Book Review: A Killer Plot by Ellery Adams

A Killer Plot
Ellery Adams
Berkley, 2010
ISBN 042523522X
Mass Market Paperback

Olivia Limoges is a wealthy resident of Oyster Bay, North Carolina, and is a bit of a loner with a mysterious past in this beach town where she lived as a child.  Her wealth gives her an air of entitlement, despite a very sad and troubled childhood that makes her the target of much gossip, but she would like to fit in better.   Unfortunately, her social graces are somewhat lacking or, at least, well hidden, and she spends most of her time with her standard poodle, Captain Haviland, and works on an unfinished novel.

Then Olivia meets Camden Ford, a gossip hound and would-be tell-all biographer who is in town digging up dirt on a celebrity staying nearby. Camden is a member of the Bayside Book Writers, a critique group, and invites Olivia to join.  His motives in doing so are not entirely altruistic—the group needs a better place to meet and Olivia has the space—but his charm wins her over with a little push from Dixie, a waitress with her own kind of eccentricity.

Olivia discovers that she actually does like these people and is settling in to the critiquing routine when one of her new friends turns up dead.   For a couple of reasons that actually make some sense, the local police chief welcomes a little sleuthing by the group and they do indeed come up with some useful information.  Along the way, a side story involves the town’s reaction to proposed development that could change the character of the town, causing a good deal of anguish.  Then another body is found.

Having been published early this summer, this mystery set in a coastal town is an obvious and worthy beach read.  Ms. Adams, who has written three other mystery series under two different pen names, has created a very likeable group of characters who have been given enough depth to make the reader engage with them and care what happens to them. This is true not only of the primary characters but also the secondary and that’s refreshing.   Olivia herself is NOT immediately appealing and learning what makes her who she is strengthened my enjoyment.   I found one of the book group members to be a bit irritating but it was in the sense of knowing she’d drive me crazy if I had to spend too much time with her in real life; in fiction, my annoyance level was moderate—and I wouldn’t particularly care for a cast of characters that are unrelentingly likeable.  That would be more than a little boring, I believe.

The mystery itself is well-plotted and I didn’t guess who the killer was.  The only difficulty I had was I thought the killer’s motive was a little far-fetched but not unreasonably so.   There is also a hint of romance that the author offers in a light-handed way.  This first in the Books by the Bay series is a very good start and I’m looking forward to the next one.

Note:  I have known this author for several years, having met her through my bookstore and hosted signings.  Having read all her other books, I can honestly say this is the most intriguing and my opinion is not influenced by the fact that I know Ms. Adams.  I would feel the same if it had been written by Jane Doe.

Reviewed by Lelia Taylor, August 2010.

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August 30, 2010  Tags: , , , ,   Posted in: Full Reviews, My Reviews

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