A film crew is shooting a cooking competition at Storyton Hall in Virginia and the shoot is beset by multiple mishaps, including the death of one of the competitors. This is one of my favorite series and this book didn’t disappoint. It’s a well written, fast paced story that I didn’t want to put down.

This book would work as a stand alone if you haven’t read the rest of the series.

Ellery Adams has done it again. A winner!

Murder in the Cookbook Nook takes us on a bookish cook-off. However, nothing is ever as it seems. and when one of the contestants found dead things go haywire. The story unfolds as several chefs are preparing to compete in the event at Storyton Hall.

The characters are well-crafted and the story flows just right. A great cozy mystery!

<b>**A note before the review**</b>
<i> I read a lot of ARC's and have learned to navigate around the occasional wonky formatting, misspelled word, poor to nonexistent grammar and punctuation and the occasional missing word. It is what you do when you get an uncorrected proof. That said, I do think, that as an ARC reader, we do have a certain expectation that we are going to get the full book, edited or not, and that we will be able to read it and review it without wondering what we might have missed. This was not the case with this book. To start, the cast of characters at the beginning of the book are from the previous book. Which seems problematic to me. And then the book starts and it is just one problem after another; like I said, I totally understand the occasional missing word etc, but in this case, there were missing sentences [and if there weren't, then what I was reading made absolutely no sense, and I HIGHLY doubt that an amazing author such as Ms. Adams is would write such confusion], missing words that made the conversations...wonky, and at several points, I am absolutely sure there had to be missing paragraphs as you jump from one thing to another and there is absolutely no flow and you just know that you have missed something that would have explained things more. And the most distressing thing is, that this happens on almost every page. It made for a very disconcerting and to be honest, disappointing read. If it had been any other author and not one I have read extensively and adore, I would have abandoned ship. It is a huge credit to Ms. Adams' writing and storytelling that I was both able to finish this book AND enjoy it as much as I did [even while banging my head in frustration]. I can only hope that the publisher and editors caught all of the mistakes in this ARC and that the final product is what it should be.
Why am I mentioning this at all? Because it DOES hinder your reading experience when you are trying to fill in sentences [from missing words], trying to figure out what you might have missed to due to [what must be] missing paragraphs and trying to figure out what some words were due to misspelling to a degree I have never seen. Would I have liked this book more [like 5 stars more] if I had not had this reading experience? I don't know. Perhaps. All I know is it took me longer than normal to read this and my experience with a book I have been waiting a year for, was less than it should have been. </i>

**REVIEW**
Reality TV is coming to Storyton Hall. Given the opportunity to get more publicity for the Hall, Jane allows a reality cooking show to come and put on a competition. Unfortunately, it starts badly with a deliberately set fire and just goes terribly downhill from there.
There is a lot to love about this book - Jane and Edwin and the boys spend a lot of time together in this book and it is just so beautiful to see. Edwin has been home for some time and it has helped them become a more cohesive unit. His love for Hem and Fitz really shows and I just love that. As a child of several step-parents, I know how important that relationship can be [and also how badly it can go] and I admire Ms. Adams' way of writing it. It is very true to life.
The Cover Girls are in this, but more briefly than they normally are. It was still very good to see them and they surely help save the day during the reveal.
Olivia Limoges and Captain Havilland. O M GOSH I had forgotten how much I L O V E D this character and her pup and how much I had missed her. It was like a breath of fresh air to have her in this book and I love how her being there both helps Jane [and I LOVE that they are now friends - how glorious. MORE books with Olivia making an appearance please] AND helps Olivia [<spoiler> I had forgotten how the last book of the Books by the Bay series had ended and when I went and revisited it, I was sad all over again. I love that this visit to Storyton Hall helps Olivia heal some from that loss</spoiler>] as well. Plus we get to see Chef Michel and her support of him and Jane and Company learning to love him and his cooking as much as Olivia does.

I knew who the killer was early on and I thought the reveal was good because it makes you think you were wrong [I was not] but also introduces another aspect to the story [that you find out more about in the Epilogue] that was very good. So even though I knew who the killer was, the writing was so well done that it didn't take away from the story [the only thing that did was addressed in the note above; I need to reiterate just how much that affected the reading experience of this book. SO. MUCH. FRUSTRATION.] This book touches on so many things that affect people every single day today and it was good to have reminders of social issues alongside a mystery. I have said this before and it applies here - Ellery Adams writes books that are right on the cusp of being a cozy and being a regular mystery. Her willingness to NOT shy away from sensitive topics and uncomfortable scenarios makes her books even better to read and makes me love them move with each publication. It truly says a lot about how great the author's writing is that I [and everyone else that read this and never mentioned the issues I did] was able to read this and love it as much as I did.

**SIDE NOTE**
I highly suggest diving into her "Books by the Bay" series, one to learn more about Olivia and her beloved dog and two, to read another REALLY excellent series.

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

Jane Stewart is back for book 7 in the Book Retreat Mysteries by Ellery Adams! “Six chefs are preparing to compete in an outdoor tent at Storyton Hall in Virginia for prizes that will boost their careers—but is there someone who can’t stand the heat? It looks that way when one of the contestants is found dead in a pantry packed with two centuries’ worth of cookbooks, among other treasures and rarities. Could there be a connection to other recent events in town, like tampering with the costume of a local mascot? Jane isn’t sure, but after someone serves a second course of murder, the kitchen must be closed and the killer must be found . . .”

Ellery Adams is one of my all time favorite authors and this new book did not disappoint! Storyton Hall is my dream home! Who wouldn’t want to live in a book filled estate with a secret library?!! I love that there were multiple storylines (and perpetrators) that kept me guessing until the very end!! And to bring back Olivia and Capt. Haviland from her Books by the Bay series pulled at my heart strings.

The only thing I didn’t like was the cooking show drama (which is just my own personal pet peeve, it in no way took away from the story). I also wish there had been some part of the mystery based around a book. I think for a series set at a bookish retreat, little of the story had anything to do with the books.

As always, Ellery Adams knocked it out of the park and I can’t wait to read the next book in this series!!!

DISCLAIMER: I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. Storyton Hall, a resort for readers in the mountains of Virginia, is hosting the filming of a celebrity chef cooking competition with large prizes. Six chefs will be showing their cooking expertise in a show called Posh Palate with Mia Mallett. There are three men and three women chefs. Most are very likeable, but Chef Pierre is prickly and rude to almost everyone everyone he meets. Mia says she invited him for drama. Things get off to a bad start. As they are setting up the huge tent in which the sessions will be filmed, a fire starts up in the grass nearby. The second morning, Chef Pierre is found dead in the cookbook nook. Sheriff Evans soon declares it was murder.

Then, a propane tank for the grills explodes severely injuring a man working on the set. Jane is ready to end the filming. However, they manage to move downtown to film the third session. Are the filming problems linked to a robbery in the antique store and the painting on the back of the mascot's costume? Jane and the Fins work hard to help the Sheriff, but we don't find out the real culprit (a surprise) until someone pulls a gun on Jane at the end of the competition.

The Reading Retreat cozy series is one of my absolute favorites, and this latest installment did not disappoint. I love everything about this series: the setting, all the characters, the pacing. I already cannot wait for the next book in the series!

Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for the free e-copy.

Great read which is what I expected. Fun, easy, and sent me to the kitchen to bake like it was an art form out of fashion. I look forward to the next book eagerly.

It SEEMED like a good idea to have Mia host her show from Storyton but, as with pretty much everything that happens at that lovely place, there's trouble ahead, this time in the form of a handsy chef who ends up dead. Jane, the steward of Storyton, knows she's got to investigate, with the help of her love interest Edwin and the Fins, but what she doesn't know when she starts is that more trouble is ahead. I'm a fan of this series because of the literary references (although I'll admit Adams sometimes stretches) and because the characters are a hoot without going overboard. This is, in many ways, standard cozy fare but it's a twisty one which kept me guessing. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. I'd love to spend a device-free reading weekend at Storyton!

Murder In The Cookbook Nook is the seventh book in the Book Retreat Mysteries series by Ellery Adams.

Since the beginning of her writing career, I have been reading Adams’ books, starting with The Supper Club Mysteries written as J. B. Stanley and have read almost all of her books since then. She is a beautiful storyteller. Her books are very descriptive, well-written, and plotted so that you envision being there as you read. She also does an excellent job developing intriguing, engaging, and believable characters that I would love to call my friends. This book definitely reinforced these feelings.

Jane Steward’s book-related retreat, Storyton Hall, is the site for a cooking competition, Posh Palate with Mia Mallet. Malletisa billionaire trendsetter and social media influencer. Mullet can be demanding but is willing to compensate for her demands. For the Posh Palate show, six of America’s very best chefs have been brought in for the cooking show.

On the day that the filming crew is setting up, Jane and her twin boys, Hem(Hemingway) and Fitz(Fitzgerald) are bicycling back from a visit to the nearby village of Storyton when they notice smoke in the distance. They soon realize that it is coming from the archery field at Storyton Hall and head there to see the problem. When they arrive, they soon find that it was a minor grass fire. The fire could have been much worse, as it was near the tent set for the cooking. It will soon be learned that someone might be trying to sabotage the cooking competition, as a fire investigator finds the electrical writing has been miswired. The next evening, Chef Pierce, who throughout the day had been rude to most of the other chefs and having spent most of the evening drinking, finds his way to the inn’s kitchen, where he groups the pastry chef. Mia is immediately notified of his action and has her personal assistant deliver a note that he is no longer in the competition. The following day when he fails to show up at breakfast, he is found in his room dead. Two days later, in the middle of the cooking competition, an odor of gas is noticed. The program director momentarily blocks the fire safety advisor, Mr. Gilmore, from shutting off the offending stove. Just as Gilmore gets free and reaches the grill, it explodes in a big ball of flame. Gilmore is not killed but sustains severe burns. Jane meets with her Fins to discuss the course of action to find the killer before any more lives are lost. Jane will also seek the help of the members of the Cover Girls book club.

This book is an excellent addition to this exciting and informative series with a wonderful cast of characters. Ms. Adams has brought back a couple of characters from my favorite series, Book By the Bay. Chef Michel, the executive chef at Olivia Limoges restaurant in Oyster Bay, is one of the competition’s chefs. Olivia, along with her standard Poodle, Haviland, is also staying at Storyton Hall. Olivia and Haviland are my favorite characters from all of Ms. Adams’ books; Olivia is experiencing writer’s block and felt a change of scenery would help her out. I would love to see Jane take Hem and Fitz on vacation to Oyster Bay for a vacation and a chance to experience the ocean.

I am anxiously awaiting the next book in this exciting series.

Ellery Adams has brought my two favorite things together. Reading and cooking show. Imagine the Great British Baking Show – Professional Chef edition, taking place at Storyton Hall, in the beautiful mountains of Virginia, with book-themed challenges.

Before internet sensation Mia Mallet arrives to host the cook-off, trouble begins. One mishap could be called an accident, but when cantankerous Chef Pierce, brought in for the sake of drama, is found dead in Mrs. Hubbard’s cookbook nook, Jane and the Fins go into high alert before any more misfortune, other than an exploding propane tank, can visit the place they call home.

Jane and her crew have a way of jumping in to help the local sheriff investigate. Now they have their hands full with an abundance of suspects considering Chef Pierce has his fair share of detractors, and the company behind the cooking competition has a few nefarious business practices up their sleeve (think Netflix Seaspircies). As the competition heats up and the tale unwinds, the reader will be a bit surprised when the culprit is revealed.

I enjoy this series. I can’t say if it is the writing, the mystery, or just the idea of a reading sanctuary with no electronics, a spa on-site, and gourmet meals, but if there was a place, please sign me up for my next vacation.

Storyton Hall is hosting an episode of a TV cooking competition, with six chefs competing for prizes that will launch their careers. Jane and staff get nervous, though, when accidents begin to occur, and that nervousness is justified when one of the competitors is found dead and a rash of vandalism sweeps through the town as well.

This is book #7 in the Book Retreat series, which gets better with every book. Every time I read this series, I want to reserve a room at Storyton Hall, but I would be too busy exploring to actually sit down and read! The regular cast of characters are people I would like to get to know, and I would love to participate in the Cover Girls' book club. It's been fun watching relationships grow and change as the series progresses, some in unexpected ways.

There were several viable suspects in this story, perhaps too many, since the victim was so unlikable for so many different reasons. As usual, I had a mental list of possible suspects, but the revelation of the killer's identity near the end of the book took me totally by surprise. I look forward to reading the next book in this series.

Murder in the Cookbook Nook” by Ellery Adams the 7th instalment in the "Book Retreat Mystery" series. I really enjoy this series I found myself enjoying the story, I love the premise of a town and hotel devoted to reading. The way it’s described I feel like I’m there with them. I say this every time I love the characters in this series and how they interact with each other, the whole town is like one big family. I want to be a Cover Girl the friendship between them is special and endearing who wouldn’t want friends that really got them.

The mystery was interesting and well plotted, the idea of a cooking show filming at Storyton was good and I liked how Mrs. Hubbard played a big part in the story. Plus I did not suspect the killer till Jane did.

I highly recommend this series to all my cozy loving friends.

I requested and received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Kensington Books and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my OWN.

This is a good addition to the series. I like the relationship between the characters and how the MC doesn't try to do it alone. She has the Finns as well as her good friends to help her out. This time she has Olivia Limoges from the Books by the Bay series to help her out. The mystery kept me guessing and I hope for many more.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

All my favorite elements came together in this book: food, mystery, romance - what more could you want? And get this - it's set in a literary hotel, Storyton Hall in Virginia. The hotel is filled with books and all the rooms have literary names and themes. I would love to stay there! The hotel is run by Jane Steward, who is the guardian of the all the rare books at Storyton Hall.

The hotel is hosting a cooking competition featuring six renowned chefs. One of the chefs is found murdered in the pantry off the kitchen. There's a sense of foreboding following the death, as the murderer hasn't been found, but the competition continues. There are several suspects.

An engaging mystery with great characters, lots of food, and a literary backdrop. I truly enjoyed spending time at Storyton Hall and look forward to visiting again.

Thanks to Kensington Books through Netgalley for an advance copy.

Every stay at Storyton Hall keeps getting better and better. As Jane tries to keep the filming of a reality show at the Hall, murder and mayhem threaten not only the show but all of Storyton Hall and its guests. I think I've said every series by Ellery Adams is my favorite at some point but The Storyton Hall mysteries are always eagerly anticipated. I love not only the picturesque setting but the delightful characters and how their various stories are developing. There are plenty of twists to keep the pages turning and the reading guessing. A special appearance by a character from another series was a wonderful surprise. I highly recommend Murder in the Cookbook Nook.

Murder in the CookBook Nook by Ellery Adams

I would like to thank Netgalley, Kensington Books and Ellery Adams for an E Arc copy of this book.
In this book we meet Jane Steward who is the custodian of Storyton Hall. She is hosting a big event this summer A Bookish Cook Off. Storyton Hall is known as a retreat for book lovers, where they can read all they want, be pampered with world class meals and spending time browsing in the lovely village.
However, the arrival of a film crew, 6 chiefs who want to win, the host of the show and the two judges, things do not go to plan. When one of the chiefs is found dead Jane and her fins have to find out why the chief was killed and who is behind it before the reputation of Storyton Hall is ruined.
This was a page turner. The characters were well written, the situation believable and I just got sucked it.
This was my first Ellery Adams book and it will not be my last.
Would highly recommend.

I have read this series from Book 1 and this one did not disappoint. I enjoy watching cooking competitions so the combination of a great mystery and a cook-off was a perfect read for me. The mystery was well-written with great descriptions of locations and recipes. I liked all the twists and turn as I tried to guess the culprit before the end of the story.

I was very excited to find that a 'friend' from another series was visiting at Storyton Hall. To me this was one of the most natural 'cross-overs' that I've read.

I loved my visit to Storyton Hall to visit with Jane, her family, friends and staff. As much as I read these books for the mystery, I am also interested in the relationships developing between friends. I so wish that I could visit Storyton and visit with Jane and the Cover Girls and I would have to have tea with Aunt Octavia.

A Book Retreat Mystery #7

Storyton Hall in Virginia is home to Jane, her boys her beloved Aunt and Uncle, and this week to the cast and crew of a book-themed cook-off show.

The cooking tent is up and the six chefs have arrived along with host Mia and her entourage. Winning this competition would mean money and prestige for one chef.

What’s a baking show without a bit of drama? Contrived or not, the ratings will soar. All of the crew seem suspicious to me. And when one of the chefs is found in the beloved and probably priceless cookbook nook with part of an antique plate stuck in him, Jane and her staff turn in to investigators and get down to finding out who exactly these people are.

Someone wants to stop the show is Jane’s first thought. Until her lovely neck is on the block. Such excitement for a cooking show!

It’s always a pleasure to hang out with Jane and her crew.

This author also writes The Secret Book & Scone Society series which I love as well.

NetGalley Review/Pub Date: 27 Apr 2021 Kensington

Another good mystery at Storyton Hall.
Really like all the characters and how they relate to each other.
Lot of drama with the cooking show and with a personal twists.
A lot of possible suspects that keeps you guessing.
Enjoy the series.
Voluntarily Reviewed

I really enjoyed another of Ellery Adams' books. So well written. I just could not connect with this one.

So many descriptions of the menus and the venue detracted from the storyline. The lead character's relationship with her partner and children was included in a pedestrian manner and almost seemed incidental. Even the motivation behind the murder seemed far fetched. So sadly, it was a disappointing and arduous read to get to the end.

However, I'm sure there are many fans of the series who will enjoy this next instalment.

My thanks to Kensington Books, #Netgalley and the author for my Advance Reader copy in exchange for an honest review.