Poisoned Prose by Ellery Adams is the fifth book in the “Books by the Bay” mystery series. Publisher: Berkly Prime Crime, October 2013

When Olivia Limoges and other Oyster Bay patrons of the arts sponsor a retreat for famous storytellers, one of them is going to have a very unhappy ending.

Olivia thought gathering some of the most renowned storytellers in one place would be a nice, simple way for herself and the Bayside Book Writers to appreciate their talents. But things take a dark turn when the most famous storyteller in the nation—the captivating performer Violetta Devereaux—announces onstage that she will meet her end in Oyster Bay.

When Violetta is discovered murdered after the show, everyone involved with the retreat becomes a suspect. There are rumors that Violetta, who grew up in extreme poverty in the Appalachian Mountains, possessed an invaluable treasure. Now Chief Rawlings and the Bayside Book Writers must work at a frenzied pace to solve the crime before someone closes the book on them.

Ellery has done it again. She has delivered a well-written page-turner that I could not put down and I didn’t want to see end. This was a good mystery that kept me in suspense with a few twists and turns that I didn’t see coming and WOW and OMG. The gang is all back doing what they do best, using their resources to apprehend a killer with some tense moments that kept me glued to the pages. Every word, every scene and every description is vividly portrayed in this finely tuned drama that touched all five senses in this terrific whodunit. With Olivia leading and surrounded by a superb cast of characters, this is the best book yet in this delightfully charming series and I look forward to the next book with my friends in Oyster Bay.