I jumped into this series with this book. I was at the library, attracted to the cover, and decided what the heck, it won't be the end of the world to not read them in order. This was a great, fast read. The storyline is good and exactly what I was hoping for/expecting. Based on my sole Maine friend, I think Ms. Dunnett totally captured the stereotypes of that part of the country. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the rest of the series.