6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Weight Loss Can Be Murder, November 26, 2008
The Gray Whale Inn is hosting a weight loss retreat. Owner Natalie Barns is hoping that, if things go well, this might become an annual event. True, she has to cook three meals a day instead of just breakfast. Heck, with all the health food around, maybe she will loose a few pounds.
But when the group arrives, things start to go south quickly. While all the women on Cranberry Island start lusting over trainer Dirk DeLeon, it's the female leader who has Natalie seeing green. Turns out that Vanessa visited the island for a couple summers and had some romantic flings with the men there, including Natalie's boyfriend John. While he insists they are just friends now, they sure do seem awfully chummy.
The dieters have been on the island for less than a day when, out for a jog, they find a body. Rumors quickly start flying that John is a suspect. But he couldn't have done it, could he? And if not, who did?
It's been too long since I got to visit Cranberry Island, but I quickly fell back into the setting and the series characters. They are as charming and friendly as ever. The new characters could have been a bit better developed, but with some diligent work, I was able to keep them all straight.
The main plot and a sub-plot trade off the spot light and keep the pace moving pretty quickly. I did figure out the culprit in the second half of the story, but it was because of a lucky guess. Even so, I was entertained until the thrilling climax.
As always, there are some recipes at the end. Most of them are lighter calorie in nature, although the one that sounds the best is not on the dieter's menu. Isn't that the way it always is?
This book continues with the charm of the first two. I hope we get another visit to Cranberry Island soon.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
MURDER MOST MAINE, February 26, 2011
This review is from: Murder Most Maine (Gray Whale Inn Mysteries) (Paperback)
There are four titles in this terrific cozy series:
(1)
Murder on the Rocks (Gray Whale Inn Mysteries, No. 1), (2)
Dead and Berried (Gray Whale Inn Mysteries, No. 2), (3)
Murder Most Maine (Gray Whale Inn Mysteries, No. 3) and (4)
Berried to the Hilt (The Gray Whale Inn Mysteries). This latesttitle is due to be released in Large Print(hooray) in March.
Whereas in the previous books, the publisher's blurb was thin and could not possibly help sales, this time it does set the scene: "When a weight-loss retreat descends on the Gray Whale Inn,the women of Cranberry Island get a little body-conscious. Mainly they're conscious of hard-bodied trainer Dirk De Leon, whose hunky phsyique keeps hearts racing long after his exercise sessions end. But when Dirk turns up dead, lust-fueled rivalries lead to criminal accusations, and innkeeper Natalie Barnes watches in disbelief as her boyfriend John becomes the lead suspect. Can Natalie cut through the fat to find the real killer and clear her boyfriend's name."
MacInerney tells a good story peopled with believable characters as she carefully provides background information for the old and new fan. Here are a few of Cranberry Island's major players this time around: (1)NATALIE BARNES: forty-ish, former resident of Austin, Texas, owner/operator of a Bed and Breakfast housed in a 150-year-old building which might be haunted.
(2)JOHN QUINTON: the island's lone deputy, sculptor, tenant and neighbor of Natalie, though she explains: "More than just a neighbor actually. We had been dating for some months, and although we hadn't officially spelled it out, we were slipping into comfortable couplehood." (3)CHARLENE KEAN: Natalie's best friend, owner/operator of The Cranberry Island Store, postmistress and gossip queen. (4)GWEN BARNES: Natalie's niece and employee, gifted artist and student, currently on sabbatical from her mother and UCLA.
(5)TOM LOCKHART: president of the island's lobster co-op and chair of the board of selectmen.
MacInerney's prose provides touches of humor. Examples: (1)" 'Now, Natalie, Vanessa said, . . . "How do we get to your wonderful inn?'
'We thought it might be a nice change for the guests to arrive at the inn by boat,' I announced, pointing to the three skiffs bobbing in the waves. They say it's all in the marketing, and it sure sounded better than, 'The van broke, so we're taking dinghies.'" (2)"She was dressed in formfitting jeans and an Aran sweater that somehow managed to accentuate her curvy figure. I loved my own Aran sweater, but was only too aware that it made my silhouette look rather like that of a sheep with an overgrazing problem. If following the Lose-It-All plan could make me look like that even under four pounds of wool, I decided - it might be worth paying attention. John certainly was. His eyes were trained on Vanessa like he was on the TITANIC and she was showing him how to operate the lifeboats." (3)"It was a beautiful morning to be out attempting to jog. (By the time we got half way up the hill, most of us were purple, so Vanessa bowed to the inevitable and slowed to a brisk walk.) The pine trees filled the air with their fresh scent, which I got ample lungfuls of, since I was gasping for breath." (4)" 'I'm telling you, those were the ugliest bridesmaid's dresses you ever saw - poor things looked like a row of eggplants in a garden.'"
The food-related theme is seen as well in the following: (1)the sea is "Italian meringue" (2)One woman's head sports a "Brillo pad of hair," (3)Another character's curs are "caramel-colored." (4)Someone's "dark eyes are bright as currants in a bun-like face," and (5)Natalie's cat is the color of ginger and answers to "Biscuit."
Of course, there are wonderful recipes. Not all in the text are in the recipe section however. My favorite: GRAY WHALE INN TURKEY CHILI.
One final note, I am a retired librarian and thank the author for the following words describing Natalie's opinion: "I hung up the phone, thinking wonderful thoughts about librarians in general."
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