Believable and lovable characters, notably nonagenarian-to-be Julia Ward Howe Tilley (who wears "twinkling" sneakers), add freshness to a familiar story line in Meier's ninth mystery (after 2001's Wedding Day Murder) featuring Lucy Stone, wife, mom, part-time reporter and amateur sleuth. After a cold and cloudy March in quaint Tinker Cove, Maine, the sun is finally shining as Lucy joins her four friends for their weekly breakfast at Jake's Donut Shack. To fight the doldrums and to honor Miss Tilley, the former librarian, they decide to organize a townwide 90th birthday party for her. The anticipation of the party plus Lucy's resolve to lose weight, do something about her wrinkles and dye her hair to cover the newly discovered gray lift her spirits until she hears that respected lawyer Sherman Cobb has been found dead in his office. The police declare death by suicide, but Cobb's partner suspects murder and asks Lucy to investigate. Meanwhile, Miss Tilley is suddenly faced with a niece she never knew existed, who arrives with her biker son only to move in and take over, much to the dismay of the older woman's friends. As Lucy's inquiries lead to the disclosure of long-hidden Tilley family secrets, she must also deal with a teenage daughter and her co-ed sleepover, her son's troubles at college and her husband's accident. Mothers everywhere will identify with Lucy and the domestic problems she encounters
The whole town of Tinker’s Cove is looking forward to the celebration marking former librarian Julia Ward Howe Tilley’s ninetieth birthday. Lucy Stone, Miss Tilley’s closest friend, dreamed up the party idea—at about the same time she decided she’s not getting old without a fight.That sounds like a plan—until Lucy realizes her daughter’s fourteenth birthday bash, a coed sleepover, may turn her hair white overnight. What was she thinking when she agreed to let Sara have the party? On her mind, instead, was the shocking death of Sherman Cobb, the town’s oldest attorney, an apparent suicide. His law partner, however, thinks Sherman was murdered.Poking about in Sherman’s papers, Lucy turns up an intriguing tie between the dead man and Miss Tilley. Meanwhile Miss Tilley’s own past has come back to haunt her in the form of a mysterious niece named Shirley and a biker great nephew named Snake. Soon no one can get to see the elderly librarian because the brash, bossy Shirley says she’s “failing.” Now, as a killer’s ruthless plan rushes toward a conclusion, Lucy needs answers fast—or else she and Miss Tilley won’t live long enough to make a wish and blow out the candles on this year’s birthday cake…
What do You think about Birthday Party Murder (2003)?
At last this series gets a second book that reached 5 stars. It was long due in coming. I have a great fondness for the style and rythm, and class of this series. This book is one of the strong 5 star earners. It's right there among the best books I've ever read. The interaction between the Stone family members may have looked ordinary if adapted onscreen, but in book medium it's absolutely brilliant. The murder, obligatory ingredient that it is, is solved, but it's not the main attraction in the book. I still don't like Miss Tilley. And it's not fair that they have changed her personality to make her likeable. Everything else balances beautifully here and I've got no complaints.
—Luffy Monkey D.
Lucy Stone lives in Tinkers Cove in Maine. she has become a reporter with a reputation of solving murders. This book celebrates Miss Tilley at 90. But when the partner in the local law firm is found dead, she is asked to look into it as they dont believe its suicide. Also Miss Tilley's long lost niece shows up adding to the conflicts. Lots of things going on but not as many suspects. Lucy does her best with Bill out of commission from a fall and sara's coed sleep over, and issues with Toby. enjoy
—Fmorlan
