Pirate Patty Reviews

A Maine Clambake Mystery #10

Mud season takes on a whole new meaning in the coastal town of Busman’s Harbor, Maine, when local business owners sling dirt at one another in a heated feud over a proposed pedestrian mall. Vandalism is one thing, but murder means Julia Snowden of the Snowden Family Clambake steps in to clean up the case . . .

Julia and her family are back with another mystery and murder. This one begins with Julia seeing police cars in front of the shop Livvie works in, Lupine Design, a successful pottery store. While Livvie is safe the shop is trashed.

Lupine’s owner, Zoey, is out digging mud for more projects when the police arrive to tell her the bad news. She is shocked. Who in the world would do this to her? And why? While she and many others in town are all for a pedestrian mall to bring in more tourists and revenue there is one troublemaker. And he is in the shop next to Lupine. In an odd turn, they both share a basement.

Surely the fuss over a pedestrian mall isn’t enough to destroy property, but when the neighbor turns up dead in the basement, Zoey has some explaining to do.

This one was a bit more twisty than usual. So many secrets people are keeping. For decades, old slights fester and the more she digs, the more she finds herself in the line of fire.

Always a good time with the Clambake series.

NetGalley/ Kensington June 28, 2022