Small-town Maine journalist Lucy Stone travels to New York City to attend the funeral of her friend Beth, who, police claim, committed suicide. Lucy doesn't buy it, so she later returns to the city to investigate, telling her husband she needs a break. Lucy zeroes in on Beth's three, almost four, ex-husbands as suspects: the charismatic cult leader and father of her son, the tortured artist, the creepy chiropractor, and her current husband, billionaire Jeremy Blake, who seemingly has the most to gain from Beth's death. She uncovers their secrets and ultimately identifies Beth's killer, but her investigation leads to a terrifying ordeal. Meanwhile, in Tinker's Cove, the henpecked Warren Bickford and his disagreeable wife, Sylvia, have involved the entire town in their silver anniversary celebration, and Lucy must write a story about it for the local paper. The frenzied pace of the city, effectively contrasted with the more tranquil atmosphere of a small town; the reappearance of familiar characters; and numerous plot twists all contribute to the appeal of this satisfying entry in a long-running series.--Sue O'Brien Copyright 2018 Booklist

Bestseller Meier's mild 25th Lucy Stone mystery (after 2017's Turkey Trot Murder) takes the Maine-based amateur sleuth to New York City for the funeral of her childhood best friend and maid of honor, Beth Gerard, who fell to her death in an apparent suicide from her 22nd-story balcony. Although the two became estranged in recent years, Lucy is certain that her spunky friend would never have jumped voluntarily. Beth was on her fourth divorce at the time of her death, and Lucy finds each of her former husbands to be an ideal murder suspect: notorious cult leader Gabe Thomas; Tito Wilkins, an artist with a violent imagination; Colin Fine, a chiropractor with a mean streak; and philandering billionaire Jeremy Blake. Ignoring Detective McGuire's warnings, Lucy continues to pursue her investigation, which leads to some truly nail-biting, page-flipping moments. Fans probably won't mind some political preachiness, but a major implausibility involving the killer's motive may annoy those who recognize it. Agents: Meg Ruley and Christina Hogrebe, Jane Rotrosen Agency. (Oct.) c Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.