What do you think?
Rate this book
Lucy Stone #22
Candy Corn Murder
“Reading a new Leslie Meier mystery is like catching up with a dear old friend.” —Kate Carlisle
Halloween is coming to Tinker’s Cove, Maine, and local reporter Lucy Stone is covering the town’s annual Giant Pumpkin Fest for the Pennysaver . There’s the pumpkin-boat regatta, the children’s Halloween party, the pumpkin weigh-in…even a contest where home-built catapults hurl pumpkins at an old Dodge! But not everything goes quite as planned . . .
Lucy’s getting very annoyed that her husband Bill and his friend Evan have been working seemingly nonstop on their potentially prize-winning pumpkin catapult. But when the day of the big contest arrives, Evan is nowhere to be found…until a catapulted pumpkin busts open the trunk of the Dodge, revealing a deceased Evan . . .
Bill is on the hook for the Halloween homicide, so Lucy knows she’s got some serious sleuthing to do. With each new lead pointing her in a different direction, Lucy sees that time is quickly running out. If she wants to spook the real killer, she’ll have to step into an old ghost story . . .
“Series fans should be satisfied.” — Publishers Weekly
Halloween is coming to Tinker’s Cove, Maine, and local reporter Lucy Stone is covering the town’s annual Giant Pumpkin Fest for the Pennysaver . There’s the pumpkin-boat regatta, the children’s Halloween party, the pumpkin weigh-in…even a contest where home-built catapults hurl pumpkins at an old Dodge! But not everything goes quite as planned . . .
Lucy’s getting very annoyed that her husband Bill and his friend Evan have been working seemingly nonstop on their potentially prize-winning pumpkin catapult. But when the day of the big contest arrives, Evan is nowhere to be found…until a catapulted pumpkin busts open the trunk of the Dodge, revealing a deceased Evan . . .
Bill is on the hook for the Halloween homicide, so Lucy knows she’s got some serious sleuthing to do. With each new lead pointing her in a different direction, Lucy sees that time is quickly running out. If she wants to spook the real killer, she’ll have to step into an old ghost story . . .
“Series fans should be satisfied.” — Publishers Weekly
304 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 2, 2015
497 people are currently reading
5025 people want to read
About the author
Leslie Meier
66 books2,060 followersLeslie 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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 462 reviews
September 30, 2023
I absolutely loved this Lucy Stone mystery! In CANDY CORN MURDER, Halloween is growing near in Tinker’s Cove, Maine and the town is gearing up for the pumpkin-themed celebration. I am a reader who DELIGHTS in holiday-themed books that go all out on the holiday cheer and “Candy Corn Murder” did that in spades, with a candy corn guessing competition, the whole town growing giant pumpkins, the Charlie Brown Great Pumpkin special, Halloween themed ice cream, and Lucy’s husband Bill building a giant catapult in their yard for pumpkin throwing. So much fun. Patrick, Lucy’s grandson, is also staying with them, and in between searching for who in town is sabotaging the festival and smashing pumpkins, Lucy is dealing with “new age” childcare expectations and the list of foods from Patrick’s parents that he isn’t allowed to eat (including anything a 4 year old will willingly eat.) I always love the books that are set in Tinker’s Cove the best, and this was one of my very favorites that I know I will enjoy rereading at this time of year.
January 16, 2023
In this 22nd book in the Lucy Stone series, the newspaper reporter/amateur sleuth fits a murder investigation into her busy life. The book can be read as a standalone.
*****
Lucy Stone is a wife, mother, and journalist in Tinker's Cove, Maine, a seaside town that relies on tourists for it's economic well-being. To lure visitors to the area for Halloween, Tinker's Cove is putting on a Giant Pumpkin Fest.
This will feature life-size dioramas made with 'pumpkin people';
and contests such as the biggest pumpkin;
the pumpkin hurled the farthest with a trebuchet;
pumpkin carving;
pumpkin boat races; and more.
Lucy and her husband Bill.....
.....are currently looking after their 4-year-old grandson Patrick, whose parents are away.
Little Patrick is looking forward to Halloween. The boy helps his grandpa Bill grow a giant pumpkin called Priscilla and watches Bill and his friend Evan build a huge pumpkin catapult. Lucy isn't crazy about her husband's friend Evan, who has bad hygiene and dirty clothes. Nevertheless, Evan is around all the time before Halloween, helping Bill, guzzling beer, and kibitzing around.
Meanwhile, a Tinker's Cove blueblood named Buck Miller - who's lived in Europe for most of his life - returns to town to become a partner in the family business.
The enterprise is is a retail establishment called Country Cousins, a multi-million dollar brick and mortar (and online) business that sells everything you'd need to live in Tinker's Cove in the early 1900s, including clothes, shoes, food, books, pots and pans, etc.
The book has flashbacks - going back a couple of decades - to a wife who's almost always locked in the apartment above Country Cousins. The woman cooks and cleans during the day, and the nights.....she doesn't want to think about them. This segues to Lucy's teenage daughter Sara, who's helping with the Take Back the Night Rally, a yearly demonstration that protests violence against women and supports women's rights.
Before the Giant Pumpkin Fest begins, it appears someone is trying to sabotage the event. The town carries on, however, and Lucy and her family arrive bright and early on opening day. Soon afterwards, a body is discovered and Lucy feels compelled to investigate. As the reporter probes, secrets are revealed - including the existence of a historic 'underground railroad' for abused women.
The mystery part of the book is engaging and I enjoyed the Halloween/Autumn ambiance of Tinker's Cove, with the fun activities and seasonal food (pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin waffles, pumpkin muffins, monster ice cream, and more).
I'd recommend the novel to readers who like atmospheric cozies.
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com
November 4, 2016
Candy Corn murder brings a revival of the Lucy Stone series with it. It centers around Halloween. The only person going to collect candy is Patrick, the grandson of Lucy. But, rest assured, nothing harmful befalls him. He doesn't experience anything uncomfortable until he sees his grandfather Bill Stone get arrested by the local cops.
Bill is my favorite character in this series. He features prominently. He was supposed to build a catapult for a pumpkin throwing contest. Helping him is Ev Wickes. The latter makes an unflattering impression to Lucy. Alas, it's him who is the feature victim in the book.
To confuse the readers' senses, the author has two murders running parallel to each other. the motives get entangled, and hence we cannot solve the case.
I liked this book partly because of the interaction between Lucy and her family. Also, I was able to keep track of the new characters of this adventure. There must always be new characters living in Tinker's Cove. There must be fresh suspects, you see. There must have been about 100 suspects ever since the book started on its long running stories. Bill has been a suspect here, but also a couple of times in the past.
What I want to tell you is that there is nothing really, REALLY new here. But I went along with it gleefully enough because Leslie Meier knows how to write a book. It's very difficult to write a book that even a handful of people will like. I tried writing one and I'm still stuck in chapter one. So, kudos to the author for having enough creativity to craft a new book that I gave 4 stars to.
Bill is my favorite character in this series. He features prominently. He was supposed to build a catapult for a pumpkin throwing contest. Helping him is Ev Wickes. The latter makes an unflattering impression to Lucy. Alas, it's him who is the feature victim in the book.
To confuse the readers' senses, the author has two murders running parallel to each other. the motives get entangled, and hence we cannot solve the case.
I liked this book partly because of the interaction between Lucy and her family. Also, I was able to keep track of the new characters of this adventure. There must always be new characters living in Tinker's Cove. There must be fresh suspects, you see. There must have been about 100 suspects ever since the book started on its long running stories. Bill has been a suspect here, but also a couple of times in the past.
What I want to tell you is that there is nothing really, REALLY new here. But I went along with it gleefully enough because Leslie Meier knows how to write a book. It's very difficult to write a book that even a handful of people will like. I tried writing one and I'm still stuck in chapter one. So, kudos to the author for having enough creativity to craft a new book that I gave 4 stars to.
January 10, 2024
Pumpkins - both growing and catapulting them. Which one will win the competitions? Bill's hired a local to help him with the mechanics, but it seems like someone is out to stop them. When the man ends up dead, Lucy has to keep her husband from going to jail. The 22nd book in the Lucy Stone Mysteries, Candy Corn Murder, brings tremendous Halloween fun. Definitely read this one around the holidays season - will enhanced the season. A good installment but I felt like the person behind the pumpkin smashing was never revealed! Maybe I missed it. Oops.
September 17, 2015
www.melissa413readsalot.blotspot.com
I used to read books by this author all of the time but I stopped several years ago. I just couldn't get into them any more, but I wanted to try this book because of the cute Halloween cover since it's my favorite time of year :)
This story was okay, there were so many little things in the book the characters did that annoyed me. But I thought the murder mystery itself was a good one and they had a giant pumpkin contest along with other things during their Giant Pumpkin Fest. I always wanted to try that :)
Lucy's husband Bill grew a large pumpkin to enter into the contest and he also made a pumpkin catapult for that contest. Bill seemed to be portrayed as an idiot in the book. He wasn't making wise decisions, maybe it's a man thing. :)
Anyway, I thought the book was okay and I loved the Halloween theme!
I used to read books by this author all of the time but I stopped several years ago. I just couldn't get into them any more, but I wanted to try this book because of the cute Halloween cover since it's my favorite time of year :)
This story was okay, there were so many little things in the book the characters did that annoyed me. But I thought the murder mystery itself was a good one and they had a giant pumpkin contest along with other things during their Giant Pumpkin Fest. I always wanted to try that :)
Lucy's husband Bill grew a large pumpkin to enter into the contest and he also made a pumpkin catapult for that contest. Bill seemed to be portrayed as an idiot in the book. He wasn't making wise decisions, maybe it's a man thing. :)
Anyway, I thought the book was okay and I loved the Halloween theme!
July 25, 2020
It had been a while since my last visit to Tinker’s Cove, Maine to see Lucy and Bill Stone. What better time to catch up then Halloween and the town celebrating the giant pumpkin festival? Lucy was preparing to cover the festival for the paper, and Bill was planning on entering a couple events including the pumpkin catapult in which pumpkins are catapulted at an old dodge. He has been working on the mechanics of building the catapult with his not so liked friend Ev. The morning of the big event Ev doesn’t show, and an annoyed Bill goes at it alone. During the event a pumpkin pounds the old dodge springing open the trunk which holds a dead Ev. No wonder he didn’t show up that morning. Ev had much more going on then building catapults...turns out he had an entire greenhouse of pot @ his place, and the police believe Ev and Bill were more than just catapult building partners. When Bill became a primary suspect I knew my trip was turning into more than just taking Patrick trick or treating…
My thoughts:
Candy Corn Murder is the 22nd book in the Lucy Stone series, so I would say Meier is doing something right! I; however, have mixed feelings about this series. I like the small-town atmosphere of Tinker’s Cove. I especially enjoyed the Halloween setting, and loved the different events at the giant pumpkin festival. I do not love the characters of this series. In particular I dislike Bill...who is not anywhere close to cozy...he is a jerk. As well as the new addition of Heidi...who might have solely been written to annoy me. I don’t feel like there is a good bunch of secondary characters to support Lucy. It frustrated me that I was halfway through the book before the murder took place. It makes the investigation feel rushed and not the center of the story which classifies itself as a murder mystery.
I know this is a very popular series, and a lot of cozy fans will enjoy this new installment.
For more book fun subscribe to my blog @: http://beachbumbookworm.com/
My thoughts:
Candy Corn Murder is the 22nd book in the Lucy Stone series, so I would say Meier is doing something right! I; however, have mixed feelings about this series. I like the small-town atmosphere of Tinker’s Cove. I especially enjoyed the Halloween setting, and loved the different events at the giant pumpkin festival. I do not love the characters of this series. In particular I dislike Bill...who is not anywhere close to cozy...he is a jerk. As well as the new addition of Heidi...who might have solely been written to annoy me. I don’t feel like there is a good bunch of secondary characters to support Lucy. It frustrated me that I was halfway through the book before the murder took place. It makes the investigation feel rushed and not the center of the story which classifies itself as a murder mystery.
I know this is a very popular series, and a lot of cozy fans will enjoy this new installment.
For more book fun subscribe to my blog @: http://beachbumbookworm.com/
October 30, 2017
I have been wanting to read a Halloween book, since I have been reading so many books for my book clubs. However, I did not pick a good Halloween book. This was an extremely fluffy story that was super random. I loved how they tried to talk about equal rights between the genders; however, it was super random in this story. It was not a good fit.
May 29, 2016
I do believe i've just read the last book i'm going to read in this series. That actually makes me sad because I used to really enjoy the characters and storylines. This book was really bad. Gone were the great interactions with the main characters. Some were merely mentioned in passing. I also don't like how the author has made Lucy, the protagonist so preachy with a "liberal" agenda (guns are bad) (the police are mean and untrustworthy) (abortion is good) it was really hard to get through plus the storyline was just plain boring.
November 24, 2016
Tinker's Cove, Maine is trying to celebrate a pumpkin fest; however, things keep going wrong. A contender for the largest pumpkin discovers his pumpkin was smashed; the pumpkin people display is in a shambles; and a body was found in the trunk of a car used as a target for the pumpkin catapult competition.
The mystery combines an old mystery entwined seamlessly in the current events. I thought that was a nice touch.
My problem with the book, and I think a word of warning is in order: some extreme pro abortion views are shared. One example was chillingly presented by one of Lucy's daughters as a case of using a brain-dead pregnant woman as if she were a human incubator to keep her baby alive. Pro lifers may be as upset as I was by this statement. . I would have liked for one of the characters in the book to have spoken up for the other side of this argument; I feel a loving mother who eagerly awaited the birth of her baby would have wanted her child to have every opportunity to live. I know many woman who would feel this way.
August 27, 2015
Candy Corn Murder by Leslie Meier is a 2015 Kensington Publication. I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Fall is right around the corner and there's a little nip in the air for the residents of Tinker's Cove. That means it's time to gear up for Halloween the Giant Pumpkin Fest!
Lucy's heart doesn't appear to be in it though, as her husband is obsessed with his pumpkin and is spending a great deal of time with Ev, a man Lucy is not overly fond of. To top that off, Lucy and Bill are caring for their grandson for a while and Lucy is having a hard time adjusting to the strict rules of the daycare center.
Apparently Lucy is not the only one disinterested in this year's pumpkin festivities, as it seems someone is out to sabotage the activities. But who? And why?
This is the 22nd installment in the Lucy Stone series, which took me by surprise. Twenty- two! Well, I admit I have read a few here and there, but not all of them. These are fun stories with interesting small town characters who will surprise you sometimes.
I found myself feeling very invested in Lucy's struggles with Bill, her grandson, and the daycare center, but, I didn't have much of a choice because the murder mystery didn't develop until midway through the book.
Not long ago I answered an author survey about mystery novels. The question was: Should the murder happen at the beginning of the book, or do you want to get to know the characters first?
I think I gave some generic, and an oh so helpful response, of “It depends”. I still think that, but I can be a little decisive here and say that after twenty- two books, we know the main characters well enough that the murder probably needs to happen before the half way point in the story.
I have really gotten into cozy mysteries over the past couple of years and read them more and more often these days. So, I do know the main attraction isn't necessarily the murder mystery, which can often seem like a side story. What keeps people coming back for more is the recurring characters and their on going dramas and comedies in life. So, I do get the formula and understand this is the secret to the longevity if these series, but in this case I was seriously beginning to wonder if the pumpkins were going to be the only victims of a crime.
Once we got the ball rolling though, things really picked up with several story lines taking shape and I found myself having to hustle to keep up with it all.
Small towns can really be amazing sometimes, hiding behind a facade of gentle, cozy, living without the harsh realities of city life intruding upon them, but, they can also, harbor dark and sinister secrets, so, you can count on a few of those coming to light before all is said and done, proving big cities are not the only place danger can lurk.
This an enjoyable enough read and certainly put me in the mood for fall weather and activities and thinking of Halloween costumes and treats! Overall this one gets 3 stars.
Fall is right around the corner and there's a little nip in the air for the residents of Tinker's Cove. That means it's time to gear up for Halloween the Giant Pumpkin Fest!
Lucy's heart doesn't appear to be in it though, as her husband is obsessed with his pumpkin and is spending a great deal of time with Ev, a man Lucy is not overly fond of. To top that off, Lucy and Bill are caring for their grandson for a while and Lucy is having a hard time adjusting to the strict rules of the daycare center.
Apparently Lucy is not the only one disinterested in this year's pumpkin festivities, as it seems someone is out to sabotage the activities. But who? And why?
This is the 22nd installment in the Lucy Stone series, which took me by surprise. Twenty- two! Well, I admit I have read a few here and there, but not all of them. These are fun stories with interesting small town characters who will surprise you sometimes.
I found myself feeling very invested in Lucy's struggles with Bill, her grandson, and the daycare center, but, I didn't have much of a choice because the murder mystery didn't develop until midway through the book.
Not long ago I answered an author survey about mystery novels. The question was: Should the murder happen at the beginning of the book, or do you want to get to know the characters first?
I think I gave some generic, and an oh so helpful response, of “It depends”. I still think that, but I can be a little decisive here and say that after twenty- two books, we know the main characters well enough that the murder probably needs to happen before the half way point in the story.
I have really gotten into cozy mysteries over the past couple of years and read them more and more often these days. So, I do know the main attraction isn't necessarily the murder mystery, which can often seem like a side story. What keeps people coming back for more is the recurring characters and their on going dramas and comedies in life. So, I do get the formula and understand this is the secret to the longevity if these series, but in this case I was seriously beginning to wonder if the pumpkins were going to be the only victims of a crime.
Once we got the ball rolling though, things really picked up with several story lines taking shape and I found myself having to hustle to keep up with it all.
Small towns can really be amazing sometimes, hiding behind a facade of gentle, cozy, living without the harsh realities of city life intruding upon them, but, they can also, harbor dark and sinister secrets, so, you can count on a few of those coming to light before all is said and done, proving big cities are not the only place danger can lurk.
This an enjoyable enough read and certainly put me in the mood for fall weather and activities and thinking of Halloween costumes and treats! Overall this one gets 3 stars.
October 20, 2015
I was so disappointed in this book. I have loved the series until French Pastry Murder, but I figured that I just didn't care for the exotic setting. Back to Candy Corn Murder. I felt the plot was lacking. The flashbacks were an interesting element, but could have been used more effectively. My main issue of this book was the author's inclusion of inaccurate political rhetoric concerning right-to-life issues. This was completely irrelevant to the plot and alienating to readers who disagree with the author's / characters' beliefs.
October 26, 2015
Perfect light read for the Halloween season. Second half was much better than the first.
November 6, 2018
Candy Corn Murder turned out to be a pretty decent book. When I first started reading it I wasn't too sure because the first murder mentioned was the "ax murder" of a pumpkin that got squashed. I thought, "Oh no, this is going to be awful." But thankfully that wasn't the only murder.
The townspeople are like a close group of people in that it seems like everyone knows everyone and everyone's business. Lucy Stone is taking care of her 4 year old grandson Patrick while her son Toby and his wife Molly go to Haiti for 4 months. While they are gone there is going to be a Giant Pumpkin Fest so Corney Clark (love that name lol) dyes her hair orange to "advertise" it because she is in charge of the event. Buck Miller (who everyone used to call Sam) is returning home from London after his mother moved there with him when he was just a boy. Of course, there are other characters that the reader to choose from as murders begin to take place. Other characters are Bill (Lucy's husband), Tim Stillings, Tom Miller, Evan (Ev) Wickes, and more.
The scuba-club wants to put on an underwater pumpkin-carving contest but some people are totally opposed to it, but why? Then there is Heidi who is Patrick's pre-school teacher who thinks that the contests the ladies want to include at the Giant Pumpkin Fest are old fashioned and sort of bursts their bubble.
I can't end my review without mentioning Priscilla who is Bill's pride and joy...a pumpkin he is growing for the fest.
Recommendation: It's not what I'd call a page-turner, but a laid back cozy little mystery to be read in one sitting. So I recommend it for a lazy day.
The townspeople are like a close group of people in that it seems like everyone knows everyone and everyone's business. Lucy Stone is taking care of her 4 year old grandson Patrick while her son Toby and his wife Molly go to Haiti for 4 months. While they are gone there is going to be a Giant Pumpkin Fest so Corney Clark (love that name lol) dyes her hair orange to "advertise" it because she is in charge of the event. Buck Miller (who everyone used to call Sam) is returning home from London after his mother moved there with him when he was just a boy. Of course, there are other characters that the reader to choose from as murders begin to take place. Other characters are Bill (Lucy's husband), Tim Stillings, Tom Miller, Evan (Ev) Wickes, and more.
The scuba-club wants to put on an underwater pumpkin-carving contest but some people are totally opposed to it, but why? Then there is Heidi who is Patrick's pre-school teacher who thinks that the contests the ladies want to include at the Giant Pumpkin Fest are old fashioned and sort of bursts their bubble.
I can't end my review without mentioning Priscilla who is Bill's pride and joy...a pumpkin he is growing for the fest.
Recommendation: It's not what I'd call a page-turner, but a laid back cozy little mystery to be read in one sitting. So I recommend it for a lazy day.
May 7, 2024
Only Leslie Meier can turn a cozy mystery into a platform for social issues. This time abused women and women’s rights got the nod - both worthy causes. For some reason I enjoyed this episode - even though Patrick is a sassy, spoiled brat, just like all of Lucy’s kids.
Who was the Pumpkin Smasher????
As usual, lots of editing errors - doesn’t anyone proofread these books? This is #22 - I still have many more to go and I’m reading them in backwards order.
Who was the Pumpkin Smasher????
As usual, lots of editing errors - doesn’t anyone proofread these books? This is #22 - I still have many more to go and I’m reading them in backwards order.
November 9, 2015
Two stars: A cozy that lacks the cozy, and it suffers from a fast almost abrupt ending.
As the leaves start to blush with Fall colors, Lucy finds herself increasingly busy. She is looking after her four year old grandson for a couple of months, she is busy as ever at her job, and she is now supposed to help with the Giant Pumpkin Fest. The town is holding its first Giant Pumpkin Fest in hopes of luring in tourists. Unfortunately, someone in the town doesn't seem to want the Pumpkin Fest. Someone is vandalizing large pumpkins and some of the displays. Not to mention doing everything they can to cause trouble. Then a body turns up at one of the events, and it seems like the event will be derailed. Who is trying to prevent the Great Pumpkin Fest and why?
What I Liked:
*Even though this wasn't the best fit for me as far as cozy mysteries go, one thing that I appreciated was that I was able to jump in with this the twenty second book in the series with no issues. This reads as a stand alone, and I had no trouble at all. I always like a series where you can go in an pick up a book at any point and enjoy it.
*Another selling point for this cozy series is the main character, Lucy. If you read cozy mysteries, you know that often times the main characters is an average woman with no experience in detective or law enforcement work, yet they almost always manage to solve the case ahead of local law. Lucy is a bit more realistic because she is a reporter for the town's small paper, so she is used to doing investigative work. She is able to help solve the case because she is digging up information for a story. I also like that she is an average woman trying to balance a career, family and everything else life throws at her She is easy to relate to and genuine.
*I also appreciated that this book refrains from a ridiculous romance. Cozy mysteries often have love triangles or a romance that is ongoing and full of stumbles. Lucy has been happily married for over twenty years with a family. Yes, things aren't always perfect when it comes to her marriage, but she is happy.
*I liked the small town setting of Tinker Cove, Maine. I thought the author did a great job portraying the Fall season in the little town.
*The overall mystery was interesting, even if it was a bit dark at times and the end was hurried. It clicked together and made sense at the end. No cliffhangers or unanswered questions.
And The Not So Much:
*For me, this book lacked the cozy that I love in a cozy mystery. I liked the small town setting and the fall season, but the book lacked the feel good that I enjoy in a cozy mystery. I was hoping for a fun Great Pumpkin Festival with lots of delicious baked goods and events, but the Festival was a bit glossed over, and what was presented was ruined by a saboteur. Even the children's party was a mess. I missed all the yummy food and the amicable small town. There were too many characters that were not so nice, and some of the scenes were dark, especially those that flashed back to 1979.
*The book has several scenes that take place in 1979. They follow a young woman trapped in a horrifying marriage where she is being abused and kept under lock and key. I didn't like these cut away scenes because not only were they distracting but they were dark. I could have done without them, and the impact on the story wasn't that important.
*The story line was too scattered and needed to be tightened up. It seemed to take on too many things at once, and then everything culminates to a rather abrupt finish. Everything is revealed hurriedly in the final chapter and I thought it was too much. I didn't care for the way it ended and I wish the author had taken more time with the story lines.
The Candy Corn Murder was a book I picked up hoping for a fun, cozy fall read, but what I got was a book that lacked the cozy aspect, a hurried mystery with a lot of scattered story lines, and a darker aspect of the story that didn't tie in well to the story and it was distracting. I did like the main character and that I was able to jump into the series this far out without any issues. Overall, I was disappointed in this book, and I would recommend it only for long time fans or for those who want to take a chance and check this out at the library.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.
As the leaves start to blush with Fall colors, Lucy finds herself increasingly busy. She is looking after her four year old grandson for a couple of months, she is busy as ever at her job, and she is now supposed to help with the Giant Pumpkin Fest. The town is holding its first Giant Pumpkin Fest in hopes of luring in tourists. Unfortunately, someone in the town doesn't seem to want the Pumpkin Fest. Someone is vandalizing large pumpkins and some of the displays. Not to mention doing everything they can to cause trouble. Then a body turns up at one of the events, and it seems like the event will be derailed. Who is trying to prevent the Great Pumpkin Fest and why?
What I Liked:
*Even though this wasn't the best fit for me as far as cozy mysteries go, one thing that I appreciated was that I was able to jump in with this the twenty second book in the series with no issues. This reads as a stand alone, and I had no trouble at all. I always like a series where you can go in an pick up a book at any point and enjoy it.
*Another selling point for this cozy series is the main character, Lucy. If you read cozy mysteries, you know that often times the main characters is an average woman with no experience in detective or law enforcement work, yet they almost always manage to solve the case ahead of local law. Lucy is a bit more realistic because she is a reporter for the town's small paper, so she is used to doing investigative work. She is able to help solve the case because she is digging up information for a story. I also like that she is an average woman trying to balance a career, family and everything else life throws at her She is easy to relate to and genuine.
*I also appreciated that this book refrains from a ridiculous romance. Cozy mysteries often have love triangles or a romance that is ongoing and full of stumbles. Lucy has been happily married for over twenty years with a family. Yes, things aren't always perfect when it comes to her marriage, but she is happy.
*I liked the small town setting of Tinker Cove, Maine. I thought the author did a great job portraying the Fall season in the little town.
*The overall mystery was interesting, even if it was a bit dark at times and the end was hurried. It clicked together and made sense at the end. No cliffhangers or unanswered questions.
And The Not So Much:
*For me, this book lacked the cozy that I love in a cozy mystery. I liked the small town setting and the fall season, but the book lacked the feel good that I enjoy in a cozy mystery. I was hoping for a fun Great Pumpkin Festival with lots of delicious baked goods and events, but the Festival was a bit glossed over, and what was presented was ruined by a saboteur. Even the children's party was a mess. I missed all the yummy food and the amicable small town. There were too many characters that were not so nice, and some of the scenes were dark, especially those that flashed back to 1979.
*The book has several scenes that take place in 1979. They follow a young woman trapped in a horrifying marriage where she is being abused and kept under lock and key. I didn't like these cut away scenes because not only were they distracting but they were dark. I could have done without them, and the impact on the story wasn't that important.
*The story line was too scattered and needed to be tightened up. It seemed to take on too many things at once, and then everything culminates to a rather abrupt finish. Everything is revealed hurriedly in the final chapter and I thought it was too much. I didn't care for the way it ended and I wish the author had taken more time with the story lines.
The Candy Corn Murder was a book I picked up hoping for a fun, cozy fall read, but what I got was a book that lacked the cozy aspect, a hurried mystery with a lot of scattered story lines, and a darker aspect of the story that didn't tie in well to the story and it was distracting. I did like the main character and that I was able to jump into the series this far out without any issues. Overall, I was disappointed in this book, and I would recommend it only for long time fans or for those who want to take a chance and check this out at the library.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.
October 5, 2019
CANDY CORN MURDER was a cute Halloween cozy mystery read, and it was my first introduction to Lucy Stone who I enjoyed spending time with. In the midst of a fall Pumpkin Fest, a murder takes place that Lucy finds herself involved with on a much more personal level than expected. Meanwhile, readers learn more about Lucy's adorable young grandson, Patrick, and are part of the quaint festivities residents of Tinker's Cove are involved in as they work to prepare for the new festival.
While the story eventually got around to the murder mystery, I almost forgot that I was even reading a cozy mystery since a body wasn’t discovered until nearly halfway through the book. The pacing prior to the murder wasn't necessarily unenjoyable, but I thought it was an odd authorial decision to prolong the centerpiece of the plot for such an extended amount of time. I also have a slight beef with the title because it really was kind of a spoiler for me--while it sounds broad and generic enough on the surface that it wouldn't give anything away, the significance of candy corn to a major setting/location in the book clued me in a little earlier than I'd have liked.
I have to admit that some of the content of the novel surprised me for the genre. Some crime details shared were a bit on the intense side for a cozy, at least in my opinion, and there were some political themes briefly addressed in the novel that also caught me off guard. Of course, all of these topics were significantly scaled back when thinking about how it might be handled in other genres, but it still felt a little on the "edgy" side for a cozy.
Despite these relatively minor issues, CANDY CORN MURDER was a fun fall cozy mystery read, and I plan to spend some more time with Lucy Stone as she embarks on additional adventures throughout the series.
While the story eventually got around to the murder mystery, I almost forgot that I was even reading a cozy mystery since a body wasn’t discovered until nearly halfway through the book. The pacing prior to the murder wasn't necessarily unenjoyable, but I thought it was an odd authorial decision to prolong the centerpiece of the plot for such an extended amount of time. I also have a slight beef with the title because it really was kind of a spoiler for me--while it sounds broad and generic enough on the surface that it wouldn't give anything away, the significance of candy corn to a major setting/location in the book clued me in a little earlier than I'd have liked.
I have to admit that some of the content of the novel surprised me for the genre. Some crime details shared were a bit on the intense side for a cozy, at least in my opinion, and there were some political themes briefly addressed in the novel that also caught me off guard. Of course, all of these topics were significantly scaled back when thinking about how it might be handled in other genres, but it still felt a little on the "edgy" side for a cozy.
Despite these relatively minor issues, CANDY CORN MURDER was a fun fall cozy mystery read, and I plan to spend some more time with Lucy Stone as she embarks on additional adventures throughout the series.
October 8, 2015
I have read a couple books in this series. They are quick reads. They are also cozy mysteries. Which in both cases this book was a quick, cozy read. Yet, I sadly had a hard time connecting with the characters and found the story bland. In fact, I would start reading in bed and grow sleepy quickly after just a few chapters. The storyline was fine but with no connection to the characters and the action mild, the book as a whole just did not work for me. Although I will read other books in this series as they are fun to read.
August 3, 2015
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from Kensington and Netgalley. This title will be published on August 25, 2015*
In Candy Corn Murder Lucy finds herself overwhelmed by pumpkins, thanks to the town's new Giant Pumpkin Festival. Her husband and a friend of his are determined to grow the biggest pumpkin and have the best pumpkin catapult for the competitions. However, when that friend is murdered and her husband becomes the prime suspect Lucy must do some sleuthing of her own to get to the bottom of the murder, before her husband's put in jail.
This was the first book I read int he Lucy Stone series, a series which I've heard tons about, and I must say that I really enjoyed it. It was fast-paced and a light, very-cozy read that I'd recommend.
I really liked Lucy, she was everything I look for in a MC, she was was intelligent, funny, and fought for what she thought was right. Her grandson, Patrick was also hilarious and cute, everything I'd expect in a kid. However, I found Lucy's husband, Bill to be extremely annoying and condescending. It got to the point where I just wanted him out of the story.
Normally I don't like flashbacks in my stories, but the flashbacks in this book were wonderfully written in and intertwined so that I looked forward to the flashbacks, simply to learn more about the characters and try and make connections with the other characters in the book. However, there were a few small mistakes int he book as to who said what, but none of them made any impact to the story and can be easily overlooked.
The mystery was also very good and the killer was surprising and yet not surprising at the same time. I must say, the killer's reveal had my heart beating faster, it was very good, and extremely suspenseful.
Overall this was a very good book, I've had the first book in this series on my Nook for awhile now, and I must say, I'll probably be reading it soon. With mostly great characters, with the exception of Bill, wonderfully written flashbacks, and a good mystery Candy Corn Murder gets 4/5 stars!
In Candy Corn Murder Lucy finds herself overwhelmed by pumpkins, thanks to the town's new Giant Pumpkin Festival. Her husband and a friend of his are determined to grow the biggest pumpkin and have the best pumpkin catapult for the competitions. However, when that friend is murdered and her husband becomes the prime suspect Lucy must do some sleuthing of her own to get to the bottom of the murder, before her husband's put in jail.
This was the first book I read int he Lucy Stone series, a series which I've heard tons about, and I must say that I really enjoyed it. It was fast-paced and a light, very-cozy read that I'd recommend.
I really liked Lucy, she was everything I look for in a MC, she was was intelligent, funny, and fought for what she thought was right. Her grandson, Patrick was also hilarious and cute, everything I'd expect in a kid. However, I found Lucy's husband, Bill to be extremely annoying and condescending. It got to the point where I just wanted him out of the story.
Normally I don't like flashbacks in my stories, but the flashbacks in this book were wonderfully written in and intertwined so that I looked forward to the flashbacks, simply to learn more about the characters and try and make connections with the other characters in the book. However, there were a few small mistakes int he book as to who said what, but none of them made any impact to the story and can be easily overlooked.
The mystery was also very good and the killer was surprising and yet not surprising at the same time. I must say, the killer's reveal had my heart beating faster, it was very good, and extremely suspenseful.
Overall this was a very good book, I've had the first book in this series on my Nook for awhile now, and I must say, I'll probably be reading it soon. With mostly great characters, with the exception of Bill, wonderfully written flashbacks, and a good mystery Candy Corn Murder gets 4/5 stars!
September 16, 2015
This is the best book I've read in this series in a long time. Probably a 3.5 star read. The last one I read was depressing. Not the case with this one. The story was a good one and the flash backs to 1979 were a good addition leading up to the ending. Ms. Meier has gotten a bit political in some of her recent books. Some readers don't like that, but I like a little "spice" to my stories and, IMHO, these views are just that. For the most part I share her opinions and politics. However, there are some series I read where my opinions differ greatly with the authors. I still read them since I like to think I have an open mind....well, in most cases! I was somewhat taken aback by the rigidity of the instructions Lucy's DIL gave in regard to taking care of Patrick. And I REALLY didn't like the condescending attitude of Heidi, the day-care teacher. If I were Lucy I wouldn't have been able to hold my tongue. I'd have told her off and then some! I generally only read this series when the books are holiday related, specifically Halloween or Christmas. I'll be up for the next one that involves either of those! RECOMMEND!
September 20, 2015
Reading a holiday themed Lucy Stone mystery is basically the equivalent of curling up by the fire with cocoa. I love catching up with Lucy in Tinker's Cove, especially during Halloween, Thanksgiving and/or Christmas. This installment was fun, with a couple of mysteries intertwined and lots of Halloween events to keep the holiday theme strong, Lucy is watching her grandson, and it was cute to hear about all his little exploits. A fun book that wasn't sad and preachy, as some recent installments have been.
September 22, 2015
I'm just not a fan of the "cozy mystery" genre. I've tried and tried, but it's just not for me. It's too cutesy, too comfortable, for me to enjoy. That being said, this book is well paced, and well written, just not for me.
August 3, 2020
Cute mystery, but lots of unnecessary family drama and political opinions.
January 29, 2020
In the 22nd book of the series, Bill Stone is the main suspect when a man who was working with him was found dead. His name was Evan and he and bill were building a catapult for the town of Tinker's Cove Halloween contest.
While everyone in town was excited about the contest, there were things going on that indicated problems were going on behind the scenes. For one thing, Lucy, Bill's wife hated the fact that Bill and Evan were working together. Meanwhile, there was a lot of sabotage happening to some of the early preparation going in.
The big day comes, and Evan is nowhere in sight, and before long, his body is found in the trunk of a car. Will Lucy, part-time reporter, wife and mother, and also the town's resident amateur detective, find out what happened to Evan so that Bill doesn't end up in jail? The deeper Lucy digs to prove Bill's innocence, the more she finds out that something deeper was going on related to the town's past.
After being rather disappointed in the previous book in the series, I am pleased that this book led me down a different path. Candy Corn Murder was intriguing and busy enough that I was kept interested throughout the book and satisfied with the conclusion.
While everyone in town was excited about the contest, there were things going on that indicated problems were going on behind the scenes. For one thing, Lucy, Bill's wife hated the fact that Bill and Evan were working together. Meanwhile, there was a lot of sabotage happening to some of the early preparation going in.
The big day comes, and Evan is nowhere in sight, and before long, his body is found in the trunk of a car. Will Lucy, part-time reporter, wife and mother, and also the town's resident amateur detective, find out what happened to Evan so that Bill doesn't end up in jail? The deeper Lucy digs to prove Bill's innocence, the more she finds out that something deeper was going on related to the town's past.
After being rather disappointed in the previous book in the series, I am pleased that this book led me down a different path. Candy Corn Murder was intriguing and busy enough that I was kept interested throughout the book and satisfied with the conclusion.
October 20, 2016
I love the Lucy Stone series!
October 6, 2018
This was my first Lucy Stone mystery, but it certainly won't be my last! I saw this on the shelves when I was hunting for a Halloween read and decided to take a chance, even though I knew I'd be popping into the series very late. Meier's writing style flowed smoothly and swiftly, with a "down home" country feel that I absolutely loved. The characters leaped right off the page for me--I felt as if I'd known the "regulars" forever! Amid the pumpkin capers and calamities, a far more serious issue was exposed, one that's relevant to the problems we're dealing with today. I'm now on a campaign to catch up with the other Lucy Stone mysteries!
February 5, 2025
lol shouldn’t have started a book that was the 22nd in the series. but seriously this book went at a million miles an hour, took me like a third of it to get up to speed
February 14, 2025
I enjoyed the murder mystery story very much! This book was particularly refreshing because the characters from book #1 were brought back into the story. In that first book, Sam Miller III and his brother, Tom Miller, were co-owners of the family business, Country Cousins, which is a giant mail-order store on Main Street in Tinker's Cove. Lucy Stone worked at Country Cousins long before she began working for the Pennysaver, the local newspaper. Sam's wife, Marcia, disappeared soon after the murder of her husband, taking their five-year-old son, Sam IV. Twenty years later, Sam IV returns to Tinker's Cove and takes his rightful place in running Country Cousins along with his uncle, Tom Miller. There is another murder in Tinker's Cove, and Lucy Stone's husband, Bill is in the middle of the drama, in spite of his innocence. There is a lot of history in the Miller family that is revealed during the course of the mystery story. It was difficult for me to keep all of their names straight, and I actually had to make a diagram for the marriages of Sam, Sam II, Sam III and Sam IV a/k/a Buck Miller. Still, I enjoyed the story very much. It was refreshing to return to Country Cousins to see how it had changed from book #1.
January 31, 2016
This is the first book I have read in the series. Based on that, I think this book could have used a bit more of a character recap. Who is Lucy? Who are the important players? Why is she always involved in the mystery? I know that I personally would have enjoyed knowing these things up front. But maybe faithful readers have had enough recap and this factor is just a reflection of that.
I am the type of mystery reader that likes the actual murder to happen within the first two or three chapters. The murder in this novel happened at coincidently 50% through according to my Amazon kindle device. I figured at 20% I must have missed the murder and went back to the beginning and reread back to the point where I had stopped.
Some of the flashbacks seemed awkward and oddly placed in the book. I think maybe a prologue with a an overarching flashback would have been enough for me or maybe someone from the past who could have related the info about Tom's past. I hate to say this but those flashbacks seemed a bit of the lazy way out.
Also the Pennysaver blurbs at the beginnings of chapters seemed to err on the side of only the happy positive facts and none of the hard hitting news. How about a little objectivity? Town news is town news.
I am usually a lot more impressed with Kensington Publishing titles. I believe I will choose another book in this series since some series truly need to be read in chronological order. I am not saying this book was horrible. It wasn't. It's decent. The mystery was complete and red herrings placed appropriately. I guess it just lacked a bit of flair and personality. All in all it was just okay for me. I don't give too many 3 stars.
The one thing I didn't understand was the title of the book. Yes, there was a candy corn bottle in the book but it had nothing to do with the murder. I think a more appropriate title would have been something pumpkin related considering the murder disrupted the Pumpkin Festival.
Like I said, I will definitely give another book in this series a try since nearly every Kensington book I have read has been awesome.
I received this as an ARC (Advanced Readers Copy) from Net Galley in return for an honest review. I thank Net Galley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.
I am the type of mystery reader that likes the actual murder to happen within the first two or three chapters. The murder in this novel happened at coincidently 50% through according to my Amazon kindle device. I figured at 20% I must have missed the murder and went back to the beginning and reread back to the point where I had stopped.
Some of the flashbacks seemed awkward and oddly placed in the book. I think maybe a prologue with a an overarching flashback would have been enough for me or maybe someone from the past who could have related the info about Tom's past. I hate to say this but those flashbacks seemed a bit of the lazy way out.
Also the Pennysaver blurbs at the beginnings of chapters seemed to err on the side of only the happy positive facts and none of the hard hitting news. How about a little objectivity? Town news is town news.
I am usually a lot more impressed with Kensington Publishing titles. I believe I will choose another book in this series since some series truly need to be read in chronological order. I am not saying this book was horrible. It wasn't. It's decent. The mystery was complete and red herrings placed appropriately. I guess it just lacked a bit of flair and personality. All in all it was just okay for me. I don't give too many 3 stars.
The one thing I didn't understand was the title of the book. Yes, there was a candy corn bottle in the book but it had nothing to do with the murder. I think a more appropriate title would have been something pumpkin related considering the murder disrupted the Pumpkin Festival.
Like I said, I will definitely give another book in this series a try since nearly every Kensington book I have read has been awesome.
I received this as an ARC (Advanced Readers Copy) from Net Galley in return for an honest review. I thank Net Galley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.
September 6, 2016
Won in the first reads giveaway.
This is only the second cozy mystery that I have read, so I am not too familiar with their tropes. Despite the super-adorable cover design, the book contains some difficult themes (like sexual abuse). Not to say it is a really dark book, I was just surprised. Anyway, it was a really readable book and sometimes funny (maybe unintentionally). I loved that Lucy had some black sheets left over from her daughters goth phase.
I haven't read the other books, but this is the 22nd. If we assume that each book has at least one murder, that would be at least 22 murders since the first book. Lucy keeps going on about how the town is so safe, people leave their doors unlocked and run into the Quik-Stop with their cars running to get a gallon of milk. Just sayin'.
Bill seemed like kind of an a-hole to be honest. Patrick and his demanding parents annoyed me. At one point an "Elizabeth" enters a family conversation when there was no Elizabeth anywhere else in the book.
I liked the little dashes of feminism and that the pumpkin was named Priscilla. I have a cactus named Priscilla.
Edit: Okay, Elizabeth is the oldest daughter, but she's supposed to be in Paris. Not every murder takes place in Tinkers Cove. Still a lot of murder for a small town though.
This is only the second cozy mystery that I have read, so I am not too familiar with their tropes. Despite the super-adorable cover design, the book contains some difficult themes (like sexual abuse). Not to say it is a really dark book, I was just surprised. Anyway, it was a really readable book and sometimes funny (maybe unintentionally). I loved that Lucy had some black sheets left over from her daughters goth phase.
I haven't read the other books, but this is the 22nd. If we assume that each book has at least one murder, that would be at least 22 murders since the first book. Lucy keeps going on about how the town is so safe, people leave their doors unlocked and run into the Quik-Stop with their cars running to get a gallon of milk. Just sayin'.
Bill seemed like kind of an a-hole to be honest. Patrick and his demanding parents annoyed me. At one point an "Elizabeth" enters a family conversation when there was no Elizabeth anywhere else in the book.
I liked the little dashes of feminism and that the pumpkin was named Priscilla. I have a cactus named Priscilla.
Edit: Okay, Elizabeth is the oldest daughter, but she's supposed to be in Paris. Not every murder takes place in Tinkers Cove. Still a lot of murder for a small town though.
July 19, 2015
A quick little fun book that takes place in a small town where everybody just about knows everybody. It's a place where gossip is a traditional ritual along with the little old ladies that like to spread it.
It is definitely a cozy mystery and the murderer is the one you usually suspect. There's no gore and even the body is kind of hidden even to the characters. It's just a fun little mystery that has a huge family secret that someone doesn't want known. It was entertaining and a little humorous just the way the little old ladies would all go around talking about everything. It makes for a nice little Sunday afternoon reading.
Thanks Kensington and Net Galley for allowing me to read and review this book. I recommend it to any mystery readers who would rather forego the gory scenes and deaths in some books.
It is definitely a cozy mystery and the murderer is the one you usually suspect. There's no gore and even the body is kind of hidden even to the characters. It's just a fun little mystery that has a huge family secret that someone doesn't want known. It was entertaining and a little humorous just the way the little old ladies would all go around talking about everything. It makes for a nice little Sunday afternoon reading.
Thanks Kensington and Net Galley for allowing me to read and review this book. I recommend it to any mystery readers who would rather forego the gory scenes and deaths in some books.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 462 reviews