Unfortunately, this was only a 3 for me. There was a lot of drama in this book that was pretty far fetched. I know cozy mysteries have a bit of leeway when it comes to how much characters can get away with, but much of this book went too far for me. I do support Jane’s big decision at the end of the book. I will read the next installment in the series to see how everything plays out.

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

First off I am an Ellery Adams fan. The overall plot twists of the book do worry me as it seemed to open the door to ending the series (or maybe not). The villages Adams create are places i want to visit and though I enjoyed the books plotlines I do worry that my friends from Storytown won't have more stories to tell.
.

This book is the first book I’ve ever read by Ellery Adams. I probably should have read the title or the details of the book before requesting this on NetGalley- as you can see this is the fifth instalment of the series- and I have not even read the first one. That was my mistake and I will definitely be more diligent when requesting cozy mysteries on NetGalley.

Moving along, as this is the fifth instalment of the series, I had some serious catching up to do. This was my first introduction to Jane, her story and the world that the author has created.

This books seems to have picked off from the last book in the series. Jane’s lover, Edwin, has gone missing and she decides that its up to her to find him and bring him home. This book is a web of mystery and suspense, layered on top of complex characters and maybe even a dead body.

The plot of the story wasn’t the best. It started out quite slow and I feel like a lot of the pages served as fillers because nothing really interesting happened during the first half of the book, but soon the plot picked up pace, the mystery started unraveling and I had more and more questions that needed to be answered. There was a twist that I did not see coming so I was pleasantly surprised by the turn of events towards then end of the book. If you love reading please read this book, I lowkey fell in love with the many book references sprinkled throughout this book.

I did really enjoyed the characters in the book. They all served a purpose in the story and what surprised me the most was the amount of growth our main character, Jane, went throughout the book.

I am inclined to pick up more of Adam’s books in the future and I will definitely check out the other books by the author very soon.

4 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me with an advanced reader’s copy of ‘Murder in the Reading Room’ (Book Retreat Mysteries #5) by Ellery Adams,

Ellery Adams always manages to deliver with her cozy mysteries, and with Murder in the Reading Room, she is at the top of her game. This entire series is fantastic fun, and it just gets better with each installment. I'd recommend reading these from the beginning - it's not absolutely necessary, but they are all so good, so why wouldn't you? If you are a cozy fan, these books (and everything else Adams writes) are must reads!

I tried really hard to finish this book but just couldn't get into the story line. Hoping the next book is more enjoyable for me.

I think this is my favorite in the Book Retreat mystery series. This is #5 and Jane and the boys are well settled in Storyton Hall, Virginia. She's caretaker of a very special library and people are willing to kill to get some of the collection. Edwin has been kidnapped and the ransom is to be a suitcase full of Heminway's unpublished works. A little more chilling, it's still a cozy with a great mystery to solve. Ellery Adams has several good cozy series and this is one of my favorites. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

My rating: 2 of 5 stars, it was okay.

Book 5 in the series.

I love the premise behind the series, turning an old country pile in to a book retreat. But the whole Guardian of a secret library full of unknown treasures complete with a group of bodyguards and spy gadgets galore has had me rolling my eyes all along. Throw in a group of rogue Templars willing to kidnap and kill to get their hands on their treasures and it just got to be too out there for me in the previous book. Now in this book the author adds in Jane's supposed dead husband (who has amnesia, of course!) and I almost stopped reading.

However, the characters are all mostly likable, and I still love the setting of Storyton Hall. And the ending may have saved the series for me. So while the series certainly stays on my library / NetGalley only list, I will read the next in the series

I am a huge fan of the Book Retreat Mysteries series. A lot of it has to do with my eternal wish that some place like Storyton Hall actually exists somewhere other than just in my imagination and in these books. Alas, until I find it, I'll just have to settle for reading about it.

Jane is a wonderful character. I love that she's *sort of* like a knight of the Round Table, only protecting books instead of Camelot. The Fins and the Cover Girls are, each in their own way, indispensable to Jane's success, and I like that Adams doesn't shy away from showing that her heroine needs help at times.

One of my favorite parts about this book was all of the "other book" easter eggs. It's amazing for one author to pay tribute to another author in this way. And it's so fun for readers!

The mystery in this installment was a great one, with a couple of really good twists and reveals. The inclusion of the Biltmore Estate was as original as that place is, and lent a lot to the story. (The settings are ALWAYS wonderful in this series.) And I liked learning more of Storyton Hall's secrets.

This book may be my favorite in the series and it *seemed* to draw together some of the dangling threads left throughout the other books, and I <b>desperately hope</b> that doesn't mean this is the last book in the series. Because they just keep getting better with each new tale.

"Murder in the Reading Room" by Ellery Adams is book five in the 'Book Retreat Mystery' series and my first book in that series. Though I enjoyed this book, there were a few occasions when I was lost, but I intend to read the first four books in the series to fill in some of the gaps.

The mystery was solid and characters were well drawn and I am sure I would have appreciated Ellery Adams writing so much more had I started the series from book one.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my own request, from Kensington Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

I DNF this book. The story was fast paced and exciting, but I was lost. I did not know that it was the 5th book in a series and I felt quite lost. I will go back and read the other books before starting this one again.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for this ARC.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Storyton Hall’s manager Jane Steward along with Landon Lachlan travel to the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina for a Luxury Lodging Seminar, but they have an ulterior motive, Jane’s boyfriend, Edwin Alcott is missing and they believe he is being held prisoner on the estate. Landon befriends one of the estate’s gardeners and he believes the man will help in their quest to find Edwin. They were interrupted on their visit, so they arrive at his cottage the next day to continue their conversation and for Jane to give the gardener a gift from Storyton Hall. Sadly, they find the man dead in his reading room with a book on his lap. They are crushed by the man’s death but they can’t give up on finding Edwin. Following certain clues, they do find Edwin but they then learn the find was a setup and are faced with a stunning surprise. They then realize the captor holds the cards and they must take him back to Storyton Hall. Jane just hopes on her home turf she can bring the captor down without anyone else losing their lives.

This book is a wonderful addition to this series and puts in motion some pivotal actions. For that reason, I want to state upfront that you need to read this series from the start in order. If you don’t I don’t think you will feel the full impact of this book.



The setting of the book/series, Storyton and Storyton Hall are things that truly sets this series apart from others. Storyton Hall is an extraordinary place, a book lover’s dream.

Great Gatsby Ballroom
Madame Bovary Dining Room
Isak Dinesen Safari Room
Daphne Du Maurier Morning Room
Jane Austen Parlor
Shakespeare’s Theater
Kipling Cafe
Milton’s Gardens
Lewis Carroll Croquet Lawn
Beatrix Potter Playroom
William Faulker Conference Room
Henry James Library
Ian Fleming Lounge
Robin Hood Archery Range
Green Gables Gazebo
Jules Verne Pool

The author describes each room, its artifacts, furniture, and books so expertly that they come alive and are so easy to visualize. In this story, she takes us to the Biltmore Estate and uses her talents to bring that setting to life as well.

Ms. Adams has crafted spectacular characters. Jane Steward is a strong protagonist. She is smart and can think on her feet. Thanks to Fins, she is also well trained in several ways. The Fins and all the residents and employees are so genuine and each has a role to play. Their relationships and dialogues are believable. They are engaging and memorable.

Within these pages is a complex mystery, one that has not only twists but surprises and secrets revealed. Certain events really jerked at my heart, others had me thrilled and excited. Pivotal actions that I mentioned above truly caught me off guard. More than once I thought that things were being wrapped up to end the series, but then I thought that maybe the author is taking the series in a different direction. I have enjoyed this series from the start and I certainly don’t want it to end so my fingers are crossed there will be more visits to Storyton Hall in the future. I think the author has more mysteries and surprises in store for us.

This is the 5th book in the Book Retreat Mystery series. I have loved this series, but this the best book of the five in my opinion. It's written like this might be the end of the series, which I hope is not the case!
The plot is well thought out and the characters are fantastic. Ellery Adams has outdone herself with this book.

Thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Ellery Adams' Book Retreat mysteries has become one for my favourite cozy series. It combines the hallmarks of a good cozy (small town, likeable characters, delicious sounding foods, bookish things) but also manages to be a fairly exciting reading (not action packed but a lot more thrills then are often found in a cozy).
Murder in the Reading room takes place right after the previous novel and is full of twists. Really enjoyable storytelling and after all the surprises that took place I'm interested to see what will happen in the next book. Loved all the nods to literature plus the descriptions of Storyton Hall (oh how I wish this was a real place so I could visit it!). I also really enjoy any scenes with Jane's book club, the Cover Girls, who sound like they might just be the greatest book club ever.

Amazing descriptions, great debate on how we consume information and a lovely mystery that will entertain for hours. Adams is becoming one of my favorites.

Murder in the Reading Room: A Book Retreat Mystery
By Ellery Adams
Kensington
May 2019

Review by Cynthia Chow

Although it seems like a lifetime ago, not much time has passed since Jane Steward learned of her family’s legacy as the guardians of a secret library full of rare and possibly dangerous books. She and her two sons Hemmingway and Fitzgerald have found a new home and family within Storyton Hall, but this path has also led to threats, murder, and kidnappings. It was after the daring rescue of her sons by the Fins sworn to protect them that Jane also discovered clues that could lead her to her missing lover, Edwin Alcott. Now believing that Edwin is being held in the Biltmore Estate, Jane signed up for their Luxury Lodging Symposium as a way of going undercover and hopefully bring the Templar Knight home.

As the resort manager of Storyton Hall, Jane’s connections grant her access to the convention, while her most loyal Fin, Landon Lachlan, knows a fellow retired Army Ranger on their staff as a gardener. His apparently natural death almost becomes overlooked when Jane is completely stunned by the presence of a man whom she thought was long dead. Not only will this revelation cause upheaval to Jane’s entire family, sinister Biltmore Estate manager Ramsey Parrish is using this to manipulate his way into Storyton Hall. Forced to allow an enemy into her home, Jane still has to host guests such as the BackStory Club, an organization whose love of history have them performing reenactments of World War I battles on the estate. When one of the casualties turns out to be doing more method acting than he may have intended, Jane once again must assess whether protecting the library is worth the costs to the living.

Author Ellery Adams has created a fascinating world and mythology that very thoughtfully confronts the issues of how knowledge and information is controlled. The Guardians of Storyton Hall have always believed that some books are too valuable, and the information within them too explosive, for the “normal” population. Jane is slowly growing to believe that libraries should share the books and not hoard them, a philosophy counter to her family’s but one that Jane is willing to embrace. Book lovers will find themselves drawn into her debate as well, although an equally fascinating adventure comes with Parrish’s search for Ernest Hemmingway’s’ missing suitcase and original manuscripts within. This series delights as more is revealed about the secret societies waging a war over books and libraries, while Jane’s supportive friends and family ground the novel with their humor and practical perspectives. One truly feels the conflict waging within Jane, and the choices she never thought she would ever have to make are moving. A discussion over who controls and disseminates information is more important now than ever before, and when such a timely topic is combined with these relatable and empathetic characters the results are thrilling.

This was an excellent mystery novel that definitely made me stop and think, with some red herrings thrown in along the way. Absolutely loved it!

I really enjoyed Murder in the Reading Room. Not only because I loved reading about Jane Steward's adventures again, but because it partially takes place at the Biltmore House. That's a place I've visited many times. I love it when I've been wherever a fictional story takes place because it truly helps me visualize the story and setting so much better. The mystery itself was very intriguing and kept me guessing until the very end. I'm very glad to hear that there will be another one in the series because this series is one of my favorites. Please keep them coming!

Note: I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of this book. All opinions expressed in the review are my own.

The latest Storyton Hall book, Murder in the Reading Room, was full of mystery, adventure and is a bittersweet story that makes for a complex and compelling book.

Jane finds herself once again defending her family from those who desire the books she must protect. However, she has a more pressing problem - to find her love, Edwin, who may be being held at the huge Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. Jane is faced with a heartbreaking decision that has ramifications for everyone and the beloved Storyton Hall and is pitted against the most devious villain she has faced as Guardian.

In this book, Jane digs deep within herself to do what she considers the right thing for her family and Storyton Hall all the while trying to find Edwin and determine who her enemies may be. The mystery is complex (old tragedies are revisited) and I wasn't quite sure who Jane should trust. in the previous book, her sons were kidnapped and this has left Jane distrustful of most people. Those who proved not to be trustworthy, in this book, were a complete surprise!

As usual, I enjoyed the antics of Hem and Fitz and the bravery of the Fins. The descriptions of Storyton Hall are gorgeous and once again made me want to visit. I love the atmosphere of these books and hope to visit with Jane and her family for a very long time!

I received an ARC, from NetGalley, for a fair and honest review of this book.

I went into this book not knowing that it was book 5 of the series and I was horribly confused with what was happening.

It is a must to read the first 4 books to understand this one. I tried making sense of what I was reading. It was about main character Jane travelling with her friend to Biltmore Estate as a participant of Luxury Lodging Seminar. But it was a cover to search the grounds for her missing boyfriend. The friendly gardner who helped them was soon found dead leaving them with a clue.

I couldn't connect with the characters as I didn't know them, the plot seemed swift, I tried to understand what I could. But at some points, I felt I was not grasping the entire mystery. I think I would have to revisit this book after reading the previous ones.

Overall, it seemed like a fun read and I am certain I would have enjoyed more if I had read in sequence.

Jane is back and she is off to Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC to save Edwin. There are so many changes that evolve throughout this story. Secrets are revealed and you can see a new direction that the story will go in from now on. Jane is lucky to have the Fins, her family, and friends to help her solve a murder. Also to stop an evil man from discovering the secret library at Storyton Hall. I had forgotten how much I missed this series and I look forward to the next one in this series.