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Books by the Bay Mystery #2
A Deadly Cliché
While walking her poodle, Olivia Limoges discovers a dead body buried in the sand. Could it be connected to the bizarre burglaries plaguing Oyster Bay, North Carolina? At every crime scene, the thieves set up odd a stick of butter with a knife through it, dolls with silver spoons in their mouths, a deck of cards with a missing queen. Olivia realizes each setup represents a cliché. And who better to decode the cliché clues than her Bayside Book Writers group?
278 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 1, 2011
209 people are currently reading
2033 people want to read
About the author
Ellery Adams
61 books5,323 followersUSA Today and New York Times bestseller author Ellery Adams has written over forty novels and can’t imagine spending a day away from the keyboard. Ms. Adams, a Native New Yorker, has had a lifelong love affair with stories, food, and rescue animals. She likes to spend her free time rearranging the bookshelves in her home in central North Carolina.
Ellery's Series Include: Secret, Book, & Scone Society (Kensington) Book Retreat Mysteries (Kensington) Books By the Bay Mysteries (Berkley Prime Crime), Charmed Pie Shoppe Mysteries ((Berkley Prime Crime), Molly Appleby Antiques & Collectibles Mysteries (Beyond the Page), and Hope Street Mysteries (Beyond the Page).
Ellery also writes genre-blending fiction focusing on women and their inner monsters. Her first release in this exciting new direction is Invasive Species, which hits the shelves 4/14/206.
For book club guides, bibliotherapy lists, and recipes, please visit www.elleryadamsbooks.com
Ellery's Series Include: Secret, Book, & Scone Society (Kensington) Book Retreat Mysteries (Kensington) Books By the Bay Mysteries (Berkley Prime Crime), Charmed Pie Shoppe Mysteries ((Berkley Prime Crime), Molly Appleby Antiques & Collectibles Mysteries (Beyond the Page), and Hope Street Mysteries (Beyond the Page).
Ellery also writes genre-blending fiction focusing on women and their inner monsters. Her first release in this exciting new direction is Invasive Species, which hits the shelves 4/14/206.
For book club guides, bibliotherapy lists, and recipes, please visit www.elleryadamsbooks.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 370 reviews
March 6, 2011
This was such a joy to write - I hope you all enjoy it! :) Ellery
June 28, 2018
I read the first book in this series earlier this month and got hooked. Unfortunately adulting took over my life since then with summer DIY projects sucking up all my reading time. But....thanks to hoopla and my lovely digital library card from a nearby metro library....I downloaded several more Books By the Bay stories. I can adult....and listen. Perfect!
A Deadly Cliché is the second book featuring Olivia Limoges and her friends from Oyster Bay, NC. I love reading cozies set in NC since I live here. The people in this series remind me of folks I know from the small NC town I live in. All that's missing is the nearby beach since I live in the western mountainous portion of the state. There are 8 books in this series.
Olivia is walking her dog along the beach hunting for washed up treasures that she saves in a collection. She spies an upside down sand bucket and smells something bad. Thinking some kids or tourists might have trapped a crab or other animal under the bucket, she lifts it up. Oh, it's something dead alright. Just not a crab or another sea creature. It's a man. Dead. Soon the local police are investigating the murder and a strange string of burglaries. At each scene odd things are left....a stick of butter with a knife stuck in it, a doll with a silver spoon shoved in its mouth... Olivia realizes each display refers to a cliché. When the burglars kill a homeowner, the case gets much more serious. Who is leaving the clichés and why? Soon Olivia and her writer's club friends learn that trying to track a killer can be dangerous.
I enjoyed this story. When I first started reading this series I had a really hard time liking Olivia. But as her background developed, I came to understand why she is so prickly and difficult. This second book has a lot more background development for her and other characters. I'm enjoying the mysteries and the side stories about the characters, too. Olivia's memories of the loss of her parents and growing up with her grandmother are very emotional. It makes it easier to keep reading when she acts like an asshat.
This series has been on my TBR shelf for at least a year waiting for me to find time to read it. I'm glad I finally decided to jump in and read. Very enjoyable cozy mystery series! I'm already listening to book 3, The Last Word!
A Deadly Cliché is the second book featuring Olivia Limoges and her friends from Oyster Bay, NC. I love reading cozies set in NC since I live here. The people in this series remind me of folks I know from the small NC town I live in. All that's missing is the nearby beach since I live in the western mountainous portion of the state. There are 8 books in this series.
Olivia is walking her dog along the beach hunting for washed up treasures that she saves in a collection. She spies an upside down sand bucket and smells something bad. Thinking some kids or tourists might have trapped a crab or other animal under the bucket, she lifts it up. Oh, it's something dead alright. Just not a crab or another sea creature. It's a man. Dead. Soon the local police are investigating the murder and a strange string of burglaries. At each scene odd things are left....a stick of butter with a knife stuck in it, a doll with a silver spoon shoved in its mouth... Olivia realizes each display refers to a cliché. When the burglars kill a homeowner, the case gets much more serious. Who is leaving the clichés and why? Soon Olivia and her writer's club friends learn that trying to track a killer can be dangerous.
I enjoyed this story. When I first started reading this series I had a really hard time liking Olivia. But as her background developed, I came to understand why she is so prickly and difficult. This second book has a lot more background development for her and other characters. I'm enjoying the mysteries and the side stories about the characters, too. Olivia's memories of the loss of her parents and growing up with her grandmother are very emotional. It makes it easier to keep reading when she acts like an asshat.
This series has been on my TBR shelf for at least a year waiting for me to find time to read it. I'm glad I finally decided to jump in and read. Very enjoyable cozy mystery series! I'm already listening to book 3, The Last Word!
August 25, 2016
Olivia Limoges and her Oyster Bay Writers group return for the second in a series. While walking her standard poodle, Captain Haviland, Olivia makes a grisly discovery – the decomposing body of a man buried in the sand. It’s a holiday weekend and Chief Sawyer Rawlings has no missing person reports that match the victim. But before he can be identified a series of burglaries captures the attention of the residents. The burglars not only take all the valuables, but they leave behind odd tableaus – a stick of butter with a knife in it, a deck of cards dealt for a hand of poker, etc. The members of the writers group recognize the clichés and begin to ferret out the possible connections between the burglaries and the body on the beach.
I like this series. I like Olivia’s independence and “get on with it” attitude. She has a crusty exterior, but frequently steps up to help those around her, sometimes anonymously. I also really like her relationship with her poodle, and that the dog is a dog (doesn’t help solve anything, unless he happens to bark at an intruder). Her relationships with the town’s residents are developing nicely in this second installment. She is definitely beginning to open up to the possibility of love and affection in her life. I thought the reveal was a little over-the-top, but I was still sufficiently entertained. There is a significant subplot involving her long-deceased father that I found distracting, unnecessary and implausible, but it’s a small part of the whole. I’ll keep reading the series.
I like this series. I like Olivia’s independence and “get on with it” attitude. She has a crusty exterior, but frequently steps up to help those around her, sometimes anonymously. I also really like her relationship with her poodle, and that the dog is a dog (doesn’t help solve anything, unless he happens to bark at an intruder). Her relationships with the town’s residents are developing nicely in this second installment. She is definitely beginning to open up to the possibility of love and affection in her life. I thought the reveal was a little over-the-top, but I was still sufficiently entertained. There is a significant subplot involving her long-deceased father that I found distracting, unnecessary and implausible, but it’s a small part of the whole. I’ll keep reading the series.
April 2, 2023
Incredibly moving, beautifully written, and much more thought-provoking than the typical cozy. Ellery Adams does not disappoint.
April 3, 2020
These books just keep getting better! I definitely liked Olivia better in this one. So much went on in this book from the hurricane to the cliche killers and the upheaval in Olivia's personal life. Some good changes seem to be in place for future books. #readforkimberly
March 8, 2011
Goodreads Summary:
While walking her poodle, Olivia Limoges discovers a dead body buried in the sand. Could it be connected to the bizarre burglaries plaguing Oyster Bay, North Carolina? At every crime scene, the thieves set up odd tableaus: a stick of butter with a knife through it, dolls with silver spoons in their mouths, a deck of cards with a missing queen. Olivia realizes each setup represents a cliché. And who better to decode the cliché clues than her Bayside Book Writers group?
Adding to the intensity of the story is the looming tropical storm/hurricane Ophelia and the possible discovery of Olivia's father, long thought to have perished in a hurricane during Olivia's childhood.
ast summer I read a Killer Plot by Ellery Adams because the author sent it to me for review. I BOUGHT A Deadly Cliche because I enjoyed the first book so much and I couldn't wait to find out what happens to the characters from Oyster Bay.
Adams has created a wonderful community that readers will want to visit over and over. I'm a big fan of Olivia. Even though she is often reserved in her interactions with others, you can tell that she want's to be less cold. She's trying to loosen up. She's a beautiful, caring, intelligent, self-reliant woman, but she's not perfect. And she doesn't think she is.
The other characters are just as like able: sweet Laurel, who wants an identity that includes a career in addition to motherhood; Millay, the tough but vulnerable young bartender; Harris, the young, unassuming computer geek, who just happens to more attractive than he realizes; and Rawlings, Olivia's love interest, who has hidden depths and is the Chief of Police - are just a few of the delightful characters in this series.
One of the things that makes this series stand out for me, is that while it is indeed a murder mystery, at times the murder really seems to take a back seat to the development and growth of the characters in the book. It's the lives and stories of these characters that take the forefront rather than the murder. However, don't think that the murder is something the author has just thrown in to make it a murder mystery. A Deadly Cliche is a well woven mystery that any Cozy fan will enjoy.
To be cliche-ish A Deadly Cliche is a "top of the line" mystery. If mysteries are your game, you should run out and get a copy today.
While walking her poodle, Olivia Limoges discovers a dead body buried in the sand. Could it be connected to the bizarre burglaries plaguing Oyster Bay, North Carolina? At every crime scene, the thieves set up odd tableaus: a stick of butter with a knife through it, dolls with silver spoons in their mouths, a deck of cards with a missing queen. Olivia realizes each setup represents a cliché. And who better to decode the cliché clues than her Bayside Book Writers group?
Adding to the intensity of the story is the looming tropical storm/hurricane Ophelia and the possible discovery of Olivia's father, long thought to have perished in a hurricane during Olivia's childhood.
ast summer I read a Killer Plot by Ellery Adams because the author sent it to me for review. I BOUGHT A Deadly Cliche because I enjoyed the first book so much and I couldn't wait to find out what happens to the characters from Oyster Bay.
Adams has created a wonderful community that readers will want to visit over and over. I'm a big fan of Olivia. Even though she is often reserved in her interactions with others, you can tell that she want's to be less cold. She's trying to loosen up. She's a beautiful, caring, intelligent, self-reliant woman, but she's not perfect. And she doesn't think she is.
The other characters are just as like able: sweet Laurel, who wants an identity that includes a career in addition to motherhood; Millay, the tough but vulnerable young bartender; Harris, the young, unassuming computer geek, who just happens to more attractive than he realizes; and Rawlings, Olivia's love interest, who has hidden depths and is the Chief of Police - are just a few of the delightful characters in this series.
One of the things that makes this series stand out for me, is that while it is indeed a murder mystery, at times the murder really seems to take a back seat to the development and growth of the characters in the book. It's the lives and stories of these characters that take the forefront rather than the murder. However, don't think that the murder is something the author has just thrown in to make it a murder mystery. A Deadly Cliche is a well woven mystery that any Cozy fan will enjoy.
To be cliche-ish A Deadly Cliche is a "top of the line" mystery. If mysteries are your game, you should run out and get a copy today.
February 28, 2011
I had the pleasure of reading the second book in Ellery Adams’ The Bay Mystery series, A Deadly Cliché this weekend.
Olivia Limoges, on her morning walk along the beach with her dog Capt. Haviland (Haviland has no dialogue in the book, but does bark a few times) notices a pail near the shoreline. But as she approaches the pail, the smell emitting from it is almost too much bear. Under the pail she finds the head of dead man. Shortly after calling 911 Chief Rawlings and a couple officers arrive to begin their investigation. The victim has no ID and is unknown to any of those investigating.
Olivia returns to downtown Oyster Bay before heading to her restaurant, The Boot Top. She sees, Laurel, one of the members of the Bayside Book Writers group. Laurel is quite upset as there have been a couple of burglaries in the surrounding area. On Saturday the writers group has their regular meeting and the discussion centers around the break ins and the body found on the beach. Laurel, hoping to get a job as reporter, goes to interview a couple of the break in victims. It is learned that some clues have been left behind by the burglars. These clues turn out to be clichés and help the Writers group to come with a solution to the burglaries and who murdered the body found on the beach.
Also, Olivia learns that her father, who has been missing and presumed may still be alive. All the interesting characters from the first book are back and the reader will learn a little more about their makeup.
I really enjoy reading this series, as Adams does an excellent job of providing a believable mystery and a well written story to enjoy.
Fred
Olivia Limoges, on her morning walk along the beach with her dog Capt. Haviland (Haviland has no dialogue in the book, but does bark a few times) notices a pail near the shoreline. But as she approaches the pail, the smell emitting from it is almost too much bear. Under the pail she finds the head of dead man. Shortly after calling 911 Chief Rawlings and a couple officers arrive to begin their investigation. The victim has no ID and is unknown to any of those investigating.
Olivia returns to downtown Oyster Bay before heading to her restaurant, The Boot Top. She sees, Laurel, one of the members of the Bayside Book Writers group. Laurel is quite upset as there have been a couple of burglaries in the surrounding area. On Saturday the writers group has their regular meeting and the discussion centers around the break ins and the body found on the beach. Laurel, hoping to get a job as reporter, goes to interview a couple of the break in victims. It is learned that some clues have been left behind by the burglars. These clues turn out to be clichés and help the Writers group to come with a solution to the burglaries and who murdered the body found on the beach.
Also, Olivia learns that her father, who has been missing and presumed may still be alive. All the interesting characters from the first book are back and the reader will learn a little more about their makeup.
I really enjoy reading this series, as Adams does an excellent job of providing a believable mystery and a well written story to enjoy.
Fred
December 27, 2014
Took a longer break than I thought with this. But I finally finished it. While continuing where I left off, it reminded me why I liked the first book and cozy mysteries in general. The fast paced, the characters, the book covers and settings. Oh and the mystery I guess.
Anyway, this was a good sequel. I was going to give it a 3 but then near the end I upped the rating to a solid 4. Back in the mood to continue this series.
Anyway, this was a good sequel. I was going to give it a 3 but then near the end I upped the rating to a solid 4. Back in the mood to continue this series.
March 3, 2020
I was disappointed in this book because it wasn't as good as the first (although that had its flaws too, I gave it 4-stars). The solution to the burglaries came out of the blue. It seemed to me that there were no clues to lead up to the culprits. They and the solution just came out of the blue. Not fair to the readers who want to try to follow the clues to solve the mysteries.
May 31, 2017
I am really enjoying this series; I love the characters [they all feel very true-to-life and are people that I would want to hang out with] and I love the dynamic of the book. As I said in my previous review, this is a much more cerebral kind of cozy; there are still plenty of laughs and some of the characters are smart-mouth and sassy [which I love], but there is a "smartness" to these stories that is missing from your typical cozy. They make you think, they make you feel and in this one, it made me cry.
Very excellent read of what is shaping up to be my absolute favorite new [and maybe all-time] series.
June 28, 2020
I am absolutely in love with this series. The protagonist is a strong woman with a yearning to connect with others even though she tries to hold herself and heart off from human connections. This second book held a mystery within the murder mystery. It answered questions left from the first book with hopes of new beginnings for the next book. I adore her fierce love for standard poodle Captain Haviland. Their relationship is a balm for the wounds she holds. I can’t wait to read book #3.
August 24, 2020
Wow. I had been prepared to give this book only 4 stars, but the ending completely dazzled me! Poignant is the best way to describe it. I absolutely loved the character development of the main character, Olivia Limoges, throughout the book, but the ending really took me by surprise. I will definitely read The Last Word (book #3) very soon. I want to see what happens to Olivia and the other main characters. I think of them as my friends.
March 12, 2011
People who read my reviews know I rarely give five stars, but I have to do so with this one. I love this book and this series. It's not often we get a protagonist like Olivia Limoges, especially in a cozy, who is so intelligent, independent, and strong-willed and yet who is also quite damaged because of her childhood traumas. Despite her losses, she's incredibly functional and slowly learning to be more open and trusting, something that is not easy for her. In the first book of the series, A KILLER PLOT, we met her and her writing group. In this book there's still some writing going on, but the story moves to a different level, one where the interaction goes into their daily lives and friendships.
Another thing I really enjoy about the book is her relationship with her dog Captain Haviland. Being a dog owner myself, I understand why she's so attached to her canine friend.
On her daily walk along the beach with her black standard poodle something terrible happens. The walk is cut short when she discovers a body, a naked man buried in the sand with a bucket over his head. It's a gruesome find and one that drops her right into the middle of an investigation that could be linked to a series of local burglaries. In the first half of the book, this all happens with the backdrop of a hurricane on its way to Oyster Bay.
Personally, the storm is the least of Olivia's problems. She's dealing with upsets of her own, her changing romantic life being one, and the possibility that her father, missing for 30 years, might still be alive for another. All this is written in wonderfully rich narrative. Olivia is a thinker, she ponders details and possibilities, sometimes to the point of paralysis. She has trouble opening up, to exposing herself to the pain that dealing with others can bring. In simple terms she's afraid, afraid of being hurt and abandoned again. She's not sure if she's ready for that risk, but her growing attraction to Police Chief Rawlings might give her little choice.
Then there's her father. Could he really be alive? If he is, why hasn't he contacted her? Is it some sick plot to prey on her desire to see the parent she lost when she was a child? She has to find out and when she does, she's shocked by what she discovers.
While this is a wonderful book and I enjoyed it, I will warn that it's not a cozy-cozy. There are some graphic scenes that some people might find disturbing. Personally, I can hardly wait for the next one to see what happens between Olivia and Rawlings, but also to see how she deals with her newly found family.
Another thing I really enjoy about the book is her relationship with her dog Captain Haviland. Being a dog owner myself, I understand why she's so attached to her canine friend.
On her daily walk along the beach with her black standard poodle something terrible happens. The walk is cut short when she discovers a body, a naked man buried in the sand with a bucket over his head. It's a gruesome find and one that drops her right into the middle of an investigation that could be linked to a series of local burglaries. In the first half of the book, this all happens with the backdrop of a hurricane on its way to Oyster Bay.
Personally, the storm is the least of Olivia's problems. She's dealing with upsets of her own, her changing romantic life being one, and the possibility that her father, missing for 30 years, might still be alive for another. All this is written in wonderfully rich narrative. Olivia is a thinker, she ponders details and possibilities, sometimes to the point of paralysis. She has trouble opening up, to exposing herself to the pain that dealing with others can bring. In simple terms she's afraid, afraid of being hurt and abandoned again. She's not sure if she's ready for that risk, but her growing attraction to Police Chief Rawlings might give her little choice.
Then there's her father. Could he really be alive? If he is, why hasn't he contacted her? Is it some sick plot to prey on her desire to see the parent she lost when she was a child? She has to find out and when she does, she's shocked by what she discovers.
While this is a wonderful book and I enjoyed it, I will warn that it's not a cozy-cozy. There are some graphic scenes that some people might find disturbing. Personally, I can hardly wait for the next one to see what happens between Olivia and Rawlings, but also to see how she deals with her newly found family.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 8, 2011
A Deadly Cliche by Ellery Adams
Captain Haviland has a heck of a job taking care of Olivia in this book. And, make no mistake, Olivia does need taking care of. Our strong woman sleuth stumbles upon a body while taking Captain Haviland on his morning run. Then she learns of robberies in the beloved town of Oyster Bay, NC.
What is going on? Laurel, a member of the writing group, shares her dream of wanting to be a journalist. What better story to try your teeth on than the goings on in town? Olivia champions her friend's dream and finds herself figuring out tried and true cliches that are being left by the robber/murderers.
There are personal stories also going on in Olivia's life. The mystery of where her Father went becomes alive again. Olivia knows he is dead...but is he? A betrayal that she never saw coming hits and Olivia needs emotional support. Money won't make this better.
I was finding myself immersed in Olivia's life in this novel. The crimes were horrific, however, I truly was caught up in the drama that surrounded Olivia and Haviland. The ending was very satisfying and left me craving the next installment.
This is a page turner!
July 20, 2011
I adore the work of this author, and this series is definitely my favorite. I, too, enjoyed the hurricane prep and storm, to learn more how islanders react. I also identified and relived the dying father scene, as my dad passed away almost 7 months ago, and I was by his side too. I had been there all day, knowing the end was nearing, but still thinking it would be a day or two, I left for a few hours to work, and not 20 minutes after my return, my dad moved on to a better world. Amazing, the similarities and beauty within the saddness. I appreciate the character development and growth, as well.
March 9, 2011
Ellery Adams has done it again in her second Books By The Bay Mystery, A Deadly Cliché. Great characters, a lovely setting, terrific plot, and Ellery has a gift for description that makes me green with envy. I’ve always had cats, but Captain Haviland is such a great character, I find myself yearning for a black Standard Poodle.
Light and dark moments are balanced in this compelling story, and Olivia’s generosity to her friends and the citizens of Oyster Bay is heartwarming.
I can’t wait for the next installment in the series: The Last Word
Light and dark moments are balanced in this compelling story, and Olivia’s generosity to her friends and the citizens of Oyster Bay is heartwarming.
I can’t wait for the next installment in the series: The Last Word
April 26, 2011
This second installment in the Books by the Bay series is outstanding. Ms. Adams has a marvelous ability to bring incredibly engaging characters to life and make the reader care about those characters. Each character has both good and bad traits so that the reader has no choice but to identify with them in one way or another. For purely selfish reasons I hope that this series continues for many more books just so that I know that I can visit Oyster Bay and it's residents again and again.
November 24, 2019
The whole town is getting ready for a hurricane that will change relationships. But also she finds the body of a man buried in the sand and then she helps Laurel get her dream job...reporter for the local paper. When they start looking into the robberies of all the homes near them, they discover some things and then share it with the local police chief, Rawlings, who she is becoming closer to. This is the book where we learn that her father is still alive and that she has a half-brother!
I did enjoy this book. Sorry for the spoiler on the brother, but saving the other things for you to find for yourself. I have also been reading them out of order, which doesn't hurt the story, but you can read it in order and then meet the characters (like the half-brother and family) correctly.
I did enjoy this book. Sorry for the spoiler on the brother, but saving the other things for you to find for yourself. I have also been reading them out of order, which doesn't hurt the story, but you can read it in order and then meet the characters (like the half-brother and family) correctly.
September 25, 2018
I enjoyed the mystery so much more this time around. It was more involved and I felt that it was a bit more suspenseful. I also liked that we got to know Olivia better, and we learned about her past. There were places that seemed a bit rushed and I wished that the author would have taken more time toward the end to address Olivia's father, but overall it was good. Olivia in the first book and some of the other characters weren't written well and this time around the author made up for that. I'm still on the fence about this series and I'm anxious to read the third installment to see if I want to continue. :) 4 stars for the mystery and characterization.
April 22, 2020
I can't give Ellery Adams less than 5 stars yet. This is the second book in her Books by the Bay mysyery series
This book is. 9 hours 28 minutes on audio. Read by Karen White. Excellent narration.
I love the core characters. The concept of the book club is great. Olivia. the richest women in town and restaurant owner is slowly breaking away at her ice lady image and I love that. She is starting to open up to the Captain which ahe calls her poodle that goes everywhere with her.
What really caught my main interest in this was that this book has such a huge plot consisting of subplots so it keeps the book at a good flow and keeps your interest.
This book is. 9 hours 28 minutes on audio. Read by Karen White. Excellent narration.
I love the core characters. The concept of the book club is great. Olivia. the richest women in town and restaurant owner is slowly breaking away at her ice lady image and I love that. She is starting to open up to the Captain which ahe calls her poodle that goes everywhere with her.
What really caught my main interest in this was that this book has such a huge plot consisting of subplots so it keeps the book at a good flow and keeps your interest.
December 12, 2017
A Deadly Cliche by Ellery Adams brings the reader back to Oyster Bay. With Ms. Adams descriptive writing and complex characters I enjoyed every minute of this mystery. The twists and turns as this mystery progressed kept me listening/reading as I was clueless as to how a murder and random robberies could be connected. I enjoyed learning more about the Bayside Book Writers. Each one of the members are so much more than they seemed in the first book. It was also good to see Olivia finally get some answers to her own past mystery.
March 8, 2019
Kudos! Even better than the first book in the series and it was quite good. In this book we not only have a mystery to solve, but we see the characters really flesh out their personalities and exhibit more real emotions. Each character's backstory is slowly unfolding and it just makes the storylines that much stronger. An intriguing mystery to unravel that may put one or more of the characters in danger definitely keeps you turning pages or in my case listening! So far the series has been available on audiobook which definitely enhances my enjoyment!
January 21, 2020
Olivia and the Bayside writers have become more real in this book, and Olivia is downright likable. The mystery is a good one, but the happenings in Olivia's personal life were more engrossing for me than the solution to the crimes.
March 9, 2023
I was definitely more into the mystery surrounding her dad than the actual other mysteries that were happening. But overall kept me entertained.
April 2, 2025
Great narrator. Fun and intriguing series.
March 14, 2026
This was mostly awful but every once in a while there’d be a page or two where I’d think, “That was pretty good.” Those parts were few and far between but there were enough that I’m going to rate it two stars rather than one. There are way worse books such as Twilight. I mean, there wasn’t even a dog in that (werewolves aren’t dogs).
I’ll talk about the good stuff first.
The dog was the best part. She was wonderful, smart without being unrealistically so. She acted like a dog. She was very much a part of Olivia’s life and went with her everywhere.
The mystery starting with the burglaries was a good one. I liked the set up of the serial burglar come murderer and thought it was clever. I was too dumb to figure it out in my own but it was possible and I like that.
The idea of having a regular writing club as part of the plot was nice. I liked that they wrote a range of fiction.
Okay in order to keep this review coherent, I’m going to start talking about the bad with the good, not that there’s much more of the latter.
Two of the three writers they critiqued—one who wrote SF and one who wrote historical romance—were terrible, really bad, incredibly trite. Cliched. (And that wasn’t even a humorous subplot related to the book’s title.) But the feedback they got from the other writers in the group was mostly positive. The MC even thought positive thoughts in her head.
The one thing they complained about was a type of weapon that’s a common SF thing and they made it sound like it was really obscure and needed to be explained. It didn’t. And if it did, stopping the action to describe a gun would be jarring. It should be shown by how it affected the victim. But a book written so terribly as A Deadly Cliche shouldn’t be commenting on writing. (I will say that I thought the urban fantasy was decent and it’s a genre I read a lot so I know what I, at least, look for.)
The first murder was ignored for the first half of the book. They were much more worried about the hurricane which makes sense but not in a murder mystery. The part about the storm was interesting but not made relevant except for the tiny romance pieces. It needed to be interlaced with the mystery but it was like a few chapters from a different story were thrown in. We don’t have hurricanes here so I really liked the way the hurricane prep was described and the town’s expectations. It was hard to imagine having so much time to prepare. The natural disasters around here are flash flooding and earthquakes where there is no warning at all.
I liked that the culprits started with burglaries and then escalated to murder in a reasonable fashion…except for the murder in the beginning. That made no sense. I suspect it was thrown in to catch the reader and get them interested right away and that worked with me. In the previous book, it took the author a third of the way to get to the murder. Here it took much longer. So I think it’s possible she took negative feedback from the first book and tried to prevent it here but did so poorly.
I liked that she made a couple of families traumatized by the burglaries. While that hasn’t happened to me, my scooter was stolen when I was in college and it was my only transportation to school. I had to save money for ages to buy even an old used one. I loved that thing and when it was taken I felt so violated. I can imagine that having someone actually come into my house would be so horrible and it would feel so personal, not to mention I wouldn’t feel safe at all.
Now to the characters. Off the bat let’s just say that I hated the love triangle. I didn’t understand her attraction to the sheriff at all. The other guy was inconsistently described. At one point he’d seem super into her and the next he was appearing to be keeping other relationships from her. He even sort of got annoyed and secretive when she asked about a woman he was spending time with. I didn’t understand why she was with him, either.
I love that there’s a little person character. But “Dwarf” hasn’t been an acceptable term in decades. And I doubt the little person would be making jokes about her height outside of any relevant context. The other secondary characters were boring except her new friend who was both over excitable and very meek. She wasn’t realistic to me and she was annoying.
Worst of all was that I couldn’t stand the main character, Olivia. She encouraged her friend to lie to her family about where she was so the friend could do a job she loved. Olivia tried to bribe a receptionist to let her go first ahead of other patients like they didn’t need to be seen before her and as fast as she wanted to be. She wanted her test to be put ahead of the other people’s; she insisted that her alleged pregnancy test was more important than other people’s regarding shingles. What was super weird was that she was there for a paternity test which matches DNA and has to have a comparison sample. But she lied and told them she wanted a pregnancy test. That’s a test that measures a hormone in the urine and can be done in the doctor’s office within minutes just like at home. (I’m not sure why it’s more accurate but there must be some reason.) Shingles is diagnosed by an exam (it took like a minute in my case). Things apparently have changed, though. I had no idea that they could do a simple DNA test in a day and a court admissible one in like three! But they still have to compare it to something else. And the other tests she wanted to be put ahead of do not require DNA.
She’s also sexist. Olivia spent her time doing little except occasionally buying real estate and fixing it up. She wrote some but not a lot. The other women didn’t have jobs outside the house, either. They were all stay-at-home moms. That’s incredibly hard and under appreciated but it’s not breaking any stereotypes. The one woman who tried to branch out wasn’t supported by her husband who didn’t want her work to interfere with her taking care of the children or making dinner.
Of course the young son of the mayor, was the smart data about hurricanes spouter and the vapid older teenaged daughter got into an argument with her mom about having a Coke. Stereotype much—Phineas and Ferb/Rick and Morty/Fresh Prince, etc.? There are gobs of examples. Those are just three that come to mind.
Basically the author seems a little misogynistic. She makes comments such as someone who was being appropriately demanding and wanting answers was “acting like a suspicious wife,” and a woman said she found out another woman was a slut (after a couple of days of following her so how many people could she have slept with?) Those terms (including others like Trump or hussy) are about making it shameful for women to be sexual creatures.
Then she talks about friendship with women in a horrible way:
Seriously? What kind of terrible friends does the writer have? I don’t know any women who have been that type of person since high school. It’s appalling that she thinks of females as being that way.
In my review of the first book of the series I said, “I will not be continuing with this series.” I amended it to say, “…unless I need it for a challenge.” Now this one gave me excellent points for a challenge which was why I didn’t DNF it despite really wanting to, but I really need to stick to my assertion and not read more. I’m just so lured in by poodles.
The narrator, Karen White, was really good. She did a range of voices, had good inflection, and portrayed emotion well. My only complaint was that for a while in the beginning and a little bit throughout the rest of the book she was practically shouting for that excitable character I mentioned above. It was excessive.
I’ll talk about the good stuff first.
The dog was the best part. She was wonderful, smart without being unrealistically so. She acted like a dog. She was very much a part of Olivia’s life and went with her everywhere.
The mystery starting with the burglaries was a good one. I liked the set up of the serial burglar come murderer and thought it was clever. I was too dumb to figure it out in my own but it was possible and I like that.
The idea of having a regular writing club as part of the plot was nice. I liked that they wrote a range of fiction.
Okay in order to keep this review coherent, I’m going to start talking about the bad with the good, not that there’s much more of the latter.
Two of the three writers they critiqued—one who wrote SF and one who wrote historical romance—were terrible, really bad, incredibly trite. Cliched. (And that wasn’t even a humorous subplot related to the book’s title.) But the feedback they got from the other writers in the group was mostly positive. The MC even thought positive thoughts in her head.
The one thing they complained about was a type of weapon that’s a common SF thing and they made it sound like it was really obscure and needed to be explained. It didn’t. And if it did, stopping the action to describe a gun would be jarring. It should be shown by how it affected the victim. But a book written so terribly as A Deadly Cliche shouldn’t be commenting on writing. (I will say that I thought the urban fantasy was decent and it’s a genre I read a lot so I know what I, at least, look for.)
The first murder was ignored for the first half of the book. They were much more worried about the hurricane which makes sense but not in a murder mystery. The part about the storm was interesting but not made relevant except for the tiny romance pieces. It needed to be interlaced with the mystery but it was like a few chapters from a different story were thrown in. We don’t have hurricanes here so I really liked the way the hurricane prep was described and the town’s expectations. It was hard to imagine having so much time to prepare. The natural disasters around here are flash flooding and earthquakes where there is no warning at all.
I liked that the culprits started with burglaries and then escalated to murder in a reasonable fashion…except for the murder in the beginning. That made no sense. I suspect it was thrown in to catch the reader and get them interested right away and that worked with me. In the previous book, it took the author a third of the way to get to the murder. Here it took much longer. So I think it’s possible she took negative feedback from the first book and tried to prevent it here but did so poorly.
I liked that she made a couple of families traumatized by the burglaries. While that hasn’t happened to me, my scooter was stolen when I was in college and it was my only transportation to school. I had to save money for ages to buy even an old used one. I loved that thing and when it was taken I felt so violated. I can imagine that having someone actually come into my house would be so horrible and it would feel so personal, not to mention I wouldn’t feel safe at all.
Now to the characters. Off the bat let’s just say that I hated the love triangle. I didn’t understand her attraction to the sheriff at all. The other guy was inconsistently described. At one point he’d seem super into her and the next he was appearing to be keeping other relationships from her. He even sort of got annoyed and secretive when she asked about a woman he was spending time with. I didn’t understand why she was with him, either.
I love that there’s a little person character. But “Dwarf” hasn’t been an acceptable term in decades. And I doubt the little person would be making jokes about her height outside of any relevant context. The other secondary characters were boring except her new friend who was both over excitable and very meek. She wasn’t realistic to me and she was annoying.
Worst of all was that I couldn’t stand the main character, Olivia. She encouraged her friend to lie to her family about where she was so the friend could do a job she loved. Olivia tried to bribe a receptionist to let her go first ahead of other patients like they didn’t need to be seen before her and as fast as she wanted to be. She wanted her test to be put ahead of the other people’s; she insisted that her alleged pregnancy test was more important than other people’s regarding shingles. What was super weird was that she was there for a paternity test which matches DNA and has to have a comparison sample. But she lied and told them she wanted a pregnancy test. That’s a test that measures a hormone in the urine and can be done in the doctor’s office within minutes just like at home. (I’m not sure why it’s more accurate but there must be some reason.) Shingles is diagnosed by an exam (it took like a minute in my case). Things apparently have changed, though. I had no idea that they could do a simple DNA test in a day and a court admissible one in like three! But they still have to compare it to something else. And the other tests she wanted to be put ahead of do not require DNA.
She’s also sexist. Olivia spent her time doing little except occasionally buying real estate and fixing it up. She wrote some but not a lot. The other women didn’t have jobs outside the house, either. They were all stay-at-home moms. That’s incredibly hard and under appreciated but it’s not breaking any stereotypes. The one woman who tried to branch out wasn’t supported by her husband who didn’t want her work to interfere with her taking care of the children or making dinner.
Of course the young son of the mayor, was the smart data about hurricanes spouter and the vapid older teenaged daughter got into an argument with her mom about having a Coke. Stereotype much—Phineas and Ferb/Rick and Morty/Fresh Prince, etc.? There are gobs of examples. Those are just three that come to mind.
Basically the author seems a little misogynistic. She makes comments such as someone who was being appropriately demanding and wanting answers was “acting like a suspicious wife,” and a woman said she found out another woman was a slut (after a couple of days of following her so how many people could she have slept with?) Those terms (including others like Trump or hussy) are about making it shameful for women to be sexual creatures.
Then she talks about friendship with women in a horrible way:
“It’s not easy to become friends with another woman who honestly wants the best for you. Usually we women can’t escape our need to compete with each other, to fight about who’s prettier, richer, smarter. Who has cuter kids, a more devoted husband, the lower golf score.”
Seriously? What kind of terrible friends does the writer have? I don’t know any women who have been that type of person since high school. It’s appalling that she thinks of females as being that way.
In my review of the first book of the series I said, “I will not be continuing with this series.” I amended it to say, “…unless I need it for a challenge.” Now this one gave me excellent points for a challenge which was why I didn’t DNF it despite really wanting to, but I really need to stick to my assertion and not read more. I’m just so lured in by poodles.
The narrator, Karen White, was really good. She did a range of voices, had good inflection, and portrayed emotion well. My only complaint was that for a while in the beginning and a little bit throughout the rest of the book she was practically shouting for that excitable character I mentioned above. It was excessive.
January 16, 2016
We are back in Oyster Bay, North Carolina with Olivia and The Bayside Book Writers. The quiet seaside town has seen a rash of burglaries of late and as Olivia and her wonderful dog Haviland, have discovered a body while on their morning walk along the beach. Add to that there's a tropical storm headed straight for Oyster Bay and you have the beginning of a great Books By The Bay Mystery.
Are all the crimes connected? The Bayside Book Writers are busy deciphering the clues left by the thieves. At one scene a stick of butter in left out on the counter with a knife through it. Another is a deck of cards with a queen missing. Yet at another, dolls with silver spoons in their mouths. It doesn't take Olivia long to realize each clue represents a cliché.
Now they just need to figure out who is leaving the clues and why and follow the clues to find the killer.
There is also an old mystery solved in the pages of this book, one that has plagued Olivia for years. Will she find the answers she has been looking for? Will she be able to forgive others and move on with her life?
I LOVED IT!!!!!
The author of this series is truly talented because these books are not just one story, but several stories tied together in the pages of each book. Not only does she have to write the main mystery for us to enjoy, she also must write all the stories that the Bayside Book Writers are writing, that they get together to critique each week. She has to write all this is such a way that we immerse ourselves in each and every story while following the clues to solve the actual Oyster Bay crimes. While I am sure this is a difficult process, by the time these books reach our hot little hands, it seems effortless, and we fall right in to all of them and escape into the pages of each book.
This book also picks up where the last one leaves off as the friendships of the characters continue naturally and Olivia continues to help those in need. One thing I love about the books by Ellery Adams is that she can write a well multifaceted books that are so more than wonderful mysteries, they are relate-able stories of the lives of the people of Oyster Bay. We, the readers, are taken to the seaside town and become part of their stories. Her way with words, her vivid descriptions, the character's conversations, make us feel right at home as we take a mini vacation to this beautiful seaside town. I can't wait to set off on the next trip when the next book in this series hits the shelves. Thank you Ellery for a great "escape" into another wonderful book.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Obsidion, a division of Penguin Publishing. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Are all the crimes connected? The Bayside Book Writers are busy deciphering the clues left by the thieves. At one scene a stick of butter in left out on the counter with a knife through it. Another is a deck of cards with a queen missing. Yet at another, dolls with silver spoons in their mouths. It doesn't take Olivia long to realize each clue represents a cliché.
Now they just need to figure out who is leaving the clues and why and follow the clues to find the killer.
There is also an old mystery solved in the pages of this book, one that has plagued Olivia for years. Will she find the answers she has been looking for? Will she be able to forgive others and move on with her life?
I LOVED IT!!!!!
The author of this series is truly talented because these books are not just one story, but several stories tied together in the pages of each book. Not only does she have to write the main mystery for us to enjoy, she also must write all the stories that the Bayside Book Writers are writing, that they get together to critique each week. She has to write all this is such a way that we immerse ourselves in each and every story while following the clues to solve the actual Oyster Bay crimes. While I am sure this is a difficult process, by the time these books reach our hot little hands, it seems effortless, and we fall right in to all of them and escape into the pages of each book.
This book also picks up where the last one leaves off as the friendships of the characters continue naturally and Olivia continues to help those in need. One thing I love about the books by Ellery Adams is that she can write a well multifaceted books that are so more than wonderful mysteries, they are relate-able stories of the lives of the people of Oyster Bay. We, the readers, are taken to the seaside town and become part of their stories. Her way with words, her vivid descriptions, the character's conversations, make us feel right at home as we take a mini vacation to this beautiful seaside town. I can't wait to set off on the next trip when the next book in this series hits the shelves. Thank you Ellery for a great "escape" into another wonderful book.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Obsidion, a division of Penguin Publishing. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
July 16, 2016
I really like this book! Even though it was the second in the series and I haven't read the first, I didn't feel like I was jumping in the middle. The characters were solid and I could picture them and their personalities clearly. There were some stereotypes, but not enough to make the characters fall flat. Olivia herself was not what I was expected. At first she was a serious women who clearly tried to distance herself from those around her. But as the story went on, you could see how she was actually a very caring person who wasn't ambivalent towards her fellow townspeople and was definitely softening up a bit. She did like to flaunt her money, but mostly to the good of others, so I tried not to let it bother me.
There weren't a lot of clues as to who the thieves were and I had no guess as to who the culprits were, so that was an interesting surprise. The drama in Olivia's personal life was interesting too. Love Olivia's constant companion Haviland, but think it's strange she takes him into restaurants with even a thought that maybe it's inappropriate for the owners and the patrons (this irked me a lot). I appreciate that Olivia is more mature in age and thoughts/actions than some other cozy characters. I LOVED the excerpts included from each writer in the club and hope we get to see more. They were so well written that I would actually go out and buy each one if they were real. I need to go back and read the first in this series ASAP.
There weren't a lot of clues as to who the thieves were and I had no guess as to who the culprits were, so that was an interesting surprise. The drama in Olivia's personal life was interesting too. Love Olivia's constant companion Haviland, but think it's strange she takes him into restaurants with even a thought that maybe it's inappropriate for the owners and the patrons (this irked me a lot). I appreciate that Olivia is more mature in age and thoughts/actions than some other cozy characters. I LOVED the excerpts included from each writer in the club and hope we get to see more. They were so well written that I would actually go out and buy each one if they were real. I need to go back and read the first in this series ASAP.
March 26, 2011
We’re back in Oyster Bay with the Bayside Book Writers group. Olivia Limoges, on her regular morning walk along the beach with her beloved standard poodle, Captain Haviland, finds a dead body buried in the sand up to his head. Off we go on a fast-paced string of robberies and murder as Olivia and the Bayside Book Writers, a disparate group of people brought together by their common love of books and their desire to write, work together to understand the clues left by the perpetrators in the form of staged clichés and solve the crimes.
The members of the Bayside Book Writers, first introduced in A Killer Plot, are becoming so much more than the sum of their parts. As they learn, grow, and develop, they are becoming a really cohesive team. This development of the characters is strongest with Olivia and Laurel, but includes the entire group. I‘ve come to really like these people and care about them and the choices they are making in their lives. The stories within the story are also fascinating and I look forward to reading more of each of the Bayside Book Writers work.
As Olivia and Laurel interview the victims and try to find the common denominator among them, Olivia also must deal with the news that her father, long lost and presumed dead, may still be alive. She also starts to examine her own feelings regarding the place that love should hold in her life. And, we have all of this in the midst of the approach and aftermath of a major hurricane.
I found this book to be hard to put down and, when I had to put it down to do other things, I found myself thinking about it. I was in tears during the ending chapters. I can’t wait for the next book in this series, The Last Word, to come out.
Beware the teaser chapter, it will draw you in and leave you yearning for more.
The members of the Bayside Book Writers, first introduced in A Killer Plot, are becoming so much more than the sum of their parts. As they learn, grow, and develop, they are becoming a really cohesive team. This development of the characters is strongest with Olivia and Laurel, but includes the entire group. I‘ve come to really like these people and care about them and the choices they are making in their lives. The stories within the story are also fascinating and I look forward to reading more of each of the Bayside Book Writers work.
As Olivia and Laurel interview the victims and try to find the common denominator among them, Olivia also must deal with the news that her father, long lost and presumed dead, may still be alive. She also starts to examine her own feelings regarding the place that love should hold in her life. And, we have all of this in the midst of the approach and aftermath of a major hurricane.
I found this book to be hard to put down and, when I had to put it down to do other things, I found myself thinking about it. I was in tears during the ending chapters. I can’t wait for the next book in this series, The Last Word, to come out.
Beware the teaser chapter, it will draw you in and leave you yearning for more.
February 16, 2017
Olivia is definitely a different kind of cozy heroine - less the fluffy, everybody loves her kind than many.
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