A Deadly Cliche (A Books by the Bay Mystery)

"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. Last 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.

This second book in the series is even better than the first. Olivia really blooms in this selection; learning more about her past, we get to know her better and understand what makes her tick. The Bayside Book Writers are also fleshed out more in this edition. There is plenty of mystery, crime, suspense, sadness and laughs to go around. Romance is brewing and Captain Haviland is a hero! I enjoyed it and have already started the next in the series. A Deadly Cliche (A Books by the Bay Mystery)

"A Deadly Cliché" is book no. 2 in this series about a strong-willed, self-contained, woman of wealth who lives in the fictional seaside town of Oyster Bay, North Carolina. Olivia Limoges (like the china) goes quietly about her business, living simply but comfortably, spending time with her standard poodle, Captain Haviland, unobtrusively helping her neighbors when she can, and, of course, solving murders. At the start of this book, Olivia is walking Captain Haviland along the seashore when she sees something that catches her eye in the distance. She investigates and finds what's left of a man's head hidden under a bucket. The next thing she knows, the town is hit by a string of strange but harmless burglaries, until someone else gets killed. Olivia and the members of her writing critique group, the Bayside Book Writers, spend time trying to solve the crimes and decode the cliché hints left at each scene. Oyster Bay Police Chief Sawyer Rawlings, a member of the writers' group, reluctantly asks the group to keep its ears open and share any gossip regarding the crimes and deaths. Olivia is instrumental in solving the murders, while solving the 30-year-old mystery of what happened to her father. I was caught up in the story, from the opening scene of the town preparing for a major storm, through the various crimes, to the surprise ending, and I was bereft when the book ended. The characters are memorable, complex and likeable, even the secondary ones. Olivia reminds me of Kate Fansler, from Amanda Cross's collegiate mystery series. Like Cross, Ellery Adams writes a clean, literate series with complex dialogue and captivating plots and subplots. I feel smarter when I'm done. And I have such a great time along the way, I don't realize she's slipping in some education. Adams also writes the Charmed Pie Shoppe mysteries, which while completely different from the Books by the Bay series, are equally entertaining and well-written. Show more Show less

This is an excellent story. I love the mystery, the characters & the relationships.

I have never read any of Ellery Adams books . what have I missed? this one is a great . so if you haven't tried any go and start with this one.

Fabulous read. Good for bed or beach or plane or hospital waiting room or bus stop ...you get the idea!

Always a pleasure to return to a favourite author.

Good