It's time for the lobster cook-off in Cape Willington, Maine. A 13-time award-winning recipe has gone missing along with the man who developed the recipe. He was to have been one of the judges so Candy Holliday is called in as a last-minute replacement. Winnie Mae, the other local judge who had also won using that recipe, tastes a bowl of stew and faints when she realizes she has tasted her friend's stew. Candy, regarded by the community as the most able detective in town, must puzzle out who stole the recipe and eventually determine who commited some murders before she winds up dead herself. With a host of suspects, it will take some careful sleuthing to figure this one out. I love the characters in this town. It was an enjoyable read, although I felt it was a little longer than it needed to be. I was a bit disappointed that none of the lobster stew recipes in the back of the book contained the secret ingredient of the 13-time award-winning lobster stew. ( )

I really enjoy the Candy Holliday mystery series. I can't get enough of coastal Maine, so if the only way to get there is through a book, I'll take that trip. On this return trip to Cape Willington in downeast Maine, I enjoyed getting to know Candy and her father better, along with their friends and neighbors. While in town, we solve the theft of a famous lobster stew recipe, and a murder mystery.

The Haywood team's characters are engaging, their setting wonderfully depicted, the mystery fun to read. And at the end of the book – lobster stew recipes. What's not to love! ( )

I really enjoyed this book. The characters are well formed yet have room to grow as the series progresses. You can easily picture the people, places and events in this. A must read for any Cozy Lover. ( )

Series: 2nd in Candy Holliday Mysteries

Main Character: Candy Holliday, Blueberry farmer and writer of the Community Corner for the Cape Crier paper

Setting: Modern day, Cape Willington Maine

Apparently the trend so far in this series is to center the mystery around a town event. In this installment the town is excited about the approaching Lobster Stew Cook-off competition on Memorial Day weekend. The person who wins the the Cook-off becomes local royalty. Wilma Mae Wendell contacts Candy because somebody managed to enter her house and find a hidden drawer containing a ledger with a 13-time prize winning Lobster Stew recipe. Wilma wants Candy to find that ledger with the recipe - which was given to her by the creator of the recipe - her dear friend and neighbor Mr. Sedley.

What seems like a mild little problem becomes a murder investigation when Mr. Sedley's body is found...in Wilma Mae's basement. It appears he was killed in Wilma's house and dumped in the basement. Now Candy is trying to figure out who would kill over a little recipe, no matter how good it is.

Candy Holliday has a lot of potential as a main character. It seems as though Candy is a rough character still growing and becoming. She moves through the book as a pleasant character but one that could be so much more. I never got a sense for her emotions or passions. Even when an issue is raised between Candy and her father around Candy being too busy and not relieving him with the blueberry farming duties that he can't keep up with - but it was quickly dropped. The opportunities to give Candy a bit more depth aren't explored. The perfect example was in a surprising meeting with her arch-nemesis where Candy could have revealed more depth - but didn't.

The supporting cast is a bit stronger. Candy's BFF, Maggie, is a fun character even though she has had her rough spots. Maggie jumps in to care-take Wilma Mae and shows a touching and funny side. Candy's dad has only a few scenes in the book but he and his buddies promise to be a continued hoot. Candy's romantic interest, editor of the small local paper only has a few appearances so it was hard to get a proper feel for him. What did come across is that there is no "magic" in their dating, even Maggie comments on it. Candy's arch-nemesis was a good character and I would have liked her showing up past the middle.

The mystery itself had a few twists but I had figured out the killer fairly early. The road to Candy discovering the killer was a systematic investigation and played out well. But I do have to say that the ledger was stolen for more than just the recipe contained in it - but we never find out WHAT that was. That is a large thread left loose.

The setting is used to advantage in this book. Be prepared to want to spend your next vacation in Maine. This book subtly envelops you with the beauty of the state.

There was a suspenseful confrontation with the killer, which I do so enjoy. The wrap-up had some good information revealed. But I wanted a follow-up from the meeting Candy had with her nemesis - but that never happened. There was a set-up for elements of this story to come back in another book to bite Candy. That closing set-up made me wonder if the ledger will be part of the continuation of this story in another installment and then we will find out what was in it. So it was successful in making me want to read the next story to find out how that plays out.

I had not read the first book so I can't compare this second book to the previous. This is a good cozy mystery with some missed opportunities to become a really good mystery. We may see Candy develop depth as the series matures.

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