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.

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.

One of my favourite aspects of cozy mysteries is being an armchair traveler. While reading, I learn about local customs and color, geography, climate, foods, and all sorts of aspects of a particular location. I also devour any history included. I enjoy reading about Maine and have for decades, so it was pure delight to read Barbara Ross' STEAMED OPEN, with its likable characters (and a few not so, of course), a murder with far too many possible suspects, beautiful antique homes, and of course, Clambakes. STEAMED OPEN is Maine Clambake Mystery #7, a series I definitely want to delve into.

I enjoyed this cozy mystery. The characters are great and the mystery was surprising and ended in an unexpected way. I didn't know who the bad guy was until the reveal. I believe I would have enjoyed it even more had I already read the other books in the series, but I still was able to keep up.

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.

This is one of my favorite cozy mystery series ! In the 7th in series the author takes us back to charming Busman's Harbor Maine. The descriptions of the food, the culture and the harbor are so perfectly described you feel as if you are visiting this wonderful place or want to jump on the next plane to Maine. The author has a talent for writing directly to the reader with exquisite descriptions that capture you from page one.. This book is set in summer which is delightful fun in Maine.

Our protagonist is the friendly Julia who runs the family clambake business in Busman's harbor. She once again does not hesitate to investigate when another murder occurs. She works with the local police to solve this case and soon is finding clues and suspects no one else has considered. Julia has a busy summer season of business but is able to wear the hats of a running a successful business while investigating. I love the descriptions of the business and how the locals embrace this friendly business.

Steamed Open is the seventh book in this wonderful series. i highly recommend the entire series. i found this such a enjoyable read with a excellent well crafted sleuth to keep me guessing. The support charcters are wonderful and the writing is brillant. Thank you for the ARC that does not influence my review.

Steamed Open is the latest mystery by Barbara Ross featuring the protagonist Julie Snowden, who helps to run her families Island Clambake business in Maine. Having read all but one of these seven (so far) novels I will say that this entry was supureb.

The story, setting and characters are all what one expects in any mystery, and though this one is considered a "cozy" replete with recipes at the conclusion of the work, Ross' stories are palatable to me, normally a non-cozy reader.

In this entry, following a funeral, a man comes to town taking over the property of the deceased and in the meantime closes off the beach to the usual vacationers and clam diggers ("clammers") who took access through the property. Said homeowner is soon discovered murdered, and there is no shortage of suspects. As Julie moves through her unofficial investigation, sometimes working with authorities and often not, the reader meets her family members, he boyfriend Chris, and other townsfolk, all of which bring plenty of color to the story.

This is an easy read, and though it helps to have read the previous books, there is enough information provided about the characters that one could begin here, and why not? It is a good entry into the serious, which thus far has not disappointed me.

I review this book on my blog on 21 January 2019 and I enjoyed reading this book. It was a quick read and definitely a formula book with some interesting character sharing. I think I would have liked the book more if I had read more of the series, and then again I am not a great fan of these kinds of cozy mysteries and this one was just enough for pure pleasure reading.
I liked the addition of Huntington's Disease and thought that added a definite dynamic which I hope will be explored in more of the books in the series. When one can learn something new that is quite interesting to me and how the characters dealt with this issue was very revealing of personal dynamics.

I absolutely love this series by Barbra Ross. I have read all of them up to this point. After reading these I wished I lived close to a place that did these clambakes. Cant wait for the next one.

Beachcombers, lighthouse buffs, and clammers are outraged after Bartholomew Frick puts up a gate in front of his recently inherited mansion. When Julia urges him to reconsider, she’s the last to see him alive, well except the person who stabs him in the neck with a clam rake. As she digs 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 before this season’s clam harvest dries up for good.

Princess Fuzzypants here: Families! Even though the Snowden Family are happily working another season of their family clambake, it is not their family that is in crisis. It seems like almost everyone else around them is and it all starts when a doyenne of the local community dies at 101. Well love and respected by all, the arrival of her heir starts a complicated set of events that include a murder, and children= lots of children and parents. Julia, in trying to keep one lady out of jail for the murder, ends up disentangling an exceedingly snarled series of events and relationships. And what a tangled web it is.
Children out of wedlock, children put up for adoption, lost connections and lost opportunities abound. There is a poignancy to these stories of years of secrets and lies and love. With the exception of the murderer, thanks to Julia’s efforts, there is hope for many of the characters whose lives have been impacted by all this. It ends on a very positive note.
Even closer to home, Julia finally finds out what is going on with Chris’ family. There is a lot of potential territory to cover in future stories. The books are full of sympathetic characters. It adds to the fun of the read.
Four purrs and two paws up.

Barbara Ross
Steamed open.
Revisiting Busman’s Harbour in Maine with Julia and her family is a great treat .
Loved this series, story line and murder mystery, keeps you guessing until the end .
Very well plotted with a touch of romance.
Looking forward for Barbara’s next book in this great series.

Summer has come to Busman's Harbor, Maine and locals and tourists are eager to go clamming. Julia Snowden's family business, The Snowden Family Clambake Company has harvested clams on a local beach, as had most of the town. Upon the death of the owner of the beach, light house and mansion, Lou Herrickson, nobody has any idea that the beach would become off limits. Turns out Lou left her property to her great nephew, Bart Frick and he has other plans. He blocks all access to the beach, period. By doing that, the local economy will take a massive hit and a court battle will take too long. Julia thinks calmer heads can prevail so she sets out to meet with Frick and see if some agreement can be reached. When the answer is a swift and firm NO, she leaves but is soon informed that she was probably the last person to see him alive. Actually the next to last person because the last person was his killer, using a clam rake as a deadly weapon.
Things become very complicated when the search begins for family members both in and out of the estate. Who killed him leads to a very long list of suspects and then there is the equally vital question to be answered - who will become the next owner of the beach, lighthouse, etc.? There are lots of twists, turns and red herrings to keep the reader guessing from beginning to end.
The characters are well defined and the backstory is enough that a reader new to the series will have no trouble enjoying this as a stand alone. But, be warned, if you like this entry as much as I did, you will want to get your hands on the previous six stories and binge read them. I read this is one sitting and now I have to wait and wait........

Steamed Open was a wonderful read, It is The newest book in one if my favorite series. Visiting the Snowden Family Clambake always makes me want to visit New England. The book opens with the residents of town celebrating a beloved member of the community,who passed away. When her Nephew shows up and takes over her estate, the town is not happy. When he is found dead shortly after Julia visits him, she must find a killer, the new heir, and a family secret. There is so many mysteries in this book if keeps your attention until the end. I would say that if you haven't read any books in this series that you will want to read previous book or two to understand what is going on in some personal stories. Highly recommend this book and I will be trying the recipes.

This is an awesome read by one of my favourite authors. I was very fortunate to have received an ARC (advanced reader copy) of this book. This book is a sequel in the Maine Clam Bake series or can be read as a stand-alone. Once again Barbara Ross emerges you in a mystery and more information about Busman Harbour and it’s residents, the Snowden Family and Julia and Chris’s relationship.
Be sure and try the recipes that are at the back of each book.

Steamed Open is the seventh book in the Maine Clambake mystery series by Barbara Ross and the first book in the series that I had read. It can be read as a standalone, although I now want to go back and read the rest of the books in the series as well, to get to know all of the characters a little bit more.

The mystery starts off with the community of Busman’s Harbor in Maine getting together for a farewell boat cruise in honor of a Lou Herrickson, a beloved resident who recently passed away. Lou left her property (her house, the lighthouse, and a cottage) to her only living relative, her grand-nephew Bartholomew Frick. Frick immediately begins to make changes to the properties and installs a locked gate that prevents residents and clammers access to the beach. This is a major problem for Julia Snowden, as her family puts on a clambake twice a day every day in the high tourist season and needs access to the beach in order for her clammers to get the fresh seafood daily. Julia decides to talk to Frick to make him see reason and come to an agreement, but alas reason was not to be seen by Frick and Julia leaves him discouraged. She is then later approached by the police who inform her of Frick’s death and as she was one of the last people to see him, she is now a bit of a prime suspect.

This book was really great! I read it fairly quickly and the mystery actually kept me guessing, each chapter seemed to have a new clue that added some more depth and mystery to the murder for Julia and us to work through. Although the end was a bit predictable, there were many moving parts to the story and many characters and motives that I found myself hooked and did not want to put it down. The characters in this book were a great addition to the main story line, and each had their own little history which we got small glimpses into. This novel did have a bit of a storyline that revolved around Chris’ background (Julia’s boyfriend). Exploring more of these characters are the main reason I want to go back and read the whole series. I do not want to write too much about the book so as to not give the mystery away, but rest assured that this is your typical cozy mystery that you won’t regret picking up!

As much as I did enjoy the book, I will say that it is a bit hard to get into right from the start. For me, this wasn’t a pull me right in from the first page type of mystery. But one that really sunk its teeth in about three or four chapters in. So for those of you who get bored very quickly, just hang in there with this one and it will pay off! Also, another warning – this story will make you crave east coast seafood.

~ Harshita

I’m a long time fan of Barbara Ross’ Maine Clam Bake series. I won’t miss a book. But this, latest in the series, is a favorite. Not sure how Ross does it, but she keeps each new book fresh. Just love her work.

Streamed Open by Barbara Ross is the 7th book in A Maine Clambake Mystery, and a wonderful book. Julia Snowden and her family are busy running the Snowden Family Clambakes Company. After a beloved neighbor passes away and her nephew inherits the family mansion, the trouble begins. Bartholomew Frick puts a large fence on the border of his property, and denies people access to the beach. Clammers, beach combers and lighthouse buffs are very angry. Next Frick is found dead, shortly after Julia talked to him. There are a lot of twists and turns in this book, which Julia is determined to solve. Ms. Ross's books just seem to get better and better. I enjoyed reading about summer, as it snows outside my house. I strongly recommend this book and the whole series, you won't be disappointed. 

I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Steamed Open, the seventh in the Maine Clambake Mysteries, has great characters and will teach the reader about clamming but the mystery was too easy to solve.

Bartholomew Frick, a stranger in town, inherits the Hendrickson mansion, lighthouse, and beach after 101-year-old Lou’s death. His first move is to bar access to the beach. His second is to be murdered with a clamming fork.

When Lou’s elderly housekeeper, Ida, asks Julia for help in clearing her name, Julia looks for the real killer. Julia juggles sleuthing with her island clambake lunches and dinners. In addition, she uncovers why her boyfriend has been so secretive about his family. Last, but not least, there are five recipes included: Linguini with clam sauce, clam dip, clam potato casserole, raspberry muffins and sour cream coffeecake.

I enjoyed the Maine atmosphere and the great and varied characters. Chris’ backstory is heartbreaking. Watching the police get mired down interviewing everyone multiple times while Julia proceeds to find the answers to two old Hendrickson secrets was fun. However, the clue to the murderer’s identity was too obvious, like a flashing yellow sign.

Steamed Open is a good choice for cozy readers looking for a slice-of-life portrait of how people live in coastal Maine. However, for armchair detectives like me, it didn’t offer enough of a challenge. 3 stars.

Thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoy this story. This is the seventh in the Maine Clambake Mystery series and the first I have read. When Netgalley offered the book, I was drawn in by the cover and description. I knew this was a good time to jump in and try the series even though I have one or two in my to-be-read pile.

This cozy is set in Busman's Harbor, Maine in the summer. Julia Snowden’s family business provides boat tours and clambakes for tourists. The death of a neighbor may impact the business.

Heloise “Lou” Herrickson, has left her property, including her house, lighthouse, and lighthouse keeper’s cottage to her grand-nephew, Bartholomew Frick. The new owner erects a fence cutting off access to the beach. This doesn’t sit right with the community as they have had access for many years through this property.
In a matter of days of his arrival, Mr. Frick is found dead. There are plenty of suspects, plot twists and few surprises. This is a well-written, entertaining read. I enjoyed the characters, sub-plots, and character interaction.

Julia becomes involved in the investigation by trying to clear Ida Fischer, Lou Herrickson’s housekeeper who had recently quit.

It will be interesting to see how the Chris/Julia relationship continues to unfold. This book leaves you feeling there is more to come.

Looking forward to another installment.

I volunteered to read and review an ARC of this book provided by Kensington Publishing Corporation and NetGalley. These are my unsolicited opinions.

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.