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Downeast Maine Mystery #1
The Chowder House Murder
The first in a brand new, multi-generational cozy mystery series introduces three generations of strong, no-nonsense women who head the Holbrook family seafood dynasty in Downeast Maine…and a murder the Holbrook matriarch and her granddaughter must solve, even as it entangles them in a web of small-town secrets, and a Hatfields and McCoys-level chowder rivalry.
Ever since Halibut Cove’s popular eatery, The Chowder House, started serving matriarch Maggie Holbrook’s famous clam chowder it’s been in high demand. Cooked up at the restaurant by Maggie’s ambitious 19-year-old granddaughter, Audrey, the dish even has a regular nightly customer, retiree Chips Hogan. . . . Until one fateful Sunday night.
After serving Chips his chowder, Audrey rushes off to Maggie’s hilltop home for the weekly family dinner with the rest of the Holbrooks—her three uncles, and her mom, Jill. But before the meal’s end, Jill, a police chief, gets an alarming call. Chips has been found in the street—dead. Jill races out to investigate . . . and is shocked to learn Chips’ chowder was poisoned.
When a Chowder House server recalls seeing local diner cook Waldo Duggan in the alley that same evening, he becomes a suspect. And when it’s uncovered that Waldo bitterly believed the Holbrooks stole the lucrative chowder recipe from the Duggans in the 1930’s, he’s only further implicated . . .
Despite everything, Maggie can’t believe Waldo would murder anyone. For fair-minded Maggie, to keep an innocent man out of jail, and to ease Audrey’s guilt over serving the chowder, there’s no choice but to team-up to crime solve. Soon grandmother and granddaughter are immersed in a stew of rivalries, long held feuds, and looming threats. Because beneath the surface, even a pretty town has its ugly side . . .
Ever since Halibut Cove’s popular eatery, The Chowder House, started serving matriarch Maggie Holbrook’s famous clam chowder it’s been in high demand. Cooked up at the restaurant by Maggie’s ambitious 19-year-old granddaughter, Audrey, the dish even has a regular nightly customer, retiree Chips Hogan. . . . Until one fateful Sunday night.
After serving Chips his chowder, Audrey rushes off to Maggie’s hilltop home for the weekly family dinner with the rest of the Holbrooks—her three uncles, and her mom, Jill. But before the meal’s end, Jill, a police chief, gets an alarming call. Chips has been found in the street—dead. Jill races out to investigate . . . and is shocked to learn Chips’ chowder was poisoned.
When a Chowder House server recalls seeing local diner cook Waldo Duggan in the alley that same evening, he becomes a suspect. And when it’s uncovered that Waldo bitterly believed the Holbrooks stole the lucrative chowder recipe from the Duggans in the 1930’s, he’s only further implicated . . .
Despite everything, Maggie can’t believe Waldo would murder anyone. For fair-minded Maggie, to keep an innocent man out of jail, and to ease Audrey’s guilt over serving the chowder, there’s no choice but to team-up to crime solve. Soon grandmother and granddaughter are immersed in a stew of rivalries, long held feuds, and looming threats. Because beneath the surface, even a pretty town has its ugly side . . .
348 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication May 26, 2026
About the author
Lee Hollis
52 books855 followersLee Hollis is the pen name for Rick Copp and his sister Holly Simason.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
May 5, 2026
Rare 5 star for first in series. Loved it. Often you have too much backstory, an all-too-common first murder when the main character returns home to start over again. But this time, 3 generations of strong women living in coastal Maine have strong personal stories, a connection that represents real family pain and love, and a lovely cast of supporting characters. From Oliver and Katie, the grounded and professional sibling (and his wife) to the rogue Cord and the sensitive and freshly out of the closet Sandy, not to mention the love interests of each family member, there's something to love for everyone. Secrets, multiple deaths, drama... I am already invested in this series and can't wait for installment two.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
#TheChowderHouseMurder #NetGalley is a first in a new series by Lee Hollis.
Maggie is the matriarch of her family, and to her, nothing means more to her than her loved ones.
Audrey is her granddaughter and works at the local chowder house.
It's Maggie's family recipe they serve each day, but there's a battle brewing over who the recipe originally belongs to.
Audrey serves her last customer of the day, only to find out he was found dead outside the doors.
As a murder investigation escalates, Audrey and Maggie are determined to seek out the truth, because even in their picturesque town, deadly secrets lie beneath the surface.
Maggie is the matriarch of her family, and to her, nothing means more to her than her loved ones.
Audrey is her granddaughter and works at the local chowder house.
It's Maggie's family recipe they serve each day, but there's a battle brewing over who the recipe originally belongs to.
Audrey serves her last customer of the day, only to find out he was found dead outside the doors.
As a murder investigation escalates, Audrey and Maggie are determined to seek out the truth, because even in their picturesque town, deadly secrets lie beneath the surface.
May 24, 2026
Lee Hollis kicks off a brand new cozy mystery series with The Chowder House Murder, and it’s exactly the kind of small town New England mystery that feels instantly welcoming while still delivering plenty of drama, secrets, and murder fueled chaos. What really made this one stand out was the multi generational family dynamic at the center of the story. Maggie, Audrey, Jill, and the entire Holbrook family bring so much personality to the page, and the constant involvement in each other’s lives creates the perfect mix of warmth, humor, tension, and gossip. The family seafood dynasty angle paired with the decades long chowder feud gives the story such a fun foundation, especially with the Hatfields and McCoys style rivalry simmering beneath the surface of this charming coastal town.
The setting itself is another major highlight. Halibut Cove feels lived in and authentic, full of longtime grudges, local history, busybody residents, and layered small town relationships that make you want to keep exploring the series. Lee Hollis has always had a strong, approachable writing style, and the dialogue here especially shines. Conversations feel lively and natural, helping the large supporting cast feel memorable right from the start. Even with so many characters, the story never felt overwhelming because everyone added something to the town dynamic and ongoing tension.
Beyond the cozy atmosphere and entertaining family drama, the mystery itself was solid and engaging throughout. The poisoned chowder setup is both clever and perfectly on theme for the series, and the investigation unfolds alongside old resentments, town secrets, and plenty of entertaining suspicion between families. There’s a wonderful balance here between humor, heart, and mystery, making this a very strong first installment with tons of potential moving forward. If you love gossipy small towns, coastal New England settings, family feuds, buried secrets, and cozy mysteries packed with personality, The Chowder House Murder is absolutely worth picking up.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This was a quick read, an interesting mystery however it felt rushed, and I didn’t get a sense of any of the characters. Too much happens for real character development. The book doesn’t have one specific genre in mind. It was a cozy mystery or is it a small town, chief of police mystery or is it a family saga? Throw in two, no three, romances, mother-daughter, stress, and a bit of humor, and well, it was quite a lot. I’ll probably read the 2nd book in this new series to see where it goes.
Thanks to the publisher for the ARC.
Thanks to the publisher for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Chowder House Murder opens with a poisoned bowl of clam chowder and somehow escalates into decades of family drama, suspicious townies, buried secrets, romantic tension, emotional damage, and enough seafood-related hostility to make Gordon Ramsay leave the state entirely. I was immediately in.
Halibut Cove is one of those tiny Maine towns where everybody’s either related, feuding, secretly in love, or holding onto a grudge that started sometime around the Great Depression, and apparently the local chowder recipe feud has become the community’s entire personality. The Holbrooks serve Maggie Holbrook’s famous chowder at The Chowder House, the Duggans insist the recipe was stolen from their family back in the 1930s, and honestly these people talk about chowder the way fantasy characters talk about ancient bloodlines. One bad soup recipe away from civil war.
Then poor Chips Hogan eats his nightly bowl of chowder, wanders outside, and dies in the street like this town just staged the world’s most aggressively New England murder scene. And Audrey Holbrook immediately becomes the kind of stressed nineteen-year-old who looks one inconvenience away from crying in a walk-in freezer. She served the chowder. Her mom Jill is the police chief. Her grandmother Maggie refuses to believe the obvious suspect is guilty. Meanwhile the whole town starts vibrating with suspicion like a pot about to boil over and suddenly every local interaction feels loaded with eighty years of resentment and at least three passive aggressive casseroles.
Maggie absolutely runs away with this book. She has that calm, terrifying matriarch energy where you know she could emotionally dismantle somebody with one perfectly timed sentence while still offering them pie afterward. Cozy mysteries live or die by whether the amateur sleuth feels like someone you’d actually want to follow around for three hundred pages, and Maggie works because she feels grounded underneath all the chaos. Audrey brings the younger impulsive energy, which mostly translates into “girl please stop confronting suspicious men alone at night,” but in a fun way.
The family dynamics are honestly the best part. The Holbrooks are constantly in each other’s business. Everybody has history. Everybody has opinions. Family dinners feel like they could turn into either a group hug or a felony at any given moment. Jill trying to be both police chief and the only functioning adult in this disaster family gave me stress hives because her relatives investigate murders with the confidence of people who have apparently never watched a true crime documentary in their lives.
Also, every single person in this town smirks. Constantly. Flirtatious smirks. Guilty smirks. Angry smirks. Mysterious smirks. I started losing my mind halfway through because once you notice it, you can never escape it. By chapter ten I was reading every conversation like a soap opera filmed entirely through narrowed eyes over bowls of chowder.
What I actually liked, though, is that beneath all the cozy mystery chaos, there’s a surprisingly solid emotional core about family legacy and inherited grudges. This town is drowning in old history. Everybody’s carrying around stories about who wronged who thirty years ago, and the book gets a lot of mileage out of how exhausting that becomes. There’s this underlying feeling that half these people don’t even remember why they’re angry anymore, they just inherited the anger like antique furniture.
The mystery itself moves fast enough that I never got bored. There are a lot of characters, and I’m not going to pretend I didn’t occasionally have to pause and mentally sort out which cousin belonged to which branch of the seafood empire, but the pacing keeps things lively. Every time I thought the book might settle down, somebody uncovered another secret or started acting suspicious in a way that practically screamed “future victim.”
And honestly, the vibes here are immaculate if you love cozy mysteries where the town feels slightly unhinged beneath the postcard charm. There’s gossip. There’s romance bubbling in the background. There’s a golden retriever named Flounder who deserved even more page time because frankly he was one of the only emotionally stable residents of Halibut Cove.
By the end, I was completely locked into this family and their nonsense. The book feels like the start of a series where everybody’s emotional baggage is only going to get messier from here, which is exactly what I want. Give me murder. Give me chowder politics. Give me three generations of women trying to solve crimes while emotionally managing the men in their lives like exhausted camp counselors.
Four stars from me. Messy, fun, dramatic, occasionally ridiculous, but in the exact way cozy mysteries should be. Also I will never trust seafood soup again.
Whodunity Award: For Making Clam Chowder Feel Like a Loaded Weapon
Huge thanks to Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC, and for reminding me that nowhere on earth is more dangerous than a quaint seaside town where everybody’s smiling politely while carrying eighty years of seafood-related resentment.
Halibut Cove is one of those tiny Maine towns where everybody’s either related, feuding, secretly in love, or holding onto a grudge that started sometime around the Great Depression, and apparently the local chowder recipe feud has become the community’s entire personality. The Holbrooks serve Maggie Holbrook’s famous chowder at The Chowder House, the Duggans insist the recipe was stolen from their family back in the 1930s, and honestly these people talk about chowder the way fantasy characters talk about ancient bloodlines. One bad soup recipe away from civil war.
Then poor Chips Hogan eats his nightly bowl of chowder, wanders outside, and dies in the street like this town just staged the world’s most aggressively New England murder scene. And Audrey Holbrook immediately becomes the kind of stressed nineteen-year-old who looks one inconvenience away from crying in a walk-in freezer. She served the chowder. Her mom Jill is the police chief. Her grandmother Maggie refuses to believe the obvious suspect is guilty. Meanwhile the whole town starts vibrating with suspicion like a pot about to boil over and suddenly every local interaction feels loaded with eighty years of resentment and at least three passive aggressive casseroles.
Maggie absolutely runs away with this book. She has that calm, terrifying matriarch energy where you know she could emotionally dismantle somebody with one perfectly timed sentence while still offering them pie afterward. Cozy mysteries live or die by whether the amateur sleuth feels like someone you’d actually want to follow around for three hundred pages, and Maggie works because she feels grounded underneath all the chaos. Audrey brings the younger impulsive energy, which mostly translates into “girl please stop confronting suspicious men alone at night,” but in a fun way.
The family dynamics are honestly the best part. The Holbrooks are constantly in each other’s business. Everybody has history. Everybody has opinions. Family dinners feel like they could turn into either a group hug or a felony at any given moment. Jill trying to be both police chief and the only functioning adult in this disaster family gave me stress hives because her relatives investigate murders with the confidence of people who have apparently never watched a true crime documentary in their lives.
Also, every single person in this town smirks. Constantly. Flirtatious smirks. Guilty smirks. Angry smirks. Mysterious smirks. I started losing my mind halfway through because once you notice it, you can never escape it. By chapter ten I was reading every conversation like a soap opera filmed entirely through narrowed eyes over bowls of chowder.
What I actually liked, though, is that beneath all the cozy mystery chaos, there’s a surprisingly solid emotional core about family legacy and inherited grudges. This town is drowning in old history. Everybody’s carrying around stories about who wronged who thirty years ago, and the book gets a lot of mileage out of how exhausting that becomes. There’s this underlying feeling that half these people don’t even remember why they’re angry anymore, they just inherited the anger like antique furniture.
The mystery itself moves fast enough that I never got bored. There are a lot of characters, and I’m not going to pretend I didn’t occasionally have to pause and mentally sort out which cousin belonged to which branch of the seafood empire, but the pacing keeps things lively. Every time I thought the book might settle down, somebody uncovered another secret or started acting suspicious in a way that practically screamed “future victim.”
And honestly, the vibes here are immaculate if you love cozy mysteries where the town feels slightly unhinged beneath the postcard charm. There’s gossip. There’s romance bubbling in the background. There’s a golden retriever named Flounder who deserved even more page time because frankly he was one of the only emotionally stable residents of Halibut Cove.
By the end, I was completely locked into this family and their nonsense. The book feels like the start of a series where everybody’s emotional baggage is only going to get messier from here, which is exactly what I want. Give me murder. Give me chowder politics. Give me three generations of women trying to solve crimes while emotionally managing the men in their lives like exhausted camp counselors.
Four stars from me. Messy, fun, dramatic, occasionally ridiculous, but in the exact way cozy mysteries should be. Also I will never trust seafood soup again.
Whodunity Award: For Making Clam Chowder Feel Like a Loaded Weapon
Huge thanks to Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC, and for reminding me that nowhere on earth is more dangerous than a quaint seaside town where everybody’s smiling politely while carrying eighty years of seafood-related resentment.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Aubrey Holbrook works at the Chowder House as a waitress. She's happy enough with her job, although it's slightly irritating that every night at closing time, grumpy local Chops Hogan shows up to get his daily bowl of chowder. Aubrey leaves after serving him, as she wants to be home -- which is living with her grandmother Maggie -- for the weekly Holbrook dinner.
But while everyone is eating, Aubrey's mother Jill, who is the police chief. receives a call that Chips is dead. When the autopsy results are in, Chips was poisoned by the chowder. Aubrey is devastated, and worried, because she served him. After reviewing evidence, no one admits to it, although it was said that another local named Waldo Duggan was seen at the back door.
The rivalry between the Duggans and Holbrooks goes way back, with Waldo's family accusing Maggie's of stealing their chowder recipes. Even so, when Waldo is arrested for the crime, Maggie doesn't believe he did it. So along with help from Aubrey, they've invested themselves in investigating the case in order to find a killer.
Unfortunately, it won't be easy. Her Uncle Cord's fiancée's family might be suspects; and that makes things worse. But did any of them kill the man? Maggie finds out more than she wants to know, and it might be the thing that causes the killer to decide to get rid of anyone who's interested...even if it means doing away with both Audrey and Maggie, at whatever cost...
This is the first in a new series by Lee Hollis. The authors have done themselves well. At first it seems that there are a lot of characters in this book, and there are. You have all the Holbrooks (and there are many of them); along with various others (including an entire other family), and minor characters that flit in and out.
But don't be fooled -- there is more to the story than at what first you see. There is another mystery which shows up along the way, and that one is just as interesting as the first. I do love a mystery within a mystery (but that's just me). The plot is written extremely well, although I would have loved more physical descriptions of Aubrey and her friend Isabella, but it didn't detract from anything.
Concerning the main mystery, it unravels at a medium pace, and you need to look for clues yourself. Although I knew the killer before Aubrey did, it was still delightful to watch how she handled what information she received. The murderer was no slouch; they knew exactly what to do to eliminate an eventual victim.
The ending was nicely done, and I don't want to say anything else rather than give away any spoilers. I truly enjoyed reading this and would definitely recommend it to others.
I received an advance copy of this book but this in no way influenced my review.
But while everyone is eating, Aubrey's mother Jill, who is the police chief. receives a call that Chips is dead. When the autopsy results are in, Chips was poisoned by the chowder. Aubrey is devastated, and worried, because she served him. After reviewing evidence, no one admits to it, although it was said that another local named Waldo Duggan was seen at the back door.
The rivalry between the Duggans and Holbrooks goes way back, with Waldo's family accusing Maggie's of stealing their chowder recipes. Even so, when Waldo is arrested for the crime, Maggie doesn't believe he did it. So along with help from Aubrey, they've invested themselves in investigating the case in order to find a killer.
Unfortunately, it won't be easy. Her Uncle Cord's fiancée's family might be suspects; and that makes things worse. But did any of them kill the man? Maggie finds out more than she wants to know, and it might be the thing that causes the killer to decide to get rid of anyone who's interested...even if it means doing away with both Audrey and Maggie, at whatever cost...
This is the first in a new series by Lee Hollis. The authors have done themselves well. At first it seems that there are a lot of characters in this book, and there are. You have all the Holbrooks (and there are many of them); along with various others (including an entire other family), and minor characters that flit in and out.
But don't be fooled -- there is more to the story than at what first you see. There is another mystery which shows up along the way, and that one is just as interesting as the first. I do love a mystery within a mystery (but that's just me). The plot is written extremely well, although I would have loved more physical descriptions of Aubrey and her friend Isabella, but it didn't detract from anything.
Concerning the main mystery, it unravels at a medium pace, and you need to look for clues yourself. Although I knew the killer before Aubrey did, it was still delightful to watch how she handled what information she received. The murderer was no slouch; they knew exactly what to do to eliminate an eventual victim.
The ending was nicely done, and I don't want to say anything else rather than give away any spoilers. I truly enjoyed reading this and would definitely recommend it to others.
I received an advance copy of this book but this in no way influenced my review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📚 ARC Review: A Chowder House Murder by Lee Hollis
(Down East Maine Mystery #1)
Publish date 5/26/3026
I had been looking forward to this series ever since Lee Hollis mentioned in Ashland last October that a new series was in the works, and somehow this exceeded every expectation I had.
From the very beginning, I was completely pulled into the world of Halibut Cove, the Chowder House, and this unforgettable family. The atmosphere is exactly what I want from a cozy mystery—small-town Maine charm, quirky personalities, layered relationships, and just enough tension simmering beneath the surface to keep you hooked.
The family dynamic here absolutely gave me Blue Bloods vibes in the best possible way. The mandatory family dinners, the strong matriarch at the center of everything, the law enforcement connections, the tension between generations—it all worked so incredibly well.
Maggie completely stole the show for me. She’s sharp, stubborn, fiercely loyal, and somehow manages to run her family with both love and intimidation at the exact same time. Every scene involving the family had so much personality and warmth that I never wanted to leave them.
I also loved all the little details woven throughout the story. The coastal Maine setting, the chowder shop, the fish-themed touches throughout town—even the dog names—made everything feel immersive and memorable without ever becoming overdone.
What surprised me most was how much deeper this felt than a traditional cozy mystery. Yes, it still has all the cozy elements I love, but the mystery itself carries genuine suspense and crime drama energy throughout. It felt more layered and emotionally grounded than many cozies, while still keeping that comforting charm the genre is known for.
And honestly? I think the biggest compliment I can give this book is this: it took me a long time to finish because I genuinely did not want it to end.
I became so invested in these characters and this family that I already hate the idea of waiting for book two. Lee Hollis created something really special here, and this is easily one of my favorite mysteries I’ve read in a very long time.
Absolutely brilliant start to a new series, and I cannot wait to return to Halibut Cove! Brilliant writing Lee!!
📚 ARC Review: A Chowder House Murder by Lee Hollis
(Down East Maine Mystery #1)
Publish date 5/26/3026
I had been looking forward to this series ever since Lee Hollis mentioned in Ashland last October that a new series was in the works, and somehow this exceeded every expectation I had.
From the very beginning, I was completely pulled into the world of Halibut Cove, the Chowder House, and this unforgettable family. The atmosphere is exactly what I want from a cozy mystery—small-town Maine charm, quirky personalities, layered relationships, and just enough tension simmering beneath the surface to keep you hooked.
The family dynamic here absolutely gave me Blue Bloods vibes in the best possible way. The mandatory family dinners, the strong matriarch at the center of everything, the law enforcement connections, the tension between generations—it all worked so incredibly well.
Maggie completely stole the show for me. She’s sharp, stubborn, fiercely loyal, and somehow manages to run her family with both love and intimidation at the exact same time. Every scene involving the family had so much personality and warmth that I never wanted to leave them.
I also loved all the little details woven throughout the story. The coastal Maine setting, the chowder shop, the fish-themed touches throughout town—even the dog names—made everything feel immersive and memorable without ever becoming overdone.
What surprised me most was how much deeper this felt than a traditional cozy mystery. Yes, it still has all the cozy elements I love, but the mystery itself carries genuine suspense and crime drama energy throughout. It felt more layered and emotionally grounded than many cozies, while still keeping that comforting charm the genre is known for.
And honestly? I think the biggest compliment I can give this book is this: it took me a long time to finish because I genuinely did not want it to end.
I became so invested in these characters and this family that I already hate the idea of waiting for book two. Lee Hollis created something really special here, and this is easily one of my favorite mysteries I’ve read in a very long time.
Absolutely brilliant start to a new series, and I cannot wait to return to Halibut Cove! Brilliant writing Lee!!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Chowder House Murder is the start of a brand new cozy mystery series from Lee Hollis and as a huge fan of the Hayley Powell series, I jumped at the chance to read this one. It did take me a minute to fully settle into the story and all the family dynamics, but once it grabbed my attention, I was completely invested.
This mystery centers around the women of the Holbrook family and an ongoing feud over the famous clam chowder recipe that has divided families for years. Think small-town drama mixed with a Hatfields and McCoys style rivalry, only with seafood chowder at the center of it all. When someone ends up dead after eating the chowder, fingers immediately start pointing toward Waldo Duggan, the one person many believe would benefit from the deadly situation. After all, the Holbrooks and the Duggans have been battling over this recipe forever.
Things get even messier when Sheriff Jill Holbrook arrests Waldo, but Maggie, the matriarch of the Holbrook family, refuses to believe he’s the killer. Determined to uncover the truth, Maggie starts digging into the mystery herself, only to realize the evidence may actually point toward the family of her Uncle Cord’s fiancée. From there the tension, secrets, and family drama just continue to build.
What I really enjoyed most was the strong multi-generational family dynamic. Maggie was easily my favorite character because she has that classic stubborn cozy mystery grandmother energy that makes these stories so fun. I also loved the Downeast Maine setting and the small-town atmosphere woven throughout the story. Once the mystery picked up, it kept me hooked until the end.
Overall, I really enjoyed the beginning of this new series and I’m excited to see what the women of the Holbrook family get themselves into next. If you love cozy mysteries filled with family feuds, small-town secrets, food-centered drama, and a cast of strong women, this is definitely one to pick up.
This mystery centers around the women of the Holbrook family and an ongoing feud over the famous clam chowder recipe that has divided families for years. Think small-town drama mixed with a Hatfields and McCoys style rivalry, only with seafood chowder at the center of it all. When someone ends up dead after eating the chowder, fingers immediately start pointing toward Waldo Duggan, the one person many believe would benefit from the deadly situation. After all, the Holbrooks and the Duggans have been battling over this recipe forever.
Things get even messier when Sheriff Jill Holbrook arrests Waldo, but Maggie, the matriarch of the Holbrook family, refuses to believe he’s the killer. Determined to uncover the truth, Maggie starts digging into the mystery herself, only to realize the evidence may actually point toward the family of her Uncle Cord’s fiancée. From there the tension, secrets, and family drama just continue to build.
What I really enjoyed most was the strong multi-generational family dynamic. Maggie was easily my favorite character because she has that classic stubborn cozy mystery grandmother energy that makes these stories so fun. I also loved the Downeast Maine setting and the small-town atmosphere woven throughout the story. Once the mystery picked up, it kept me hooked until the end.
Overall, I really enjoyed the beginning of this new series and I’m excited to see what the women of the Holbrook family get themselves into next. If you love cozy mysteries filled with family feuds, small-town secrets, food-centered drama, and a cast of strong women, this is definitely one to pick up.
Read
May 26, 2026Many thanks to Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC.
"people have been trashing the Holbrook name for generations, and I've never once cared. But now that the Holbrook family chowder recipe has been dragged into it, well, that's sacred."
Book 1 in the Downeast Maine Mystery series, introducing Halibut Cove, a small fishing village and home to the Holbrook family. Large, loving and chaotic, the Holbrook family sports three generations of strong women, from matriarch Maggie Holbrook, to Maggie's daughter Jill, police chief of Halibut Cove, and Audrey, Jill's young adult daughter who works at The Chowder House eatery in Halibut Cove.
When Chips Hogan, a regular customer at The Chowder House, is found dead after eating a bowl of the Holbrook family recipe chowder served to him by Audrey, Maggie and Audrey insist on investigating the case, much to the chagrin of Jill, who would prefer if her mother and daughter would stop snooping and leave her to do her job in peace.
The Chowder House Murder is a fun, cozy mystery filled with delicious food, family drama, lingering feuds spanning generations, small-town gossip and intrigue, colorful locals, shady suspects, light romance, long-hidden secrets, friendship and a riotous grandmother/granddaughter duo who sneak and snoop their way around town, charming and tricking suspects and witnesses in their quest to clear the Holbrook name and solve The Chowder House murder.
I love cozy mysteries with big, crazy families who bicker and banter and band together in tough times, and I love food-themed cozy mysteries, quaint towns with sinister secrets and pasts and larger-than-life amateur sleuths and senior citizens like Maggie Holbrook. To me, The Chowder House Murder was everything I enjoy in a cozy mystery, and I will definitely be on the lookout for the next installment in this series!
The Chowder House Murder releases today, May 26th, 2026.
"people have been trashing the Holbrook name for generations, and I've never once cared. But now that the Holbrook family chowder recipe has been dragged into it, well, that's sacred."
Book 1 in the Downeast Maine Mystery series, introducing Halibut Cove, a small fishing village and home to the Holbrook family. Large, loving and chaotic, the Holbrook family sports three generations of strong women, from matriarch Maggie Holbrook, to Maggie's daughter Jill, police chief of Halibut Cove, and Audrey, Jill's young adult daughter who works at The Chowder House eatery in Halibut Cove.
When Chips Hogan, a regular customer at The Chowder House, is found dead after eating a bowl of the Holbrook family recipe chowder served to him by Audrey, Maggie and Audrey insist on investigating the case, much to the chagrin of Jill, who would prefer if her mother and daughter would stop snooping and leave her to do her job in peace.
The Chowder House Murder is a fun, cozy mystery filled with delicious food, family drama, lingering feuds spanning generations, small-town gossip and intrigue, colorful locals, shady suspects, light romance, long-hidden secrets, friendship and a riotous grandmother/granddaughter duo who sneak and snoop their way around town, charming and tricking suspects and witnesses in their quest to clear the Holbrook name and solve The Chowder House murder.
I love cozy mysteries with big, crazy families who bicker and banter and band together in tough times, and I love food-themed cozy mysteries, quaint towns with sinister secrets and pasts and larger-than-life amateur sleuths and senior citizens like Maggie Holbrook. To me, The Chowder House Murder was everything I enjoy in a cozy mystery, and I will definitely be on the lookout for the next installment in this series!
The Chowder House Murder releases today, May 26th, 2026.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Chowder House Murder by Lee Hollis
Rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to Kensington Publishing, Netgalley, and the author for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
The Chowder House Murder is a cozy, fast-paced mystery set in a small town centered around a family-run chowder restaurant and a mystery that turns into the discovery of secrets, rivalries, and features plenty of plot twists.
The Chowder House, a popular restaurant in Halibut Cove, has been serving a famous clam chowder from matriarch Maggie Holbrook and it’s been in high demand. The clam chowder is made by Maggie’s granddaughter, Audrey, and the dish has a regular customer, retiree Chips Hogan, until one night. Chips has been found dead and his chowder was poisoned. When a server recalls seeing local diner cook Waldo Duggan in the alley, he becomes a suspect. And when it’s discovered that Waldo believes the Holbrooks stole the chowder recipe from his family, he becomes the primary suspect. Maggie doesn’t believe Waldo would murder anyone and she decides to team-up to solve the mystery. She and her granddaughter discover rivalries, feuds, threats, and lots of twists and turns along the way.
The Chowder House Murder is an easy, entertaining read with lots of twists and turns until the very end. A perfect read for fans of cozy mysteries! The family dynamic adds extra warmth and charm to the story and the small town setting gives it such a delightful New England coziness. Overall, a great read from start to finish!
Rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to Kensington Publishing, Netgalley, and the author for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
The Chowder House Murder is a cozy, fast-paced mystery set in a small town centered around a family-run chowder restaurant and a mystery that turns into the discovery of secrets, rivalries, and features plenty of plot twists.
The Chowder House, a popular restaurant in Halibut Cove, has been serving a famous clam chowder from matriarch Maggie Holbrook and it’s been in high demand. The clam chowder is made by Maggie’s granddaughter, Audrey, and the dish has a regular customer, retiree Chips Hogan, until one night. Chips has been found dead and his chowder was poisoned. When a server recalls seeing local diner cook Waldo Duggan in the alley, he becomes a suspect. And when it’s discovered that Waldo believes the Holbrooks stole the chowder recipe from his family, he becomes the primary suspect. Maggie doesn’t believe Waldo would murder anyone and she decides to team-up to solve the mystery. She and her granddaughter discover rivalries, feuds, threats, and lots of twists and turns along the way.
The Chowder House Murder is an easy, entertaining read with lots of twists and turns until the very end. A perfect read for fans of cozy mysteries! The family dynamic adds extra warmth and charm to the story and the small town setting gives it such a delightful New England coziness. Overall, a great read from start to finish!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This one didn’t work for me. It was too long for the story it was telling and had too many characters. I had to make a list to keep the names straight, and I had a full page filled by the start of chapter eight. After that, I gave up, but the new characters kept coming.
Overall, for a cozy, this book was fine, but not great. The character’s personalities were told to us, not shown through their actions or words. The grandmother had the most fleshed out of all the personalities, but even it wasn’t all that defined. It was tropey and formulaic overall. I’ve read much worse, this wasn’t awful, but it isn’t a must-read and I won’t be continuing if this has sequels.
There were some odd choices, like a scene where characters named Katie and Katty interacted. There was a trial within days of an arrest. There were a lot of em dashes and repetitive character descriptions. Some of the writing about women felt off and some of the writing meant to be gay-inclusive did not hit the mark.
This author is the pen name for a brother and sister team who write other cozies.
Thanks to NetGalley, Kensington Cozies, and the authors for the opportunity to read this ARC.
Overall, for a cozy, this book was fine, but not great. The character’s personalities were told to us, not shown through their actions or words. The grandmother had the most fleshed out of all the personalities, but even it wasn’t all that defined. It was tropey and formulaic overall. I’ve read much worse, this wasn’t awful, but it isn’t a must-read and I won’t be continuing if this has sequels.
There were some odd choices, like a scene where characters named Katie and Katty interacted. There was a trial within days of an arrest. There were a lot of em dashes and repetitive character descriptions. Some of the writing about women felt off and some of the writing meant to be gay-inclusive did not hit the mark.
This author is the pen name for a brother and sister team who write other cozies.
Thanks to NetGalley, Kensington Cozies, and the authors for the opportunity to read this ARC.
January 31, 2026
The Chowder House Murder
by Lee Hollis is the first book in a new cozy mystery series: A Downeast Maine Mystery.
This was a good start to a new cozy mystery series taking part in small town ( Halibut Cove) Maine. This new one involves several generations within a single family: Grandmother Maggie Holbrook and granddaughter Audrey. Both are involved with the locally famous Chowder house and both become entwined within a murder mystery involving a shady bowel of chowder that was tampered with a local rival. Both join forces to solve the murder, find the culprit, clear names, and get everything back in track.
I enjoyed this murder/mystery plot, the introduction of new characters and town, and look forward to seeing where this goes.
4/5 stars
Thank you NG and Kensington Publishing | Kensington Cozies for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 5/26/26.
by Lee Hollis is the first book in a new cozy mystery series: A Downeast Maine Mystery.
This was a good start to a new cozy mystery series taking part in small town ( Halibut Cove) Maine. This new one involves several generations within a single family: Grandmother Maggie Holbrook and granddaughter Audrey. Both are involved with the locally famous Chowder house and both become entwined within a murder mystery involving a shady bowel of chowder that was tampered with a local rival. Both join forces to solve the murder, find the culprit, clear names, and get everything back in track.
I enjoyed this murder/mystery plot, the introduction of new characters and town, and look forward to seeing where this goes.
4/5 stars
Thank you NG and Kensington Publishing | Kensington Cozies for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 5/26/26.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5 stars, rounded up
The Holbrooks are Halibut Cove’s most prominent family, and matriarch Maggie’s recipe for clam chowder has been drawing people to The Chowder House in droves. But when a regular customer is found dead shortly after consuming his nightly bowl of chowder, and one of the cooks becomes the primary suspect, Maggie must identify the actual killer – to clear his name, and that of her family.
This is the first book in a new series by one of my favorite cozy authors, so I had high expectations for this one. The story started slower than what I’m accustomed to with her other books, but eventually it got to the point where I didn’t want to put the book down.
While I am not generally a fan of the whole large prominent family thing, over the course of the story, I came to accept it and even appreciate it. With such a large family, there was someone in nearly every position in town that could be useful to the investigation – a lawyer, a nurse, lobstermen, a server at the Chowder House, and especially the town’s police chief. How convenient that they were all related in some way!
There were several possible suspects for the murder, and a second murder added a wrinkle to the situation. One character seemed off to me, and I was correct in that accusation, although the motive didn’t become clear until just before it was explained in the book.
Goodreads indicates that this is the beginning of a new series, so I will keep an eye out for the next book, as I am eager to read more about the Holbrooks and the town of Halibut Cove.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book.
The Holbrooks are Halibut Cove’s most prominent family, and matriarch Maggie’s recipe for clam chowder has been drawing people to The Chowder House in droves. But when a regular customer is found dead shortly after consuming his nightly bowl of chowder, and one of the cooks becomes the primary suspect, Maggie must identify the actual killer – to clear his name, and that of her family.
This is the first book in a new series by one of my favorite cozy authors, so I had high expectations for this one. The story started slower than what I’m accustomed to with her other books, but eventually it got to the point where I didn’t want to put the book down.
While I am not generally a fan of the whole large prominent family thing, over the course of the story, I came to accept it and even appreciate it. With such a large family, there was someone in nearly every position in town that could be useful to the investigation – a lawyer, a nurse, lobstermen, a server at the Chowder House, and especially the town’s police chief. How convenient that they were all related in some way!
There were several possible suspects for the murder, and a second murder added a wrinkle to the situation. One character seemed off to me, and I was correct in that accusation, although the motive didn’t become clear until just before it was explained in the book.
Goodreads indicates that this is the beginning of a new series, so I will keep an eye out for the next book, as I am eager to read more about the Holbrooks and the town of Halibut Cove.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Chowder House Murder by Lee Hollis is the first book in the Downeast Maine Mystery series. I really wanted to enjoy this cozy mystery, but it missed the mark for me. The biggest issue was the overwhelming number of characters introduced so quickly that I felt like I needed to keep a written list just to follow along. Unfortunately, many of them, including the main characters, felt underdeveloped and not especially likable.
I was also distracted by repetitive writing, especially the overuse of the word “smirked,” which seemed to appear constantly. Some details felt unrealistic as well, particularly the suggestion that a trial would take place within days of an arrest. An arraignment, maybe—but not a trial.
What disappointed me most was the lack of a real puzzle for the reader to solve, which is one of my favorite parts of a cozy mystery. Between the murder plot, multiple romances, and family drama, there was simply too much going on at once. Overall, the book felt unfocused and in need of stronger editing. If you enjoy character-heavy mysteries with a lot of side drama, this may still work for you, but it was not the right fit for me.
I was also distracted by repetitive writing, especially the overuse of the word “smirked,” which seemed to appear constantly. Some details felt unrealistic as well, particularly the suggestion that a trial would take place within days of an arrest. An arraignment, maybe—but not a trial.
What disappointed me most was the lack of a real puzzle for the reader to solve, which is one of my favorite parts of a cozy mystery. Between the murder plot, multiple romances, and family drama, there was simply too much going on at once. Overall, the book felt unfocused and in need of stronger editing. If you enjoy character-heavy mysteries with a lot of side drama, this may still work for you, but it was not the right fit for me.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Halibut Cove is a small New England town with lots of gossip and secrets. When a man if found dead outside a chowder house restaurant after having a bowl the gossip starts flying. The chowder recipe is a long standing family secret, and now no one wants to eat it. Then a second man is found dead off the pier. What is going on...are they connected...Maggie, a life long resident and the presumed matriarch of the town is determined to find out, especially as the chowder recipe is her family recipe. With the help of her granddaughter, Audrey, they are determined to find out. All to the frustration of the Chief of Police who is the daughter of Maggie and mother to Audrey. Following the many clues as well as some gossip they will not quit until they find all the answers. Great start to a new series!
(Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy)
(Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy)
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Lee Hollis is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. Growing up in a 3 generation household, I was excited to read a cozy revolving around this. The grandma, matriarch- Maggie is an inspiration and mentor to not only her own family, but the whole town. Jill is her daughter, the no-nonsense chief of police. Audrey is daughter to Jill and granddaughter to Maggie. She is an aspiring to create amazing dishes to serve to the townsfolk.
Jill is understandably involved when a local man dies from eating poisoned chowder, and not too happy when Maggie and Audrey insert themselves. This book has a great cast. There are multiple other family members and townsfolk who add to the colorful cast.
It was a fast paced, intriguing read with great characters and storyline. I am hoping for many more in this series.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an ARC of this book.
Jill is understandably involved when a local man dies from eating poisoned chowder, and not too happy when Maggie and Audrey insert themselves. This book has a great cast. There are multiple other family members and townsfolk who add to the colorful cast.
It was a fast paced, intriguing read with great characters and storyline. I am hoping for many more in this series.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an ARC of this book.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
I received a giveaway copy of this title.
I liked the setting and concept but overall, the characters came off expositional and somewhat generic. As if the book was written in haste and relied on typical cozy concepts rather than using them as inspiration and actually developing the characters & plot. Cozy tropes are why people such as me love the sub genre but when it isnt well thought out, it is pretty obvious to the dedicated cozy reader.
That said, I did LIKE some of the characters despite all this. I particularly found small moments of humor between Jill the daughter-police officer and her subordinate, Mason. And the book was well paced and a fast read. I just found I didnt care about the characters or the murder.
I have read other Lee Hollis books (some I have liked and some I felt were a quickly written money grab), and I hope to enjoy his next title more than I enjoyed this one.
I liked the setting and concept but overall, the characters came off expositional and somewhat generic. As if the book was written in haste and relied on typical cozy concepts rather than using them as inspiration and actually developing the characters & plot. Cozy tropes are why people such as me love the sub genre but when it isnt well thought out, it is pretty obvious to the dedicated cozy reader.
That said, I did LIKE some of the characters despite all this. I particularly found small moments of humor between Jill the daughter-police officer and her subordinate, Mason. And the book was well paced and a fast read. I just found I didnt care about the characters or the murder.
I have read other Lee Hollis books (some I have liked and some I felt were a quickly written money grab), and I hope to enjoy his next title more than I enjoyed this one.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
A cute cozy mystery set in Maine, with a family solving a series of murders in their small town. Grandmother and granddaughter "help" the police chief mom solve the case, of course with near disastrous results for themselves. There is a golden retriever named "Flounder", but alas, he only figures occasionally in the story. If you enjoy a good cozy, you will probably enjoy this book. My main pet peeve was the overuse of the word "smirked". Everyone smirked - all of the time. Once I noticed it my irritation grew to the point where I almost put the book down. The second half has better pacing and kept me going. There are a few romances sprinkled in. I did read an Advance reader copy, thank to the publisher for a copy.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
The Chowder House Murder is a decent cozy mystery about a family trying to solve a murder of a person who died after eating their famous clam chowder soup. I didn't really like the main characters that much because the grandmother seemed to be a know-it-all who thought she knew better on how to do her daughter's job (who was the chief of police in their small town) and thought anyone younger than her (besides her granddaughter) was stupid, and her daughter seemed very snippy and short with everyone and wouldn't let her coworker ever eat even though his stomach was growling. Despite that, I did like the overall storyline and the twists to solve the mystery.
Thank you, Kensington Publishing Corp, for the arc! These opinions are my own.
Thank you, Kensington Publishing Corp, for the arc! These opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Having worked through my feelings about the end of the Maine Clambake series, I was hopeful this might be a worthy successor. It missed the mark for me. At first, I was confused about the characters and their ages especially the family and their background. So that threw me off for a bit. And then the characters kept doing illogical things. Audrey pushing a potential murderers buttons and Jill, the police chief, letting her family investigate. It was just a lot of frustating things and there was a lack of puzzle for the reader to solve. Overall, definitely not my favorite and think the next in the series should provide more of a family background.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5 stars. This book struck a nice balance between lighthearted cozy and characters with a little substance. Since it's the first in the series, the number of characters that were being introduced felt a little overwhelming and sometimes spread the stories a little thin. It initially read as very fluffy but then the storyline deepened and was quite enjoyable. I have been craving a bowl of clam chowder since I started the book, and would very much like to plan a visit to Maine! Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Chowder House Murder is a cozy mystery involving three generations of strong women in the Holbrook family. One is the police chief, Jill, while the other two are her daughter, Audrey, and mother, Maggie. With the same goal in mind to solve a couple of murders in their small, New England town, they go about it in a bit of an outlandish way. The methods are over the top but that makes for a fun, easy read.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Lee Hollis for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for The Chowder House Murder coming out May 26, 2026. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.
I’ve read other books by this author. This was a fun start to the series. I love the food theme. The characters were interesting. I would check out other books.
I’ve read other books by this author. This was a fun start to the series. I love the food theme. The characters were interesting. I would check out other books.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Chowder House a murder was an easy read, had suspense, some twists, and interesting characters. The Holbrook family comes together and is there for each other, although they don’t always agree. It was an entertaining read.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Other than way too many people "smirking" in this book (seriously overused expression), this was an enjoyable read. I loved the family aspect of the book, and the twists and turns kept me guessing throughout. The mystery was fast paced and didn't lag at any point. Good read by a new-to-me author.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This book is the first in a new cozy mystery series set in Maine. The main characters Maggie and her granddaughter, Audrey were likable and the uncovering of past secrets made for an interesting mystery. I also found the writing style to be a step above many cozy mysteries.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The story is well written with plenty of plot twists and turns to keep you from guessing the ending.
Thank you to Lee Hollis, Netgalley and Kensington Publishing –Kensington Cozies for the arc of this book.
Thank you to Lee Hollis, Netgalley and Kensington Publishing –Kensington Cozies for the arc of this book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I really enjoyed the generational aspect of this one. Grandma, Mother and daughter all involved in solving a murder, even if from different perspectives. But the locale, the family dynamics and the mystery itself all made for a great read! I will definitely be back for more in this series.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A fine cozy mystery with New England charm, perfect for fans of culinary whodunits. Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is a cozy mystery, with a fun cast of characters. I felt like the writing was a bit heavy-handed but overall it was an interesting plot.
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