With boyfriend John living in the carriage house next to the inn and the meadow flowers starting to bloom, life is pretty good for Natalie. Life is about to change, however, as Dirk DeLeon and Vanessa Black, coordinators of the retreat, set foot on the island.  Vanessa immediately recognizes John as a former summer love and, in Natalie’s opinion, John appears to be still carrying a torch for Vanessa. 

Speaking of torches, the islanders are in the process of restoring the island’s lighthouse and find a 150 year old skeleton in a secret room. Locals think it may be the bones of a former keeper who disappeared, but when the bones are determined to be those of an African-American, speculation and research begin, adding a nice historical element to the mystery.  

While on their morning run, the rest of the group finds Dirk dead, at the base of the lighthouse. Natalie suspects Dirk took a few too many of the nutritional supplements he is pushing to the group, but local police think otherwise, and Natalie’s inn is full of suspects. The trio of sorority sisters has a connection to Dirk, as does a reporter covering the weekend for a Boston paper and so do John and local family man Tom, according to police, especially when they find sawdust from John’s workshop in the room of another murdered guest. 

Even though Natalie is uncertain of John at the moment, she knows he is no murderer and sets out to prove his innocence, even if it means losing him to Vanessa in the process.  

Murder Most Maine is a fun, inviting cozy with a warm setting and enjoyable characters.  Natalie is getting over one bad relationship, making her easily suspicious of John who at first does little to quell her fears other than telling her she has nothing to worry about.  Natalie fits in with the Cranberry Island crowd quite easily and has reliable neighbors she can turn to when the police close down her kitchen and she has hungry guests to feed. 

The mystery is well-plotted though some of the clues are a little obvious and Natalie remembers she knows something, but can’t recall what or where she heard it. The newly found bones add another puzzle that adds one more layer to unravel. Murder Most Maine is a fun mystery with enjoyable characters and yummy recipes (including some healthy ones from the retreat) that cozy fans will gobble up.                                                       

--Jennifer Monahan Winberry