it as a space where locals of all ages can gather and create. Others view it as a waste of taxpayer dollars. The director, Darleen Busby-Platt, is no less controversial. Intense and showy, Darleen has huge plans for her new role. But Lucy believes the woman isn’t exactly as warm hearted—or qualified—as she seems. That hunch deepens when Darleen and a young employee vanish . . . and dismembered remains appear!

With lots of clues and few concrete answers, Lucy rushes to connect loose ends. First there’s the disappearance of Tim Stillings, a troubled twenty-something who endured harsh treatment on the job. Next there’s Darleen herself, who made fast enemies as the highest-paid resident in Tinker’s Cove. Finally, there’s Darleen’s rich ancestry and ties to heirlooms worth either a fortune or nothing at all.

The closer Lucy gets to the facts, the more she realizes that solving this murder depends on the lies. Because the truth rests somewhere between wild rumors, a trusted friend’s emotional new sewing project, and the authenticity of a mysterious three-hundred-year-old patchwork quilt. And Lucy must piece together the big picture—before she becomes part of crafty killer’s deadly design . . .

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Cozy, Audiobook, Contemporary, Mystery Thriller

288 pages, Hardcover

First published April 23, 2024

About the author

Leslie Meier lives in Braintree and Harwich (Cape Cod), Massachusetts. She is the creator of 'Lucy Stone', a reporter and amateur sleuth in the fictional seaside village of Tinker's Cove, Maine.

Reviews

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Regina the Constant Reader · Rating 2 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️ -NetGalley ARC

Book #30 in the Lucy Stone Series

I’ve been reading this series for a few years now. There’s been some that were really enjoyable, there’s also been some that weren’t. Unfortunately this one falls into the “ones that weren’t” pile.
When Ms. Meier feels passionate about something, she adds that topic to one of her books and then proceeds to beat you over the head with it. In this book she had a trifecta going: Global Warming/Climate Change, Mental Illness, and Inflation. I don’t mind getting whacked a few times, IF the story makes sense and the murder has to do with the topics, but the murder didn’t. OH…and don’t even get me started on the whole dog part. Unless you’re a huge fan of the series and are religiously following the storyline, I would recommend skipping this one.

Thank you? to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read this for an honest review.

[Dawn · Rating 2 out of 5]

A little too bizarre for my liking.

[Megan Honaker · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was not a good time for me.

Not well-written, plot holes galore with the murder, and so much odd dialogue. Lucy Stone is fatphobic as all hell and is constantly mentioning how big people are, the size of their clothes, the calories people are eating?? And her dog died and she said "she's just a dog, not a family member"???? WHAT??

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Patchwork Quilt Murder is the thirtieth book in the Lucy Stone cozy mystery series. Once again we join Lucy Stone, the reporter for the local Tinker’s Cove paper, and she’s on another case. The new local community center is the main topic of discussion in town, some people all for it and others against it. The director of the community center, Darleen, is causing as much uproar as the community center itself. When she turns up murdered, there are no shortage of suspects. As Lucy looks into the case, she uncovers more than just a murderer.

I have read this whole series and have always had mixed feelings about it. I’ve grown to like most of the characters and the Tinker’s Cove setting, but all of the political issues and controversial topics that are addressed in these mysteries have always annoyed me. They were easy to ignore in the earlier books, but at least in this book, I feel like every other page is pushing a different topic. Be it climate change, global warming, gun rights, environmental concerns, the use of air conditioning, or mental health, there is a plug for all of these in this book. I know these are all important topics and that’s not the part that bothers me, it’s the fact that, for me anyway, the amount they are talked about completely takes away from the mystery and story. Anyway, I’m done ranting about that. For most of this book I swore I was going to give this one or two stars instead of three, but I did enjoy the ending and how everything finally wrapped up so I guess I left this book on a good note. I’m committed to this series at this point and will keep reading any new books, at least at this point, but these newer books in the series have changed a lot from when we first met Lucy.

[Allison · Rating 1 out of 5]

Quit the book a few chapters in. A main character’s grown son is suffering from severe depression after a suicide attempt and cannot get out of bed. The other characters’ responses - “Well he will have to get up eventually” “Yeah he will have to pee.”
WTH?? I was honestly shocked by this dialogue, in this day and age.

[Robin Loves Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Making a quilt in the middle of a heatwave might seem like an odd choice, but Lucy Stone is involved in the group activity at a new community center in her hometown of Tinker’s Cove Maine. Setting the quilt squares and needle aside, Lucy soon becomes involved in solving yet another murder. When a body is discovered, Lucy is keen when it comes to looking for answers. A part-time reporter, and a well-established amateur sleuth, Lucy is perfectly qualified when it comes to identifying the murderer.

While answers are not easy to come by, Lucy does what she has done best for years - she excels at finding clues that even the local cops miss. One thing that has Lucy concerned aside from the murder, is wondering how her small town in Maine could afford the highly-paid director of the new community center. Then with the appearance of body parts here and there being discovered, Lucy really has her hands full.

I can’t believe that Patchwork Quilt Murder is the 30th book in the Lucy Stone series. I have loved this series from the veery first book, and Lucy has always been a fun character. All of her children have grown and fled the coop, but it was nice to read mention o them in this latest story.

Many thanks to Kensington Books and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

[Heidi Burkhart · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have enjoyed the Lucy Stone series for years. Alright, I don’t know who wrote this but it was a far cry from Meier’s earlier books. The dog is sick so Lucy takes it to the vet, thinking that it may be heatstroke that the dog is suffering. She discovers that the dog is at the end of its life. Lucy takes the dog home. When Bill comes home and asks where the dog is Lucy replies that the dog is in the car. During a heatwave. You have got to be kidding. The dog dies a few hours later and Lucy put a towel on top of it. The next day she tells Phyllis that the dog has died. Phyllis expresses her condolences and Lucy replies that it was just a dog. Egad. Then we have her friend’s son who possibly tried to kill himself and is now doing janitorial work. A foot was later discovered and it just gets more ridiculous and absurd.
I was listening to the audiobook. When the reader pronounced thermometer as therm-o-meter. I threw up my hands and called it quits.
Needless to say DNF.

[Shella · Rating 3 out of 5]

First time I’ve read her recently published book- I’m all caught up with this series. Positive- her children and bratty grandson were barely in the story. I’m not sure why people are complaining about quilting not in the story- the whole mystery revolves around it. I hope people don’t think we want to read about the ins and outs of actually quilting. Not sure about this cozy series- the author still permeates the story with her political views-this title not so over-the-top like some of the other books. I like Lucy and many of the townspeople and her friends. Her husband is much better- just can stand her kids. Where was Karen White- the usual narrator??? I really disliked this narrator’s interpretation of the characters. If you are used to the regular audio- then read it. If Karen White doesn’t come back, I may drop the series. She is really the reason I’ve continued. She is fantastic.

[Catlin G · Rating 3 out of 5]

Least favorite book of the series so far. I read to escape reality, not listen to countless climate change issues. Plus the story was just lacking interest. Not horrible but wouldn’t read again. Fingers crossed for the next book.

[Jocelyn Schartiger · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'd give this book 2 1/2 stars. It was a heaping dose of junk food for the brain.

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

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

[Amber Hearst · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I was really looking forward to reading this cozy mystery, but unfortunately it just didn’t work for me at all. My biggest issues was that it felt like the story focused more on the “cozy” aspect than on the actual mystery

The townspeople seemed more upset by the new community center director’s salary and vacation than the dismembered remains that were being found around town, and the mystery “solve” didn’t feel properly foreshadowed at all. I had hoped to follow along as Lucy Stone found multiple different suspects and motives, but it seemed like she just skipped all that and stumbled on the final answer instead.

If you enjoy the other Lucy Stone books, then you may still really enjoy this one and reading more about the people of Tinker’s Cove. But if you are looking for a cozy mystery that’s heavy on the mystery, then this probably isn’t for you.

[Barbara Nutting · Rating 3 out of 5]

Climate change from Alaska to the tiny islands in the South Pacific are a world challenge. The author reminds of this throughout the book. But, global
warming takes a back seat while Lucy bumbles through one predicament after another.

Mental health is the sub plot, Ms Meier always has to address a current social issue.

The handling of Libby’s death was downright heartless.

I’m still trying to figure who put the dismembered parts in the woods and in the trash can and why?

Also, Lucy says she hasn’t had a vacation in years - she just spent weeks in France????

Lots of editing errors, but that’s normal for this series. At least this one was better than #29.

[Jenna (readinginjennaland) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A new community center has opened in Tinker Cove, Maine with a new highly paid director Darlene Busby-Pratt A lot of controversy surrounds her and the community center. Lucy tries to investigate the town budget and other mundane tasks that Ted gives her. Ted and Pam's son Tim goes missing. Then body parts start to be discovered around town. Lucy starts to investigate.

I enjoyed following the clues and researching with Lucy. I enjoyed the mystery and getting to know the inhabitants of Tinker Cove.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read this entire series! This one is a bit darker and more in touch with modern society, but I did like it. It was also longer than her normal books. The only thing I can’t bear is that she’s so self sacrificing. She never goes on vacation. She lets her boss treat her like shit and I’m tired of it.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to this on audio and really really enjoyed it.

[Barb · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, rounded up

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.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Cozybooklady · Rating 5 out of 5]

#PatchworkQuiltMurder #NetGalley is by far my favorite book in this outstanding series by Leslie Meier.
Lucy enjoys being a reporter for the local paper in Tinker's Cove, Maine, and when someone makes a gruesome discovery, Lucy is ready to take notes.
It seems someone found a severed body part in a garbage can, and everyone panics, thinking there's a crazed murderer in town.
Even though the discovery is bizarre, Lucy has other stories to cover.
It seems the director of the new community center is too good to be true, and her high salary and immediate vacation has the tight knit community raising their eyebrows.
Between stories, Lucy is worried about Tim Stillings, the son of her best friend Pam, and her boss, Ted. Tim has been acting strange, disappearing for days, and possibly hiding some secrets from his family.
As the story goes on, we find out a lot of interesting things about people, and we follow Lucy as she connects the dots and pieces the clues together.
This book brought out a lot of emotions for me, the overwhelming sadness when her dog passed, and the struggles with Tim and his mental health hit hard, since I lost my son to suicide a few months ago.
If this book was written by someone else, I may not have read it, but Leslie Meier did such an incredible job touching on the emotions and heartache of the characters, that it pushed #PatchworkQuiltMurder #NetGalley to my number one favorite cozy mystery of 2023.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and most of all to Leslie Meier for writing such a wonderful book.

[Shirley Ann Stevens · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Patchwork Quilt murder is book #30 in one of my very favorite cozy mystery series. This was an enjoyable read, full of twists and turns and numerous red herrings. A new community center opens and some of the locals think it's a big waste of taxpayer money and are especially unhappy with the high salary the town is paying its new director, Darleen. Lucy interviews Darleen and later catches the cold condensending way Darleen speaks to a recent hire, Tim Stillings, who is going through some mental health issues. Darleen's mom displays a three hundred year old quilt and has some very valuable antiques in her home, but are they authentic? Darleen goes on vacation soon after she is hired which angers some of the locals. When Darleen goes missing after her vacation, Tim disappears, and severed body parts begin to appear, Lucy is determined to get to the bottom of just what's happening in her hometown.

[Cozy Reader Lady · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Patchwork Quilt Murder (Lucy Stone #30)" by Leslie Meier has several different issues that get brought up , for a Lucy Stone book. We get climate change, mental health, public services availability and scammers. Very up to date really. I do have to say that I called it on what gets revealed about Ted and Pam's son in the end. I wont say what as it could change how someone reads the story.

The mystery was all over the place. We get one answer, which is the one I was leaning towards. Then, nope, that's not really what happened but we'll kinda over look that they tried. In the end, I was kinda thinking along the lines of where it ended up. Boy did it take a bunch of turns and circles to get there.

[Lori]

I enjoyed this book, but may have read too many of the Lucy Stone series, as I knew from chapter 2 who would be murdered and who would be blamed.

[Gene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Patchwork Quilt Murder is a cozy mystery that some cozy mystery readers may say delves too deeply into the issues of climate change and shortchanges the mystery aspect of the book.
After the new community center is built in Tinker's Cove, many of the residents are upset that the costs overran the budget that was approved by vote. Others see the center as a huge improvement to the area. The new director of the facility is making the highest salary in the county - causing even more dissension.
While these things are coming to a boil, a human foot is discovered at a picnic area. However, no one has been reported missing except the son of Lucy Stone's boss, Tim - and he seems more of a suspect than a victim in the eyes of the police. When other body parts are found, gossip boils in the small town. Can Lucy find Tim and help clear his name?
I give the book four stars for being very readable.

[Loretta TheMoodyRedhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a but too political and serious for me, but still good

It took me a long time to read this nearly-300 page book. I usually take on the mood of a book to my real life mood, so I've been pretty morose.
I don't quite remember the previous book, but I feel the others haven't been as serious. It was actually pretty sad and maybe too real to current day concerns.
There was talk about the environment, missing persons, murder trial, found body parts, fire destroying a home, con artist, arrests, mental health concerns, etc... this book had it all! So serious and not at all light hearted.
I need to read a fun book next.

Next for me is a 12 book series by Abby Reede. Book 1 of the Fern Grove Cozy Mysteries is "Carnations and Deadly Fixations." I hope it puts me in an upbeat mood!

[William · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining mystery listening 😁😎

This kindle ebook novel is from my Kindle Unlimited account book 30 of 31

Lucy Stone is covering the opening of the community center and it's director. It is a controversial subject in the community. Then a young man disappears, then the director does not return from vacation. Stuff is missing from the director's mother's house. It all comes to a happy ending 😃

I would recommend this series and author to readers of romantic family and friends relationship adventure mystery novels 😘🤗 2025 😄😒

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Judith · Rating 3 out of 5]

I couldn't find the page where the body's DNA was identified. This book had everything, town finances, climate change, depression, Alzheimers, quirky hermit talkative business owners tricked out of info, fake antiques, fake resume, wayward sons, empty nest, and Lucy walking across a target range. Probably, with a little effort, rhe author could have thrown in some more.

[Stephanie Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. I really enjoy this series. I like how this book goes as a story a bit before the murder/mystery starts. Kept me guessing til the end.

[Monica T · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I’ve read almost all of series, “Lucy Stone “ mysteries..

[Cayla · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another disappointing read. This one starts on a hard note. I didn't expect certain things in this book that happened. The twist was really weird. Might try the next book, but my feelings towards the series has changed.