A light read for Spring. Review on Easter Bunny Murder - Leslie Meier

Sunny days are gradually lifting up spirits,

Easter colors spring up and deck every street,

But this year, warmer days start with a tragedy,

Something is fishy at the abode of the most elite.

About the author: Leslie Meier’s novels are very popular and are often referred to as ‘Cozy Mysteries’. These are mysteries that are not cold-blooded or gory, yet engage the mind and ignite the interest of any detective reader. These stories take place in a small town or a closely knit community. Meier’s tales move at a slow pitch and many have a backdrop of an American festival or a special event. All her mysteries have the word ‘Murder’.

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Plot: On a cheery spring morning in a small town called Pine Point, all the people including 60-year-old Lucy Stone, are excited about the annual Easter Egg hunt. This is held by the wealthiest old woman in town- Vivian Van Vorst. Every year, the enthusiastic old woman has her huge yard decorated with little fake eggs that are filled with toys or candy. Children can run around and collect them. The day ends with a refreshments party at her tastefully decorated mansion.

This year, as the townspeople eagerly await the opening of the huge mansion gates for the egg hunt, Vivian's grandson Duff steps out dressed as a huge Easter Bunny. Amidst gasps and squeals of terror, he suddenly stumbles to the ground and dies soon after. He has no obvious bruises and no symptoms of poisoning.

The small town of Pine Point is stunned at the unfortunate event. His death seems to have been due to natural causes for a few chapters, but the reader is not fooled here. A giant hint is the title of the book itself! The murder of Duff’s girlfriend follows soon after. On a parallel track, the elderly Vivian’s granddaughter is accused of elder abuse. Her artifacts are being auctioned off and Vivian is not being treated well.

Is anyone trying to do away with all the rightful heirs of Vivian or is there any other sinister motive? Is Vivian still part of the town’s elite crowd or has her financial position dwindled to tatters?

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My Opinion: Agatha Christie has been and will be my favorite author for murder mysteries. When I took up the Easter Bunny Murder, I was instantly reminded of Miss Marple. Lucy Stone, being a middle-aged and dedicated reporter possessed a few shades akin to Christie’s old lady. However, as the story progressed, I was not very impressed with the narration which gave equal importance to the running around of pet dogs and to the flow of the mystery. When a key clue surfaces, it seemed that the pet dog was eager to play with Lucy.

It was an exercise trying to get to the end of the novel, but the element of intrigue kept me going. The ending was a shock and made this novel a fair read.

Over the last few months, I tried a few mystery book authors to get different tastes of writing and narration. Abhorrently, many authors today have taken up cursing as a seemingly intense way of narration. I am not sure if the young readers of today enjoy such prose, but it did not cut any ice with me. I feel a writer who has to stoop low enough to use such words is either struggling with his vocabulary, trying to vent out his own frustration or trying to fill up the pages promised to his publisher. I am happy to inform that Leslie Meier is not one of them and this book egged me on to write a review.

2.5 stars!