by Barb, typing this on our Wickeds retreat at Jessie’s fabulous house in Old Orchard Beach, Maine
So the time has come to talk about the end of the Maine Clambake Mystery series. Back when I tried to envision what it would like to go down this road, I thought this blog post would contain a spoiler. But since almost every single NetGalley, Amazon, and Goodreads review has mentioned that the twelfth book, Torn Asunder, is the last, I don’t think this is really a spoiler.
I didn’t pre-announce Torn Asunder as the last, though the Wickeds, my family, and close personal friends knew. I didn’t think I should say it was the end. I wondered if that would convince people not to buy the book or even not to start the series with another book.
I can see why people included the information it was the last in their reviews. It isn’t in any serious sense a spoiler. It doesn’t give away the solution to the mystery. But back in November, when reviews first started appearing on NetGalley and Goodreads, I wasn’t prepared to deal with the issue. When people asked outright on social media if Torn Asunder was the last, I bobbed and weaved, or didn’t answer at all.
I did address the end of the series in the Acknowledgements of the book but I’m going to answer some of the questions I have been asked since here.
Why did you decide to end the series? Did you run out of stories to tell about Busman’s Harbor? Or, were you bored with Busman’s Harbor?
I think, honestly, I could have made up stories about Julia Snowden and friends for years to come. The reasons I ended the series were personal, business, and creative.
The personal reason is the deadlines were getting to me, affecting my life and my health, not in a good way, and causing me to miss out on things I no longer wanted to miss. I know there are authors (more than one on this very blog) who can write many more books in a year than the one-book-and-one novella that were killing me. I used to think I could be better and faster if I just pulled myself together and applied more discipline. But then I turned seventy and adopted an approach to life I call “radical self-acceptance,” or the Popeye Philosophy, “I yam what I yam.” I decided to abandon my sixty-plus year project of trying to be a better or different person.
I write slowly. I read slowly. I need that frisson of fear of an approaching deadline to get the job done. In other words, my work ethic is that of a college sophomore. I was always going to write to deadline and the deadlines were always going to be tough.
I’m also pretty single-threaded. As a busy mother and boss, I multitasked, but it’s not my default approach. I prefer to be focused and immersed. There are projects beyond fiction-writing I want to tackle. Lots of people could do both, and more, but now I accept that I won’t.
This is who I am. The question was, what was I going to do about it?
The business reason was that the Maine Clambake Mysteries are what they are–mass market paperback and thoroughly mid-list. They were never going to be anything else. While entertaining a smallish number of people has been, in fact, very satisfying, there was no point in pretending I was doing anything different or that it was going to change.
Finally, there is the creative dimension. I am a completer. I have many flaws (see above) but I finish stuff. There is no string of abandoned projects in my life (even ones I probably should have). I like endings, full arcs, drawing a line under things. For me, fiction writing has always been about control. I worked on teams all by life and loved it. There is nothing more exhilarating than working with a group of people toward a common purpose. But I wanted writing to be something I did on my own. Writers often say, “My characters take over and do what they want.” To which I always say, “I have enough people in my life who don’t do what I think they should. That is not what I need from people in a world I am creating.” I wanted to end the series on my own terms. I wanted to finish Julia’s personal arc and leave her the place both she and I wanted her to be. Taking control of the ending was the only way I could do that.
What are you working on now? What will you write next? Will you publish again?
I’ve retired twice before and it’s my belief everyone who has ever retired, been laid-off, or quit a job has a list of things they have long wanted to do when they weren’t working. When my company, WebCT, was sold there was a constant joke among the former employees about how clean our closets, attics, basements, and garages were. In my experience, it takes six months to a year to recover and be ready for the new to flow in, depending on how intense the work was and how exhausted you were when it ended.
In examining my life, I find it breaks nicely into 10 to 12 year chunks. I worked for twelve years at Information Mapping, a company that offers a methodology for analyzing, organizing, and presenting complex written information. I was hired as a freelance writer and ended up at one time or another running every division and department in the organization except finance. But then it was time for me to go. The discipline for thinking that Information Mapping instilled in me is an immutable part of my character and I still have tremendous affection for almost everyone I worked with. After I left, I wrote the early drafts of my first book, The Death of an Ambitious Woman. Similarly, for ten years, I was at WebCT, a company that with several others pioneered putting both distance and traditional classes on the internet. Again, it was a fantastic experience which I still cherish along with the people I worked with. Afterward I dug out the Death of an Ambitious Woman manuscript, rewrote it and had it accepted for publication. I became one of the co-editors of the Best New England Crime Story series. Each ending, each hiatus has resulted in something better coming after.
I wrote the Maine Clambake Mysteries, twelve books and six novellas, for twelve years. I don’t know what comes next. I know that it may not be better than what came before. I do have a few ideas, but they are complex, requiring a lot of research and time, and I’m not sure if I’ll actually write any of them. Plus, having been a mid-list writer, there is no guarantee I’ll get published again. It may even make it harder. So we’ll see is the answer.
Lightening Round
Is there anything you would have changed in the first book if you had known the series would go to twelve?
I don’t think so, though I certainly would have written that first book better if I had the experience I have after writing twelve.
Who is your favorite character to write?
Gus and Mrs. Gus, Fee and Vee Snugg. It’s so freeing to write secondary characters.
Is there a character whose arc became a pain?
Not really. I really enjoyed writing Quentin Tupper, but unlike all the other regulars he is a summer resident. Sliding Quentin in and out of the series was a bit of challenge.
The other was Le Roi the Maine Coon cat. I hadn’t intended to have a cat, but when I saw what life was like for a cat on the real Cabbage Island, I had to include one. However, Le Roi was always in town when my characters were on the island or on the island when my characters were in town. Keeping track of his whereabouts and making sure there was someone available to feed him was a real pain.
Speaking of Le Roi the five year leap ahead at the end of Torn Asunder tells us what happened to every character except Le Roi. Is he still alive?
No one knows how old Le Roi is because he belonged originally to the island’s previous caretakers. However, cats can live to 20 or so, so in my head Le Roi is still with us at the end of Torn Asunder, if a little slower and fatter,
Who’s a character you should have killed off?
No one. Julia’s brother-in-law, Sonny, was designed in the series proposal to be the antagonist. Some people who didn’t make it to the turn about three-quarters of the way through the first book, Clammed Up, gave up on the book due to too much family conflict. But I wouldn’t kill Sonny. His wife and kids would suffer too much and he and Julia both grow and change each other, however minimally, which was satisfying to write.
Who’s a character who should have been spun off?
Kensington approached my agent, casually, about a spinoff featuring Fee and Vee Snugg. I didn’t want to write another series in the Busman’s Harbor world, so I never followed up.
Thank you
Finally, at the end of the world’s longest blog post, for the superfans of the Wickeds and the Maine Clambake Mysteries still with me, I want to thank the readers. As I say in the Torn Asunder Acknowledgements, you have been a joy of my life. You have given me this opportunity and the community that has gone with it.
The many, many emails and social media comments I have received since Torn Asunder was published have been lovely and 100% supportive. Many have expressed satisfaction that the series actually resolved and they knew what happened to the characters. I can’t express how much I have appreciated these notes.
With tremendous gratitude. Barb
Readers: How do you feel about series ending? Do they run their course or should they go on as long as the author lives?
So well put, Barb. I join the legions in saying I’ll miss your books and your writing. And I admire you, among many other reasons, for ending this chapter in your life the way you wanted to.
Ohh! Thank you, Edith, so much.
Will you stay in touch with us somehow? Will you still be a “wicked?” I’ll miss you–and I’ll miss Julia a lot!
Hi Carol. Thanks so much for asking. I will still be hanging around here and on social media. See you around the interwebs!
Hope that means you will still be a “Wicked” even if with the “Author” retired. Your blog posts are often my good morning coffee companion.
Oh, thank you so much, Eliabeth. You will be seeing me here.
Booooohoooooo!!!! Gosh, Busman’s Harbor will never disappear or fade away, Barb, at least not to me! I do wish you well in whatever you plan in doing and I thank you so very, very much for your Clambake Mysteries!
Aww, Kathy, you’re welcome. I have loved writing the books.
Barbara, I will thoroughly miss Busman’s Harbor, The island, and all its residents and want to thank you for 12(!) years of great stories. Your books were always a Day 1 release read of mine and it’s sad to see the end but I was very happy with the conclusion. Wishing you the best of luck with whatever you do; pray for good health for you and your husband but for sure it will be filled with fun and family adventures.
Colleen, thank you for being such a loyal reader. I am so glad you were happy with the conclusion of the series.
I’m sorry to read the news about the series ending but at least it is being done on your timetable rather than someone else’s.
As someone above asked, are you staying as a part of the Wickeds?
Normally, I hate when a series ends before I’m ready for it to do so. After all, if I’m still interested in reading, how could others not want to read it as well. Or in the case of the author, write it.
But of course, that’s just my own self-interest talking. But I do appreciate when a series ends with a clearly defined ending rather than having it left hanging. Recent case: TV’s NCIS Hawai’i got cancelled after just three seasons and the last episode ends on a reported big cliffhanger.
A toast to you and Busman’s Harbor Barb!
Thank you so much, Jay. I know exactly what you mean about the end of a series. I was watching this BBC drama about colonial Australia. I was totally into it. It ended with a cliffhanger, and then–nothing. It must have been expensive to make, but…
I have read this series from book 1 and thoroughly enjoyed every bit of them. While I will miss the characters I LOVED the epilogue of where life took them after the murder was solved. Good luck and much happiness to you in wherever life take you. . . . Mo Heedles
Thank you, Mo. I am so happy that you loved the epilogue. I loved it too.
I just wanted to say that I loved loved loved this series, and when I was reading Torn Asunder and realized it was the end, I cried–that’s how good the series is, I loved all the books and stories and felt as if I really knew the characters. Best wishes in all that you do now and in the future! Sincerely and in appreciation, Debbie Hosey
I cried when I wrote the end! Thank you so much Debbie. I am so glad you loved the series.
I have always loved this series. As a native New Englander I love how you capture the essence of the Maine coast, the beauty and real ruggedness, the good and the real hardship people face. Your characters were always real, in a long running series it’s hard to continue to by in if everything is always perfect. The secondary characters were always a delight and people I could absolutely picture. Finally the mysteries were always well thought out and the solutions believable. I loved that I always learned something in each of your books. As far as how long a series should go on, I feel as long as the quality stays the same, it can go on forever. I would like to say though, I would rather see it end cleanly then see it become something less. Thanks for many hours of reading pleasure!
Deborah, thank you so much for your very kind words, and thank you for being a fan and a booster.
This is a wonderful series and I’m sorry to see it end. Best of luck with your next endeavor, whatever you decide it should be!
Thank you so much, Laurien.
Thank you so much for giving us readers so many amazing books! More books in this series will be missed, but at the same time, I very much understand your reasoning. May God bless you in all future endeavors bringing you happiness and joy!
Love series when the books can be read independent and in any order, but all have common characters and a familiar thread running through them. It’s fun to fall in love with a town and characters as you being to feel as you too are a local. As long as it is joyful for the author to write, then it should continue on for however long because then it’s evident in the stories. Otherwise the stories die on their own whether the series continues or not.
2clowns at arkansas dot net
Thank you so much, Kay. That is a very good point about the series being joyful for the author to write. I have definitely read some later books in some bestselling series where I got the feeling the author was just going through the motions.
I am sad about the series ending because I enjoyed visiting Busman’s Harbor and Julia, but I understand that you had reached the point where you wanted to stop. I enjoyed all the books and looked forward to each one, and I am glad that you ended the series with a look at where Julia (and Tom) went in the future. I am always frustrated when a book series just abruptly ends, so thanks. I hope that you will write something else at some time because I enjoy your writing. If so, I will look forward to it. If not, then I hope that you enjoy retirement!
Thank you so much, Kitty. It was so much fun imagining Julia’s future. If I do write something else I’ll let everyone know.
BARB: Although I was sad to learn that TORN ASUNDER is the last book in your Maine Clambake mysteries, I am glad you ended the series and the arcs for Julia & others in a planned way that satisfied you and most readers.
Thanks for answering those questions about why you decided to stop with book #12. Fascinating that you have this 12year is cycle in your various careers. I hope you have better health and happy times ahead!
Hi Grace. I didn’t even realize it was a cycle until I made this decision and then looked backwards. It is kind of fascinating. It makes me optimistic for whatever is next.
Congratulations on all you’ve accomplished, Barb! And for wrapping up the series on your own terms. Wishing you all the best for your next adventure!
Thank you, J.C. Whatever it may be.
Love the series. So sad to see it end. Thank you for all the books. Best of luck & good health to you & your family ❤
Thank you so much.
I maintain as I stated to you on another occasion: This has been one of my favorite cozy series of all time and one I was always current and awaiting the next adventure. I truly believe that you should, when you feel so inclined, sneak in occasional Snowden updates to your newsletter (assuming you continue doing one?) so we can briefly visit with our Busman’s Harbor friends. I have another favorite author/trilogy (totally different genre – Christian fiction) who has done this to some degree; she does a monthly newsletter as well, and every so often we get a section that is a peek in at “what’s happening in Bradbury these days”, which is such an unexpected joy as a reader. It certainly would take the pressure off and woud allow for you to focus on whatever of these characters pop into mind on any given day! A lot of what this other author does in these one-paragraph pop-in visits involves secondary characters even. Anyway, just know that if you should ever to do something similar for this series, your fans would surely get a warm little glow from “running into” our friends from the past decade-or-so!
Thank you so much, Dawn. I am so thrilled to have written one of your favorites. If status updates for the Snowdens pop into my head I will certainly let readers know.
Even having known that Torn Asunder was the last book in the series for a long time, this makes me teary eyed. You know how much I love this series and I’ll miss being in Busman’s Harbor. But I’m happy that you got to make the decision and that you will get to decide what’s next.
Thank you so much, Sherry. And thank you for all the work you did editing the manuscripts to make the series better –and keep me from making a fool of myself.
And I miss your Garage Sale Mysteries Sherry.
Good on you for doing it your way . . I am always trying to channel Popeye’s “I Yam What I Yam,” but thanks for the reminder. I’m sure there are more interesting things coming your way. Cheers . . .
Thank you so much, Dick. You are an inspiration.
I will miss Busman’s harbor and it’s delightful and unique residents tremendously, but am so happy you were able to make it your choice and brought their stories to a satisfactory place. Enjoy this iteration of retirement and I hope to read something new from you in the future. Thanks for all the happy hours of reading and enjoyment!
Thank you, Marcia, for the happy hours I got to write, which I could never have done without the readers.
Barb, I’m going to miss Julia and all the other associates of the Snowden Family Clambake so much!
Thank you for writing these books that have given me so much pleasure for the last decade +2. I wish you were going to keep them going forever, but (especially given the fact that I’m unlikely to going forever), I understand why you needed to stop.
Perhaps, without the pressure, you’ll feel motivated to give us the occasional short story or novella about Busman’s Harbor. I hope so, but won’t hold my breath. (Blue is not my color.)
I hope whatever comes next in your life is absolutely WONDERFUL!
Fondly,
Lee Sauer
Lee, thank you so much for these words and for being a supporter from the beginning. Who knows what a life free of book deadlines might bring?
I am so sorry to read this, but glad that you are looking forward to the next chapter and are staying on as a Wicked!
My answer to your question about series endings is when the author feels it’s time – I’m always pleased if the storylines are wrapped up. It gives closure to the characters and the reader.
I agree about closure. I like it too. I have always felt terrible Sue Grafton didn’t get to finish the alphabet.
I agree. I loved Kinsey Millhone, and she was finally learning about who she was and where she came from and about her family and then–nothing anymore.
As someone who will be 70 this year, and who retired from a deadline driven career that spanned several decades, I empathize with your reasoning here, even though I will miss the Clambake series. I almost gave up on it when you broke up Julia and Chris, but you encouraged me that better things were coming, and they did. Like you, I wish Tom and Julia’s relationship had had more time, but c’est la vie.
[Let me preface the following by saying that I have become a series addict. I read series almost exclusively, and I grow attached to the characters. I also read and listen to 6 or so books a week. I am retired, and reading is what I do. Yes, audiobooks allow me the flexibility to read so many, but my point is that I read a lot of books.]
I hate change, so I usually hate for one of my series to end. There are a few that run their course, and I can say it is time, but very few. It is sad when series I enjoy and often love end because a publisher decides it should. Those often make me angry. When the decision is the author’s or the author gets advance notice, I can at least expect a somewhat satisfying ending. Until Torn Asunder, there was only one series ending that was so well done that it left a bittersweet and indelible mark on my heart. It was Bree Baker’s (Julie Ann Lindsey) Seaside Cafe. The Maine Clambake series ending has joined that very exclusive club.
Yes, yes and yes! Totally agree.
First of all, Debbie, thank you for your kind words. And you see why I made the choice and didn’t want to give it over to the publisher someday. I am very proud to be in this very exclusive club.
Thanks for the great memories!
Fran
Thank you for reading, Fran!
I’ll admit I’m sad to see the series go, but I understand the need to look forward to more free time! Enjoy your beautiful family and spend your days your way! Thanks for all the wonderful stories. I even went to the Cabbage Island Clambake because of your series. We’ll see you on the Internet!❤️
I am so glad you went to Cabbage Island. Everyone should! I will definitely be hanging around on the internet.
What a tough question! I am usually sad to see a series end. Knowing that a series already has a definite end will not stop me from reading it, though. I understand that it’s hard for an author to keep it going on forever. Besides that, there is always another series to begin! By the way, I think it’s hilarious that Le Roi was such a pain because somebody always has to be around to take care of him. I love that cat!!
It’s just that the care even of a cat is hard when you’re running around solving mysteries. How the authors whose sleuth have babies and little kids do it, I will never know!
I thoroughly enjoyed this series and will miss it. It reminded me of my summers in NH(to where I am moving back.) I loved the characters like they were neighbors. I would have been disappointed if Sonny had been written out. He made the family balance! And LeRoi was always a slowdown and breath moment for Julia. Alas, I may now get to my TBR table.
However, retirement is never full retirement when one is busy. You are one of those people and I know you will be well involved in something. Enjoy everything you do and see you the next time…
If you want something done, ask a busy person, right? Best of luck with your move, Doris.
Barb, thanks for taking us to Maine on the page all these years. I’ve enjoyed every trip, and will always look at the stack of your books on my office shelf with fond memories. All the best to you and Bill in whatever comes next!
Leslie–thank you so much for being a fan as well as a fellow writer.
This is one of my favourite series so I will miss it. But I’m glad you got to end it the way you wanted to. Now I have to decide whether to read it soon or save it for awhile so I’ll still have a Maine Clambake book to read. I did that when another author ended her series. Several years later when she decided to go back it, I figured it was time to read it.
Thank you so much, Elaine. Whenever you read Torn Asunder, I hope you enjoy it.
I read the first book (first two, if I recall) when I was between jobs. I’m now on my second job since I started the series.
I loved the series, so I am sorry to see it end. But I did love how the series ended. You wrapped things up well. I do agree with your one issue via when Chris and Julia broke up. It would have been nice to see more Tom with Julia. But it’s a minor point for me.
As to how long a series should go…there are some series I would love to see continue because I enjoy the characters and the authors always have fun and creative plots. And there are some series that should be put out of their misery. As a completist (darn OCD), I usually keep reading longer than I should on those series. But if the author is ready to move on, they should end the series. Otherwise, their lack of interest starts to show. Hats off to you for avoiding that trap.
Thank you so much, Mark and thank you for all you have done to support the Maine Clambake Mysteries. My fellow completist, I have definitely read (or watched) seriess long after others would have given up.
If we are going to talk about watching, I stayed through the final season of Castle and kept watching Heroes, even watching the reboot.
So many, me too, down to the bitter end. The blessing/curse of the completist.
I was sad to see it he series end but very satisfied with how it ends d. These characters developed so well over time. The series was not a predictable cozy because of the development and exploration of the characters and their interactions and dynamics. Thank you for your hard work and enjoy yourself, you’ve earned it!
What an absolutely lovely thing to say. I am so happy to hear this.
I think it’s great you get to end on your terms, Barb. So many series either go on too long, or end prematurely, because of a decision by the publishing company.
Both of these things are true, Liz, and I was happy to avoid them.
I can’t wait to read Torn Asunder. The series is one of my all time favorites! While I am sad to see it end, I am happy that you are able to end it on your terms. I’m also happy that there is a wrap up at the end. I agree with you that Julia and Chris should have broken up earlier…just because I love Julia and Tom as a couple. Thank you for this wonderful series! I don’t usually reread
books, but I think I will go back and reread this series.
Thank you so much, Christi. I am so glad you love Julia and Tom as a couple. I wonder what you will see in the series reading it for the second time?
I’m happy that you were able to end the series on your own terms. Best wishes for whatever comes next.
Thank you, Mary.
If leaving Busman’s Harbor is sad, the explanation of the end of the series is encouraging. Best of luck on your new chapter.
Thank you so much.
Barb, you inspire me every day. I love your writing and your books and hope this “retirement” brings you to another round of writing. love you.
Aww. Thank you, Li. You inspire me everyday!
I have always thought it’s up to the author when a series starts, ends or goes off in another direction. As a reader, I grow to love so many characters but I respect an author’s decision on how the character lives, etc. aprilbluetx at yahoo dot com
Thank you. April. That means so much to me.
I feel as long as the author has stories to tell, the series should continue. Once the author cannot come up with a story that does the characters justice, it is time to end the series. Thank you so much for sharing. God bless you.
Thank YOU so much, Debbie.
Endings are always sad. But it is a wise person who says goodbye to something and goes on to something else.
BTW, I loved Information Mapping. After discovering it and taking the training, I introduced it to the FDIC. It’s a fabulous method for imparting information.
Good luck on your future ventures.
Oh my goodness, Grace. That is so funny. As I said, the discipline of Information Mapping is still embedded in me.
What a wonderful post, and a wonderful ending to your fabulous series. I look forward to your next chapter, and am grateful that I’ve been part of this one.
I am grateful you’ve been part of this one, too.
My husband and I love visiting Maine. I found the series during the Covid shutdown when travel was not an option. I was thrilled to be able to go to Maine through the books. Thank you for 12 books and the novellas. I hope you enjoy the next chapter in your life.
It makes me sad when series I love end (books and TV) but I am grateful when the writer(s) are able to make a planned exit. I loved reading the final chapter knowing everyone was happy and settled.
The ending of this series reminded me of a quote from Winnie the Pooh – How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard. – I feel lucky to have found the series! Thank you!
That is such a beautiful quote I am sniffling again. And one i didn’t know from Winnie-the-Pooh.
I am 100% with you dear Barb! We need to get rid of any hurdles if we are able to. Kudos to you for doing what is best
for you and your family. I can reread your books again and again and be transported back to Busman Harbor. Thank you most sincerely for the hours and hours of fun and mystery. I am so blessed to have been a part of this mystery series…in my mind. JOY to you always ❣️🤗🥳
And I am so blessed by my readers and fans, especially some of them.
I’m sorry to hear that it is ending. I hope you enjoy the next chapter in your life.
Thank you so much, Rene.
I am sorry to hear that this is the end but I wish you all the best in the years to come!
Thank you, Linda.
I am one of the many who sent you an email, but I want to publically thank you for so many hours of enjoyable entertainment. I will miss Julia and the whole Busman’s Harbor gang, but what wonderful vicarious memories I have. Please don’t disappear.
Thank you so much, Ginny, for your note and this comment and for being a fan. I’m not going anywhere!
Thank you for sharing your awesome characters with us. I’ll really miss Julia, family and friends. I love my Busman Harbors map on my wall and will remember my literary “friends”!
Thank you so much for your comment. I am so glad you are enjoying the map.
I feel sad when a well loved series come to an end. I hope you find a way to keep them alive and back charachters in a new series. Also. I think I own seven of your books and they are still on my bookshelves in case anyone in my family want’s to try them.
I would love for people to borrow your books and find the folks in Busman’s Harbor. I feel sad when a well-loved series ends, too, especially this one.
Barbara, I also am so sad to see the Maine Clambake series end. I have never been to Maine, but I love lobsters and just reading them enabled me to enjoy both the state and the lobster. I just need to get there and go to a real Clambake. Probably won’t happen, but at least it did through your books. The only books that were continued after the author’s death that have been successful (at least to me) are Robert B. Parker’s Spenser, Jesse Stone and Sunny Randall. They have chosen writers that have continued in the same vein, so you don’t feel the loss of those favorite characters. They capture the essence of the characters that we have come to love. But that doesn’t usually happen, so I understand your reasoning and you wrote why so well. I am starting your book today and can’t wait to see what happens. I have so loved your development of Julia and her family’s dynamics. I am so glad that you are ending their story for us. Ellen Byron did that in her Cajun Country Mysteries, and it made a difference. It gave us closure and not loss as it does when a series leaves us hanging forever. I still wonder what happened to Olivia and Captain Haviland in the Books by the Bay mystery and grieve for what happened in it. I also want more of Nora Page and Trixie (the dead usherette) in the Movie Palace Mysteries. What makes a series great to me is watching the characters grow, change and interact with others and with us as readers and sharing their lives with us. That is why I love series. If I like the characters, I want more. Good luck in whatever you do, but I hope some more novellas at least pop up. I still have all of the books and the maps. Thank you for giving us a very good series.
Thank you so much for your kind words. I love series, too, and for the same reasons.
The Maine Clambake series kept me enthralled from the beginning. Each time I turned the last page, I counted the months until the next one came out. The characters were beautifully written, with the flaws of foibles of ‘real’ people, never cardboard, always complex and genuine. The plots were tight and well researched, delving into so many fascinating topics along the way. It always seemed as if you enjoyed the research, thereby making us feel invested in why the characters cared. Brava!
I don’t remember an author ever writing a completely satisfying goodbye letter for a series before. It’s a wonderful testament to the fact that you have cared about your audience through the years. May whatever you do next, bring you the joy that you have brought us for the past twelve years. It’s been an absolute pleasure! 🙂
Patti, I can’t thank you enough for all the support you have given the Maine Clambake Mysteries. Words cannot express how much I appreciate it.
I have to admit that I was really thrown for a loop when I got to the end of this book, and realized it was really the end. I even teared up! I did appreciate how you pretty much summed up the characters’ lives and left them in a good place. I will miss my old ‘friends’ in Busman’s Harbor, but thank you for the many hours of reading pleasure. I hope you enjoy this new ‘chapter’ in your life.
Thank you so much, Michelle. And you are so welcome.
Over the years I’ve read the entire series except for the last one. I love the stories about the family and enjoy your wonderful writing. I will start the last book eagerly and sadly. I can relate to your wanting to do a few other things in life. I retired 18 months ago when my department was eliminated under new management. I was 76. I was sad but yet I have been able to do some things I didn’t have time or energy for while working. Please don’t think of your career as second rate. Not all those super famous novels are well written or even written by the author sometimes. Your stories have made a lot of people very happy. Hoping to see you on social media still hanging out with the other authors in your group. Good luck and enjoy.