We are celebrating the release of Fogged Inn by Barbara Ross today! Here’s a bit about the book: An autumn chill has settled over Busman’s Harbor, Maine, but Julia Snowden is warming up the town by offering lobster stew at the local diner. When her landlord discovers a dead body in the walk-in refrigerator, Julia must figure out who ordered up a side of murder.
Nothing’s colder than a corpse–especially one stashed inside a sub-zero fridge. The victim spent his last night on earth dining at the restaurant bar, so naturally Julia finds herself at the center of the ensuing investigation. Lost in the November fog, however, is who’d want to kill the unidentified stranger–and why. It might have something to do with a suspicious group of retirees and a decades-old tragedy to which they’re all connected. One thing’s for sure: Julia’s going to make solving this mystery her early bird special…
A group of strangers are trapped together in Julia’s brand new restaurant. So Wickeds have you ever been trapped somewhere alone or with a group of people? What did you do? What about the people you were with?
Julie: I can’t wait to read this book! The only time I’ve been trapped is by storms here in New England. Usually, of late, I’ve been alone in my apartment. In the past, I’ve been with my family. I am overly cautious about being stuck somewhere due to weather and move to shelter as soon as they whisper “storm”. I’ve got to admit, the idea of being trapped freaks me out.
Liz: I’m with you, Julie! I’d much rather be virtually trapped in one of Barb’s books! Anxiously awaiting Julia’s newest adventure – I can’t wait to get back to Busman’s Harbor.
Edith: I’ve been trapped talking with someone who made no sense although I wasn’t really trapped, because I could say, “Oops, gotta get to a meeting!” I’ve certainly been trapped next to someone on an airplane who really, really wanted to talk with me for the whole flight. In that case I just closed my eyes until they shut up. And I felt trapped in my marriage for a few years, but I wasn’t, really. It just felt that way. I also can’t wait to read this installment, Barb! Congratulations.
Barb: My most vivid memory of being trapped was in a glass elevator with both my grandmothers at the 1964 World’s Fair in Flushing Meadow, Queens. I hadn’t known until that moment that one of my grandmothers was claustrophic and the other was acrophobic! (No wonder I’m a mess.) During that same trip, we were trapped in the Disney Small World exhibit for about 45 minutes. You haven’t been trapped until you’ve heard those animatronic youngsters sing that song twenty times. I thought my unsentimental parents, who had to be talked into going on the ride in the first place, were going to lose their minds. Years later, taking my own kids on the same ride at Disney World, I experienced flashbacks.
Sherry: I’ve been trapped in the house a couple of times during tropical storms. But I think my scariest experience was during college when a friend and I were driving down Interstate 80 around 10:00 pm and my car broke down. There were no cell phones back then or hazards lights on my 1965 Rambler. We were far from any exits and could only see the lights of one house far across a field. Oh, and it was winter. Every time a semi went by it shook the whole car so we got out and stood on the side of the road. Finally a van pulled over. We were happy and scared. It was a bunch of obviously high guys who were going to a concert in the next town. I gave them ten bucks and asked them to stop at a gas station and send a tow truck. Happily, they did!
Jessie: Like Sherry, my only trapped situations involved a vehicle. Once, I broke down on the side of the highway. I had a job in a retail store 52 miles from my home and it happened after my 11 pm closing shift on a Black Friday. Yes, the day after Thanksgiving. I was wearing all black, a pair of heels and had no warm coat or cell phone. I sat in my car with my hazard lights on for about 45 minutes hoping a police car would stop before I decided to walk to the tollbooth. I had gone only a few feet when a car pulled over and offered me a ride. The driver said it was seven miles to the toll booth. I sent out a little shout to the universe that a sign the guy was a serial killer would be appreciated. When none appeared I climbed in and pressed myself against the door, ready to throw myself out if things got creepy. As it happened, the driver was a really nice man who ended up driving me all the way home. I’ve never left home without a pair of walking shoes and a coat again.
Readers: Have you ever been trapped? How did you deal with it? Let us know!
Yes, I was trapped in an elevator at Carnegie Hall when I was working there in the early 90s. Still gives me the willies to remember it.
Yikes! How did you get out?
Unpractice! Unpractice! Unpractice!
I was once trapped in a bedroom in my brother’s house. Nothing like waking up in the middle of the night really needing to use the bathroom and finding out that you can’t get the bedroom door open.
Oh my goodness!
When I was a child my sister and parents and I were trapped in the zoo. Hadn’t been paying attention to closing time so had to go exit to exit to find the one that was open.
Trapped on Pirates ride at Disneyland when it broke. Definitely not as bad as it could have been – not Small World! – but sure got sick of “here kitty, kitty, kitty.” And rather disappointed that behind-the-scenes was cement floors and drab green employee lockers with OSHA notices tacked to the bulletin board. No Disney magic back there.
But you got to see the Disney “backstage”, so that’s pretty cool. I would be dining out on that one.
I’ve been trapped on Splash Mountain before, just before the lift to the big drop.
And, the first year I lived in So Cal, I was driving home for a weekend visit and my car broke down. Fortunately, I was able to limp to a rest stop, where I waited several hours for my parents to come rescue me. This was the days before I had a cell phone, too, so I was trying to use the pay phone, and it broke. Fortunately, the maintenance worker there let me use his.
Oh, and my audio books for that trip were Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None. That was my first exposure to the story, and, while I’ve seen the play numerous times and watched a movie version, I’ve never gone back and reread the book. The other one I remember was Mrs. Pollifax and the Whirling Dervish. That was my first exposure to Mrs. Pollifax, and before the summer was over, I’d read the first five books in the series. Obviously, I loved it since I took my internet user name, Carstairs, from the series.
I’m glad your experience didn’t turn you off to mysteries!
It’s a wonder you didn’t scare yourself silly.
Here’s my most frightening “trapped” story. When I was twenty two years old I had my first apartment. I lived alone in the attic of an old Victorian in a sketchy neighborhood. It didn’t bother me because I taught at the school three blocks away, so I felt relatively safe and besides, in this house I was living out my Mary Tyler Moore show fantasy complete with goofy neighbor who could have been Rhoda. To afford living in this lap of luxury I worked two jobs. After school I was the manger of a dress boutique. One night I came home around 11pm. The street was strangely quiet for a summer night. As I emerged from my car I was grabbed from behind and pushed down beside my car. “Sorry,miss,” a man’s voice whispered in my ear,” but you gotta stay down. I want you to slide under your car and stay there until I come for you.” I did as I was told, I am excellent at following directions. It seems there was a man in the house next door to mine holding his wife at gun point. He had shot out the windows just before I arrived. It was not like you see on tv. I saw no marked cars, the road wasn’t even blocked off. I was trapped under my car for close to an hour. I found out later the guy with the gun fell asleep and his wife was able to escape. On a side note, car oil can not be removed from white summer dresses.
Wow, Kim! You always have the best stories!
It’s all about being in the right place at the right time…or not.
I’ll say!
Yikes! Terrifying.
My hubs and I were trapped along a very busy highway in the middle of nowhere near Hoover Dam by engine failure in our rented car! NO ONE stopped for over two hours. Finally a nice woman and her grown son stopped to help and even allowed us to use their cellphone before cellphones were really popular. After that I got a cellphone and never leave home without it, especially when traveling.
I don’t leave without mine anymore either, Mary Jane. There aren’t many pay phones left to use if you don’t either are there?
I’ve never been trapped anywhere, other than in my house due to weather, but once I was babysitting for a friend’s five (5!!) children. Her 3 year old went into the bedroom and closed the door. When I went to open the door, the doorknob came off in my hand. The other doorknob fell on the floor and I couldn’t figure out how to get the door open. I was trying to stay calm to avoid panicking the kids and trying to explain to the 3 year old that she had to stay in her room for a little while. After about 15 frustrating minutes with a Phillips screw driver and a pair of pliers (the only tools I could find), I sent the oldest child after the next door neighbor. He came running with his tool kit. We eventually had to take the door off its hinges. The 3 year old was sitting on the floor, happy as a clam, with a pile of books. I was ready for a good stiff drink and a rubber room — in no particular order.
I forgot to add — Happy Book Birthday and congratulations, Barb. Can’t wait to read it!
This made me laugh! That is quite the experience!
Now — funny story. Then — not so much. BTW the 3 year old is now in her 40s and soon to be a grandmother. The friend with the 5 kids — ultimately 7 — has 15 grandchildren and will have her 3rd great grandchild in a few weeks. I feel ancient!
When I was a little girl I was trapped on a rocky outcropping over looking Marblehead harbor in Massachusetts. It seemed very friendly when I started to climb but when I was about half way up I couldn’t go any further and couldn’t see where to put my feet to get back down. I saw that the tide was coming in and started to cry. Someone working in the boat yard saw me and came over to guide my steps down. I am still relieved when I think of it and am very grateful, although I never got over my need to do adventurous things on my own and sometimes getting into more Marblehead and Salem wharf brat trouble.
Happy book birthday, Barb!