Princess Fuzzypants here: The summer is here and the Snowden Family Clambake is running at full speed. So when Julia’s mother is named executor of the will of a friend from her youth whom she has not seen for decades, Julia offers to help her mother sort through the quagmire that has built up in the five years since the woman disappeared. Ginny was fond of going for swims off Chipmunk Island and was last seen going into the water. The State has finally declared her dead which means reading the will and wrapping up her estate.

But something does not jive with Julia. She is uncertain exactly what is wrong but when she discovers the treasure trove of diaries Ginny kept, she learns there are secrets hidden beneath the bucolic life on the island. When another of the friends of the group is murdered, Julia is convinced that the two events are tied together and will reveal something ugly beneath the beauty of the locale.

As a fan of the series, I am always pleased to return to see where the characters are going. The book could be read as a standalone but the character development and plots would be enjoyed even more by reading them in succession. There are a lot of open possibilities that are resolved. I wonder where we will go next. Five purrs and two paws up.

Hidden beneath is the second book I have read. A real enjoyable relaxing read. The clambake is very interesting on a private island and of course a dead body, amazing story and fully relaxed to read.

Such a great read! I enjoyed the story throughout. Loved the mystery and the characters in the book. I enjoyed the plot and thought it was well thought out! Highly recommend!

Summer has returned to Busman's Harbor, and with it the Snowden Family Clambake. The Snowdens themselves have finally moved into their restored and refurbished lodgings on Morrow Island, where they host two daily seatings for the traditional Maine meal. Our heroine Julia Snowden is looking forward to another busy, if brutal season of serving seafood to literal boatloads of visitors.

As expected, demand is high for the clambake's offerings, with a fully booked schedule putting strain on their not yet fully staffed roster, as they wait for their usual summer time employees to become available from other jobs. Julia thus has to scramble to find people to cover for her and her mother Jacqueline when the latter makes a rare and unexpected request for time off for them both.

It's been five years since Jacqueline's old friend, school teacher Ginny Merrill, disappeared during one of her daily swims off the shore of nearby Chipmunk Island. The state of Maine has now declared her officially dead, and her childhood friends have decided to hold a memorial in her honor. They've invited Jacqueline to attend, and she's asked Julia to come along for moral support.

Turns out that Jacqueline has long been nursing a secret guilt related to Ginny's death. The two women had been very close as teenagers, but adulthood had taken them in different directions. They'd always meant to get together again, with Ginny even contacting Jacqueline just days before her death. Jacqueline had put off getting back to her, so was stunned when Ginny had gone missing and presumably died.

She's even more shocked when Ginny's will is finally found and she's named executor – or personal representative, as it's known in Maine – of Ginny's estate. Ginny had never married or had children, but clearly valued her relationship with Jacqueline enough to trust the other woman to see out the terms of her will. As Julia assists her mother with the challenging task, the two women uncover information that indicates that Ginny's death might not have been accidental after all. When another of Ginny's old friends meets an untimely end, it swiftly becomes clear that a murderer is on the loose.

This was a pretty heavy installment of the Maine Clambake mystery series, as Jacqueline deals with the unresolved grief of losing her old friend. Julia also has to come to grips with her own emotions, finally finding closure in her relationship with her ex-boyfriend Chris, whom she broke up with two years before the events of this novel. Barbara Ross always writes brilliant, topical mysteries, and this introspective look at the relationships we choose to maintain throughout our lives was no different. Hidden Beneath isn't a total downer though, as the next stage of Julia's romantic life, hinted at in previous books, finally begins.

There were five delicious recipes included here, all of dishes described and consumed in the book. I can never resist a fried rice recipe, especially when seafood is involved, so had to try out this one:

QUOTE
Livvie's Lobster Fried Rice

1 tablespoon canola oil
4 tablespoons butter, divided
1-inch fresh ginger, minced
1 medium carrot, diced
1 rib celery, diced
4 scallions, chopped and divided
2 cups cooked rice
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 eggs, beaten
8 ounces cooked lobster meat, chopped

Mix soy sauce and sesame oil in a small bowl.

Heat canola oil and 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat in large frying pan. When hot, add the ginger, carrot, and celery and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add half the scallions and sauté another minute or so. Add the rice, sesame oil, and soy sauce, stirring vigorously to combine with vegetables.

Push the rice to one side of the pan and add the remaining butter. When melted, pour in the egg and allow to just set, then stir together with the rice until cooked through.

Remove from heat and stir in the lobster meat and remaining scallions. Return to medium-low heat for two minutes to warm through before serving.

Serves 2 as a meal and 4 as an appetizer.
END QUOTE

This was just utterly delightful, putting a decadent seafood twist on one of my family's favorite staple dishes. The rich, buttery lobster tastes great with the savory, layered flavors of the fried rice. Every family has its own fried rice recipe of choice, of course, but this is a terrific twist on the usual that melds Asian and New England cuisines with flair.

Next week, we hop a state over to bake up some cookies while investigating the death of a right-hand man. Do join me!

The Clambake series is a always a treat as they're solid and gripping mysteries. I was glad to catch up with the characters and the solid plot kept me guessing.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Julia's mother Jackie has brought her to an exclusive summer colony on Chipmunk Island, she didn't want to attend a memorial service for an old friend alone. Ginny went missing over a decade ago and she is finally being declared dead after all that time. Julia thinks something weird is going on with the group of ladies know as the Wednesday Club who had been friends with Ginny since childhood. Julia and her mom decide to take a look into Ginny's missing persons case in hopes of figure out just what happened to her all those years ago. They soon find many hidden secrets among the group but have to figure out just how the pieces fit. Will they find a killer before anyone else ends up dead?

This is 11th in the Maine Clambake Mystery Series. It's a great series centered around Julia Snowden and her family business, the Snowden Family Clambake. Every member of the family participates in this family tradition all summer long. The family island is then closed up for the harsh winter months so the family members can focus on their winter jobs.

This year Julia and her mother take a short trip to a neighboring island to visit the home of a childhood friend. Julia's mother has never mentioned this friend, but apparently they grew up together. The friend went missing after swimming the bay five years ago and has just been declared dead so it's now time for a memorial.

Soon after the memorial Julia's mother finds that she has been named executor of her friends estate. This is a huge job and Julia is going to tackle it with her mother. They find more than they expect, and these discoveries lead them to a mystery and a murder

Another great installment in the Maine Clambake Series.
Five years ago, at Chipmunk Island, Ginny went out for a swim and hasn’t seen since. Now 5 years later t she is officially been declared dead a memorial service is given. Jacqueline (Julia’s mom) and Ginny were friends in their high school days, and besides Christmas cards haven’t really been in touch.
The memorial is held at Ginny’s cottage, and right away something feels off. Then Jacqueline finds out she is appointed executer of the will, and she asks Julia to find out what happened 5 years ago. As Julia digs, things go much further than that.

Chipmunk Island holds secrets, and Julia and her mother must unearth them after Jacqueline is appointed the representative for her friend Ginny, who had been missing for 5 years and was just officially declared dead. An idyllic retreat for the wealthy, summer friendships forged years before still hold strong, but is one of the members of the Wednesday Club a killer? Hidden Beneath resolves previous issues for Julia, and opens new doors - a nice addition to the Maine Clambake Mysteries by Barbara Ross, a must-read for fans of the series! A+

At her mother’s request, Julia accompanies her to a memorial for a friend, Ginny, who disappeared after taking a swim five years ago. Julia is introduced to the Wednesday Book Club women, of which Ginny was a member. Julia des not quite understand the group and agrees with her mother’s questions about she was contacted by Ginny just before her death and has subsequently been put in charge of discharging Ginny’s effects since she had had little or no contract with Ginny for years. Things become a bit dicey when one of the group turns up dead. Naturally, Julia becomes involved in finding the killer. Follow Julia as she goes through a myriad of clues working toward who perpetrated this crime. Was this person also involved in Ginny’s disappearance five years ago? Julia goes through the clues one by one, discovering more each time. Is there a secret at the bottom—known only to the Wednesday book club women?

Like the others in the series, this book definitely held my attention. Of course, I am somewhat familiar with the area and enjoy reading stories set there, so that may be why I enjoy these so much. Julia and her family are just a regular family eking out a living as they can. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Julia’s efforts to solve this mystery as well as about the family and their enterprise offering lobster buffets to passengers. In short, the story flowed well. I was glad to see Julia with a couple of male figures who maty or may not figure in her later life. I certainly hope they do. The book was a good addition to the series. I received this to read and review from NetGalley.

Julia accompanies her mother Jacqueline to a memorial service of her childhood friend, Ginny, who has been declared dead six years after going for a swim, never to return. Jacqueline is surprised to be named executor of Ginny's estate. There is a mystery surrounding Ginny's disappearance which they feel is connected to a present day murder. This was a fast paced book which had me on the edge of my seat and kept me reading far into the night. Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for our giving me with this ARC to read and review. I can't wait to read the next book in this wonderful series!

Dollycas's Thoughts

We are back in Busman’s Harbor, Maine where the Snowden Family Clambake on Morrow Island is a must-attend event when visiting the area. Julia and her mother Jaqueline have become summer residents of the island after a huge renovation of the mansion. It now has so many new possibilities for the family business.

Another island nearby is Chipmuck Island. A place where Jacqueline spent a lot of time with her friend Ginny while was growing up. Ginny still summered there but with the clambake and her family Jacqueline and Ginny lost touch. Five years ago, Ginny went out for her daily swim in the harbor but never returned. A body was never found and now after all this time, Ginny has been declared dead. The summer residents of Chipmuck Island are having a memorial service for her and Jacqueline has asked Julia to go with her.

The event was led by the women of the Wednesday Club, a group Ginny belonged to, but something about the whole service felt off to Jacqueline and Ginny's house was wrong too. Walls had been painted and furnishings had been moved. Julia and her mom start investigating Ginny's case and asking a lot of questions. When another resident of Chipmuck Island is murdered they turn up the heat on their investigation to find the truth before anyone else ends up dead.

_____

I love returning to Busman's Harbor with each new installment of this series. It is as if you can just pull up a chair on the beach and relax and enjoy whatever Julia and her family get involved in. With this 11th story, I need to plant me and my chair on a different beach though and Jacqueline is playing a larger role. Both Julia and her mom are strong women with huge hearts and curious natures. Reconnecting with the Wednesday Club and introducing them to Julia set up this very interesting story. The author created a complicated group of women and we even get to know some of their families. It isn't easy to add a big group like this for one book and give the characters enough depth to be more than just background characters but Ms. Ross did a wonderful job.

The mystery was unique. I loved the way Julia and her mom worked together. There is also a surprising caretaker of Chipmuck Island that helps with the case. And when Julia brings her theories to the police they know they better listen. With several twists and secrets revealed over the course of the book, it becomes very difficult to put the book down. I had some theories of my own but I soon saw I was on the wrong track and needed to just sit back and let Julia do the work. I was surprised by the way the story twisted for a big reveal and saddened too.

I enjoyed the varied subplots interwoven with the main plotline. They allowed readers to catch up with all the characters we have come to love. Jacqueline has another huge thing to deal with in addition to getting justice for her friend. Julia has an awakening of her own and another character has decided it is time to take their life in a new direction.

We learn in the acknowledgments that The Wednesday Club evolved from a group the author's mother had belonged to since the 1960s that may still exist today. She has a treasure of her mom's from her time in the group. The premise was fascinating but would be a little too intense for most women today. Give me a topic or a book and I am all up for a discussion but researching the topic in depth would not be my thing. Of course, I am all in on the eats, treats, and beverages served at the meetings.

Hidden Beneath was a marvelous read. A cast of characters that are like old friends and a top-notch mystery, set in a perfect summer place. I was totally entertained.

The author has whet my appetite for Book 12 with the final paragraphs of this book. Until my next visit to Busmaan's Harbor . . . I hope we don't have to wait too long.

This is still one of my favorite series. I love the sense of family Julia has. Every book is like coming home to relatives you only see once a year. This was a fun mystery, and I'm excited to see what happens now that Julia and her mom are living on the island. Great read!

The Snowden Family Clambake season has begun and the entire family is busy with cooking, serving and shuttling guests off the island. When Julia's mother is invited to the memorial service for a friend who died five years ago, her mother is tense and agitated. Ginny Merrill was a summer resident of Chipmunk Island and Jacqueline knew her when they were young. They had not been in touch for many years so when Jacqueline discovers she is the executor of Ginny's will. she is floored. Ginny disappeared while on her daily swim and no body had been found. There's something fishy about the members of the Wednesday Club, of which Ginny belonged, and before long someone else dies. Julia, as ever, is determined to discover the truth. Another exciting and puzzling problem for Julia to solve.

This is the 11th story in the Maine Clambake mystery series. I have read several in the series, but not all of them, and I had no problem jumping in, as this could be read as a standalone story.

This story is set in Busman’s Harbor, Maine, where the Snowden family has been hosting a family clambake twice a day, all summer long, for generations. Julia Snowden is the manager of the clam bake during the season. She’s also encountered her fair share of mysteries to solve. This story is set on a small private island off Busman’s Harbor called Chipmunk Island. The residents there only live there during the summer, and the homes have stayed within families for generations. Julia’s mother Jaqueline is named the executor of her friend Ginny, a Chipmunk Island resident who is declared legally dead after going missing five years prior.

As Jacquline and Julia go about sorting through Ginny’s belongings, Julia begins to suspect Ginny didn’t drown during her afternoon swim. I love the characters and the Snowden family in this series. It’s nice to see the family grow and change, but still stay committed to each other.

This was a great mystery and it kept me guessing until the end. I would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys a good mystery.
My thanks to #Goodreads and #Kensingtonbooks for an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I enjoyed this book. I liked the characters and the setting. The mystery kept me guessing.
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Hidden Beneath is book #11 in the Maine Clambake Mystery series by Barbara Ross.

Things are getting underway with the clambake season at Morrow Island when Julia and her mother, Jacqueline, attend a memorial service for an old friend of Jacqueline’s. Their workload increases and Julia gets pulled into a mystery.

I love this series! The descriptions of the people and locations are so vivid that I can clearly see in my mind what it is like. The characters are people I enjoy speaking time with. It was interesting how the mysteries all wrapped up. The ending had me tearing up as some storylines ended and new ones started. I look forward to the next book to see what is in store for Julia, her family, and her friends.

Thank you to the author, Kensington Books, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

I am late to the party in regards to this series, and I don't know why. I enjoyed everything about this book: the characters, the mysteries, the twists and turns, traveling back and forth from Busman's Harbor to Chipmunk Island (where most of the mystery takes place), there's closing a door on one thing and opening a door to something that could prove better. So many interesting things happening. The mystery flows very well and is wrapped up nicely....and unexpectedly.

I enjoyed this book so much, I have since gone on to purchase the first couple of books in the series. And plan on snagging more books as soon as I can.

Many thanks to Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor or expectation.

This is such a fabulous series. I have been reading it since the very first book, and I have really loved seeing the progression of Julia, her family, and the Snowden family clambake.

In this book, Julia is helping her mom with a decades-old mystery. Julia‘s mom was friends with Ginny Merrill when they were kids. Sadly, five years prior Ginny went missing after a morning swim in the bay. Jenny‘s death was chalked up to an accidental drowning, but her body was never found. Five years later, she was declared legally dead, and, Jacqueline was made the executive her estate. With that comes a lot of responsibility. Julia is the first one to step up and help her mom with it and starts to unravel the mystery along the way.

One of the things I liked a lot about this book was the progression of Julia‘s relationships. I really like seeing how they change and morph and how Julia has grown throughout the books.

Thank you to NetGalley, for an ARC of this book and all thoughts are my own

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie

It was great fun to see the latest tourist season on beautiful Morrow Island, Maine, home to the Snowden Family Clambake! Julia, her widowed mother Jacqueline, and her sister Livvie and her family welcome tour boat after tour boat to the Clambake, just off of Busman’s Harbor, Maine. Julia’s family owns the island, passed down through generations of her mother’s family. Her parents began this popular summer destination many years ago. A while after Julia’s father passed away, she came home to manage the business. She has also helped solve several intriguing, complex murders.

Tourist season is underway when Julia’s mother is called to the nearby, exclusive Chipmunk Island for a memorial service for Ginny, her high school best friend. Life changes over several decades reduced their communication to Christmas cards and occasional emails. Ginny never married, taught in Portland during the school year, and was on Chipmunk Island during the summer.

One of Ginny’s daily routines was swimming to Dinkum’s Light and back. Many people told her she shouldn’t do it because of the boat traffic and distance, but it was important to her. One day five years earlier, she went for her swim and never returned. The State of Maine had just declared Ginny legally dead.

Jacqueline asked Julia to go with her to the memorial. She had spent several happy summers visiting Ginny, and was struggling with going back. The memorial was at Ginny’s family home on the island. Jacqueline was the only one invited from off the island as she had been a part of the teens Ginny was friends with and who now comprised the Wednesday Club.

Julia’s mother still felt guilty that Ginny had sent Jacqueline an email, wanting to meet with her and discuss something. It was one of Jacqueline’s first summers back at the Clambake after her husband died, and she had to have enough staff to cover for her before seeing her old friend. Before she could respond to Ginny, she disappeared and was presumed drowned. At the memorial, she saw things in Ginny’s home that concerned her, and wanted Julia to learn what she could about the investigation.

Julia found out the scope of the police investigation; their old friend and neighbor, Jamie, a police officer in Busman’s Harbor, told her what was done. He also pulled a handful of other missing, suspected drowned, cases, of which there were very few, for comparison. As they never found a body, Jacqueline wondered if her death was not an accident.

When Julia went to Ginny’s house, she had no problem gaining entry since nobody on the island locked their doors. Julia was upstairs in Ginny’s home when she heard the Wednesday Club ladies, who she had met at the memorial, slip into the house, and she went down to greet them.

The ladies’ concern was whether Ginny, who had no family left, had a will. If not, the state would take the house, sell it, or put it to other use. Chipmunk Island residents had such exclusive standards, they didn’t want just anyone to live there. Very rarely was a home on the market. If one became available, a family member or friend of current homeowners would get first dibs. They told Julia to help them look for a will, as there was much furniture to move.

The will they found had been prepared a week before her death. Ginny named Jacqueline her personal representative, or executor. Julia and her mom could learn what was going on with Ginny in her final days, hoping to find her journal when sorting her home here and her condo in Portland. Then someone who knew Ginny was murdered, and things got complicated.

I enjoyed most of the characters, including the state police detectives who have been there for other investigations. Folks central to the story were well defined. Those who will probably not be in another novel were described appropriately. I like Julia the best, and wish we could have gotten to know Ginny, as it sounded as if she didn’t have the snobby attitude most of the other Club ladies – except Laura – did. I liked Laura, who, as an adult, was best friends with Ginny.

This very intriguing mystery was executed so well! It was quite a challenge to identify the killer(s) and the motive. Plot twists helped weed the red herrings from the suspect list. Julia seems more mature and thoughtful than many amateur sleuths. I am looking forward to seeing her new off-season position, as she is so excited about it. The ending was very satisfying in every area, including the major decision Jacqueline was faced with, and happy relationship changes. I highly recommend this mystery and series!