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 … 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.
Praise for Iced Under
“Ross knows her Maine coast and her snowstorms. Both provide an atmospheric backdrop for a cozy that . . . picks up its pace when its focus returns to the living and the newly dead.”
—Kirkus Reviews
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I love Barbara Ross’s Main Clambake Mysteries, and I feel like I’m really visiting the Maine coast whenever I read one. The motives for murder in Steamed Open were clear and plentiful, making for lots of suspects. She kept me guessing right up until the end!
Steamed Open is the 7th book in the Maine Clambake Mysteries written by Barbara Ross. The series takes place on the coast of Maine in current times, and the protagonist is Julia Snowdown, a ~30ish young woman who spent time in NYC before returning home to help her mother and sister run the family business. She stumbles upon several murders and helps keep the town out of far worse trouble with the help of her boyfriend, Chris, and several friends and neighbors.
A 101-year-old woman passes away (natural causes) and leaves her home to her late husband’s grand-nephew. The man shows up with a chip on his shoulder and blocks the pathway to the beach that everyone on the town has uses for decades. His great-aunt always supported Busman’s Harbor, but this man is not very kind. No wonder he ends up dead, and the list of suspects is aplenty. Especially when we learn both the dead woman and the housekeeper who was initially suspected of the murder both have secret daughters. Did one of them kill so they could inherit next?
The best thing about these books is the supporting characters; everyone fits into the beautiful Maine culture. I love the history of the town and the founding families, and watching Julia’s relationship with Chris blossom is entertaining and heartwarming, even if he can be a bit difficult at times. The mystery was really strong, but I was disappointed by the reveal of the killer. I won’t go into details as I don’t want to spoil the plot; however, it felt disconnected and offbeat. That said, discovering the genealogy of the two daughters and mapping the various guests was great fun.
Two more books left to catch up to the current release, plus 3 shorter novellas that the author issued in between as part of an anthology. I should have this series wrapped up by October, and then I can pick a new one based in Maine (my future home) to start… while I keep reading all the future books here too. I highly recommend it!
Another strong entry in one of my favorite series. Ross makes me want to emulate a pair her characters and hop in an RV to visit as many lighthouses as I can, and of course, eat clams. The mystery is solid, with credible suspects and a strong motive for Julia to investigate. The revelations about one of the characters (no spoilers!) made my heart break a little — in a good way. As always, the evolving relationship between Julia and Chris is very well portrayed, and the revelations there left me feeling quite tender toward them both. Looking forward to the next book!
Steamed Open is a complicated mystery flavored with layers of history and complex family relationships. You can read this as a stand alone novel, but will find yourself wanting to know more about the main family, the quirky year round residents, and the fire that destroyed Windsholme, the mansion on Morrow Island. Dive in, knowing you will surface satisfied.
While there may be stories of ghosts circulating around lighthouses, someone very real and very angry murdered the mysterious heir to Herrickson House. Bart Frick had not been in the community long before he many many enemies. The search for his killer and for a new heir to this magnificent, yet odd, property will reveal deep secrets. Another secret, one very close and personal to our heroine, Julia, is also tangled up in the plot. She has been very patient with her live in boyfriend, but now his behavior borders on creepy. Can she save this relationship? Will her question asking put her own life in danger?
If this is the first book you have read in this series, or the seventh, you will not be disappointed or walk away hungry.
Everyone knows when I get a cozy mystery in my hands, leave me alone until I come up for air. The day I read STEAMED OPEN, the book didn’t leave my hands. It went everywhere in the house with me (Yes. Everywhere. TMI I know). Seriously, I couldn’t stop reading until I had finished.
I wouldn’t say book seven in the Maine Clambake Mysteries was lucky number 7 for author Barbara Ross. Luck had nothing to do with it. Brilliant writing and knowing what readers will love had everything to do with it!
Besides having wonderful characters that feel like family, food that will make your stomach growl (Thanks for the recipes at the end of the book, Ms. Ross!), and a setting that makes you wish you were there, STEAMED OPEN is a fabulous mystery that will have you guessing, like it did me, until the end. It also gets my vote for most creative murder weapon.
If you’re looking to do something nice for someone, or yourself, get a copy of STEAMED OPEN!
Barbara Ross’s clambake mystery series is one of my cozy mystery favorites. The reader feels like she’s been plunked down on the coast of Maine. The main character, Julia, is smart and caring and has a wonderful collection of friends and family. Lots of summer food, a good mystery, and an appealing setting in Steamed Open!
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Busman’s Harbor, Maine is in an uproar as Bartholomew Frick shuts down Sea Glass Beach access on a property he is set to inherit from the much-beloved resident Heloise “Lou” Herrickson. Julia is worried about having enough crabs for their Snowden Family Clambake’s and about the clammers that are losing their income. The tourists aren’t happy either especially a couple that was booked to spend a few nights in the nearby lighthouse. Soon after Julia tries to meet with the man to try to come up a plan to reopen the beach he is found dead. There are plenty of suspects as he had angered plenty of people. Just who was mad enough to commit murder? Julia plans to find out.
It was so nice to escape to Maine in the summertime as the cold weather here tries to chill us to the bone.
This time in addition to the beach being closed off preliminary plans have been drawn for repairing and renovating Windsholme, the mansion on Morrow Island that been empty since the 1920s. The mansion on the beach that Bartholomew Frick was inheriting was built by the same builder so the architect and designer are anxious to get a peek as they continue to finalize the plan. Julia and her boyfriend Chris are having some issues but she opens her will finally open up and tell her more about the secret she knows he is keeping.
This was a really fast read for me. The death of “Lou” Herrickson sets off a chain of events that had my pages absolutely flying. Her family tree and her will designations were very surprising to the people of Busman’s Harbor.
All my favorite characters were back and some new characters that definitely fit the “quirky” definition were introduced. One couple traveling by RV is trying to see or sleep in all the lighthouses in the U.S. What a fun idea!
I liked that we delve into Chris’ past in this story and start to understand him better. He has had a complicated life and the author is finally allowing Julia and us readers in on his past.
The entire story is very well-written with subplots the blend perfectly into the main plot. Twists, turns, and some exciting moments take place as Julia does her best to solve this mystery. There is a clear “edge of your seat” moment near the end that had my heart racing.
I love the way Barbara Ross tells a story. She drew me in, set a brisk pace, and took me on a wonderful little trip complete with delicious food descriptions (with recipes) and a top-shelf mystery.
Each book in this series can be read on its own but for maximum enjoyment, I recommend reading them in order.
This series! The pages consistently turn themselves for me. Just one more chapter…and then suddenly I’m finishing the book.
What I liked about “Steamed Open”:
All the same things I always like – The characters, the setting, the writing style. It remains consistent from book to book. I love that I can rely on these core pieces every time I visit this series.
The mystery – I was guessing the entire time. Even though I thought I had nailed down both a suspect *and* a motive (I never get the motive). I was not even close.
The way all the pieces fit together – Oftentimes, I will find that certain aspects of the story don’t line up in a way that “fits comfortably” for me. Other times, I feel like the author makes certain assumptions about the mental leaps the reader has taken. Ms Ross weaves a beautiful story. The puzzle pieces all fall into place by the point of the reveal. Even on the occasion that I think I’ve caught her in an “a-HA!!” slip-up, because I’m reading and I’m confused that I missed something key, I realize she’s set me up because her explanation is immediately forthcoming. Even the ongoing story arcs are addressed consistently and the brief recaps of what’s already happened to this point never feel trite or overly repetitive; this is truly such a rare gift in a series.
The character development – Each installment brings me more deeply into the characters themselves, as well as their relationships with one another. They are never static or stale, but they also don’t hurry the timelines for this sort of development. Even the progression of time between one case and the next advances at a pace that feels “real.”
What I didn’t care for:
Just one thing, and it’s minor at that. The edition I read needed some proofreading. Words were left out or added in where they didn’t make sense in the sentence. It doesn’t detract from the story in any way that makes it unreadable. I just notice these things, and unfortunately, they happened several times throughout the book.
Wrapped up this one and keeping right with the series as I jump into a holiday novella! This doesn’t make me sad one bit. I wasn’t ready to depart Busman’s Harbor yet!
I thought my family was messed up but geez! Read in 1 day cuz I was scared I would miss something!
I have read every book in this series and this was a nice continuation. It is now summer again in Busman’s Harbor and Julie is working hard on the family business, a Lobster and Clam dining experience on their private island. A local dowager has died at 101 and the heir has arrived in town. He blocks access to the beach with a fence and upsets the entire town. When he is found dead Julie is determined to help the police find the killer. I really enjoy the Maine setting and the characters. However the mystery was weak in this entry. There were not a lot of suspects and the solution was easy to figure out. A lot of the book was really centered on Julie and Chris’ relationship. Most of Julie’s family was only mentioned in passing. I still enjoyed my visit. It was a very quick read.
I’ve read the whole series and love it. I’m originally from Maine and love descriptions of life on the coast. Makes me homesick. Stories are well written and interesting.
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.
*I received a free copy of this book which I voluntarily chose to write an honest review for.
Welcome back to Busman’s Harbor and the Snowden Family Clambake which is going full throttle as this book is right in the middle of the season for them. Julia finds herself involved in a murder investigation yet again after a longtime member of their community passes away and her heir ends up being found murdered. It was just Julia’s luck that it happened directly after she went to try to talk some sense into the man after he put up a fence that blocked access to the beach. What follows is some great sleuthing that reveals some intriguing details that I would have never thought of. This is an extremely well written cozy mystery that will draw you in so well that you will wish you could go on the clambake too since it sounds so yummy as well as fun. Absolutely perfect for fans of the genre. I really liked it so I give it 4/5 stars.
Good mystery. Fast reading
I enjoyed reading this book and I’m sure you will too.
Lou Herrickson, a beloved member of the Busman’s Harbor community, has recently died. Lou has left everything to her late husband’s grandnephew, Bart Frick. That includes the mansion where she lived and the lighthouse and beach connected to it. Lou had always left the beach open to the public, but the first thing Bart does is fence off the beach. The locals who make a living by clamming are the first to discover this when they arrive to start their morning of work, and that’s when Julia Snowden becomes concerned. Her family uses clams harvested from this beach in the Snowden Family clambake. Hoping to resolve things faster than a court challenge will allow, Julia goes to talk to Bart the next morning only to find him closed to reopening the beach. A few hours later, Bart is dead. The suspects range from those impacted to by closing of the beach to any potential heirs to a couple obsessed with lighthouses. Can Julia help find the killer?
I absolutely love this series, and this is another excellent entry. The mystery is strong with several competing suspects and motives to keep us from seeing the truth until Julia figures it out. A couple of sub-plots carry over from the previous book, and I liked how they were woven into the main mystery. No, you don’t have to have read the previous book to understand what happens here, but it certainly helps. The characters are strong, with layers to them that unfold as the book progresses. This makes the characters introduced here more complex than in many of the series I read, and I love them more for it. We also learned a bit more about a series regular here, and I loved that added insight. There are four recipes for you to enjoy once you’ve finished the book, two featuring clams and two baked goods.
Excellent like all of her books!
Another great book in the Maine Clambake series!! Julia helps investigate after a man who inheritated a house on the beach is murdered. Lots of twists and turns to keep you intrigued and guessing. I can’t wait for more books in this wonderful series and to see Windsholme redone and Julia and Chris’s relationship grow!
I absolutely love the Maine Clambake Mysteries…each one is so easy to read…the words just flow…
In Steamed Open, Julie Snowden, runs the Snowden Family Clambake where they take tourists to their island from Busman’s Harbour, Maine and well have a clambake.
This story we have our usual murder/mystery and Julia is right in the thick of things but as we soon discover there are a couple more stories beyond the mystery that Julia is dealing with…I have read all of this series and even though you can read them as a stand alone I highly recommend reading the series in order…it helps with the ongoing story line about the Snowden’s family and their ownership of the island. Not to mention the murder/mystery solving.
I am not one to give away the storyline of each book…you can read the author’s synopsis here on Goodreads. I am here to tell you that each book is easily read in 1 to 2 days because the author has a way of writing her mysteries to keep you interested…Barbara Ross is a wonderful writer and I can’t wait for the next book..
Julia is happy that it is summertime and clamming season is upon her family. There’s nothing greater than having clambakes and hoards of vacationers to enjoy them. When a newcomer to town denies access to the beach where the Snowden family holds their Clambakes there is an uproar of disapproval not only from the family but the town. People look forward to the Clambakes not only for themselves but for the people it brings to the town. When newcomer, Bartholomew Frick, ends up dead things don’t look good for the Snowden family. Julia knows that no one in her family could have murdered the man but who does that leave? She soon learns that Frick had quite a few people who disliked him but who out of the bunch could have killed him and why. Follow along as Julia digs into Frick’s life and hopes to find a killer among the clues. Will she find the answers she seeks or will this murder remain a mystery? This is a great series filled with a wonderful cast of characters. I love the relationship that Julia has with her family and it just adds to the story. The location is beautiful and one I would love to visit one day. I’m from the south so I enjoy learning about the cuisine that is mixed throughout the story and it has me trying new things all the time. I can’t wait to see where the author takes Julia and her family next and I hope she brings some new and exciting recipes to the mix.