Ellery Adams

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About Ellery Adams

Ellery Adams, a USA Today and New York Times bestselling author, has written dozens of mystery novels. She shares her North Carolina home with her husband, two trolls, and three keyboard-hogging felines. Ellery loves reading, coffee, bubbly, jigsaw puzzles, baking, volunteering at her local animal shelter, and rearranging her bookshelves.

Her traditionally published series include The Secret, Book, and Scone Society Mysteries, The Book Retreat Mysteries, The Books By the Bay Mysteries, and The Charmed Pie Shoppe Mysteries.

Her Indie series include The Supper Club Series, The Hope Street Series, and The Molly Appleby Collectible Series.

For book club discussion questions, lists of Nora Pennington's bibliotherapy titles, and more, visit www.elleryadamsmysteries.com

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Titles By Ellery Adams

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The Vanishing Type: A Charming Bookish Cozy Mystery (A Secret, Book, and Scone Society Novel Book 5) Apr 26, 2022

by Ellery Adams

( 853 )

$9.06

Entertainment Weekly hails the Secret, Book, and Scone Society series by the beloved New York Times bestselling author as “a love letter to reading.” In this entrancing new story, bookshop owner, bibliotherapist, and occasional sleuth Nora Pennington must enlist the help of her brilliant, brassy librarian friend to unravel the connection between The Scarlet Letter, an obscure 19th century writer, and a dead hiker…

While January snow falls outside in Miracle Springs, North Carolina, Nora Pennington is encouraging customers to cozy up indoors with a good book. Even though the shop and her bibliotherapy sessions keep Nora busy during the day, her nights are a little too quiet—until Deputy Andrews pulls Nora into the sci-fi section and asks her to help him plan a wedding proposal.

His bride-to-be, Hester, loves Little Women, and Nora sets to work arranging a special screening at the town’s new movie theater. But right before the deputy pops the question, Nora makes an unsettling discovery—someone has mutilated all her store’s copies of The Scarlet Letter, slicing angrily into the pages wherever Hester Prynne’s name is mentioned.

The coincidence disturbs Nora, who’s one of the few in Miracle Springs who knows that Hester gave up a baby for adoption many years ago. Her family heaped shame on her, and Hester still feels so guilty that she hasn’t even told her future husband. But when a dead man is found on a hiking trail just outside town, carrying a rare book, the members of the Secret, Book, and Scone Society unearth a connection to Hester’s past. Someone is intent on bringing the past to light, and it’s not just Hester’s relationship at stake, but her life. . .

“Captivating…Bibliophilic cozy fans will be in heaven.” – Publishers Weekly

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Hardcover

The Whispered Word (A Secret, Book, and Scone Society Novel Book 2) Nov 27, 2018

by Ellery Adams

( 1,794 )

$9.99

In this cozy mystery by a New York Times–bestselling author, a gifted bookstore owner can find the right book for any patron, but can she find a killer?

The proprietor of Miracle Books in Miracle Springs, North Carolina, Nora Pennington believes that a well-chosen novel can bring healing and hope. But she and the other members of the Secret, Book, and Scone Society know that sometimes practical help is needed too. Such is the case with the reed-thin girl hiding in the fiction section of Nora’s store, wearing a hospital ID and a patchwork of faded bruises. She calls herself Abilene but won’t reveal much else. And when a customer is found dead in an assumed suicide, Nora uncovers a connection that points to Abilene as either a suspect—or another target. After a second death hits town, Nora and her intrepid friends must help the new, greenhorn sheriff discern fact from fiction—and stop a killer intent on bringing another victim’s story to a close…

“A love letter to reading, with sharp characterizations and a smart central mystery.”—Entertainment Weekly

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Hardcover , Paperback , Audio CD

This title and over 1 million more available with Kindle Unlimited.

Murder on the Poet's Walk (A Book Retreat Mystery 8) Sep 27, 2022

by Ellery Adams

$5.99

When corpses clutching poems begin turning up around Storyton Hall, resort manager Jane Steward is on the trail of someone exercising poetic license to kill . . .

As Jane eagerly anticipates the wedding of her best friend Eloise Alcott, Storyton Hall is overrun with poets in town to compete for a coveted greeting card contract. They’re everywhere, scrawling verses on cocktail napkins in the reading rooms or seeking inspiration strolling the Poet’s Walk, a series of trails named after famous authors. But the Tennyson Trail leads to a grim surprise: a woman’s corpse drifting in a rowboat on a lake, a crumpled copy of “The Lady of Shallot” in her lifeless fist.

When a second body is discovered, also holding a page from a poetry book, a recurring MO emerges. Fortunately, Jane is well versed in sleuthing and won’t rest until she gives the killer a taste of poetic justice . . .

“Readers will find themselves wanting to live in Storyton, no matter how many people end up dead there.”
—Suspense Magazine on Murder in the Locked Library

Other Formats: Mass Market Paperback

The Book of Candlelight (A Secret, Book, and Scone Society Novel 3) Jan 28, 2020

by Ellery Adams

( 1,850 )

$0.99

In the new Secret, Book, and Scone Society novel from New York Times bestselling author Ellery Adams, the rain in Miracle Springs, North Carolina, has been relentless—and a flood of trouble is about to be unleashed . . .

Nora Pennington figures all the wet weather this spring is at least good for business. The local inns are packed with stranded travelers, and among them Nora finds new customers for her store, Miracle Books. Since a little rain never hurt anyone, Nora rides her bike over to the flea market one sodden day and buys a bowl from Danny, a Cherokee potter. But the next day, after Miracle River overflows its banks, and Danny’s body is found floating within the churning waters, Nora decides it’s time for the Secret, Book, and Scone Society to spring into action. A crucial clue may lie within the stone walls of the Inn of Mist and Roses: a diary, over a century old and spattered with candle wax, that leads Nora and her friends through a maze of intrigue—and onto the trail of a
murderer . . .

“A love letter to reading, with sharp characterizations and a smart central mystery.”
—Entertainment Weekly on The Whispered Word

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Hardcover , Paperback , Audio CD

This title and over 1 million more available with Kindle Unlimited.

Murder in the Mystery Suite (The Book Retreat Mysteries 1) Aug 5, 2014

by Ellery Adams

( 1,255 )

$8.99

Someone resorts to murder and mayhem in the first mystery in the New York Times bestselling Book Retreat series...

Tucked away in the rolling hills of rural western Virginia is the storybook resort of Storyton Hall, catering to book lovers who want to get away from it all. To increase her number of bookings, resort manager Jane Steward has decided to host a Murder and Mayhem week so that fans of the mystery genre can gather together for some role-playing and fantasy crime solving.

But when the winner of the scavenger hunt, Felix Hampden, is found dead in the Mystery Suite, and the valuable book he won as his prize is missing, Jane realizes one of her guests is an actual murderer. Amid a resort full of fake detectives, Jane is bound and determined to find a real-life killer. There’s no room for error as Jane tries to unlock this mystery before another vacancy opens up…

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Hardcover , Paperback , Mass Market Paperback , Audio CD

The Secret, Book & Scone Society (A Secret, Book, and Scone Society Novel 1) Oct 31, 2017

by Ellery Adams

( 2,770 )

$8.92

First in the mystery series from the New York Times-bestselling author: “Anyone who loves novels that revolve around books will savor this tasty treat.”—Library Journal (starred review)

A quirky club in small-town North Carolina holds the keys to health, happiness, friendship—and even solving a murder—all to be found within the pages of the right book…

Strangers flock to Miracle Springs hoping the natural hot springs, five-star cuisine, and renowned spa can cure their ills. If none of that works, they often find their way to Miracle Books, where, over a fresh-baked “comfort” scone, they exchange their stories with owner Nora Pennington in return for a carefully chosen book. That’s Nora’s special talent—prescribing the perfect novel to ease a person’s deepest pain. So when a visiting businessman reaches out for guidance, Nora knows exactly how to help. But before he can keep their appointment, he’s found dead on the train tracks.

Stunned, Nora forms the Secret, Book, and Scone Society, a group of damaged souls yearning to earn redemption by helping others. To join, members must divulge their darkest secret—the terrible truth that brought each of them to Miracle Springs in the first place. Now, determined to uncover the truth behind the businessman’s demise, the women meet in Nora’s cozy bookstore. And as they untangle a web of corruption, they also discover their own courage, purpose, and a sisterhood that will carry them through every challenge—proving it’s never too late to turn the page and start over…

“Adams kicks off a new series featuring strong women, a touch of romance and mysticism, and both the cunning present-day mystery and the slowly revealed secrets of the intriguing heroines’ pasts.”—Kirkus Reviews

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Hardcover , Paperback , Audio CD

This title and over 1 million more available with Kindle Unlimited.

Ink and Shadows: A Witty & Page-Turning Southern Cozy Mystery (A Secret, Book, and Scone Society Novel Book 4) Jan 26, 2021

by Ellery Adams

( 2,457 )

$9.16

Controversy erupts in Miracle Springs, North Carolina, when the owner of the local bookstore tries to play peacekeeper—but winds up playing detective instead . . .

Known for her window displays, Nora Pennington decides to showcase fictional heroines like Roald Dahl’s Matilda and Madeline Miller’s Circe for Halloween. But a family-values group disapproves of the magical themes and wastes no time launching a modern-day witch hunt. Suddenly, former friends and customers are targeting not only Nora and Miracle Books, but a new shopkeeper, Celeste, who’s been selling CBD oil products.

Nora and her friends in the Secret, Book, and Scone Society are doing their best to put an end to the strife—but then someone puts an end to a life. Declared an accident, the ruling can’t explain the old book page covered with strange symbols and disturbing drawings left under Nora’s doormat. It’s up to Nora and the Secret, Book, and Scone Society to sort out the clues before more bodies turn up and the secrets from Celeste’s past come back to haunt them all . . .

“Entertaining . . . packed with mystery, romance, and sisterhood.”
—Kirkus Reviews

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Hardcover , Paperback , Audio CD

This title and over 1 million more available with Kindle Unlimited.

Murder in the Paperback Parlor (The Book Retreat Mysteries 2) Aug 4, 2015

by Ellery Adams

( 839 )

$5.99

The New York Times bestselling Book Retreat mysteries feature Storyton Hall, the perfect getaway for literature lovers—except when a guest tries to get away with murder…

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, Jane Steward is organizing a week of activities for fans of love stories at her book-themed resort. But her Regency readers barely have time to brush up on their Jane Austen before tragedy strikes Storyton Hall. Rosamund York, one of the most celebrated authors in attendance, is killed.

Rosamund had as many enemies as she did admirers, including envious fellow novelists, a jealous former lover, and dozens of angry fans. It’s up to Jane, with the help of her book club, the Cover Girls, to catalogue the list of suspects and find a heartless killer quickly—before the murderer writes someone else off…

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Paperback , Mass Market Paperback , MP3 CD

Murder in the Locked Library (A Book Retreat Mystery 4) Apr 24, 2018

by Ellery Adams

( 853 )

$5.99

The New York Times–bestselling cozy mystery series continues at a Virginia book-themed getaway where there are multiple murders to solve.

With her twins, Fitzgerald and Hemingway, back in school, Jane Steward can finally focus on her work again—managing Storyton Hall, and breaking ground on the resort’s latest attraction: a luxurious, relaxing spa named in honor of Walt Whitman. But when the earth is dug up to start laying the spa’s foundation, something else comes to the surface—a collection of unusual bones and the ragged remnants of a very old book. The attendees of the Rare Book Conference are eager to assist Jane with this unexpected historical mystery—until a visitor meets an untimely end in the Henry James Library. As the questions—and suspects—start stacking up, Jane will have to uncover a killer before more unhappy endings ensue . . .

“This group of intriguing characters and suspects will keep readers riveted until the last page. Ellery Adams has proven, yet again, that this series will go on for a long time to come.”—Suspense Magazine

“This enchanting blend of mystery and fantasy succeeds in feeling timely and grounded…Book and mystery lovers alike will rejoice in this extraordinarily unique, exuberantly fun series.”—Kings River Life

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Library Binding , Mass Market Paperback , Audio CD

Murder in the Secret Garden (A Book Retreat Mystery 3) Aug 2, 2016

by Ellery Adams

( 727 )

$7.99

Things really go to seed in the newest novel in the New York Times bestselling Book Retreat mysteries...

There is a hidden garden bordering the grounds of Jane Steward’s book-themed resort—a garden filled with beautiful but deadly plants such as mandrake and nightshade. Tucked away behind ivy-covered walls and accessible only through a single locked door, as described in the pages of Frances Hodges Burnett's classic novel, the garden is of special interest to Jane’s current group of guests, The Medieval Herbalists. But when one of them turns up dead, Jane must discover whether a member of the group has come to Storyton Hall to celebrate their passion for plant lore or to implement a particularly cruel means for murder.

With thousands of books at her disposal, Jane believes she has the proper materials to solve this deadly problem. If she’s wrong, however, she may lose something far more precious than the contents of Storyton’s secret library...

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Paperback , Mass Market Paperback , Audio CD

Murder in the Storybook Cottage (A Book Retreat Mystery 6) Apr 28, 2020

by Ellery Adams

( 895 )

$5.99

Storyton Hall, Virginia, is a top travel destination for book lovers and the perfect spot for literary events. But as a children’s book publisher hosts a gathering there, some folks aren’t going to live—happier ever after or otherwise . . .

Jane Steward’s resort is hopping—not only is Peppermint Press’s conference in full swing, there are also lots of families staying on the premises, bringing their kids to events like a scavenger hunt through the Fairy Tale Forest.

Then a woman dressed like Little Red Riding Hood is found dead from a plot device straight out of a fairy tale—with a rare and valuable copy of Grimm’s Fairy Tales in her basket. Not long after, a second victim is killed, with yet another treasure—a volume by Hans Christian Andersen worth thousands of dollars—nearby. It looks like a big bad wolf may be lurking among the guests, and Jane can’t just wait for a handsome prince to come to the rescue . . .

“Readers will find themselves wanting to live in Storyton, no matter how many people end up dead there.” —Suspense Magazine on Murder in the Locked Library

Visit us at www.kensingtonbooks.com

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Library Binding , Mass Market Paperback , Audio CD

A Killer Plot (A Books by the Bay Mystery Book 1) May 26, 2010

by Ellery Adams

( 534 )

$7.99

In the small coastal town of Oyster Bay, North Carolina, you'll find plenty of characters, ne'er-do-wells, and even a few celebs trying to duck the paparazzi. But when murder joins this curious community, the Bayside Book Writers are there to get the story...

Olivia Limoges is the subject of constant gossip. Ever since she came back to town-a return as mysterious as her departure-Olivia has kept to herself, her dog, and her unfinished novel. With a little cajoling from the eminently charming writer Camden Ford, she agrees to join the Bayside Book Writers, break her writer's block, and even make a few friends...

But when townspeople start turning up dead with haiku poems left by the bodies, anyone with a flair for language is suddenly suspect. And it's up to Olivia to catch the killer before she meets her own surprise ending.

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Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Hardcover , Paperback , Mass Market Paperback , MP3 CD

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