Sealed off is the eighth installment in the A Maine Clambake Mystery series set in Busman's Harbor, Maine and featuring Julia Snowden, whose family runs Snowden Family Clambake. It's early October and the season is winding down for the winter on Morrow Island with only a handful of clambakes left to host and the push is on to get as much of the demo/renovation work done on Windsholme. A Russian demo crew has arrived to do the work on the family mansion, and Snowden relatives Marguerite and her niece Tallulah have also arrived to see the house.
Things have been a little tense between longtime employee Jason Caraway and Terry Durand, the ex con and brother of Julia's boyfriend Chris. The two have been vying for the attention of another female employee and when Jason is found bludgeoned and buried in the woodpile all fingers point to Terry as the killer. Not believing that Terry is guilty, Chris asks Julia to clear his brother's name.
A secondary mystery revolves around the sealed off room uncovered by the demolition crew. The room has been closed since 1898 and everything belonging to the governess that inhabited the room is completely preserved including her diary. With the help of Marguerite, Julia sets out to discover what happened to the governess and uncovers a sordid family secret.
Things have been a little tense between longtime employee Jason Caraway and Terry Durand, the ex con and brother of Julia's boyfriend Chris. The two have been vying for the attention of another female employee and when Jason is found bludgeoned and buried in the woodpile all fingers point to Terry as the killer. Not believing that Terry is guilty, Chris asks Julia to clear his brother's name.
A secondary mystery revolves around the sealed off room uncovered by the demolition crew. The room has been closed since 1898 and everything belonging to the governess that inhabited the room is completely preserved including her diary. With the help of Marguerite, Julia sets out to discover what happened to the governess and uncovers a sordid family secret.
Sealed Off by Barbara Ross is the eighth A Maine Clambake Mystery. It can be read on its own for those who have just discovered this series. Julia Snowden has her hands full in Sealed Off between running the family business, getting ready for the opening of the winter restaurant she runs with Chris, the renovations at Windsholme, the murder of an employee, visiting relatives and the hidden room. Marguerite is an elderly relative who lived at Windsholme when she was a child and is visiting Busman's Harbor with her granddaughter, Tallulah. She is arriving to take a last look at the house before the renovations begin. I like that she can describe what the once stately summer home looked like when it was at its prime. I enjoyed Marguerite's readings of the diary. I admit that I found the story of the nanny more compelling than the modern day whodunit. I just loved the descriptions of the room's furnishing and the beautiful clothing the governess left behind. I was a little disappointed with the outcome (but that is just me). Jason Caraway and Terry Durand bickering about Emmy Bailey was unprofessional and I was surprised that Julia let it go on as long as she did (I know it is fictionâbut I thought it odd). No one has bothered to tell Emmy that her daughter could be Terry's child and that Huntington's runs in the family. I was happy that this particular storyline is put to bed by the end of the novel. The death of Jason Caraway along with what happened to the missing demo crew worker was not a head scratcher. There was a lack of suspects plus obvious clues that made this puzzle a snap to solve. There were some exciting suspenseful moments that I relished. I would like to see Julia and Chris's relationship progress. They are happy, but I wonder what the future holds for them especially regarding children. Sealed Off is a good story, but it is not my favorite in the series. I am, though, looking forward to the next A Maine Clambake Mystery. This is a series that I enjoy reading with its charming town and engaging characters. Sealed Off has demolition drama, squabbling suitors, a recondite room, a discovered diary, and fine food.
