Shucked Apart by Barbara Ross
Series Name: Maine Clambake #9
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Release: February 23, 2021
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When oyster farmer Andie Greatorex is robbed of a bucket of oyster seed worth $35,000, she comes to Julia Snowden for help. Who wants to sink Andie’s successful business? Is it a rival oyster farmer, an ex-employee, a neighbor who objects to the oyster cages floating on the beautiful Damariscotta River, a lobsterman who feels pushed out by the farm leases, or someone from Andie’s personal life?

Then Andie turns up dead, floating by her dock in the SCUBA gear she wears when harvesting her oysters. Julia’s head start puts her in a perfect position to help her friends in the Maine State police major crimes unit with the investigation. But can Julia make sure the right suspect gets sent up the river before she ends up in a watery grave?

Dru’s Musing:
This is another great example of how well this author tells a story that had me completely immersed in all that was happening. Secrets held is at the cusp of this tale when Julia agrees to help Chris’ friend. What follows next in this fast-paced and well executed drama was a search for an enterprising killer.

The author did a great job in staging this intensifying mystery that centered, not in Busman’s Harbor, but in a neighboring town. The pool of suspect was small, and Julia had to rely on what she has seen and heard to find the one person who had a stronger motive to murder for their own gain. It was fun watching it all play out as one by one the clues led us to the only person responsible for the death of Chris’ friend. This was one of the best books in this endearing series, and I look forward to more exploits with Julia and her gang.

FTC Full Disclosure – I received a digital ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.