This is book 8 in Barbara Ross’s series based on “The Maine Clambake”. It was another excellent book about Julia Snowden, her significant other Chris and her family. And of course a mystery or two to boot!

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me with an ARC of this book. I enjoyed this new book in the series. The main characters are well developed, and the secondary ones as well. I loved the fact that the characters had complex background history, as it sparked my interest even more. Barbara Ross provides many details about the settings and location, giving the reader a clear image. I was particularly interested in the mystery surrounding the mystery room discovered in the house. I wanted to know what had happened, and could not wait to reach the conclusion. I also wanted to what happened to the murdered character, and I was satisfied with how everything fell into place at the end. I recommend this book to readers both familiar and unfamiliar with this series, and fans of good mystery books.

This is the 8th book in this series, a series that continues to satisfy this reader. It works as a stand alone, so don't hesitate to read it out of order if you are just now discovering the world of Julia Snowden and her family. I read this one in a single day, staying up way, way past my bedtime. It's that good.
Julia's family is in the restaurant business in Busman's Harbor, Maine. During the tourist season they run clambakes and then run a bricks and mortar restaurant. The tourist season is coming to a close and, besides the clambakes, her family mansion, having been damaged by fire, is being readied for renovations. Death makes an entrance when one of her employees is found murdered and her boyfriend's ex-con brother becomes the prime suspect. Family comes first and Julia sets about to clear his name. If that wasn't enough to deal with, during the renovation prep, a sealed off room is uncovered and it's been sealed off for over 100 years. Frozen in time, furniture and personal belongs still in place. Among those items they find a journal written by the governess to the two boys of the family. Reading to the end uncovers some disturbing things and Julia decides to try and find out what happened to her and why the room was sealed and forgotten.
All of the clues are presented, lots of twists and turns, great cast of characters - this mystery has it all and I'm ready to add the next book in the series to my TBR list.
My thanks to the publisher Kensington and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

The Snowden Family Clambake is winding down in Busman’s Harbor, Maine as early October approaches. The Morrow family is working with a skeleton crew which includes veterans Jason Carraway, his ex-wife Pru, single mother Emmy and newcomer Terry Durand who is the brother of Julia Snowden's boyfriend Chris. Terry is free after spending 10 years in prison for an armed robbery where the employee was shot.

Meanwhile, a Russian demo team is starting work on Windsholme, the Morrow family mansion that was damaged in a fire and is being restored by architect Wyatt. Recentltly discovered Boston family members Marguerite and Tallulah come to visit and the Snowdens are anxious to show the last remaining Morrow family member the reno work in progress. As they tour the site, the family is shocked to find a sealed off room near the nursery and the belongings of the young woman who lived there. Who was she and why was the room hidden? A diary found among the belongings may provide some answers.

When Jason is found murdered and his body hidden under the woodpile, Terry fears that he will be the prime suspect since he had a nasty fight with the victim in front of many witnesses. Chris asks Julia to snoop around and try to clear Terry of the murder.

Jason was able to buy a high-end lobster boat, luxury car and home renos for his family. Where did this money come from? A mysterious diary with Cyrillic text in the hidden room provides the key to solving the murder.

This was an entertaining, quick read and this series continues to get better with each book.

I received an eARC via Netgalley and Kensington Publishing with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.

The Clambake season is coming to end
in Busman’s Harbor, Maine as it is
mid-October.
Restorations on the Morrow Island
family home will bring a surprise to
Julia Snowden and her family.
When Julia and her brother-in-law
arrive on Morrow Island to prepare
for the last clambake, the dead body
of one of the longtime employees is
found.
The brother of Julia’s boyfriend who
is an ex-con and who had a fist fight
with the deceased is an immediate
suspect. Julia plunges into the
investigation to prove his innocence.
Meanwhile the Morrow House reveals
a hidden sealed off room that surprised
everyone. The contents of the sealed off
room were that of a governess for the
child a hundred years ago. Why was the
room sealed off? What became of the
woman who resided in that room??
Come join the feisty Julie as she tackles
both the complex murder mystery and
the mystery of the hidden room and the
disappearance of the woman who stayed
there!!! Add in good food, the beautiful
seaside setting of Busman’s Harbor and
a group of colorful, vivid, well fleshed out
characters for an enjoyable, fast paced
read. Recipes included at the end of the
book
This is book # 8 in the Maine Clambake
Mysteries series. It can be read as a stand
alone.
The author weaves the past and present
together effortlessly making the reader
right at home on this scenic Maine adventure.
I volunteered to read Sealed Off. Thanks to
NetGallery and the publisher, Kensington
Books for the opportunity.
My opinion is voluntary and my own.

An excellent addition to this series, it's entertaining and engrossing.
It kept me hooked till the end and I couldn't put it down.
It was great to meet again the well written cast of characters and read about the developments in their life.
The mystery was solid, full of suspect and twists, and it kept me guessing till the end.
I look forward to reading the next instalment, highly recommended.
Many thanks to Kensington Books and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

The Snowden family built a large mansion and completed the Morrow Island clambake business on Busman's Harbor, Maine with fire pits, picnic tables and covered pavilion to lend the perfect Maine lobster experience to the tourists. Sadly, the old mansion was left empty in 1929 in a sad state of deterioration and suffered a devastating fire a couple years ago. They are now in the process of a complete renovation.

Arriving on the island to complete prep for one of the last clambakes of the season, Julia Snowden discovers a body underneath the woodpile. But there's more...

A dual plot pops up when the demolition crew at the mansion opens a room that had been totally enclosed with the inhabitant's personal effects still in the wardrobe and drawers. Even better, a diary dated 1898 is discovered in the underwear drawer.

Julia will work on the murder cause the main and most obvious suspect is her boyfriend's brother, an ex-con. There are twists and obvious suspects, ticked off the list one by one. Still, I had suspicions, but wasn't sure right up until the reveal.

And the governess who wrote the diary--what in the world happened to her? It's totally engaging with deep plunges into genealogy and web searches.

As always with the Maine Clambake series, it's easy to invest in the narrative and the delightful small fishing village, the lobstermen and perspectives on weather and waves. You can smell the salt air and crave those fresh fish dishes. The Snowden family calls on one of their oldest for this one, sharing memories of the mansion and delightful foods (recipes at the end of the book).

The conclusion draws both plots to a satisfying close, neatly tying loose ends, except one: Julia's boyfriend...stay tuned.

I received this digital download from the publisher through NetGalley and was thrilled to get another Maine Clambake mystery to read and review. Recommended for any who enjoy an immersive location, interesting characters, and complex but satisfying plots. 4.5/5 stars

This addition to the Maine Clambake series finds Julia Snowden finding a body on their families island, where they run their clambake business. Her boyfriends brother is the obvious suspect, and she’s enlisted to help prove his innocence. Busman's Harbor is the quintessential small coastal Maine town,, to paraphrase one review you can practically smell the clam chowder and the sea air. Julia makes use of her knowledge of the town and it’s residents to figure out what happened, and bring the story to a satisfying end. Do read the series in sequence if you can to add to the enjoyment.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC, I do need to say their generosity did not affect my review.

This is the latest in one of my favorite cozy series, so I was really looking forward to reading it and I was not disappointed! Julia is finishing up the last few clambakes of the season and her family has relatives visiting to see the plans for the old summer home renovations. While touring the old house, the discovery of a secret room has the family interested in the original residents. And then, as if she isn't busy enough, a murdered man is found who was an employee of the clambake and a few of the other employees are suspects. Julia spends some time investigating to try to clear the names of her employees and get justice for their former employee. This is a well written story that could easily be read by anyone not yet familiar with the series. Sealed Off had me caught up in the mysteries of the present and the past and though I suspected the culprit, it was a great read to the very end.. Hoping for many more books to come!

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

Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy of this book. All comments and opinions are my own.
Set in Maine, this is the eighth installment of the Julia Snowden clambake mysteries. Renovations are underway in Windsholme and a crew is hard at work when a secret room is discovered within the walls. Adding to the mystery is a body found hidden in the island. This time a suspect list is long and patience runs thin as the family rushes to finish the season and close up the island for the off-season. An idyllic setting and great food, recipes included of course, make for a delightful escape in this cozy mystery. Highly enjoyable read.

A Maine Clambake Mystery #8

In Sealed Off, we are back in Busman's Harbor, Maine visiting with the Snowden family and their Clambake Business. It's October and they are finishing up for the year with only six bakes left.

Julia has hired her boyfriends' brother, recently released from prison, to help with the fires. Lately, she has been noticing that there is a bit of tension in their close-knit group. Not one but two men are vying for Emmy's attention and it's beginning to feel awkward.

When Julia and Sonny find one of the interested parties dead in the woodpile, it's not looking good for the ex-con.  

At the same time work is continuing on the family manor although that turns up more mystery. A secret room, a secret diary and enough curiosity to kill several cats! Julia and friends get down to solving both mysteries, sad as they both may be.

I love this series. Barbara Ross is a wonderful storyteller alone or with her writing partners in crime! About the only thing, I love more than murder and mayhem is a good historical mystery! Secret rooms? Diaries from the 1800s? Sign me up!

NetGalley/ December 31st, 2019 by Kensington Publishing Corporation

Talk about a love triangle gone bad. No one is above suspicion when a man involved in a love triangle is found dead, murdered, on the family's island.
Accusations fly and eventually the truth plays out.
Fun addition to this series by Barbara Ross.

Sealed Off is the eighth book in Barbara Ross’ Maine Clambake Mystery series. There is sufficient background information provided to allow this book to be read as a standalone. This is a well-plotted murder mystery with a great cast of characters. The story moves at a steady pace, with two mysteries to keep the reader engaged.

Julia Snowden and her boyfriend, Chris Durand, live in Busman’s Harbor, Maine. During the off-season, they operate their fine dining restaurant and bar. During the summer months, Julia helps with her family’s business, the Snowden Family Clambake, which provides boat tours and authentic clambakes on Morrow Island, their private island. The season is winding down, and there will only be a handful of clambakes before winter sets in and Julie and Chris re-open their restaurant for the winter months. Between the clambakes, a Russian demolition crew working on Windsholme to prepare it for renovation in the spring, disagreements between a few employees, and a visit from her mother’s ninety-six-year-old distant cousin, Marguerite Morales, who grew up in Windsholme, Julie has her hands full. The last thing Julie needs is to find the body of Jason Caraway, a longtime member of the fire pit crew, and a sealed-off room along with a journal that was written by Lilly Smythe, a governess, in 1898 that contained some disturbing entries. When Chris’ brother, Terry Durand, who was recently released from prison, becomes the prime suspect, Chris asks Julie to look into matters and prove his innocence.

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

I really enjoy the Maine Clambake series! Even though this is the 8th book in the series, I had no problem keeping up with the characters.

It's fall in Busman's Harbor, Maine, and the Clambake business Julia Snowden runs with her family is winding down for the season. They are running with a skeleton crew, and a seeming love triangle between staff is putting everyone on edge.

A mansion on the island is being renovated by a group of Russian demolition men, and a hidden room was found sealed off, a picture of how it was in 1898. When one of the clambake workers is found dead, Julia takes it upon herself to gather information about her long-time employee and discovers some surprising information along the way.

I have to admit, I guessed the outcome of this book about 2/3 of the way through, but that doesn't diminish the enjoyment I received from the book. I would highly recommend this book and the Maine Clambake series to anyone who enjoys a fun cozy mystery and loves to read about coastal life.

Thanks to #NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

A cozy mystery with so many plot twists and intertwined stores it was hard to put down.

Demolition of the interior of the mansion reveals a closed-up room, complete with furniture and a journal from 1898.

The season is almost over when tensions reach the breaking point between some of the Clambake employees. When one of them is found dead, Julia Snowden finds herself investigating the murder for her boyfriend Chris Durand.

Recipes at the end look quite tasty.

I have followed this series so it was easy to keep track of characters. I'm not sure if reading this as a stand alone would be as much fun.

The clambake season is winding down in Busman's Harbor, Maine, and the Snowden family only has a few more events before fall arrives. In Sealed Off by Barbara Ross, Julia Snowden is looking forward to the season ending. Between the constant bickering among her crew and the renovation of her family's home on Morrow Island, she cannot wait for the last remaining clambakes to be completed.

While she is touring the family home with her mother's cousin 90-year-old Marguerite and her granddaughter Tallulah, the demolition crew discovers a mysterious room, sealed off from the rest of the house. In the room are furnishings and the possessions presumably belonging to the nanny or governess of the family's children. No one is more surprised than architect Wyatt Jayne.

Sealed Off, is the eighth book in the Maine Clambake Mystery. There are two mysteries to solve in this book. First there is the mystery of who wrote the newly found journal. Then there is a murder mystery. Was an employee murdered or was it something else. If murder, who committed it?
Renovations have begun on the family's Morrow Island home. A secret diary is discovered in a hidden room circa. 1898.
When an employee, Jason, is murdered, everyone immediately suspects Julia's boyfriend's ex-con brother, Chris. Julia agrees to help clear his name.

This is well-written story with realistic characters, two intriguing mysteries set in a lovely seaside town setting. The murder mystery has enough twists, turns, and suspects to keep readers engaged. I enjoyed the historical mystery.
I have noticed that Ms. Ross adds a non-fiction thread through each of her stories. These are weaved throughout the story. I do not find them distracting. In fact, I think they add depth to each novel. The relationship between Julia and Chris seems stalled. Is it going to progress or dissolve?

The author provides recipes at the back of the book.

SEALED OFF, the eighth book in the Maine Clambake Mystery series by Barbara Ross, is another entertaining installment in an enduring series. It’s been a treat watching the protagonist, Julia Snowden, develop as a well-rounded character from the beginning of the series. She’s smart, she’s determined, and she has a kind heart to help those in need around her. Julia’s family’s clambake is wrapping up the season on their private island and ramping up the remodel on the decrepit family historical mansion. One of their longtime employees is found murdered on the island when Julia and her brother-in-law arrive to prepare for one of the last clambakes of the season. Despite how a lot of people feel about her boyfriend’s ex-con brother and despite his physical fight with the victim, Julia agrees to find the truth and see justice done. I admire Julia’s loyalty to her boyfriend, Chris, and by extension, to his down-on-his-luck, brother. I also enjoy the close relationship the protagonist has with her family and the closeness they share by working together and socializing together frequently. It adds a heartwarming thread throughout the story.

In addition to the murder mystery, Ms. Ross consistently adds a non-fiction thread through each story and I’ll admit, I always find them intriguing. It’s obvious she invests a lot of time researching so that the end result is believable and fits seamlessly into the tale. (Be sure to read the acknowledgements notating her research. This one is quite charming!) She also touches on social issues in this story that can’t help but make the reader give pause to think about the larger picture. Again Ms. Ross weaves these portions into the story without slowing down the plot which keeps the reader’s interest in turning the pages until the very suspenseful ending.

Julia’s family is known for delicious food served at their clambake along with the food served at their family gatherings. It’s not uncommon for friends to join their gatherings and bring scrumptious dishes to share. The author kindly provides several recipes at the back of the book for the reader to drool over.

Sealed Off
(Maine Clambake Mystery #8)
by Barbara Ross

Paperback, 256 pages
Expected publication: December 31st 2019 by Kensington Publishing Corporation



Goodreads synopsis:
Early October is “winding down” time in Busman’s Harbor, Maine, but there’s nothing relaxing about it for Julia Snowden. Between busloads of weekend leaf peepers at the Snowden Family Clambake and a gut renovation of the old mansion on Morrow Island, she’s keeping it all together with a potentially volatile skeleton crew—until one of them turns up dead under the firewood.
 
When the Russian demo team clearing out the mansion discovers a room that’s been sealed off for decades, Julia’s baffled as to its purpose and what secrets it might have held. Tensions are already simmering with the crew, but when one of the workers is found murdered, things come to a boil. With the discovery of another body—and a mysterious diary with Cyrillic text in the hidden room—the pressure’s on Julia to dig up a real killer fast. But she’ll have to sort through a pile of suspects, including ex-spouses, a spurned lover, and a recently released prisoner, to fish out one clammed-up killer.

***

4.5 Stars

This is the eighth book in the Maine Clambake mystery series by Barbara Ross.

First comes the dead body that turns out to be one of the skeleton crew working on the renovation of and old mansion on Morrow Island. Then they discover a secret room in said mansion. Now the pressure on Julia begins. She is asked to find the killer and do it fast. The first problem with this request is that she is no police officer. And the police tend to look down on people interrupting their investigation.

Julia is quite intrigued by the history of the room they have uncovered and quickly finds a number of clues, including a diary, looking for the identity of who could have loved in this room and why it was sealed off for so long.

I am really enjoying this series. I think before now I had read one book (NOGGED OFF) from this particular series by Ross. I know I have a number in my current paperback collection. Looks like I might start a search and collect them all together. (Am I the only person who has no organization to their bookshelves?)

This story had me captivated from page one. There is just the right amount of everything in this book. It flows well. It is written well. I have a newfound appreciation for Ms. Ross’s writing since I read a short story from a recent anthology I picked up. This is just knocking it out of the park for me.

I truly look forward to making this series more of a priority in 2020.

If you love a good cozy mystery, definitely check out this one. You won’t be disappointed.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

The Snowden Family Clambake business is wrapping up the busy tourist season in Busman's Harbor, Maine. When an employee is murdered, everyone immediately suspects Julia's boyfriend's ex-con brother. He swears he is innocent and Julia agrees to help him clear his name. Meanwhile, renovations are starting in the family's Island home and a secret diary is discovered in a hidden room from 1898. It tells the sad story of a young woman and the Snowden family is determined to find out what really happened to her.

I really enjoyed this delightful installment in the Maine Clambake Mysteries. It is well-written with realistic characters, a lovely seaside town setting, and two intriguing mysteries. The murder mystery has enough twists, turns, and suspects to keep readers engaged throughout the entire story. The historical mystery is very enjoyable. I love genealogy so I was very invested in the mysterious secret room and wanted to find answers. Overall, I found the conclusion of both mysteries to be very satisfying. I have read a few books in this series and enjoyed every one of them. I will definitely be reading more by Barbara Ross.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.