Ellery Adams

Murder in the Storybook Cottage by Ellery Adams has Jane Steward busy preparing for the upcoming Peppermint Press Conference for children’s authors and illustrators at Storyton Hall. She also has the first Golden Ticket winners arriving the next day and Jane wants to make sure that the Gilbert family have a magical vacation. Jane has a special surprise for the Cover Girls (her book club). They take a sleigh ride to the new Storybook Village which will open to children of all ages on show more Friday. The ladies are delighted with the fairy tale houses and the activities available in each one until they stumble upon a woman in a red cloak with a basket nearby laying on the floor of Belle’s house. There is a valuable copy of Grimm’s Fairy Tales in the basket. Jane is shocked when a couple of a days later another woman turns up dead in the woods wearing a blue parka with white fur trim with a copy of Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Andersen left in her room. Jane and her loyal Fins needs to catch the Fairy Tale Killer before he strikes again. Murder in the Storybook Cottage is the delightful 6th installment in A Book Retreat Mystery series. It can be read on its own for those new to this book themed series. It is a joy to visit Storyton Hall in Storyton, Virginia with all the fabulous books, special events and scrumptious food. I love the books, authors and literary characters mentioned throughout the story. My favorite was Raggedy Ann and the Lucky Pennies (I collect Raggedy Ann items). Storyton Village is a magical addition to the resort with the adorable fairy tale themed little cottages. There is the gingerbread house, Rapunzel’s tower, Belle’s house, and Rumpelstiltskin’s workshop (just to name a few). There are enchanting events for the guests to attend at Storyton Hall including the colorful Rainbow Tea and the Family Valentine’s Celebration. I thought Murder in the Storybook Cottage was well-written with developed characters and special setting. It is rich in detail that allows the reader to visualize the captivating setting. I always enjoy reading each A Book Retreat Mystery to catch up with the characters who inhabit this world. Jane’s twin boys are up to their usual mischief, Eugenia Pratt’s beau is coming to town and he has big news to share with her, Lachlan has something special planned for Valentine’s Day for his girlfriend and Jane’s bestie, Eloise Alcott. The mystery was intriguing with its fairy tale theme. There are a variety of suspects including a very dislikeable couple who write children’s books. I enjoyed the misdirection as well as following the clues to find out why someone killed the two women. My favorite quote from Murder in the Storybook Cottage is when Jane was saying the ladies did not read the books for happy endings. “It was the journey they were interested in--the voyage from the first page to the last.” There is a hint at what will occur in the next A Book Retreat Mystery at the end. Murder in the Storybook Cottage is a diverting cozy mystery with fairy tale fun, wonderful Wonka Bars, a terrible twosome, a clever killer, fun family festivities, and bibliophile bliss. show less

The Vanishing Type by Ellery Adams takes us back to Miracle Springs, North Carolina. Nora Pennington along with her friends June and Estella are helping Deputy Andrews prepare a special proposal for Hester. While they are working out the details, Sheldon brings something to Nora’s attention. Someone has mutilated their copies of The Scarlet Letter by taking a knife to Hester’s name. Nora is worried that someone is intent on harming Hester or exposing Hester’s secret. Few people are show more aware that Hester gave up a baby many years ago and the terrible way her family treated her. Hester has yet to tell her beau, Deputy Jasper Andrews. A man is found dead on a hiking trail just outside Miracle Springs with no identification, but he does have a rare book in the pocket of his bright orange coat. The members of the Secret, Book, and Scone Society soon discover that the victim is connected to Hester’s past. Is someone after Hester or are they trying to expose her secret? The Vanishing Type is the fifth A Secret, Book, and Scone Society Novel. I believe this series is best read in order. While you could read The Vanishing Type on its own, you will be missing the background on the characters and the town. The Vanishing Type is well-written with developed characters. I like that they are flawed characters which makes them realistic, relatable, and interesting. I enjoy visiting Miracle Springs with its friendly residents and quaint shops. My first stop would be the bakery for some of the tasty treats and then I would head to Miracle Books. I would definitely order the hot chocolate drink with the colored marshmallows, whipped cream, and sprinkles (it sounded so good). I like that the author has included a character with fibromyalgia. Many people do not understand the disease nor believe the pain it causes. Sheldon is such a delightful person, and I am glad that he does not let the condition keep him down for long. He is a lively individual with a heart a gold. I had to laugh at what happened at story time with the book involving snakes. The romance between Nor and Sheriff McCabe is progressing nicely. I am glad that it is moving at a slower pace. Fans of the series will love the proposal scene. It is definitely special and unique. I love all the book references throughout the story. There are some great titles mentioned. Like Hester, Little Women is my favorite book. The mystery was wonderful. It is complex with great clues and red herrings. The secondary storyline was just as intriguing. I like how everything tied together to give readers a wonderful reading experience. I was sorry for my visit to Miracle Springs to end. The Vanishing Type has friendship, mystery, and, of course, books. The Vanishing Type is a beguiling tale with a remarkable movie theater opening, damaged books, a nameless victim, story time mayhem, beautiful book covers, a special proposal, firm friends, and a bevy of books. show less

Killer Characters is the eighth and final book in the Books By the Bay series. I don't think I have ever read all the books in a cozy mystery series. And while I will miss it, I think Ellery Adams made the right decision. We had grown with this group of writers in Oyster Bay, NC, as far as we all could go together. It was time to let them all go. And, as she had with the whole series, Adams didn't provide the perfect happy ending you might expect.

This was the first book in the series that I show more read rather than listed to as I accidentally ordered the Kindle version. I read it in a day and cried at the end and then even read the first chapter of the first book that was included with the digital version. Adams had created a wonderfully rich character in Olivia Limoges and I will miss her. show less

Unabridged audio. DNF at 27%

Trite. Unbelievable. Ridiculous dialogue. Vapid characters. Too much reliance on stereotypes.

This isn’t a mystery as much as a recitation of kitchen tricks and menus. The murder victim was too obvious. Overly intimate dialogue among characters used to info-dump made the whole set-up unbelievable and unrelatable. The amateur sleuth has more knowledge than the professionals. No one seems to have a clue about investigative procedures, including the police show more investigators.

I am sincerely glad this is not the first cozy mystery I’ve read or I would have condemned the entire genre rather than this particular story. I will not bother with further books in this series, as there are others out there producing better. show less