A KILLER PLOT: Books by the Bay Mystery - Ellery Adams

From the back of the book:
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 her departure-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 by 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.

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I read A DEADLY CLICHE, second in the series, in March (http://iyamvixenbooks.blogspot.com/2011/03/deadly-cliche-books-by-bay-mystery.html) and highly enjoyed it (five sparkly diamonds).

A KILLER PLOT is first in the series and it's only the eensiest bit less polished than the follow up and I know the third, THE LAST WORD, out 6 Dec 2011 (and already on the WWBL), will be even better. That's what I like about a good writer with a good mystery series, each book gets niftier and more unputdownable (it's a word, dagnabbit)

Ellery Adams makes me want to move to Oyster Bay, North Carolina and have a standard poodle like Captain Haviland as my trusty sidekick as I walk along the beach with my metal detector looking for treasure.

I liked watching how Olivia Limoges, the main character, grow from cautious and rather reclusive wealthy woman to coming out of her shell to become a member of a writers group and making more friends. Except that the one joyously flamboyantly charming man who helped bring her out is killed and she is both saddened and angry enough to want to find the killer herself.

The mystery and clues move the story along and I really enjoyed my quiet shift that allowed me to read and finish the book in one sitting.

Four sparkly treasure huntin' diamonds.....