Summer has come to Busman's Harbor, Maine, and tourists are lining up for a taste of authentic New England seafood, courtesy of the Snowden Family Clambake Company. But there's something sinister on the boil this season. A killer has crashed a wedding party, adding mystery to the menu at the worst possible moment. . .
Julia Snowden returned to her hometown to rescue her family's struggling clambake business--not to solve crimes. But that was before a catered wedding on picturesque Morrow Island turned into a reception for murder. When the best man's corpse is found hanging from the grand staircase in the Snowden family mansion, Julia must put the chowder pot on the back burner and join the search for the killer. And with suspicion falling on her old crush, Chris Durand, the recipe for saving her business and salvaging her love life might be one and the same. . .
Includes Traditional Maine Clambake Recipes!
"A tasty whodunnit with a real Maine twist." --Sarah Graves, author of A Bat in the Belfry
More Advance Praise For Clammed Up!
"If you like seafood and salty air, you'll love Clammed Up. A tasty tale that will have readers clamoring for second helpings." --Leslie Meier, author of Easter Bunny Murder
"Take lobster, clams, and an ear of corn. Add one murder. Fold in a complex heroine, an assortment of colorful suspects, and a plot with lots of twists and turns. Heat up on an island off the coast of Maine. The result? Clammed Up contains just the right amounts of all the best ingredients to provide mystery readers with a tasty treat." --Kaitlyn Dunnett, author of Vampires, Bones, and Treacle Scones
This book started slow for me, and I was certain it wouldn't be a 4 star read. But it was well-written and something kept me from just putting it down and walking away. As I kept reading, the story built momentum, and I became more engrossed, more invested, with each chapter.
The story takes place in Maine and the characters adhere to the stoic typecast of most residents of Maine. The result is not a light-hearted, humorous book or setting. The characters are likeable, but they aren't charming or witty or cheeky; it takes time to warm to them. There's also a fair amount of family drama to work through in this book, and that ratchets up the stoicism just that little bit more. Julia has just moved back to Maine from New York City in an attempt to save the family business, and has no real friends in town to speak of, so no opportunities for banter or for the lighter side of a personality to shine through. Quentin shows promise in the future for more levity, but he doesn't play a massive part in this plot and isn't seen very often.
The plot itself was delightfully twisty and the ending was skilfully done; there was no guessing on my part - I hadn't a clue how the story was going to end. A few threads were tied up a bit neatly at the end, but none of them central to the murder and none of them a surprise. I will say the author knows how to end a book too! :)
A very strong first, and I'm looking forward to reading the second.
Reading updates
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Started reading
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4 September, 2013:
Finished reading
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4 September, 2013:
Reviewed