Helpful Score: 9
A BOOKS BY THE BAY MYSTERY
Release Date June 1, 2010 Paperback and Kindle
A new series set in Oyster Bay, North Carolina, where Olivia Limoges returns to her home town after many years away, her return as mysterious as her leaving has everyone in town is talking about her. She keeps to herself, with her talented dog Captain Haviland and is working on her unfinished manuscript, unfortunately at the moment she is suffering from a severe case of "writer's block". At the local diner she meets charming young man, Camden Ford, and with a little help from diminutive Dixie the waitress, she agrees to join The Bayside Book Writers where she actually makes a few friends.
Sadly one of her new friends ends up dead in an alley with an obscure Haiku poem left with his body and his will not be the only body found before this mystery is solved. Olivia enlists the help of The Bayside Book Writers to help the police find the killer.
I LIKED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is a really fun mystery, there are so many quirky characters, and a captivating plot. We learn enough about Olivia's past and her potential romances that will keep us wanting more stories from Oyster Bay. I am terribly jealous of Captain Haviland as my 2 dogs can barely sit still for a minute let alone help sniff out a killer. Please Ellery don't make us wait too long for another visit with Olivia and the people of Oyster Bay.
To find out more about Ellery Adams visit her web site at http://elleryadamsmysteries.com/ .
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from The Berkley Publishing Group 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 Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 : Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
Release Date June 1, 2010 Paperback and Kindle
A new series set in Oyster Bay, North Carolina, where Olivia Limoges returns to her home town after many years away, her return as mysterious as her leaving has everyone in town is talking about her. She keeps to herself, with her talented dog Captain Haviland and is working on her unfinished manuscript, unfortunately at the moment she is suffering from a severe case of "writer's block". At the local diner she meets charming young man, Camden Ford, and with a little help from diminutive Dixie the waitress, she agrees to join The Bayside Book Writers where she actually makes a few friends.
Sadly one of her new friends ends up dead in an alley with an obscure Haiku poem left with his body and his will not be the only body found before this mystery is solved. Olivia enlists the help of The Bayside Book Writers to help the police find the killer.
I LIKED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is a really fun mystery, there are so many quirky characters, and a captivating plot. We learn enough about Olivia's past and her potential romances that will keep us wanting more stories from Oyster Bay. I am terribly jealous of Captain Haviland as my 2 dogs can barely sit still for a minute let alone help sniff out a killer. Please Ellery don't make us wait too long for another visit with Olivia and the people of Oyster Bay.
To find out more about Ellery Adams visit her web site at http://elleryadamsmysteries.com/ .
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from The Berkley Publishing Group 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 Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 : Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
Cathy C. (cathyskye) -
Helpful Score: 5
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!
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!
Helpful Score: 5
Im pretty torn with my thoughts on this book.
It started out with a really good bang and then midway through, it fell flat. I had a hard time connecting with the main character being that she is 40ish, filthy rich and the topic of the town gosip. She takes her dog everywhere with her, without reprocussion, and about every 2-3 pages shes feeding her poodle some gawd awful garbage enough to give anyone a heart attack. The poodle however was probably the best character here. Hes well mannored obeys every single command, and yet that just adds to the un-believeable-ness to the book.
Id say the book was about 100 pages too long at most. But the author did a great job describing the scenery, and I really enjoyed one of the secondary characters "Dixie"
I probably wont follow up with the next book in the series.
It started out with a really good bang and then midway through, it fell flat. I had a hard time connecting with the main character being that she is 40ish, filthy rich and the topic of the town gosip. She takes her dog everywhere with her, without reprocussion, and about every 2-3 pages shes feeding her poodle some gawd awful garbage enough to give anyone a heart attack. The poodle however was probably the best character here. Hes well mannored obeys every single command, and yet that just adds to the un-believeable-ness to the book.
Id say the book was about 100 pages too long at most. But the author did a great job describing the scenery, and I really enjoyed one of the secondary characters "Dixie"
I probably wont follow up with the next book in the series.
Helpful Score: 3
Sort of liked it, sort of not crazy about it- I liked the premise and there was enough action to keep the plot rolling, but there was too much devoted to Olivia walking her dog, feeding her dog, etc. And while I did not guess the identity of the killer, I wasn't thrilled with the motive. It made sense in a way, but there was one part I still don't exactly get. I may read the second in the series if the premise sounds good. We'll see.
Helpful Score: 1
fun light mystery. enjoyed it. want to read more by this author.
