Murder in the Reading Room by Ellery Adams is the fifth book in the “Book Retreat” cozy mystery series. Publisher: Kensington Books, coming April 30, 2019

Storyton Hall, Virginia, is a paradise for book lovers who come from all over for literary getaways. But manager Jane Steward is temporarily leaving for another renowned resort—in hopes of solving a twist-filled mystery . . .

Jane’s boyfriend is missing, and she thinks she may find him at North Carolina’s historic Biltmore Estate. Officially, she’s there to learn about luxury hotel management, but she’s also prowling around the breathtaking buildings and grounds looking for secret passageways and clues. One of the staff gardeners promises to be helpful . . . that is, until his body turns up in the reading room of his cottage, a book on his lap.

When she finally locates the kidnapped Edwin, his captor insists that she lead him back to Storyton Hall, convinced that it houses Ernest Hemingway’s lost suitcase, stolen from a Paris train station in 1922. But before they can turn up the treasure, the bell may toll for another victim . . .

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Oh my goodness, all I can say is wow. This book blew me away in the fast-paced and action-packed drama that had me mesmerized with all that was happening. Looking for her boyfriend finds Jane involved in situations that gave me pause (oh my heart was palpitating) as she traverses through a minefield of nefarious doings.

Ellery has a way with the written word and knows how to tell a story that captivates your entire being and you never want to let go, not even when the last page is read. This was a well-executed multi-plot mystery that was complex at its core, but the essence with what was happening kept me in tuned to every nuance so as to not miss one thing in this riveting tale. Everything had a place in the telling of this story and there were several surprising twists and turns that I did not see coming. Jane, the Cover Girls and the Fins all weave in and out of this whodunit and had pivotal roles that added to my reading pleasure. As this book moved towards its conclusion, many factors were resolved but I also felt my time in Storyton Hall was coming to an end. All in all, this was one of the best books in the series and I enjoyed all that was presented in this engaging and entertaining narrative. Editor Note: Series continues-Yay

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FTC Full Disclosure – I received an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) from the publisher.