This latest installment was full of all the emotions. Fear, confusion, and heartbreak. The way the author weaves the words on the page is a thing of magic. The story was impossible to put down, and leaves the reader longing for the next story.

Maybe you aren’t currently an oyster fan, but by the end of this cozy culinary Book 9 in the Maine Clambake Mystery series, you’ll be searching for the fastest route to the Damariscotta River and the fictional Busman’s Harbor, Maine.

Julia is responsible for finding appropriate seasonal staff when her boyfriend Chris asks her help for a poker buddy who was recently assaulted and her pails of oyster spat (baby oysters) stolen. Yes, it was reported to the police, but they are taking it as an assault and robbery and Andie knows it’s much more than that.

Whether or not you’re interested in the farming of oysters, this is fascinating stuff and amazing how Ms. Ross weaves in information in Julia’s investigation to pique your interest not only in aquaculture but the history of the area and it’s evolution. Before Julia can find the perp responsible for the assault, however, Andie is murdered).

The mystery is progressing through red herrings (chuckle) and twists. The well-developed characters make you wish you could sit at their table, reliving those fish stories or the discussion on the best way to care for the upwellers. These are atmospheric, engaging, and entertaining and I never come away without learning something. Each can be read as a standalone.

A Maine Clambake Mystery #9

Always a pleasure to be back in Busman’s Harbor, Maine. The Snowden Family Clambake Company is gearing up for the season and Julia Snowden is busy preparing and hiring. Julia is also a bit of a crime solver on the side, so when one of the oyster farmers, Andie, comes to her for help, of course, she is going to say yes.

Robbed of two buckets of oyster seed, Andie isn’t sure if someone is trying to sabotage her business or one of the summer people who don’t like seeing the cages. Before Julia can even ask a few innocent questions, Andie is dead and there are more than enough suspects to go around.

As she starts digging into the lives of the residents and her own family, she may not live to see another clambake!

This series keeps evolving and adding new characters which keep it fresh and all of us on edge!

NetGalley/ February 23rd, 2021 by Kensington Publishing

This is one of my favorite series - I love the characters and the setting. The mysteries are always front and center but there is just enough of the community interspersed to make it a good cozy mystery. I loved the glimpse into oyster farming and how they are perceived. The drama with Julia slowly built up and left me sad at the end but I will definitely continue with the series.

I received a copy from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

#ShuckedApart #NetGalley

I really liked this new book from Barbara Ross. I have read all of her books and enjoyed this new one. The story is a little different than her other in the series. The story really kept you intrigued and guessing which person was guilty. Ialso liked that it moved the personal relationship forward.

Julia Snowden is back in Busman's Harbor in the ninth installment of Barbara Ross's Maine Clambake mystery series. When Julia's boyfriend's poker buddy, Andie Greatorex, is robbed of $35,000 worth of oyster seed and subsequently murdered, Julia turns detective to solve the crime. The ensuing investigation uncovers several suspects, all of whom had the means, motive, and opportunity to have killed Andie. Was it her ex-lover, who stood to inherit the oyster farm? A disgruntled former employee? Or perhaps it was a competing lobsterman, or a resentful property owner, both of whom wanted the river property for themselves?

I am a fan of this series and have enjoyed each book; this was no exception. At 160 pages, the mystery is fast-paced, with new clues uncovered on each page. Interwoven in the plot is character development for Julia and her boyfriend, Chris, which will have readers returning to the next book to see what happens with their relationship. In addition, I enjoyed the information about oyster harvesting, a trade I was unfamiliar with but found very interesting.

Another winner in this long-running series. .

Thank you to Kensington Books, author Barbara Ross, and NetGallery for a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Loved it
And we are back to Busman's Harbour for the 9th story in A Maine Clambake Mystery...
Julia is asked by Chris to help one of his friends. His friend, Andie, owns a oyster farm and someone has stolen 2 buckets of oyster seed worth $35,000....yes I said $35,000. So Julie helps Andie try to find the thief when a few days later a body shows up down at the dock of the oyster farm...and it's Andie.
Now Julia is helping to find the murderer. Which brings her to the town of Damariscotta, Maine interviewing people that Andie knew and Andie's old partner
But trying to get ready for the Snowden Family Clambakes, trying to find the murderer and Julia finds out that Chris is keeping things from her. Mainly to do with his poker nights...
Barbara Ross weaves a story so well that you want to finish it in one sitting. The characters are so well developed that you can't help but get involved in the story....it's like watching a movie in your head.
If you like cozy mysteries then this series is a must read! I highly recommend it

Shucked apart is the 9th installment in the Maine clambake mystery series but the first for me. I really liked the setting, the characters and the writing style. However for me there was a little too much time spent on details I felt irrelevant. After reading this book I know way too much about the process of farming and shucking oysters, as well as cooking other types of seafood for someone with a shellfish allergy. That being said, I do have the intention on reading the series from the beginning because it was a really cute and fun mystery!

Julia Snowden is asked by her boyfriend, Chris, to look into a robbery and assault on one of his poker buddies. Andie Greatorex was shoved the ground, kicked and had oyster seed worth $35,000 stolen from her. A little shocked to find out that Andy is really Andie, Julia reluctantly agrees to poke around.
When Julia finds Andie dead, she now has to find out who killed her. Is it Andie's ex-husband and former business partner? Is it Julia's Uncle? A lobsterman who isn't too happy about Andie oyster farming business taking over the river. Or is Ken Farrow, who just started his oyster farm to blame?
While Julia is asking questions and reporting what she finds to the local detectives, she's also struggling with her relationship with Chris. Will he ever trust her enough to let her into his life?
I thought this was a good mystery, there were several plausible red herrings and an exciting ending to boot. I enjoy Barbara Ross' books for the character development, and the research she does on the history of the area and the topics she writes about. This is one of her best books in the series.
#netgalley #shuckedapart

Although "Shucked Apart" is the 9th book in a cozy mystery series, it's the first one I've read in the series. (Part of what I love about cozies is that you don't need to read them in order, because I almost never manage to read them chronologically.)

Julia Snowden is preparing her family's clambake restaurant for the tourist season. That means hiring summer help, cleaning, ordering supplies, etc. She's so busy she barely has time to sleep, but local oyster farmer Andie Greatorex asks Julie to help her after she is robbed of $35K worth of oyster seed. Julia has helped solve mysteries in the past and Andie thinks she's the only one who can help after the police start off on the wrong track.

Reluctantly, Julia agrees. It turns out there are quite a few people who might want to harm Andie's business - from a cranky neighbor to oyster farming competition to disgruntled lobster fishermen. Unfortunately, Julie barely scratches the surface of who might have done it before she finds Andie floating in the Damariscotta River with a shucking knife sticking out of her neck.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. It was a quick, fast-paced read. The Maine customs were interesting to learn about, as I've never been there, and I also learned quite a lot about oyster farming. There's a very large cast of characters in this small town, and virtually everyone is a suspect. I definitely plan to continue reading this series.

Barbara Ross's ninth book in her Maine Clambake Mystery series is a delight! I have been reading the series for several years and can't get enough! This is no exception. In this entry, Julia goes to help a friend of her boyfriend Chris in the neighboring town Damariscotta after her oyster seeds are stolen. While I did miss more of the characters and family interactions in Busman's Harbor, I thought it was a smart idea to expand Julia's universe and introduce new characters such as her aunt and uncle. I'm excited to see how they will be used in future stores. The mystery was complex and as always Ms. Ross wraps up the loose ends well. She is also not shy to bring obstacles into Julia's personal life as she continues to settle down in Busman's Harbor. As a long-time reader, I can't wait for the renovations of the mansion on Morrow Island to finish and the mysteries that could arise.

If you are looking for a well written cozy mystery that transports you to another locale so perfectly written that you can clearly visualize it in your mind and yearn to go there, Shucked Apart by Barbara Ross is the book for you. Shucked Apart is the perfectly named ninth entry in A Maine Clambake Mystery series and could be used as a lesson for other cozy writers on how to keep a series fresh: a bit of a change in locale, realistic characters and evolving relationships. 

It is a week before the Snowden Family Clambake opens for the season and Julie Snowden should be filling its staffing needs. Instead, she answers her boyfriend’s Chris’s call to help a poker friend of his, Andie Gatoreaux, an oyster farmer in nearby Damariscotta and, surprisingly, a woman, not a man as Julia expected. This renews Julia’s concerns about Chris’s propensity to secrecy and what else he isn’t telling her. In Shucked Apart, Julia has more to think about than solving a mystery. 

The book’s change in locale meant that Ms Ross was able to explore a different industry, oyster farming, as well as the conflicts and resentments that exist between aqua farmers, lobster men and the longtime residents that visit the paradise that is Maine in the summer. There is no shortage of suspects and each has their own reasons for causing Andie problems. 

This quick-reading book is an excellent example of a cozy mystery and I enjoyed it very much. I will eagerly look for the tenth installment of this series. The book is a standalone but I recommend reading the others in this well written series, preferably in order. Five Stars.

What a great read! I've been reading this series since the very beginning and it just keeps getting better. The action does not take place during the usual clambake season, nor does it take place on the family island. The plot is situated on how oysters are grown and breeded, and of course there is a murder surrounding the breeding farm.
There was a surprise towards the end, but I'm not going to give any spoilers away. Let's just say that I hope things go the way I'm suspecting they'll go within the next few books! Recommended for those that like cozies and fast- paced reads.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this digital ARC. All opinions are my own. This review can also be found on my Goodreads page.

Entertaining and full of intrigue.
The story has a Well developed plot with great characters.
It’s a great cozy mystery for a weekend getaway.

Julia Snowden is trying her best to get some new help for her family business. Her boyfriend Chris Durand ask her help in helping his friend Andie find out who stole the baby oyster seeds. Julia is a bit surprised to meet Andie and learn that Andie is actually a female. .But aside from the shock Julia agrees to ask around and see who had a beef with Andie and her oyster farm. Before she gets too far into the questioning Andie turns up dead! The list of suspects runs deep including Julia's Uncle Bob and Andie former lover/partner Mack who just happens to inherit Andie entire operation.. Others are opposed to a proposed expansion but only one person really had enough hatred to end her life. Will Julia be able to snuff out the murderer or will that person "snuff" her out. Great story . Could be a read alone but best read in a series. This one has a surprise ending .

Shucked Apart is a wonderful new book in the Maine Clambake Series by Barbara Ross. Julia Snowden finally meets a friend of Chris, her notoriously private boyfriend. Just days later Julia finds Andie, an oyster farmer, dead. There are plenty of suspects but not a lot of time as the tourist season is getting ready to start. As always I enjoyed Julia's investigation but have to admit I was a bit taken aback with the book's ending. I am now anxious to see what happens next for Julia! Thank you to #NetGalley for the advance copy of #ShuckedApart.

I received this ARC via Netgalley and Kensington Books, in return for an honest review. This is the ninth book in this series and easily read as a standalone. Julia Snowdon helps her boyfriend’s buddy, Andie, as Andie is dealing with harassment and theft at her oyster farm. Sadly, Andie is found murdered and Julia wants to help find the killer of this very likable and friendly woman who was committed to sustainable oyster farming and growth in their small town of Busman’s Harbor, Maine. The author does an excellent job of both educating and moving the story along about the world of oyster farming. Julie finds herself dealing with hard feelings between oyster farmers, lobstermen and a wealthy summer community who want open access to the waters used by both local groups. There’s also an unpleasant ex-husband and others who aren’t thrilled with all that Andie had accomplished so far so there are lots of suspects and red herrings (throwing another fish analogy into this!). The recipes are also a nice bonus to the story.
This is a solid cozy and you root for Julia to solve the mystery of Andie’s death.

It's nearly time to begin the Snowden Family Clambake season in coastal Maine and Julia isn't nearly ready. She still needs to hire staff, but get sidetracked when a neighboring oyster farmer asks for her help. Julia can't say no, Andie is a poker playing friend of Julia's boyfriend Chris. Much to her distress, Chris never mentioned Andie was a woman. What else is Chris hiding from Julia, she wonders.

When Andie is robbed of a large quantity of oyster spat or seeds, she explains she thinks someone is trying to ruin her business. When she is found dead a couple of days later, Julia feels the need to investigate. There are plenty of suspects including Andie's ex-partner, but Julia can't believe Mack Owen is guilty even when he inherits Andie's farm. Another taste of Maine with a devilish mystery to boot.

The Maine Clambake series has been around for a while (Shucked Apart is book 9), but I hadn't yet read any previously. That's going to change as I add books 1-8 to my to-be-read list! Going against stereotype, Julia Snowden is one snoopy citizen who isn't continually at odds with the local police. As the off-season comes to an end, Julia's boyfriend asks that she investigate the theft of oyster spat (baby oysters) from a friend. Before she knows it, Julia's client turns up dead. Even though this is book 9 in an established series, I was able to pick up the relationships and the characters with no problem. Recommended for all cozy mystery fans!

Thanks to Kensington Press for access to a digital arc via NetGalley.

I love the clambake mysteries and Shucked Apart did not disappoint. This book focused mostly on Julia Snowden and her investigative skills. It takes place just prior to the opening of the clambake season so Julia has plenty of time to investigate. Very well plotted mystery with many interesting suspects. Quite enjoyable! I love the covers of these books and could see myself really enjoying a visit to Busman's Harbor.