REVIEW: Poisoned Prose

Poisoned Prose
Author: Ellery Adams

Oyster Bay, NC is hosting a storyteller's retreat. The best storytellers from around the country are coming, with the headliner being Violetta Devereaux. Violetta is by far the most famous guest, renowned for her talent at captivating entire rooms of listeners with her stories. The Bayside Book Writers Group is a bit surprised at how secretive and closed off the performer seems to be. Violetta doesn't give interviews. She doesn't stay after performances or mingle with fans. Olivia Limoges is surprised when Violetta agrees to see her. The storyteller answers a few of Olivia's questions, but seems resigned to meeting some strange fate in Oyster Bay. She calls the coastal NC town her Gethsemane. Her strange future vision comes true when she is found strangled just minutes later. Who killed Violetta? And why?

This mystery is complex and a bit dark, but very enjoyable. Secrets never stay hidden. Some main characters in this series have secrets that come out in this book....but none compare to the secrets hidden by their famous storyteller. It makes for a fast-paced, suspenseful and creative story!

My one issue with this series is that it tends to get a bit overly emotional for me. I'm not one for romance novels. I like mysteries....and this series just tends to wing off into romance land, or women's fiction type melodramatic scenes, a bit too much for my taste. But -- I am invested in the characters and I love the creative plots. I do occasionally have to roll my eyes when Olivia goes into some soliloquy about how much she loves her boyfriend....I just have this snarky little voice in my head that goes "OK OK....you love the guy...get back to the mystery!''  :)  Just being honest.  I do like the fact that the books don't abruptly come to an end when the mystery is solved. There is always a chapter or two of wrap up and character development. I could just use a bit less lovey-dovey sappiness.  But....for those who enjoy romance novels and cozies, this would be the perfect mix!

Just a bit of a head's up -- there is sex and some adult themes in this series. No cursing and no graphic stuff, but it does get a bit adult here and there. I wouldn't hand this book to anyone under 13 without reading it first to be sure it passes your personal appropriate guidelines.

Poisoned Prose is the 5th book in this series of 8. Three more to go! :)