Publishing date: Dec. 18, 2018
From the publisher:
It’s summertime in Busman’s
Harbor, Maine, and the clamming is easy—or it was until a mysterious new
neighbor blocks access to the beach, cutting off the Snowden Family Clambake’s
supply. Julia Snowden is just one of many townspeople angered by Bartholomew
Frick’s decision. But which one of them was angry enough to kill?
Beachcombers, lighthouse buffs, and clammers are outraged after Frick puts up a gate in front of his newly inherited mansion. When Julia urges him to reconsider, she’s the last to see him alive—except the person who stabs him in the neck with a clam rake. As she pores through a long list of suspects, Julia meets disgruntled employees, rival heirs, and a pair of tourists determined to visit every lighthouse in America. They all have secrets, and Julia will have to work fast to expose the guilty party—or see this season’s clam harvest dry up for good.
Beachcombers, lighthouse buffs, and clammers are outraged after Frick puts up a gate in front of his newly inherited mansion. When Julia urges him to reconsider, she’s the last to see him alive—except the person who stabs him in the neck with a clam rake. As she pores through a long list of suspects, Julia meets disgruntled employees, rival heirs, and a pair of tourists determined to visit every lighthouse in America. They all have secrets, and Julia will have to work fast to expose the guilty party—or see this season’s clam harvest dry up for good.
My thoughts:
This is one of my favorite cozy
mystery series--and just yesterday, I was trying to determine why. I read my
share of cozies, especially in winter (I like the comfort factor, the small
town settings). But many lose my interest after a few chapters, often because
they feel predictable, or don't challenge my intellect enough (a pitfall to the
cozy, alas).
Barbara Ross somehow manages to
combine the small town setting with a smart mystery, plus a recurring cast with
real problems and depth. That's the closest I can get to defining why this cozy
series is one of my favorites.
Steamed Open takes us back to
familiar Busman's Harbor, this time because one of the (somewhat reclusive and
mysterious) local residents passed away (no murder), and has left her estate to
a nephew who has just moved in. He restricts local access to the beach, much to
the chagrin of the local clammers who rely on the location for their income. The nephew is killed at the estate just after amateur sleuth Julia Snowden has visited him, kicking the whodunit into gear.
The mystery becomes bigger and
bigger, as Julia tries to uncover family history going
back generations, with secrets many of Busman Harbor's residents don't want uncovered.
While some cozy series start to
become repetitive after a while, I think the Maine Clambake Mystery series
actually gets better. Author Barbara Ross clearly dug deep for this one (clam
pun not intended), with thematic depth and more serious family history at the
center of the mystery--without losing the small town charm of the cozy. Great
recipes (with meaning and history) in the back, if you're so inclined.
Highly recommended. This is a
cozy that elevates the genre.
If you're not familiar with the series, I highly recommend starting with the first book, Clammed Up.
**Goodreads Galley**
Fleur, thanks for this review and the introduction to writer Barbara Ross. I enjoy reading such mysteries, especially when the setting is a quaint and lovely place like Busman's Harbour and where the sleuth is an amateur. Shades of Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys, I think.
ReplyDeleteI hope you give this series a try, Prashant! It's fun.
ReplyDelete