Through NetGalley, I received a free copy of THE LITTLE LOST LIBRARY (Book 7 of the Secret, Book, and Scone Society mystery series) by Ellery Adams in exchange for an honest review. Nora has been reaching out to a local elderly shut-in, Lucille Wynter, but the woman remains stand-offish. Though Ms. Wynter will sometimes invite Nora inside, she only allows Nora in as far as the boot room. One such visit has Nora bringing Ms. Wynter a box of books, but Ms. Wynter doesn’t come to the door. Nora knocks, and no one answers. Nora finally calls and receives no answer. Nora calls again and again. Finally, the phone call is answered with a gasp for help. By the time Nora emergency services and breaks into the home, it’s too late. When Nora learns that Ms. Wynter was murdered rather than dying from a fall, Nora becomes obsessed with following the clues Ms. Wynter left for Nora. Nora hopes the clues will reveal Ms. Wynter’s secrets as well as the identity of her killer.

I like this book and enjoy the series. I recommend this book to fans of the series and the series to fans of cozy murder mysteries featuring flawed women seeking to outgrow their scars, and secrets, so many secrets.

#TheLittleLostLibrary #NetGalley

An elderly Miracle Springs resident’s lifeless body is discovered at the foot of the stairs of her crumbling Gothic mansion. Her children seem to believe there is something valuable hidden in the house, and a note Nora receives sends her on an important quest.

I really enjoyed this seventh book in the Secret, Book, & Scone Society series by bestselling author Ellery Adams. Ms. Adams is also the wordsmith behind The Book Retreat Mysteries series which I am also very fond of.

I appreciated the depiction of the warm, close relationships between Nora and her friends, took pleasure in the settings of her bookstore and the small-town, felt unease in the Wynter House scenes, and could almost taste the many yummy foods described.

For fans of books and cozy mysteries.

Publication Date October 22, 2024
Kensington Cozies

Kindle edition 329 pages

#arc #netgalley
#kensingtoncozies
#elleryadams #secretbooksconesociety
#murder #secrets #booklovers #bookstore
#smalltown #gothicmansion
#Brightbookreviews

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The newest instalment of the Secret, Book, and Scone Society series is one of the best yet! Nora Pennington owns Miracle Books, a bookstore in the small town of Miracle Springs, North Carolina that focuses on Bibliotherapy. Nora knows what books will help someone heal from whatever they’re experiencing in their life.

Part of her work includes delivering books to locals like Lucille Wynter, an elderly woman living in what is rumoured to be a haunted house. Never letting her past the front boot room, Lucille is private about her home and life.

During her most recent delivery, Nora is left waiting at the door with a bag of books. Worried, she calls Lucille who ends up begging for help and then hanging up the phone. Once inside, she realizes why Lucille has shut herself away from the world and what she’s been hiding. At the bottom of the stairs, lays Lucille, dead, amongst her hoarded home.

Nora feels so much guilt and pain for not noticing Lucille’s situation earlier; so when she realizes Lucille has left her a note and a book; Nora gets to work figuring out what secrets are buried beneath Lucille’s possessions.

This is such an amazing addition to the series and as always, I feel transported to Miracle Springs and like I’m in the Secret, Book, and Scone society with Nora and her best friends Hester, Estella, and June. This book is perfect for those looking for a cozy mystery with an autumn vibe. I’ve read all the books in this series and already can’t wait for the next one. I think this would also work as a standalone but I hope people will read the rest of the series once they’re done!

Thank you so much to Net Galley and Kensington Publishing for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Ellery Adams' two mystery series are among my favorites, The Little Lost Library is book #6 in the Secret, Book and Scone Society series, and it's a winner.

This time the plot doesn't revolve around the other members of the society, but rather around Lucille Wynter, a reclusive inhabitant of Miracle Springs who lives in what others consider a haunted house. Bookshop owner Nora has been bringing books to Lucille but has never been permitted inside the house. After Lucille dies in a suspicious manner, Nora is determined to find out just what brought about her death, especially since she has received a cryptic letter from Lucille that may ultimately reveal the secrets of Lucille's estranged family and the reason she has hoarded so many things over the years, some of which may be real treasure. Besides solving the riddles in the letter, Nora has to deal with combative family members and dangerous situations.

I love spending time in Miracle Springs with familiar characters and especially enjoy the mature love relationship between Nora and her law enforcement beau, Grant . The characters have depth, the plot is creative and compelling, and the ending is particularly uplifting , if not exactly what I expected .

My thanks to Kensington and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.

"The Little Lost Library” the 7th instalment in the "The Secret, Book & Scone Society" Mystery series by Ellery Adams. This book can be read as a standalone but I highly recommend you read in order to get the full background. Big clues come in small packages as Miracle Books owner Nora Pennington and the Secret, Book, and Scone Society attempt to solve a series of murders connected to a bibliophile’s missing books

I was utterly captivated by this book! Each layer of the mystery, every riddle, and each new discovery drew me in deeper, making it impossible to put down. I devoured it in one day, curled up with a hot cup of tea and snuggling Lindi - completely absorbed!

This series never fails to evoke strong emotions and leaves me feeling fulfilled.

I'm eagerly awaiting book 8! If you're a fellow mystery lover, do yourself a favor and dive into this series - I highly recommend it!"

I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Kensington Books and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

"The Little Lost Library (Secret, Book, & Scone Society #7) by Ellery Adams is sort of the worst case scenario for a hoarding house. Nora is bringing books to a long time customer and when the woman doesn't follow her usual pattern of behavior Nora takes steps to try to help. Unfortunately, she's too late. Nora finds out the woman was a hoarder, mostly of books. In the process of helping the woman's family clean out the house Nora is secretly follow clues the woman left her to a secret library somewhere in the house. As she does this, all the house's secrets get revealed.

There were a few mysteries going on in this book. The primary one, the death of the woman, wrapped up pretty much as I expected. The other mysteries as well. It was all still an interesting story that kept me reading.

Ellery Adams writes some of my favorite cozy mysteries as it is, and there's something I especially love about The Secret, Book, & Scone Society series. Books about books always get me excited, but this installment may have been my favorite yet.

Besides running Miracle Books, Nora has been delivering books to an elderly recluse in Miracle Springs, understanding that she will never be invited inside. When a scheduled delivery does not happen, Nora begins to worry and enters the mansion, Wynter House, finding Lucille dead inside and hoards of books, regular and rare. A note from Lucille to Nora leads Nora to wonder if the death might have been murder, especially when it's accompanied by riddles that point to a treasure. While Lucille's children are convinced there is valuable treasure inside, Nora's obsession with the note and the collection of books drags her into the middle of the investigation.

I could not put this book down. Each step of the mystery, each riddle, each discovery had me wanting even more. It ended up being a one day, grab a cup of tea, and stay on the couch kind of book. I have definitely enjoyed her other books, I order them as soon as they release, but The Little Lost Library just hit differently. There's an element of nostalgia to the topic. The idea of the mystery hidden within the home brought me right back to some of my favorite books as a child, which led me to be googling the names and ordering vintage copies.

While I'm starting to lose interest in this series, I did love this murder mystery with a side of books. Nora is a great character and this book has me looking forward to her next installment.

Great story, great characters and a mystery with books thrown in for good measure. It’s perfect! I haven’t read the other books in this series but I will be buying them. It’s so much fun to find an author you love and if you’ve not read Ellery Adams before I’m sure you’ll love the stories just like I did.

I am a bit biased when it comes to this series because it is one of my favorites and any time spent with these lovely characters is a great time for me. While this book centered very much on the main character, and not as much on her book club gang, they were still an essential element to the overall cozy vibe of the story, and it was very nice to see Nora's relationship with McCabe deepen. This plot, while I did think was a bit weak on motive, did deliver an excellent twisty mystery that found clues through a delightful treasure hunt. The hunt provided beautiful descriptions of a stately manor and all the treasures housed within. And very enjoyable were the great quotes at the beginning of chapters and the many, many references to books and authors sprinkled throughout the book. As it should be when the MC owns a bookstore!

If you love stories that revolve around books you’re going to love this really well written mystery. Good character and plot development. The puzzle is engrossing filled with adventure, a twisty plot.

I really enjoyed this new 7th installment of the series. I often start to lose interest as a series progresses, but this book had me staying up to finish. I’m not totally sold on Nora’s relationship and hope to see a bit more character progression for the Sheriff. The idea of a mystery house full of books and treasures and a scavenger hunt mystery was intriguing and I wish I could have seen pictures of the items Nora was finding. I wanted all the details of how Lucille became a recluse and how it affected her children to become the adults we meet in the story. I could empathize with all of them. I look forward to seeing how the bookstore’s new hire is doing in the next installment.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.

Nora owns the local bookshop in town. She visits Wynter House and Lucille Wynter every so often with books that Lucille requests. Lucille never leaves her house and Nora is only allowed in the boot Tom. Here both women have tea and chat. Then one day all of this changes. Nora to deliver her books to Lucille, but nobody is answering. She tries calling Lucille. There is no answer. How can she get into see what’s going on? When Nora Finally enters the house she finds Lucille at the bottom of the steps, dead . Not only does Nora the body. She also sees the state that the house is in. Lucille is a hoarder, but who would kill her?

Lucille gives Nora the gift of a little lost library. Nora cannot understand why she would give her such a beautiful gift, especially when her son Beck and daughter Harper return home to find out what happened to their mother. Once they return things start to happen within the house. Their younger brother Clem, who has returned from rehab suddenly dies. Nora along with her sheriff boyfriend try to figure out the clues within the little library that would lead them to who the killer of Lucille was. Nora finds herself in a life and death situation because she wants to do right Lucille. Meanwhile, back at the bookstore, her friends and employees are trying their best to keep Nora safe from what is going on inside that house. With every clue that Nora finds within the books of the lost library Nora gets closer and closer to the truth. Will she be able to find Lucille‘s killer? The truth behind what really happened to the Wynter family? All Lucille’s children really who they say they are? Read this book to find out all of the answers.

I truly enjoyed this little mystery. Again, this is a series and I still was able to keep up with some of the backstory. This book was a very quick read, and I enjoyed the characters, especially Nora who had to finish what she started. That was finding out the mystery of Lucille and her family. Who killed Lucille and why this book was very enjoyable and I would recommend it to anybody who enjoys a cozy little mystery. Thank you, NetGalley and the publishing company for this advanced copy. Thank you Ellery Adams for a very enjoyable book with colorful characters and it’s delightful. Murder mystery. I look forward to many more books by you.

When Nora finds an elderly customer/acquaintance dead (and quite possibly murder), she becomes sucked into a mystery involving miniature books and a scavenger hunt. Nora's love of books and reading shone through and I was excited to get more of a glimpse into her relationship with her beau. This series just keeps getting better.

A murder mystery about missing books?? Yes, please!! This is what you’ll get in The Little Lost Library.

This is a book that you will want to stay up all night to finish, so choose when you start to read it wisely. Ellery Adams does such an amazing job setting the scene that you just want to be able to visit Miracle Springs and hang out with everyone. Often times as a series adds more books they start to get a little stale or you get frustrated with the characters, that is not the case for the Secret, Book and Scone Society. I swear each book is better than the last and you just like the characters a little bit more with each book. Even if you have not read other books in this series, you will still be able to understand the dynamic of the group and how they support one another. You will just be lacking their background story (aka their secret) but it will not detract from your enjoyment of the this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the advanced copy of this book.

#TheLittleLostLibrary #NetGalley

I feel like "The Little Lost Library" could count as a "real" mystery/thriller type book vs a "cozy". Another installment in the Book & Scone Society series that does not disappoint.
Nora is dropping by to deliver books to an elderly recluse that she visits a few times a month. When the woman doesn't answer the door in a timely manner, Nora feels that something is wrong. After calling the woman who responds with "help" & "it's too late" Nora breaks in to find the woman has passed away at the bottom of her staircase. Also, the woman is a hoarder. The story takes off from there, family secrets, threats, murder, arson and a shoplifter at the store. The mysteries are solved by the end of the book, with a new storyline beginning.
Thanks to NetGalley, Ms Adams, and Kensington Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

The Book and Scone Society series is always a delightful read. Nora begins to worry when he regular customer at Wynter House does not meet her like normal. The woman never leaves her House, so something must be wrong. Nora discovers another body wrong with another mystery. Then to top it off, someone starts committing acts of arson.

Nora Pennington owns Miracle Books in Miracle Springs, N.C. She and three friends, Hester, June, and Estelle, formed the Secret, Book & Scone Society book club and added Nora’s part time help, Sheldon Vega to their close knit group. Nora dates the Sheriff—Grant McCabe.

Nora’s odd acquaintance with an extremely reclusive customer who lives in a gothic mansion, Wynter House, leads her to a gruesome discovery; a house full of books; and a hoarding situation that’s almost unreal. The deceased widow, Lucille, has heirs who seem to just want their inheritance and to be done with the mansion, and the past! However, Lucille has left Nora a book—The Lost Library—a children’s story—which contains clever clues to where Nora hopes the rumored “Little Lost Library” will be found if it truly exists. This is such a nifty part of the plot as Nora, and friends, reason out the riddles and the identity of Lucille’s killer!

The mesmerizing plot is action packed, and Nora’s life is chillingly threatened. A classic Nancy Drew discovery leads to the final answer, and an arrest is made without ado; followed by a wonderful ending. I highly recommend this seventh installment to cozy readers. The entire series is fantastic and I’ve enjoyed each story and suggest the books be read in order of publication. Note: This Story contains some bad language.

I honestly read and reviewed an unedited arc provided by NetGalley and Kensington Publishing. All opinions are my own. Thank you.

Nora owns a bookshop and has a private passion project to help people by supplying them with just the right books for their needs. One of the people she supports in this way is an elderly recluse to whom she delivers books regularly. Lucille never invites Nora beyond her "boot room" but the two share a cup of tea and conversation on books. That is, until the day that Lucille dies after a whispered plea for help.

Nora becomes involved not only in the search for Lucille's murderer, but also in an elaborate scavenger hunt with clues involving poetry, handmade miniatures, and fabulously valuable miniature books.

The puzzle is engrossing, and this is also an emotionally satisfying book, filled with adventure, a twisty but tightly-constructed plot, and complex relationships. Nora's friends and colleagues are always an essential part of books in the series, but this installment is particularly heart-warming in its depictions of the characters.