Murder on the Rocks

Loved the characters, this book is always leaving you wanting more. Honestly couldn’t put it down once I started. Overall great read and can’t wait to continue the series! Especially reading about all of Natalie’s adventures at the Gray Whale Inn!

I am so happy I discovered this delightful book by Karen MacInerney, "Murder on the Rocks." The writing and storytelling are as quaint and charming as the Gray Whale Inn, a bed and breakfast on an island in Maine depicted in the tale. As an innkeeper, I particularly enjoyed commiserating with the narrator, Natalie Barnes, a recent transplant from Texas, as she performed her daily duties. The honest and telling reaction she had to her "off limits" kitchen being invaded one morning while she enjoyed the back porch view and her first cup of coffee before pulling together another delicious breakfast was something every innkeeper has experienced. It, therefore, made the character instantly credible and likeable. The reader can't help but root for her throughout the story as she tries to uncover the facts of who killed one of her guests, a resort developer named Bernard Katz. Even stronger than the mystery MacInerney sets up in the story are the flavors she creates with delicious details of the breakfasts and baked goods Natalie prepares. My mouth watered throughout, and before I realized that she provides recipes at the end of the story, I wished I could taste some of these delicacies. I plan to bake Wicked Blueberry Coffee Cake this afternoon. Thank you Ms. MacInerney! This is a very quick and enjoyable read. I recommend it. Michele Cozzens, author of I'm Living Your Dream Life: The Story of a Northwoods Resort Owner.

What more do you need? This is a great book, the first in the Gray Whale Inn Mystery series. I don't know if it was the plot, which took many twists and turns, the characters whom you felt you knew right away, the on-target description of the beautiful Maine coast, or the fact that the author is a fellow Austinite--perhaps it is all of the above. The mouth-watering recipes didn't hurt either!! I wish Karen MacInerney the best in her upcoming books.

After coming to Cranberry Island off the Maine Coast to mend a broken heart, Natalie Barnes fell head over heals for a former sea captain's house. She sold her home in Austin Texas and had enough money for the edifice which would become the Gray Whole Inn bed and breakfast. She loves her new life; however into each Eden there is a serpent and this one is Bernard Katz. The entrepreneur plans to build a resort for the rich and famous on land adjacent to Natalie's inn. While out walking Natalie trips and falls partway down a cliff. At the bottom is the body of Bernard Katz and it is determined by the medical examiner that the business mogul was murdered. The lead detective on the case believes that Natalie is the killer especially since she knew about plans to convert her inn into a parking lot. Intending to clear her name before she ends up in jail, Natalie launches her own investigation and almost gets killed by a murderer who wants Natalie to take the fall for the killing. Readers will get a look at small town living (pop 2000) on an island that can only be reached by boat. The victim had enough enemies on the island leading to plenty of suspects with viable motives. The heroine is brave, stubborn and determined to get at the truth even if it means putting her life in danger. Readers will like Natalie as she sets out to find the killer. This is a very entertaining who-done-It Harriet Klausner

If you love your vacations in Maine, or you love to putz around the kitchen (or just like reading about people who do!)you'll love this novel. More importantly if you're a fan of tightly written mysteries that keep you hooked page after a page you'll love this book even if you've never been to Maine or spent time in the kitchen. MacInerney's book is great fun for mystery lovers.

As new owner of The Gray Whale Inn on Cranberry Island, Maine, young entrepreneur Natalie Barnes offers comfy beds and breathtaking views of rose-dotted sea cliffs, while cheerfully whipping up her delectable home-cooked goodies. She's content to be serving up a peaceful slice of Americana, until a wealthy developer arrives with plans that threaten to destroy the habitat of the endangered black-chinned terns--and to replace the Inn with a parking lot. Finding the developer dead on the rocks outside was nowhere on Natalie's well-planned menu. Especially when the police consider her a prime suspect . . . and the real killer wants her dead too. Murder on the Rocks, complete with recipes, is a delightful combination of New England charm, eccentric characters, tongue-in-cheek humor and heart-pounding action. The author paints the story in such detail that the reader smells the tang of salty air, feels the coastal summer sunshine and savors each succulent mouthful of butter-dunked lobster. MacInerney gives us a down-to-earth and plucky heroine who may be seen calmly pedaling her aging Schwinn uphill to deliver Killer Cranberry Scones in the morning . . . then hoisting a chef's knife to defend herself in a stormy blackout later that night. Surrounding Natalie is a fabulous cast of characters (and suspects) including B & B guests, quirky neighbors, a well-coiffed and outspoken best friend, and a way-too-tempting local deputy. Murder on the Rocks hooked me on the first page and kept me reading right on through, and now has me shopping for the ingredients to try out the killer recipes. It's a book that leaves you eager for second helpings--the next book in the Gray Whale Inn Mystery Series.