I really love this series! Interesting characters, a quirky and fascinating bookstore that I want to shop at, a coffee corner in the bookstore where I want to curl up with a good cup of something and a book, a good mystery with just the right dose of light suspense, and a little magic 🥰

I was quickly drawn into The Little Lost Library by Ellery Adams. The story focused on Nora Pennington who is a complex main character. She continues to develop as the series progresses. I love Nora’s red caboose tiny home and her charming bookstore (I wish her bookstore was in my town). It is sweet how Nora’s relationship with McCabe has deepened. I like that the author has included a character with fibromyalgia (many people do not understand this painful disease). She captured how the disease can make a person feel (you never know how it is going to affect you from one day to the next). The mystery involved books which, naturally, captured my attention. I enjoyed the descriptions of the victim’s home and all the “treasures” it contained. Nora was determined to investigate the crime (she is a stubborn individual). The Secret, Book, and Scone Society aid Nora in piecing together the clues. The ladies also provide comfort and friendship when Nora needs it. I did feel that the motive for the crime was a tad weak. There was an unexpected twist that had me gasping with surprise (and shock). There is a good wrap up at the end. The Little Lost Library is the seventh book in A Secret, Book, and Scone Society Mysteries. The Little Lost Library can be read as standalone for those new to the series, but I believe it is better to read the series in order. It allows you to get to know the characters and how the ladies of the Secret, Book, and Scone Society came together. I enjoyed the book references throughout the story and the quotes at the beginning of each chapter. The Little Lost Library is a captivating tale with an atypical customer, an odd death, a bounty of books, a last missive, a curious quest, covetous children, a volatile threat, and thoughtful friends.

Good Series.
Very good mystery with twists and turns
Nora has to really pay attention to all the clues to firgue this mystery out.
Really enjoyed
Voluntarily reviewed.

(4.5 stars, rounded down)
What a delight to be back in Miracle Springs for another adventure. The town and Nora’s bookstore are places I’d love to wander around. This time the story revolves around an elderly recluse and her once-magnificent home. When Nora find Lucille Wynter dead in her home, Nora isn’t sure if it was an accident or murder. The house was overflowing with books and lots of other things. It turns out that Lucille had left a package with a note in the kitchen for Nora and inside Nora found a miniature book filled with riddles to follow a scavenger hunt of sorts, in the old house. And thus begins the search to find the clues and the answers to the mystery of Lucille Wynter’s life.

Each chapter starts with an appropriate quote from a famous writer, such as Maya Angelou, Neil Gaiman and Charles Dickens.

While this is part of a series, you could read this as a standalone as the author does a good job of filling in just enough background info for new readers. The author has also helpfully listed the main characters in the front of the book. I love all the side characters and always look forward to new books in this series. There’s also a lovely list of books at the back, a “bibliotherapy and book list” that relates to the story. There are books about toxic women, and a list of female thriller writers, spooky classics, romances with autumn vibes and a list of books mentioned in the text of our story.

Thank you to Kensington and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to the author, publisher and @NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Aaaah I love me an Ellery Adams cozy! Now, this one felt like it took place way more ‘out’ of our usual setting, and I didn’t get the whole obsession with the tiny books, but Ellery still produced a whopper of a cozy here. It has got a hoarder and arson and it certainly is action packed for a cozy.

Ellery Adams’ Secret, Book and Scone Society mystery series has always been full of complex characters and situations and “The Little Lost Library”, the seventh book in the series, is no exception. In this book, bookstore owner Nora Pennington is delivering books to Lucille Wynter when she finds Lucille’s dead body. Although she had tea with Lucille each time she delivered books to her house, Nora didn’t know her well at all and is shocked at the condition of Lucille’s house. When she discovers Lucille left her a mystery to solve, Nora becomes obsessed with solving it, much to the dismay of her friends and boyfriend Sheriff Grant McCabe especially when it becomes clear that there is a murderer on the loose. As Nora was pulled more and more into the mystery so was I as a reader – feeling at times as I was right alongside Nora as she put together the clues. The story that is revealed is not a happy one and readers will ache for all the members of the Wynter family and Nora herself who is haunted by what she finds. All of this is well done by Adams who has a talent for the written word and creating characters who will stay with the reader long after the book is finished.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.

The latest in the Secret Book and Scone Society mystery series was wonderful, as expected. This one was more focused on our MC, Nora, and less on her group of friends than in previous books. Nora regularly brings book orders to the home of an old recluse until one day, she finds the woman dead. Both the story and the secrets within unfold from there. The Little Lost Library had an additional puzzle/scavenger element that I really enjoyed. There was also a hoarder storyline that hit close to home because of some personal family history.

I always save these books for when I need a sure thing and they never let me down. Never.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the advanced reader copy. Of course, I also bought it with my own cash dollars to add to my collection. The Little Lost Library released on October 22, 2024.

Length: 320 pages
Genre: Mystery
Reading doorway(s): Plot, character, setting

Nora is one of the few people with whom elderly recluse Lucille interacts and even that is a very structured and minimal connection. When Lucille does not answer her door when Nora arrives to deliver her books, she is alarmed and discovers Lucille at the bottom of her stairs. The fact that the old woman was murdered is only one of the mysteries held within the house. A hoarder of prodigious means, there is scarcely room to move and Nora is hired to help sort through the massive collection of books to find anything of value.

She is surprised when the deputy who arrives first hands her a package with a book and a note in it that Lucille has left for her. It sends her on a quest to find the lost library but danger lurks. Someone is determined to stop Nora and is prepared to use extreme measures to achieve it. When one of Lucille’s children is murdered as well, the question is whether the other two are in danger or are dangerous. Nora finds the lost library but her success sets off a chain of events that will solve the murders but at great risk.

The story kept me riveted as once again the amazing group of woman unite to support each other. The characters in this series are part of why I keep coming back. And will continue to do so as long as the series goes on. Five purrs and two paws up.

This delightful cozy mystery draws readers into the enchanting town of Miracle Springs. The story centers on Nora Pennington, the proprietor of Miracle Books, as she discovers a hidden library brimming with secrets and forgotten volumes. As Nora investigates the mystery of the library and the sudden death of its owner, Lucille Wynter, she uncovers a long-lost family history and a significant secret.

The story is suspenseful and maintains enough twists and turns to keep you engaged without feeling rushed.

Adams' writing offers a charming and engaging read for those who love mysteries and books about books.

This is my first time reading and installment in the A Secret, Book, and Scone Society series, and unfortunately, I just couldn’t connect with the story. It may be that I’m coming in without having read the earlier books in the series, which likely would have provided more context and deeper connections to the characters. That said, I found myself struggling to invest in the plot and the relationships.

The pacing also felt uneven at times. I found myself losing interest during certain sections where the plot slowed down too much, making it difficult to stay engaged. While I can understand the appeal of the small-town setting and the personal growth of the characters, it didn’t resonate with me in the way I had hoped.

Although the series has clearly found a fanbase, this particular installment just didn’t hit the right notes for me. I’m sure others might enjoy it, but for me, it simply didn’t capture my attention.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from Kensington Publishing through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I did love the bookstore setting but unfortunately the mystery fell flat. Or at least if did for me but that may be because I've read a lot of mysteries. However, for readers who don't read a lot of mysteries or or new to the genre this one would still be a good mystery.

I adore The Secret, Scone, and Book Society series by Ellery Adams. This one (#7) has a dysfunctional family with a legacy of deceit, friendship and community, a scavenger hunt, and of course off screen murders. Perfect fall cozy mystery with a side of bibliotherapy, complete with a reading list at the end.

Another good installment with the whole crew present and helping when and where needed, some serious personal events caused some sadness, a good mystery [with very sad overtones] where I didn't see all of it coming, and ultimately I was left feeling we'd ALL be better off if we could go and spend some time in Miracle Springs.

Looking forward to book 8!

Thank you to NetGalley, Ellery Adams, and Kensington Publishing/Kensington Cozies for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the seventh book in the Secret, Book and Scone Society mystery series. This is truly one of my favorite cozy series. The motives are not throwaways. There is many times a cold case element to these mysteries. In this case, Nora is drawn to solving a series of riddles that reveal clues in miniature. As someone who also had a dollhouse besides a mystery obsession as a child, this is catnip for me.

Ellery Adams has created a series of characters who are three-dimensional. Each book in the series gets better. Don’t make the mistake of jumping in with this one. You will truly benefit by reading these books in order. Thank you to Kensington Press and NetGalley for the free Advanced Reader’s Copy in exchange for an honest review. I gave this book 5 shiny stars. I highly recommend it.

Nora is this time trying to find who killed elderly resident Lucille, who resided in a creepy Southern Gothic mansion on the edge of town. Her home is filled with books and Nora is highly intrigued by them. A solid mystery. Characters that you fall in love with. Its always a exciting time to read Ellery Adams! Thanks #Netgalley and #Kensington for the eARC in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are mine.

I really enjoyed this book. I didn’t realise it was part of a series, but that was ok as i was able to read and enjoy it as a standalone book. Nora runs a bookstore and delivers books to an old lady who lives by herself nearby. When the usual routine is disrupted because the old lady doesn’t answer the door, Nora takes things into her own hands and enters the house which she has never been in before. The old lady has passed away and has left Nora a secret message. Nora tries to solve the mystery of the message while trying to deal with the old lady’s 3 children, her partner who is a police man and someone who is out to get her. Thank you to NetGalley for letting me read this book. I am keen to read the rest of the series now.

I really enjoy this series, and this latest book does not disappoint. It was filled with likable and questionable characters, intriguing mysteries, and twists at the end. Another win from Ellery Adams!

Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley.

The society is as heartwarming as ever, and the book references abound. The puzzle-solving aspect was maybe a bit painstaking, and readers who have read Adams Book Retreat series will see some recycled elements. The book still kept my interest cover to cover, and I’m looking forward to the next one.

This is book seven and the best Secret, Book, and Scone Society book yet. Be prepared for a cozy that hits hard and tackles real world problems like trauma, relationships ending, bullies, sadness, and solidarity. On the lighter side, I was completely captivated by the treasure hunt for the little lost library. Oh and the quotes at the start of each chapter are so thought provoking, my favorite was the one by Maya Angelou at the start of chapter four regarding knowing your own worth. Nora Pennington has such a good heart, she looks for the good in others, and is a friend through thick and thin. She cries over the loss that others feel, she is one who is empathic even for those who are hurting to the point that they lash out at others, much like Lucille‘s daughter. Propelled by an insatiable curiosity to solve the riddle of the book, she takes chances and works secretly to complete the task which NSNS has set in front of her. I am surprised that the side issues are not distracting her more, what with an unidentifiable teen taking a five finger discount and the crazy K9 cop aka Hollowell the horrible (my nickname for her) being her usually charming self (said with sarcasm) combative with women, flirty with her male coworkers, all while prowling around after Hester’s boyfriend, officer Jasper Andrews.

This story was a page turner keeping my attention the entire time while my emotions ran amok. Parts of the story are sweet like the mantecada muffins that Sheldon made, while other parts are bitter and hard to take like the background history and Lucille’s reason for becoming a recluse hoarder. The clues were well placed for each of the plot lines and the red herrings kept me guessing. The only mystery that we are left with at the end is the story behind Hollowell and why she acts the way she does.

This story follows Nora, a bookstore owner, and her friends as she once again finds herself in the middle of a book related mystery, this time in an old house. A series of clues was left for her to discover by the deceased but she must keep them hidden in case the killer is searching too.

While I didn’t find the mystery itself to be as compelling as previous books, the character building among Nora and the people of Miracle Springs made me keep reading. Definitely read the other books I’m the series before “The Little Lost Library” as there are spoilers and context related to the rest of the series.