Welcome! Barbara Ross is the author of A Maine Clambake Mystery series as well as Jane Darrowfield Mysteries (Jane Darrowfield, Professional Busybody releases June 30, 2020). She has won the Maine Literary Award for Crime Fiction and has been nominated for multiple Agatha Awards for Best Contemporary Novel. Barbara and her husband live in Portland, Maine.
Sealed Off by Barbara Ross
returns readers to Busman’s Harbor, Maine where it is October which means the
season is coming to an end. Julia
Snowden runs Snowden Family Clambake Company alongside her mother, sister and
brother-in-law on Morrow Island. They
are glad the season is ending because
they are tired of the bickering between Jason Caraway and Terry Durand over
Emmy Bailey. The last thing Julia wants
to do is fire her boyfriend’s brother. The
demo crew has arrived at Windsholme for the first stage of the renovations to
their old family home. They end up doing
demo work on the wrong floor and uncover a room that had been completely sealed
off with all the furnishing as well as a woman’s belonging completely intact. Julia finds an old diary belong to the governess
who inhabited the room in 1898. The
entire family is curious to learn what happened to Lilly Smythe including
visiting relatives Marguerite and her granddaughter, Tallulah. Unfortunately, things escalate between Terry
and Jason. The next day, Julia goes to
fire Terry, but she cannot find him nor Chris’s boat where he is residing. Jason along with his ex-wife are also
no-shows. Julia pitches in to help with the
fire and finds Jason dead by the woodpile.
Terry, of course, is at the top of the suspect list and Chris implores
Julia to don her sleuthing cap to clear Terry of any wrongdoing. Can Julia reel
in the killer before Terry ends up back behind bars?
Sealed Off by Barbara Ross is the
eighth A Maine Clambake Mystery. It can
be read on its own for those who have just discovered this series. Julia Snowden has her hands full in Sealed
Off between running the family business, getting ready for the opening of the
winter restaurant she runs with Chris, the renovations at Windsholme, the
murder of an employee, visiting relatives and the hidden room. Marguerite is an elderly relative who lived
at Windsholme when she was a child and is visiting Busman’s Harbor with her
granddaughter, Tallulah. She is arriving
to take a last look at the house before the renovations begin. I like that she can describe what the once
stately summer home looked like when it was at its prime. I enjoyed Marguerite’s readings of the diary. I admit that I found the story of the nanny
more compelling than the modern day whodunit.
I just loved the descriptions of the room’s furnishing and the beautiful
clothing the governess left behind. I
was a little disappointed with the outcome (but that is just me). Jason Caraway and Terry Durand bickering
about Emmy Bailey was unprofessional and I was surprised that Julia let it go
on as long as she did (I know it is fiction—but I thought it odd). No one has bothered to tell Emmy that her daughter
could be Terry’s child and that Huntington’s runs in the family. I was happy that this particular storyline is
put to bed by the end of the novel. The
death of Jason Caraway along with what happened to the missing demo crew worker
was not a head scratcher. There was a
lack of suspects plus obvious clues that made this puzzle a snap to solve. There were some exciting suspenseful moments
that I relished. I would like to see
Julia and Chris’s relationship progress.
They are happy, but I wonder what the future holds for them especially regarding
children. Sealed Off is a good story,
but it is not my favorite in the series.
I am, though, looking forward to the next A Maine Clambake Mystery. This is a series that I enjoy reading with
its charming town and engaging characters.
Sealed Off has demolition drama, squabbling suitors, a recondite room, a
discovered diary, and fine food.
Sealed Off is available through Amazon* along with other major booksellers (Barnes & Noble, Kobo, iBooks). Clammed Up is the first book in A Maine Clambake Mystery series and it is available through Kindle Unlimited. You can find a list of all the novels in A Maine Clambake Mystery series here. Don't forget that Jane Darrowfield, Professional Busybody by Barbara Ross will be out on June 30. Thank you for reading my review. The Shape of Night by Tess Gerritsen is on deck for tomorrow. I hope that you have an amazing day. Take care and Happy Reading!
Kris
The Avid Reader
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post contains affiliate links.
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