A Killer Plot review

A Killer Plot by Ellery Adams, who apparently also writes as Jennifer Stanley, is the first book in the Books by the Bay series of cozy mysteries set in small town North Carolina. It was a decent book if a little slow but I'm not sure if I'll read the second.

The main character, Olivia is snobby, pretentious, loaded and seems to think money means everything and can get you everything. She has some trust issues based on her father but I didn't really feel bad for her since she seemed to treat everyone like they work for her. She is also a struggling novelist who has been working on her book for years.

The redeeming feature of A Killer Plot were the incredibly entertaining supporting characters. From the diner owners to the computer geek to the gossip columnist - they were fun to read and I wanted to know more about them and spend more time with them.

Unfortunately, another problem with the book were the supposed love interests for Olivia. They were not at all believable in the sense that Olivia is so standoffish and aloof that having her truly be interested in them defies her character completely.

When it comes to mysteries, I do not want to be able to guess the whodunnit until very close to the end, or ideally, until it is revealed. I guessed the murderer almost as soon as the character's introduction in A Killer Plot which meant that the ending was a bit of a let down. I had hoped for some crazy twist that would mean I was totally off base but that didn't happen.

Overall, if you just want a quick read and don't mind that the secondary characters are better than the main, A Killer Plot might be right up your alley.

Synopsis

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 the day she left—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 with 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.