Killer Characters

Books by the Bay Mystery Series, Book 8

By: Ellery Adams

Narrated by: Karen White

Length: 9 hrs and 24 mins

Publisher's summary

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.

Another fantastic book by Ellery Adams!

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

Loved it!

I loved the story! Hope this is not the end of the series. I think the ending left many stories to be told. Can't believe how some readers reacted! Or should I say, "Over reacted". Looking forward to the next book in the series!

The ending

I have listened to the entire series and have enjoyed the characters and their developing friendships and their lives but I 'm really sorry because I HATED the ending. it just seemed so harsh and uncalled. i enjoyed the rest of the book. It seemed to have interesting twists but the ending really hurt.

What?

This is my favorite series and I have so enjoyed each one, but the ending of this one
was awful! Why kill one of the best characters? Ridiculous!

The story has been ruined

I can't be the first person that has told you how disappointed they are that you killed off somewhere. I don't know if you're going to continue the books about Olivia or not, I don't know if I want to read them with her as a widow. I loved her so much with Sawyer I was crying and I'm not happy

Nice addition until the end

Ellery Adams has written a nice story, although I was not happy with the ending. I don't believe in spoilers in my reviews so all I can say is I hope there are more to come in this series. Karen White, as always gave a wonderful performance.

I hope she writes some more

This one had the most complex characters and the most action. Every part was a surprise. A lot to think about and keep track of without being overwhelming! It's important to read these books in order.