Tag: Ellery Adams

Mystery Reads: Book Retreat Mystery series by Ellery Adams

- Stephanie Leave a comment

“There were books everywhere. Hundreds of books. Thousands of books. There were books of every size, shape, and color. They lined the walls from floor to ceiling, standing straight and rigid as soldiers on the polished mahogany shelves, the gilt lettering on their worn spines glinting in the soft light, the scent of supple leather and aging paper filling the air.”
― Ellery Adams, Murder in the Mystery Suite

When searching for a new-to-me cozy mystery, I discovered Ellery Adams’ Book Retreat Mystery series. The first in this series, Murder in the Mystery Suite, published in 2014, is an introduction to Jane Steward and Storyton Hall, a storybook resort owned by her family. This was an absolutely beautiful ode to book lovers and the stories that define their lives.

Storyton Hall is a storybook resort tucked in the rolling hills of rural western Virginia. Resort manager Jane Steward is tasked with keeping the resort and its staff happy and its guests eager to come back for additional stays. Determined to boost Storyton Hall’s bookings, Jane decides to host a Murder and Mayhem week. Fans of all things mystery will gather together for role-playing, fantasy, games, and parties. During one of the first events, a scavenger hunt, Jane is surprised to find so many of the guests incredibly invested in winning the prize, a valuable book (but Jane doesn’t think it’s quite as valuable as some of the guests are making it out to be). Her suspicions are proved false when death befalls the winner of the scavenger hunt. Did he die of natural causes? Or is one of Jane’s guests a murderer?

This series introduction is full of delightfully quirky characters, beautiful surroundings, and oh so many book recommendations. Murder in the Mystery Suite has turned the traditional cozy mystery into a more modern version that could become a favorite for years to come.

This title is also available in large print.

Book Retreat Mystery series

  1. Murder in the Mystery Suite (2014)
  2. Murder in the Paperback Parlor (2015)
  3. Murder in the Secret Garden (2016)
  4. Murder in the Locked Library (2018)
  5. Murder in the Reading Room (2019)
  6. Murder in the Storybook Cottage (2020)
  7. Murder in the Cookbook Nook (2021)
  8. Murder on the Poet’s Walk (2022)
  9. Murder in the Book Lover’s Loft (2023)

Mystery Reads: Secret, Book and Scone Society series by Ellery Adams

- Stephanie Leave a comment

“Stories are just like people. If you don’t approach them with an open mind and a healthy dose of respect, they won’t reveal their hidden selves to you. In that event, you’ll miss out on what they have to offer. You’ll walk through life an empty husk instead of a vibrant kaleidoscope of passion, wisdom, and experience.”
― Ellery Adams, The Secret, Book, & Scone Society

The Secret, Book & Scone Society is the first book in the series of the same name by Ellery Adams. (Look further down in this blog for a list of the series titles.) I fell in love with the first book in the series as soon as I was introduced to the main character, bookstore owner Nora Pennington, and her love of all things literature. Nora shared so many pearls of wisdom that I felt like I was writing down a quote from almost every single page.

People flock to Miracle Springs, North Carolina, for healing. This small town is know for its five-star cuisine, natural hot springs, and renowned spa. If healing can’t be found at any of those places, then they head to the Gingerbread House bakery for a ‘comfort’ scone that they can then enjoy in Miracle Books, the bookstore owned by Nora. In Miracle Books, Nora talks with people and prescribes books to help lighten and ease their burdens. She’s become the town’s informal bibliotherapist.

While sitting in town, Nora meets a visiting businessman who asks for help. Inviting him to visit the Gingerbread House and then Miracle Books, Nora is anxious to help him begin his healing journey. Before their appointment though, the man is found dead on the train tracks.

At a loss over his death, Nora, along with other local damaged souls, seek justice for the dead man. They form the Secret, Book, and Scone Society, a group set on earning redemption for the misfortunate, yet also a place where they can learn to trust again. Everyone in Miracle Springs has secrets, so the four decide that in order to join the Society, they must share their darkest secret, the reason why they came to Miracle Springs.

As the four investigate, they also meet in Nora’s bookstore to share their stories and provide support for the others. The more they investigate, the messier the web of corruption becomes. The four must learn to truly trust each other. Through that trust, they can make it past whatever challenges pop up in their paths.

This book is also available in the following format:

“Stories don’t change much across continents and centuries. Hearts are broken. Pride is wounded. Souls wander too far from home and become lost. The wrong roads are taken. The incorrect choice is made. Stories echo with loneliness. Grief. Longing. Redemption. Forgiveness. Hope. And love.”
― Ellery Adams, The Secret, Book, & Scone Society

Secret, Book & Scone Society series

  1. The Secret, Book & Scone Society (2017)
  2. The Whispered Word (2018)
  3. The Book of Candlelight (2020)
  4. Ink and Shadows (2021)
  5. The Vanishing Type (2022)
  6. Paper Cuts (2023)

“Books are everywhere; and always the same sense of adventure fills us. Second-hand books are wild books, homeless books; they have come together in vast flocks of variegated feather, and have a charm which the domesticated volumes of the library lack. Besides, in this random miscellaneous company we may rub against some complete stranger who will, with luck, turn into the best friend we have in the world.”
― Ellery Adams, The Secret, Book, & Scone Society