THE LAST WORD, by Ellery Adams, is officially out (and it's already waiting for me on my Kindle). It's the third book in her Books By The Bay Mysteries.
Yeah, yeah, she's my friend and works on my book trailers --- yada yada yada --- but she also happens to be a gifted author (I am awed by her power of description), and I love this series. Maybe because it's about a group of people from different walks of life critiquing their writing. Maybe because the woman who started the group has a a beautiful standard poodle she loves with all her heart. Maybe because this same woman has a dark past and is afraid to trust, but has a heart as big as the ocean she lives on.
Book #1, A Killer Plot: In the small coastal town of Oyster Bay, North Carolina, you'll find plenty of characters, ne'er-do-wells, and even a few celebs trying to duck the paparazzi. But when murder joins this curious community, the Bayside Book Writers are there to get the story... Olivia Limoges is the subject of constant gossip. Ever since she came back to town-a return as mysterious as her departure-Olivia has kept to herself, her dog, and her unfinished novel. With a little cajoling from the eminently charming writer Camden Ford, she agrees to join the Bayside Book Writers, break her writer's block, and even make a few friends... But when townspeople start turning up dead with haiku poems left by the bodies, anyone with a flair for language is suddenly suspect. And it's up to Olivia to catch the killer before she meets her own surprise ending.Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble
Book #2: A Deadly Cliche: 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?Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble
Book #3: The Last Word: Olivia Limoges and the Bayside Book Writers are excited about Oyster Bay's newest resident: bestselling novelist Nick Plumley, who's come to work on his next book. But when Olivia stops by Plumley's rental she finds that he's been strangled to death. Her instincts tell her that something from the past came back to haunt him, but she never expects that the investigation could spell doom for one of her dearest friends...Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble
This is a crucial time for the series. While Ellery has already written a 4th book, it's up in the air if the publisher will go for a 5th. It all depends on sales. Do me a favor; if you love cozy mysteries and you haven't read/bought this series yet ...DO IT. You will not be disappointed.
Selfishly, I hope Ellery will be writing about Olivia and Captain Haviland for many years to come.
I hope you feel the same way, too.
