Murder in the Mystery Suite

“These people are mystery fans. Readers. Bibliophiles. They’re far too refined to resort to violence.”

I loved the enthusiasm aimed toward books and reading, especially with the themed murder mystery week and the celebration of various literary detectives. It was nerd city for me, trust me. Being with the guests when they visited various rooms such as the Green Gables Gazebo and Agatha Christie Teamroom. Having meals catered to novel names and characters? Yep, a bookworm's dream: Julius Caesar salads, Herman Melville chowder, Homer's pulled pork sandwiches in the Kipling's cafe.

The concept of the murder mystery week, costume contests, treasure hunt and various things was fun. Unfortunately the book lost me a great bit around 40-50% show more into it. The author decided to enter in a large, outlandish subplot that completely changed the tone of the novel and subsequently the rest of the series. It was a surprise and twist that I didn't like. Sure it was clever and unique and added a completely new dimension....but to me it made a fun cozy into an comedic action-adventure with almost James Bondish staff. The plausibility of some of the stuff was so over the top it just left me behind. My interest waned due to this sadly -- if it had stayed just a book resort with a mystery, I think it would have held a higher star appeal in the end.

The characters are intriguing enough, but none stand out much. The protagonist is a single widow with two twin boys, a sarcastic and overweight aunt who gets into health crisis, an adoring uncle, and tons of devoted staff. That changes into something much more later.

One thing that bugged me was banning all electronic devices at the resort. This included phones and e-readers. I'm all for actual books and they're still my favorites, but I found it a little irritating that people couldn't read e-books or listen to audiobooks at a reading retreat. And sorry, but must use Goodreads on the phone or laptop to update =) show less

Jane Steward loves working for her aunt and uncle at the Storyton Hall Resort which caters to book lovers. However, money is tight and the resort needs repairs so Jane decides to host a Murder and Mayhem Week with guests dressing up as fictional detectives and playing games to win prizes. The week is a big hit but Jane doesn't realize that one of the prizes is so valuable that someone is willing to commit murder to get the prize and isn't afraid to kill more than once. As Jane investigates the murders she discovers that Storyton Hall is full of secrets - secrets that will change her life forever.

“Murder in the Mystery Suite” is the very nicely done first book in Ellery Adams’ new Book Retreat cozy mystery series. Adams has created show more a unique world in Storyton Hall and Storyton Village - a world that feels old-fashioned but people use cell phones; a world that feels very British but the book is set in Virginia. Storyton Hall is one of those fictional places you wish really existed so you could stay there. Adams has a gift with words that shows in all of her books and especially shows in this one with her characters’ names - Mr. Butterworth, Mrs. Pimpernel, and Mrs. Hubbard among others - and places in Storyton Village - the Cheshire Cat Pub, the Pickled Pig Market (run by the Hogg brothers!) and Geppetto's Toyshop. As for the mystery itself, there is a twist halfway through the book that not only involves the mystery in this book but presumably future books in the series. I won't say anything about this plot twist except to say it would be the dream of many a book lover.

I love all of Ellery Adams’ books and “Murder in the Mystery Suite” is no exception. I enjoyed it and look forward to reading the next book in the series. show less

I would love to go to a resort like Storyton Hall especially if there will be a Resort Manager like Jane Steward, a Butler like Mr. Butterworth, a Head Librarian like Mr. Sinclair, a Head Chef like Mrs. Hubbard,a wonderful friend like Jane has found in Eloise, and please let me meet relatives like Aunt Octavia and Uncle Aloysius and I especially want to meet Muffet Cat. The only ones I'm afraid to meet are the twins as they seemingly have way too much energy for me but they surely add to the amusement within this novel.

This novel is simply a delight at every turn of the page from the names of the local places in town to the name of the ladies book club that meets on a bi-monthly basis. Another charming element of the novel is the show more description of the fun gardens of the local places and the delicious concoctions as the ladies in the book club treat one another to festive refreshments dependent on the title of the book they are reading. I'm also so happy the ladies shared an upcoming title they're planning to read as it added a new author and title to my wish list.

I love the idea of a Murder and Mayhem Week for mystery reader fans and the descriptions of the events added to the joy of visiting Storyton Hall all the while having a true crime scene and an even more interesting detective than we could have first imagined when Jane Steward as Resort Manager was first introduced in the opening pages.

Reading this book is being invited into a very special setting as careful thought was given to each element of the story and each detail shared with the reader. It's a cozy mystery that is at times amusing, at times enchanting, and always charming. I'm so glad that this novel was advertised as "First in a Series" as I'm already looking forward to more visits with these characters and to accompany their next adventures. show less

To spoil, or not to spoil, that is the question.

Actually for me it’s not much of a question because I can’t bring myself to do so but I will say that something dramatic happens about 90 odd pages into this book that, if I’d known about it in advance, might have prevented me from reading it. Which would have been a shame as it’s a thoroughly enjoyable romp. If you’re similarly interested in a bit of a surprise then I advise caution when reading other reviews. I tackled this book with no prior knowledge other than having read several of the author’s books in another series but have now had a look at several reviews and most of them give away things you’re far better off not knowing before it’s time. I will admit though show more that not mentioning this particular event and its subsequent implications does make discussing the book’s plot somewhat challenging. So I’m hardly going to discuss it at all.

Aside from enjoying Ellery Adams’ other work, what prompted me to pick this book up is its setting: a resort for book lovers. As someone who likes to read ‘in the wild’ so to speak (i.e. away from home) the notion of a place set aside for – indeed designed especially for – people who read was too good to pass up. I immediately imagined what it might be like. No piped music. No TV bolted to the wall blaring some sporting event or what passes for news these days. No filling in the blanks as you’re forced to eavesdrop on the shouted, one-sided conversation of the idiot on an iPhone at the next cafe table. No one assuming you’re ‘doing nothing’ because you’re sitting in a comfy chair with a book so they start a conversation about their bunions or some other inane topic of no interest to anyone but themselves. I have grown weary enough of my increasingly elusive search for a quiet place to read other than my own lounge room that I was eager to escape into a fictional version of my quest.

The book did not disappoint. It is set in Storyton Hall, the ancestral home of the Steward Family that has been re-purposed as a retreat for book lovers. Adams makes it delightful. Rooms full of books. Rules that require guests restrict use of their electronic gadgets to their rooms. Plenty of places to sit, relax, absorb, be. Alone or with others. Activities to participate in if desired. No pressure to do so if not. Enough nearby shops to cater to one’s immediate needs but no characterless shopping malls within shouting distance. I’d book a room in a heartbeat if this was not a fictional location.

Jane Steward, widow and mum to twin six year old boys, has taken over as the resort’s manager. As a way to attract more business she decides to host a themed week of events for mystery lovers but, as you might expect, not all the murder and mayhem that follows is scripted.

Unlike in most cosy novels, this book’s amateur sleuth does not tackle investigations on her own. In fact she is replete with helpers in the form of family, faithful servants and staff and the members of her book club (the charmingly named Cover Girls). Even her sons get in on the act. Together and individually this is an engaging cast of characters. I think my favourite is Jane’s Aunt Octavia: devoted wife, obstinately unhealthy, fiendishly clever octogenarian.

MURDER IN THE MYSTERY SUITE reads like an Enid Blyton book for grown-ups. It has all the fun, daring and friendships of a Famous Five novel with adultier additions like cocktails, a dash of romance and serious motives for criminal undertakings. It is, of course, entirely absurd but once you have suspended your disbelief there is an undeniable internal logic to events and it’s easy to get carried away with the adventure of it all. show less

I think Adams' Books By the Bay novels are some of the very best cozies being written today. I love them, so I was excited to learn that she was writing a new series, and I bought a copy as soon as it arrived at my local bookstore. From the first paragraph, I was in heaven. Storyton Hall is any serious book lover's perfect world, and the countryside and village outside its walls complete the dream scenario. There are times when I read that I want to be drawn into the type of world that should exist but doesn't outside of my imagination. This is the sort of world that Ellery Adams has created in her first Book Retreat mystery.

I was enchanted. Jane's aunt and uncle are still deeply in love after decades of marriage. Jane deals with the show more public the way everyone wants to be treated. Her twin sons Hem and Fitz (Hemingway and Fitzgerald) are a pair of typical, high energy, ornery six-year-old boys. The staff working at Storyton Hall and even the small business owners in the nearby village are lovingly drawn individuals. Jane and her sons bicycle back and forth to the village. It was plain to see that the pages of this book were liberally sprinkled with fairy dust.

There are touches of humor throughout the book as well, but the scene that literally made me laugh out loud was the description of the garden in front of the Cheshire Cat Pub and what would happen some evenings when the pub patrons and local felines would gather together.

The mystery was a good one, keeping me guessing all along the way, but something happened in Murder in a Mystery Suite that just didn't set well with me. Problem is, I can't talk about it without screaming SPOILER ALERT in fluorescent pink flashing neon ten feet high. Spoiler alerts in reviews just aren't my style, so suffice it to say that the suspension bridge of my disbelief collapsed like "Galloping Gertie" did in 1940. The only other thing I will say on the subject is that your enjoyment of the book will depend in large part on how well you like fantasy.

I may have just scared some of you away from reading this book, but don't forget that mileage can certainly vary when it comes to reading books. Your suspension bridge may be much more stable than mine, so don't be afraid to give this book a try. If you're still feeling nervous, then head on over to Ellery Adams' Books By the Bay series. It's marvelous. show less

I'm always in for a treat when I read a mystery by Ellery Adams. In MURDER IN THE MYSTERY SUITE, the first book in the Book Retreat Mystery series, Ms. Adams has skillfully crafted a fantastical world for bibliophiles, as well as a puzzling cozy mystery.

Storyton Hall is a secluded retreat for literary lovers in the hills of Virginia. To stir up interest in the resort, manager Jane Steward is hosting a "Murder and Mayhem" event dedicated to mystery fans. The fabulous week she has planned for her guests is interrupted when the winner of the scavenger hunt is murdered, and the priceless book he won from Storyton Hall's collection goes missing.

There was so much I enjoyed about this book. Storyton Hall was amazing. I'd love to spend a week show more (or more) at a place that catered to readers, with access to a magnificent library, gorgeous views, delicious food, and a quaint village to explore. The fun thing about this book was that there was so much more than meets the eye with Storyton. Even the protagonist Jane is shocked to learn its secrets and how she fits in. The murder mystery and the revelations about Storyton are seamlessly woven together. I enjoyed meeting the intriguing and quirky cast of characters, including Jane's devoted staff and the members of The Cover Girls book club.

MURDER IN THE MYSTERY SUITE was a fabulous start to a new series, and I'd definitely recommend it to readers who love book-themed mysteries.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. show less

Ellery created a murder mystery around books and a secret library trope. While it was a great romp of a story, the author's writing was rather unsophisticated which detracted a bit from my enjoyment. Happily, she made the story feel original with the setting in a stately manor run as a luxurious hotel with its main draw being a tranquil escape for readers and things literary. While I found the writing style over the top with descriptions and some irrelevant details, the plot moved along merrily with an enjoyable set of characters and an unexpected twist. The backstory to the hotel and the family who owned it was a bit of a stretch but just go with the flow and enjoy the chase. It's fun, a bit silly and readable. Guess I liked it, 'cause show more I requested the second novel. We'll see how that goes as a 'continuing saga'. show less