Member Review

Hidden Beneath by Barbara Ross takes us back to Busman’s Harbor, Maine. It is another busy season for the Snowden’s with the clambake business. Julia and her mother are glad to be living at Windsholme. It saves them having to return to Busman’s Harbor each evening. Jacqueline, Julia’s mother, finds herself the executor of a childhood friend’s estate. There is something suspicious about the woman’s death. Five years have passed since Ginny has died, but Jacqueline and Julia are hoping to find clues in Ginny’s residences. Another murder means the two women are getting close. There are several suspects, with most of them belong to the Wednesday Club. There is misdirection to keep the sleuths off the path of the guilty party. I had fun solving this whodunit. Barbara Ross crafted an intriguing whodunit. We get to catch up with all the regular characters plus see how Jacqueline and George’s romance is progressing. Julia runs into her ex-boyfriend Chris while on Chipmunk Island helping her mother with Ginny’s estate. Chris has made some decisions regarding his life. And finally, something I have been hoping would happen has finally happened (I do not want to spoil it for you). In addition, someone makes an offer for Windholme. Jacqueline has a big decision to make. Jacqueline’s decision will affect the whole family. Hidden Beneath is an easy-to-read story. I like the author’s friendly writing style. The characters are kind, realistic, and relatable. Hidden Beneath is the eleventh A Maine Clambake Mystery. It can be read as a standalone. However, I have enjoyed reading the series in order. It has allowed me to get to know the characters and their backstories. There are recipes at the end for some of the dishes described in the book. The voyage in Hidden Beneath is a bumpy one with a moving memorial, scrumptious clambakes, a previous suitor, a close clique, a surprising proposition, a helpful find, and an unexpected kiss.