Drawn and Buttered is a lite, lively cozy mystery set along the New England coastline. The quirky characters including Lobzilla, an almost record size lobster, and Aunt Gully, who owns the Lobster Shack, to resident witches, historians, and eccentrics make for a twisting, turning mystery ride. This story is the third of the series of Lobster Shack Mysteries, but the first I have read. I did not have any issues and feel it can be read as a stand alone. Very entertaining and lots of fun!

Drawn and Buttered is the third book in the Lobster Shack Mystery series. I liked the pace of this book. It did not allow me to get bored. First we have a burglary followed by the kidnapping of recently acquired Lobzilla, a three-plus foot lobster, and a few deaths along the way.
I loved the decorating for Halloween descriptions. Aunt Gully really goes all out.

I like the way this community pulls together and they support Allie’s dream to return to the ballet.

What I liked about this story is:
It is well written, flows smoothly and has a delightful cast of characters.
Can be read as a standalone.
It made me laugh!

Keep them coming Ms. Ross.

What pulled me into this story in the beginning was the enticing descriptions but what kept me reading was a plot that had numerous angles. From a kidnapped lobster and twisted history to stolen research and a despicable dancer there is a lot to keep a person guessing.

This is the third book in A Lobster Shack Mystery series but I had not read the first two and had no trouble following the story. Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.

I received this ARC via Netgalley and St. Martin's Press in return for an honest review. I enjoyed and recommend this cosy mystery. It has an injured ballerina, Allie Larkin, who's recovering while working at her Aunt's Lobster Shack restaurant, and the mystery of the disappearing 'Lobzilla' lobster who is front page news in the town of Mystic Bay. While trying to figure out what happened to Lobzilla and attempting to rehabilitate enough to rejoin professional ballet dancing, Allie has her hands full. Then, during an upscale pre-Halloween party, there's an incident with a local leading family and a graveyard, resulting in a murder. While this is the third book in the series, it is a good stand-alone and I was able to easily follow the characters and the plot line. I'll look forward to reading more about Allie and her adventures.

Drawn and Buttered by Shari Randall is the 3rd book in A Lobster Shack Mystery, and it is great. Allie Larkin is a ballerina who is recovering from a foot injury by working at her Aunt Gully's lobster shack, Lazy Mermaid. One day a fisher-women catches a large lobster that the town names Lobzilla. When Lobzilla is stolen from the Lazy Mermaid, where they were keeping it safe until the college could collect it, the mystery begins. That is only one story line in this book, Allie can return to dancing, on a limited basis. I loved this book, it kept me interested from the first page to the last. I am looking forward to the next book in the series. I strongly recommend this book for all cozy mystery lovers. 

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

This cozy mystery was a fun read. Although I hadn't read the prior two books in the series, it was easy to jump right into the story and get to know the characters. It was well-paced and never a dull moment. There were a lot of surprising connections between the various characters--the patriarch of the town's founding family with a woman known to practice witchcraft, for example. Add in an almost record-breaking size lobster known as Lobzilla found at a murder scene and you have a very intriguing mystery.

Thanks NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advance digital review copy of this book. My review is voluntary.

Shari Randall's Drawn and Buttered is the third installment in the Lobster Shack Mystery series. Autumn is setting in, and the small town of Mystic Bay is recovering from the hectic busy season as a top tourist destination. Recovering from an injury, former ballerina and now Lobster Shack employee, Allie Larkin has seen it all. Now she is looking forward to a little peace and quiet that the off season could provide. Of course, with Halloween around the corner things are bound to get a little out of hand. When from the depths of the ocean, a monstrous sized lobster, affectionately named Lobzilla emerges, everyone is excited about this almost record breaking lobster, especially Allie's friend Fred, the eccentric marine biologist.

Lobzilla's infamy makes him a prime target though, and in the dark of the night poor Lobzilla goes missing, and that is just the beginning.

As part of the series, Drawn and Buttered could be read as a standalone. I had no issue getting into the characters and understanding the dynamic of Mystic Bay. You are introduced to motley crew of townsfolk. Such as Aunt Gully, the owner of the Lobster Shack. Allie's friends Verity and Bronwyn, and even Allie's friends from her other life as a prolific ballerina in Boston.

As a cozy this book packs a punch. The book has many layers of intrigue and mystery and builds on an interesting town history. As a reader I am highly intrigued by Mystic Bay and the Lobster Shack series, and will definitely be going back to read the first two books in the series.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book.

Allie and Aunt Gully are dealing with the post-tourist season in Mystic. Business might be off a bit but Allie's ankle, on the plus side, is almost healed. She's not ready to go back to work full time as a ballerina but she can work with Madame giving lessons and prepping for a small role in the Nutcracker. Then, a GINORMOUS lobster is found and becomes an attraction at the Lobster Shack until.....it's stolen. And then...a dead student from the local college is found in a graveyard with--wait for it- the lobster on top! Well, of course, Allie must investigate because Madame is one of the suspects. This is a charming series, in part due to the great interaction between Allie and others, including her sister Lorel (who is, honestly, somewhat of a pest). There's a Halloween thing here (and some ghosts/vampire stuff) which felt odd to be reading in the middle of winter but that's ok. Thanks to Netgalley for the ArC. Classic cozy and a good read.

Drawn and Buttered is set at Halloween, which always adds an extra layer of spookiness to a mystery. This book also involves a cemetery, a ghost story, a powerful townsmember, some town history, and a near record-breaking lobster. I really like the characters in this series, especially Aunt Gully, as she's so wise and level-headed, but has such a great energy. The plot of this book is great, and kept me guessing around every corner. We also get to learn more about Allie's ballet career and where that may be headed. This is an easy, enjoyable book to read and though you can read it as a stand-alone, I think it will make you want go back and read the first two in the series. I've been reading the Lobster Shack Mysteries from the start and they never fail to entertain! Looking forward to more from Shari Randall!

I received an advance copy of this book. This review contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

Drawn & Buttered is the 3rd book in the Lobster Shack Mystery series. Allie is a ballet dancer recovering from an injury and helping her Aunt Gully run her lobster shack. Between serving lobster rolls and chowder, Allie becomes tangled in a murder mystery. Cozy mystery fans will enjoy this book.

Shari Randall Interview 022019



Drawn and Buttered is the third book in a wonderfully satisfying cozy mystery series set at the Lazy Mermaid Lobster Shack in coastal New England.

The Lazy Mermaid’s business has slowed to a snail’s pace—until a monster lobster claws his way onto the scene…

With high season behind them, ballerina on-the-mend Allie Larkin and Aunt Gully are finally lying low. But then an unexpected guest arrives at the lobster shack: a crustacean so huge he’s dubbed Lobzilla around Mystic Bay and on social media. Soon, with everyone showing up for a peek in their tank, Allie and Aunt Gully have more on their plate than they can handle.

Meanwhile, another local establishment finds itself in hot water. In exclusive Rabb’s Point, a strange burglary breaches the elegant home of Royal Parrish and then a body is discovered in the old Parish cemetery. When someone close to Allie falls under suspicion of murder, she decides to investigate but, before she can get to the bottom of the case, another alarm sounds: the Lazy Mermaid’s Lobzilla has gone missing and is on the loose! And bodies are beginning to pile up. . .
Amazon.com

“Tree branches overhung the narrow road that threaded between stone walls. It felt like we were driving into a tunnel. The silence grew thick as we followed the yellow headlight beams down the rutted road.” Shari Randall, Drawn and Buttered, Kindle Loc. 1977

Descriptions like that place the reader inside the story and makes for fun reading, and they’re also one of the reasons I admire Shari Randall’s writing. Drawn and Buttered will be released this coming Tuesday, February 26th. It’s fun, it’s cozy, and the current mystery parallels a historical mystery, one element I always enjoy.
In Dawn and Buttered, Shari writes a compelling mystery with main character Allie Larkin looking for clues to find out whodunit. But Shari also brings the backstory to an interesting full circle, for which I was thankful, as the backstory mystery seemed incongruent with the main character’s physical attributes. I also liked the manner in which she treated Madame’s stroke, very in character by presenting her fighting spirit. Dancers are athletes. Like other athletes, no one else can fathom the endurance and mental acuity necessary to succeed. It’s work; something athletes know. Madame will come back from her setback. E. B. Davis
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Congratulations on receiving an Agatha nomination for Book One of your Lobster Shack series, Curses, Boiled Again. Thank you! Curses was nominated in the Best First Novel category. It’s such an honor. I’m still stunned!

Lobzilla is the second largest lobster caught. What were the dimensions of the largest caught? According to the Maine Department of Marine Resources, the record for the largest lobster goes to one caught off the coast of Nova Scotia in 1977. It weighed 44 pounds, 6 ounces and was just over three feet long. It was estimated to be 100 years old.

Aunt Gully uses the phrase, “God bless America.” Is this the northern version of “bless your heart?” I had a good friend from California whose mom used to say “God Bless America” in situations where others might swear. It seemed like a perfect catchphrase for Aunt Gully when she had to let off steam.

Why doesn’t Hilda wear the Lobster Shack’s uniform like everyone else? Hilda may work in a lobster shack, but the uniform - a pink t-shirt with strategically placed clamshells - is not her style. She’s an elegant woman who could go through a tornado and emerge with her lipstick fresh and not a hair out of place.

Two people want something from Aunt Gully. One, she doesn’t want to do. The other, she doesn’t want to give. How does she handle them? People don’t realize that underneath Aunt Gully’s sunny personality there’s an iron will. She’s not a pushover! Those characters who are trying to get something from Aunt Gully discover a shrewd negotiator behind that sweet smile.

What is the attraction for some people to join fraternities and sororities? I know several people who had wonderful experiences and made lifelong friends in their sororities. Some of these societies have long histories of charitable work. However, the news has been full of stories of the dark sides of these organizations, especially in terms of hazing new members. I wanted to explore that darker side, when young adults are put under tremendous pressure to conform in order to fit in with their peers.

All-business Lorel likes steamy romance novels? We all have our guilty pleasures!

Aunt Gully isn’t all that upset when her house is broken into, but when she discovers they stole her oatmeal raisin cookies, she gets mad. Why are the cookies more important to her than her house? This situation actually happened to my 91-year-old great aunt Flo. Her house was burglarized and the thing that angered her most was that the thief stole every one of the three dozen biscotti she’d spent all morning baking! Similarly, Aunt Gully was relieved that no one was hurt and the destruction was confined to one room, but she really wanted a cookie after a long day at the lobster shack.

What is Noank chowder? What is the significance of the name? Noank is a small village in southeastern Connecticut right on Long Island Sound. One hundred years ago, it was the center of the American lobster industry. Over many years the ocean’s temperature and conditions have changed, with lobsters preferring the colder waters further north off of Maine and Canada. People are probably familiar with New England clam chowder, made with milk or cream. Noank chowder is clear with no milk or cream to mask the flavor of the clams. It’s a much brinier, earthier taste that the old timers at the Lazy Mermaid prefer.

The Parish family founded Allie’s hometown of Mystic Bay. Why is the current patriarch of the family named Royal? In my research, I discovered that in the colonial era, British subjects were given land grants to property in the American colonies in payment for services rendered to the Crown - land that was occupied by native people. Royal’s family was given their land in the 1700s and prospered ever since. His family was proud of their history and definitely proud of this distant royal connection, thus his name.

Royal is obsessed with his family’s history and honor. But he’s a successful lawyer, has a nice family, great estate, in short, a nice life. Why is he so obsessed with the past? Royal’s family was so important and influential. He’s the only son of his family and carries the family name. He grew up in a house full of portraits of his forbears, literally looking down on him. It might be more accurate to say that he cannot escape his family’s past.

What’s a marlinspike? A marlinspike is a sailing tool, used when working with line (ropes to landlubbers) – it can help untangle or splice them together.

What are Russian Blues, and why are they so expensive? My favorite breed of cat! Allie’s dance teacher, Madame Svetlana Monachova, is an elegant woman of Russian descent, and I wanted her two cats, Raisa and Rudi, to be as elegant as she is. These cats are also known as Archangel Blues, because it’s thought that they originated from the Archangel Isles in northern Russia. They’re known for their incredibly plush silvery, almost blue, fur and emerald green eyes. The Russian Blue is a descendant of the cats of the Russian czars and was a favored pet of Queen Victoria.


Is using white pepper a New England thing? When making clam chowder with a creamy base, some cooks don’t like the look of black pepper floating on top. I’ve included a recipe in the book so people can try Aunt Gully’s secret recipe for chowder.

What’s a shower slide? They’re like flip flops, only sturdier and with a band across the instep instead of a thong between the toes, and can be worn in the shower to protect against picking up athletes foot (gross, I know). They’re also known as soccer slides. Allie comes across several very unpleasant slides when she’s sleuthing in a frat house.

I’m old. What’s plagiarism software? Brave new world! Some schools use software that will flag research papers that copy too heavily from other sources.

Allie learns that history is written by the victors. What does that mean? This is why conquering armies burn museums and libraries. Those who survive are the ones who tell the stories and write the history, usually to make themselves look good. This concept comes up when a student talks to Allie about the history of Mystic Bay and the Parish family’s role in it.

Do you think people have auras, which some people can see? I believe that there are people who can sense things that others cannot and that there are many things we don’t have a scientific explanation for – yet.

What the heck is with hostile Gladys? Gladys, despite her nickname “Gladdie,” is one of those people who make me think of the old saying “Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” She thinks life and love are zero sum games. She’s got her hooks into her boyfriend and she is NOT going to lose him to someone else.

Isobel Parish, Royal’s daughter, is a complex character. I found myself being sympathetic to her.
She seems like a spoiled, rich girl. Why am I sympathetic? Isobel Parish, the only child of the wealthy Parish family, surprised me at every turn. Writing her was so much fun – I’ve never had a character call the shots like Isobel. A reader asked me if Isobel is a “bad guy,” but she resists any easy labels. Readers can decide for themselves.

The doctor tells Allie that she’s ready to dance but not “on pointe.” But Madame, Allie’s first dance instructor and her mentor, and Allie disagree with the doctor. Why? How can she go against the advice of the doctor? Madame Monachova has been working with dancers for years. I think of her as a horse trainer – she knows what Allie is capable of and Allie trusts her completely. Allie’s doctor knows her as a patient, but Madame understands her as an artist.

What’s next for Shari Randall? Right now I’m working on a Christmas novella about the gang at the Lazy Mermaid. I’ve also started on another project – sorry I can’t say more. Writers Who Kill will be the first to know, so stay tuned.

This series has really grown on me. I love the setting and the characters are so colorful and quirky that I laugh at all their crazy antics.
Thus is a light, fun cozy mystery that will, appeal to all mystery lovers.

Drawn and Buttered is third in a series and takes place in New England. This was my first introduction to the series and it produced images of Murder She Wrote in my mind as I read it. It was a quick read with developed characters and I can't wait to read more in the future.

I really enjoyed Shari Randall;s third novel in her Lobster Shack series! It has a very quaint charm and the protagonist is easily relatable. Ms. Randall does a great job of bringing Aunt Gully and the other characters to life, especially some of her new characters! As Allie's ankle heals, I'm curious as to how that will affect the characters and the storylines. I can't wait to see what Allie Larkin and Aunt Gully get up to next!

This is a terrific addition to a charming and entertaining series. One does end up craving a lobster roll or bowl of chowder. I will settle for a cup of hot chocolate. I can make that. Lobzilla is a fun distraction from murder. Several suspects, but Allie eventually gets the culprit.

Great cozy mystery! I love any story set along the New England seacoast and this did not disappoint. A giant lobster is kidnapped and found near a dead college students body. Some shady business is discovered by Allie Larkin, the protagonist in the story, and she sets out to solve the mystery. A great cast of characters accompany the story as well as some good old New England folklore and history. I hope to read more by Shari Randall.

I loved this book! Loved the side story about Lobzilla. It was a great mystery and a lot of fun, different characters, both new and old. Can't wait to read the next book.

This author is so creative and detailed with the plot, its like you are right there in the town with the characters! This series is really starting to hit its stride, and this book is so enjoyable I had a hard time putting it down. A top notch mystery, engaging characters, and writing that just draws you in. I can't wait to see what else the author has in store.

As Allie Larkin continues to mend, she remains behind the counter at her Aunt Gully’s lobster shack “The Lazy Mermaid”, on the Micasset River in Mystic Bay.

Combining storylines of a missing 3-foot-long lobster named “Lobzilla”, the Parish family legacy, and Allie’s return to the stage of the New England Ballet Company, Shari Randall does her best to keep the reader engaged. Of course, this is where the body of a local frat boy shows up and with this murder all secrets are revealed.

Taking place during Halloween, there are the obligatory witches, costumes, vampires, and literally hocus-pocus, not to mention all the other goings on in this little seaside town. The author throws everything into the pot and it is no wonder that fingers are pointed in multiple directions and to keep things even more confusing, who is actually in which grave in the cemetery and why were they buried the way they were.

It is odd that this book has a February release date since it would fit better as an Autumn read, but that being what it is, ‘Drawn and Buttered’ engages the reader and ties up a few loose ends at the same time.

Fine cozy. Nothing to set it apart from others but the part about the young girl’s journal was interesting