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annevere01's review
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
aspygirlsmom_1995's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
jodyladuemcgrath's review against another edition
3.0
* I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review *
This is my first foray into the Lucy Stone series. The book begins with Lucy being very depressed because her grandson who had been staying with her returned to his parents and they moved to Alaska. She cannot seem to get over him being gone. Lucy's friend Sue Invites Lucy to tag along with her to England. Sue has been invited to Moreton Manor by her friend Perry, who happens to be the Earl of Wickham. Perry is putting on an exposition of hats entitled "Heads Up!" and has invited Sue to come and help him. Hoping to relieve her depression, Lucy readily agrees and off to England they go.
Perry and his sister, Poppy, are not at all the stuffy aristocrats Lucy thought they would be. Instead they are living in the renovated servants quarters, while the manor is being used as a tourist attraction. Even with this income, they are having a lot of financial problems. The upkeep of the castle is enormous and things just seem to be piling up. When a dead man is found in the manor's maze and then another in a secret nook, Lucy fears that her time in England will be a little more exciting than she had planned!
I found there were pros and cons to this book. The pros first. The author has a great flow with her writing and the book was a quick, easy read. Her descriptions of the manor and surrounding areas were beautiful, but not to overloaded with information. I also found the problem the Earl and his family were having to be very interesting. The were titled, and acted superior occasionally, but at the same time they were working hard to maintain the manor.
The cons were a little more prevalent. Lucy was a bit of a whiner through the beginning of the book. It seemed stupid that she had raised her own children and apparently coped when the left home, but her grandson, who she only had for a few months, broke her down so much by leaving. The mystery portion of the book was such an afterthought. It wasn't a very good mystery at all. I had almost all of it figured out.
Although I will read more of the Lucy Stone mysteries, this one fell pretty flat. I probably would not recommend this to anyone who really enjoys mysteries.
This is my first foray into the Lucy Stone series. The book begins with Lucy being very depressed because her grandson who had been staying with her returned to his parents and they moved to Alaska. She cannot seem to get over him being gone. Lucy's friend Sue Invites Lucy to tag along with her to England. Sue has been invited to Moreton Manor by her friend Perry, who happens to be the Earl of Wickham. Perry is putting on an exposition of hats entitled "Heads Up!" and has invited Sue to come and help him. Hoping to relieve her depression, Lucy readily agrees and off to England they go.
Perry and his sister, Poppy, are not at all the stuffy aristocrats Lucy thought they would be. Instead they are living in the renovated servants quarters, while the manor is being used as a tourist attraction. Even with this income, they are having a lot of financial problems. The upkeep of the castle is enormous and things just seem to be piling up. When a dead man is found in the manor's maze and then another in a secret nook, Lucy fears that her time in England will be a little more exciting than she had planned!
I found there were pros and cons to this book. The pros first. The author has a great flow with her writing and the book was a quick, easy read. Her descriptions of the manor and surrounding areas were beautiful, but not to overloaded with information. I also found the problem the Earl and his family were having to be very interesting. The were titled, and acted superior occasionally, but at the same time they were working hard to maintain the manor.
The cons were a little more prevalent. Lucy was a bit of a whiner through the beginning of the book. It seemed stupid that she had raised her own children and apparently coped when the left home, but her grandson, who she only had for a few months, broke her down so much by leaving. The mystery portion of the book was such an afterthought. It wasn't a very good mystery at all. I had almost all of it figured out.
Although I will read more of the Lucy Stone mysteries, this one fell pretty flat. I probably would not recommend this to anyone who really enjoys mysteries.
katkinney's review against another edition
4.0
Lucy is sad over her grandson Patrick moving with his family to Alaska and can’t seem to lift her spirits. When best friend Sue suggests a trip to England, she decides to go. I always wind up enjoying the books in this series that take us on destination settings because it’s an interesting change of pace and the author does a lovely job immersing us in the surroundings. Admittedly though, my favorites in the series are the ones set in Tinkers Cove because you get so much more time with the town and the side characters.
Here we spend lots of time with Lucy and Sue. They’ve gone to stay at a large manor in England, but all isn’t well. There are financial problems, bickering family members, a cool garden maze, and naturally… murder. With an interesting cast of side characters and lots of tourist hot spots to hit in England, this was a fun treat.
Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.
Here we spend lots of time with Lucy and Sue. They’ve gone to stay at a large manor in England, but all isn’t well. There are financial problems, bickering family members, a cool garden maze, and naturally… murder. With an interesting cast of side characters and lots of tourist hot spots to hit in England, this was a fun treat.
Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.
darkdiamond8989's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
It was really good. I liked the British monarchy and royal family that’s mentioned throughout the book.
The history of the British royal family, the descriptions of the estates and gardens, and each character’s personality was well written and captured my attention.
Leslie Meier is the queen of cozy mystery novellas. If you want a cozy mystery, I recommend a Lucy Stone series by Leslie Meier or a Hannah Swensen series by Joanne Fluke. Both series are good and there are some books in their series that have both main characters, along with characters by different cozy mystery authors.
The history of the British royal family, the descriptions of the estates and gardens, and each character’s personality was well written and captured my attention.
Leslie Meier is the queen of cozy mystery novellas. If you want a cozy mystery, I recommend a Lucy Stone series by Leslie Meier or a Hannah Swensen series by Joanne Fluke. Both series are good and there are some books in their series that have both main characters, along with characters by different cozy mystery authors.
princess_dyann's review
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
kitchenkoala's review against another edition
3.0
Semi-spoiler:
There are NO CORGIS in this book!!! I was quite disappointed, considering I only selected this book because of the corgis on the cover (our library had this one on display). Oh well. This is the 2nd Lucy Stone mystery I've read; it's not my favorite cozy mystery series ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
There are NO CORGIS in this book!!! I was quite disappointed, considering I only selected this book because of the corgis on the cover (our library had this one on display). Oh well. This is the 2nd Lucy Stone mystery I've read; it's not my favorite cozy mystery series ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
robinlovesreading's review against another edition
3.0
Every now and again, Lucy Stone manages to get trips out of the country. That is the case in the next book in Leslie Meier's series. She will be joining best friend Sue and is heading to England. This is not her first time in the UK, but this time her objective is different. She is to attend a hat exhibition at an exclusive manor. Unfortunately for Lucy, wherever she is, there is always a body found. That is indeed the case at this time.
Our intrepid amateur sleuth cannot simply plow and and solve this as she has done countless times before. She is in rather an exclusive manor and they are honoring traditions from times of the past. So Lucy really has to be on her Ps and Qs this time around.
British Manor Murder was a light read, and not one of my favorites in the series. I am always glad to read these books, however, because as a whole, this is a great series. Having read all the books in order has made Lucy, husband Bill and their four children (now adults) very dear to me. I think I like Lucy better in her town of Tinker's Grove, Maine. When she heads out of the country and tries to solve murders, I rather lose interest.
Our intrepid amateur sleuth cannot simply plow and and solve this as she has done countless times before. She is in rather an exclusive manor and they are honoring traditions from times of the past. So Lucy really has to be on her Ps and Qs this time around.
British Manor Murder was a light read, and not one of my favorites in the series. I am always glad to read these books, however, because as a whole, this is a great series. Having read all the books in order has made Lucy, husband Bill and their four children (now adults) very dear to me. I think I like Lucy better in her town of Tinker's Grove, Maine. When she heads out of the country and tries to solve murders, I rather lose interest.
daybreak1012's review against another edition
3.0
I can't remember the last time I was this conflicted about rating a book. In this case, the content wasn't the primary issue but rather the main character of the series. I ended up opting for three stars when, under other circumstances, I might have been more inclined to tip in favor of four. Let me explain...
What I liked about British Manor Murder:
Well-paced - Considering I read the book in about two-and-a-half days, the story itself was clearly engaging and kept me pushing forward. I never had a chance to get bored or feel bogged down.
Engaging mystery - A bit predictable and not that much of a challenge to unravel, but I did enjoy the way it all unfolded.
What I didn't care for:
Lucy - Here is one of my key issues with this entire series, especially the deeper we get into it. Lucy is a Debbie Downer. She's negative and whiny and a general drag. Everything with Lucy is "not quite what she expected" and never in a good way. It really makes me wonder if the author doesn't share some of these personality traits as well. Maybe that isn't fair of me, but constantly being pessimistic is unappealing to me, and I wonder if the author sees Lucy's life through her own similar lens. It isn't a personality trait I have, and I think it would be difficult for me to write in a way that I don't naturally think. Yes, I understand that reality offers challenges, but constantly complaining and moaning about how unfair life is...eh, turnoff.
Oh, look, politicized again! - My ongoing beef with this series, really. It takes on hot-button topics in multiples, and expresses them with strong myopic opinions. This time around: mental health, drug use, and social class. Yes, these are important issues to consider, but cramming all three into less than 300 pages was overbearing, and the judgmental tone taken didn't help matters. Again, it makes me wonder if the author isn't using her novels as a platform for her own personal opinions. It's almost like reading a Facebook page...and makes me glad Ms. Meier isn't in my feed.
Tried too hard to be relevant - In addition to loading up on the political agenda, the ridiculous number of pop culture references felt forced and uncomfortable.
So why do I continue with these books when so much often grates on my nerves? Same as my reviews of earlier works: I feel committed to seeing this series through to the end. (Please, oh please, let it end soon...I don't know how much more I can take.) Thankfully, at least I occasionally get one, such as this, where the content amuses, such as it is.
What I liked about British Manor Murder:
Well-paced - Considering I read the book in about two-and-a-half days, the story itself was clearly engaging and kept me pushing forward. I never had a chance to get bored or feel bogged down.
Engaging mystery - A bit predictable and not that much of a challenge to unravel, but I did enjoy the way it all unfolded.
What I didn't care for:
Lucy - Here is one of my key issues with this entire series, especially the deeper we get into it. Lucy is a Debbie Downer. She's negative and whiny and a general drag. Everything with Lucy is "not quite what she expected" and never in a good way. It really makes me wonder if the author doesn't share some of these personality traits as well. Maybe that isn't fair of me, but constantly being pessimistic is unappealing to me, and I wonder if the author sees Lucy's life through her own similar lens. It isn't a personality trait I have, and I think it would be difficult for me to write in a way that I don't naturally think. Yes, I understand that reality offers challenges, but constantly complaining and moaning about how unfair life is...eh, turnoff.
Oh, look, politicized again! - My ongoing beef with this series, really. It takes on hot-button topics in multiples, and expresses them with strong myopic opinions. This time around: mental health, drug use, and social class. Yes, these are important issues to consider, but cramming all three into less than 300 pages was overbearing, and the judgmental tone taken didn't help matters. Again, it makes me wonder if the author isn't using her novels as a platform for her own personal opinions. It's almost like reading a Facebook page...and makes me glad Ms. Meier isn't in my feed.
Tried too hard to be relevant - In addition to loading up on the political agenda, the ridiculous number of pop culture references felt forced and uncomfortable.
So why do I continue with these books when so much often grates on my nerves? Same as my reviews of earlier works: I feel committed to seeing this series through to the end. (Please, oh please, let it end soon...I don't know how much more I can take.) Thankfully, at least I occasionally get one, such as this, where the content amuses, such as it is.
luffy79's review against another edition
3.0
The Earl of Wickham invites Lucy Stone, and her friend Sue, to his British Manor, where there will be not one, but two murders. Since beginning to read this book, I always wondered whether Lucy, our heroine, would use her grey matter and come up with a solution on her own.
Alas! Lucy does not tie the case up in a neat little bow, but the writing makes up for this lackluster finale. What separates borderline amateur cozy mystery writers from seasoned pros like Leslie Meier, is the researched details that pepper this story. The murders buoy up this reader's attention. The author times the revelation of the murders to good effect, and I felt invested in the book.
Failing solving the case like a pro, Lucy Stone didn't make much sense of her presence in England. What I mean by that is there should have been a catalyst to explain the rush of quickening events just when our two ladies from the US arrive at the mansion. Suffice to say, there's no such explanation. It's just a big coincidence that Lucy and Sue reach the manor, just when things come to a boil. It didn't bother me that much, but it's a detail worth mentioning.
The very beginning of the book has Lucy pining for Patrick, her grandson. The people who help make her forget that grand-maternal ache are very well drawn - and it was crucial to the book's success that they are. The Earl of Wickham is simply called Perry, his sister, Poppy, and her children are Desi and Flo. What happens in the midst of this family, I'll let you discover on your own. Altogether I felt very satisfied with this book and I feel that's reflected by my stringently vetted, but fair, 3 stars.
Alas! Lucy does not tie the case up in a neat little bow, but the writing makes up for this lackluster finale. What separates borderline amateur cozy mystery writers from seasoned pros like Leslie Meier, is the researched details that pepper this story. The murders buoy up this reader's attention. The author times the revelation of the murders to good effect, and I felt invested in the book.
Failing solving the case like a pro, Lucy Stone didn't make much sense of her presence in England. What I mean by that is there should have been a catalyst to explain the rush of quickening events just when our two ladies from the US arrive at the mansion. Suffice to say, there's no such explanation. It's just a big coincidence that Lucy and Sue reach the manor, just when things come to a boil. It didn't bother me that much, but it's a detail worth mentioning.
The very beginning of the book has Lucy pining for Patrick, her grandson. The people who help make her forget that grand-maternal ache are very well drawn - and it was crucial to the book's success that they are. The Earl of Wickham is simply called Perry, his sister, Poppy, and her children are Desi and Flo. What happens in the midst of this family, I'll let you discover on your own. Altogether I felt very satisfied with this book and I feel that's reflected by my stringently vetted, but fair, 3 stars.