Nogged Off

Barbara Ross

Oct 2019 · Kensington Books

About this ebook

Previously published in the collection Egg Nog Murder.

‘Twas the week before Christmas, and Julia Snowden’s escape from New York has just hit a snag. Fresh off accidentally poisoning half her colleagues with her “Killer Eggnog,” Julia’s would-be subletter, Imogen Geinkes, is now jobless and homeless—leading Julia to invite the young woman home for the holidays in Maine. But when they unload the rental truck in Busman’s Harbor, they find something that wasn’t on anyone’s packing list: the body of Imogen’s former boyfriend.

Suddenly, the wordplay in Imogen’s name—“I’m a jinx”—isn’t so adorable. But for all the calamities that follow in Imogen’s wake, Julia’s certain she’s no killer. As Julia digs into the case, the appearance of the ex’s brother—his identical twin—doubles the confusion. Has Imogene been double-crossed by an evil twin? Was the eggnog “accident” no accident at all? If Julia doesn’t unwrap the murderer’s true identity soon, one of the twelve days of Christmas could be her last . . .

Praise for Steamed Open

“Sure to appeal to readers who treasure the Maine coast, Ross’s latest continues the lives and minor dramas of her fictionalized version of Boothbay Harbor with amiable characters.” —Kirkus Reviews

Ratings and reviews

Nogged off by Barbara Ross is a part of the A Maine Clambake Mystery series. If you read Eggnog Murder which came out a year ago (three novellas in one book), then you have already enjoyed Nogged Off. Julia Snowden goes to clear out her Tribeca apartment and ends up taking Imogen Geinkes home to her mother’s house for the holidays. Murder and confusion soon ensues. I enjoyed reading Nogged Off. It is well-written and proceeds at a steady pace. Julia, Chris, Gus, Julia’s mother are all included in the story. It can be read as a standalone for those new to the series. I thought the whodunit was clever with a surprising twist. In addition, there are some mysterious happenings at the Snowden house. They are beginning to wonder if the house is haunted. I enjoyed the humor sprinkled throughout Nogged Off. Nogged Off is an entertaining novella with a curious mystery, Christmas traditions, good food, family, friends, humor and a little mayhem.

Barbara Ross Great mystery, psychopaths and sociopaths. Murder, lies and evil. But it was a good book Julia was quick near the end figuring the reasons and who run it.

L O v e d i t!

About the author

Barbara Ross is the author of the Maine Clambake Mysteries and the Jane Darrowfield Mysteries. Her books have been nominated for multiple Agatha Awards for Best Contemporary Novel and have won the Maine Literary Award for Crime Fiction. Barbara’s Maine Clambake novellas are included along with stories by Leslie Meier and Lee Hollis in holiday anthologies from Kensington Publishing. Barbara and her husband live in Portland, Maine. Readers can visit her website at www.maineclambakemysteries.com.