Even though this book is not the first in the series, it is the first one I have read. It was easy for me to understand the characters and their roles. I enjoyed the story which has a bit of whimsey to it. Jane and Edwin as set to take a little vacation to North Carolina. They are staying at a resort and in a room that has floor-to-ceiling bookcases. When Jane walks into the bathroom, she finds a skull and a warning note on the mirror. The next day she attends a book event hosted by her friend. Three authors are featured. One of them was the previous occupant of the room Jane is currently staying at the resort. He also has made a nasty habit of writing his stories based on true life tragedies. These tragedies happened in the lives of his fellow authors! He may have Jane's family targeted for his next book! When Jane stumbles upon his body on the beach, it throws her into the case. He is found with a keychain from her own Inn. What is the connection and who really killed him.

Great story. I now have to go read all the previous books in this series! The story was a nice escape and kept me engaged. I like Jane, Edwin, and all the other characters. There are a few twists and turns along the way.

The 9th book in the Book Retreat Mystery series and my first installment...why have I waited so long to dive into this series??

In this book, Jane and her fiancé Edwin are off on a vacation of their own. But some chaos ensues when Edwin is injured and Jane stumbles upon a dead body...what a way to spend a vacation! There are plenty of suspects and lots of cozy fun, and I am hopeful that this is not the end of this delightful series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Princess Fuzzypants here: Now that Jane has arranged for the precious treasure of books she and her family have protected for centuries in Storyton Hall are set to go to new homes, she and her fiancé Edwin can take a break. They head off to Oyster Bay on the coast, checking in at a glorious resort. Their plans for a restful romantic stay are thwarted almost immediately first by an accident and then by two deaths. It seems violence has followed them.

Jane is at a loss to figure out her connection to the happenings other than the fact she discovered both bodies. But there is a link and once she finds it, she is convinced she will also reveal the killer. It is a complex story with many twists and turns. When she and Edwin leave for home, the local authorities think they have the villain in custody. Jane is not so sure and elaborate plans are made to lay a trap for the killer. When the person is revealed, the backstory is tragic and heartbreaking. It does not excuse the killings but even Jane has a lot of sympathy for the perp.

This is a lovely series that blends books and mysteries with a touch of James Bond with a magical place that I would love to visit were it real. This book could be read as a standalone but treat yourself and go back and read through the series. Five purrs and two paws up.

Murder in the Book Lover's Loft is the 9th book in the Book Retreat Series by Ellery Adams.
I love this series so much. First, Adams is great at crafting the mystery itself, but more than that, the book is about family and friends with a touch of romance too.
This case involves a mystery writer whose stories touch a bit too close to home for some of his fellow writers, so when there is a murder in the small town of Oyster Bay where our main characters, Jane and Edwin, are supposed to be enjoying a vacation away from the frequent murders at Storyton Hall, their home, they need to stay and help their friend, Olivia, figure out what is going on, especially since there is a connection to Storyton Hall that they all need to figure out.
The way the story ends makes me think this might be the last book in the series, but I certainly hope not!
Thank you to Kensington Publishers and NetGalley for the ARC.

Murder in the Book Lover’s Loft: A Book Retreat Mystery
By Eller Adams
Kensington
August 2023

Review by Cynthia Chow

Stoyton Hall Guardian to the secret library housing thousands of priceless books and unpublished manuscripts is finally taking a vacation. For the first time Jane Steward Butler is leaving her twin sons at home in Virginia while she and her fiancé Edwin Alcott spend five days at the Admiral’s Inn in Oyster Bay, North Carolina. As someone whose family has for generations been sworn to protect and guard some of the most dangerous and valuable tomes of the world, it shouldn’t be too surprising that Jane has chosen to stay at a resort designed to inspire writers and serve as an authors’ retreat. Jane and Edwin’s stay is off to a bit of a rocky start when their room unexpectedly includes not only a skull, but a menacing message written on a mirror. While it’s uncertain for whom the threat was intended, the skull was apparently a prop owned by the previous tenant, the famous thriller writer Justin St. James. In town for a booksigning at Bayside Books, St. James is not entirely welcome by the Admiral Inn’s owner, Olivia Limoges. It seems that St. James frequently took inspiration from real-life tragic events and twisted them into unrecognizable versions for entertainment, with one of his subjects being Olivia’s late husband. So when the author’s body is found dumped on the beach owned by Olivia and on Admiral’s Inn’s property it won’t be long before she becomes the primary suspect.

With Edwin sidelined due to an unfortunate interaction with a pair of stingrays, Jane and Olivia join forces to follow the trail of lives devastated by St. James’ best-selling depictions of them. It becomes even more crucial when a keychain from Storyton Hall is found near his body, along with a book page leading back to the Steward family’s secret purpose. While she has made it her mission to release the works into the world (with a few dangerous ones still kept under lock and key), Jane worries what exposure could do to her family and those devoted to help her. Focusing instead on those with personal reasons to want the author dead, Jane begins looking into the other writers featured at the Triple Thrills event, authors who attended for the sole reason of confronting St. James for plagiarizing from their lives. Even after another body is found and a culprit quickly arrested, both Jane and Olivia find it a bit too convenient and begin looking into authors who all seem to have motives, means, and opportunities to eliminate the man who profited off of their greatest tragedies.

There’s a reason fans love to see their characters crossover in movies and television shows. It’s such a treat to see their fictional friends meet one another, and here we enjoy Storyton Hall’s book Guardians and protective Fins vacationing in Oyster Bay along with Book by the Bay series heroine Oliva Limoges. This is still a Book Retreat mystery though, with a body being found in Storyton Village at the beginning playing a large role as the setting returns to Virginia by the latter half of the novel. While this series could continue for as long as the author feels inspired to do so, this does feel like an appropriate send-off as it circles around to an All Hallows’ Ball celebration similar to the Halloween event that first brought all of the characters together. Longtime fans will be rewarded as Jane celebrates with her new family, Uncle Aloysius continues to be mischievous but well-intentioned, and Storyton Village embraces all who appreciate the written word. Literature and those who create it always play a central role in this series, making it such a satisfying and exhilarating read for all those who embrace the love of books.

Murder in the Book Lover's Loft is another fantastic installment in one of my favorite cozy mystery series.
Jane and Edwin are off to Oyster Bay for a much needed vacation but of course, murder disrupts their plans. Unfortunately, the murder has ties to Storyton Hall so they cannot leave it behind as they return home.
Ellery Adams always writes a great mystery full of twists in a style that keeps the pages turning without any slow spots. The characters are complex and very likable, except of course those the reader is not supposed to like. I have loved reading how the recurring characters have evolved over time. Each visit to Storyton is like returning to visit old friends.
The cross-over with Olivia and the Oyster Bay gang is a bonus for Adams' readers who enjoy her other series but causes no issues for those who haven't read the other series.
I highly recommend Murder in the Book Lover's Loft to all cosy mystery readers.

Murder in the Book Lover's Loft is book #9 in the Book Retreat Mysteries series. Does cozy mystery series is all about everything? Literary including Storyton the hall, a Ritzy Resort Retreat for book lovers, authors, and...murders! Not to mention a collection of priceless books hidden away in a secret room. For once, the murders do not take place at story 10 hall. But you can be assured that Jane and her fiancé Edwin are still very much involved. Written with an intricacy that's often missing in a cozy mystery, this book will keep you guessing and keep surprising you till the end. And speaking of the ending… could this be the end of this series? It seems to wrap up and close out a lot of details. Perhaps a new spin-off series is coming? If you love all things literary, then this is the book, the series for you📚💕

This was a little.....clunky for me. The dialogue was stilted; information that came from dialogue felt very cheesy and forced. I know we need to learn through dialogue, but it wasn't done very well. I wasn't too involved in the mystery because it had a lot of pieces in it and that made it hard to follow along.

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

I adore this series. Everything is literary related and the characters all love books as much as I do. Jane and Edwin go on vacation and murder follows them. As they head back home, the mystery is still unsolved, and comes around to their home. All of the recurring characters are great in this one, and it leaves me wishing for a book club as amazing as the one they have in this book. The ending felt like it could be the end of the series. I hope not, but it was fitting for a finale. I hope there are more to read!

I've loved this series since the first book I've read. And this one which turns out to be the last one in the series is no different. It wrapped up the mystery in the book as well as the whole series. But did leave a few things open for possible spin off series.

If you like a good mystery series with amateur sleuths and wonderful characters, this is a great series to check out. Murder in the Book Lover’s Loft is the ninth in the Book Retreat Mystery series and, after reading it, I’m guessing it may be the final one - which makes me a bit sad, as I really enjoyed both the story and the characters.

The main character is Jane Steward, whose family has run Storyton Hall, a hotel/resort in western Virginia that caters to book lovers. I was a bit disappointed at first that the story sends Jane and her fiancé Edwin to the North Carolina coast for a short vacation, but that setting was also really lovely with interesting characters, and the second half of the book sees them back at Storyton Hall. Murder seems to follow Jane! A body is discovered near Storyton Hall right before they leave for their vacation, and more deaths occur in Oyster Bay, North Carolina while they’re there, one right in the cottage where Jane and Edwin are staying! Are they connected? If so, how?

I’m very late to this series, which is odd because I have loved another series by the talented Ellery Adams (the Secret, Book and Scone Society series). In addition to this book, I’ve only read the first book, Murder in the Mystery Suite. I’m quite glad I read that first book, for its story and all the backstory on the secret library at Storyton Hall, but I think this one would work as a standalone if you haven’t read any of the others - of course, you’ll appreciate the continuing characters and backstory much more if you’ve read at least one of the previous books in the series. In addition, this story seems to be a bit of a crossover from another of Adams’ series that I haven’t explored, Books By The Bay!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Cozies for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

This has to be one of my favorite one in the series. I've read these from the first one and each has gotten better and better. This one finds them on a vacation to North Carolina to visit with Olivia Limoges and murder seems to follow. The book is well-paced and a great mystery. However, I think the reason that I look forward to these books so much is the characters and their relationships. I loved reading about the cover girls, Olivia, the kids and the staff of Storyton. Overall, this is definitely a 5-star book. I'd give it more if I could.

Jane finally feels comfortable enough to leave Storyton and is happy to get away with her fiance Edwin. The two are traveling to the North Carolina coast to vacation and Jane is excited about the floor to ceiling bookshelves in their room. The two start out having a lovely time until Edwin steps on not one but two stingrays which sidelines him from doing any real exploring because he has to use a wheelchair. Things get even worse when Jane finds a body and learns that it is an author who was not only staying in the same room she is in now but he is also the headline author at her friends book signing. She learns said author enjoys taking hardships that real people have experienced and turns them into fiction. Jane isn't one to sit by especially when her friend seems to be among the suspects. Follow along and see whether Jane can find the answers she seeks and bring a killer to justice.

Book nine in the Book Retreat Series is just as good as the first! Ellery Adams has never lost a step with her series and for that, this book lover is eternally grateful! These cozies have found a place in my heart and a place on my bookshelves forever!

In this novel, Jane and Edwin finally have a chance for a romantic getaway. But death done followed them to the beach and this dead body is accompanied by something connecting them to Jane’s dear Storyton Hall.

Thank you to the author, publisher and @NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

4.5 stars

Pro:
* The family at Storyton - love those characters and their relationships
* The romances
* The unique setting
* Unexpected plot pieces
* Writing about writers
* Main characters who do their jobs and read books
Con:
* Reveal is a bit artificial
* The end???? :_(

Thank you to Ellery Adams, Kensington Cozies, and NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie

I treasure each armchair visit to Storyton Hall as the author paints awe-filled vistas of the resort, its trails, recreation areas, and bodies of water. The characters are three-dimensional and memorable, including the shop owners in the village of Storyton. The mystery is complex, a challenge, with several possibilities and plot twists related to people looking for the secret room. The libraries and many, many books would be an unending source of wonder.

Storyton Hall has been a repository for very rare, valuable, or potentially harmful books and documents as overseen by Jane Steward’s ancestors for generations. With great responsibility came great risk of thieves and other miscreants coming purportedly for a special event but actually to locate and steal from the secret library. Criminals have never been above killing anyone getting in their way, causing trouble for centuries.

As planned, Jane and her fiancé, Edwin, went to Oyster Bay, North Carolina. It was the first time Jane had been away from her twelve-year-old twin sons for five days. At Storyton Hall, they have many people who love them, including the Fins, the group of four men who are the security of the Steward family, the resort, and the secret library. They are like family to Jane and her now-retired great aunt and uncle, Each Fin had specialized training and a position that allows them to blend in while keeping a close eye on everything.

The day before, the body of a man was found on the property. He had no ID, and was not recognized as a guest. While they are gone, the sheriff will handle the situation as it was thought the man was renting a nearby guest cabin.

Jane and Edwin stayed in the Book Lover’s Loft, a cottage with a wall of books, at an upscale inn. Their friend, Olivia, an author they met when she was a guest at Storyton, is a delightful older woman who has been eager to show them Oyster Bay. They were on the beach at her home when Jane found the body of one of the authors scheduled to sign their latest novels at Olivia’s bookstore that day. Two items, one on and one near the body, linked him to Storyton Hall.

Edwin was painfully injured in the water, requiring an overnight hospital stay. Jane was alone at the cottage when she heard a sound in the private garden. She found a young woman employed by the inn, dying. Jane administered CPR, but it was too late. The next day Edwin was released from the hospital. Butterworth, one of the Fins, arrived to help with the challenges. He and Olivia had been growing close in recent months; they made a fine couple.

Both the author and the young woman were killed by an overdose of the same unusual drug. The author’s fame had come from revealing tragedies in the lives of people in small towns, such as loved ones of Olivia and two other well-known authors. Just enough truth was written so that the person was recognized, and terrible lies that hurt their surviving loved ones were added. There were at least three people with motive to kill him, but only Olivia has no alibi. So far, there is nobody with a motive to kill the young woman.

The Oyster Bay police had someone in custody for the murders but it didn’t feel right. Edwin, Jane, and the Fins will continue looking into the murders from home. Jane had been keeping a tragedy in her life secret as she didn’t yet want her sons to know what happened to their father. She revealed it to only a few people during the investigation as they try to learn if the author’s next novel was focused on her family.

Storyton has well-defined, engaging characters, especially Jane, Edwin, and the Fins. This is a fabulous place to visit, with unique village shops, an incredible ambiance, and frequent festivals. I love the idea of the Pink-O-Ween festival they attended in Oyster Bay, as it was a fabulous way to raise funds for breast cancer research. I also loved the Halloween masquerade ball at Storyton Hall as the murderer and motives were revealed.

Plot twists were well-timed for maximum effect, building my suspense throughout. I enjoyed seeing the start of a new story for two former suspects. I was genuinely shocked and saddened to see who the bad guy was and why. I understood the motive when learning of the horror in the person’s background, and greatly appreciated Jane’s compassion. The grand finale of this episode was joyfully wonderful with much to look forward to next time! I highly recommend this excellent mystery and series!

Murder in the Book Lover’s Loft is another fabulous book by one of my favorites, Ellery Adams. I devoured this book in one day and loved every minute of it.

I love books that have a bookish theme and this one did not disappoint. I always feel like I can relate to Ellery’s characters. They are book lovers. They are problem solvers and investigators. They are all dealing with something in their lives - trauma, physical scars, chronic illness, mental health issues, etc. As an enneagram 5, introverted, autoimmune warrior bookworm, I feel seen.

The mystery in this book is intriguing and the pace of the investigation in the story flowed nicely. There are no slow periods that would cause the story to drag. There are tiny clues throughout to keep your interest and I was completely surprised by the ending.

I loved the seasonal progression of the story. As it went into Halloween/Fall, complete with a masquerade ball, I was there for it. Despite it being mid 90’s outside here in SC, I felt like I was transported to cooler weather surrounded by pumpkins, warm drinks and fall feasts. As it ended with Christmas (and snow!) I felt a smile appear on my face. As I prepare my kids for school in two weeks, I couldn’t have dreamed up a better book to close out my summer reading and prepare me for spooky season.

I have posted this review on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/p/CvIxPHJLfC_/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Goodreads

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5715334594

And Amazon

I love the magic of Storyton Hall in Ellery Adams' A Book Retreat Mystery series. Her latest, 'Murder in the Book Lover's Loft' in no way disappoints. Once again there is a murder that can be attributed to the secrets Storyton Hall maintains. I in no way want to ruin anyone's enjoyment of the story, so I will just say that I highly recommend it and the entire series. My only concern is that in some ways I felt there was a sense of closure, that perhaps this might be the end of the series. That was off-set by a little teaser by Uncle Aloysius that gives me hope, and I do hope there are many, many more.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Oh my goodness, so many emotions all wrapped up in this book, which was to me the absolute best of them all. I’m not sure if the series is ending, but it easily could with this book, although I’ve not heard anything official. Everything awesome that readers have wanted came to happen. It was kinda cool how it started off in North Carolina with Olivia Limoges and giving a nod to that ended series, so if this series is really ending, it was pretty fitting that Olivia had a nice part in it. Although I think it’d be really awesome if Olivia and Captain Haviland stayed in Storyton and started a whole new chapter of mystery solving along with Jane and the Fins. And I’d love to know if Merry and Pippin ever benefit from having a well-trained standard poodle as their leader for a while!

There were some super funny moments in North Carolina when Butterworth showed up feeling like he was needed after everything that’d gone down. That Pink-o-Ween sounded so cool and his part in it was priceless! Uncle Aloysius was getting help with his dementia we learned about previously, and that little stinker had a pretty awesome scene in the book himself! A tissue alert for happy tears is recommended toward the end, and while I really hope there’ll be more books in the series, I’m happy with how this book ended.

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

I have a sneaky suspicion that this just might be the last book in this series and that makes me very sad since it’s been one of my favourite cozy series for many years; I’m not ready to say goodbye!
All the staples that make Ellery Adams a go-to author for me were accounted for; many bookish delights, tasty treats, lovely characters, a charming small town, a sinister mystery, and of course, the Cover Girls.

<i>ARC Provided by NetGalley<i>