Book Review: CLAM WAKE by Mary Daheim

First Chapter, First Paragraph is a weekly meme hosted by Bibliophile by the Sea.

Clam Wake

First chapter:

Judith McMonigle Flynn stared at the mail on the credenza, glared at the thick packet's return address, and squared her broad shoulders before marching out of the front hall to confront her husband in the kitchen. 

"It's here, Joe," she announced. "Come and get it."

Book description:
Innkeeper Judith and cousin Renie face a cold-blooded killer in a beach community in this Bed-and-Breakfast mystery from author Mary Daheim. With the holidays gone and Hillside Manor almost empty, Judith has a housesitting stint at her aunt and uncle’s retirement home on Whoopee Island with cousin Renie. Surrounded by retirees in the off-season sounds peaceful and pleasant but it isn’t long before a dead body pops up. With suspicion over her and Renie, Judith begins sleuthing—if only to prove they didn’t commit the crime.

Digging for clams and answers, the cousins discover that retirement can be deadly—at least among the eclectic, eccentric residents of Obsession Shores.

My comments: A good plot in this newest in the series, with interesting and likeable main characters. Much of the book rests on the relationship between Judith and her cousin Renie; their amusing banter and commentary makes for interesting reading and a good chuckle, though their interchanges do not always hit the high mark for comedy.

Recommended for an easy and entertaining summer read.

Author Bio: Seattle native Mary Richardson Daheim lives three miles from the house where she was raised. Upon getting her journalism degree from the University of Washington, she went to work for a newspaper in Anacortes WA. Then, after her marriage to David Daheim, his first college teaching post was in Port Angeles where she became a reporter for the local daily. Both tours of small-town duty gave her the background for the Alpine/Emma Lord series.

Mary spent much of her non-fiction career in public relations (some would say PR is fiction, too).
She began her publishing career with the first of seven historical romances before switching to mysteries in 1991. At the time of her husband and mentor’s death in February 2010, David and Mary had been married for over 43 years. They have three daughters, Barbara, Katherine and Magdalen, and two granddaughters, Maisy and Clara. They all live in Seattle, too. 

See other reviews on the Partners in Crime Book Tour, which provided a review copy of this book.

GIVEAWAY: The publisher is giving away a copy of this book to a reader. Please leave a comment with your email address, U.S. residents only, or email me at harvee44@yahoo.com with your entry titled "Clam Wake Contest."  The contest will end August 26 and a winner announced August 27. 

UPDATE: The winner, chosen by random.com, is Patricia T. Congrats!