I really enjoy this series. This is the second I have read and it was just as fun as the first. It is the 4th of July in Mystic Harbor and the tourists are celebrating. Allie finds herself involved in another murder and this time her sister is the prime suspect. I like the town and the fun characters and that Allie works with the police. The mystery was once again very good with lots of suspects and red herrings. This series is the perfect summer read. Enjoy the visit.

For the sake of transparency, I must admit that it has been quite some time since I read this book. I read it this past August, and if asked, I couldn't tell you how it ended. However, there are some important things I can tell you that should speak well to my overall reading of this book.

1. I'm super picky about cozies. At the time, I gave it an easy 4 stars. Now that time has passed, my recollection of it is so warm that I'm wondering why I didn't give it 5.
2. As soon as the next in series became available on NetGalley, I requested it. (And I got it and I "squeeeeeed" when I did)
3. The setting appealed to me because it is set in New England (I live in Maine), in a "fictional" town called Mystic Bay (which I suspect comes from the actual town of Mystic in CT, which I have visited and love immensely), and the cover has lobsters on the front (did I mention I live in Maine???). I was not disappointed.
4. The characters were great (with the exception of Allie's sister, whom I really didn't like), but especially Allie and her Aunt. Their relationship is great. Everyone should have family like that.
5. I'd still recommend it to anyone who loves cozies, but also to those who just like a light mystery.
6. After all these months, I still remember it fondly!

A person's feelings about a book long after they've read it can say as much (or more!) about the quality of a book as anything else. And I feel good about saying, this was a wonderful summer read that I'd recommend over and over. Really looking forward to getting into the next one when it's time. :)

This series has me wanting to jump into the car and head for Maine and the scrumptious food they cook at Lazy Mermaid Lobster Shack. This is book 2 in the Lobster Shack Mystery series and Allie is still home nursing her broken ankle before returning to her dance company. But now her Aunt and sister are venturing into catering and their first job lands them in the middle of a murder investigation. Great story and the family is fantastic. I'm hoping that Allie is going to remain in Mystic Bay for more great adventures. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Very enjoyable book! Complex mystery. Didn't figure out the killer until the reveal. A little irritated at the stupidity of the main character, but it's forgivable. Overall, it was a fun cast with a lot of little subplots and a really fun read.

The first third of the book, I had no idea where Shari Randall was going. The body of a 20-something female tangles on the lobster hooks of Bertha’s boat and Allie, who is still healing from a broken ankle, suddenly feels that she is responsible to find out the identity of the girl with the pitchfork tattoo. What she does not know is this will be the epicenter of the Fourth of July that is quickly descending upon Mystic Bay.

From an over the top estate of a modeling agency owner, to an emotional breakup with an on again off again boyfriend, to dressing as mermaids, to another dead body in a raft, to an incognito star appearing in local theater, to abstract paintings, to a kitschy lobster restaurant, to best friends thinking that they are Cagney and Lacey, this book seems to have a mishmash of it all.

If you haven’t given up by the middle, the confusion will only grow deeper with Shari Randall throwing in all sorts of shenanigans and if was not for a total recap at the end, I am not sure that I would have been able to draw all the strings together in this overly convoluted tale.

Against the Claw by Shari Randall is the second book in the Lobster Shack Mystery series. Allie is still home recovering from her broken ankle. She is helping out at her aunt's lobster shack but continues to work toward the goal of dancing as a ballerina again. While helping out on a lobster boat, Allie discovers a body which goes unidentified for days. Allie and her Aunt Gully have there hands full with the regular tourists and a special catering job. When a second body shows up, Allie ramps up her investigation into the mysterious deaths. This is a strong second book full of wonderful characters. Against the Claw easily stands on its own and is a great late summer mystery!

Princess Fuzzypants here: Allie is still trying to get back on her toes so she can return to her career as a ballerina. In the meantime, she works in her aunt’s lobster shack and the bodies continue to pile up. This adventure starts with a young woman found tangled in lobster nets. Was it a horrible accident or something far more nefarious. And how is it connected to the wealthy celebrities who are staying at the estate where Allie and her family are catering a July 4th party.
Are the mother and daughter who live there involved or is the pop star whom Allie befriends? Where do the rest of the beautiful people fit in? And what about Allie’s sister’s n’er do well boyfriend? It seems the closer she gets to the answer, the more dangerous it becomes. And if she doesn’t stop getting into all sorts of chancy situations, her ankle will never heal.
It all adds up to a tasty and fast read, perfect for beach or holiday.
I give it four purrs and two paws up.

This is the second book in the series but you do not need to read the first one to enjoy this book. So many bad guys so little time! Murder, drugs, lies, and craziness. This book had it all. The drama was something else. I liked the characters. The book did make me want a lobster roll now tho.

Somehow I missed reading the previous book in this series but that didn't lessen my enjoyment of this one. I'm looking forward to going back to read the first while waiting for the third to come out in February 2019. Allie is a ballerina who is recovering from a broken ankle and has returned to her home town of Mystic Bay. Her Aunt Gully had always wanted to own a lobster shack and after her husband passed away, she decided to go for it. She opens the Lazy Mermaid and all of her friends and family pitch in to get it off the ground - it's a wonderful group of people in a town I would love to visit. The thought of lobster rolls makes my mouth water something fierce.
One morning Allie, no stranger to a lobster boat, goes out to check the lobster traps with Bertha, the Lobster Lady but it's not just the expected lobsters to be found. When the line jams as they try to pull up the traps, the reason is a shock. The body of a young woman has become entangled in the line - who is she? and was her death an accident? Nothing is as it seems and Allie needs answers.
Death comes again after a posh party at a very stately home nearby. The Lazy Mermaid lobster Shack is a big hit and Aunt Gully is asked to cater a fancy Fourth of July party. Needing the very nice paycheck from the gig, Allie goes along with her sister Lorel and Aunt Gully to do the catering. Complete with Allie and her sister having to wear clam shell bras and mermaid sarongs along with a crown. Oh, the things one does for family.
When the next body turns up it hits close to home and Lorel is on the list of suspects, Allie has even more reason to investigate. Are the deaths connected? What twists and turns will lead to the killer being caught? This is a very satisfying mystery that kept me guessing to the last chapter. I will definitely be ready to read the next in the series.

This is my first introduction to this series. It was a nice introduction. I had not problems jumping right into the book. It can be read as a stand alone novel; which I did not feel like I missed anything not having read the prior novel.

What I did have an issue with is the fact that the characters didn't leave me all warm and fuzzy. For this reason, I did struggle some with this book in just being able to sit and read non stop. It was more of a stop and go affect. Yet, the story was fine. No real surprises. A cozy story that I would expect.

I'm in love with this series. Allie is moving right up there in the top five of my favorite amateur sleuths. I love her sweetness, spunkiness and doggedness to find the killer. Even a bum ankle does not slow her down.

In book two of the Lobster Shack Mystery series we join Allie, Aunt Gully, and friends as they prepare for the Fourth of July. The Lazy Mermaid has more customers than ever and Lorel, Allie's sister, agrees for the Mermaid to cater "THE" Fourth of the July party for Stellene Lupo. Before that can happen a Jane Doe is found by Allie as she lobsters with a family friend. Can Allie find out who she is and what happened before she ends up sleeping with the fishes?

The Lobster Shack series is a pure joy to read. The description of Mystic Bay, CT is so real that you feel like you are right there with Allie. You can taste the lobster rolls, smell the salt from the ocean and feel the sand under your toes. This is a place I wish I could visit and meet Allie. She seems like a great person to have in your corner.

Her sister, Lorel, was not so frustrating this book. In the first book, Curses, Boiled Again, I did not like Lorel and was hoping she was going to be a minor character with little interaction. She was needed and added a lot to the second book.

If you are a new fan of cozies and like the beach, you should grab the first two books in the series and block out a weekend (preferably on the beach) and read, read, read. I don't think you will be disappointed.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed n the review are entirely my own.

Against the Claw by Shari Randall is the 2nd book in A Lobster Shack Mystery, and it is as charming as the first in series. I recommend this series very highly.
Allie Larkin is a ballerina who is recovering from a foot injury by working at her Aunt Gully's lobster shack, Lazy Mermaid. She fits right in with the locals and is enjoying the coastal life in Mystic Bay. She is involved in community theater and also has had one successful attempt at solving a murder. which endeared her to the village. The locals are embracing her and she is making the small village her home. The descriptions of coastal life the food, the people and culture are so delightful and well written you feel as if your experiencing it for yourself. I guarantee you will be hungry after this book.
I love the supporting charcters, the location and the well crafted sleuth. I found myself guessing at the outcome and enjoyed the sleuth to the very end. This is a delightful series and I look forward to the next in series and reading further adventures of Allie and her friends.
Thank you for the ARC. My opinions are my own. Very enjoyable cozy series !

It was great returning to Mystic Bay to visit with Aunt Gully, Allie and Loren, who was home for the July 4th holiday to help at the Lazy Mermaid Shack. Loren had also taken back up with a guy named Patrick who ran the most popular bar/restaurant in town and who had a reputation of being a bad boy. Allie could never see what Loren saw in him, aside from his good looks.

While helping Bertha, known as Lobster Woman, Allie was on her lobstering boat when they pulled up a dead body. The young woman's body remained unidentified for quite awhile, but in the meantime, the restaurant was hired to cater a party at a wealthy woman's estate. Allie, Loren and Gully went over for it. Loren and Allie were to spend the night on the woman's yacht along with a famous singer and her friend. When the body of Lorel's ex-boyfriend Patrick was found in an inflatable boat that had been tied behind the yacht, Allie figured they were all suspects and was determined to find the real killer. With her friend Verity's help sleuthing as well as the occasional help from her friend Bronwyn who was a police department intern, the case slowly came together.

Meanwhile, Allie was appearing in a show while her broken ankle was still healing and she had to make sure she got to rehearsals, worked at the restaurant and did some sleuthing. While the showdown wasn't exactly with the main perp, it was still pretty awesome. Let's just say it involved Bertha chucking a vacuum cleaner over a railing at someone. I really came to like Bertha in this book and now she's another favorite character of mine, along with Aunt Gully, of course!

I didn't guess the actual killer but it didn't surprise me when I found out who did it. There were a lot of secrets being kept by different people and a few twists along the way that kept this plot moving along and so interesting that I had trouble putting the book down. I'm anxious to see what happens in the next book. Allie doesn't have a guy interest but I think she could be interested in Hayden, her old classmate, if he showed any interest in her. It'll also be interesting to see how soon her ankle becomes able to fully dance ballet again. Will she travel back and forth to Boston to dance an occasional show or will she decide that Mystic Bay is too much of a home for her to leave Aunt Gully and the Lazy Mermaid? I hope we don't have to wait too long to find out!

Against the Claw by Shari Randall is the 2nd 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 morning while helping out a neighbor, Allie and the women found a dead body hooked to the lobster trap. No one can identify the women, so Allie is determined to find the truth. That is only one story line in this book. Lorel, Allie's sister, is dating her ex boyfriend, which Allie knows is bad news, and they are catering a 4th of July party for a rich business women on the island. 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.

Against the Claw is the second book in the Lobster Shack Mystery series. I did not feel lost in picking up with book 2.

Allie Larkin is working the summer at the Lazy Mermaid Lobster Shack for her aunt. In the afternoons, she is rehearsing for the summer stock production. Since she has a broken ankle that isn’t healed, she is the sprite that sits on the rock and also flies through the air.

Her sister is helping on her days away from her real job. Lorel is a marketing wiz. She gets them a catering job for a modeling big shot.
Allie and Bertha, a lobster fisherman find a young dead women hooked to one of the lobster pots.

After the catering gig, Lorel finds her ex-boyfriend dead on the boat they spent the night. Allie tries to help the police solve the murders.

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!

I am looking forward to more from this author.

The second Lobster Shack mystery, after Curses, Boiled Again, is as good as the first! Against the Claw starts with Allie pulling lobster traps with Bertha. The last trap also pulls up a dead girl.

With Aunt Gully’s Lobster Shack expected to host a huge number of customers on the Fourth of July, a catering opportunity that is too good to pass up appears. Catering the famous modeling agent Stellene’s annual party would be excellent publicity. When Allie and her sister Lorel get the opportunity to stay on Stellene’s massive yacht with only superstar singer Eden and her guitarist boyfriend on board, it seems like the perfect day. But when Lorel’s recently ex-boyfriend Patrick is found dead in the morning in a raft tied to the yacht, the party abruptly ends.

I love the characters in the Lobster Shack books. They feel like old friends who are stuck in bad circumstances whose wits will ultimately win out over evil. The mystery was good—not to easy or too difficult to figure out. You definitely do not need to read the first book in the series, Curses, Boiled Again, to enjoy this one. Even better, Against the Claw has no spoilers to the first book so they can be read out of order. Highly recommended to cozy mystery fans. 4 stars!

Thanks to the publisher, St Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for an advanced copy.

The Lazy Mermaid Lobster Shack in Mystic Bay is back in the second book named Against the Claw. Shari Randall has written a fun cozy mystery. Ballerina Allie Larkin is still attempting to heal her broken ankle. She has been helping her aunt out at her lobster shack. There have been lines of tourists and plenty of lobster rolls to go around. Even her sister Lorel has been pitching in. Allie ends up helping empty lobster traps with a friend only to find a dead body. From here we are launched into an investigation of who this unknown person is between cracking lobsters and getting ready to cater a huge party for the nearby celebrity, where still another murder victim is found.

Allie has friends that help her out investigating and a town with different characters that could have something to do with what is going on. The mysteries are interesting. The setting with the lobster shack is different and the situations are worthy of Jessica Fletcher. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. Against the Claw by Shari Randall was a good read.

Against the Claw is a great addition to the Lobster Shack Mystery series. It was fun to return to small town Mystic Bay and the cast of characters, including Allegro (Allie) Larkin, Aunt Gully and Lorel, Allie's sister as well as other locals. Allie is a dancer recovering from a broken ankle and helping out at Aunt Gully's Lazy Mermaid Lobster Shack. She also has a part in an upcoming play at a local theater. Both she and Lorel live in Boston. Lorel also returns on the weekends to help out in the lobster shack. It is the week of the 4th of July so Lorel is home for the week. Thankfully, Aunt Gully has quite a few friends that are available to help out at the restaurant when it gets busy because Allie has a tendency to get caught up in trouble. When Gully gets a big catering job for a local celebrity on the fourth, she calls in the troops to help.
One morning as Allie is helping lobster woman Bertha check her traps, they discover the body of a young woman attached to one of the traps. No one knows who she is (or they aren't admitting it) or where she came from but she is soon called Pitchfork Girl because of a tattoo of a pitchfork on her arm. Lorel is back with on again/off again since middle school bad boy sweetheart Patrick Yardley-to the dismay of Allie and Aunt Gully. He owns a popular bar but has his hands in unsavory stuff too. When something happens to him on the fourth, things really get interesting.
There are lots of twists and turns in the story so it is hard to decide who might have it in for Patrick. Could it be tied to Pitchfork Girl? This is a mystery that is not easily figured out. I had suspicions but not a clear idea and the answer is, it is a complicated plot with many players that are diverse and far reaching. The local color adds interest and depth to the characters and makes for a enjoyable page turner with a ending with a twist. I am looking forward to the next book.
Thanks to St. Martin's Publishing through NetGalley for a complimentary ARC to read and give an honest review. Thoughts and opnions are mine only.

You will be craving a lobster roll soon after you start reading this book. Interesting and relatable characters. Steady paced action. Many surprises. A little suspense. A little romance. A delightful series.

Still home in Mystic Bay, Connecticut recuperating from ankle injury, Allie Larkin helps out at her aunt's popular lobster shack, the Lazy Mermaid. On one of the days she is out of the water collecting lobsters with Bertha, they find a body of a young woman. With no identification, it is difficult for the police to find out who she is. In the meantime, the owner of a large modeling agency in New York who owns a house in Mystic Bay wants Aunt Gully to cater. When the evening arrives, Allie and Lorel head to the house to help with the party. Later in the evening someone is found dead and there are only four suspects: Allie, Lorel, and two guests.