Killer Characters

Books by the Bay Mystery Series, Book 8

By: Ellery Adams

Narrated by: Karen White

Restaurant owner and aspiring novelist Olivia Limoges is happily enjoying her new marriage. Sadly, the same doesn't hold true for Laurel, a fellow Bayside Book Writer. While struggling with a demanding job, twin boys, and a terminally ill mother-in-law, Laurel learns that her perfect marriage is mostly fictional. When she catches her husband fooling around with his mother's hospice nurse, she issues impassioned threats that will later come back to haunt her.

After the nurse meets a deadly denouement, Chief Rawlings is forced to take Laurel into custody. While Olivia protests the arrest, the rest of the Bayside Book Writers become a group divided, with Rawlings and Harris on one side and Olivia and Millay on the other. Now the women must race against the clock to prove that Laurel's not the sort for murder, before her story ends in tragedy.

©2017 Ellery Adams (P)2017 Tantor

Fantastic conclusion to an amazing series

Ellery Adams’s eighth and final book in her Books by the Bay series, Killer Characters, is a powerful conclusion to the series. Laurel, one of the Bayside Book Writers where Olivia Limoges has found a family, is dealing with the impending death of her mother-in-law and leans on Olivia for help. While at Laurel’s parents-in-law’s house, Olivia overhears a conversation that makes her suspect that Steve, Laurel’s husband, may be cheating on Laurel with the palliative care nurse. After much soul-searching and discussion with her husband, police chief Sawyer Rawlings, Olivia tells Laurel about this conversation, so Laurel goes to confront Steve, catching him in the act. With the final words of “I want to see you fry,” Laurel storms off. The next day, Rawlings has to tell Olivia that Stacy, Steve’s mistress, has been found in a car that exploded and Laurel has been arrested.

This case leads to a division of the Bayside Book Writers, since both Rawlings and Harris work for the police department and can’t investigate openly on Laurel’s behalf, so Olivia and Millay have to do their work without the others. But the problem is that Laurel, who had been seen to confront Stacy in anger, has no recollection of the day. Put in the hospital for PTSD, Laurel eventually gets released for lack of evidence, but she still faces suspicion among the community. So her friends work hard to clear her name.

I have loved every book Ellery Adams has written, and she doesn’t disappoint in the power of her writing. I listened to all nine Anna a half hours of this audiobook in one stretch because it drew me in so much. Besides having a great mystery plot, this book draws its characters so well. But what I really love is the way the characters develop over the course of the series. Olivia goes from a lonely, miserable recluse in the first book to a woman with a loving husband, close friends, and the endearment of the community. She has developed strong resilience. The Bayside Book Writers have really grown in their personal characters and their relationships with each other over the course of the books.

Karen White performs the audio edition of the book and really brings this book to life. With such excellent material to work with, White just adds to the strength of the book. I’m so glad that they have such a strong reader for this series, making it all the more powerful. She gives great voices for the characters and is expressive without being overly dramatic.

I was highly impressed and stirred by this incredible conclusion to one of the best mystery series in existence. Killer Characters has the same power as the best of the other books in this series and deserves all the accolades it will receive. I give it five bright shining stars!

Why?

The ending just breaks my heart. I don’t understand why it had to happen that way.

Killer Characters

This was a bittersweet read for me. I love this series & the strength of characters & character development in each book. Olivia Limoges has over time become a more caring person who does her best to be there for her friends. She loves her Standard Poodle, Captain Haviland & her new husband, Sawyer Rawlings. Her good friend, Laurel, is arrested for a crime she didn’t commit & Olivia is determined to do all she can to help clear her name. Her new husband, Chief of Police Sawyer Rawlings, has to do his job & arrest Laurel but he isn’t happy about it as Laurel is his friend too. The story doesn’t have the ending I would have preferred but life doesn’t always give us wonderful storybook endings. I have enjoyed reading this series, appreciate the gift of writing it by the author & the narrator did a good job.

Flattened

I’d read the other reviews, because of them, put off listening to this book, the last in this amazing series. I must have enjoyed it immensely. I had to wait a while, absorb the ending and think. Such a wonderful series, I’m glad I listened to them, one after the other but I’m flattened by the ending. I enjoy stories that get under my skin, I lived in North and South Carolina, beautiful states, beautiful ocean. So I understood, could feel the ocean, Ellery made me smell the ocean again. It’s a beautiful series, wonderful characters but the ending wiped me out. I don’t like this feeling but it just confirms how she got me invested in each every character. Thank you!

Not as strong as earlier Bayside books

The narrator was great, but the story was somewhat convoluted. It was quite dark for a cozy mystery, but because Ellery Adams is a strong writer, that doesn't bother me. I was, however, deeply saddened by the ending. I didn't get to see the letter that Ellery Adams published within the book itself explaining that the series was ending, because it was not included in the audio book. I'm very curious about why she made the choices she did as a way to end the series. Of all of the Bayside books, my favorite one is the one with the swamp witch.

Anger and tears

This book is more complex and realistic than the previous books in this series. Overall, I enjoyed the book. However, I didn't like the ending. I also got the impression that this might be the last book in the series. I hope I'm wrong. But, if I'm right, this has been a very good series.

Wow, I did not expect that!

!!Review Does NOT Contain Spoilers!!

I have been on this journey with Olivia & the others since Book 1. Ellery Adams has the ability to make you feel like you have a close personal connection to them. They are more than just characters on a page, they feel like a part of you. Olivia began as an ice queen & has slowly evolved into one of the most caring generous friends & someone I wish I knew in real life. That's why the end of this book feels so utterly shocking. Without giving a spoiler, just be prepared for a jarring conclusion. I tend to agree with most reviewers and say it was not necessary. Some events feel like they make sense. This didn't. There was absolutely no reason to do this to her loyal fans. This is also the first time Ellery made an artistic choice this shocking & unexpected. So, perhaps that's why we all find it so surprising. She's known for blending truth and reality into her books (which is why we love her writing). But this didn't feel like either..

I digress. Let's talk about the rest of the book. It's a bit different in a few other ways. 1. We don't get to read parts of the bayside book club's work. It's typically fused into the story, but this time no one was writing & there were no actual book meetings. 2. We saw little of Dixie & none of grumpy, which was a bit of a let down... however 3. I loved that things come full circle for Laurel. Since the beginning trouble has been brewing in her family life & this story brings that full circle to a conclusion.

All in all I adore this series. It's very special to me and I feel conflicted about its end. I'm not sure if this is THE end or more is to come. Either way, I hope to trust Ellery that she has plans going forward.

Wow!

Good book... Only one question........WHY ??????? This was shocking to say the very least!!!!! I guess we will just have to wait and see

One of my favorite series...

One of my favorite series, my favorite book thus far. I can't wait for the next one.

Another fantastic book by Ellery Adams!

This held my attention through every chapter. These characters are so wonderful. Bravo Ellery Adams!