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    A Deadly Cliché
    A Deadly Cliché
    A Deadly Cliché
    Audiobook9 hours

    A Deadly Cliché

    Written by Ellery Adams

    Narrated by Karen White

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    While walking her poodle, Olivia Limoges discovers a dead body buried in the sand. Could it be connected to the bizarre burglaries plaguing Oyster Bay, North Carolina? At every crime scene, the thieves set up odd tableaus: a stick of butter with a knife through it, dolls with silver spoons in their mouths, a deck of cards with a missing queen. Olivia realizes that each setup represents a cliche. And who better to decode the cliche clues than her Bayside Book Writers group?
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateSep 1, 2015
    ISBN9781494586232
    A Deadly Cliché
    Author

    Ellery Adams

    Ellery Adams has written over forty mystery novels and can’t imagine spending a day away from the keyboard. Ms. Adams, a native New Yorker, has had a lifelong love affair with stories, food, rescue animals, and large bodies of water. When not working on her next novel, she reads, bakes, gardens, spoils her three cats, and rearranges her bookshelves. She lives with her husband and two children (aka the Trolls) in Chapel Hill, NC. For reading guides and a list of bibliotherapy titles, please visit ElleryAdamsMysteries.com.

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    Reviews for A Deadly Cliché

    4/5

    132 ratings18 reviews

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    • 3/5
      A Deadly Clich? leaves the reader in suspense, in guessing a reason for the book's name, and in reasoning out why the book's promotional tag as "wordplay becomes foul play" appears on the paperback jacket, until mid-book. Through a deliberate crafting of the human interest element in this engaging story, the author takes the time to develop the characters of the restaurant owner Olivia Limoges, her casual love interest Flynn, her developing love interest Chief Rawlings, the book club participants, and the setting of Oyster Bay , before she sets out to toss the ingredients of her mystery together. Ellery Adams has simultaneously introduced an immediate suspense element in her plot, and a long-standing suspense element in her plot. The immediate mystery to solve is the unexplained discovery of a dead body on the beach. Through character development, the other suspense element is an unsolved mystery of Olivia's missing father's whereabouts, which she later finds is really unsolved. Olivia becomes a driving force behind investigating and solving both mysteries. Although there are quite a number of clue introduction shortcuts by using the device of having Chief Rawlings fill in the detective staff's conclusions of many parts of this evolving mystery, the characters are very engaging and the themes are very appealing to American culture in the current milieu.
    • 2/5
      I did not enjoy the reader. Need the reader from her other series.
    • 5/5
      The murder of an unknown man and a series of home break-ins plague the coastal town of Oyster Bay, North Carolina. At the site of each crime, the criminal (or criminals) leave behind a cryptic clue – in the form of a clichéd phrase: a knife through butter, etc. But what can they mean? When one break-in ends in murder, everyone in town is shaken once again. That includes the Oyster Bay Writers’ Group, including Olivia Limoges and Sawyer Rawlings. Olivia is the richest lady in town and Rawlings is the sheriff. With the two of them teamed, how can they lose? This is a delightful series with great characters, primary and secondary, and lovely sub-plots. In A Deadly Cliché, one of those sub-plots involves a letter Olivia receives regarding the father she has long thought to be dead. She hasn’t seen him in 30 years, since she was age 10. Is this a scam or is it for real? Another sub-plot involves a member of the writers’ group, Laurel Hobbs. She’d like to pursue a career in journalism but she has a dentist husband and in-laws who want her to stay at home caring for toddler twins. This is a new favorite series and I can’t wait to read them all. Olivia is a refreshing cozy heroine; and the odd-ball members of the writers’ group are turning out to be endearing in their own ways. It’s neat to see Olivia warm up her “ice-maiden” image and see the ways she can change people’s lives with her generous heart.
    • 4/5
      I liked the first one but this one was so much better! I loved the personal aspect that Olivia has to deal with in this one. And the mystery is interesting as well.
    • 3/5
      Olivia Limoges and her Oyster Bay Writers group return for the second in a series. While walking her standard poodle, Captain Haviland, Olivia makes a grisly discovery – the decomposing body of a man buried in the sand. It’s a holiday weekend and Chief Sawyer Rawlings has no missing person reports that match the victim. But before he can be identified a series of burglaries captures the attention of the residents. The burglars not only take all the valuables, but they leave behind odd tableaus – a stick of butter with a knife in it, a deck of cards dealt for a hand of poker, etc. The members of the writers group recognize the clichés and begin to ferret out the possible connections between the burglaries and the body on the beach. I like this series. I like Olivia’s independence and “get on with it” attitude. She has a crusty exterior, but frequently steps up to help those around her, sometimes anonymously. I also really like her relationship with her poodle, and that the dog is a dog (doesn’t help solve anything, unless he happens to bark at an intruder). Her relationships with the town’s residents are developing nicely in this second installment. She is definitely beginning to open up to the possibility of love and affection in her life. I thought the reveal was a little over-the-top, but I was still sufficiently entertained. There is a significant subplot involving her long-deceased father that I found distracting, unnecessary and implausible, but it’s a small part of the whole. I’ll keep reading the series.
    • 4/5
      Excellent Light read
    • 4/5
      This is the second book in the Books by the Bay Mystery series. A friend gave it to me because it is set on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. I am pleased to report that the problems I complained about in A Killer Plot have been mostly resolved. Olivia Limoges (the main character) still tosses around money like water, but she is starting to be less calculating. She is finding connections to Oyster Bay and making friends. Her poodle is becoming more dog-like and less like the Lone Ranger's legendary horse Silver who could do anything. There are a couple of stories going on here: the Cliché Killers and the mystery of what became of Olivia's father. Each one is intriguing.I'm bumping a star off because I didn't have a chance of figuring out the first mystery. It is a half star higher than its predecessor.If you like cozy mysteries with dogs or stories set in North Carolina, then I think you would enjoy this book.
    • 4/5
      This is the second book in the Book by the Bay mystery series. I liked the story even more than the first, mostly because I enjoyed the main character much more. This time around Olivia finds a body in the sand and at about the same time a series of robberies in Oyster Bay. Could the crimes be connected? Olivia's friend the chief of police thinks so. But Olivia is distracted because she's received some disturbing personal news. Good enjoyable read with just a bit of graphic detail (I thought it was needed but for any of you who like your cozy mysteries with no mention of the murderous details - you may have to skip a couple of pages), just enough to give you an idea but not enough to keep you up at night. Will continue to read the series as I like how the characters are developing.
    • 4/5
      I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed the first in this series but was quickly reminded by the wonderful characters and the writing that kept me on the edge of my seat.Olivia and her Dog, Captain Haviland, find a body buried in the sand one morning while strolling on the beach. Before the end, they will be finding or connected to several other murders which all have a cliché portrayed by or near the body. However, the Cliché murders aren't the only mystery that Olivia has to face when an unexpected letter comes and throws her for a loop.Great fun and hurrying toward the next one!
    • 3/5
      In Adams mystery novel, Olivia Limoges stumbles upon a dead body while walking on the beach. She can’t help but wonder if there is connection between the deceased and the rash of burglaries that have hit the area. Interestingly enough, their MO is to leave a “cliché” behind. The Bayside Book Writers group sees it as their calling to decipher each clue as they step up to help the police solve the case. Meanwhile, Olivia finds herself falling for the lead officer and discovers that her father, who hasn’t been seen in thirty years, may well be alive.A strong addition to the A Books by the Bay Mystery series.
    • 5/5
      I had the pleasure of reading the second book in Ellery Adams’ The Bay Mystery series, A Deadly Cliché this weekend.

      Olivia Limoges, on her morning walk along the beach with her dog Capt. Haviland (Haviland has no dialogue in the book, but does bark a few times) notices a pail near the shoreline. But as she approaches the pail, the smell emitting from it is almost too much bear. Under the pail she finds the head of dead man. Shortly after calling 911 Chief Rawlings and a couple officers arrive to begin their investigation. The victim has no ID and is unknown to any of those investigating.

      Olivia returns to downtown Oyster Bay before heading to her restaurant, The Boot Top. She sees, Laurel, one of the members of the Bayside Book Writers group. Laurel is quite upset as there have been a couple of burglaries in the surrounding area. On Saturday the writers group has their regular meeting and the discussion centers around the break ins and the body found on the beach. Laurel, hoping to get a job as reporter, goes to interview a couple of the break in victims. It is learned that some clues have been left behind by the burglars. These clues turn out to be clichés and help the Writers group to come with a solution to the burglaries and who murdered the body found on the beach.

      Also, Olivia learns that her father, who has been missing and presumed may still be alive. All the interesting characters from the first book are back and the reader will learn a little more about their makeup.

      I really enjoy reading this series, as Adams does an excellent job of providing a believable mystery and a well written story to enjoy.

      Fred



    • 4/5
      There wasn't much "cozy" in this "cozy mystery," but I still enjoyed it, by and large. The female characters (not just the main one) shone through in this installment. I'm rooting for Olivia and her new love interest.
    • 5/5
      Olivia Limoges is walking her poodle, Captain Haviland, along the beach when she stumbles across a dead body buried in the sand. The circumstances surrounding the death are odd to say the least, but Olivia has no idea how bizarre things are about to become. Soon she is involved in trying to solve a series of burglaries that have turned deadly. She has other mysteries to solve, including her somewhat tangled love life. And then there is the mysterious letter she receives saying her father, whom she thought died years ago, may still be alive. Olivia is starting to realize she can't go it alone and is glad to have the help of her friends in the Bayside Book Writers Club."A Deadly Cliché" is the nicely done second book in Ellery Adams's Books by the Bay cozy mystery series (the first was A Killer Plot (A Books by the Bay Mystery). I love Olivia's character and how she is changing and evolving as a person and character. In the first book she was rough around the edges - in this book, while she still has some prickly moments, she is learning that it is okay to care for and love people, not just her dog. Without giving away too much, I have to say I prefer the direction her love life is going in in this book compared to the first book (there is a wonderful scene in this book where Olivia runs into the ocean when she realizes she is attracted to someone - this simple scene says much about Olivia's character). The Bayside Book Writers Club is another thing I love in this series - Adams takes on the daunting task of writing portions of four novels within the main novel and does an excellent job of making it seem like each portion was written by different authors (not only that but she gives some excellent advice to would be authors reading the book). As for the mystery - this isn't the type of mystery where there are a lot of suspects and readers try to figure out who the killer is. Instead, readers find out the clues alongside Olivia and unravel the case at the same time she does (the clichés are a nice touch). There are some genuinely scary and tense moments in the book. The ending of the book is perfect in so many ways and may bring tears to the reader's eyes."A Deadly Cliché" is a nicely done cozy mystery.
    • 5/5
      I enjoyed the first book in this series but have to say that this one tops it by quite a bit. Olivia is opening up more to her friends in Oyster Bay but is still very reserved and leery of getting too close. Then she finds a body buried on the shore and the mystery of who and why begins.

      Then a series of odd break-ins result in a 2nd death and Olivia is up to her neck in searching for answers to the puzzles. She is working closely with Lauren, who is aiming for a job with the local newspaper, and also with Sawyer Rollins, the police chief.

      There is also a secondary mystery that involves only Olivia. Someone sends her a blackmail letter and hints that her father is alive, the father she thought drowned when she was a young girl. That sub-story is the one that packs the most punch in this book, the emotions and the hurt that are uncovered in this private, reserved woman are drawn perfectly and made me want to read the next in the series *right now*.

      Waiting impatiently for book number three.
    • 4/5
      First Line: "Storm's comin'," the fisherman said, stroking the pewter whiskers of his beard.While walking with her standard poodle, Captain Haviland, along the beach, Olivia Limoges finds a body buried in the sand. Could this be connected to a series of strange burglaries in the Oyster Bay, North Carolina area? At the scene of each burglary, the thieves set up bizarre tableaux: a stick of butter with a knife cutting through it, a doll with a spoon in its mouth, an incomplete deck of cards.... Suddenly Olivia understands that each scene represents a cliché, and what better group of people to decode this sort of clue than her Bayside Book Writers?There's no sophomore slump in the Books by the Bay cozy mystery series. A Deadly Cliché is even stronger than the first. Although the characters understand that the burglars are leaving clues behind, understanding the why takes a while to unfold, and the thieves' identities even longer. Part of the reason for this is due to the fact that there's a subplot in play: Olivia has been given information that her father-- long believed to be drowned at sea-- may actually be alive, and finding him is more important to her than unmasking the thieves.This subplot adds depth to the character of Olivia. For years she's kept a protective shell around herself, one that kept her aloof and almost entirely unapproachable in the first book, A Killer Plot. As she tells another character, she is working on "defrosting," and learning about her father is going to help her do just that. It's also going to add to future books in the series.Another bonus to this series is being able to watch a writers group in action. For anyone who's interested in the craft, it's useful to see how the group interacts, to see how they critique each other's work, and to understand how they help one another. This series is pretty much Olivia's show, and although I love seeing a wealthy person being a force for good in her community, and I enjoy watching her become more approachable and willing to trust, I'm hoping that more of the secondary characters-- particularly those in the writers group-- will come to the fore and share more of the limelight with Olivia.As in the first book, Captain Haviland continues to be an excellent canine sidekick, even if he does seem to eat nothing but gourmet food. He doesn't have any super powers; he's just a well-trained, well-behaved dog that loves his human. You can't ask for more than that.However, I can and will ask for more than that. What do I ask for? More books in this series, please!
    • 4/5
      Olivia Limoges, out walking with her beautiful companion Captain Haviland--the poodle on the cover--discovers a dead body on her town's pristine beach. At the same time, there seems to be a growing crime spree in her small town, giving Police Chief Rawlings more than enough to keep him busy, and the Bayside Book Writers Group lots of fodder for future stories. To complicate the plot even more, Olivia has just been given a clue that her father, thought to have been lost at sea over 30 years ago, may in fact still be alive, and she seems to be developing more than professional feelings for Chief Rawlings (in addition to or instead of her current lover????)It was even better than I imagined it would be. The double mysteries of the crime spree in Oyster Bay, and the question about Olivia's father are both solved in a well-written, well-crafted plot that leaves plenty of room for more adventures in future volumes. Haviland shines, Olivia's life is expanding, and we are getting to know a terrific cast of characters, each of whom has lots of room to grow, but who is developed enough to reside permanently in our affections already.
    • 5/5
      I think I enjoyed Adams' second Books by the Bay mystery even more than the first, as all the characters are fleshed out and naturally, we jump right in with a murder. Olivia discovers a body on the beach while walking her poodle Haviland. Soon, her friend Laurel and the police are sharing the common denominator between the murder and local robberies. It seems the perpetrators are leaving a cliche ridden clue at each scene. Olivia's character has definitely softened somwhat in this story. Her writer's group has provided new friends and news from a possible blackmailer may answer the question of what happened to her father in a storm at sea 30 years ago.
    • 5/5
      Ellery Adams has done it again in her second Books By The Bay Mystery, A Deadly Cliché. Great characters, a lovely setting, terrific plot, and Ellery has a gift for description that makes me green with envy. I’ve always had cats, but Captain Haviland is such a great character, I find myself yearning for a black Standard Poodle. Light and dark moments are balanced in this compelling story, and Olivia’s generosity to her friends and the citizens of Oyster Bay is heartwarming. I can’t wait for the next installment in the series: The Last Word.