A Double Cover Reveal!

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by Barb, on her first full day back in Portland, Maine

I’m excited to reveal two, count-em two new covers to you today.

The first is the cover for Steamed Open, Maine Clambake Mystery #7, coming December 24 (or 25–Amazon has one date for the mass market paperback and another for the Kindle version), 2018. Either way, an auspicious date, just in time to cozy up in front of the fire as the holiday madness dies down.

Here’s the description.

It’s summertime in Busman’s Harbor, Maine, and the clamming is easy—or it was until a mysterious new neighbor blocks access to the beach, cutting off the Snowden Family Clambake’s supply. Julia Snowden is just one of many townspeople angered by Bartholomew Frick’s decision. But which one of them was angry enough to kill?
 
Beachcombers, lighthouse buffs, and clammers are outraged after Frick puts up a gate in front of his newly inherited mansion. When Julia urges him to reconsider, she’s the last to see him alive—except the person who stabs him in the neck with a clam rake. As she pores through a long list of suspects, Julia meets disgruntled employees, rival heirs, and a pair of tourists determined to visit every lighthouse in America. They all have secrets, and Julia will have to work fast to expose the guilty party—or see this season’s clam harvest dry up for good.

The second cover is for Yule Log Murder. This is a collection of three holiday novellas, by Leslie Meier, Lee Hollis and me, the same trio who wrote novellas for 2016’s Eggnog Murder.

Here’s the description.

Fresh-baked cookies, pies, and cakes can warm even the frostiest Christmases in coastal Maine. But there’s little room for holiday cheer when murder is the new seasonal tradition . . . 

YULE LOG MURDER by LESLIE MEIER
Lucy Stone is thrilled to be cast as extra in a festive period film—until the set becomes a murder scene decorated in blood and buttercream icing. Returning to her role as sleuth, Lucy dashes to restore peace to Tinker’s Cove, unwrap a cold-hearted criminal’s MO, and reveal how one ornate yule log cake could possibly cause so much drama.

DEATH BY YULE LOG by LEE HOLLIS
Hayley Powell’s holidays aren’t off to a very merry start. Not only has her daughter brought Connor—an infuriatingly perfect new beau—home to Bar Harbor, but a local troublemaker has been found dead with traces of her signature yule log cake on his body. As Connor becomes the prime murder suspect, Hayley must put aside her mixed feelings to identify the real killjoy.

LOGGED ON by BARBARA ROSS
Realizing she can’t make a decent Bûche de Noël to save her life, Julia Snowden enlists the help of her eccentric neighbor, Mrs. St. Onge, in hopes of mastering the dessert for Christmas. With everyone in the old woman’s circle missing or deceased, however, it’s up to Julia to stop the deadly tidings before she’s the next Busman’s Harbor resident to meet a not-so-jolly fate.

Kick back with something sweet and indulge in three bite-sized yuletide tales too good to resist!

Readers: What do you think of the covers? I loved writing both the novel and the novella and hope you enjoy them.

Published by Barbara Ross

Barbara Ross is the author of twelve Maine Clambake Mystery novels and six novellas. Her books have been nominated for multiple Agatha Awards for Best Contemporary Novel and have won the Maine Literary Award for Crime Fiction. She lives in Portland, Maine. Readers can visit her website at www.maineclambakemysteries.com

46 Thoughts

  1. The clambake cover made me really hungry and, once again, made me realize how much I miss living near the coast. I love the eyes on the snowman on the Yule log cover! Eager to add both to the ever-growing TBR pile. Congrats on getting such talented cover artists.

  2. Covers are lovely. Would be happy to read an ARC for either or both (hint, hint).

  3. I love both of them! And I hear about the issue in Steamed Open so regularly in the news about beach properties. Can’t wait to snuggle in with these reads.

    1. Maine has old, unusual and much-litigated laws about shoreline access. A decision just came down in a case in Kennebunk yesterday that will probably be appealed.

  4. That Steamed Open cover makes me hungry also..it’s before breakfast, but I would eat that for breakfast if it was here. The other cover is very appropriate.

  7. The Christmas cover is great! I would if I could do that to my Yule log! Wouldn’t that raise some eyebrows to see that Skelton when you sliced it!I
    I want to live in the Clambake cover! Especially now, with the cold temps and occasional show we are still having!
    Congratulations on both books! Excited to read them!

  10. Love the covers! “Steamed Open” reminds me of a bucketlist trip we took to Maine 2 years ago. The cover for “Yule Log Murder” is cool. Just look at the center design of the yule log and the look on the snowman’s face. Can’t wait for the opportunity to read them both!

  13. Both are great covers!! I’ve always thought your Maine Clambake Mystery series covers were amazing. Makes me wish I wasn’t allergic to seafood. ) :

  20. So excited for the cover reveals! I cannot wait to read both books! My favorite authors together again! You ladies just made my day! 📚😊

  21. Both covers are gorgeous. Yours makes me want a big ol’ pot o’ seafood for dinner tonight. The anthology cover reminds of Joanne Fluke’s cover… is it by the same artist? Regardless, I am looking forward to reading both books!

  22. Great covers! Such a fun homecoming for you. I’m looking forward to both books. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the latest one recently. I also enjoyed the collection of egg nog stories a few years ago. That collection was my first introduction to Lee Hollis. I need to get back to more of her books. Keep the stories flowing….thanks!

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