Written in Stone (A Books by the Bay Mystery)

Praise for the Books by the Bay Mysteries
    The Last Word
    “As in the two previous novels in the series, set in Oyster Bay on North Carolina’s southeastern coast, Adams concocts a fine plot; this one finds its roots in World War II. But the real appeal is her sundry and congenial characters, beginning with Olivia herself. Adams’s heroine has erected a steel curtain around her emotions, but
The Last Word
finds her emerging from her shell with confidence, a confidence matched by Adams in this unusual and appealing series.”
    —Richmond Times-Dispatch
    “I could actually feel the wind on my face, taste the salt of the ocean on my lips, and hear the waves crash upon the beach.
The Last Word
made me laugh, made me think, made me smile, and made me cry.
The Last Word
—in one word—AMAZING!”
    —The Best Reviews
    “The plot is complex, the narrative drive is strong, and the book is populated with interesting and intelligent people . . . Oyster Bay is the kind of place I’d love to get lost for an afternoon or two.”
    —The Season for Romance
    A Deadly Cliché
    “A very well-written mystery with interesting and surprising characters and a great setting. Readers will feel as if they are in Oyster Bay.”
    —The Mystery Reader
    “Adams spins a good yarn, but the main attraction of the series is Olivia and her pals, each a person the reader wants to meet again and again.”
    —Richmond Times-Dispatch
    “[A] terrific mystery that is multi-layered, well-thought-out, and well presented.”
    —Fresh Fiction
    “This series is one I hope to follow for a long time, full of fast-paced mysteries, budding romances, and good friends. An excellent combination!”
    —The Romance Readers Connection
    “[Ellery Adams] has already proven she has a gift for charm. Her characters are charismatic and alluring, and downright funny. Not to mention, the plot is an absolute masterpiece as far as offering the reader a true puzzle that they are thrilled to solve! . . .
A Deadly Cliché
is a solidly great, fun read!”
    —Once Upon A Romance
    A Killer Plot
    “Ellery Adams’s debut novel,
A Killer Plot
, is not only a great read, but a visceral experience. Olivia Limoges’s investigation into a friend’s murder will have you hearing the waves crash on the North Carolina shore. You might even feel the ocean winds stinging your cheeks. Visit Oyster Bay and you’ll long to return again and again.”
    —Lorna Barrett,
New York Times
bestselling author of the Booktown Mysteries
    “Adams’s plot is indeed killer, her writing would make her the star of any support group, and her characters—especially Olivia and her standard poodle, Captain Haviland—are a diverse, intelligent bunch.
A Killer Plot
is a perfect excuse to go coastal.”
    —Richmond Times-Dispatch
    “A fantastic start to a new series . . . With new friendships, possible romance(s), and promises of great things to come,
A Killer Plot
is one book you don’t want to be caught dead missing.”
    —The Best Reviews

Berkley Prime Crime titles by Ellery Adams
    Charmed Pie Shoppe Mysteries
    PIES AND PREJUDICE
    Books by the Bay Mysteries
    A KILLER PLOT
    A DEADLY CLICHÉ
    THE LAST WORD
    WRITTEN IN STONE

Written in Stone
    E LLERY A DAMS

THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP
    Published by the Penguin Group
    Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
    375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA
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    Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England
    This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely