The Little Lost Library

 A Secret, Book, and Scone Society Novel Book 7

Author:    Ellery Adams

Genre:     Mystery

Hardcover; Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781496743794; 9781496743800

Kensington Cozies

320 Pages

$11.43; $17.95; $10.86  Amazon

October 22, 2024

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

When an elderly Miracle Springs resident, Lucille Wynter, arranges for Nora to deliver an order of books to her creepy, crumbling Southern Gothic mansion on the outskirts of town, Nora doesn't expect to be invited in.  An agoraphobic, Lucille doesn't leave Wynter House.  But when Lucille doesn't come to the door to collect her books, Nora begins to worry.

Forcing her way into Lucille's dilapidated home, Nora is shocked to finds rooms bursting with books and a lifeless Lucille at the foot of the stairs.  After reading a note left behind by Lucille, Nora wonders if her death was an accident.  Did she fall or was she pushed by someone seeking a valuable item hidden within Wynter House?  Lucille's children are clearly confident the house contains something of value, because they hire Nora to sift through the piles of books.

Nora's obsession with Lucille's collection becomes cause for concern among her friends in the Secret, Book, and Scone Society -- she's even neglecting her bookshop!  But Nora does find something valuable deep inside Wynter House -- a revelation about Lucille's terrible past...and a secret worth a small fortune.  But there's someone who'd do anything to keep the truth buried amid the moldering tomes, and it's up to Nora and her friends to track down a murderer before Wynter House's lost library claims another victim...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Nora Pennington owns a bookstore in Miracle Springs, North Carolina.  She's built a good life for herself with friends and the love of Sheriff Grant McCabe.  She has a great love of books, and regularly delivers them to the town recluse, Lucille Wynter.  Lucille lives in Wynter House, and doesn't ever leave it.  Nora isn't even allowed in the house after years of bringing her books.  They sit in the boot room, have tea, and talk about books.

But one day her delivery doesn't go right.  Lucille doesn't arrive on time, and Nora gets worried.  She calls her from the boot room and Lucille answers, asking for help.  Nora breaks down the door and finds Lucille at the bottom of the stairs, recently deceased.  When the police arrive, they find a house filled with books everywhere, and discover that Lucille was a hoarder.

But Officer Andrews gives Nora a package that Lucille had left for her.  Inside is a small book, and a note that tells her there is a little lost library in the house, and she must find it with clues.  But how is she to get into the house?  With the help of her antique dealer friend Bea, and Bea's niece Cricket, who owns a junk hauling business, Nora makes the decision to find the library, even if it puts her in danger...

I absolutely loved this book best out of all in the series.  Maybe because I love mysteries, but this was more a mystery within a mystery -- who killed Lucille, and where is the library -- and that intrigued me to no end.  Unfortunately, Nora doesn't realize how dangerous a game she is playing.  It isn't until another tragedy occurs closer to home that Nora realizes she has to involve McCabe, who isn't happy that she didn't let him know right away.

On top of it all, someone is stealing books from her store, and she can't figure out who it is.  But with the help of good friends around, nothing is impossible...

Nora is digging through the crowed house for clues, and they aren't easy to find; especially since the house is in such bad shape and filled to the brim.  But when she starts digging, she finds that the clues are leading to a deeper tragedy still, and that makes all the difference in this story.  We are pulled into the tale, wanting to know the truth, and being given answers slowly, which only make us want more.

I will say that I knew the murderer very quickly, but the reasons eluded me, which isn't a bad thing, as I love to probe for the truth as much as Nora.  When the ending comes, it all weaves together tightly, and the story has a very nice ending, leaving us waiting for the next in the series.  Highly recommended.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Little-Library-Secret-Scone-Society-ebook/dp/B0CTDKBXZH/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7849663450

More on Ellery Adams's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/a/ellery-adams/

Paper Cuts (A Secret, Book, and Scone Society Novel Book 6)

Author:    Ellery Adams

Genre:     Mystery

Hardcover; Digital Book

ISBN#:    9781496726476

Kensington Cozies

304 Pages

$27.00; $13.77 Amazon

April 25, 2023

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Nora escaped her past a decade ago.  So it feels like a visit from another world when Kelly Walsh -- the woman her ex-husband left her for -- walks through the front door of Miracle Books along with her son, a sweet, serious boy with a talent for origami.  Kelly hasn't come to gloat, though.  As it turns out, she's been dumped, too.  She's also terribly ill, and all she wants from Nora is forgiveness.

Shockingly, however, the woman who's been the victim of so much misfortune is about to become a murder victim.  Who would do such a thing?  Certainly not Nora.  But that doesn't stop the gossip and suspection -- especially after Kelly's sister-in-law claims that she saw the two women arguing.

In seeking justice for Kelly, The Secret, Book, and Scone Society joins forces with the sheriff's department, but they've barely begun their probe when life throws another wrench.  After serving a fifteen-year sentence, Estella's father returns to Miracle Springs.  And when his past comes back to haunt him, it might be more than the four friends can handle.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Nora Pennington, owner of Miracle Books in Miracle Springs, North Carolina, has finally achieved peace in her life.  After finding out her husband of ten years was cheating on her, she had a devastating accident that left her with scars both physical and emotional.  Some she's never been able to put away permanently.  But her best friends -- June, Estella, and Hester -- all have scars of their own, and it's a daily battle for the foursome to believe that life can give them something to offer.  

When a woman enters Nora's bookstore, she has a young son who seems focused only on the books with origami.  Kelly Walsh states that she's just moved to town and her son doesn't interact with people very well.  Nora has empathy for the young man, and promises to order more books for the boy.  

Then Estella's dad is being released, and she's worried about what he can find as a job, wanting to keep him from going back.  But that's not all:  Nora eventually finds out her ex-husband is in town, and she plans to avoid him at all cost...

After discovering that Kelly is the woman who broke up her marriage, she wants nothing to do with her.  But it's an early morning visit from the police that wake her up, telling her Kelly is dead.  Only later does Nora discover that Kelly was murdered, and a witness insists that shortly before the murder, she saw Nora arguing with the woman.

Now Nora is a suspect in the murder, and her beau Sheriff Grant McCabe needs to stay away from her during the investigation, although he doesn't believe a word of it.  Can her friends help her stay out of jail?  If not, Nora might just spend her days and nights in solitary...

This is the sixth book in the series, and perhaps the best of the lot.  I've come to care for these four women who still carry the scars of their early lives and have come to depend upon one another for their strength.  Each one has a secret that haunts them, and together they form a force of nature.  Now Nora is in trouble, and they won't stand by idly while she's in trouble.

But finding the murderer isn't easy: it would be easier to find a coyote in the wilderness, or so it seems.  There is more at stake than just Nora's life, and they need to find the core of what it is.  The subplot of Estella's father Gus becomes part of the story, and Nora learns that All Is Not As It Appears.  When she starts to put the pieces together, what she discovers stuns her; it could change everything, and she wonders if her perceptions are correct.

There were parts of this book that brought tears to my eyes.  I emphasized with Nora in so many places, and my heart ached for her pain.  Sometimes outer scars can't truly give the story of those that remain inside us, and Nora is an example of that.  Her decision to carry those outer scars truly shows her character.

Each one of these books is unique.  It tells its own story within stories, and each one touches me.  When I find these books, nothing will stop me from reading them.  I even bypass cooking dinner to read these (and my husband knows it so orders takeout -- luckily, he understands my love of the series).  These are women I would love to meet, and I would love to reside in this town.  But it is the compassion, warmth, and kindness of four damaged women that touches me the most.

All in all between her friends, Nora sees that the truth is right in front of her.  And in the end, it comes together with each piece layering upon the other; until you can see the final picture.  It is a marvelous addition to the story and its peoples, and I cannot wait until the next is written.  Highly recommended.

I received an advance copy from the Publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Paper-Secret-Scone-Society-Novel/dp/1496726472/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5071947624

More on Ellery Adams's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/a/ellery-adams/