The snow is deep in Maine’s Busman’s Harbor and the mighty rivers are covered in ice. Snowden Family Clambake Company proprietor Julia Snowden and her mother, Jacqueline, are hunkered down for the winter when a mysterious package arrives—heating up February with an unexpected case of murder . . . Inside the mystery package is an enormous black diamond necklace that once belonged to … belonged to Julia’s great-grandmother and disappeared in the 1920s. Who could have sent it—and why? Julia’s search for clues takes her on a perilous journey through her mother’s troubled family history, from a squabble over the family fortune in “frozen water” to the recent unexplained death of Jacqueline’s long-lost cousin Hugh—who’d been missing and presumed drowned for more than forty years. To protect her mother’s inheritance, Julia must fend off a small army of feuding relatives, solve the mystery surrounding Hugh’s demise, and get back home before the next blizzard buries them all . . .
Praise for Musseled Out
“This cozy series continues to stand out with its exceptional plotting, intriguing storylines, and authentic detailing of the lobstering life.” —RT Book Reviews
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This is the fifth book in the series and the most mysterious. It is set off the island and gives background as to how the family got its financial start. There are a lot of new characters and I admit I made a chart so I could keep track of who was who and how they fit into the story but by the end they were all familiar to me. I am sure we will hear more about the storyline in later books. Entertaining mystery.
Iced Under is the 5th book in the Maine Clambake Mysteries written by Barbara Ross. I am reading them in order to catch up to the latest book being released this year, for which I received an ARC. So, that means one a month to get there. I usually love the cozy wintery setting, the small town shenanigans, and the warm characters. But Iced Under takes us to Boston this time, and it’s a nice change of pace with some activity still taking place in Busman’s Harbor, Maine.
Julia is with her mother when a strange gift arrives in the mail. It’s a piece of her family’s jewelry that’s been missing for a century. But it’s worth millions! Who sent it to her? As she delves into the history, a side trip to Boston brings her right into the missing person they’ve all been wondering about, except he’s been living under a different name and was just murdered. His adoptive (cousins) family had something to do with it, and one by one, Julia gets to know them to find out (1) who sent the necklace to her mother and (2) who killed the man for it!
This is a different plot than most of the typical books in the series… some similarities, but it’s also a whole new crop of characters without the usual supporting cast from the others. Sure, Chris and Julia’s family are on calls and a few meet-ups before the Boston trip, but mostly, it’s a transitional book to get thru the winter season, offer a new setting, let Liv have the baby, and start up again for the new clam season in the next episode. Will I be there to read it? Yes! This was a great way to showcase the writer’s talent and ability to create a historical connection. Great installment. 4.5 stars.
theft, greed, Boston, family-dynamics, family, friendship, murder, murder-investigation, multigenerational, cozy-mystery, law-enforcement, mysteries, amateur-sleuth, suspense, blizzards*****
Julia Snowden was born and raised in a small tourist town but went away to college and then to Manhattan for a career in high finance until it got the better of her. Now she is back and is a major force in the family clambake business and is back with her old flame (Chris) who runs a landscaping business. Her mother receives a rather small parcel in the mail with a family heirloom thought stolen in the 1920s, so Julia looks to friends to help unravel that mystery. Then there is the issue of line of inheritance to dig through! Julia is very good at digging into the past all while mom is nervously awaiting her other daughter’s new baby during a blizzard. The biggest problem is that mom has no ideas about any possible living relatives. Julia digs that out and it all leads to very dysfunctional family, but in Boston of all places!
Well crafted and with escalating suspense, plot twists and red herrings. A very good read!
I started it and could not seem to put it down. Love this author!
I have been reading this series since it began and this one does not disappoint. I liked that this book was a little different from the previous books. In this one Julia’s Mother is sent a mysterious package and Julia sets out to find out who sent it. To do that she also needs to solve some family mysteries from the past. Since it is Winter in Maine Julia has plenty of time to research and travels between Blizzards to Boston. The author does a very good job with the setting and developing the characters. Even though this was not a traditional murder mystery I still really enjoyed it. This series does not have to be read in order but it does help. This is the perfect mystery to curl up with this winter. Enjoy
I loved the plot. We get to learn more about Julia’s mom’s family. It was a great read. My favorite of the series so far.
Book five in the Maine Clambake Mystery series. Best book of the series so far and I absolutely loved every single page!!! Julia gets a call from her mother about a mysterious package that showed up in the mail. When they opened it they found a really expensive necklace inside that used to be a family heirloom before it came up missing. When Julia starts looking into where this could have come from she finds a whole new family that she never knew existed and the personal side of this story truly explodes yet in a wonderful intriguing way that is really enjoyable. The story really keeps you guessing and the finale was just the cherry on top of the cake. If you have read any of the books in this series then you should love this one too. I loved it so much it gets 5/5 stars!!!
Anything by Barbara Ross is outstanding!
I enjoyed this book and hope to find some prequels.
The writing was outstanding and the character development is captivating.
Easy read, relaxing. Good sense of place
Good enough to make me want to read the rest of the series!
great book love her books
This is one in a series that I love. I am originally from Maine and it reminds me of home and small fishing towns.
I love this series and have read them all. A wonderfully entertaining cozy series, with characters that are like old friends, involving family relationships, and a setting that I’m delighted to revisit book after book. Each book has gotten better and is a little more complex, and the first one was one of the best cozies I’d read all year.
Why oh why did I ever wait so long between books four and five? I mean, I know the answer to that question, but it is prolific and has nothing to do with my review of this book, so I won’t go into detail. Regardless of the reason, I have been depriving myself terribly. I am effectively reminded of that now.
What I liked about “Iced Under”:
The writing – The tone, the style, the language. I don’t know if it’s the fact that I grew up in New England or what exactly, but the writing reads like I would talk, right down to the cadence.
The mystery itself – Following a formula I found clever and unique, one I have yet to encounter in the many cozy mysteries I have consumed, I couldn’t help but to think how believable it all felt. It required no suspension of disbelief for me at all. It was engaging and absorbing and I honestly could not turn the pages quickly enough to see how it was going to play out. It never felt rushed. It never felt forced. Just perfect pacing from start to finish.
The characters – For being only five books in, the characters and their relationships are remarkably well-developed. What’s more, they are likable. And not because they are so perfect. They aren’t. They just feel like real, decent people.
What I didn’t care for:
Not a single thing. In fact, I almost broke my own precedent and gave this one five stars. I try to save my five-star ratings for books that truly move me and four stars for books I really enjoy, subjective differences, I realize. I am fairly certain the only thing stopping me is that I would feel as if I would have to go back and re-evaluate my ratings on all my other four-star cozy mysteries.
“Iced Under” was a delightful venture into Julia’s family. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know more of the ancestral history, all wrapped up in a mystery to solve. And dare I say that as the book was concluding several events in a row nearly brought me to tears. I am not sure any other cozy mystery can make that claim. I may have waited far too long to read book five, but I can promise you this: I will not be waiting as long to grab book six! (And I am just now realizing that I unintentionally skipped book 4.5 even though I presently have it in my possession. ::facepalm:: That one will be coming up next.)
I love this book series!
I thought my relatives were messed up but they can’t compete with these people. I felt so sorry for Julia’s mom but I had a feeling about Hugh’s feelings.
Winter, Maine, a blizzard and a mysterious package had my attention right away. I have not read any other books in this series, but this light murder mystery was enjoyable with likable characters, a blustery atmosphere, an intriguing plot and a pretty good story.
This series was enjoyable to read.