Play Book Tag discussion

Written in Stone – Ellery Adams
3***

From the book jacket: When Munin Cooper, known as the witch of Oyster Bay, warns Olivia Limoges that death is coming, neither of them realize that is the older woman herself who will soon be found dead. And Olivia’s instincts tell her that something – or someone – more sinister than a mystical force is at play. Olivia has a lot on her plate preparing for the Coastal Carolina Food Festival. When she hears the news of Munin’s untimely death, however, finding the murderer takes priority. The witch left behind a memory jug full of keepsakes that Olivia knows must point to the killer – but she’ got to figure out what they mean.

My reactions
This is book number four in the Books By the Bay Mysteries series. I like Olivia and her friends – the Bayside Book Writers. Of course the writers’ group includes the town Police Chief, handsome Sawyer Rawlings, which is convenient for the amateur sleuths. This book focuses attention on Millay, the Eurasian bartender who recognizes the pain of past bullying and really makes it her mission to get to the bottom of the murders.

Adams based some of the plot on actual historic events involving the Lumbee Tribe of Native Americans and the Ku Klux Klan, though she obviously took literary license in crafting this work of fiction.

There’s a little too much personal drama in this one for my taste, but all-in-all it’s a satisfying cozy mystery with a likeable amateur sleuth. I especially like that Olivia’s dog, Haviland, is just that, a dog. He might occasionally come to the rescue when a bad guy threatens Olivia, but he’s not a detective!

LINK to my review