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Erika Kehlet (21 KP) rated Musseled Out (A Maine Clambake Mystery, #3) in Books
Feb 21, 2018
***NOTE: I received an advance copy of this book for review through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***
Julia Snowden is in Busman's Harbor, Maine, wrapping up the tourist season for her family's Clambake business and trying to decide if she will be headed back to her job in New York now that summer is over, or if she will be staying in Maine full-time. When a potential competitor turns up dead in the water, Julia's brother-in-law Sonny finds himself high on the list of suspects. Making matters worse, he is obviously hiding something from Julia, her sister Livvie, and the police. Julia is afraid that her boyfriend, Chris, is hiding something from her too. Since he's one of her reasons to stay in town, the decision to stay or go is just that much harder.
Once again I started a series somewhere other than at the beginning. While you won't be lost reading this book without having read the previous installments, in this case I do wish that I had read books one and two first. I think having a better understanding of the interpersonal relationships beforehand would have been nice, but the author does a good job of keeping you informed without totally rehashing everything that has already happened. With that aside, I really liked the story. There were enough characters and sub-plots to make it hard to guess "whodunnit", yet without being confusing. I felt like I should already have known who did it once Julia finally figured out who the murderer was, but while the conclusion was logical, it was not obvious.
This book is part of a series of culinary mysteries, and recipes like Lobster, Shrimp and Fennel Scampi, Hot Lobster Dip, and Grandma Snowden's Pumpkin Whoopie Pies are sure to make your mouth water.
I will be heading back to Busman's Harbor to read the beginning of this series, and I'm looking forward to more books to come.
Julia Snowden is in Busman's Harbor, Maine, wrapping up the tourist season for her family's Clambake business and trying to decide if she will be headed back to her job in New York now that summer is over, or if she will be staying in Maine full-time. When a potential competitor turns up dead in the water, Julia's brother-in-law Sonny finds himself high on the list of suspects. Making matters worse, he is obviously hiding something from Julia, her sister Livvie, and the police. Julia is afraid that her boyfriend, Chris, is hiding something from her too. Since he's one of her reasons to stay in town, the decision to stay or go is just that much harder.
Once again I started a series somewhere other than at the beginning. While you won't be lost reading this book without having read the previous installments, in this case I do wish that I had read books one and two first. I think having a better understanding of the interpersonal relationships beforehand would have been nice, but the author does a good job of keeping you informed without totally rehashing everything that has already happened. With that aside, I really liked the story. There were enough characters and sub-plots to make it hard to guess "whodunnit", yet without being confusing. I felt like I should already have known who did it once Julia finally figured out who the murderer was, but while the conclusion was logical, it was not obvious.
This book is part of a series of culinary mysteries, and recipes like Lobster, Shrimp and Fennel Scampi, Hot Lobster Dip, and Grandma Snowden's Pumpkin Whoopie Pies are sure to make your mouth water.
I will be heading back to Busman's Harbor to read the beginning of this series, and I'm looking forward to more books to come.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2204 KP) rated Steamed Open in Books
Dec 24, 2018
Closing a Beach Leaves Everyone Steamed
Lou Herrickson, a beloved member of the Busman's Harbor community, has recently died. Lou has left everything to her late husband's grandnephew, Bart Frick. That includes the mansion where she lived and the lighthouse and beach connected to it. Lou had always left the beach open to the public, but the first thing Bart does is fence off the beach. The locals who make a living by clamming are the first to discover this when they arrive to start their morning of work, and that's when Julia Snowden becomes concerned. Her family uses clams harvested from this beach in the Snowden Family clambake. Hoping to resolve things faster than a court challenge will allow, Julia goes to talk to Bart the next morning only to find him closed to reopening the beach. A few hours later, Bart is dead. The suspects range from those impacted to by closing of the beach to any potential heirs to a couple obsessed with lighthouses. Can Julia help find the killer?
I absolutely love this series, and this is another excellent entry. The mystery is strong with several competing suspects and motives to keep us from seeing the truth until Julia figures it out. A couple of sub-plots carry over from the previous book, and I liked how they were woven into the main mystery. No, you don't have to have read the previous book to understand what happens here, but it certainly helps. The characters are strong, with layers to them that unfold as the book progresses. This makes the characters introduced here more complex than in many of the series I read, and I love them more for it. We also learned a bit more about a series regular here, and I loved that added insight. There are four recipes for you to enjoy once you've finished the book, two featuring clams and two baked goods.
I absolutely love this series, and this is another excellent entry. The mystery is strong with several competing suspects and motives to keep us from seeing the truth until Julia figures it out. A couple of sub-plots carry over from the previous book, and I liked how they were woven into the main mystery. No, you don't have to have read the previous book to understand what happens here, but it certainly helps. The characters are strong, with layers to them that unfold as the book progresses. This makes the characters introduced here more complex than in many of the series I read, and I love them more for it. We also learned a bit more about a series regular here, and I loved that added insight. There are four recipes for you to enjoy once you've finished the book, two featuring clams and two baked goods.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2204 KP) rated Murder with a Cherry on Top in Books
Jul 6, 2019
Rival’s Murder Cools Off Opening Week
Kate McKay has returned to her hometown of Wolfet’s Roost in the Hudson River Valley of New York, and she has opened her own ice cream shop. Her only possibly concern is that it is across the street from the bakery owned by Ashley Winthrop. The two have known each other all their lives, and they have never gotten along. Sadly, Kate hasn’t even been opened a week before she gets proof that Ashley intends to continue their feud. But when Ashley is murdered the day after the two have a very public fight, Kate finds herself questioned by the police. Can she figure out what really happened before she is arrested for a crime she didn’t commit?
First books in series walk a fine line between introducing us to characters and giving us a good mystery. This one errs on the side of character backstory, which makes the first quarter very slow plot wise. Things do pick up as we go along, and by the second half the mystery is in full swing. Once it got going, I found the mystery good with an ending I didn’t suspect yet one that made sense. Kate, her Gran, and her niece are all solid characters and I enjoyed spending time with them. I am curious where Kate’s love life will go after what we learned and the characters we met here. The suspects don’t get much page time, but they seem real from the little bit of time we did get to spend with them. And there is plenty of talk about ice cream, which made me crave one of my favorite desserts. There are four delicious sounding recipes at the end, so you can bring a bit of Kate’s shop home with you. If you are looking for a new series to help you cool off as the summer heats up, this debut is for you.
First books in series walk a fine line between introducing us to characters and giving us a good mystery. This one errs on the side of character backstory, which makes the first quarter very slow plot wise. Things do pick up as we go along, and by the second half the mystery is in full swing. Once it got going, I found the mystery good with an ending I didn’t suspect yet one that made sense. Kate, her Gran, and her niece are all solid characters and I enjoyed spending time with them. I am curious where Kate’s love life will go after what we learned and the characters we met here. The suspects don’t get much page time, but they seem real from the little bit of time we did get to spend with them. And there is plenty of talk about ice cream, which made me crave one of my favorite desserts. There are four delicious sounding recipes at the end, so you can bring a bit of Kate’s shop home with you. If you are looking for a new series to help you cool off as the summer heats up, this debut is for you.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2204 KP) rated And Then There Were Crumbs in Books
Nov 22, 2019
Unfortunately, the Mystery Got Crumbs
Looking for a fresh start, Kate McGuire packs up and moves from New York City to Coral Cay, Florida, where she lands a job working at The Cookie House. On her first day on the job, Stewart Lord stalks into the bakery. He is a real estate developer who has decided to buy up Coral Cay and turn the entire island into a resort for the rich and famous, and he has The Cookie House in his sites as his first purchase. He makes the owner, Sam, a rock bottom offer, but only leaves with some cinnamon rolls he demanded from Sam. A few hours later, Stewart is dead, and Sam’s cinnamon rolls are the culprit. The police arrest Sam, but Kate doesn’t think her new boss is a killer. Can she prove he didn’t poison Stewart?
Between the fact that this is a culinary cozy and it is set in the Florida Keys, I was ready to sit back and enjoy. Unfortunately, it didn’t live up to my expectations. I was captivated at first. The setting is very real and fun and comes to life. Kate quickly makes a lot of fantastic friends, and I enjoyed hanging out with all of them. The further I went into the book, the more frustrated I became with the pacing of the mystery. We spend significantly more time watching Kate work to save and transform the bakery while Sam is in jail than we do getting clues to who might have killed Stewart. It’s a shame because there is a good mystery here; we just needed more of it. All the baking certainly made me hungry for bread and cookies, but there aren’t any recipes at the end of this book. Plenty of people seem to love this book, so if the premise interests you, I recommend you pick it up and judge the results for yourself.
Between the fact that this is a culinary cozy and it is set in the Florida Keys, I was ready to sit back and enjoy. Unfortunately, it didn’t live up to my expectations. I was captivated at first. The setting is very real and fun and comes to life. Kate quickly makes a lot of fantastic friends, and I enjoyed hanging out with all of them. The further I went into the book, the more frustrated I became with the pacing of the mystery. We spend significantly more time watching Kate work to save and transform the bakery while Sam is in jail than we do getting clues to who might have killed Stewart. It’s a shame because there is a good mystery here; we just needed more of it. All the baking certainly made me hungry for bread and cookies, but there aren’t any recipes at the end of this book. Plenty of people seem to love this book, so if the premise interests you, I recommend you pick it up and judge the results for yourself.
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated All Wrapped Up (Geek Girl #1.5) in Books
Feb 3, 2020
<a href="https://diaryofdifference.com/">Blog</a>; | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/diaryofdifference/">Facebook</a>; | <a href="https://twitter.com/DiaryDifference">Twitter</a>; | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/diaryofdifference/">Instagram</a>; | <a href="https://www.pinterest.co.uk/diaryofdifference/pins/">Pinterest</a>;
#1 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13621089-geek-girl">Geek Girl</a> - ★★★★
#1.5 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2942394177">Geek Girl: All Wrapped Up</a> - ★★★★
<img src="https://diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Book-Review-Banner-21.png"/>;
<b><i>Geek Girl: All Wrapped Up is a Christmas special and a spin-off from the Geek Girl Series, written by Holly Smale. It is cute and full of Christmas spirit and I only have one regret - I wish I read it in December.</i></b>
In this book, we follow the lovely and geeky Harriet again. She is stressed about her first date, but her friends come to the rescue. They have an action plan on how to make this boy fall in love!
As I have already mentioned in my Geek Girl review - I love Harriet's personality. Her geekiness is something that I didn't read much about while growing up and it makes me happy that it slowly starts to be available to teenage girls.
Geek Girl: All Wrapped Up features Christmas and I loved all the facts about different Christmas traditions all over the world, all the Christmas jokes and recipes in this book. When reading, I could feel the Christmas Spirit on every page and it was wonderful.
There isn't a big story line or any twists happening, but Geek Girl: All Wrapped Up is a lovely festive addition to the original Geek Girl series. I can't wait to read the next book and see what Harriet is going to do next. Something mischievous, I am sure!
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#1 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13621089-geek-girl">Geek Girl</a> - ★★★★
#1.5 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2942394177">Geek Girl: All Wrapped Up</a> - ★★★★
<img src="https://diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Book-Review-Banner-21.png"/>;
<b><i>Geek Girl: All Wrapped Up is a Christmas special and a spin-off from the Geek Girl Series, written by Holly Smale. It is cute and full of Christmas spirit and I only have one regret - I wish I read it in December.</i></b>
In this book, we follow the lovely and geeky Harriet again. She is stressed about her first date, but her friends come to the rescue. They have an action plan on how to make this boy fall in love!
As I have already mentioned in my Geek Girl review - I love Harriet's personality. Her geekiness is something that I didn't read much about while growing up and it makes me happy that it slowly starts to be available to teenage girls.
Geek Girl: All Wrapped Up features Christmas and I loved all the facts about different Christmas traditions all over the world, all the Christmas jokes and recipes in this book. When reading, I could feel the Christmas Spirit on every page and it was wonderful.
There isn't a big story line or any twists happening, but Geek Girl: All Wrapped Up is a lovely festive addition to the original Geek Girl series. I can't wait to read the next book and see what Harriet is going to do next. Something mischievous, I am sure!
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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2204 KP) rated Sealed Off (A Maine Clambake Mystery, #8) in Books
Jan 2, 2020
Fall Brings Mysteries for Julia
The clambake that Julia Snowden and her family run on their family’s island is just running on weekends through Columbus Day. Unfortunately, tension among the staff seems to be reaching the boiling point. Romances among the staff have been causing issues all season, but Julia was hoping they could make it until the end of the season, and those issues would resolve themselves before the clambake starts up again in the spring. A fist fight as the guests and crew were leaving one days brings things to a head, and leaves Julia in the unfortunate position of firing her boyfriend’s brother. However, a dead body on the island the next morning only makes the situation worse.
There is a strong sub-plot, almost a second full mystery, in this book involving a room that has been sealed off since the 1890’s in the family mansion on the island. Between the two stories, this book moves forward at a constant pace, and the pages flew by. I never wanted to put the book down until I reached the satisfying end. Once again, I was left in awe of how the clues were woven into the story. Several series arcs were advanced here, and the chances for character development were put to full use. The new characters are just as strong as the series regulars, which is no surprise to anyone who has read the series. Those looking for recipes will be pleased with the five we get at the end of the story. There is not one wasted word in this story, and I set it down completely satisfied. Well, almost satisfied. As is always the case, I was left wanting to visit Julia and her family and friends again as soon as possible. Fans of the series will be delighted with this book. If you haven’t started this series yet, you need to fix that as soon as possible.
There is a strong sub-plot, almost a second full mystery, in this book involving a room that has been sealed off since the 1890’s in the family mansion on the island. Between the two stories, this book moves forward at a constant pace, and the pages flew by. I never wanted to put the book down until I reached the satisfying end. Once again, I was left in awe of how the clues were woven into the story. Several series arcs were advanced here, and the chances for character development were put to full use. The new characters are just as strong as the series regulars, which is no surprise to anyone who has read the series. Those looking for recipes will be pleased with the five we get at the end of the story. There is not one wasted word in this story, and I set it down completely satisfied. Well, almost satisfied. As is always the case, I was left wanting to visit Julia and her family and friends again as soon as possible. Fans of the series will be delighted with this book. If you haven’t started this series yet, you need to fix that as soon as possible.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2204 KP) rated A Likely Story in Books
Mar 13, 2020
No Man Dies on an Island Alone
One of the things that librarian Lindsey Norris does as part of her job is take requests to the residents who live in the islands off the coast of Briar Creek, Connecticut. And that’s what she is doing this cold February day with the help of her ex-boyfriend, Sully. Their first stop is Star Island, the home of brothers Stewart and Peter Rosen. The brothers are recluses, and Lindsey knows to never leave the dock – Stewart will meet her there. This particular afternoon, Stewart doesn’t come to meet her. After waiting a few minutes, Lindsey and Sully can’t help but feel that something is wrong, so they venture up to the house to investigate. Inside, they find one brother dead with no sign of the other. Did one brother kill the other? Or is something even more sinister involved?
Since this is book six in the series, we’ve gotten to know the series regulars pretty well, and it is fun to check in with them again here. A couple of the supporting characters even get their own sub-plots, and they added some great humor to the book. The love triangle is still going strong here, although it takes a backseat to some of the other storylines of the book. Yes, the mystery is the more prominent story of the book. Once again for this series, it doesn’t unfold in typical fashion, but I was no less hooked, and I had to know what Lindsey would uncover next as she worked to piece everything together. I did feel the ending was rushed, which left a couple of things dangling, but the big questions were all answered. We get the typical extras for this series – literature discussion questions, a craft project, recipes – as well as a bonus short story that is a lot of fun. Fans new and old will enjoy catching up with Lindsey here.
Since this is book six in the series, we’ve gotten to know the series regulars pretty well, and it is fun to check in with them again here. A couple of the supporting characters even get their own sub-plots, and they added some great humor to the book. The love triangle is still going strong here, although it takes a backseat to some of the other storylines of the book. Yes, the mystery is the more prominent story of the book. Once again for this series, it doesn’t unfold in typical fashion, but I was no less hooked, and I had to know what Lindsey would uncover next as she worked to piece everything together. I did feel the ending was rushed, which left a couple of things dangling, but the big questions were all answered. We get the typical extras for this series – literature discussion questions, a craft project, recipes – as well as a bonus short story that is a lot of fun. Fans new and old will enjoy catching up with Lindsey here.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2204 KP) rated Coconut Layer Cake Murder in Books
Mar 23, 2020
Clearing Lonnie
Hannah Swensen, owner of The Cookie Jar, has been ordered to rest – it came straight from Doc himself. But a trip to California to help a friend pack up is cut short when Hannah’s younger sister, Michelle, calls in a panic. There’s been another murder in Lake Eden, and Michelle’s boyfriend, Lonnie, is the prime suspect. After a night out with friends, Lonnie took a drunk woman home only to pass out on her couch. The next morning, he wakes up to find her dead in her bedroom with no memory of anything after he passed out. Since Lonnie is a detective with the police department, most of them can’t investigate since they are friends with the suspect. Naturally, Hannah immediately flies home, but can she figure out who is the killer?
If you haven’t read the last few books, be aware this one spoils some pretty major things by necessity since they had a major impact on Hannah’s life. Those up to date on the series will be happy to learn we get an answer to the cliffhanger from the last book early on. This book is a return to the status quo of a few entries ago. After a slow start, the pacing gets better once Hannah returns home. There is still plenty of talk about cooking, however, but we get clues and red herrings until we reach the climax. The characters are all here, and I enjoyed seeing them, but there is little in the way of actual character development. That includes the love triangle, which is back in play here. We get another nineteen recipes, and I think I gained weight reading about them. They certainly sound delicious. Fans who have stuck with this series will enjoy this outing. If you are new, don’t jump in here but go back to the beginning to see why we love these characters.
If you haven’t read the last few books, be aware this one spoils some pretty major things by necessity since they had a major impact on Hannah’s life. Those up to date on the series will be happy to learn we get an answer to the cliffhanger from the last book early on. This book is a return to the status quo of a few entries ago. After a slow start, the pacing gets better once Hannah returns home. There is still plenty of talk about cooking, however, but we get clues and red herrings until we reach the climax. The characters are all here, and I enjoyed seeing them, but there is little in the way of actual character development. That includes the love triangle, which is back in play here. We get another nineteen recipes, and I think I gained weight reading about them. They certainly sound delicious. Fans who have stuck with this series will enjoy this outing. If you are new, don’t jump in here but go back to the beginning to see why we love these characters.
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