New Year's Eve Murder: A Lucy Stone Mystery

In Meier's solid 12th cozy to feature Tinker's Cove, Maine, reporter Lucy Stone (after 2004's Star Spangled Murder ), Lucy and her oldest daughter, Elizabeth, travel to New York City after winning an all-expenses-paid mother-daughter makeover from Jolie magazine. But after arriving in the Big Apple, the duo find the contest is fraught with cattiness, tension and mistrust, complicated by the magazine's haughty editor and bickering staff. The outing turns into a nightmare after Jolie 's controversial fashion editor suddenly dies and Elizabeth falls ill from what turns out to be exposure to anthrax. Dividing her time between her daughter's bedside and sleuthing, Lucy discovers a host of misdeeds involving real estate deals, animal rights and long-held secrets. Fans won't mind that Meier's light tone is sometimes at odds with the serious hot-button issues she raises. Agent, Meg Ruley. (Nov.)