caitkom's review against another edition
4.0
Summertime is just kicking off in Bussman's Harbor and that means Julia is working her butt off managing the clambake business. She is blown away when she hears from one of her clammers that one of the main beaches has been shut down. The owner of the property has recently died and left the estate, property and lighthouse to her great nephew, Bartholomew Frick. Frick decides that since it is his land now, he is shutting down the beach. This threatens the livelihood of many of Bussman Harbor's families as this is one of their primary jobs in the summer. Julia goes over to see Frick to try to talk some sense in to him and explain what a hardship this is causing, but he doesn't change his mind. Julia finds out that a few minutes after she leaves Frick someone kills him. Julia does some digging and some more digging and finally unearths some very interesting information regarding the property, its previous owners and the rightful heirs.
Another good one in this series. There wasn't much about the actual clambake, which I kind of miss from the previous ones. A little bit on them building up the mansion on the island, which I like.
Another good one in this series. There wasn't much about the actual clambake, which I kind of miss from the previous ones. A little bit on them building up the mansion on the island, which I like.
leedigesu's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 but I bumped it up to a 4 because Chris finally told his story.
katkinney's review against another edition
5.0
In Steamed Open, summer tourist season is in full swing which means Julia Snowden is busy operating her family’s clambake business and her boyfriend Chris is busy working three jobs. And of course, she’s also investigating a murder on the side. A wealthy property owner has passed away and their heir attempts to restrict local residents from using their beachfront… and soon ends up dead.
I love this series so much because it’s chock full of Maine details and each book feels like you’re taking a little trip to the coast of Maine. I love spending time at Gus’s restaurant, where I want to taste those blueberry pancakes. In this one… clams! I know next to nothing about clams, fishing, lobsters, or the details and complications of being a fisherman, and getting to learn new things (like how one digs up clams) is always fun. Some interesting developments as we learn more about Chris’s family history and how it may affect another character. This mystery is largely about estates and inheritances… with some interesting pieces to solve!
I love this series so much because it’s chock full of Maine details and each book feels like you’re taking a little trip to the coast of Maine. I love spending time at Gus’s restaurant, where I want to taste those blueberry pancakes. In this one… clams! I know next to nothing about clams, fishing, lobsters, or the details and complications of being a fisherman, and getting to learn new things (like how one digs up clams) is always fun. Some interesting developments as we learn more about Chris’s family history and how it may affect another character. This mystery is largely about estates and inheritances… with some interesting pieces to solve!
asanford's review against another edition
3.0
This story lacked some of the personality that I've grown to adore in the series. The mystery was interesting but didn't feel quite complete. I did enjoy learning about clamming.
tmleafs42's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
I loved this book. I am so glad that we finally got to know more about Chris and his past. Of course, Julia and her detective abilities really shine in this story. I like all the twists and characters in this story. Now to go find the next one!
historical_bookworm's review against another edition
4.0
Another excellent edition to a wonderful series! Full of twists and turns that leaves you wanting more and enjoying each moment until the end when the killer is caught.
thecozybookwitch's review against another edition
5.0
I'm hooked on this series. Great mystery. I love Julia and her family and Friends in Busman's Harbor. I can't wait for the next one.
randombookgrl's review against another edition
5.0
With each book in this series, I find myself falling deeper into the small town of Busman's Harbor. The characters are wonderfully drawn & complex- each book brings a more complete understanding of the series' main characters. The mysteries are written so that each time you think that you have it figured out, another twist comes up that will keep you second-guessing yourself or realizing that you were completely wrong.
shammons's review against another edition
4.0
Another solid installment in the Maine Clambake series by Barbara Ross. I am enjoying these more than I had anticipated, as the characters develop, I grow to love the town and townspeople, and the mysteries are well written and intriguing. The character of Bartholomew Frick was so unlikeable, and I didn't think I'd enjoy the mystery, but with all of the other pieces involved, I found that I really did. More progression on the main characters keeps me reaching for the next book in the series (though I'm catching up quickly!). Two thumbs up.
daybreak1012's review against another edition
4.0
This series! The pages consistently turn themselves for me. Just one more chapter...and then suddenly I'm finishing the book.
What I liked about Steamed Open:
All the same things I always like - The characters, the setting, the writing style. It remains consistent from book to book. I love that I can rely on these core pieces every time I visit this series.
The mystery - I was guessing the entire time. Even though I thought I had nailed down both a suspect *and* a motive (I never get the motive). I was not even close.
The way all the pieces fit together - Oftentimes, I will find that certain aspects of the story don't line up in a way that "fits comfortably" for me. Other times, I feel like the author makes certain assumptions about the mental leaps the reader has taken. Ms Ross weaves a beautiful story. The puzzle pieces all fall into place by the point of the reveal. Even on the occasion that I think I've caught her in an "a-HA!!" slip-up, because I'm reading and I'm confused that I missed something key, I realize she's set me up because her explanation is immediately forthcoming. Even the ongoing story arcs are addressed consistently and the brief recaps of what's already happened to this point never feel trite or overly repetitive; this is truly such a rare gift in a series.
The character development - Each installment brings me more deeply into the characters themselves, as well as their relationships with one another. They are never static or stale, but they also don't hurry the timelines for this sort of development. Even the progression of time between one case and the next advances at a pace that feels "real."
What I didn't care for:
Just one thing, and it's minor at that. The edition I read needed some proofreading. Words were left out or added in where they didn't make sense in the sentence. It doesn't detract from the story in any way that makes it unreadable. I just notice these things, and unfortunately, they happened several times throughout the book.
Wrapped up this one and keeping right with the series as I jump into a holiday novella! This doesn't make me sad one bit. I wasn't ready to depart Busman's Harbor yet!
What I liked about Steamed Open:
All the same things I always like - The characters, the setting, the writing style. It remains consistent from book to book. I love that I can rely on these core pieces every time I visit this series.
The mystery - I was guessing the entire time. Even though I thought I had nailed down both a suspect *and* a motive (I never get the motive). I was not even close.
The way all the pieces fit together - Oftentimes, I will find that certain aspects of the story don't line up in a way that "fits comfortably" for me. Other times, I feel like the author makes certain assumptions about the mental leaps the reader has taken. Ms Ross weaves a beautiful story. The puzzle pieces all fall into place by the point of the reveal. Even on the occasion that I think I've caught her in an "a-HA!!" slip-up, because I'm reading and I'm confused that I missed something key, I realize she's set me up because her explanation is immediately forthcoming. Even the ongoing story arcs are addressed consistently and the brief recaps of what's already happened to this point never feel trite or overly repetitive; this is truly such a rare gift in a series.
The character development - Each installment brings me more deeply into the characters themselves, as well as their relationships with one another. They are never static or stale, but they also don't hurry the timelines for this sort of development. Even the progression of time between one case and the next advances at a pace that feels "real."
What I didn't care for:
Just one thing, and it's minor at that. The edition I read needed some proofreading. Words were left out or added in where they didn't make sense in the sentence. It doesn't detract from the story in any way that makes it unreadable. I just notice these things, and unfortunately, they happened several times throughout the book.
Wrapped up this one and keeping right with the series as I jump into a holiday novella! This doesn't make me sad one bit. I wasn't ready to depart Busman's Harbor yet!