Irish Parade Murder: A Lucy Stone Mystery

Early in bestseller Meier’s middling 26th Lucy Stone mystery (after 2018’s Silver Anniversary Murder), Lucy, a reporter for the Pennysaver newspaper in Tinker’s Cove, Maine, returns from her father-in-law’s funeral in Florida to discover that her boss has hired a young new reporter, ambitious, arrogant Rob Callahan. Lucy clashes with Rob, who she fears will replace her. After Rob looks into corruption in the sheriff’s department and the first person he is investigating dies in a suspicious car crash, Rob is arrested for murder. Lucy’s sleuthing leads her to uncover the truth about a young woman who disappeared from Tinker’s Cove months earlier. Meanwhile, the dictatorial sheriff controls everything, including who can and can’t participate in the St. Patrick’s Day parade, and Lucy must deal with her mother-in-law, newly arrived from Florida, along with the supposed half-sister of Lucy’s husband, Bill. The plot plods along for nearly half the book before the action picks up. The harried Lucy, overwhelmed by her personal and professional woes, is not at her best. Maybe it’s time for her to retire. Agent: Christina Hogrebe, Jane Rotrosen Agency. (Feb.)