Cute Christmas themed cozy mystery, which is what I was looking for. Did a lot of heavy reading this year and just wanted to wrap myself up in nothing but Christmas (with a side of death and mayhem) and I got just what I asked for.

Lucy was a typical, but unique cozy heroine. And as I see this series is still going she must have stood the test of time. I'm itching to read the next one, despite some problematic themes and ideas in this one. It is a book of its time - it came out in the early 90s but for some reason felt more like it was from the 70s or 80s. But it was very atmospheric and light at the same time.

Content Warmings: Casual Sexism, Infidelity, Suicide, Violence, Murder, Death, Religion, Abuse of Power, Adult Situations, Adult Language, Depictions of Extreme Poverty, Prejudice against Lower Income Individuals, Animal Abuse/Death

Passed on to me by Mom.

I enjoy Lucy Stone. She's a great character. Something about her you can't help but like. Maybe because she's not perfect but still is a good wife and mom. And she's curious. This is the first in the series and one of the few series I've ever read out of order. I didn't figure out who done it till about the same time Lucy did which was towards the end.

I didn’t find any of the characters likable

I hate DNF'ing a book so I really had to force myself to read this one.
About 20% into the book I read something that really rubbed me the wrong way and I just couldn't get over it throughout the book. It almost made me shelf it. BUT, I put on my big girl pants and made my way through it. I really didn't find any of the characters likable. I found Lucy to be very unemotional and detached... almost callous when it came to their cat, her mother, the wife and son of someone near death's door... I could go on. I gave this 3 stars because... well, I guess because it entertained me for a small portion of it and the cover was cute. Yeah, I'll stick to that. Not in a hurry to pick up book 2. I'll see how I feel in the new year.

I’ve heard a lot about the Lucy Stone Mysteries. They are usually voiced in the same circles as the Joanne Fluke Mysteries, as being good, long-running mysteries, so I decided to pick up the series from the first book.

Lucy Stone is getting ready for a busy Christmas season. Her husband, Bill’s family is arriving to celebrate, as is her recently widowed mother, Helen. However, her plans take a tumble when she discovers her boss dead in his car. What first looks like suicide, turns out to be murder. With a killer on the loose Lucy and local police office, Barney Culpepper, try to put their heads together to solve the murder. Between trying to make sure Christmas goes off without a hitch, and solve a murder Lucy is definitely going to have her hands full.

I have a bit of a confession to make: I love first books in a series. There are new characters to meet, new places to visit and most of the time first books will hook me enough that I will want to read the rest of the series. Well Mistletoe Murder definitely hooked me! It hooked me so much that I am just itching to read the rest of the series!!

Most cozies I read lately seem to be full of single women (or women that have met their boyfriends/spouses during the course of investigating), so it was really refreshing to meet Lucy Stone, who is happily married with three kids. Despite her family situation she has no hesitation trying to solve the murder, especially if it makes the streets safer and helps find her boss’ killer.

I immediately felt a kinship with Lucy Stone, and loved all the characters of Tinker’s Cove, Maine. I especially liked Miss Tilley (retired librarian) and Mrs Emily Miller (the victim’s mother). I can’t wait to see how these eccentric ladies “assist” Lucy on further adventures.

The murder was well plotted, and while I did guess the murderer it was more a stab in the dark then I picked him/her out early on.

Leslie Meier has definitely captured my attention with this first mystery, and I’m so happy that there are plenty of other mysteries in this series for me to devour!