Written in Stone

Written by Ellery Adams

Narrated by Karen White

When Munin Cooper, known as the Witch of Oyster Bay, warns Olivia Limoges that death is coming, neither of them realize that it 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's got to figure out what they mean.

With handsome Police Chief Rawlings by her side, Olivia starts to identify some of the jug's mysterious contents-and finds its secrets are much darker than she suspected. Now Olivia must enlist the help of the Bayside Book Writers to solve the puzzle behind the piece of pottery and put an end to a vengeful killer before any more damage can be done . . .

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc
• Release date: Oct 13, 2015
• ISBN: 9781494586256

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.

Reviews for Written in Stone

[sterling · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great plot and interesting characters. I especially like the Olivia character. Held my interest all the way through right up until the end.

[newsieq · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

An older woman, called a witch by locals, sends word that she wants Olivia Limoges to visit her on the remote island where she lives. Munin Cooper invokes the name of Olivia’s late mother and makes Olivia curious enough to make the trek. The messages Munin gives Olivia are cryptic at best, and at the end of the visit Munin gives Olivia a memory jug – imbedded with items including a class ring and a necklace that may have belonged to Olivia’s mother. But soon after the visit, Munin is dead – killed by a poisonous snake. But those who know Munin that she was very aware of snakes and had anti-venom nearby at all times. Could the suspicious death really be murder? A murder and attempted murder follow. Can Munin’s death and the targeting of a brother and sister who are members of the Lumbee tribe be related?In addition, Olivia’s half-brother Hudson swears he has seen their late father at the Coastal Carolina Food Festival. Both know this is impossible because they were both at the death bed of their father. And he was very definitely dead. But what’s going on?I enjoy this series and really love Olivia Limoges as the protagonist. Members of the Bayside Book Writers – great secondary characters -- are again assisting police chief Sawyer Rawlings (who happens to be Olivia’s lover) in solving the crimes. Olivia started out as a prickly woman in book #1 but has grown and blossomed in every book into a much more likable character. I find it interesting how the author is not afraid to have bad things happen to OR be perpetrated by characters that readers have come to know – not in this book, however. (No specifics, as I don’t want to be a spoiler).

[anakurland · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Best of the series yet/

[joannefm2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Olivia Limoges has a history with Oyster Bay and has been happy since she returned. Her life is full and busy. While at the local diner one morning she's told by its owner Dixie that the local witch, Munin, wants her to come to her. Dixie tells her that Munin can tell Olivia about her mother, and even though she has reservations, she finds a guide to lead her through the swamp to the forested area Munin calls home.What Munin says stuns Olivia, and she gives her a memory jug that she's made for her - a clay jug with items attached all around it - and Olivia sees that the items have clues to her past. But before she can visit Munin again, the woman is murdered. But there is more going on in her life, including something that might change it forever. But Olivia feels she needs to find justice for Munin, and with the help of her friends, she intends to do so...that is, unless the murderer turns their sights on her, too...This is the fourth book in the series, and I have read all of them so far. I didn't much care for the first one, I have come to like Olivia through the pages of these books. She's turned into a decent human being who's showing affection and caring for others, and this is big plus. She's also opened herself to other things, and finding Munin's killer is among them. But when she starts looking, she discovers secrets that have been hidden for decades -- including her mother's. But when someone else is killed, the stakes are raised and Olivia is on a desperate search to keep others from being harmed.What results is a very interesting book with more than interesting characters, and Olivia learning about her past in the process. The ending is tragic and sad, but also giving and hoping for a better future. It's tragic enough that someone was permanently damaged, but gives us something to look forward to in the next. Recommended.

[carol420 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Those of you that know me fairly well know that "cozies" are not my usual cup of tea. To be honest I read this one solely because of the objects on the cover. Not a good reason I will admit but I found myself becoming more and more immersed in the story and the lives of the characters...especially Olivia who I found to be a complex and fascinating character. Others in the book were equally well done and the plot moved along nicely building suspense and producing a very satisfying solution to the crime in the end. Well done Ms. Adams.

[jbarringer-2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was actually a good mystery novel, once you get past the cover and title. There are not really any stones involved in most of the story, and the one that I'm guessing yielded the title is a stone tha the readers and the protagonists never 'see'. Surely there were a few other more salient images that could have been taken as inspiration for the title instead, ones that would fit the story better. And, the cover of the edition I read looked more like something for a Young Adult or middle-grades book about a botched date at a picnic or something. The book itself spins a murder mystery out of the hisory of racial tension between white supremists and the Lumbee tribe in North Carolina. The story is set in a town in North Carolina as it prepares for and hosts a gathering for the Lumbee tribe, a big festival with food, cultural booths and dancing. Given all the interesting cultural and historical material this book draws on, the title and cover are hardly representational of the story.

[bookconcierge · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

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 reactionsThis 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!

[ffortsa · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

a nice cozy with more than a little romance thrown in. This entry into the series has some Native American themes as well.

[mmoj_2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Another terrific book. Okay, so this time I had a pretty good idea of who did it but that's okay because the story was so good. Olivia has had a local witch request her presence saying she has information about her mom. After meeting the witch Olivia and the book writers try to solve the riddle the witch gave Olivia. If you like mysteries that focus on the characters lives who solve the murders this is a series you should seriously consider reading.

[cyderry · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Olivia Limoges continues to expand as a character in this 4th installment of the Books by the Bay. Olivia who formerly was totally reserved, never expressing any emotion (part of her upbringing) is learning to empathize with her friends and with newly discovered family. Olivia is summoned to the cabin of a witch who claims to have known her mother and there Olivia is tasked in stopping a wrong - with no details of what exactly that is.Meanwhile, Michèl (Olivia's head chef) and Olivia were asked to be the judges at the Food Festival. Afterward, Willis (Michel's assistant) dies suddenly from an apparent poisoning. When Willis' sister seems to be suffering the same fate the next day, Olivia steps in quickly to prevent another murder.The research and details that are woven throughout this mystery are astonishing and I can't wait for the next one!

[murderbydeath · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A good read, one that was better than the book before it, which was better than it's predecessor. The characters in this series have become more real and more likeable, especially the main character, Olivia.

The mystery in this story was interesting, layered, and complex. Instead of a plot with a lot of suspects, this was a plot where there was no obviously viable suspect, making the unfolding of the story even more intriguing. The ending illuminated a motivation it was hard not to pity and be repulsed by at the same time.

A solid cozy mystery series I'd recommend to anyone looking for depth in the cozies - you'll not find humour or comedy in these books, but you will find well thought out plots and considered writing with complex characters.

[debbieaheaton · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

In Adams’ mystery novel, Munin Cooper, AKA the witch of Oyster Bay, predicts that death is coming. While Olivia Limoges works to prepare for the Coastal Carolina Food Festival, she is stunned to hear of Munin’s untimely death. But this was no natural death so Olivia and the Bayside Book Writers team together to solve the mystery before someone else dies.A great addition to the A Books by the Bay Mystery series.

[bookswoman · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Books By The Bay series started out with a bang and just keeps getting better. This addition to the series brings in the local Native American group and focuses, once again, on Olivia's past.When a local food event is held at the same time as a Native American celebration chaos invades in the form of a sudden death of a young man. Willis is a sous chef for Olivia's restaurant and suddenly dies right in front of her, displaying strange symptoms for a young, healthy man. This isn't the only sudden death in Willis' family and concern is raised for his sister, Talley.I really like this series, although there was much less emphasis on the book group that brought together Olivia and her friends. The friends are all there, it is the time spent working with each other on their books that has less time in the story. Still, there is a lot going on with the festival and with the death/murder so something had to give.I'm a book or so behind so have more to read in this series in the near future. Looking forward to meeting up again with Olivia, her friends and family.

[drebbles · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Olivia Limoges thinks she has finally come to peace with her troubled childhood and past and in fact was thrilled to find that she had a half-brother and has grown close to him and his family. Her peace, however, is shattered when Munin Cooper, known as the Witch of Oyster Bay, gives her a memory jug that may reveal things about Olivia's mother that Olivia would rather not know. Before Olivia can uncover many of the jugs secrets, Munin is found dead. Olivia isn't convinced the death was accidental and when another person dies she is sure there is a killer on the loose. Will Olivia and the rest of the members of the Bayside Book Writers Club ,including police chief Sawyer Rawlings, be able to catch the killer before someone else dies?Often while reading a cozy mystery series I can tell when an author finally feels totally comfortable with her characters and "Written in Stone", the fourth book in Ellery Adams's Books by the Bay cozy mystery series is one of those books. Olivia has been a complex and fascinating character from the beginning and has grown with each book but in this book I felt she grew the most. Once prickly around people, she has finally learned to accept friendship and love and, while she'll never totally be a soft person, she is definitely less rough around the edges than in the first book. Adams continues to reveal secrets from Olivia's past (some of which she herself didn't know) and Adams reveals a doozy in this book (I'm still debating how I feel about Olivia's decision at the end of the book). Other characters are equally well done - in this book it is Millay who shines the most. And I can't forget Olivia's dog Captain. Haviland who is more human than some of the minor characters. As for the mystery itself, it was well plotted and I kept changing my mind as to who the killer was. There is a sense of real danger towards the end of the book. The only thing I missed in the book were the excerpts from the books being written by the members of the Bayside Book Writers Club - I hope they reappear in the next book in the series."Written in Stone" is another great book in a cozy mystery series that gets better with each book.

[yoder-4 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Written In Stone is the 4th book in the Books By the Bay series by Ellery Adams. IMHO, this is the best yet. This is one series that I feel should be read in order. In this book we learn more about Olivia's background and the reader is able to get a better understanding about her character and emotions. The development of Olivia's character was so well done by the author

Olivia is having breakfast at Grumpy's Diner when Dixie the roller-skating waitress informs her that the local recluse/"witch" of Oyster Bay, who Olivia has never met, wants to see her. Even though Olivia is quite busy getting ready for the Coastal Carolina Food Fair and the Foodie Channel taping of a segment at The Boot Top, Olivia's restaurant, she decides to visit Munin. With the help of a park ranger she goes to visit Munin in a dense forested area. When she is ready to leave, Munin presents her with a clay memory jar. Munin's parting words to Olivia were: "Death is coming to this forest. It doesn't want you, but it'll take you if you get in the way." The jar has many items sticking in the clay, one being a necklace like she gave Munin for letting her visit. Olivia knows that this is something special, but doesn't know the significance of all the items on the jar and with Munin's parting words, she know she has to find the answer quickly..

Just as the Food Fair is getting under way, her sous chef, has trouble breathing, collapses and dies. The sous chef was a member of the Lumbee Indian tribe that is having a huge powwow next to the food fair. Olivia's chef can have a bit of temper, but she is sure that he had nothing to do with the death. With the help of her good friend(and getting better) Sawyer Rawlings, the police chief, and her book critique book, Olivia is off to learn just what all the items on the jar.

Very much looking forward to the next book in this series.

[cathyskye · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Although Olivia Limoges has more than enough on her plate at the moment with preparing for the Coastal Carolina Food Festival, she finds herself seeking out this so-called witch. Munin Cooper is the woman known as the Witch of Oyster Bay, and she tells Olivia that death is coming. Little does Olivia know that it's Munin's own death that the woman foretold. Left with Munin's last memory jug embellished with keepsakes that she feels will lead to the identity of the killer, Olivia is drawn into a past that's much darker and much more dangerous than she ever realized.I've mentioned before that I tend to treat cozies as lighter fare and very seldom ever give them the highest rating. (Yes, I realize I've been behaving like a snob.) Written in Stone is the cozy that changes all that. There's so much going on in this book that it's best if you start the series at the very beginning; otherwise, the significance of certain things is going to whiz right over your head.Yes, I've been with this series from the beginning, and from the first book (2010's A Killer Plot), I had a feeling that I'd found something different. Olivia Limoges could very easily be called yet another "poor little rich girl." Having been abandoned by her father and going to live with an unemotional relative after the death of her beloved mother, Olivia learned how to spend her money wisely and well-- and to keep herself emotionally removed from others. Moving back to Oyster Bay and purposely making herself a part of the small community has very gradually been forcing Olivia to change her ways. However, she's still not always comfortable with social situations, and she doesn't always say what other people want to hear. In fact, some readers may prefer her dog, Captain Haviland, to Olivia.In each book of the series, we've been learning the history of the Oyster Bay, North Carolina area, and Written in Stone is no exception, since the history of the Lumbee tribe is woven into the story. Food is important to all the books in this series as well. Olivia owns two restaurants, frequents another, and is preparing for a food festival in this current book. (If you're on a diet, do not read this book on an empty stomach. You will have to stop and devour something before you've gone very far.)Another thread woven throughout Adams' series is the sometimes shocking information Olivia continues to gather about both her parents, and what she learns often has a bearing on the outcome of the mystery.The Books By the Bay writers group works much more on solving the mystery in this book than they do on readying manuscripts for publication, but there's so much going on in Written in Stone that there's simply no time. What I was happy to see is that there's a strong story line involving Millay. She gets to be seen in a whole new light, and I for one definitely like what I see.Another thing that sets this book apart is how much sympathy is shown for the killer. Normally the "bad guy" is the bad guy, and that's that. Here the person's background and history are gone into just enough to show how heartbreaking the twisting of a human being, the creation of a killer, can be.Written in Stone is the best book in the series so far. There's a richness to Adams' stories, a depth to her characters, that makes this series rise above the rest. It feels to me as though this author is on a clearly defined mission, that she knows exactly where she wants to take Olivia-- and I'll be following her every step of the way.

[dukefan86 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I continue to enjoy this mystery series a lot! Set in coastal North Carolina, the author has created a picturesque setting with believeable, smart characters. I enjoyed the character development, the extention of Olivia's family tree, and the pace of the plot in this book. I also enjoyed reading about the Lumbees and some history about them. As usual, I'm looking forward to the next book in the series!

[ethel55_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Olivia's friends in the Bayside Book Writers group and her brother Hudson (and family) are continuing to help Olivia evolve into a much more likable heroine. Formerly gruff and alone, with only Captain Haviland (a standard poddle) for company, Olivia maintains her progress at becoming much more at home in her beloved Oyster Bay. On a nearby coastal island, local recluse and 'witch' Munin Cooper, is found dead after a visit from Olivia. She and the Bayside group tackle yet another mystery with great, collaborative results. I liked that Adams infused this story with local North Carolina history and nicely wove it into the tale.