Sealed Off
(Maine Clambake Mystery #8)
by Barbara Ross

Paperback, 256 pages
Expected publication: December 31st 2019 by Kensington Publishing Corporation



Goodreads synopsis:
Early October is “winding down” time in Busman’s Harbor, Maine, but there’s nothing relaxing about it for Julia Snowden. Between busloads of weekend leaf peepers at the Snowden Family Clambake and a gut renovation of the old mansion on Morrow Island, she’s keeping it all together with a potentially volatile skeleton crew—until one of them turns up dead under the firewood.
 
When the Russian demo team clearing out the mansion discovers a room that’s been sealed off for decades, Julia’s baffled as to its purpose and what secrets it might have held. Tensions are already simmering with the crew, but when one of the workers is found murdered, things come to a boil. With the discovery of another body—and a mysterious diary with Cyrillic text in the hidden room—the pressure’s on Julia to dig up a real killer fast. But she’ll have to sort through a pile of suspects, including ex-spouses, a spurned lover, and a recently released prisoner, to fish out one clammed-up killer.

***

4.5 Stars

This is the eighth book in the Maine Clambake mystery series by Barbara Ross.

First comes the dead body that turns out to be one of the skeleton crew working on the renovation of and old mansion on Morrow Island. Then they discover a secret room in said mansion. Now the pressure on Julia begins. She is asked to find the killer and do it fast. The first problem with this request is that she is no police officer. And the police tend to look down on people interrupting their investigation.

Julia is quite intrigued by the history of the room they have uncovered and quickly finds a number of clues, including a diary, looking for the identity of who could have loved in this room and why it was sealed off for so long.

I am really enjoying this series. I think before now I had read one book (NOGGED OFF) from this particular series by Ross. I know I have a number in my current paperback collection. Looks like I might start a search and collect them all together. (Am I the only person who has no organization to their bookshelves?)

This story had me captivated from page one. There is just the right amount of everything in this book. It flows well. It is written well. I have a newfound appreciation for Ms. Ross’s writing since I read a short story from a recent anthology I picked up. This is just knocking it out of the park for me.

I truly look forward to making this series more of a priority in 2020.

If you love a good cozy mystery, definitely check out this one. You won’t be disappointed.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

The Snowden Family Clambake business is wrapping up the busy tourist season in Busman's Harbor, Maine. When an employee is murdered, everyone immediately suspects Julia's boyfriend's ex-con brother. He swears he is innocent and Julia agrees to help him clear his name. Meanwhile, renovations are starting in the family's Island home and a secret diary is discovered in a hidden room from 1898. It tells the sad story of a young woman and the Snowden family is determined to find out what really happened to her.

I really enjoyed this delightful installment in the Maine Clambake Mysteries. It is well-written with realistic characters, a lovely seaside town setting, and two intriguing mysteries. The murder mystery has enough twists, turns, and suspects to keep readers engaged throughout the entire story. The historical mystery is very enjoyable. I love genealogy so I was very invested in the mysterious secret room and wanted to find answers. Overall, I found the conclusion of both mysteries to be very satisfying. I have read a few books in this series and enjoyed every one of them. I will definitely be reading more by Barbara Ross.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Julia Snowden's clambake company is just about finished for the season, holding the meals on Morrow island off the coast of Maine. Meanwhile, the beautiful mansion on the island is being careful demolition on the interior by a crew of Russian men after it had been destroyed by fire. A mysterious room is discovered on the third floor, just off the nursery - it had been sealed off from the nursery, and doors covered over and all the furniture and belongings left in place. A handwritten journal is found in a dresser drawer. The room was occupied by a governess in late 1890s; she was helping the two sons with their math and German. She describes an idyllic summer, but the end of the journal describes a disturbing event.

Meanwhile, Julia discovers the body of a clambake worker by the woodpile. He was a long time employee of the clambake, and suspicion immediately fell on another employee, who had had a vicious fistfight with him. Since he is Julia's boyfriend's brother, she consents to investigate.

I enjoyed this story about the sealed off room and the journal. It made for an intriguing mystery. I hope to read more in this series. Many thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy of this novel.

A classic cozy set in beautiful New England on an island with a mysterious past.

Morrow Island off the coast of Maine is where Julia Snowden holds her traditional Snowden Family Clambake and tourists are ferried over to participate in the feast. As the season is coming to an end the tensions between one of her employees, his ex-wife, his new flame, a shady Russian construction worker and old rival are only heating up. That is, until one of them ends up dead. Julia has to figure out how everyone is really connected in this story, help the police get the true killer and keep her business afloat.

All this is happening as she, and her family are undergoing a renovation of their historic island mansion. During the demolition a mysterious bordered off room is discovered and in it the journal of the family's old governess. Why had the room been bordered off? Why are all of her possessions still in it?

With Sealed off we get a two mysteries in one and the grittier than the average cozy!

Another amazing entry in the Maine Clambake series. Although it's considered a cozy series, I feel as though each story goes a little deeper than the typical light-heartedness than one expects when reading a cozy mystery. The character development continues, and as with the previous tales, Sealed Off contains twists and turns to keep the reader guessing throughout.

So nice to return to Busman's Harbor, ME amidst the demolition portion of the renovation of Windsholme, the Morrow family historic mansion on Morrow Island.

When Julia and the rest of the Clambake family discover a body on Morrow island, it starts a race to both clear Chris' brother's name while also finding out who the real murderer is. As usual, the reader doesn't know until the very end who actually did it, but it comes with quite a twist in the story line that brings other very serious crimes to light.

While the murder mystery itself is the main story arc of this book, I felt it was a little rushed. What made up for it, I believe, was getting to better know Marguerite and Talullah as well as Chris' brother, Terry who was given a more prominent backstory. The really fun part was learning about some of the family history thanks to a journal found inside Windsholme. It added a real depth to the family as well as insight to what life was like in the late 1800s during its heyday. What happened to the journal author is something I think the readers will be interested in learning despite it's tough subject matter.

All in all this was a terrific story with the secondary story arcs, I think, stealing the spotlight in this particular book.

This book was provided to me by net galley as an ARC and I am voluntarily reviewing it here and on other related sites.

I was a fan of this series before this latest installment, but this book has its hooks in me good! So many twists and turns that really keep the reader engaged and interested in the plot and characters. One thing I really love about this series is that I never can predict what is going to happen. The author does a superb job of really writing a great fulfilling mystery.

This is the 8th installment in the Clambake Mystery Series. I have not read all the books in this series but can still follow the story easily enough. Julia is getting excited as the Snowden Family Clambake business season is coming to a close and the she is focusing on the renovations of the family home. A worker Jason has been killed and everyone is pointing the finger at her boyfriend’s brother who is an ex-con. Her boyfriend Chris asks her to look into it as they are both convinced that Terry is innocent. Another mystery is that during the renovation they discover a sealed room intact and find the diary of a girl who lived on the island in the 1890’s. I enjoyed both mysteries and want to back and pick up the other books that I have not read. This is really an enjoyable series and I love the location.

An intertwined set of mysteries, with a bit of history and an international reach, this mystery reaches out to grab and not let go. Great series.

This is the 8th installment of the Maine Clambake Mystery series. I've only read a few in this series and they can be read out of order. This one has great suspense at the end and a tricky mystery to solve. My heart was pumping as our heroine raced for safety.

The Snowden Family Clambake business is wrapping up the busy season in Busman's Harbor, Maine. Julia Snowden is starting to get excited about the renovation of the island house where she will be living during the summers. However, a death on the island which seems to lead back to her boyfriend's brother is casting a pall on the early autumn days.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

#NetGalley
#SealedOff

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Another winner in the Barbara Ross Clambake mystery series!

This one involves a murdered rapscallion and a sealed off room in a renovated mansion!

This series is one I'm always happy to see a new release for. I like the characters, but it mostly focuses on Julia.

I thought this book was a little darker than the rest and dealt with several societal issues. It was not unduly dark, but more and darker issues than the average cozy.

I'd like to see Julia do more with her family and friends besides dinner and clambake scenes. This book would have been a good opportunity for her boyfriend to participate more, but he's barely there.

That said, I enjoyed the book and the way Ross manages to keep things fresh despite the usually limited setting.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

It's mid-October and the end of the Snowden family's Clambake season, set in Busman's Harbor, Maine. A crew of workers have been hired to restore the family home on Morrow Island. One of the workers is killed and Julia's boyfriend's ex-con brother becomes the main suspect. During the renovations, they also find an enclosed room on her family's island where a mystery woman wrote a diary a hundred years ago, they wonder what became of her. Julia is determined to find out who killed Jason, even if she puts herself in danger once again.

I really enjoy this series but I admit, this installment was not one of my favorites. Neither plot was particularly compelling. I am wondering where the relationship between Julia and Chris is going or if they are just going to continue dating with no commitment. I'd like to see it take a more definite direction.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington for an ARC. My review is voluntary.

This was an entertaining addition to the clambake series. I always enjoy reading about Julia and her family business. I find the area of Maine that the story takes place is brought alive in the story. I have been to a town like this and it always reminds me of our visit. The town has interesting characters that are maybe a bit stereotypical. There seemed to be two mysteries in the book, one of the murder of one of the clambake workers. The other involving a decade old incident that is brought to light by the renovations of the family mansion on the island. The two concurrent mysteries keep the book running along and hold your interest the whole time.

I found this book very interesting. I have started requesting the others from my library. I enjoy the characters and can't wait to see what happens with them (although I am feeling very sorry for Chris).

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks go to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I have loved this series from book one, and I can say that book 8, Sealed Off, is perhaps my favorite thus far. I love that the mystery centers on Windsholme and the island this time and allows us to get familiar with some extended family members, Marguerite and Tallulah. There were plenty of subplots to keep the story moving and interesting. Definitely recommend this one!
#SealedOff. #NetGalley

Sealed off by Barbara Ross
Love this series, couldn’t wait to start this book.
The old mansion on morrow island sounds amazing, enjoying the history element of this storyline. A visit by a long standing member of the family came to see the mansion as she used to live there when she was little. A hidden sealed up room was discovered intact including a diary.
The mystery deepens!
Enjoyed this storyline immensely.
Never expected this ending , brilliant mystery.
My thanks to Kensington books and NetGalley for advance copy for my honest review.

Lately I've had a problem with getting into books, but not this one. It hooked me from the very beginning and didn't let go. I enjoyed it very much, especially the mystery of what was up with the sealed off room . I really liked how the family was together and how the mystery of the murder was solved. The ending is a nice round up of all the remaining questions and perfect. #SealedOff #NetGalley

I absolutely love this series. Each time a book comes out I devour it within a couple of days.
Each books gets better than the last...I can't wait to see what happens in the next one.
Mysterious room, a murder and the renovating of the family home!
Julia has her hands full in this story...autumn is quickly approaching which means that the clambake business is coming to an end for the season.
Only a few more clambakes to go and 2 very special guests arrive in Busman's Harbor, Maine. Family members of the Snowden's family arrive from Boston to see the family home one more time before it is totally renovated. The discovery of a secret room has been unveiled...but why was it sealed off to begin with...hmmm mysterious.
And yet again another murder and this time it is an employee of the Snowden's clambake...who? You'll have to read the book to find out...you won't regret this story but you really start from the beginning...well worth it!
Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read a digital ARC of Sealed Off....
This review is my honest opinion..

law-enforcement, murder, murder-investigation, mystery, cozy-mystery, amateur-sleuth, Maine, family-dynamics

The first mystery is a hidden room from 1898 sealed away with everything in it intact. The second is a murder. All of this happens on a small, family owned island with a severely damaged Victorian home and currently part of a tourist attraction. Lots of twists and red herrings complete with state cops, an old diary, odd behaviors by main characters, and other peculiarities. I loved it!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Kensington Books via NetGalley. Thank you!