Romance

It’s summer again, and the Snowden family clambake business is gearing up to open once again for tourist season. Julia and her family are busier than ever. The 30-pound family cat Le Roi is being turned loose on the island, they’re trying to decide whether or not to restore the family mansion that burned down the previous summer with the money they got from selling a family heirloom, and when the architect on the project shows up with her billionaire boyfriend and his yacht in tow and he turns up dead a day later, it’s chaos Julia doesn’t need. I really like how each of these books feels very small, with familiar characters that recur from book to book, a cozy Maine setting, lots of food descriptions, and a focus on something Maine-based in each book, whether it’s the tourist trade, or lobster boating, or something. The mystery in this one went in directions I definitely wasn’t expecting! ( )

I have really enjoyed all the books in this series, and Barbara Ross has penned another winner. I loved that this book went back to Busman's Harbor, Maine. It’s June and the Snowden Family Clambake on Morrow Island is getting ready to open for summer season. When Julia's mother got her share of the sale of an antique piece of jewllery, she is considering either renovation or restoring Windsholme, the family home that is on the island. Quentin Tupper brings in Architect Wyatt Jayne to look it over and estimate the costs to renovate. A yacht belonging to billionaire recluse, Geoffrey Bower has anchored in the marina and it seems that Wyatt is in a relationship with the owner. Once again, there is a murder and Julia is asked to help investigate to clear certain people.

The usual characters are once again around including the rest of the family, Chris (Julia's boyfriend), the police investigators that we have grown to know and love and some of the local townfolk. It makes me feel like I have gone home again. This story had Julia, Chris and Quentin opening up and sharing some secrets that give us more information about their backgrounds and how that has affected who they have become. This was a good story that had a lot of surprises that I never would have predicted. I did figure out who the murderer was before the end of the book, but not much before. This was a well plotted story with great pacing and characters. I recommend this story to any and all cozy mystery lovers. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley. ( )

It's June in Busman's Harbor, and Julia Snowden and her family are preparing for the summer tourist season, when people will flock to their private island and have a real Maine clambake while enjoying the season. But on their island stands the shell of the home Julia spent all her summers growing up; decayed by age and fire. Since her mother came into quite a bit of money, she wants to restore the home, but Julia wants to tear it down; still, her mother is willing to see an architect that their friend Quentin has said is in town and can possibly help them.

Imagine Julia's surprise when the friend turns out to be an old school roommate of Julia's - and not one fondly remembered. While she keeps her thoughts to herself, she still doesn't trust the woman. But Wyatt Jayne acts as if she doesn't remember the incident that still stands clear in Julia's mind, and when plans for the house have been barely discussed, she invites everyone to dinner aboard her boyfriend's yacht, which is in harbor for renovations. After Julia meets the boyfriend - Geoffrey Bower - she's surprised that Wyatt would even be attracted to him, but likes him nonetheless.

But it's the next day that even more surprises are in store. While Julia and her family (and boyfriend Chris) are discussing what to do with the house - restore, renovate or tear down - that she receives a tearful phone call from Wyatt that something's occurred and she needs her at the yacht. Julia and Chris race to the harbor, and find an almost hysterical Wyatt - and a very dead Geoffrey with a hideous grin on his face.

But this is not all - a crew member has disappeared along with a diamond ring that Julia glimpsed on the table; her niece Page has a new friend with green eyes the exact color of Chris's; Quentin seems to be closer to Wyatt than he's saying; and she also discovers that her friend Genevieve is the chef on the yacht and was hoping for a romantic weekend with Detective Flynn, Julia's once nemesis on the local police force. But when the police start looking at Wyatt as a serious suspect in the obvious murder, Quentin asks Julia to help her, and she reluctantly agrees - with the help of an unlikely source, Flynn, who's also on the outside due to his relationship with Genevieve. But there's another surprise on the horizon, and it's one that might change the game for everyone involved...

This is the sixth book in the Maine Clambake Mysteries, and I believe that it's the best one yet. There's the mystery of the ring, which no one seems to have seen but Julia but she knows it's connected somehow, yet since the boat was deserted at the time Wyatt found the body - Geoffrey had given everyone the night off - there's suspects aplenty but sorting through them isn't easy since none of them are inclined to talk and all of them had apparent alibis for the evening. But Julia plods on, determined for the sake of her friendship with Quentin that she'll do her best to find the truth of the matter.

I truly enjoyed reading this book. The inhabitants of Busman's Harbor are a varied bunch, and Ms. Ross has a way of bringing them to life, giving each and every character a distinct nature that contribute to the story. The town she has created seems warm and inviting, and while tourists are welcomed during the summer, it's apparent that those From Away aren't part of their circle which envelops only friends and family, those who they care about and hold dear. It's this feeling that gives the books its personality and makes it a wonderful read.

We watch as Julia once again uses her wit to sort through the clues - which are plenty - and come to the heart of the matter. The series grows with each book, and in this one her relationship with Detective Flynn goes through a change, one for the good, as they realize that they need each other and are working toward the same goal in the end.

The story moves at a quick pace, the writing flows, the setting is descriptive and vivid, the mystery is well-thought out and keeps you looking for any evidence along with Julia. I also like the fact that the police are not cartoon buffoons who can't get anything right; both Flynn and Binder know what they're doing; the difference is that they're looking in other areas, and since Julia's not a cop, she doesn't have to follow the same rules; and it was nice to see that Flynn actually listened to - and believed - her theory about the murder.

In this book we once again watch Julia as she navigates her relationship with Chris; we learn more about Chris's family and more about Quentin; we learn that not all secrets are good and that what seems to be perfect isn't always so. It will be interesting to see where these are taken in the next installment.

As always, Ms. Ross never disappoints: When the ending comes and the murder was solved it was all believable and gratifying. The tale was intriguing and the clues were, for the most part, overt; the threads of the mystery were tightly woven and it all came together nicely. This can be read as a stand alone, since there is enough information where you don't feel muddled, but since this is such an enjoyable series I would recommend that you read them all. For myself, I eagerly look forward to the next. Highly recommended. ( )

Stowed Away by Barbara Ross is the sixth book in A Maine Clambake Mystery series. Julia Snowden is getting ready for another tourist season in Busman’s Harbor, Maine. Julia and her family own the Snowden Family Clambake Company. They host authentic Maine clambakes on Morrow Island. Windsholme, the old mansion on Morrow Island, suffered severe fire damage and Quentin Tupper is bringing an architect to provide an evaluation on the house. Wyatt Jane, the architect, went to prep school with Julia (Julia is less than pleased to see her). Wyatt arrived on the reclusive Geoffrey Bower’s yacht, Garbo. She invites them to dinner that night to see some of her work and they are surprised to see their friend, Genevieve Pelletier who is the chef for the yacht. The next evening, Julia gets frantic call from Wyatt. Julia races over and Geoffrey Bower is dead in the dining room with a strange grimace on his face. Julia had noticed a diamond ring on the table which disappears before the police arrive on the scene. There was something about the diamond that looked familiar to Julia. Suspicion falls onto Wyatt and Quentin asks Julia to investigate the murder. Julia dives into her investigation and begins by chatting with the crew. She wants to see if any of them had a motive to kill Mr. Bower. But then Geoffrey’s attorney arrives with news that surprises them all and changes the focus of the investigation. Who is the killer? Will they find the culprit before the crew departs town?

Stowed Away is nicely written and has a good pace. While Stowed Away is the sixth book in the series, it can be read alone. All the necessary details are included in the books. There are many cozy elements in the book. Getting the business ready for the season, Genevieve and her romance with Sgt. Tom Flynn, why Julia dislikes Wyatt, Page’s friend, Page’s friend Vanessa Bailey with green eyes just like Chris’, Julia’s romance with Chris Durand, whether to renovate or tear down Windsholme, and the upcoming Family Day clambake (for friends, employees, and family). The mystery is interesting, and many readers will not solve it before the reveal. Can it be solved? Yes. The clues are there to aid readers in solving the crime. There is a delightful twist that will surprise you (unless you paid close attention while reading the story). This is my favorite book in A Maine Clambake Mystery series. I especially appreciated the complex mystery and that the romance between Chris and Julia was in the background. Ms. Ross has created a lovely community of people in A Maine Clambake Mystery series. The main characters are smart, caring and friendly (instead of silly, bumbling fools). Fans of A Maine Clambake Mystery series will be delighted with Stowed Away. ( )