Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened.
That phrase kept coming back to me as I read through "Torn Asunder" knowing it was perhaps the finale of a favorite series. I'd heard the rumors, of course, which probably made me delay reading to delay the inevitable, but I found a smile on my face as I finished Ross' last acknowledgements page. Yes, the rumors were true. No more Clambake books. That said, the good news for new readers is you have a wonderful reading experience ahead of you as you savor the twelve books of the series. This book was a satisfying conclusion. That said, I can't help hoping maybe Barbara Ross will do a Debbie Macomber on us and discover that as wonderful as being a full time grandmother is, there are more stories in her and we'll get the occasional glimpse into the lives she's left us knowing they'll live. Even if she doesn't, my thanks to her for allowing us to share time with her grandkids while serving up the series.
As for the final mystery, well, you just know Zoey's dream wedding isn't going to come off without a hitch. Who is that dead man on the floor at the wedding rehearsal dinner? Was he allergic to clams? If not, why is he dead? And, who the heck is he? Seems no one claims to know him. Julia finds that odd since she saw several guests talking to him throughout the evening and he even sat with the groom's family. Some of the conversations seemed rather heated, too, not the norm for casual conversation with a stranger. Julia's detective boyfriend Tom and even the groom-to-be, Jamie, also with the police, find themselves dealing with a dead body when a torrential lightning and wind storm hits. Even the Coast Guard can't prioritize a dead body over the needs of the living in the area. As a result, Tom and Jamie, then Pete and Sonny, spend the evening alternately guarding the body and questioning guests who remained on the island after some departed before they became aware it wasn't a regular death.
With no internet or phone services, they're on their own. Julia joins in the questioning rounds as it becomes more and more apparent that perhaps the man wasn't as unknown to some as they said. He seemed to have connections to several, including Zoey, the bride-to-be. I won't detail that as it's best read in it's entirety but will admit to being far more sympathetic to the eventually revealed murderer than the victim. And that's just the main plot line. Lots of romance and family relationships explored, both romantic and not, as well as the work involved in keeping the on-going Snowden Family Clambake business healthy and profitable. Despite all the intrigue, lying, and mystery, however, the sense of a close-knit family and circle of friends will make the reader feel as if they're being embraced by that closeness as the tension rises. Finally, you'll smile at the ending but don't stop reading quite yet. Make sure you check out not only the recipe contributed by Barbara Ross' husband but the closing acknowledgements. My thanks to her for tying things up so neatly and hopefully for us readers. And, also thanks to #NetGalley and #KensingtonBooks - #KensingtonCozies for allowing me this last, charming visit with the extended Snowden Family. I'll miss my visits to Busman's Harbor, Maine.
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