Murder in the Cookbook Nook sees a televised cooking competition show at Storyton Hall. We get to see a few characters from Oyster Bay, which is a nice treat. I love this series, and how things are progressing between Jane and Edwin. This book is one of the better in the series, I highly recommend.

I have been a long-time fan of this series and of Adams' "Books by the Bay" mysteries, so I was thrilled to learn that the main character from "Books by the Bay" was going to make an appearance at Storyton Hall. Add to that the Great British Baking Show-style cooking event, and I thought all of the conditions would be right for a great read. Ultimately, this title fell flat for me. First, the appearance of Olivia Limoges isn't explained very well, and her participation in the overall mystery is low (which is strange considering how integral she was to solving mysteries in her series). The other issue is, having wrapped up the central point of tension around Storyton Hall (namely, the secret library), Jane's purpose now seems a little muddled. The writing is so strong when Jane is experiencing moments of growth and self-discovery that the mystery just begins to lack. I still love these characters, I just want to see more in the way of purpose or a bigger storyline as the series continues.

I thought the name was a little precious, but the premise seemed promising, although it's a common theme in the genre right now: murder on a reality show. This is the second or third of the these Murder on a Reality Show Set I've read the past year or so. I hate reality TV shoes, so murder on the set? Yup, I can enjoy that. In this book, a popular cooking reality show hosted by a social media superstar comes to film at Storyton Hall. Storyton Hall is the most idyllic and yet unrealistic resort you've ever heard of. The series is called the Book Retreat mystery series, and Storyton Hall is a resort for book lovers. Every room has been named after an author; there are books everywhere, and cosy nooks and crannies for book lovers to relax and indulge their literary tastes while indulging in typical resort amenities such as a spa, a word class restaurant, and different outdoor activities. Since the idea of a vacation spent reading one book after the other while someone else cooks and cleans for me sounds heavenly, I was all on board for this. But despite sounding like my idea of a perfect vacation, the book was just a little too precious. The characters, the setting, the history of Storyton Hall--it's all so perfect. Everyone is beautiful and kind, they all love each other like a family, they are all dedicated to preserving Storyton Hall and its mysterious past and the apparent millions of dollars in antiques and goodness knows what other hidden glories. The hall has a full crime lab (who the heck would fill in a health document to go stay at resort?) where they can do in-house blood analysis. I'm not kidding you. They do full background checks and complete guest profiles on everyone who stays there. I have nothing to hide, but how invasive is that? I sure hope Miraval, where I had a mini spa vacation, didn't operate like this behind the scenes. (This could be tied to the hall's history, but I never got a good sense of what that was as the description was very cryptic and short and left with more questions than were answered; this series doesn't seem to be friendly to readers who don't start at book 1). By the way, tampering at the murder scene to get a blood sample to analyze should have incensed the sheriff and gotten Jane and her crew in trouble. But, ahh, it's Perfectland where they can do what they want, have apparently millions of dollars to maintain the hotel and the lab, and pr relentlessly into people's background; so unrealistic. I mean, part of the appeal of mysteries is that the amateur detective has to use their wits to figure it out, when they have large gaping holes in the information they have access to. There were some poorly explained or unexplainable incidents: how did Sinclair know that Jane had an urgent message on her cell phone in Chapter 11? A trained tracking dog will not get confused by multiple scents; that's the whole point of using a tracking dog (also in Chapter 11). I started mentally pleading for someone to lose their patience (like the sheriff for their meddling), or be rude, at least less perfect. Even Jane's 11-year-old twin sons are perfect--they clean up, they help out, they immediately agree to go quietly read (instead of play?), they listen to all the adults around them. Has the author ever met 11-year-old boys? I liked the book, despite the saccharine perfectness of it all, because it's (dare I say it?) perfect for summer reading--non-taxing, nonviolent, always sunny. But I am not sure I'd read any other entires inthe series because there's no grounding in reality. The reader is supposed to be able to be the main character, through whose eyes we experience the story. Jane is too perfect, her life too perfect, the ability to get what she wants done instantly because she has a full staff and a full crime lab and a perfect boyfriend and perfect children and---I couldn't identify with her at all. I simultaneously liked it and disliked it. Part of the dissatisfaction with it stems from the advanced reader's copy I read from Net Galley (it was published in April)-- there almost 100 typos and missing words (I read it on my Kindle, so yes, I know exactly how many notes I kept for publisher on all of these). I sure hope they were all corrected before the book went to press. A summertime escape that sadly, ultimately, didn't satisfy me.

This is book 7 in the Book Retreat series. 6 chefs are participating in a cook off reality show at IStoryton hall. Jane, her sons and all the regulars are here for the solving of the murder. Obnoxious chef is found dead after a series of accidents that point to someone sabotaging the show. Love this series, and always a good recipe to try. A fun read with a few surprises. I received a copy of this arc in exchange for a fair and honest review.

When I started reading this one, I couldn't help but compare it to the British Bake Off with more intrigue, sabotage, and explosions. I did like the idea of a cookbook nook, and got to thinking about my own little nook. It's not focused on cook books, but I do like the Zen of it all. I love this series, specifically its secret society element revolving around books and artifacts.

Also, it's a great reminder to never judge a book by its cover (i.e. social media influencers) and that cooking competitions can be cut throat. I do recommend reading the series in order, there is a lot of backstory to why Jane and The Fins do things the way they do, but I highly recommend.

This is the 7th book in the Book Retreat mysteries. It’s a great series, and I liked this book especially. I love Storyton Hall setting, the characters are fun and quirky, and the plots well written. I was still guessing the murderer at the end! I highly recommend this book.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Ellery Adams continues the Book Retreat series with Murder in the Cookbook Nook. Storyton Hall is hosting a cookoff by six chefs when one is murdered. This cozy has a plethora of suspects in an idyllic setting. Jane Steward and her family and assistants are up to the task. Enjoy a culinary mystery.

Title: Murder in the Cookbook Nook
Author: Ellery Adams

Series: Book Retreat

Chapters: 20 Plus epilogue

Pages: 336

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Rating:4.5 stars

Publisher: Kensington



Murder in the Cookbook Nook by Ellery Adams is the 7th book in the Book Retreat mysteries and they just keep getting better and better. As Jane finally feels like she has settled into her role. But this one was different previous books in the series as Storyton Hall was hosting a cooking show in which the rivalries lead to murder or so it seems. Now Jane and the fins must solve this murder while protecting Janes' family, guests and cook show host alike.



I enjoyed seeing Jane in her element as well as seeing more of the twins and the village of Storyton. The villagers as well as the hotel staff are starting to feel like family and I guess that's what happens with a cozy mystery series the more you get into the series. I look forward to the next one in the series.



I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

If anything can go wrong in this elite cooking competition, it will. Six chefs are invited to join the competition as chefs.. Instead the competition turns out to be on a more personal level. A fun book, especially for those of us who think we can cook until compared to those who do it professionally.

Another excellent story by Ellery Adams, it's gripping and highly entertaining.
I was happy to catch up with the cast of characters, turned pages as fast as I could and the solid mystery kept me guessing.
Ms Adams is a talented storyteller and the characters and the plot development are excellent.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Murder in the Cookbook Nook by Ellery Adams is book seven in the A Book Retreat Mystery. It can be read as a stand alone.
Jane is hosting a cooking competion at Storyton Hall. With a mixture of six chefs personalities and a filming crew that doesn't think rules are for them, Jane has her hands full. When one of the chefs is murdered in the kitchen area of the hall, Jane goes into investigator mode to find the murderer.
This is the perfect Cozy for a fan of cooking shows. There are plenty of suspects and twists and turns. I love the setting and the main characters are relatable.I love the group of friends that surround Jane. There is also romance.
I was given an ARC by Kensington via NetGalley for an honest review.

A fun cozy mystery. I really wish Storyton Hall was a real place. I would defiantly book a vacation there. It would be a book lovers paradise. I really like how Jane solves the mysteries while staying true to herself.

Fantastic cozy mystery. Love how Jane, her twin sons, and the staff at Jane’s resort, and the residents of Storyton Hall solve the murder of a chef participating in a cooking contest in the local town. Each book has me on the edge of my seat with the great mysteries and lovable characters,. Kudos to Ellery Adams for another spectacular read. Highly recommend to all mystery fans and cozy mystery lovers.

What I Loved:

The modernity. One thing that I love about Ellery Adams’ books is that she doesn’t try and make all of her cozy heroines luddites. Jane may be the owner and guardian of a book bed and breakfast, but she is also up and equipped with modern technology. She uses smart phones, state of the art security cameras, and anything else that keeps her in the modern world and her inn safe. One of my biggest gripes in cozies is a heroine’s uselessness with even text messages. Jane uses every tool in her arsenal to help solve the murder. Combined with the social media references and basing the book around cooking shows (a very popular premise right now), this hit all the right modern notes.

Olivia and Jane. Full disclosure, I generally frown upon authors that “plug” their other series into books. However, this was less of a plug and more of an exciting crossover with well-beloved characters from Ellery Adams’ Books by the Bay Mystery series. Even better was the fact that Jane and Olivia got along swimmingly, and bonded immediately. I loved how well Olivia melded into Jane’s friend group, and how her and Haviland the dog played significant roles in protecting the people and solving the mystery. Chef Michel, also from Books by the Bay, is another delightful addition, and his recipes were inspired.

(In the same vein) The characterizations. In general, Murder in the Cookbook Nook is character driven, and every character is so well fleshed out. All of the chefs, Mia the cooking influencer, her entourage, Jane’s family and friends – every single character has their own personality and arc, no matter how small their role. While the plot suffered a bit from this (more on that below), I happen to prefer character-driven narratives personally.

What Didn’t Work For Me:

The multiple mysteries. While I was able to keep track, Murder in the Cookbook Nook has a lot of varying events that could be related, could not be related, and end up being semi related but through a very tenuous connection (fires, explosions, murders, thefts, oh my!). All of this action wasn’t hard to keep track of, but it also didn’t flow well. The amount of action that Jane had to contend with in such a small book didn’t feel genuine, and ended up coming off as extra/unbelievable.

The lack of Jane/Edwin page time. Jane and Edwin – swoon. I love Edwin, with his dashing travels and loving ways, but now that he has his own restaurant, him and Jane didn’t get nearly as much time together as I would like. While I love that Jane is a strong and independent woman, I would still love some particularly romantic scenes, especially since we know that Edwin has it in him. I am cautiously hopeful we will get more Edwin in the next book, if their relationship trajectory is any indicator.

Another excellent edition to a wonderful series! Full of twists and turns that leaves you wanting more and enjoying each moment until the end when the killer is caught!

Storyton Hall is hosting a cooking competition where the challenges are all related to a book, and the chefs and TV staff are residing in the resort. Before the competition can even get started, there is a fire outside the tent, but the contest continues. The next morning the most disagreeable of the contestants is found dead vin the Cookbook Nook, a private area not to used by the guests. Why was he there? Was it an accident or did someone really dislike him enough to commit murder? As the challenges continued, so did the "accidents" - and in the end the surprise of all surprises.

I loved the twists and turns of the mystery, the chance to see Olivia Limoges and Cap'n Haviland again, and to know that the Fins at Storyton Hall are up to protecting Jane Steward and her sons from any unforeseen hazard.

Aside from the story, I do need to mention that this advanced copy that I received from NetGalley was riddled with grammatical and editing errors, something that I had never seen before. The issues did cause problem in the flow of reading because often a sentence needed to be analyzed to figure out what the author actual meant to have written. I do not believe that it was Ms. Adams error but the publishing/editing of the advanced copy.

No matter how many errors there were (more than 2 dozen at least) the book was still a delight to read and I am looking forward to the next installment.

I normally really enjoy Ellery Adams' cozies, and maybe it's because I came into the middle of this series, but something with the characters just didn't give me that cozy feeling. There seemed to be a lot of characters that come along with the series plus this mystery had another full set of characters that came along with the filming of a cooking competition. But completely on point was the author's writing and the mystery itself. As always, both were excellently done and will certainly keep me coming back to this author.

It combine culinary and bookshop mysteries in a way that feels so fresh and fun. Fans of this author and newcomers will equally love this, I think.

Synopsis:

This is the 7th installment in the Book Retreat Mysteries series. A cooking competition is being held at Storyton Hall but everything seems to be going wrong and one of the contestants ends up dead in the off-limits cookbook nook. There are plenty of suspects but the show must go on.

Review:

This is a great cozy mystery. Storyton Hall is a place where guests come to get away and to enjoy books. There is also the added mystery that Storyton Hall has been a place of lost and old books. A treasure that had been hidden away from the world and protected by Jane’s family for generations. Now it is her turn and she must learn how to defend her home and her treasure. This series in one of my favorites and this one did not disappoint. I loved the murder mystery. There was also some hard hitting topics brought to light here. If you haven’t picked this series up before then I highly recommend you do.

Thank you NetGalley for this review copy in exchange for my honest review

Murder in the Cookbook Nook is the latest addition (#7) in the book retreat mystery series. I'm always up for a cozy mystery and a visit to Storyton Hall is always welcome! Catching up with Jane and her sons, Fitz and Hem as well as all of the other characters is always a welcome retreat from my own crazy life. And seriously, who wouldn't want to visit a place called Storyton Hall (virtually or otherwise); A retreat centered around all things books and housing a secret library?! And this latest edition, a cooking competition is held on the grounds of Storyton Hall and naturally, mayhem is brewing, A mystery is stewing, and a murder unfolds. As a lifelong reader and lover of all things literary as well as a bit of a foodie and a cookbook collector, this book spoke to me and needed to be read. The fact that I've enjoyed the rest of this series as well as several other series by Ellery Adams, is just a bonus! I really love that my favorite series by Ellery Adams, the book retreat mysteries (which I miss terribly and wish were continued!), brings back an old favorite character, Olivia Limoges and Captain Haviland! How fun to be reunited with them and to have Olivia and Jane striking up a friendship 😁 A fun cozy mystery with a pinch of this and a dash of that, this one dished up just what I needed for a mini escape from my daily routine 😊