Murder in the Locked Library (A Book Retreat Mystery)

I've previously read (and adored) all of Ellery Adams's Charmed Pie Shoppe series, but haven't before read her Book Retreat series, despite having the books in my library. After reading this one, I see I'll have to remedy this ASAP! The history of Storyton Hall is fascinating, and who expects Templars in a cozy mystery series set in America? The characters are likable, and the descriptions of the cook's food, well, I'm a person who enjoys reading menus, so bring on the lavish spreads! Typically, cozy mysteries introduce two new characters in a book: one gets killed, and the other is the killer. It's easy to solve. In Murder in the Locked Library, I had NO idea who the killer would turn out to be. The disposition of the killer sets up the next book nicely, which I will await after reading the first three books in the series!

I have enjoyed this series since its beginning. This latest book didn't disappoint me. Storyton Hall is hosting a Rare Books Convention. A very old body is unearthed in the project to build a spa. There's a death in the library. A new body is found along the road. And there's a kidnapping with a ransom demand. My only complaint is that I have to wait for the next book to continue the story line which was introduced at the end of this book.

Once again, the Book Retreat series continues to give readers a great mystery, very interesting book world knowledge, enticing food and celebrations, and much to keep our minds occupied. All of the main characters are part of the activity and important to the story. It is all right to have this be your first trip to the Book Retreat, because Ellery Adams does tie in the past books well.

The fourth book in Ellery Adams' Book Retreat Mystery series, Murder in the Locked Library, is a fantastic read that keeps you guessing until the very end! Storyton Hall, a book lover's paradise, serves as the center of this series and follows the adventures of Jane Steward, the "guardian" and her loyal friends known as the "Fins." This book, as with all of them in the series, has the perfect blend, of murder, mystery and romance. Jane finds herself faced with solving three murders, one in the past and two in the present. Are the murders related or are they completely separate? Thanks to Adams' expert storytelling, you won't know the answer until the very end and just when the mystery is solved, a shocking revelation is made leaving you begging Adams' for the release date of book 5!

This series keeps getting better and better. How great would it be to go on one of these retreats? Well…except the murdering part. I also enjoyed Edwin’s twist (so to speak) at the end. Don’t worry…I won’t spoil it for you!

Thanks again to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book, which I voluntarily reviewed.

Murder in the Locked Library was an enjoyable read with an intriguing mystery and a delightful setting.

Jane Steward, manager of Storyton Hall, is looking forward to breaking ground on the resort's newest addition, a luxurious spa. Her spirits are dampened however when upon breaking ground for the spa, a skeleton is discovered along with the remains of an old book. When attendees of the Rare Book Conference being hosted at Storyton Hall learn about the book, they're more than willing to lend their expertise to discover its origins. After one of the attendees who helped with the book is murdered in the library, Jane is left with more questions than answers. As suspects begin piling up, Jane will need to work fast to discover who the culprit is before the killer strikes again.

When Jane isn't spending her time managing Storyton Hall, she's spending it trying to wrangle her twins Fitz and Hem. Jane has a great relationship with her boys and is completely devoted to them. I liked that the author showed her getting frustrated with them rather than going the "everything is perfect" route a lot of authors choose for characters with children. Storyton Hall sits on land that has been in Jane's family for generations and Jane along with her family, still live on the property. Not only is this to help with managing the resort, but Storyton Hall also houses a secret library that Jane's family has been charged with protecting. As the current Guardian, Jane is tasked with the protection and maintenance of a library housing some of the world's rarest books.

In addition to Jane, there are a number of characters who frequently appear in the book. Jane has a large group of friends she is in a book club with who are referred to as the Cover Girls. As the Guardian, Jane has a group called the Fins who help her protect the library. The Fins all work on the property in one capacity or another, so they're always around. Because Murder in the Locked Library is the first book in this series I have read, I don't know a lot about the backstory of the Fins or even how Jane's family came to be the protectors of the library. It isn't explained very well in this book, so I'm guessing you need to have read the other books in order to understand how their group works.

Throughout the book there are a few plot lines that ultimately tie together. The plot that most interested me was discovering the identity of the skeleton and finding out more about the book that was discovered with it. I felt the mystery surrounding this plot point was the best one and it held my attention the most. One element in the book that didn't work for me was how much leeway the sheriff gave Jane when it came to being involved in the various crimes. I don't know if it would have made more sense if I'd read the other books, but I couldn't buy into how much Jane was allowed to do. The way the book ends, one plot line is left open and I'm interested to see where that goes in the next book.

Overall while I enjoyed Murder in the Locked Library, I wish I had read the previous books in the series before reading this book as I felt I was missing a lot of backstory. I will definitely be reading the first three books in the future and would recommend the series to those who enjoy cozies with a focus on books.

**I received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher which I voluntarily and honestly reviewed.**

WOW! Book #4 in the Book Retreat series is Murder in the Locked Library by Ellery Adams and I loved it! Just the thought of a resort focused on books and the love of reading lead me to this series and each book is better than the last! What I love about all of Ellery Adams' books is the amount of research she does for each new book. I'm a sucker for a fully developed backstory. The protagonist, Jane Stewart is a cross between my favorite Elementary School Librarian, Mrs. Klingmeyer and Lara Croft! She kicks the bad guys hineys with a five-star vocabulary and some mean martial arts skills. Get ready for plot twists galore and characters that you would love to have living next door to you!

I want to vacation in Storyton Hall! Book vacations are a good escape though without all the actual murder ? I got through this one pretty quickly and then the ending had me like what?? At least I know there will be more!

Like some of the other reviewers here, I have read the whole series. I had no trouble understanding what was going on (and it's not that complex anyway, though implausible. Basically, Jane guards rare books and the Fins help her patrol against a rival group, the Templars, who try to steal them). Unlike some of the others, I did not feel this was a strong entry. The premise is a good one and the secret behind the apparently blank book is chilling and makes it an excellent McGuffin. Sadly, the writing style turned me off. It's all just so cutesy and sweetsy and melodramatic, without a hint of the kind of tongue in cheek literary humor you would expect in a literary mystery. Maybe that's because Jane, the main character, is so superficial and overly nice (which really seems out of place in a story that references genocide, Eugenics, and Anne and Otto Frank). Others enjoyed it and that's fine. However, I think the series needs more of an edge and some sharper wit, perhaps like MC Beaton brings to her writing. Jane needs to develop a little cynicism.

Not one aspect of this book captured my attention. The story began flat and stayed that way throughout which was disappointing since I have enjoyed this series from the beginning.

As Jane Steward, Guardian of Storyton Hall in western Virginia, begins to break ground for an upcoming spa addition to her acclaimed bibliophile vacation destination, “a skull and a smattering of bones” are found and with this discovery an old box containing a damaged “cookbook” that when its secrets are revealed will result in deaths, kidnappings, and clues as to where the Fins can find Templars that will stop at nothing to lay claim to a hidden library and the treasures that it holds.

To understand Jane’s responsibilities, the library, and the Fins, you need to start at the beginning -- back to when the books held a fascination -- and work their way through them sequentially. Beginning at the end, will only puzzle the readers and leave a limited desire to pick up another book in this series.

Ellery has done it again. Her writing style is so unique and intriguing. I love the way she describes a setting and makes you feel apart of the story. This book was amazing! I had a hard time putting it down and really didn't want it to end. The mystery was fabulous and had me guessing until the end. History and the present meet in this well written escape from reality. I eagerly await another installment of this series.

I was prepared to love Murder in the Locked Library. I am a bibliophile! How could I not love a cozy mystery about books with a cover that beckons “Sit down and read a while.”? I am sorry to say the book plodded along until about three-fourths of the way through when something happened that totally engaged me. I won’t spoil the book by saying what that event was.

I loved all the literary references and quotes, and I gradually began to understand what the purpose of Storyton Lodge is. And therein lies the second problem: Murder in the Locked Library really, really, really should not be read as a standalone. I did searches within the book to find the first references to “Guardian” and “Fin” thinking I had overlooked their introduction. I even did an Internet search on the terms to see if I had missed references in popular culture. My searches were fruitless. With background knowledge from previous books, this one would have been more enjoyable, but that still doesn’t solve the problem of the first part of the book lacking interest.

I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Kensington Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was intrigued enough to read this book because I love books, and often find I can lose most of a day just reading nothing in particular.

Unfortunately, MURDER IN THE LOCK LIBRARY, while sounding like it might be a tribute to John Dickson Carr, the master of the "locked room mystery," I found it almost possessing enough incessant "self importance" to make me, as a reader, praying that with the turn of each page, another dead body would be found, and, please make it one of Storyton Hall's regulars. After I started having this thought a little too much, after all, maybe it was just this book, and because it was third, or is it fourth, in a series, maybe that was why the Ms. Adams' descriptive writing seemed so trite, but I was wrong. Reading the first chapter of MURDER IN THE MYSTERY SUITE, the first book in this series, however, showed a certain amount of lack of descriptiveness in it, too.

I must confess that I didn't enjoy this book, even though it dealt with someone loving books. While sometimes I find I can easily lose myself in books, reading this made me realize just how much more interesting Roget's Thesaurus can be.

Ms. Adams has once again written a book that seperates itself from other books in the genre. She has a way of creating stories, of fully immersing you in a place, that while fictional, feels anything but.

It is great that Jane has the Cover Girls who always have her back. They are a great sounding board for Jane. Even though she can't divulge all of the details to them, they always lend a listening and caring ear. I love Jane's relationship with her sons. Her love for them radiates off of every page. Jane went through a lot in this book. We got to see a lot of emotion from her, which I loved. She has so much going on, yet the moments she savors most are the ones spent with her loved ones. And books. Let's not forget about all of those books!

Storyton Hall is a truly magical place. It has everything a book lover could possibly want. Mrs. Hubbard, the head chef, is always cooking or baking up something delightful. There are multiple reading rooms packed to the gills with, you guessed it, books. I wish I could have grabbed one of the delicious confections Mrs. Hubbard makes during tea time. They always sound delightful.

I adored the Rare Book Conference theme. What's better than a book about books? This series is literally all about them.

One of the things I love most about series is the character growth. They are always evolving and adapting to their situations. Some of the best moments in the book are shared between Jane, Sinclair, Butterworth, Sterling, and Lachlan. They all have a certain bond that is lovely to read. It is almost like soldiers. They go to war together and trust each other with their lives.

There is a lot at stake when it comes to solving this mystery. I have to say, I didn't see the ending coming. Not even a little. It was one of the best reveals I have ever read. There are many twists, yet it works. It always feels natural. It takes a real talent to keep the balance between believable and too out there; Ms. Adams does it masterfully.

I have read all of the books so far in this series, and while it would be all right to start with this book, I highly reccomend starting from the beginning. It will help you better understand the intricacies of the story. Plus, who would want to miss all of that character growth?

I received a free copy of this book. I am voluntarily leaving a review. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.

With the boys back in school Jane is looking forward to the new addition being built at Storyton Hall, a spa. While the space where the spa will be built is being cleared Jane's boys notice a skeleton and all work has to stop. How long has it been there and who could it be? A specialist is called in to figure out just that. When removing the bones a box is found and inside a book in not so great condition. Both Jane and Sinclair try but fail to figure out the identity of the book, luckily Storyton has a Rare Book Conference going on and Jane knows just the group that can help. Bart Baylor from the group recognizes something from the book and in the end figures out just what book it is. It's a book with quite a history, and while telling that history to Jane and Sinclair, Bart seems to have a reaction to something and dies. What looks like an accidental death ends up being murder. Who would want to kill such a nice man? Does the book have something to do with his death? Jane must figure that out and more. Can she find the answers she needs before anything else bad happens? Adams delivers a very intricately weaved mystery filled with an inventive story line which always has me coming back for more. I can't wait to see where the next book leads Jane and how she will take it on!

“No one is innocent”

Jane Steward, manager of Storyton Hall, where she lives with her family and “family of choice”, runs into a situation when a skelton is found while breaking ground on the new spa she is creating. And with that discovery, a mystery of epic proportions begins.

The Rare Books group is coming in for their yearly meeting and Jane hopes they can help figure out why an old, deteriorated book was buried with the body, and what its connection to Storyton Hall is. As the mystery broadens to include another murder, Jane’s way of life is wrapped in the clues that could solve the mystery, or become part of it.

This is my first visit to Storyton Hall, but it definitely will not be my last. Ms. Adams’ knowledge is what sparks your curiosity and her sense of humor and plot twists will keep you coming back. Highly recommended 5/5

Welcome back to Storyton Hall....I've missed Jane Steward and the many characters at the resort. Murder in the Locked Library is the fourth book in Ellery Adams Book Retreat series and it is not to be missed. As with Ms. Adams previous books in the series, she keeps building on her characters personalities adding new layers to their lives. And of course adding new characters to the mix. As with any good mystery, Ms. Adams combinds clever clues with many twist and turns.I found I didn't want to put the book down, its was a page turner. I've fallen in love with Staryton Hall and all the character in this series. I hope you will too...enjoy.

Murder in the Locked Library is by Ellery Adams. It is the fourth book in the Book Retreat Mystery series. The stories take place at Storyton Hall, which is in the small village of Storyton, Virginia. In this book, a rare book society comes to Storyton Hall for a conference. Unfortunately, there is a murder and it's up to Jane and her staff to figure out who the killer is.
I enjoyed this book with its small town feel, the secrets that Storyton Hall brings and the wonderful cast of characters. With its libraries named for different authors, to the cloak and dagger of its secret rooms and hidden panels, Storyton Hall is a place I would love to visit. It sounds like the ideal place for a very relaxing vacation. Jane is the smart, independent woman who runs it while also raising her twin sons and trying to solve murders. Aunt Octavia and Uncle Aloysius are helpful with the boys and know all the secrets of Storyton Hall. They add a quirky element to the story.
The mystery is wonderful. It kept me guessing throughout the whole book. There were many twists and turns along the way. It caught me up in it from the first page to the last. Ellery has a wonderful way of weaving the story, clues and mystery altogether. I recommend this book to everyone who loves a great story with quirky characters and a mystery that will keep you guessing until the end.
I received my copy of this book from the author for review. This is an honest review.

I have no experience reading Ellery Adams' prior works and perhaps I would have enjoyed this book more if I'd read earlier books in the series. As it is, I couldn't connect with the characters at all. There was no character development in the first one hundred pages of the book. I couldn't make it past page 116 and it felt like a Herculean effort to make it that far. I felt like I was reading about a bunch of Stepford robots with rich, dreamy lives where everyone smiles and laughs at what everyone else says. Everyone who ever meets her twin sons (no idea how old they are) loves them like they are their own sons. The boys sit quietly and listen raptly to lectures given to them on a variety of very dry subjects and, when they are told to do so, run off to get dirt under their nails like proper boys. Another reviewer said the beginning is slow and man, they weren't lying. I just couldn't care about what happened to any of these people. I confess to plenty of groans over cheesy parts, too. For instance, the name of her book club is The Cover Girls. (Gag.) As they are holding a meeting, this collection of faceless robots carry on a sickly sweet conversation punctuated with this line: "The Cover Girls laughed."

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra

Murder in the Locked Library is the fourth book in the Book Retreat Mysteries series by Ellery Adams. My preference is to read a series from the beginning, but I have jumped into this series at this juncture. While not an ideal situation, the author has done a reasonable job of providing the required background to begin at this point.

We begin the story as a Rare Book conference is getting underway at Storyton Hall, Virginia. Simultaneously, Storyton Hall is undergoing renovations – a luxurious, relaxing spa named in honor of Walt Whitman – a pet project of Jane Steward – the manager of Storyton Hall is breaking ground.

Sinclair is quite the character. He is Storyton Hall’s head librarian. He has many things to teach Jane’s young twins Hemingway and Fitzgerald. One also gets the impression that he is a very multi-talented individual… way beyond what meets the eye. I enjoyed Sinclair right from the beginning. His teachings to the boys with respect as to how to show respect to books was perfect:

“What else have I taught you about the proper treatment of books?”

“To make sure our hands are clean before touching a book,” Hem said.

“I was going to say that.” Fitz frowned, but quickly brightened again. “You also said never fold the corner of a page to mark our place. Civilized people use bookmarks.”

Sinclair’s stern expression morphed into a smile.

“Correct on both counts. Scrub those hands until I can see pink skin and I’ll tell you about this book. It holds a secret.”

Another interesting staff member is Mr. Butterworth – the butler. He is also a conductor., leading the Storyton Chamber Orchestra. When Butterworth told Jane about the first death, the wording was certainly interesting:

“…Butterworth, please. Please tell me that there hasn’t been a terrible accident.”

“An accident? On the cause of death, I couldn’t say.” Butterworth put a steadying hand on Jane’s shoulder. “But we do have a Rip Van Winkle.”

“A Rip Van Winkle was the code for a Storyton Hall guest who had expired on the premises.

“Not again!” Jane cried.

In the midst of the conference, Jane must figure out who the dead person was, having the bones discovered of a long ago death, as the spa renovation was getting underway. Of course, things are not simple (naturally). Subsequently, a current guest at Storyton Hall dies under suspicious circumstances.

I loved the passage where Jane was on the road with Sterling and Lachlan (two of the Fins) and they had to stop suddenly for a buck…the writing was such that I felt as if I was there myself. I quite enjoyed the descriptive writings such as this passage, or when the characters were discussing books reverently.

The buck, unperturbed, turned to stare at them. At that moment, the moon emerged from behind the clouds and the magnificent animal was bathed in a radiant white light. Jane’s breath caught in her throat. To her, the deer had transformed into the mystical stag as described in the Harry Potter novels, or The Hobbit. It stood completely still, its proud head held high, as if its massive antlers were made of air.

There is a lot going on with the story – for example: trying to figure out multiple murders (are they related or not)? What is going on with Jane’s boyfriend, Edwin? And getting to know the Cover Girls was priceless (and they do have some good sleuthing skills) along with the Fins.

One final quote which I found poignant:

“Faulkner said that ‘you cannot swim for new horizons until you have courage to lose sight of the shore.’

I have certainly enjoyed this mystery. Albeit, at times it seemed to drag a bit during the first half of the book, but I am happy to report that in the second half of the book the pace picked up and kept my interest until the end. In fact, so much so that I had a hard time putting it down from then on. Unfortunately, there are parts of the story which probably would make more sense if I had started the series from the beginning.

I must admit – I was not able to figure out ‘whodunit’ – which is one thing I do look for in a good cozy mystery – not being able to figure out who until they are revealed. So mission accomplished J

I hope to read this series from the beginning to see what backstory have missed in hopes of enjoying these characters even more. As well, the story was left with a mystery as well…leading into the next book….yeah!

I also am looking forward to reading more books in another series of Ellery Adams that I am following: ‘A Supper Club Mystery Series’.