This cozy mystery series is one of my favorites, and this 8th installment didn't disappoint! Ellery Adams has crafted wonderful, likeable characters that feel like family, and the magical retreat center of Storyton Hall. In this book, Jane is hosting a poetry contest organized by a greeting card company, and along with the requisite murder, fears that someone has learned the secrets of the house. Each book feels like returning to friends at a welcoming refuge from the busy world, and I enjoy getting to know all of them better. I can't wait for the next in the series! Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Books for the advance digital copy.

Another top notch cozy mystery from Adams!

I knew I couldn’t fail when picking up a cozy mystery by Ellery Adams. But a group of poets? How could she possibly get Murder out of them? And yet, she did.

With a fluid pace and delightful characters, Jane faces the death of one of the contestants at a poetry conference being held at the Inn, and her “Fins” are at the ready to help her find the killer.

Armed with her notorious Cover Girls and her paramour, Jane steps up and gets it done, all while worrying over the health of Uncle Aloysius, who has been rushed to the hospital.

What a joy to peek into this universe Adams has created. I look forward to the next installment.

Murder on the Poet’s Walk by Ellery Adams takes us back to Storyton Hall where poets are in residence trying to win a contract with an up-and-coming greeting card company. Things take a turn when one of the frontrunners in the competition ends up dead. When a second poet ends up in a watery grave, Jane with help from her loyal staff sets out to expose the killer. As if Jane does not have enough on her plate, it appears that a valuable manuscript has gone missing from the secret room. Jane is baffled as to how someone could have discovered the way in. Jane needs to find the guilty party before the competition ends and the poets fly the coop. Murder on the Poet’s Walk is a delight to read. I always enjoy my visits to Storyton Hall which is a paradise for booklovers. While Murder on the Poet’s Walk is the eighth A Book Retreat Mystery, it can be read as a standalone. The author included all the background information that a new reader needs to know. I thought Murder on the Poet’s Walk was well-written with developed characters. Jane, Edwin, Fitz, Hem, Aunt Octavia, Uncle Aloysius, the Fins, and the Cover Girls are back for another adventure. The author’s descriptions bring Storyton Hall to life. I can envision the beautiful rooms especially the library and the secret room. The mystery is well done. I love a complex mystery with some good twists and turns along the way. I enjoyed the literary references throughout the story. There is a romantic scene at the end that will delight fans of the series. I was sorry when my trip to Storyton came to end. I have read every book in A Book Retreat Mysteries and each one is better than the last. Murder on the Poet’s Walk is bibliophiles delight with a cutthroat competition, a watery sepulcher, an adroit discovery, a literary killer, a missing manuscript, an ill uncle, and a poetic penalty.

When it comes to Book Retreat mysteries, Ellery Adams never disappoints. Murder on the Poet’s Walk will take you deep into relationships - family, love and friendship.
There is a mystery that keeps you guessing. Just when you think you know who and why you better pause and rethink.
Jane is a wonderful main character. She is so strong. She has positive and healthy relationships with her sons, Edwin, the Fins, her aunt and uncle, her friends and her staff. She works with the sheriff of Storyton.
Each book seems to get better. Just when I thought the secret library at Storyton Hall was a past part of the series, it renters the story with new meaning.
The memory issues that Uncle Aloysius displays will break your heart if you have read the series since the beginning.
I like how the author can weave in societal and family issues without being preachy or hitting the reader over the head with it. I know something like that takes great effort to hit the right note.
Read this book, but read all the others first. You need to get to know the main characters as a natural progression so that you can fall in love with them too.

A poetry competition for a new card company is at Jane's castle for the week. When one of the poets is murdered and staged to look like a poem, Jane and the Fins are helping with the case. There are plenty of suspects and lots of twists and turns in this book. I loved that this series and these characters do not grow stale and continue to do the best job as Guardians. This is a great addition to the series!

Just when she thought a bunch of poets might be on the quiet side, Jane had to deal with a couple more Rip van Winkles at Storyton Hall. It seemed clear who the killer was at some points...until it didn't. I've always enjoyed Jane's sons as characters. They've never been bratty just little boys who've now grown into middle school age young guys who seem to be taking the care and well-being of the Hall very seriously as they've been taught all along.

There's just something so awesome and comforting about Jane being surrounded by all these men who love her and would die for her. Her Fins have all been like father figures to her aside from Lachlan who's marrying her bestie, Eloise--he's more the age of a brother. Jane's been trained to hold her own, so she's no shrinking violet or overly dependent either. It's just a good mix. I loved hearing where the poodle pups came from, another fun little crossover mention from Books by the Bay which ended but I like it that Oliva can somewhat live on once in awhile here.

Jane's pals in her book club work out awesome as extra sleuths sometimes like in this book. Mrs. Pratt sure seemed to love sleuthing! The showdown was absolutely epic! You might just leak some happy tears as well because if you're a longtime fan, you're gonna be so proud at this showdown you won't be able to stand it.

And the ending after the wedding was just magical! More happy tears tissue alerts here, lol. I was smiling long after reading this book and still smile thinking about the ending. Don't miss when it goes up for sale September 27!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Kensington Cozies via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

GREAT. GOOGLY. MOOGLY.

WOW. WOW. WOW.

There, now that I have gotten that out of my system, I believe I can write a review of this book, the 8th edition in the Book Retreat Series.

Actually, I am not sure I can. This is one of those cases where it is good to go in as blind as possible. Typically, in the cases of cozies, I don't mind writing a review minus spoilers and giving an overview of what I just read. I am just not sure this is possible with this one without giving the whole shebang away and trust me, this is one crazy, wild ride [that at moments had my heart racing like crazy] that starts almost from the beginning of the book and doesn't stop until close to the end of the book.

Things I CAN tell you:
1. This is absolutely, hands-down, the best of the series [I was pretty sure the previous book had this spot and is still one absolutely excellent read, but this one just knocks it out of the water]. It is riveting and well-written and there just isn't enough words for me to say all that I felt about this one.

2. Jane is one of the best MC's out there. She works WITH the police. She'd rather NOT have the opportunities to solve mysteries. She DOES HER DAMN JOB BEFORE SNOOPING [not that Jane truly snoops, but there IS that secret wall-space that they sometimes hide in soooo.... ;-) ]. She loves her family, the Finns, her friends and her job fiercely and will protect them at all cost and always finds time to be with all them when they need it. Her care of her aunt and uncle is so amazing and it warms my heart every time I read their interactions [and I LOVE how Hem and Fitz also love their great aunt and uncle; their love and care for them is clearly a learned behavior from their mother and I love how the writing emphasizes that.

3. This was a deeply personal book for me and I spent a lot of it in tears. Because of what is going on in my own life, I could see a situation happening before Jane figures it out and my heart is broken for all of them. I know that life and it is hard and hard and hard and I praise the author in how she handled it in this story and how I am sure she will handle it going forward. I also know that I will be in tears again in future books.

4. This book will, at times, leave you gasping for breath and will leave you shaking your head. I always think that I have [in reading so many mysteries, both cozy and regular, fiction AND non-fiction] seen it all and then I read a book like this with a killer who does things for what they deem a "good reason" and it just makes it much more heartbreaking and this book is one of those instances. Absolutely amazing.

I highly recommend both this book and this series. Ellery Adams is one of the best cozy writers out there right now and I would read the phone book if she was writing it. So well done and it leaves you just wanting more, more, more.

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

This is #8 in this series written by Ellery Adams., but the first in this series for me. I love her Secret, Book and Scone Society series!
This series takes place at a resort in the Virginia mountains for lovers of books and writing. Sounds perfect, but this one was a slow read for me. It had all the parts I love -murder, romance, small town-but it just didn’t flow for me.
The hotel , Storyton Hall is hosting a poetry writers retreat. At the end of the weekend, one writer will win a contract with a greeting card company. As you can guess, the competition is fierce and things start happening. There are murders, missing historical documents, a famous pig , and of course some romance. The characters were entertaining, but I just felt the writing dragged at some points.
Since I love Ms Adam's other series, I am going to give this one another try by starting at the beginning of this one.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC,, in return for my honest review.

This is a book lover's dream! Set in an idyllic Virginia writer's retreat called Storyton Hall, where secret and valuable works of literature are kept safe. Think unpublished works by famous authors, alternative ending Shakespearean plays, rare first editions, etc. These treasures are guarded by Jane Steward and her family and the Fins, who provide security. This is the 8th book in the Book Retreat Mysteries by Ellery Adams, and it is outstanding!
Jane is hosting a competition for poets, which will land one of them a contract with a greeting card company. When a contestant is murdered and her body set up to resemble a famous painting, Jane and her inner circle assist the authorities in catching a killer.
Well-written and overflowing with literary references, this is a delightful gem of a book and a clever whodunnit. I was kept guessing while admiring the scenery. And, the mysteries don't stop with murder, either. Because Storyton Hall and its inhabitants have secrets, too, including secret passages, rare manuscripts, and work in covert organizations. Jane is a very likable and competent sleuth, and a wonderful group of secondary characters surrounds her. But, I think the biggest compliment I can pay this book is that I did not want it to end! I had so much fun that I will definitely go back to the start of this series to get more of this magical place, and I eagerly await future installments!
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to review this ARC. I loved it!

Would a poet kill to get a contract with a greeting card company? Well, that seems to be what's happened at Storyton, which is hosting a group of poets in competition with one another. Jane, who runs the delightful resort (and is the guardian of its secret) is also an ace investigator by now. She's got the help of her pre-teen sons, her beau Edwin, her pals the Cover Girls, and the Fins, who are sworn to keep her, Storyton, and her family safe as she works through the group to find out who is not only killing but also posing the victims. Oh- and will Eloise have her wedding? I'm a fan of this series which always has nice literary references (but never goes overboard). The characters (including Storyton itself) are terrific (I'm a bit concerned about one of them) and the mystery has enough red herrings to keep you guessing. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Fans will be pleased but know that it's also going to be fine as a standalone.

Thank you Netgalley and Kensington Books for the chance to read Murder on the Poet's Walk by Ellery Adams. This is the 8th book in the Book Retreat mysteries and this is one of my favourite cozy mystery series. Storyton Hall is a wonderful book theme resort that is managed by Jane Steward. This time it is holding a poetry contest and Jane is also looking forward to the wedding of best friend Eloise. However, Jane discovers someone is killing the competition off and needs all her wits and the help of everyone to solve the murders.
While I enjoyed this installment, I found this one dragged a bit in the middle. I love Storyton Hall, the characters, and the secret library, but found there was something missing in this story. However I do recommend this series as a whole and recommend reading it from the beginning.

I have loved this series from the first one. There is something magical about Storyton Hall and the characters that call it home. A book-themed resort sounds ideal to me and we're planning a wedding!

It was wonderful to visit with Jane and the rest of her family and friends as they work to find the killer. It was interesting reading about poetry as well as a greeting card contract.

This was another well-crafted mystery that I couldn't put down. I can't wait for the next one!

Oooo, looks like I just found my new favorite in Ellery's Book Retreat series!

I absolutely adore Jane, and her twins are definitely growing on me. But my favorite characters are Uncle Aloysius and Aunt Octavia.

I love the house! Honestly, it seems like a character all its own. Especially as we continue to discover new depths of its secrets. (Secret passages? Most definitely!) Storyton Hall continues to reveal its own mysteries.

This book is certainly a perfect choice for poetry lovers, as there is a plentiful supply here! Must read; must add to collection.

"Poets are dreamers, she reminded herself. If the worst thing they do is drink too much wine, I'll count myself lucky."

Book 8 in the Book Retreat Mystery series brings us back to Storyton Hall, a resort that specializes in events for book lovers and writers of all kinds. Jane Steward is the guardian of Storyton Hall. Storyton Hall and its grounds are full of libraries, reading spaces, gardens, and more which all have literary names.

For those familiar with the series, you’ll find all the familiar characters. Aunt Octavia, Uncle Aloysius, the twins Hemmingway and Fitzgerald, the Cover Girls, the Fins (protectors of Storyton Hall), Edwin, and Mrs. Hubbard. In this book, it seemed to me there were more Cover Girls/friends of Jane in this book than I recall in prior installments. For me, there were almost too many to keep distinguished.
Aside from the mystery, there are some happy times in this book and some sad. I won’t go into it since it would give too much away. All circumstances are part of our everyday lives, so it helped us get to know the characters a bit more.

I thought the mystery was well done and I really liked the characters that were brought in to be the possible suspects. I found the greeting card competition entertaining and thought-provoking to consider in real life. It also helped provide a believable influx of people who I could believe were capable of being the culprit(s). I had a hard time deciding which one of them I hoped would be the killer. I always like it when that happens.

Since I am not a big reader of poetry (I like it, I just don’t read it often), I didn’t understand all the references. I did look up and read some of the poems mentioned which I thoroughly enjoyed. That said, I did feel a bit bogged down here and there with all the poetry references, but it didn’t really keep me from enjoying the main story. As with all the books in the series, Ellery Adams’s love of reading is evident. I was also intrigued by the imagery portrayed at the murder scenes.

It was also nice to see the growth in the characters. Everyone getting older and how their life changes as that happen. I will miss the younger Hem and Fitz though. But, as expected, they are still adorable and two of my favorite characters.

I already look forward to the visit to Storyton Hall and hearing more about the characters, especially those in the family and the Fins. I want to know what changes happen with the secret library and how it affects Storyton as a whole.

Thank you to Ellery Adams, Kensington Books, and Netgalley for the advanced copy. All comments and thoughts about the book are my own.

#MurderonthePoetsWalk #NetGalley

This a a great addition to the series. Jane, the manager of Storyton Hall and mother of twin young boys, is hosting a group of poets who are hoping to win the job to write greeting card poems for the Mood Card Company who are hosting a competition. At the competition, besides the two owners of the company and their PR Stephanie, there is Professor Ashley, who has run poetry writing retreats and giving sessions for the contestants at the conference. The Cover Girls (Jane's local friends) are there for the opening dinner and help throughout the conference. Other important characters are the 4 Fins, Sinclair, Butterworth, Lachlin, and Sterling, who are sworn to take care of Jane and Storyton Hall. Jane's significant other, Edwin, and the Sheriff and his deputy, Emory, who is also part of the poetry group, are also important characters.

Jane finds a warning note on the floor the first night. The next day, they find a boat floating on the lake with a dead woman tied to the seat. She is the woman who had been predicted as one of top finalists in the competition. When a second possible poetry winner is found in a flooded hole with floating flowers, things get very exciting. Someone has been seen in a secret corrider, but managed to avoid all the cameras. And, as Jane begins to get close to figuring things out she is in a very dangerous position!

I feel like I've just returned from a most unique retreat at Storyton Hall. Talented colleagues, bibliophile themed setting, luscious banquets. Oh. And murder.
Ellery Adams takes the characters we know from past Book Retreat tales and expands their skills and broadens their scope. The Fins continue to amaze, the loyalty of friends warms our hearts, the twins grow up and Uncle Aloysius grows older. In the midst of the murder investigation we are shown that people are good and love can flourish.
That being said, the murders are most tragic, as befitting a retreat for poets.
I think of these books as elevated comfort reads. Rich in setting and character development, as well as a good source for future books to read.
Thank you to NetGalley, Kensington books and Ellery Adam's for the ARC of Murder on the Poet's Walk.

I adore this series, it’s every bookworms dream! Ellery has smashed it out of the park with this delicious instalment of the Storyton Hall series and as an already cemented fan, I can’t speak highly enough of this book!
Jane and her team are back in the thick of it, hosting a group of poets hoping to win a prestigious contract with a greeting card company. But when the front runners start to meet their doom (and in rather poetic ways) JaneC the Cover girls and the Fins are straight on the case!

I love that Fitz and Hem are coming into their own and that this story had a lot of moving parts to keep the reader guessing. Also all the incredible food descriptions had me salivating at every turn! A brilliant outing in a brilliant series.

Storyton Hall is hosting a competition – poets vying for a greeting card contract. When a woman is found dead in a rowboat on the lake, and another death occurs later, Jane and the Fins work with local law enforcement to learn who is responsible.

This is book #8 in this series, and I enjoyed it every bit as much as the previous books in the series, perhaps even more. Each book makes me wish my area had something like Storyton Hall and the town surrounding it. The characters are like old friends, and it’s been fun watching relationships grow as the series progresses. Issues and problems come up that they have to deal with, but they work through them with the help of their friends.

There seemed to be plenty of suspects to consider here, and it was hard to narrow my mental list down to just a few characters. I like the way Jane and the rest work *with the police, rather than conducting their own investigation and keeping what they learn to themselves. I have to wonder, though, how realistic it is for the police to welcome, even ask for, help from civilians in trying to solve the crimes. The person ultimately revealed to be the killer as on my list, but didn’t move to the top until just before it was revealed in the book. I look forward to reading the next book in this series.

Ellery Adams does it again in the latest Book Retreat series...... Murder on the Poet's Walk has some of my favorite characters doing what they all do best. Get your hands on this book when it is released. Thanks
@NetGalley
for the ARC.

Ellery Adams is my go-to person when I need a comfort read so this fit perfectly for this week.

In book 8 we join Jane and her book retreat crew as they host a poet competition for a greeting card company. Unfortunately, the competition turns deadly for two competitors. Can Jane and crew find the killer or will they get away scot-free?

One of my favorite things about this series is all the book recommendations. I learn many new authors from this series. There is a combination of poets and fiction authors mentioned. I like poetry but in small doses.

This series is best read in order but honestly, Adams does a great job in giving just enough background that if you started with any book you would be fine.

Look at your favorite book dealer (retailer) for pre-ordering options.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed above are entirely my own.