Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie
I enjoyed meeting Julia, her family, and her friends in Busman’s Harbor, Maine. There is something special about Mainers that invites the reader, even those From Away, into their towns and lives. I appreciate the sense of community the folks have despite their differences and how one usually knows where they stand with each other.

Julia has been recovering from breaking up with Chris, the man she lived with after returning to Maine. She manages the Snowden Family Clambake during tourist season. Her sister Livvie and brother-in-law Sonny oversee all the cooking for the Clambake and their mother manages the gift shop. They hope to have major renovations finished before the new season begins.

Julia doesn’t have an off-season job, so she currently lives with her widowed mother. Her sister Livvie is a talented potter who works for Zoey at Lupine Designs during the off season. They design and make upscale ceramics of all kinds to sell in their storefront, online, or by special order. Julia was leaving her mother’s one morning and saw police cars outside Lupine Designs. Frightened for Livvie, she hurried over to learn that when her sister arrived to open the store, every piece of ceramic in the storefront was shattered with cabinets and shelves overturned. Zoey, who lives in the upstairs apartment, had gone out to dig for local clay for some of her needs. Childhood friend and police officer Jamie drove Lily to where Zoey was digging where there was no cell phone reception.

Julia, Zoey, and many townspeople attended a public hearing that evening regarding a new plan for summer tourist traffic to the local shops. Zoey is a proponent of the pedestrian mall, but some of the older, long-term townspeople are against it. Phinney, the older man who has a small storefront in the same building as Zoey, is loudly opposed to it. He and his friends are against any kind of change, especially if Zoey is for it. Since Zoey moved into the building and did major renovations for her business, they have battled every little thing, almost every single day, for more than three years. They had a nasty disagreement that night at the hearing, resulting in the discussion being tabled and the hearing being shut down.

The next morning, a distressed Livvie called Julia, who literally ran to find emergency vehicles around the shop again. The medical examiner was there, and she had just called in the state ME. Due to the circumstances, she could only pronounce the person inside dead and leave the rest for the state police. Livvie and Zoey found Phinney in their shared basement, brutally murdered. Just as with the vandalism the day before, there was no evidence of someone breaking into either shop. With Zoey being the only person there overnight, and after their public blowup, she is the main suspect.

Julia has helped the state police solve murders in the past, and Livvie wants her to do so again. Reluctantly, she gave the matter thought, even though she knows Sergeant Flynn and Lieutenant Binder will investigate the murder thoroughly. They discovered that when Zoey was a teenager, she went home one day and found her mother dead, murdered in a very similar fashion. The man convicted and imprisoned is still incarcerated, so Flynn and Binder took a much closer look at Zoey.

I enjoyed this wonderful cast of characters, some more eccentric than others. Many could step out of the pages into real life, so well are they described. I think it is fun to have Julia and her mother, neither one of them into food preparation of any kind, with principal roles in the family business. My favorite characters are Julia, Zoey, and Alice, an octogenarian known by most people in the area but new to Julia. I was fascinated to learn about Alice’s photography career and Zoey’s pottery studio and shop.
Plot twists kept me guessing throughout. I enjoyed watching the friendship between Julia and Zoey grow even through their disagreements. There is just the right balance of humor and high tension. I enjoy novels set in Maine as they often show ruggedly beautiful scenery and share interesting history; I found that and much more in this novel. The author crafted a mystery that held my attention, and I was fully engaged with the characters and murder. I was startled, yet saddened, to see who the killer really was. The end was perfect and left no loose ends. I highly recommend this intriguing cozy mystery!

Love this series!! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy. I waited to read it until just before my trip to Maine!!! Highly recommend this series.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

We arrive in Busman’s Harbor, Maine just in time for Mud Season and a local fight about a new pedestrian mall. Most of the people who have lived there forever have no interest is the mall or change in general. Newcomer Zoey Butterfield is in favor of the project and that could be the reason her pottery store Lupine Design was vandalized. Because Julia’s sister Livvie works at the shop she pitches in to help clean up the place after the police give them the go ahead. But it going to take a little longer to clean up the mess that a murder leaves behind. Zoey is high on the suspect list. To help her new friend Julia decides she is the one that can get to the truth but she could get killed before she unties the final knot of clues.

With the clambakes not starting for a while, our protagonist is spending time on Morrow Island at the family estate overseeing the renovations and making some fun choices. That leaves her plenty of time to help get Zoey out of the mess she finds herself in. Zoey and Julia seem to become fast friends and I liked that. I hope we see Zoey in future books. Chris, on the other hand, I am done with him. Julia still finds it hard to see him and she needs to move on and out of her mother’s house. She is a strong woman who seems to be able to accomplish anything she puts her mind to and that is why she is one of my favorite cozy characters.

Ms. Ross has put forth another complex mystery. Secret, lies, twists, turns, all had the pages rapidly turning. A local philanthropist adds some interesting answers that lead Julia to go over everything she had compiled in her investigation. She comes up with a new theory and runs with it. That running takes her into a very scary situation that had me creeping right up to the edge of my seat. My “Aha Moment” coincided with Julia. I do love it when that happens because that means I fell for everything the author wanted me to.

Mud Season in Maine is probably not the optimal time to visit but it did make for some interesting and some very funny scenes as we Muddled Through the story.

Muddled Through was A Perfect Escape! Great characters, a plot that kept me on my toes, and plenty of MUD. By the end of the book, the clambakes are starting but Julia’s life is still in flux. I am excited to return to Busman’s Harbor to see what Barbara Ross has in store for her wonderful characters next.

When Julia spots police cars in front of Lupine Design she races over as her sister Livvie works there as a potter. Livvie is un harmed but surrounded by smashed up pottery. Zoey is a vocal advocate for turning four blocks of Main Street into a pedestrian mall on summer weekends. Other shop owners including her next door neighbor are vehemently opposed. When a murder follows the break-in it’s up to Julia to dig through the secrets and lies to uncover the truth. This is a very enjoyable story following a small town tragedy to find the truth and make things better once and for all.

In the newest book of the “A Maine Clambake Mystery” series, Muddled Through, Julia finds herself watching over her sister Livvie. Livvie’s new job at Lupine Design with her new boss Zoey Butterfield has become dangerous. Not the job itself, but for some reason, someone has it in for Zoey and takes it out on her pottery. Life is never dull where Julia is concerned; a bit lonely for her and sometimes too busy. But otherwise, it's never dangerous unless she sticks her nose into a murder investigation, which she does all too often.

Someone has destroyed Zoey’s pottery showroom, and whoever it is doesn’t stop at just smashing a few pieces of her work. As a backer of the pedestrian mall, Zoey has raised the ire of several locals who do not appreciate “outsiders” moving into town and trying to change things, anything! But this time, someone is killed due to Zoey’s so-called interference in the status quo, or so it seems. Of course, no one would believe that a simple pottery shop and a new resident would cause such a stir, but most didn’t count on the stubbornness and prejudice of the older people who didn’t want anything to ever change or new people to move into town. Or… was the motive for this murder really about something else? Julia isn’t sure, but she decides that she needs to find out.

The characters in this series are always interesting. The dynamic between Julia and her sister and the other characters always keeps readers asking questions. The addition of Zoey and her pottery shop, which is nicely described, adds to the overall feel of a tight-knit community that needs to be brought into the 21st century.

The suspects in Muddled Through are easy to spot. Unfortunately, I found the killer and the overall motive implausible. There are twists and turns and red herrings, but the evidence doesn’t fit correctly. Until the end, I was going back and forth on whether the killer and the person who smashed up Zoey’s pottery were the same individuals. I have to say that when the killer’s identity is revealed and the entire scenario unfurled, It did not work for me; it just seemed too far-fetched to be believable. However, that said, It was still an enjoyable read and kept me happily entertained.

Another fantastic installment in this series by Barbara Ross. I am always impressed with her ongoing character development of her main characters while still keeping lots of quirky locals in the mix. Her descriptions make me ready to book a trip to Maine. This one was no exception and I already cannot wait for the next one!

Another wonderful trip to Busman's Harbor. Each book brings the fictional town to life even more and gives a bit of insight into a new element you might wind up wanting to learn more about. This book centered around pottery and the pottery shop. Each book makes me want to visit for real. Then I remember that I can only find the road there in the pages of Ms. Ross's excellent series.

I enjoyed the 10th installment in the series. Although I enjoyed Chris and Julia, I could feel the tension in their relationship and it had started to feel somewhat stagnant. It was bittersweet because I had gotten used to the routine of Chris and Julia’s lives together.

I enjoyed the mystery in this one too and learning about pottery. It was a lot less clambake and a lot more in-town mystery. I liked the dynamic with Binder and Flynn as well as learning more about old Busman Harbor secrets.

The story is set around a murder in Lupine Designs, a high end pottery store where Livvie works on the off season. Livvie calls in Julie for reinforcements. There is also the harsh reality of growth in a small town and the introduction of change which bothers a lot of the old timers. I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Muddled Through by Barbara Ross was an excellent murder mystery and for some reason really drew me to it. I have read others in the series and not felt this pull. Julia’s sister, Livvie, had called in a panic, asking her to come to the shop. She was a potter and worked in a relatively large shop on Main Street. The owner, Zoey had rented most of the space and spent a lot of money renovating it, including an apartment upstairs. When Julia got there it was mayhem. Someone had vandalized the shop and destroyed every piece of completed pottery on the shelves. Zoey was out collecting clay so it was left to Livvie to deal with. Jamie, a local officer and a man who wished Julia would see him as such, was there investigating and offered to go after Zoey. After hearing the convoluted directions, he accepted Julia’s offer to go with him and show him the way. As if this wan’t bad enough, several days later Livvie called again, this time about a dead body in the basement. And so it begins.

This was a complicated case, deeply rooted in the past. There are so many interesting subplots that lead to the final conclusion. Julia and Livvie’s family runs a specialty clambake business for the tourists. It has service twice a day and the tourists must take a boat to the island. Julia runs it from May to September and Lizzie cooks, making pottery the ideal business the rest of the year. Julia lives with her mother, having lost her boyfriend and her apartment in quick succession several months earlier. In many ways she is at loose ends, having left her job in finance in the city when her father had died. She still missed Chris, but he wasn’t sharing with her so she cut the cord. There was not an overabundance of men in this part of Maine so her mother and Lizzie kept pushing Jamie at her; she still saw him as the little boy she went to school with. Through a combination fo research and intuition, Julia was able to determine who the murderer was, almost ending in her own death. Some people carry their hurt with them forever.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Muddled Through by Kensington, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #netgalley #kensington #barbaraross #muddledthrough

Maine clambake mysteries are always highly entertaining, fast paced, gripping. This is another mystery that kept me reading and guessing as the author delivered a story up to my expectations.
I had fun, was glad to catch up with the characters, enjoyed the mystery.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

What happens when a little town starts depending on tourists for their economy? Yep, progress! A proposed pedestrian mall has townspeople split - some say its needed and others say it will just cause problems. It gets personal for Julia Snowden when her sister's off season employer is suspected of murdering one of the town's old-timers over the project. As always, secrets and lies come to light. It doesn't help that Julia is still struggling over the break up with Chris and the changes it brought to her life.

I always enjoy this series - the characters are well done and the story is always interesting. I struggled with this one a bit because I really liked the relationship between Julia and Chris. But I was totally invested by the end and look forward to the next one.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of #MuddledThrough.

Muddled Through is the 10th book in the Maine Clambake Mystery series by Barbara Ross. In this book, I was pleased to be reacquainted with the proprietor of The Snowden Family Clambake Company, Julia Snowden of Busman’s Harbor, Maine. Julia helps out when her sister, Livvie, a potter at Lupine Design owned by Zoey Butterfield, gets into a spot of bother and the police are called. Zoey is supporting plans to turn part of the main street into a pedestrian mall during the summer and other tourist-friendly changes proposed for the town. Following a town meeting, Phinney Hardison, who shares space with Zoey, from where he sells antiques, is found dead.

Although book 10 in the Maine Clambake Mystery series, this can be enjoyed as a stand-alone. With a compelling plot, drama aplenty, a great bunch of characters, and oodles of mayhem added to the mix, this was a fantastic read that kept me on my toes. The writing style of Barbara Ross is a good fit for me. Trying to unravel the mystery in the pockets of Julia was lots of fun and I welcomed the comfortable pace as well as the neatly packaged ending. I would like to backtrack and devour the eight books I've missed in this series as I thoroughly enjoyed Muddled Through and I'm game to see what adventures befall Julia and the Busman's Harbor crowd, next. The book leaves the reader with recipes to salivate over. Very highly recommended.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Kensington Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. This new installment in the series was really great. Julia is an interesting main character going through major changes in her life. She starts investing when vandalism and murder take place in her sister's workplace. With the great backdrop of Busman's Harbor and colorful characters, Muddled Through is a wonderful addition to this charming cozy mystery series. I strongly recommend reading the books in order, as it helps to better appreciate and understand what is happening. This book is perfect to unwind and relax, although the gears in my mind went quickly into action as I tried to figure out the mystery before reaching the end of the book. Pure enjoyment.

I really enjoyed this book! This is the 10th book in the Maine Clambake Mystery series, but I feel like it was easy to pick up and read as a standalone. The Snowden family owns and operates the Snowden Family Clambake in Busman's Harbor, Maine. In the off season, the family members keep busy with other jobs and activities. Julia Snowden's sister Livvie works in a pottery shop, Lupine Designs in the off season. When the shop is vandalized, Julia is relieved that Livvie was not injured. Julia becomes interested in who would target the shop and it's owner, Zoey Butterfield.

Zoey is a "newcomer" in town, having lived there several years. Zoey is also a supporter of turning part of main street into a pedestrian mall during the summer and supports other tourist-friendly changes in town. When a long-time resident who is resistant to the changes is found dead in the basement of Zoey's shop, Julia's sister asks her to investigate on her bosse's behalf, convinced of her innocence.

This story was great - I enjoy the characters and I imagine the other books in the series provide more back story in the characters and their relationships. I was really surprised at the ending of the story and I love that I didn't have it all figured out. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves stories set in small coastal towns with a good mystery!

Thanks to #Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.

A perfectly crafted cozy mystery set in Maine. Deftly hits all the high notes of the genre including: a murder with a so obvious she can’t have done it suspect; a variety of townspeople and a couple outsiders for plenty of red herrings, some loving family members who like to meddle a bit; a messy love life; and a perfect storm of danger for the protagonist.

There are several earlier books in the series that I have not read, but I was not lost and easily read this as a stand alone (but the series is on my TBR list now!).

Thank you to Kensington Books, Netgalley, and author Barbara Ross for early access to a digital copy of this fun read.

A wonderful cozy mystery set in Maine! Lots of details about the town and filled with interesting, complex and quirky characters. Murder and mayhem make this a real page turner! I thoroughly enjoyable read! Kept me guessing until the very end! Wonderful recipes too! A must must read!

Julia's sister works at Lupine Design so when she sees several police cars in front of the shop early one morning she runs to make sure Livvie is okay. Someone has broken into the shop and smashed up all the pottery. The owner close by digging for clay and is shocked when she finds out about her shop. Her neighbor shop owner doesn't like her so he is a likely suspect but there is also the on going argument over putting g in a pedestrian mall. When her neighbor shop owner is found.dead in their shared basement Zoey immediately becomes the main suspect. Livvie asks Julia to look into the murder she doesn't believe her boss is guilty. Julia agrees to help and starts asking questions. She begins to Learn quite a bit about the dead man and not all.of it's good. Join Julia in her search for the truth, will she find a killer or will Zoey end up behind bars?

Muddled Through is the tenth book in the A Maine Clambake Mystery series by Barbara Ross.

As Julia leaves her home one morning, she notices the flashing lights of police cars down the street. She soon realizes the police are in front of Lupine Design, a hand-made pottery shop, where her sister Livvie works at Lupine during the off-season of the family’s clambake business. Livvie and Julia enter the shop seeing most of the inventory has been knocked to the floor and is broken into pieces.

The pottery shop is owned by Zoey Butterfield, a vocal supporter of a proposal to block Main Street on weekends during peak tourist season. Phinney Hardison shares space with Zoey, where he sells antiques. The day after a town meeting to discuss the proposal and a heated discussion occurred between Zoey and Phinney, his body was found in the shared basement of Zoey and Phinney.

Zoey quickly becomes the police’s prime suspect, and Livvie asks Julia to try and clear Zoey’s name. Julia starts questioning Zoey and doubts Zoey’s innocence as she does not divulge much about her life. But as she looks into Phinney’s past, she will find a few suspects that must be investigated. Julia will get some valuable information for a local philanthropist, Alice Rumsford, a new character.

It’s always enjoyable to visit Busman’s Harbor and renew acquaintances with Julia, her family, and friends. The book is well-written and plotted. The characters are well-developed and believable, and engaging. Alice Rumsford is particularly enjoyable, and I look forward to seeing more of her in future books.

I am looking forward to reading the next book in this interesting series.

Muddled Through is the tenth book in the Maine Clambake cozy mystery series. The small coastal Maine town of Busman’s Holiday is discussing closing four blocks of main street to cars on the weekend during the summer months. Phinney is vehemently opposed to the idea. When he is found dead in his neighbor’s shop, the owner Zoey is immediately a suspect. Julia, the town’s amateur’s sleuth (as every town in Maine requires), looks for the murderer to prevent her friend from going to prison.

While seeing the characters again was nice, I felt the mystery was a bit slow to build excitement. The Refrigerator Soup and Butterscotch Cookies recipes sound both easy and tasty though. There are four other recipes also included. Overall, Muddled Through is a good but not great addition to the series. 3 stars.

Thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for a digital review copy of the book.

Julia’s day starts off with police cars in front of Lupine Design, a pottery shop where her sister Livvie works. Julia finds the shop a disaster with broken pottery all over the floor. Fortunately, no one is injured. Livvie asks Julia for her help in finding the guilty party. I once again enjoyed my trip to Busman’s Harbor, Maine. Great characters, tough mystery, and a few surprises.