Features The Big Thrill Recommends: TORN ASUNDER by Barbara Ross

The Big Thrill Recommends: TORN ASUNDER by Barbara Ross

Recommended by Susan Santangelo

June has finally arrived in the coastal Maine town of Busman’s Harbor. For Julia Snowden and her family, June marks the official beginning of another season for the Snowden Family Clambake. The clambakes are held on picturesque Morrow Island and attract hordes of tourists over the summer months. Morrow Island is also the perfect spot for the June wedding of Julia’s close friends Zoey Butterfield and her fiancé, policeman Jamie Dawes. As Zoey’s maid of honor, Julia is busy organizing the rehearsal dinner clambake, overseeing all the wedding preparations, and providing housing on the island for some of the wedding party.

The rehearsal dinner clambake starts with a mix-and-mingle cocktail hour where the bride and groom’s two families and close friends (including Zoey’s ex-boyfriend) get to know each other before the big day. One of the guests—an older man in a blue blazer—makes a point of chatting with everyone, but neither Zoey nor Jamie knows who he is.

The clambake feast is going well until the unknown guest, who’s seated himself with the groom’s family, suddenly collapses. Despite heroic efforts to save him, the man dies from what appears to be an accidental allergic reaction. But Julia, her boyfriend Maine State Police detective Tom Flynn, and the bridegroom suspect he was murdered.

As Julia and Tom question family members and the wedding party about the mysterious party-crasher, long-buried secrets emerge, including a shocker from the bride herself.

Will the wedding go on as planned? Is one of these people a murderer?

Ross once again keeps the action going with an engaging cast of characters and a fast-moving plot with surprises on every page. The Maine Clambake Mystery series is cozy writing at its best. Highly recommended.

The Big Thrill Recommends: TORN ASUNDER by Barbara Ross