New Releases by Leslie Meier

"Reading a new Leslie Meier mystery is like catching up with a dear old friend." --Kate Carlisle, New York Times bestselling author With a harsh Maine winter finally over, Lucy Stone is excited to cover the annual Easter egg hunt for the Tinker''s Cove Pennysaver. Hosted by elderly socialite Vivian Van Vorst at her oceanfront estate, it''s a swanky event where the eggs are as likely to contain savings bonds as jelly beans. But when Lucy arrives at Pine Point, the gates are locked, and a man dressed as the Easter Bunny emerges only to drop dead moments later. . . Lucy discovers that the victim is Vivian''s grandson, and all is not well at Pine Point. Vivian has been skipping lunch dates, and her charitable donations have abruptly stopped. Is she going senile? Or are her heirs a little too anxious to take over her estate? As Lucy gathers a basketful of suspects, she''ll have to chase the truth down a rabbit hole before a killer with a deadly case of spring fever claims another victim. . . "A fun and engaging read." --The Barnstable Patriot "Delightful. . .Cozy fans will enjoy Lucy''s hunt for the truth." --Publishers Weekly "Once again, Meier delivers a top-notch mystery!" --RT Book Reviews

New York Times-Bestselling Author:“Longtime Lucy Stone series readers will be happy to catch up on life in Tinker’s Cove in this cozy Christmas mystery.”—Library Journal It’s Christmas in Tinker''s Cove, Maine, and Lucy Stone is excited about her acting debut in the town’s production of A Christmas Carol. But not everyone is full of cheer. Tinker’s Cove has fallen on hard times this year, and with so many residents struggling to make ends meet, Christmas festivities are a luxury some can''t afford. But the story’s not so bleak at Downeast Mortgage, whose tightfisted owners, Jake Marlowe and Ben Scribner, are raking in profits from everyone’s misfortune. Half the town is in their debt, so when the miserly Marlowe is murdered, the mourners are few and the suspects are many… “Engaging…[a] satisfying conclusion.”—Publishers Weekly “I like Lucy Stone a lot, and so will readers.”—Carolyn Hart, New York Times-bestselling author of the Death on Demand Mysteries

A small-town reporter hunts a big-city killer in a novel by a New York Times-bestselling author who provides “a truly American version of the English cozy” (Tulsa World). When her part-time reporting gig gives Lucy the opportunity to attend a Boston newspaper conference, she looks forward to a vacation from domestic bliss. But upon leaving Tinker’s Cove, Maine, she quickly discovers that alone time can be kind of…lonely. And in between libel workshops and panel discussions, Lucy takes a guilt trip. She feels terrible that she won’t be home to help her husband celebrate Father’s Day. But when Luther Read—head of a nearly bankrupt newspaper dynasty—suddenly drops dead, Lucy has other things to think about. She’s not buying the theory that Luther died of an asthma attack. The man just had too many enemies. Always the intrepid snoop, Lucy vows to investigate. But she can’t help wondering if her name will end up on a byline—or in an obit… “Reading a new Leslie Meier mystery is like catching up with a dear old friend.”—Kate Carlisle, New York Times bestselling author of the Bibliophile Mysteries “Leslie Meier writes with sparkle and warmth.”—Chicago Sun-Times “I like Lucy Stone a lot, and so will readers.”—Carolyn Hart, New York Times-bestselling author of the Bailey Ruth Mysteries

In this little Maine town, Halloween brings a homicide: “[A] charming setting and likable cast…enjoyable reading.”—Publishers Weekly The locals in Tinker’s Cove are busy planning haunted-house parties and ghostly galas, and Lucy Stone is whipping up orange-frosted cupcakes, recycling tutus for her daughters’ costumes, helping her son with his pre-teen rebellion, and breast-feeding her brand-new baby. But amid the fun, something really scary is going on: An arsonist is loose, and when the latest fire claims the life of the owner of the town’s oldest house, arson turns into murder. While the townsfolk work to transform a dilapidated mansion into a haunted house for the All-Ghouls festival, the hunt for the culprit heats up. Trick-or-treat turns deadly as digging in all the wrong places puts Lucy too close to a shocking discovery that could send all her best-laid plans up in smoke… “Lucy Stone is an endearing sleuth.”—Dorothy Cannell

With Halloween around the corner, and a mysterious murder close to home, Lucy’s Stone’s fall is off to a sinister start . . . When the bewitching Diana Ravenscroft comes to quiet Tinker''s Cove and opens Solstice, a quaint little shop offering everything from jewelry to psychic readings, Lucy Stone writes her off as eccentric but harmless. Even after Diana gives her a disturbingly accurate reading, Lucy can’t help but befriend the newcomer. But not everyone in town is so enchanted. And when Lucy stumbles upon a dead body near her home, she can’t shake the feeling that something ominous is lurking in the crisp October air . . . Convinced Diana is an evil witch, prominent businessman Ike Stoughton blames her for a series of recent misfortunes, including Lucy’s gruesome discovery and his own wife’s death, and rallies the townsfolk against her. But after Lucy learns the murder victim was a magician and close friend of Diana’s, she starts to wonder who’s really stirring up a cauldron of trouble. By Halloween, her suspicions lead her to a deadly web of secrets—and a spine-chilling brush with the things that go bump in the night . . . “The warm, small-town ambiance and the persevering Lucy Stone make this a winner for cozy fans.” —Library Journal

A librarian is killed and a local mom must read the clues in this mystery from the New York Times-bestselling author: “[An] engaging cozy series.”—Publishers Weekly It’s Valentine''s Day in Tinker’s Cove, Maine. And while the cupcakes Lucy Stone is baking for her children will have pink frosting and candy hearts, Lucy’s thoughts aren’t centered on sugary sentiments. She’s barely arrived at her first board meeting of the newly renovated library when Bitsy Howell, the new librarian, is found dead in the basement, shot only minutes before story hour was to start. The agitated board members assume that Bitsy was killed by an outsider, until Detective Lt. Horowitz arrives on the scene and announces that the killer is among them. Lucy was already aware that Bitsy’s uppity big city ways rubbed some people in Tinker’s Cove the wrong way. But she has a hunch that motives for the librarian’s violent death run a lot deeper. From Hayden Norcross''s elegant antique shop to Corney Clark’s chic kitchen, Lucy relentlessly snoops into the curious lifestyles and shocking secrets of Tinker''s Cove’s most solid citizens—secrets that will plunge her into a terrifying confrontation with a conniving killer… “Meier weaves into her nimble plot some good insights on lotteries, rural poverty, computers, and library operations.”—Booklist “Meier’s inclusion of the domestic details attendant to Lucy''s small, close-knit community add charm.”—Publishers Weekly

This novel of murder amid an old-fashioned New England Thanksgiving “portrays small-town life both realistically and sympathetically” (Publishers Weekly). Tinker’s Cove, Maine, has a long history of Thanksgiving festivities, from visits with TomTom Turkey to the annual Warriors high school football game and Lucy Stone’s impressive pumpkin pie. But this year, someone has added murder to the menu, and Lucy intends to discover who left Metinnicut Indian activist Curt Nolan dead—with an ancient war club next to his head. The list of suspects isn’t exactly brief. Nolan had a habit of disagreeing with just about everybody he met. Between fixing dinner for twelve and keeping her four kids from tearing each other limb from limb, Lucy has a pretty full plate already. So what’s a little investigation? But if she’s not careful, she may find herself served up as a last-minute course, stone-cold dead with all the trimmings… “Approachable prose; cozy, small-town ambiance; and a down-to-earth sleuth.”—Library Journal “I like Lucy Stone a lot, and so will readers.”—Carolyn Hart “Meier writes with sparkle and warmth.”—Chicago Sun Times

A “fast-paced” mystery with “a plot that involves two rival chocolatiers, a wealthy elderly couple from Connecticut, and plenty of local gossip” (Publishers Weekly). No one in their right mind would vacation in Maine this time of year, but to boost the economy, the town of Tinker’s Cove is launching a travel promotion for Valentine''s Day. As a reporter for the Pennysaver, Lucy Stone is assigned a puff piece on upscale Chanticleer’s Chocolates, and its deliciously handsome owner, Trey Meacham. Not the best way to keep her widening waistline under control. Soon Lucy discovers there’s another tantalizing tart behind the counter. Sultry store manager Tamzin Graves is only too eager to serve her male customers. With a throng of jealous women in her wake, it’s almost no surprise when Tamzin turns up dead, her body covered in chocolate. There''s no sugar-coating murder, and Lucy must crisscross the snow-covered landscape as she tries to find a heartless killer… “I like Lucy Stone a lot, and so will readers.”—Carolyn Hart, New York Times-bestselling author of the Death on Demand Mysteries “An enjoyable story.”—RT Book Reviews

The holidays are the icing on the cake for bakery owner Hannah Swensen. Surrounded by her loved ones, she has all the ingredients for a perfect Christmas--until murder is added to the mix. . . When it comes to holidays, Minnesotans rise to the occasion--and the little town of Lake Eden is baking up a storm with Hannah leading the way. The annual Christmas Buffet is the final test of the recipes Hannah has collected for the Lake Eden Holiday Buffet Cookbook. 'Tis the season for trimming the tree, caroling, baking cookies, and curling up by the Yuletide waiting for Santa to drop down the chimney. But in this festive collection of holiday whodunits, murder is also paying a visit. . . "Candy Cane Murder" By Joanne Fluke When a trail of candy canes leads to a corpse outfitted in a Santa suit on a snowy bank, Hannah Swensen sets out to discover who killed Kris Kringle. . . The yuletide season in Lake Eden, Minnesota, guarantees a white Christmas, delectable holiday goodies from Hannah Swensen's bakery, The Cookie Jar--and murder. As a shadow hangs over her friends' Christmas wedding, Hannah's determined to cook a killer's goose before anyone else gets burned. . . The Cookie Jar's busiest time of the year also happens to be the most wonderful time. . .for Christmas cookies, Hannah's own special plum pudding--and romance! She also gets a kick out of "Lunatic Larry Jaeger's Crazy Elf Christmas Tree Lot," a kitschy carnival taking place smack-dab in the middle of the village green. But then Hannah discovers the man himself dead as a doornail in his own office. . . Nothing's better on Christmas Eve than waiting for the stroke of midnight with a cup of eggnog and a plate of warm gingerbread cookies. But in this merry collection of holiday mysteries, murder is making its own special delivery. . . "Gingerbread Cookie Murder" By Joanne Fluke When Hannah Swensen finds her neighbor Ernie Kusak with his head bashed in and sprawled on the floor of his condo next to an upended box of Hannah's Gingerbread Cookies, she discovers a flurry of murder suspects that's as long as her holiday shopping list.

New York Times-Bestselling Author: A millionaire is found dead near his yacht, and a local mom launches an investigation… Already juggling four kids’ hectic schedules, a rambunctious dog, an attention-craving husband, and a full-time reporter job, Lucy Stone can''t possibly squeeze in another responsibility...or can she? There’s a big wedding coming up, and Lucy’s promised her friend she’ll help arrange the lavish event in a newly built gazebo. Too bad the groom, internet millionaire Ron Davitz, is getting on the nerves of the locals, especially after their boats were displaced to make room for his yacht. When Ron’s body is found floating in the harbor, Lucy isn’t convinced it was accidental. From the picturesque waterfront to tony Smith Heights Road, Tinker''s Cove is awash with suspects. Now, fresh from wedding planning, Lucy finds herself contemplating her own funeral as she pursues a killer who’ll do anything to keep from being unveiled…. “Meier takes well-worn plot elements—small-town tensions, in-law troubles—and buffs them into a fresh yarn. Characters and their interactions are realistic and dryly humorous [and] the Maine coast provides an evocative backdrop.”—Booklist

New York Times-Bestselling Author:“Fans of Murder, She Wrote may want to try this…a series that is well written and enjoyable.”—The Evansville Courier and Press Between her family and her reporting duties for the Tinker’s Cove, Maine Pennysaver, Lucy Stone could use a break. So when a friend tells her about a trip to England sponsored by Winchester College, she jumps at the chance for a girls’ getaway. But when the professor leading the tour dies mid-flight after an asthma attack, Lucy’s glad she packed her sleuthing skills. In London, Professor Quentin Rea, a ladies’ man and former flirt of Lucy''s, arrives to take over the tour—and she finds that while his hairline has receded, his amorous intentions have not. And as Lucy notices some peculiar behavior and uncovers some surprising connections—and then another tour member dies—she winds up in a daring scheme to find a mastermind of murder… “There’s plenty here to please Meier’s followers and fans of cozy mysteries…Meier pays homage to all the tried and true British high points, from the Tower of London and its resident ravens to tea shops, strawberry jam and Devonshire cream, to the glories of Stonehenge at sunset.”—BookPage “Leslie Meier writes with sparkle and warmth.”—Chicago Sun Times

New York Times-Bestselling Author: A peaceful Maine town erupts in fireworks over nudists, lobster poachers, and a fatal hit-and-run… Lucy Stone is in the doghouse with her next-door neighbor, Mrs. Prudence Pratt. It seems that Kudo, the Stones’ misbehaving mutt, has developed a taste for Mrs. Pratt’s blue-ribbon winning chickens, as well an escape artist’s talent for sneaking out. With the Fourth of July coming up, Lucy doesn’t want to set off any more fireworks with the crabby Prudence. Another sign that the crazy days of summer are in full swing arrives when a group of naturists—a.k.a. nudists—descends on Tinker’s Cove, skinny-dipping at the pond that borders Mrs. Pratt’s property, giving her something else to complain about. Worse still, the local lobstermen are upset about poachers, and suspicion falls on Mrs. Pratt’s husband and son. Then the July Fourth fireworks are canceled to protect a patch of extremely rare purple-spotted lichen, and Mrs Pratt is the victim of a hit and run. Tinker''s Cove is full of suspects, but none with so personal a motive as the Stones. Their feud with Mrs. Pratt has put them at risk of losing their freedom this Independence Day—unless Lucy can start things off with a bang by catching a killer… “Leslie Meier writes with sparkle and warmth.”—Chicago Sun Times “A down-to-earth sleuth.”—Library Journal “Leslie Meier has created such a wonderful series, I always look forward to reading the next book, and I''m never disappointed.”—I Love a Mystery

Four all-new holiday offerings from today’s favorite authors remind us that when love is on your list, you never have to stop believing. . . . “A Winter Wonderland” by #1 New York Times–bestselling author Fern Michaels Angelica Shepard left New York for Christmas in Colorado to relax and unwind—but an out-of-control snowboarder almost had her laid to rest. When she wakes up in the hospital, all she remembers is the handsome angel who saved her . . . “The Joy of Christmas” by Holly Chamberlin, bestselling author of All Our Summers Not all happiness is good for you—or that’s what Iris Karr thinks when she decides to move away instead of marrying her sweetheart Ben. Even years later, living with that decision isn't easy—until a familiar face comes to call her home for the holidays . . . “The Christmas Thief” by New York Times–bestselling author Leslie Meier Elizabeth Stone is ready for a white Christmas in Tinker’s Cove, Maine—until a fancy Yule ball at the Florida hotel where she works dumps snow on her plans. The sponsor’s jewels have gone missing and the police are asking about her ties to a cute mystery guest. Good thing Elizabeth’s mother, Lucy Stone, flew down to surprise her. ’Tis the season for a little investigating . . . “The Christmas Collector” by New York Times–bestselling author Kristina McMorris Estate liquidator Jenna Matthews isn’t one for Christmas nostalgia. But when one grandmother’s keepsakes suggest a secret life, unwrapping the mystery leads Jenna—and her client’s handsome grandson—to the true heart of the holiday spirit.

New York Times-Bestselling Author: A feud between two competitive moms may have turned fatal in the “engaging cozy series” set in small-town Maine (Publishers Weekly). Two of her four kids may be out of the nest, but Lucy Stone knows only too well that mothering is a lifetime commitment. At least she gets to kick back and enjoy a fancy Mother''s Day brunch with her brood—that is, before the festivities are interrupted by a nasty scene courtesy of Barbara Hume and Tina Nowak. Opposites in every way, these mean moms have only one thing in common: the need to best each other at every turn, using their teenage daughters as pawns in elaborate games of one-upmanship. But even after witnessing the women’s claw-sharpening rituals, Lucy never expects to see actual blood spilled—until Tina is shot dead on the public tennis court… “As charming and enjoyable as ever.”—Romantic Times “Lucy Stone is an endearing sleuth.”—Dorothy Cannell

Polyketides and nonribosomal peptides constitute two classes of natural products which are well known for their application as antibiotic, antiparasitic, antifungal, and anticancer agents. One of the most remarkable discoveries yielded by studies into the biosynthesis of these compounds has been the finding that these seemingly disparate chemical structures are produced by a similar biosynthetic logic, in which multimodular enzymes activate, condense, and tailor a series of monomer units to produce the final natural product. The finding that the sequence and identity of active sites occurring in polyketide synthase (PKS) and nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) enzymes dictates the structure and biological activity of the natural product has lead to studies towards reengineering these synthases for the production of novel small molecules, an approach known as combinatorial biosynthesis. However, the many difficulties encountered in such studies emphasize the need for a greater knowledge of these biosynthetic systems at the protein level before the full potential of such approaches can be achieved. The goal of the work in this thesis was to develop and apply chemical probes capable of facilitating structural and proteomic studies of PKS and NRPS enzymes, two aspects of these systems which have proven problematic to traditional methods of analysis. For this purpose, a series of fluorescence, affinity, and crosslinking probes were synthesized and evaluated for their ability to label enzyme activities commonly utilized by PKS and NRPS enzymes. These studies lead to the development of a chemoenzymatic crosslinking approach capable of directly reporting on the protein-protein interactions of the acyl carrier protein-dehydratase pair found in PKS systems, as well as methods for the specific labeling of PKS and NRPS carrier protein, ketosynthase, thioesterase, and dehydratase domains with fluorescence and affinity reagents in complex proteomic mixtures. Finally, these chemical proteomic probes were integrated with a high-content, mass spectrometry based protein identification platform for the global proteomic analysis of PKS and NRPS biosynthesis in the model bacterium Bacillus subtilis. Through their continued application such methods have the potential to provide unique insights into PKS and NRPS biosynthetic pathways, facilitating the discovery and production of new therapeutic agents.

When Lucy Stone stumbles upon the dead body of Mimi, the annoying and whiny wife of local developer Frank Stanton, she launches her own investigation into the murder, a quest for the truth that makes the killer nervous and results in threatening notes. Reprint.

A collection of three holiday mysteries includes stories by Joanne Fluke, Laura Levine, and Leslie Meyer, and features fourteen Christmas recipes.

New York Times-Bestselling Author: A mother and daughter visiting from Maine get mixed up in murder at a Manhattan fashion magazine… After the annual parade of Christmas presents in Tinker''s Cove, Maine, has ended, Lucy Stone and her daughter Elizabeth are ready to ring in the new year in style. Elizabeth has won mother/daughter winter makeovers in Manhattan from Jolie magazine! But the all-expenses-paid trip is bound to have some hidden costs—and one of them is murder. After arriving at the magazine’s offices, meeting their fellow makeover candidates, and being treated to a fashion show, Elizabeth is enamored of the extreme outfits and stick-thin models—while Lucy’s having some misgivings. The pampering is nice and the glamour of haute couture is bizarrely fascinating, but bitterness and aggression lurk behind the hipper-than-thou façade. And things turn downright ugly when self-absorbed fashion editor Nadine Nelson falls mysteriously ill and dies. Lucy can tell that backstabbing, rumors, and cliquishness have stirred up some bad blood at Jolie over the years. But this Manhattan murder mystery hits too close to home when Elizabeth gets rushed to the hospital with symptoms disturbingly similar to Nadine’s—and Lucy to dress down a killer before the ball drops in Times Square… “A down-to-earth sleuth.”—Library Journal “I like Lucy Stone a lot, and so will readers.”—Carolyn Hart, New York Times-bestselling author of the Death on Demand Mysteries

After the annual parade of Christmas presents in Tinker's Cove has ended, reporter & sleuth Lucy Stone & her daughter Elizabeth are ready to ring in the New Year in style. Elizabeth has won mother-daughter winter makeovers in Manhattan from a magazine.

While moonlighting during the Christmas rush for a trendy mail-order house, Lucy Stone stumbles upon the body of the company's founder and turns sleuth to find a killer in the small town of Tinker's cove, Maine