Town In A Lobster Stew
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A stereotypical cozy mystery that hits all the notes of a cliche book set in coastal Maine, Town in a Lobster Stew is a quick read and an entertaining distraction from everyday life. Candy Holliday, amateur sleuth and local reporter, is put on the case of a missing recipe by Wilma Mae, an elderly woman in the town. The recipe is a guaranteed winner for the annual lobster stew contest, and so is considered highly valuable amongst the townspeople. Deaths begin to happen in the town, and Candy concludes that they are all related to the missing recipe. Ultimately, the lobster stew contest leads Candy to further clues and she begins to dig deeper, both to help Wilma Mae recover her lost property and to prevent further deaths.
The book begins with a prologue, which put a damper on some of the book’s suspense, as we knew of at least one death from the beginning. Had that death not been included in the prologue, there would have been an added mystery and potential for plot twist while the missing man was searched for. Instead, we knew Mr. Sedley lay cold and dead in Wilma Mae’s home preventing him from being the murderer.
It turns out the missing recipe is recorded in a ledger that has other information, but we don’t ever find out what that information is. Instead, Haywood ends the book on an intriguing cliffhanger, setting up the next book to be linked to the stolen ledger in Town in a Lobster Stew.
As Candy works through the mystery, readers are introduced to a cast of characters in the town. There’s Captain Mike, the grizzled fisherman that one has to expect from a book set in coastal Maine, the head of the historical society, Candy’s boyfriend, and Candy’s nemesis. Every amateur sleuth must have a nemesis, and Candy Holliday is no exception.
Candy and her nemesis end up essentially working up together to solve the mystery, taking away some of the conflict that would have made the story more compelling. As it is, the story keeps twisting and turning and is certainly a fun read.
TL/DR: Fun read, perfect for anyone who wants a little seaside cheer with just enough intrigue but no actual fright. It’s fine to read as a standalone from the rest of the series if you’re more interested in just the mystery than the characters.
Maine Thoughts:
Haywood sprinkles the book with references to actual Maine people and places, including references to Charles Bulfinch’s design of the State House, John Calvin Stevens’ architectural prowess, a shout out to the Bangor Daily News, and actual street names in Portland. At one point, though, there’s a reference to “Mount Baxter,” an error that stands in stark contrast to the rest of the real-life references in the book. But from the context clues it’s pretty obvious the reference is to Mount Katahdin in Baxter State Park. What is the point of using a false name for that landmark when actual place names are used throughout the book? One other point of contention - the book spells “Ayuh” as “Ah-yuh.” It only happens once, but that one incident was enough. For a nostalgic and comforting setting, though, the book transports you to the coast and as a result may be a particularly good read when you’re curled up next to the woodstove in February.