Halloween Party Murder by Leslie Meier, Barbara Ross, and Lee Hollis

 Halloween Party Murder

Book Summary

Small town traditions are celebrated throughout Maine during the holiday season. But when it comes to Halloween, some people are more than willing to reap a harvest of murder ...

HALLOWEEN PARTY MURDER by LESLIE MEIER

Tinker's Cove newest residents Ty and Heather Moon turn their Victorian home into a haunted house to raise funds for charity. But the Halloween fun turns to horrific fright when Heather overdoses on tainted drugs--and Ty finds himself accused of murder. Digging deep into the story, journalist Lucy Stone uncovers some sinister secrets in the Moons' past linked to a conspiracy in her hometown...

DEATH OF A HALLOWEEN PARTY MONSTER by LEE HOLLIS

Everyone attending Island Times Food and Cocktail columnist Hayley Powell's Halloween bash is dressed as their favorite movie monster from the Bride of Frankenstein and Jaws to Chucky and Pennywise the clown. But when partygoers stumble upon Boris Candy's bludgeoned costumed corpse, it falls to Hayley to discover who among her guests wanted to stop the man from clowning around permanently...

SCARED OFF by BARBARA ROSS

Three teenage girls having a sleepover on Halloween night get spooked when high schoolers crash the house for a party. But no one expected to find a crasher like Mrs. Zelisko, the elderly third floor tenant, dead in the backyard--dressed in a sheet like a ghost. With her niece traumatized, Julia Snowden must uncover who among the uninvited guests was responsible for devising such a murderous trick..

My Thoughts

Halloween Party Murder by Leslie Meier, Barbara Ross, and Lee Hollis contains three fun Halloween themed novellas.  Halloween Party Murder by Leslie Meier, Death of a Halloween Party Monster by Lee Hollis, and Scared Off by Barbara Ross are the three novellas.  Each novella relates back to a series written by that author (A Lucy Stone Mystery, A Hayley Powell Food & Cocktails Mystery, and A Maine Clambake Mystery).  The three stories go well together with all of them set in Maine and involving a Halloween Party.  I enjoyed reading all three Halloween-themed stories.  Lee Hollis’ was intriguing as it was a closed room mystery.  It has Hayley Powell trying to figure out which of her guests could have committed murder.  Halloween Party Murder by Leslie Meier picks up where Haunted House Murder ended.  A haunted house turns deadly.  Scared Off has Julia’s niece calling for help when a sleepover ends up with an out-of-control party.  The police arrive to find the homeowner’s renter dead in the backyard.  All three books are well-written with great characters and steady pacing.  It is fun catching up with the characters from these entertaining cozy mysteries. These are three fun Halloween treats. Halloween Party Murder contains three spooktacular tales that have Halloween hijinks, mysterious murders, a creepy clown, startling screams, troubled teens, problematic party, and three stellar sleuths. 

Halloween Party Murder is available from Amazon*.    A Hayley Powell Food & Cocktails Mysteries here.  Lee Hollis' novels here on Amazon. Lee Hollis has Murder at the Bake Sale publishing November 30.  It is the 2nd A Maya and Sandra Mystery.  You can find the other A Maine Clambake Mysteries here.  Barbara Ross has Jane Darrowfield and the Madwoman Next Door releasing December 28.  It is the 2nd A Jane Darrowfield Mystery.    You can find all of Barbara Ross' novels here.  You can find Leslie Meier's A Lucy Stone Mysteries here.  Easter Bonnet Murder is the next A Lucy Stone Mystery and it will be out on January 25, 2022.  You can find all of Leslie Meier's books here.  Thank you for visiting me today.  I am taking Sunday off and will return on Monday with Deadly Summer Nights by Vicki Delany.  It is the first novel in A Catskill Summer Resort Mystery series.  I am a stop on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for this novel.  There will be an excerpt, recipe, and a giveaway.  Please find a moment to stop by.  I hope that you have a fun weekend.  Take care, be kind, and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader 

*This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Shucked Apart by Barbara Ross

 Shucked Apart by Barbara Ross

Book Summary

It is May in Busman’s Harbor, Maine where Julia Snowden is working on finding employees for the upcoming season which begins on Memorial Day.  Julia is interrupted by her boyfriend, Chris Durand who has brought his friend, Andie Greatorex.  Andie was assaulted and robbed of $35,000 of spat (oyster larvae) just after arriving home from purchasing it.  Andie feels that someone is trying to warn her off because she has applied to lease additional space for oyster beds.  There is also a time factor with the oyster seeds.  If they are not properly cared for, they could die.  Julia has a variety of suspects from rival oyster farmers, lobsterman, to a resident who does not like their view marred.  Before Julia can make headway in the investigation, she finds Andie murdered with a shucking knife in her neck.  The killer obviously felt threatened.  Julia needs to figure out which person she questioned could be the killer.  

My Thoughts 

Shucked Apart by Barbara Ross is the 9^th A Maine Clambake Mystery.  It can be read as a standalone for those new to the series or may have missed a book or two.  Reading the earlier books, though, will provide more background on Julia, her family, friends, and the business.  It is May and the season has not begun yet in Busman’s Harbor, Maine.  Julia Snowden is surprised when her boyfriend, Chris Durand brings his poker buddy, Andie Greatorex to visit her (where she learns Andie is a woman).  Julia is told that Andie was attacked and robbed of the oyster larvae (spat) she had just purchased. Andie would like Julia to use her sleuthing skills to see if she can uncover the guilty party.  This is a different type of case for Julia.  She does have some extra time on her hands, so Julia agrees to do a little digging.  Julia questions several people including Andie’s ex-partner (business and personal), a lobsterman, a rival oyster farmer, and a neighbor of Andie’s.  Julia has barely begun her investigation when Andie is murdered.  The mystery provides us with a couple of suspects, a red herring, and subtle clues. There was a nice surprise in this whodunit.  It was nice to catch up with Julia before the busy season begins.  We do see Chris, but the other regulars are largely absent (one or two only briefly mentioned).  I must admit that I am not a fan of Chris’s. He is a nice man, but he does not seem like the right person for Julia.  I could tell the author did her research on oyster farming.  It was interesting learning how oysters are raised and harvested (not that I would ever eat one).  I enjoyed the beautiful descriptions of Maine as well and I liked that we left Busman’s Harbor to visit nearby Damariscotta.  We also learn about the rivalry between lobsterman and oyster farmers plus how residents feel about the oyster beds.  I thought Shucked Apart was easy to read with a likeable main character.  The pacing varied in this story.   While Shucked Apart is not my favorite book in this series, I still enjoyed my visit.  Shucked Apart is a charming tale with oyster offspring, rival lobsterman, employee problems, lease barriers, and sly sabotage. 

Shucked Apart can be obtained from Amazon*.  You can find the other A Maine Clambake Mysteries here.    Barbara Ross also writes A Jane Darrowfield Series.  Barbara Ross along with Leslie Meier, and Lee Hollis has Halloween Party Murder publishing August 31.  Thank you for checking out my review today.  I am featuring Dreams Rekindled by Amanda Cabot tomorrow.  It is the second book in the Mesquite Springs series. I hope all of you have cheery day.  Take care, be kind, and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

*This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Sealed Off by Barbara Ross

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

*This post contains affiliate links.

Nogged Off by Barbara Ross

Hello!  I hope you have had a good week and are enjoying a relaxing day. A Mystery Before Christmas by Adriana Lucio* releases on November 20.  It is the third An Italian Village Mystery.  Thin Ice by Paige Shelton comes out December 3 along with Holiday Homecoming Secrets by Lynette Eason.  Verse and Vengeance by Amanda Flower is available on December 10.  It is A Magical Bookshop Mystery.

Nogged Off by Barbara Ross has Julia Snowden finally letting go of her Tribeca apartment.  Imogen Geinkes has been subleasing the apartment and has agreed to take over the lease.  Julia arrives to find Imogen crying because she lost her job and her boyfriend within one week.  Imogen is now unable to take over the lease or buy the furniture plus she has nowhere else to go.  Julia quickly rents a moving truck, packs up the contents of her apartment and invites Imogen to spend Christmas with her family in Busman’s Harbor, Maine.  The arrive home in the middle of the night so Julia leaves the moving van in her mother’s driveway.  The next morning the van is gone.  The police find the moving van in a remote location with Imogen’s ex-boyfriend dead inside.  Julia wants to tie up this investigation quickly so she can enjoy the holiday with her family.  Things, though, do not go quite as planned.

Nogged off by Barbara Ross is a part of the A Maine Clambake Mystery series.  If you read Eggnog Murder which came out a year ago (three novellas in one book), then you have already enjoyed Nogged Off.  Julia Snowden goes to clear out her Tribeca apartment and ends up taking Imogen Geinkes home to her mother’s house for the holidays.  Murder and confusion soon ensues.  I enjoyed reading Nogged Off.  It is well-written and proceeds at a steady pace.  Julia, Chris, Gus, Julia’s mother are all included in the story.  It can be read as a standalone for those new to the series.  I thought the whodunit was clever with a surprising twist.  In addition, there are some mysterious happenings at the Snowden house.  They are beginning to wonder if the house is haunted.  I enjoyed the humor sprinkled throughout Nogged Off.  Nogged Off is an entertaining novella with a curious mystery, Christmas traditions, good food, family, friends, humor and a little mayhem. 

Nogged Off is available in ebook through Amazon* (Amazon UK).  Sealed Off is the next A Maine Clambake Mystery which comes out on December 31.  Thank you for stopping by today.  I plan on sharing my review of A Precious Gift by Shelley Shepard Gray next time.  It is part of The Walnut Creek series.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

*This post contains affiliate links.

Steamed Open by Barbara Ross: Review and Giveaway!

Steamed Open (A Maine Clambake Mystery)

by Barbara Ross

About the Book

Steamed Open (A Maine Clambake Mystery)

Cozy Mystery

7th in Series

Kensington (December 18, 2018)

ISBN-10: 1496717945

ISBN-13: 978-1496717948

Digital ASIN: B07BV3RCDG

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.

About the Author

Barbara Ross is the author of the Maine Clambake Mysteries. The first book in the series, Clammed Up was nominated for an Agatha Award for Best Contemporary Novel, the RT Book Reviews, Reviewer’s Choice Best Book Award for Amateur Sleuth and was a finalist for the Maine Literary Award for Crime Fiction. She is co-editor/co-publisher of Level Best Books, which produces anthologies of crime stories by New England authors. She writes at her home overlooking the harbor in Boothbay Harbor, Maine. Barbara blogs with the Wicked Cozy Authors and Maine Crime Writers. Readers can visit her website at MaineClambakeMysteries.com.

My Thoughts

Steamed Open by Barbara Ross has readers journeying to Busman’s Harbor, Maine in the height of tourist season in the month of August.  Julia Snowden is on the Jacquie II with the rest of the town for Heloise (Lou) Herrickson’s memorial service and to scatter her ashes.  Lou’s heir, Bartholomew Frick arrives at the last minute is a fancy new red Porsche.  Bart inherited Herrickson Point along with a privately owned lighthouse.  The next day, everyone is shocked when they arrive at the beach access road to find a newly installed gate.  The clammers and lighthouse enthusiasts are particularly upset by this afront. Since Snowden Family Clambake relies on the clams that the clammers find on that beach, Julia decides to visit Bart Frick and see if she can get him to change his mind (maybe he is not aware of the problem he has caused).  Unfortunately, there is no reasoning with the rude man and Julia soon departs.  When Julia returns to the pier that evening, she is greeted by the local police.  Bart was found stabbed in his home with a clam rake and Julia was one of the last people to see him alive (besides the killer, of course).  When Lou’s former housekeeper, Ida Fischer ends up at the top of the suspect list, the Snugg sisters ask Julia to don her investigator’s cap once again (not that Julia needs an excuse).  Bart may not have been in town long, but he quickly managed to anger a significant number of people.  Julia wades through the suspect pool to identify Bart’s killer while manages the clambake business and discovering what is bothering her boyfriend, Chris. 

Steamed Open is the seventh A Maine Clambake Mystery.  It can be read alone if you have not read any of the previous books in the series.  I enjoyed Barbara Ross’ conversational writing style.  It makes for a light, airy cozy mystery that is easy to read.  We get to experience the day-to-day running of the Snowden Family Clambake with Julia and her family.  It is interesting to learn more about Maine and the clamming industry.  I enjoy the descriptions of the area especially the beautiful home the Snowden’s own on their island.  The mystery is uncomplicated, and the killer is easily identified (might as well have been a giant neon sign over the persons head flashing “killer”).  There are several viable suspects including a couple determined to visit as many lighthouses as they can (they are not going to let a gate stop them). I am glad that we learned more about Julia’s boyfriend, Chris in Steamed Open.  His story is heartbreaking.  I did find his obsession with Vanessa a little odd despite the explanation.  I hope that Chris will be more open to talking about the future with Julia now (he really needs to get counseling).  There is repetition of information that I could have done without and lack of details about characters (i.e.—Chris’ last name, Livvie’s last name).  Steamed Open is an upbeat cozy mystery that will have you yearning for warm days and sandy beaches with a cool drink nearby.

You can find a complete list of the books in A Maine Clambake Mystery series here on Amazon.  Steamed Open is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo. In honor of the tour for Steamed Open, there is a giveaway.  You can click here to enter or use the Rafflecopter form below.  Please take the time to visit the other stops on the tour to check out recipe, guest posts and character interviews.  Thank you for stopping by today.  I will feature Seasons of An Amish Garden by Amy Clipston tomorrow.  I hope you have a delightful day.  Take care of yourself and Happy Reading!

Kris
The Avid Reader

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

January 7 - The Avid Reader – REVIEW

January 7 - Mallory Heart's Cozies – REVIEW

January 7 - Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT, RECIPE

January 8 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews -REVIEW

January 8 – Cozy Up With Kathy – CHARACTER GUEST POST

January 8 – Celticlady's Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

January 9 – Laura`s Interests – REVIEW

January 9 – Readeropolis – SPOTLIGHT, RECIPE

January 9 – A Holland Reads – SPOTLIGHT

January 10 – My Journey Back-The Journey Back – SPOTLIGHT

January 10 – Valerie's Musings – GUEST POST

January 10 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

January 11 – Rosepoint Publishing - REVIEW

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January 12 – I'm All About Books – SPOTLIGHT  

January 12 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW

January 12 – A Wytch's Book Review Blog – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW

January 13 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW

January 13 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews - SPOTLIGHT

Stowed Away: A Maine Clambake Mystery

Greetings!  The Lacemaker by Laura Frantz will be released on January 2.  Lady Elizabeth "Liberty" Lawson is preparing for her marriage to Miles Cullen Roth.  The night before the wedding, her life is forever changed.  Liberty must adapt to her new world and pick a side.  Her father is a Tory and loyal to the King.  Williamsburg has become a Patriot town and a revolution is brewing.  The only person to aid Liberty is Noble Rynallt, a Patriot.  What choice will Liberty make?

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 have been paying close attention).  This is my favorite book in A Maine Clambake Mystery series.  I especially appreciated the complex mystery  (great details and active sleuthing) 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.

Thank you for visiting today.  2017 is quickly winding down.  I will be featuring Crust No One by Winnie Archer next time.  May you have a happy day.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader