Whale of a Crime

Gray Whale Inn Mystery #7

by Karen MacInerney

When a tour company books the Gray Whale Inn for a full week, innkeeper Natalie Barnes can’t wait to get cooking — and to hitch a ride on the antique schooner Summer Winds, getting up close and personal with the local whales. But when one of the humpback whales turns up dragging a mass of fishing gear from its tail, the tour takes a dark turn. It turns darker still when the schooner’s handsome captain winds up attached to the vessel’s anchor, sixty feet underwater… and not by accident.

Before long, the tour naturalist (and Natalie’s best friend’s beau) is behind bars, charged with a murder Charlene swears he didn’t commit. Stir in a surprise visit from Natalie’s quarrelsome sister, midnight kitchen sabotage, a sick orphan kitten, and a mysterious investor with plans for a massive resort on the quaint island, and Natalie’s got a recipe for potential disaster.

When a second body turns up just outside the inn, the heat is on Natalie to solve the double murder… or risk ending up with her own goose cooked.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Cooking

299 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 16, 2017

About the author

I'm the author of the Agatha-nominated Gray Whale Inn mystery series, Tales of an Urban Werewolf. the Margie Peterson mysteries and the Dewberry Farm mysteries (plus a new fantasy in the works). My reading is like my writing: eclectic!

I grew up in the Northeast, but I currently live in Austin with my husband, two kids, and a houserabbit named Bunny. Feel free to visit me online at www.karenmacinerney.com; I love connecting with readers.

Reviews

[Mark Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Natalie is hosting a tour group at the Gray Whale Inn led by Captain Bainbridge. But there is tension in the leadership of this group, and one morning Bainbridge can’t be found. When his ship is made ready to sail, his body is found tied to the anchor. The police are quick to zero in on Alex, the naturalist. Only Natalie things Alex’s protestations of innocence are true. If they are, can Natalie find the killer?

It was absolutely wonderful to be back visiting Natalie and the rest of the regulars at the Gray Whale Inn. I absolutely love this cast of characters. The new characters were strong and helped keep me guessing on the mystery. There was a strong sub-plot involving Natalie’s niece Gwen that was prominent near the beginning, but as the book went along, the mystery became stronger, leading up to a perfect climax. Unfortunately, this book has quite a few editing errors that are annoying, but not enough to keep fans from the series from enjoying this return visit.

Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.

[LORI CASWELL · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Thank you Karen MacInerney for continuing this series on your own!

Natalie and John are back and the Gray Whale Inn is fully booked. Their guests are all in town to see the whales from atop of an antique schooner. This are sailing smoothly until the captain is found dead when the ship’s anchor is lifted. There are several suspects but Alex, the tour’s naturalist, is arrested. Natalie is going to have a whale of a time trying to find the real killer so Alex can be set free. If that isn’t enough, Natalie’s sister blows into town fuming about her daughter’s engagement and blames everything on Natalie. Never a dull moment at the Gray Whale Inn.

These are some of my favorite cozy characters. This series started even before I started blogging and I anxiously awaited each new installment. The characters are so realistic and engaging. It felt so good to visit my old friends.

We are treated to a fast paced story in both the plot and subplots. I read it quickly on a Sunday afternoon. With all the possible suspects it was fun to follow the clues and whittle them down one by one. Having Natalie’s sister arrive unexpectedly added a wonderful family dynamic. We also see some things disappearing and happening around the inn that gives us more to figure out. Are the murder/s connected to this or is this something else all together?

As for the setting, Cranberry Island, Maine would be an absolutely fabulous vacation getaway. Whale watching, the yummy food, and staying at the Gray Whale Inn sounds great to me. I am ready to book my next trip today. Please Karen, don’t make us wait too long for book 8.

If this is a new series to you I recommend starting at the beginning but this book also reads well on its own too.

[Wendy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty sure nobody edited this book. It's a shame, I liked this series. Not sure I'll continue on with it...

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was great getting to go back to Cranberry island and the Gray Whale Inn. These guests were interesting and I enjoyed the whale watching tour group. Having Natalie’s sister there was also interesting. This was an enjoyable story and I enjoy the authors writing style.

[Regan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice addition to a favorite series. I really enjoyed the parts about working to save the whale. Parts seemed to ramble and were repetitious. The recipes with chocolate and caramel had me craving some brownies with just that. MacInerney does a good job of building on threads from prior stories and the relationships between the characters.

[Barb · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is another that I have enjoyed since the first book, to the point where I have searched out other series by this author. It’s a good thing there’s another series, since it appears that I’m nearing the end of this one.

I have no desire to run a B&B, but I would love to spend some time at Natalie’s establishment, and the tours offered in this book make it even more appealing. I like the recurring characters, and appreciate the way some of them have grown into characters the reader *can like. Relationships between several characters are important in this book, and I appreciated the way these were resolved in the end.

The mystery here was good, with quite a few suspects to consider and several red herrings along the way. Some of the characters set off my “up to no good” radar, but I wasn’t sure if they were behind the sabotage, the murder or both. The confrontation scene was tense, wondering how it was going to be resolved.

I look forward to reading the next book in this series.

[Kristina Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whale of a Crime by Karen MacInerney is the seventh book in The Gray Whale Inn Mysteries. Natalie Barnes’ Gray Whale Inn on Cranberry Island, Maine is stuffed to the gills with guests from Northern Spirit Tours. The group gets to whale watch on the Summer Breeze. Though Natalie does have her hands full, she manages to take a few hours to enjoy the experience. Things get tense when Captain Bainbridge gets too close to the whales (breaking the law) and gets into an argument with naturalist, Alex van der Berg. The next day the group is ready to depart on the schooner for the day, but Carl Bainbridge has yet to arrive. First mate Martina Garza takes charge of the party and weighs anchor. There is a little hitch when the anchor comes out of the water with Captain Bainbridge attached to it. The top suspect is Alex who happens to be dating Charlene, Natalie’s best friend. Charlene is upset and needs Natalie to sail Alex off the police’s radar. Natalie and John (her husband) have some problems of their own. Bridget, Natalie’s sister, shows up after hearing about her daughter’s (Gwen) engagement to local lobsterman, Adam. Bridget is determined to return home with Gwen in tow. The night before the death of Captain Bainbridge, Natalie discovered a six week old kitten on their porch. Natalie is in the laundry room with the sweet, little baby when she feels water falling on her. It is raining indoors. Natalie rushes upstairs to find a guest bathtub overflowing (the wood floors in the bedroom are ruined). This incident is just the first for the Gray Whale Inn. Natalie’s livelihood is in jeopardy. Things cannot get any worse, or can they? Natalie is in for a rocky ride in Whale of a Crime.

Whale of a Crime is an entertaining novel. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I believe Whale of a Crime is my favorite book in the series. The book is easy to read and well-written. I felt it was just the right length. Whale of a Crime has nice, likeable characters and a beautiful setting. There is quite a big going on in the book, but it was not overwhelming (I did not even mention the poor baby whale that needs assistance). I give Whale of a Crime 5 out of 5 stars. The murder mystery was complex and twisty (which you know I love). One teeny, tiny little clue provided the key (at least for me) to solving the murder portion of the book. While Whale of a Crime is the seventh book in the series, it can be read alone. The author provides the necessary background information. I do, though, recommend the other books in The Gray Whale Inn Mysteries. I have read and enjoyed all of them. I will be reading the next book in The Gray Whale Inn Mysteries when it releases.

[Piepie | The Napping Bibliophile · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love this series, but it seems like I always find typos, regardless of whether it's a print book or an ebook. So that takes away from my enjoying these books as much.

Additionally, it seems like the author has recycled plot points that she's used before: someone purposefully letting their bathroom overflow with water. Tom and Lorraine Lockhart's extramarital affairs/drama. And it seems like the only color John wears is green! We are reminded of how gorgeously attractive he is, like a model, very often! ;)

No matter how repetitive these books get, I think I will keep on reading them! I really wish Cranberry Island - and the Gray Whale Inn - was real!

[Val Rheinheimer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the characters, the setting and the mystery. I had to take off a star though for so many errors--in punctuation, timeline, etc. It seemed like it completely missed the copy editing stage. It was bad enough to distract from the story. Just one example; at one point they looked through someone's room in the morning but then later in the day referred to having done so the day before. Those kind of things I just find kind of annoying. But I do really like these books and have read them all. Will probably read more also.

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like this series, but bad edited kind of ruins it.

[Avid Series Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whale of a Crime by Karen MacInerney is the 7th book of the Gray Whale Inn mystery series set on Cranberry Island in contemporary Maine. A tour group books a full week at Natalie's inn, which is great for her business. But murder is not. Neither is sabotage. Neither is battling her older sister.

As in previous books in the series, someone Natalie believes (hopes) to be innocent is arrested for murder, and she must find the true killer to ensure justice. She experiences more calamities in this story than ever before; every day a new disaster. The only positive surprise is the discovery of a tiny kitten.

With an inn to run regardless of the crimes, in between sleuthing Natalie cooks delicious dishes for her guests, even though forced to improvise after her tried-and-true recipe book is stolen.

[Linda Smatzny · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very quick easy read. Natalie Barnes, owner of the Gray Whale Inn, has a really bad day. One of her guests is murdered, another guest is arrested for the murder and her older sister shows up unannounced. Natalie is also having things go wrong at the inn like like her recipe book, a tub overflows causing damage to floor and the ceiling below. Lots going on in the story including a second murder.

[Eileen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great mystery. Really enjoyed this story and the author's style of writing. Very fast moving and lots of mystery, murder and wondering who done it....
Plan to read more of her books, this one I could hardly put down, easy to follow. Also some great recipes in the book at the end.

[Eileen Lynx · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good story

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good as the others.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Whale of a Crime” earns 5/5 Whale-watching Ventures…Delightful and Exciting!

Natalie Barnes, owner of the Gray Whale Inn, decides to play hooky and join guests aboard the Summer Breeze to get an up close and personal view of the migrating humpbacks. Everyone has cameras poised ready to capture the excitement, but they become uneasy when one large humpback appears to have become entangled with fishing line. Captain Bainbridge shows little concern and orders the boat to move in closer, but the onboard naturalist, appalled by the captain’s breech in protocol, tried, with no avail, to get the captain to pull back. Fortunately no one or no thing was injured, and the idea of reporting the incident to authorities was cause for serious concern and threats. When the tour heads out the next morning, the captain is missing…well, not missing, just hung up. He is found when they hoisted up the anchor, and when the police finished preliminary investigations, Alex, the naturalist, is arrested.

Natalie just wanted a pleasant week at the Inn, but it doesn’t look like that is going to happen. Bridget, her sister, snarky as ever, has arrived hell bent on her daughter Gwen returning to California. Charlene, her BFF, thought Alex was the one, and although distraught over his arrest, she is determined to clear him. Then there’s the New York investor too leery about getting involved, the nosy reporter too interested in the murder, several guests too protective of their privacy, and the captain’s past too suspicious. It’s all too much. Can Natalie survive or is this all destined to go down with the ship?

Karen MacInerney has created a marvelous series with the Gray Whale Mysteries, and this seventh book will entertain long-time fans and capture the attention of newbies. She writes an engaging mystery with more than a few suspicious characters letting the reader ponder their own take on motive, opportunity, and means. The dialogue is realistic, not overdramatic, allowing readers to feel like they’re eavesdropping, and the exploration of the family dynamic between Natalie, her sister, and niece seems right out of anyone’s family playbook. Descriptions bring Cranberry Island to life creating the perfect destination. Then there are the recipes like John’s Beef Stroganoff and all of Natalie’s mouthwatering pastries…Blueberry Cobbler Muffins, Oatmeal Raspberry Crumble Bars, and Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Bars are my favorites. Natalie may have been searching most of the story for her recipe binder, but Karen made sure we all had the best recipes for ourselves.

[Marianne Taylor-Hicks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fun read

Enjoyed this one as much as her other Gray Whale Inn Mysteries. Characters feel like friends and they get into trouble as usual. But it's always a good time at the Inn. Love going back with each new book and finding out what they are up to now.

[Marla · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like all the Grey Whale Inn books. and we finally got to meet Barbara!

[K.A. Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was delighted to pick up the new release, WHALE OF A CRIME, the seventh book in the Gray Whale Inn Mystery series by Karen MacInerney. I’ve been a long time fan of this series, and while I haven’t read every single one (they’re on my Kindle waiting for me!) each book is easily read as a standalone. Karen includes heart-tugging scenes regarding the plight of whales and I appreciate how she wove facts about these magnificent mammals into her story. The protagonist, Natalie Barnes, is a personable young woman and as owner of the Gray Whale Inn, finds herself surrounded by colorful characters that add to the appeal of this series. She has a sweet relationship with her niece, Gwen, and I enjoyed seeing their interaction. When Gwen’s mother (and Natalie’s sister) shows up, the fireworks start with the contentious relationship. It adds drama to the story, without detracting from the plot, and had me hoping for a reconciliation. The author deftly wove this subplot into the grand finale with satisfying results.

The mystery itself kept me guessing and I so enjoyed the multi-layered subplots. Between a murder, an old crime of a stolen tiara, someone sabotaging Natalie’s inn, an abandoned kitten, and a whale in distress, the book was never slow. I had a hard time putting it down when it was time to attend to other commitments. Be prepared to be hungry while reading this book as both Natalie and her husband, John, are great cooks! Fortunately, Karen includes numerous recipes at the back of the book, and they all sound fabulous. I tried her recipe for Oatmeal Raspberry Crumble Bars...so incredibly yummy, I will be making this recipe again and again!

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whale of a Crime by Karen MacInerney is the 7th book in the Gray Whale Inn Mystery Series, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it! A cozy mystery in the truest sense, the setting is an inn on Cranberry Island, Maine, and is full of interesting characters (both recurring and visiting), yummy recipes, a couple of murders, and the mystery that surrounds them. This book is well-written, clever, and I was kept guessing as to the identity of the killer until the end (although there were some red herrings sprinkled in throughout the story!). This is the first book in this series, and by this author, that I've read but it won't be the last. I've already purchased the first book in the series, Murder on the Rocks, so that I can start the series at the beginning. That being said, one of the things that I enjoyed the most about Whale of a Crime was that it can be read as a standalone book as well - I didn't feel lost, or if I had missed too much of the backstory by starting with the seventh book. A joy to read, and I highly recommend this delightful cozy mystery! A+

p.s. Always a plus for me when the recipes are included with the story, and this author did not disappoint - Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip bars, here I come! :-)

[Teri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whale of a Crime is Karen MacInerney's 7th installment in the Gray Whale Inn mystery series. I have enjoyed this light and fun mystery series that takes place on the little Maine community of Cranberry Island. Natalie Barnes, owner of the Gray Whale Inn Bed and Breakfast, is having a wonderful summer until the inn plays host to a nature tour. Captain Bainbridge of Northern Spirit Tours shows up dead off the anchor of his ship the Summer Breeze and Natalie launches her own investigation to help clear her friend who is fingered as the killer. As if that is not enough, Natalie's headstrong sister shows up on the island and someone seems to be sabotaging the inn.

I generally don't read many mysteries but I thoroughly enjoy Karen MacInerney's cozy mystery series. There are bonus recipes at the end of the book of all the food mentioned in the story. I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

[Manda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love this series. However, this book had several problems. There were many editing details that were missed. Several of the chapters seemed to send the same: 'things can't get worse' 'oh yes they can' kind of thing. For those reasons my rating was lowered. It was just too hard to get through a few parts. Still, I love this series and look forward to the potential of more.

[Suzi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Awful editing really kept me from liking this latest book in the series. So much wrong with it from bad timelines and people knowing things they couldn't possibly have known yet, to wrong pronouns used, to repeated conversations. The mystery itself was good. And I still love the characters. I hope the next book has a better editor.

[Melinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was difficult to follow with all the errors...inconsistencies from one page to the next, hands taped in front of body to taped behind body; he and she interchanged, etc. I really like this series, but it was hard to follow this story.

[Susan Willis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent addition to this series. Multiple plot lines and a great new character. Cannot wait for the next installment.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The editing on this book was atrocious. The story was excellent, as usual, but there were inconsistencies in the plot and tons of grammatical errors.

[Meagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Whale of a Crime is the 7th book in the Gray Whale Inn Mystery series by Karen MacInerney. The book opens with innkeeper, Natalie Barnes, playing hooky from work and enjoying a whale watching excursion off Cranberry Island in Maine. But her pleasure is cut short when she witnesses a tense moment between the captain of the boat and naturalist, Alex, after the captain wanted to move the boat closer to the whales. Despite her missing Recipe Binder, Natalie, puts together an awesome spread for her guests the next morning before they plan to head out on another boating excursion. But the guests' outing is cut short when the first mate, Martina, pulls anchor and brings the body of the boat captain with it. Alex is soon arrested after the mainland police learn of his disagreement with the captain. With some urging from her best friend, Charlene, who happens to be Alex's girlfriend, Natalie begins looking into the murder. Before long another body turns up and more things go wrong at the inn when a ceiling caves in and the health department shuts the kitchen down. It's up to Natalie to solve the murders and find out if it is related to the person sabotaging the inn.

This was the first book that I have read in the series. Despite some spoilers I now know, I absolutely want to continue reading the series from the beginning. I think that is the sign of a great author, when a book in their series can stand alone. Enough information is provided where I don't feel lost jumping into the series so late and it was intriguing enough to make me want to start the series from book #1. The book is full of suspense with a fast paced plot that didn't drag at any point. I really enjoyed getting to know Natalie and the other characters in the book. Natalie is a very down to earth, strong and fierce, female heroine. She is loyal to her family and friends and a very kind person, someone you would want as a friend. The author's witty sense of humor comes out in her writing and her detailed descriptions make you feel like you are on Cranberry Island.

I received an electronic copy of the book from the author. In no way did my receiving a free book influence my review. Seriously, it was an excellent read!!!

[dnsyl57 · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Whale Of A Crime" is book #7 in the "Gray Whale Inn Mystery" by Karen MacInerney.

"When a tour company books the Gray Whale Inn for a full week, innkeeper Natalie Barnes can’t wait to get cooking — and to hitch a ride on the antique schooner Summer Winds, getting up close and personal with the local whales. But when one of the humpback whales turns up dragging a mass of fishing gear from its tail, the tour takes a dark turn. It turns darker still when the schooner’s handsome captain winds up attached to the vessel’s anchor, sixty feet underwater… and not by accident.

Before long, the tour naturalist (and Natalie’s best friend’s beau) is behind bars, charged with a murder Charlene swears he didn’t commit. Stir in a surprise visit from Natalie’s quarrelsome sister, midnight kitchen sabotage, a sick orphan kitten, and a mysterious investor with plans for a massive resort on the quaint island, and Natalie’s got a recipe for potential disaster.

When a second body turns up just outside the inn, the heat is on Natalie to solve the double murder… or risk ending up with her own goose cooked."

My thoughts:
The murder of the Captain was not a surprise but getting to the truth of it proved to be quite a bit more complicated. Of course the police arrest the wrong person first and naturally Natalie is asked to clear his name and find the killer. I honestly wasn't sure who did it till near the reveal but the eventual confrontation and aftermath was dramatic.

Natalie's sister Bridget is beyond opinionated and mama bear protective of her daughter. She means well, but there were times I wanted to throttle her and wondered how Natalie and Gwen didn't just scream at her!

I had no problem figuring out who was behind the sabotage at the Inn. Yes, it makes for good story for Nat to wonder what is going on but it isn't the first time that someone has tried to sabotage them and probably won't be the last. They really should have put in better safety/security features before now despite increased installation costs.

A few recipes included at the end as well as a preview of the next book in the series on the Kindle edition. As always, an interesting and entertaining read from Ms. MacInerney.

[J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Whale of a Crime, Natalie (owner of the Gray Whale Inn) has a tour group staying at her inn and no empty rooms, but that doesn't mean everything is going smoothly. The captain and first mate of the tour boat are arguing, the naturalist aboard is upset at the captain for getting too close to the whales, and someone is sabotaging the inn! Then Natalie's sister shows up without warning, upset about the direction her daughter's life is taking. Soon there's a murder and Natalie is busy investigating while running the inn and easing tensions between her sister and her niece. Once again Karen MacInerney has written a wonderfully fun story with a good mystery. I didn't guess the solution, but when the murderer was revealed, it all made sense and tied together beautifully!

[Christina Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was certainly an improvement from the last book, but not totally perfect by any means. Too many repetitions of the same scene several paragraphs apart. I don’t understand why the author feels the need to keep repeating herself. Maybe it was the fault of the editor, not catching that, and editing it rather than the author. Maybe they were just trying to up the page count to make it a longer book rather than a short story. However, it is disconcerting when you’re reading to keep reading the same thing. this time she did not give tedious explanations of how she was cooking, which was definitely an improvement. I still gave the three rating but it is close to four. At this point I wish that we could give half points.