Torn Asunder

March 1, 2024
Murder mars the opening of a summer wedding venue in Maine. From Father's Day through Columbus Day, the Snowden Family Clambake entertains visitors to rustic Morrow Island. This year, the Snowdens have added a new feature: Their historic family home, Windsholme, is now hosting catered events. Ceramic artist Zoey Butterfield takes advantage of her long-standing friendship with Julia Snowden to book the newly renovated mansion's very first wedding, and Julia couldn't be happier, or more nervous. Not only is she serving as host and event planner, but she's Zoey's maid of honor, and is therefore determined to make sure that her parentless, siblingless best friend has the traditional wedding she's always dreamed of. The odds aren't in Julia's favor, though, since the storm forecast for the night of the rehearsal leaves only a narrow window to ferry 100 guests to the island for dinner, return them to the mainland for the night, and then get them back for the ceremony the next day. But the death of a guest at the rehearsal dinner makes the schedule even trickier. A handful of other guests, including Julia's boyfriend, Tom Flynn of the Maine State Police, unexpectedly need to stay on Morrow Island, and the storm knocks out all the power, including cell service, so no one can contact the medical examiner. Worst of all, no one can identify the deceased guest: The groom's family thought he belonged to the bride, and the bride's family assumed he belonged to the groom. It's hard to solve a murder when no one knows who the victim is or what he died from, but redoubtable Julia rises to the challenge. A swarm of cliches threatens to overwhelm the latest in this long-lived cozy franchise.

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