Ballerina-with-a-broken-ankle Allie is staying with her aunt and helping out at the Lobster Shack when she discovers a body--or two. Though there were times when I got a bit impatient with all the Lobster Shack details, the mystery itself did have a good resolution. I thought the characters were a bit hazy, though. Maybe it was just to keep multiple suspects going, but I didn't feel like I really knew many of the characters. Despite plenty of physical descriptions, they just didn't come to life for me like I would have liked. Still, a fairly engaging story.

(Will cross-post to Amazon on pub date.)

The first installment of this series charmed me, the second installment has me hooked! I love the family dynamics in this series, how normal yet dysfunctional it is. The author does a great job of setting the stage for a beautifully executed mystery! This is a book you can pick up again and again and just get lost in the settings, characters, and great food!

This is a fun read from start to finish! I love the New England seaside setting, especially the lobster shack, The Lazy Mermaid. Protagonist Allie is still in town, living and working with her Aunt Gully, owner of The Lazy Mermaid. Allie's sister Lorel is in much of the book, with some focus on her on-again, off-again boyfriend Patrick. We get to see more of Allie's friends Verity, Bronwyn, and Hayden, Allie's acting friends, and the Mermaid's crew, along with meeting some celebrity newcomers. It was hard to put this book down, as it's a puzzle with many well-sprinkled pieces. It's a nicely complicated mystery with just enough of regular life and the Fourth of July holiday happenings to give it some balance. I really liked this second Lobster Shack mystery, wishing I could take a walk down the road and have lunch at the Mermaid. Here's hoping for many more books in this delightful series!

I received an advance copy of this book, and the honest opinions in this review are my own.

It's the Fourth of July holiday in Mystic Bay and Allie, a dancer who is staying with Aunt Gully and working in the lobster shack while recovering from an ankle injury, and her sister Lorel are busy making and selling lobster rolls as well as catering a big party for Stellene, the most famous resident of the town. When Allie goes out lobstering early in the morning instead of lobster pots she pulls up the body of an unidentified young woman and feels compelled to find out who she is. While at the party Allie and Lorel meet famous singer Eden and wind up spending the night on Stellen'e yacht with her, where Lorel finds the body of her ex-boyfriend Patrick, who they believe owed money to some nasty people. How this all comes together makes for a most enjoyable mystery with relateable characters, a wonderful setting and, of course, those delicious lobster rolls. I highly recommend it.