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. ( )

Oyster Bay, NC has a witch....a strange fortune teller woman, Munin Cooper, who lives outside town. Olivia Limoges thinks it's a bit unusual when a friend tells her that Munin has summoned her. She is busy trying to help plan the Coastal Carolina Food Festival, but it's just too intriguing to ignore so she goes to visit Munin. The strange woman has much to say about Olivia's past and her mother, leaving Olivia with many questions. Unfortunately, the witch woman is murdered, leaving the questions unanswered and Olivia a suspect. Munin left behind a piece of her artwork....a memory jug filled with clues. Will the items sealed in the jar lead to a killer?

Written in Stone is the 4th book of 8 in the Books By the Bay series, so I'm halfway finished with this series. The mystery was nicely paced and kept my interest from beginning to end. There were some surprises in this one. I like how Ellery Adams not only finishes out the mystery portion of the plot, but takes time to flesh out some more character development and background story in each book. The tale doesn't just abruptly halt when the killer is discovered. I do have to add that at times the events do get a bit too melodramatic for me. I like the mix of mystery and women's fiction.....and dislike it at the same time. Does that make sense? Let me explain -- I enjoy the extra character and story development....but I dislike the characters constant whining about the past, the saga of love relationships and mucka-muck that drown much of women's fiction until it's like reading a story from the Lifetime Channel. That is the very reason I avoid the romance genre like the plague. BUT....the mystery plots in this series are unique enough to keep me coming back. Plus the series is set in NC where I live -- I love reading stories set in my home state. :) So I still roll my eyes when the female characters in these books start getting overly emotional....but I can enjoy the story.

A slight note of caution -- this is technically a cozy mystery series because there is no spurting blood or cursing, etc. BUT, this series does have sex in it. It isn't graphic or overdone....but there are some more adult themes. If looking for a cozy series with no sex or one that is appropriate for sharing with your kids, I would pass this one by.

On to the next book! I'm very curious what will happen with this likable cast of characters in the final 4 books in the series! ( )

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. ( )

Written in Stone by Ellery Adams My rating: 4 of 5 stars When Munin Cooper, who is known as the Witch of Oyster Bay, warns Olivia Limoges that death is coming, neither of them realize that it is for Munin herself who will be found dead. Olivia’s instincts tell her that someone more sinister than a mystical force is at play. Olivia has a lot on her plate as she prepares for the Coastal Carolina Food Festival. When she hears about Munin’s untimely death, however, finding the murderer takes priority. Munin left behind a memory jug full of keepsakes that Olivia knows must point to the killer but first she’s got to figure out what they all mean. With her boyfriend Sawyer Rawlings by her side, Olivia starts to identify some of the jug’s mysterious contents. Soon they find that the jugs secrets are much darker than Olivia ever suspected. Now Olivia must enlist the help from the members of the Bayside Book Writers to help solve the puzzle behind the piece of pottery and put an end to a vengeful killer before any more damage can be done.The mystery has lots of twists and turns and has more layers than suspects, so you have no idea who the killer is and why they did what they did until the big reveal at the end of the book. The characters are well developed, well written, and realistic. The way they interact with each other as they go about their daily lives make them very believable and lifelike. Captain Haviland at times seems to be more human than dog the way he interacts with different situations.I like that Olivia is still growing stronger and becoming more complete as a person as she works on her relationships with her family, friends, and boyfriend. I'm still on the fence about how I feel about Olivia's decision about how she deals with a personal family situation when she meets the uncle that she never knew about. I don't like that after Michel makes some racist comments he doesn't have to deal with any sort of consequences for his remarks in any way. I also think that the bedroom scenes between Olivia and Sawyer seem to be unnecessary to the plot line of the book. ( )

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. ( )