Killer Characters by Ellery Adams

First Line: "All I think about is death," said Laurel Hobbs to her friend and fellow Bayside Book Writer Olivia Limoges.

Olivia Limoges may be enjoying her new marriage, but her friend Laurel Hobbs certainly isn't enjoying her own. Laurel is struggling with a demanding job, lively twin boys, a terminally ill mother-in-law, and a husband who's mostly absent-- and when he deigns to be present, he's whiny and argumentative. Catching Steve with her mother-in-law's nurse? Laurel can't take any more.

When the nurse is found dead, Olivia's husband, Chief Rawlings, has no choice but to take Laurel into custody. The Bayside Book Writers are now a group divided, and Olivia has to work fast to prove Laurel's innocence.

Ellery Adams' Books by the Bay cozy series has been a favorite of mine since its inception. The ensemble cast, the coastal North Carolina setting with its rich history, mouthwatering food, and some fine mysteries to solve have made these books something very special. When I came to the end of Killer Characters, I knew without heading to Amazon to read reviews that many readers would be outraged. If you haven't read this last book in the series and you'd like to leave the characters surrounded by a sort of fairy tale glow, you may want to give this one a miss.

Fortunately I'm an easy-going reader because I can wait patiently for the next book in a series, and I don't send authors hate mail if they don't write the way I want them to. Frankly, I want them to write the way they want to. If my favorite authors are happy, they're going to write longer. Ellery Adams chose to end her wonderful series, not as a fairy tale, but as a story showing the growth and resilience of the main character, Olivia Limoges. People grow... people endure... by experiencing both good and bad. When this series began, Olivia was an ice queen, emotionally closed off, and watching everyone from a distance. By series end, she's made and kept, protected and taken care of, her dear friends. When I closed Killer Characters, I may have had tears in my eyes, but my heart was full. I knew Olivia and the other folks she cares about in Oyster Bay were going to be all right. 

Now... I've been talking about this as though it's a character study only, but there's an excellent mystery to be found here, too-- one that I didn't have solved beforehand-- and that's another thing I've loved about this series. If you haven't read a Books by the Bay mystery, dive right in with the first one, A Killer Plot. These characters grow and change, and you don't want to miss a bit of it.

And might I just say-- Well done, Ellery Adams! I admire your bravery in ending the series the way you wanted to end it. Olivia deserved no less.
 

Killer Characters by Ellery Adams

ISBN: 9780451488442

Berkley Prime Crime © 2017

Mass Market Paperback, 304 pages

Cozy Mystery, #8 Books by the Bay mystery

Rating: A+

Source: Paperback Swap

 

Writing All Wrongs by Ellery Adams

First Line: "No one ever told me that marriage was murder," Olivia Limoges complained while pouring cream into her coffee.

Olivia and her new husband Chief Rawlings decide that they need a honeymoon, so they head to Palmetto Island. There they can enjoy some alone time before they're joined by the rest of the Bayside Book Writers for the Legends of Coastal Carolina Festival. The highlight of the festival is undoubtedly going to be Silas Black, a screenwriter and producer who's put his own spin on coastal Carolina's history and turned it all into an extremely popular television series. 

Once the festival starts, it seems that someone is bringing local ghost stories to life in increasingly more dangerous ways. When the body of a woman close to Silas Black is discovered on the beach, it's up to Olivia, her husband, and her friends to identify the killer before another life is claimed.

Ellery Adams' Books by the Bay series has long been one of my favorites for the plots, the three-dimensional characters, the local history, the mouth-watering food, and the insights into a writing group each book has provided. 

In Writing All Wrongs, Olivia and Rawlings have a problem or two to iron out in their brand-new marriage, and Olivia has another chance to come to terms with her biological father. Adams once again does a superb job in showcasing the history of the North Carolina coast. (It's certainly rich enough to fuel hundreds of crime fiction plots.) There's also a spine-chilling sense of dread throughout the scene involving the opening of a bookstore. 

I have to admit that there were a couple of things I missed. The Bayside Book Writers were primarily sleuths in this book, and I did miss their meetings. I've found it fascinating to learn what can go on in groups like this-- from developing an idea to writing a book to actually getting it published. Scarcely any mention was made of Olivia's new book, although to be honest, the woman didn't have time to pick up a pen let alone do any writing. Another thing missed? I've come to look forward to descriptions of mouth-watering meals in this series, and they were scarcely to be found here. 

The suspect list is a long one in Writing All Wrongs, the plot threads are many, and everything was concluded in a bit of a rush at the end. It felt a bit perfunctory, as if this book could very well have been the last. Fortunately I know that it isn't. Although this particular book may have a few little flaws, it is very enjoyable, and I still give this entire series my strongest recommendation.      

Writing All Wrongs by Ellery Adams

ISBN: 9780425270844

Berkley Prime Crime © 2015

Mass Market Paperback, 304 pages

Cozy Mystery, #7 Books by the Bay mystery

Rating: B

Source: Purchased at The Poisoned Pen.  


  

Lethal Letters by Ellery Adams

First Line: Olivia Limoges rolled the newest edition of Bride magazine into a tight cylinder and brought it down onto the counter with a resounding thwack!

There's a lot going on in Oyster Bay, North Carolina-- like two weddings and the historical society's annual Secret Garden Party fundraiser for starters. Restaurant owner and local resident Olivia Limoges also happens to be at the church when a time capsule is uncovered. The president of the historical society plans to reveal the contents at the Secret Garden Party in order to increase donations. However, when the public unveiling occurs, Olivia notices that one of the items has disappeared-- and she is convinced that the missing item is connected to the death of young Ruthie Holcomb. It's time for the Bayside Book Writers group to uncover some clues and bring a killer to justice.

This is, without doubt, my favorite cozy mystery series, and I always look forward to each new book with great anticipation. Lethal Letters does not disappoint, even though it does have an "end of series" feel to it. Ellery Adams has created an incredible cast of characters that continue to grow and change with each book, and the setting is perfect. Whenever Olivia and her wonderful dog Captain Haviland walk the beach looking for treasures, I can feel the sea breeze in my hair and the shift and crunch of sand between my toes. The mysteries are an integral part of each book, weaving the history of the area into the characters' lives. 

Lethal Letters has everything to do with family-- families that have been broken apart and are slowly mending themselves, new families that have just begun to form, and families that are shattered beyond repair. Olivia herself has spent the course of this series making herself whole by finding family she didn't know existed and by forming close and lasting relationships with the friends she has found. She no longer hesitates to reach out to those who need help. Olivia has always been a giving person, but in the past she usually gave by writing a check. Now she gives of her heart. She's no longer a hermit, and her transformation has been an absolute delight.

The family motif continues with the Bayside Book Writers group. All of them are back together here, and it just feels "right." This group has been the icing on the cake of this series, giving real insight into writing and critiquing beginners' novels, and I have to say that I was thrilled with the turn that Olivia's writing takes here.

Lethal Letters, like all the other books in this series, has heartbreak and loss, but there is also compassion, love, and growth. These are grown-up "feel good" novels, and I will never get my fill of them.
 

Lethal Letters by Ellery Adams

ISBN: 9780425270837

Berkley Prime Crime © 2014

Mass Market Paperback, 304 pages

Cozy Mystery, #6 Books by the Bay mystery

Rating: A

Source: Purchased at The Poisoned Pen 

Poisoned Prose by Ellery Adams

First Line: "Death by chocolate. That's what the coroner's report will read," Olivia Limoges said to the woman sitting next to her.

Decadence-- the new shop in Oyster Bay-- is definitely a hit, since it deals in all things chocolate, and when chocoholic Olivia Limoges agrees to sponsor a storyteller's retreat for the Southern Storytellers Network, she's doing it for more than one reason. All members of the Bayside Book Writers critique group have manuscripts in various stages of completion, but Olivia's novel is completely stalled. She's hoping to get some tips and inspiration from the pros attending the retreat.

She falls under the spell of the best storyteller of them all, Violetta Devereaux, but when the award-winning woman's announcement that she will meet her end in Oyster Bay comes true, Olivia and the rest of the Bayside Book Writers find themselves busy sifting through dozens of stories to uncover the truth... and a killer. 

My favorite cozy mystery series just keeps rolling along, and I'm loving it. Ellery Adams has created a series with real depth and substance, and each book is a chapter in Olivia Limoges' life. Previous books have dealt a great deal with Olivia's past, but Poisoned Prose finds her devoting a lot of thought to her future. Having always believed that she was meant to live alone, it's a huge step to even consider entering a committed relationship with Sawyer Rawlings, but that's what Olivia is doing.

Before you start to think this is a one-woman book/series, nip that thought right in the bud. Each member of the Bayside Book Writers is a strong character who has progressively evolved through each book, and some fans may not be happy with how things turn out for two of the members here in this latest book. Following this group not only shows how they put their heads together to solve crimes, it also shows how a critique group can work to help writers produce marketable novels.

The setting of Oyster Bay, North Carolina, makes me hear the waves on the shore and smell the salt in the air. I'd love to tag along with Olivia and her dog, Captain Haviland, as they use a metal detector on the beach each day to look for treasures. And while the setting and all those fully-fleshed characters work their magic, there's a genuine puzzler of a mystery to solve as well.

If you're the type of reader who's looking for a little less fluff in the cozy mysteries you read, I highly recommend Ellery Adams' Books by the Bay series. When I stumbled across them, it was as though I'd borrowed Olivia's metal detector and found a gold doubloon.

Poisoned Prose by Ellery Adams

ISBN: 9780425262955

Berkley Prime Crime © 2013

Mass Market Paperback, 304 pages

Cozy Mystery, #5 Books by the Bay mystery

Rating: A

Source: Purchased at The Poisoned Pen 

Written in Stone by Ellery Adams

First Line: "There's a witch in Oyster Bay," Dixie, the roller-skating dwarf and diner proprietor, announced.

Although Olivia Limoges has more than enough on her plate at the moment with preparing for the Coastal Carolina Food Festival, she finds herself seeking out this so-called witch. Munin Cooper is the woman known as the Witch of Oyster Bay, and she tells Olivia that death is coming. Little does Olivia know that it's Munin's own death that the woman foretold. Left with Munin's last memory jug embellished with keepsakes that she feels will lead to the identity of the killer,  Olivia is drawn into a past that's much darker and much  more dangerous than she ever realized.

I've mentioned before that I tend to treat cozies as lighter fare and very seldom ever give them the highest rating. (Yes, I realize I've been behaving like a snob.) Written in Stone is the cozy that changes all that. There's so much going on in this book that it's best if you start the series at the very beginning; otherwise, the significance of certain things is going to whiz right over your head.

Yes, I've been with this series from the beginning, and from the first book (2010's A Killer Plot), I had a feeling that I'd found something different. Olivia Limoges could very easily be called yet another "poor little rich girl." Having been abandoned by her father and going to live with an unemotional relative after the death of her beloved mother, Olivia learned how to spend her money wisely and well-- and to keep herself emotionally removed from others. Moving back to Oyster Bay and purposely making herself a part of the small community has very gradually been forcing Olivia to change her ways.  However, she's still not always comfortable with social situations, and she doesn't always say what other people want to hear. In fact, some readers may prefer her dog, Captain Haviland, to Olivia.

In each book of the series, we've been learning the history of the Oyster Bay, North Carolina area, and Written in Stone is no exception, since the history of the Lumbee tribe is woven into the story. Food is important to all the books in this series as well. Olivia owns two restaurants, frequents another, and is preparing for a food festival in this current book. (If you're on a diet, do not read this book on an empty stomach. You will have to stop and devour something before you've gone very far.)

Another thread woven throughout Adams' series is the sometimes shocking information Olivia continues to gather about both her parents, and what she learns often has a bearing on the outcome of the mystery.

The Books By the Bay writers group works much more on solving the mystery in this book than they do on readying manuscripts for publication, but there's so much going on in Written in Stone that there's simply no time. What I was happy to see is that there's a strong story line involving Millay. She gets to be seen in a whole new light, and I for one definitely like what I see.

Another thing that sets this book apart is how much sympathy is shown for the killer. Normally the "bad guy" is the bad guy, and that's that. Here the person's background and history are gone into just enough to show how heartbreaking the twisting of a human being, the creation of a killer, can be.

Written in Stone is the best book in the series so far. There's a richness to Adams' stories, a depth to her characters, that makes this series rise above the rest. It feels to me as though this author is on a clearly defined mission, that she knows exactly where she wants to take Olivia-- and I'll be following her every step of the way.

Written in Stone by Ellery Adams

ISBN: 9780425251737

Berkley Prime Crime © 2012

Mass Market Paperback, 304 pages

Cozy Mystery, #4 Books by the Bay mystery

Rating: A+

Source: Purchased at The Poisoned Pen. 

The Last Word by Ellery Adams

First Line: "All houses have secrets."

Olivia Limoges has hired her half-brother and his wife to manage her newest restaurant in Oyster Bay, North Carolina. Opening day is just a few days away, last minute details are piling up, and the last thing she needs is to be drawn into a flap over a famous author moving to town. But drawn in she is when the author seems to be very interested in the house that friend and fellow Books by the Bay Writers group member Harris Williams is determined to buy.

At first it seems that bestselling author Nick Plumley is merely interested in the house and its history because of the new book he's writing. But when he turns up dead, Olivia has to think that there's more to his interest than meets the eye. And if Plumley was interested in the house, does that mean that new homeowner Harris is in danger with a killer on the loose?

Of all the cozy mystery series that I read, this is one of my very favorites. The character of Olivia Limoges just grabs me by the heart and takes off running. Aside from some superficial differences like money, looks, and age, I could almost believe that Olivia is based upon me because so many of our emotional reactions to people and things are the same. From Olivia's feeling like an outsider to her reaction to children to her judging people based on their reactions to her dog, I "get" this woman, and once I'm this emotionally involved in a book it's almost impossible for me not to devour it as quickly as possible.

Yes, the plot is an interesting one, and I loved the tie-in with the actual World War II prisoner of war camp in nearby New Bern. Adams' sense of misdirection was marvelous, and I was kept guessing clear through to the end. But as any connoisseur of cozies knows, it's not the plot that keeps us coming back for more, it's the cast of characters. The spirit of friendship and support that flows through Olivia and her writers group is wonderful, and although each member has flaws, none is from Central Casting. There's no requisite busybody, femme fatale, or bumbling police officer amongst them, and each character gets his or her moment to shine and to develop. What an absolute treat!

In the mood for a cozy that not only will keep you guessing but will give you several new fictional friends? I heartily recommend Ellery Adams' Books by the Bay series.

The Last Word by Ellery Adams

ISBN: 9780425245002

Berkley Prime Crime © 2011

Mass Market Paperback, 320 pages

Cozy Mystery, #3 in the Books by the Bay series

Rating: A

Source: Purchased at The Poisoned Pen.

A Deadly Cliché by Ellery Adams

Title: A Deadly Cliché
Author: Ellery Adams
ISBN: 9780425240236
Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime, 2011
Mass Market Paperback, 304 pages
Genre: Cozy, Amateur Sleuth, #2 Books by the Bay mystery
Rating: A
Source: Paperback Swap

First Line: "Storm's comin'," the fisherman said, stroking the pewter whiskers of his beard.

While walking with her standard poodle, Captain Haviland, along the beach, Olivia Limoges finds a body buried in the sand. Could this be connected to a series of strange burglaries in the Oyster Bay, North Carolina area? At the scene of each burglary, the thieves set up bizarre tableaux: a stick of butter with a knife cutting through it, a doll with a spoon in its mouth, an incomplete deck of cards.... Suddenly Olivia understands that each scene represents a cliché, and what better group of people to decode this sort of clue than her Bayside Book Writers?

There's no sophomore slump in the Books by the Bay cozy mystery series. A Deadly Cliché is even stronger than the first. Although the characters understand that the burglars are leaving clues behind, understanding the why takes a while to unfold, and the thieves' identities even longer. Part of the reason for this is due to the fact that there's a subplot in play: Olivia has been given information that her father-- long believed to be drowned at sea-- may actually be alive, and finding him is more important to her than unmasking the thieves.

This subplot adds depth to the character of Olivia. For years she's kept a protective shell around herself, one that kept her aloof and almost entirely unapproachable in the first book, A Killer Plot. As she tells another character, she is working on "defrosting," and learning about her father is going to help her do just that. It's also going to add to future books in the series.

Another bonus to this series is being able to watch a writers group in action. For anyone who's interested in the craft, it's useful to see how the group interacts, to see how they critique each other's work, and to understand how they help one another.  

This series is pretty much Olivia's show, and although I love seeing a wealthy person being a force for good in her community, and I enjoy watching her become more approachable and willing to trust, I'm hoping that more of the secondary characters-- particularly those in the writers group-- will come to the fore and share more of the limelight with Olivia.

As in the first book, Captain Haviland continues to be an excellent canine sidekick, even if he does seem to eat nothing but gourmet food. He doesn't have any super powers; he's just a well-trained, well-behaved dog that loves his human. You can't ask for more than that.

However, I can and will ask for more than that. What do I ask for? More books in this series, please!

A Deadly Cliché at Amazon.

A Deadly Cliché at The Book Depository.

A Deadly Cliché at Your Favorite Indie.

A Killer Plot by Ellery Adams

Title: A Killer Plot
Author: Ellery Adams
ISBN: 9780425235225
Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime, 2010
Mass Market Paperback, 320 pages
Genre: Cozy Mystery, Amateur Sleuth, #1 Books By the Bay mystery
Rating: B
Source: Paperback Swap

First Line: Two of Oyster bay's lifelong citizens were in line at the Stop 'n' Shop, gossiping over carts stuffed with frozen entrees, potato chips, boxes of Krispy Kremes, and liters of soda when Olivia Limoges breezed through the market's automatic doors.

Olivia is no stranger to gossip-- she's been its regular subject ever since she came back to town. Preferring her own company and that of her dog, Captain Haviland, to most townspeople, she works on her novel in solitude. Writer Camden Ford has to turn on all his charm, but he finally gets Olivia to agree to join the Bayside Book Writers group. Just when she seems on the verge of making new friends, people begin turning up dead with poems left by the bodies. Anyone with the gift of language becomes suspect, and it's up to Olivia to catch the killer before she meets a poem with her name on it.

There seems to be more and more cozy mystery series using the North Carolina coast as a setting, and I don't mind a bit. This first entry in the Books By the Bay series has so much to recommend it.

I loved Captain Haviland, the black standard poodle. So many people only know poodles from seeing them in the show ring, and I for one can testify that you don't have to keep them groomed in those ridiculous styles-- plus they're some of the most intelligent dogs on the planet. (Yes, I'm a former poodle owner!)

I also loved the new bookstore in town, Through the Wardrobe, and really enjoyed the secondary characters. Olivia proved to be a fascinating main character. She's used to having money and spending it, so it was interesting to see how she used it in her own small hometown which relies so heavily upon tourism. So much of the time she was very prickly and aloof which made it difficult to warm up to her, but she's an onion that has to be peeled back a layer at a time. The more she interacts with the other characters, the more approachable she's going to get.

I'm going to enjoy peeling back those layers as this series progresses!