Star Spangled Murder (A Lucy Stone Mystery)

Star Spangled Murder (A Lucy Stone Mystery) by Meier, Leslie. mass_market edition. ISBN: 9780758228987.

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. Pratts blue-ribbon winning chickens, as well an escape artists talent for sneaking out. With the Fourth of July coming up, Lucy doesnt 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 Tinkers Cove, skinny-dipping at the pond that borders Mrs. Pratts property, giving her something else to complain about. Worse still, the local lobstermen are upset about poachers--and suspicion falls on Mrs. Pratts 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. Tinkers 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 red, white and blue killer. . . Praise for Leslie Meier and Her Lucy Stone Mysteries "Leslie Meier writes with sparkle and warmth." --Chicago Sun Times "Leslie Meier has created such a wonderful series, I always look forward to reading the next book, and Im never disappointed."--I Love a Mystery "A truly American version of the English cozy." --Tulsa World