For fans of Sarah Graves and Leslie Meier comes a “wicked good” cozy mystery “brimming with family secrets, authentic characters, a rustic Maine island setting, and plenty of good food” (B.B. Haywood, New York Times–bestselling author)Maine’s Quarry Island has a tight-knit community that’s built on a rock-solid foundation of family, tradition and hard work. But even on this small island, where … work. But even on this small island, where everyone knows their neighbors, there are secrets that no one would dare to whisper.
Anna Winslow, her husband Burt and their teenage son have deep roots on Quarry Island. Burt and his brother, Carl, are lobstermen, just like their father and grandfather before them. And while some things on the island never seem to change, Anna’s life is about to take some drastically unexpected turns. First, Anna discovers that she has a younger sister, Izzie Jordan. Then, on the day she drives to Portland to meet Izzie for the first time, Carl’s lobster boat is found abandoned and adrift. Later that evening, his corpse is discovered—but he didn’t drown.
Whether it was an accident or murder, Carl’s sudden death has plunged Anna’s existence into deadly waters. Despite barely knowing one another and coming from very different backgrounds, Anna and Izzie unite to find the killer. With their family in crisis, the sisters strive to uncover the secrets hidden in Quarry Island—and, perhaps, the ones buried within their own hearts.
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Death and a Pot of Chowder by Cornelia Kidd is a nicely written cozy mystery set on Quarry Island in Maine, where nothing ever happens……until Anna’s heretofore unknown biological father passes away leading to her discovery of her heretofore unknown half-sister, her brother-in-law is presumed lost at sea then discovered murdered, and her dear husband is arrested for the crime! Lots of twists and turns involving family and neighbors, I stayed up past my bedtime to finish this well-crafted mystery! A+
p.s. Recipes included – yay!
Compelling… I couldn’t put it down.
Life and death on Quarry Island, Maine are welcoming and terrifying… Kidd serves up a compelling mystery along with a taste of life on Quarry Island. I couldn’t put it down!
Readers are going to devour Cornelia Kidd’s delicious debut mystery with enthusiasm and a reluctance to put it down… A five-star hit!
Delicious… Authentically set in Maine, Kidd has served up a delectable mystery!
I enjoyed the accuracy of Maine information and relationships. Also found it realistic of how you can think you “know” someone for years but find out they are really someone very different. Plot had me hooked.
Death and a Pot of Chowder is a savory summer delight. Cornelia Kidd has dished up a murderous treat in this page-turning mystery.
A wicked good mystery brimming with family secrets, authentic characters, a rustic Maine island setting, and plenty of good food. You can practically smell the salt air and taste the lobster rolls.
A very good cozy mystery! This is the first and last in this series and I so wish there could have been more. Author Lea Wait, writing as Cornelia Kidd, sadly passed away shortly after this book was published so it is a stand alone book instead of a series opener as she expected. The characters in the story are wonderful, the setting on an island in Maine sounds beautiful, and the story itself was very well-written with some good twists and turns to find out the reason for the murder and the identity of the killer.
It took me a bit to get into this one. At first it was a bit boring but it picked up and I was hooked. I was extremely positive about who the killer was and why but it was still a shocking reveal. Not sure if I will read anything more in this series but we will see.
Anne Winslow was born and raised on Quarry Island in Maine by her mother, stepfather and her grandmother. Anne married her high school sweetheart Burt, they have a teenage son Jake. Quarry Island is a tight knit community where everybody knows each other. Burt and his brother Carl are lobstermen. Life on Quarry Island is basically the same day in and day out, always has been. One day Anne receives a letter that changes her life forever. Someone new enters into the Winslow’s family and on the day of the arrival, someone close to the Winslow family is murdered. Soon the friends that Anne has known all her life secrets start to come to light. What Anne thought she knew about her family and friends isn’t exactly how they really are.
Cornelia Kidd has written a warm and interesting story of family and community. She takes the story in one direction and once you believe you have figured out whodunnit, the mystery goes a direction you don’t expect for reasons you never would have guessed.
I really enjoyed this book. It is well written, the blurbs at the beginning of each chapter were interesting and fun, and the story takes a turn I never expected. The story is an easy cozy read. I would definitely recommend this book.
An entertaining mystery with quirky, but realistic characters!
Being an avid reader I enjoy a good cozy mystery. So when I saw this book, I was eager to read and discover a new favorite story or a new author to follow. This author, Cornelia Kidd, introduces me to Quarry Island, Maine. It’s a small island community that is very tight-knit. Everyone knows everyone, and of course…usually, everyone’s business as well. The main character, Anna is surprised one day when she learns that she has a younger sister. The sister has reached out because the father has recently passed on and she wants to connect. On the day of her visit, tragedy strikes. Anna’s husband, Burt, learns that his brother, Carl, has disappeared while out on his boat. Tragedy turns to heartbreak when it is discovered that Carl is found dead. It’s labeled a drowning, but that’s what it stays as. Anna’s life is soon thrown into chaos when they are told that Carl’s death was murder and that her husband is the prime suspect. With the help of her sister, Anna intends to delve deeper to figure out what really happened and who committed the crime.
This is the first book that I have read by Cornelia Kidd, I believe, and overall I enjoyed the story. It is well-paced and engaging. For me, Anna is a soft character. She’s the main character but she doesn’t have a lot of depth to her. I wanted more. She’s comfortable with her life, for the most part, and she takes care of house and home. Finances have become tight, but she still does her best for her family. I love how quickly and easily Izzie blends into the family. You can tell that she is meant to be there. She has more character than Anna really. Izzie had to grow up fast, but she’s managed to accomplish quite a bit in her life. She has dreams, goals, and ambitions. I love how helpful she is around the house and with Anna in the wake of all the tragedy that has happened. When disaster first hit I honestly thought Anna would make Izzie stay in a hotel or come back another time. I was very pleased that she doesn’t do this. I’m also thankful that when others were telling Anna to be cautious of Izzie and to even send her away, that she doesn’t listen to them.
A big negative for me concerning this story is how Anna handles the situations with her son, Jake. Jake is rude and disrespectful to not just her but others numerous times. Anna never once reprimands him, and it honestly bothers me. When the boy starts disappearing and just going off, I’m shocked that she never says anything. Everything is dismissed as “Oh he’s just a teenager” and more such nonsense in my opinion. Another situation I didn’t like was when the detective goes and pulls Jake from school. Why doesn’t Anna get a phone call?! That is major! The detective is not a family member or relative, so the school should have phone Anna to let her know what was happening.
I truly enjoyed the mystery element of this novel. When the pieces begin to come together, the author artfully misdirects us until the end. I was shocked! Haha! I thought…well, maybe! But then dismissed those thoughts. Well played madam. Well played. I loved the twist. While I would have liked more depth from certain characters, this story is truly enjoyable. I definitely recommend it to those who are looking for a good mystery novel.
I am rating this book 4 out of 5 stars. The reason I am doing this is that I couldn’t get past the lack of Anna really standing up and being a parent to Jake. It’s hard for me to believe that even the most tolerating parent (real or fiction) would put up with his attitude and how things were handled. If things were written in a more realistic tone, this would be a five star novel hands down.
Death and a Pot of Chowder is the start of a fabulous new series! I enjoyed everything about it, beginning with Quarry Island, a small community of families who have lived on the island for generations, many making their living on the sea from lobstering. They are the kind of folks who will do anything to help each other. To an islander, where one is born and raised is important, but even if they are a bit suspicious of off-islanders, the residents will give them a chance. Most of the characters are gemstones, described so well that this reader felt she already knew them.
Maine sounds like a breathtakingly beautiful place, and it is clear the author loves it. The springtime changes are shown in relation to the characters and how they respond accordingly, to anything from plants and trees showing new life, to muddy ruts, to the chill in the air.
One fun thing is that each chapter begins with a quote from a book from the 1800’s to early 1900’s with housekeeping, cooking, or family advice. Some of the quotes showed a side of life I wouldn’t have imagined many homes in those days being able to afford, hiring and overseeing household help.
Family relationships are challenged in this mystery, beginning with Anna Winslow, her mother, and her grandmother. Anna receives a letter from a woman introducing herself as her younger half-sister. Their father, who Anna never knew, had just passed away and Isabel “Izzie” Jordan and Anna would inherit equal portions of his estate. Anna’s mother had never talked about her father, never even told her his name, but her grandmother had stayed in touch with her father’s parents and knew about Izzie.
Anna and her husband Burt also face challenges. He found his brother Carl’s boat adrift with no sign of his brother on board; he towed the boat to shore and a search party went out. The following day, Carl’s murdered remains were found. Burt, having had a loud disagreement with Carl the day he went missing, is the prime suspect. I love seeing Anna’s love for Burt and her faith in his innocence; she will do anything to help him even as her she gets to know her sister Izzie.
Family ties may be strained but remain strong. There are plot twists changing the direction of who the bad guy might be. There were several good suspects. I did guess who the killer was, even though I didn’t know the real motive until the person admits to doing so, and why. I highly recommend this exciting new mystery set against the beautiful, wild backdrop of an island off the coast of Maine. For those who enjoy recipes, there are some included for the dishes in the novel.
From a grateful heart: I received a copy of this book from the author and publisher, and was not required to post a review.
This was a good mystery. While I loved the setting and the delicious recipes discussed, some of the characters were a little dry…not much personality. There was a good mystery to the story and you were left guessing until the end. Not sure if the characteristics were typical of people from that area of the country or just this author’s style of writing. Because of that, I wasn’t drawn in to the lives of the people or wanted to get to know them better. They were just kind of flat to me.
I would definitely read another book by this author, though, to see if I like it better than this one. It wasn’t a bad book, it just didn’t grab me and make me anxious to keep turning the pages.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This is a really fun read set right in Maine. Not just in Maine but right on the docks with all of the lobster boats. The setting is Quarry Island Maine and if you aren’t from the Island you are “from away” and are very unlikely to ever become what is referred to as a local. This is a story about everyday people, living close to one another, trying to make a living, and knowing each other’s business. Just like in every other small town.
One thing I absolutely love about this book is that each chapter begins with a paragraph of a helpful hint each from a truly existing book or letter or newspaper column although maybe from 100+ years ago. A hint for cooking or a hint to cure an illness, or curing a pig, or how to save meat through the hot summer, or how to set the table, or even to keep your husband happy. Well you get my drift. Do not skip a one of them; they are hilarious. Even more so since people thought they were all true at one time. They just add to the scene and sense of place she writes about so well.
Cornelia Kidd does such a great job at descriptive writing that you almost live on Quarry Island yourself or at least you sure want to. Her characters are down home and yet sophisticated in their own way all at the same time and her writing makes you a part of all of them. Don’t for a minute think you’ll figure the bad guy out at the beginning. There are plenty of twists and turns in this fun book.
This is Book 1 of a series titled “Maine Murder Mystery”. I may be assuming this is going to be a series but I am really hoping Book 2 will pop up soon.
***This book was provided to me free of charge in exchange for an honest review.
Anna Winslow and her husband Burt and their son Jake live on Maine’s Quarry Island, a tiny community where everyone knows everything about their neighbors. But things are not always as they seem. One day Anna receives a letter telling her that her long-lost father has died and she has a sister, Izzie Jordan, that she never met.
Burt and his brother, Carl, are lobstermen, just like their father and grandfather. Things are just fine with Anna, until she receives Izzie’s letter. She goes to meet her sister on the mainland, and then gets a phone call that Carl’s boat has been found without him on it. When Carl’s body is found, and his death is termed a homicide, things turn upside down for Anna and her family. Anna and Izzie set out to find out whodunit, especially after Burt comes under suspicion, and is arrested for his brother’s murder.
This had the clear markings of a cozy mystery, and at first I thought it was going to be less than what I’d hoped for…but the opposite turned out to be true. This book met, and exceeded, my expectations. Anna is a perfectly drawn character, and I cheered for her to get to the bottom of things and clear her husband’s name.
The introduction of Izzie, who had never been to the island, was cleaver and a very useful tool for the writer. When Anna took Izzie on a tour of the island, it allowed the readers to go along and make what could have been boring pages of descriptions of residents and houses, into a perfect way to draw a map of the island.
The addition of Jake added great depth to this story. He reacted to his uncle’s death, and the subsequent problems that it brings, were spot on, and made me to scream at him. When a character gets under my skin that way you know he is perfectly drawn. The relationship between Anna and Izzie was also intriguing, and perfectly written in-between the mystery passages.
The mystery part of this book was tightly written, and even though I thought I’d figured it out, there was a surprise at the end that made me go, “Well, I didn’t see that coming.”
This book, to use a phrase that is used a lot, is quite the page turner. I was always eager to see what would happen next, and how the characters would react.
Death and a Pot of Chowder is the first Maine Murder mystery by Cornelia Kidd. I received a digital ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
Death and a Pot of Chowder by Cornelia Kidd is the first A Maine Murder Mystery. Anna Winslow lives on Quarry Island in Maine with her husband, Burt and son, Jake. She is surprised when she receives a letter from Isabel “Izzie” Jordan stating that she is her half-sister and would like to meet. A couple of weeks later, Anna is in Portland to meet up with Izzie. They arrive at their lunch destination when Anna gets a call from Burt regarding his brother, Carl. Carl’s boat was found adrift and he is missing. Anna and Izzie rush to Quarry Island where the search is ongoing. Later that night, Carl’s body is discovered, but he did not die from drowning. Detective Jonas Preston of the Maine State Police is on the case and they soon learn that the evidence is mounting against Burt. Anna and Izzie band together to track down Carl’s killer.
Death and a Pot of Chowder is set on Quarry Island, Maine. The author provided detailed descriptions of the island and its history. Anna is thirty-two and has been married to Burt since she was eighteen years old. Burt is a fourth-generation lobsterman and expects his son to follow in his footsteps. Anna grew up on the same street. Her mother and grandmother still live in the house (close knit family). It is a place where people can leave their doors unlocked and children can roam freely (until someone murdered Carl). The author did a terrific job at setting the stage for A Maine Murder Mystery series. I like how the author brought the two sisters together and their plans for the future. I loved how Anne of Green Gables was woven into the story (one of my favorite books). I thought the mystery was simple. I easily identified the guilty party. Anna and Izzie work together to figure out Carl’s movement before he was killed. They question various people and get assistance from retired detective and neighbor, Rob Erickson. I could have done with less speculation and repetition. There needed to be more action which would have helped the pacing (which was slow at times). My rating for Death and a Pot of Chowder is 3.5 out of 5 stars. I found Jake to be extremely annoying. I realize his attitude and behavior are realistic for a fourteen-year-old, but I did get tired of his yelling and door slamming. Izzie’s love of cooking comes through as she describes how she likes to create dishes and execute them. There are various cookbooks mentioned and there are recipes included at the end of the book. There are many engaging cozy moments as the two sisters bond, explore the island, cook, and plan for the future. Death and a Pot of Chowder is nicely written, has good characters, rustic setting and plenty of food. Death and a Pot of Chowder captured my interest and I will be picking up the next A Maine Murder Mystery.
Death And A Pot Of Chowder is the first book in the A Maine Murder Mystery.
I was drawn to this book by its description and when I learned that Cornelia Kidd also writes as Lea Wait, I knew I had to read it. I have read all of Wait’s Needlepoint and Antique Print series books and love her writing.
This story takes place on Quarry Island, Maine where most residents are involved in the lobstering industry. Anna Winslow is one of those residents. Anna’s husband Burt in a lobsterman as is his brother Carl. Anna has just gotten a letter and she doesn’t recognize the handwriting on the envelope. When she reads the note inside, she finds that she has a half-sister, Izzy, who lives in Connecticut. Anna drives to Portland to meet Izzy at the bus station. On the way back to Quarry Island, Anna learns that Izzy is a chef and is looking to find a job in Maine and get her career started. Shortly after they get home Anna learns that Carl had gone out on his boat to check his lobster traps and is missing.
The next day, Carl’s body is found washed ashore and it is found that he had been shot. As the police begin their investigation they soon zero in on Burt having killed his brother. His rifle has gone missing and they also learn that Carl had written a check on Burt’s checking account and nearly zeroing out the account. When Burt gets arrested for his brother’s murder, Anna begins to do a little sleuthing of her own to clear her husband.
Even though Anna and Izzie have just met they are bonding quickly and Izzie proves extremely valuable in keeping the family upbeat and is able to see things in the friends and neighbors that Anna may not as she has known them all her life.
I found this story to be well-plotted and told with plenty of twist and turns. The story had interesting and believable characters and am looking forward to learning more about the interesting residents of Quarry Island.
Each chapter begins with excerpts from various cookbooks and household management books from the 1800’s, which I found to be very interesting. Delicious sounding recipes are also included with the book.
I am eagerly looking forward to the next book in this exciting new series to see what adventures Anna and Izzie will have next.