Murder in the Locked Library (A Book Retreat Mystery) by Ellery Adams

Ellery Adams writes a sparkling cozy-  flush with details. I am enthralled with rare books and secrets that have to be kept...well who isn't? This book is loaded with them. The characters will remain favorites once you are introduced to them. Butterworth, the Butler, was one of mine-but he is backed up by a strong recurring cast. I cannot wait to read the other books in this series and I will have my nose buried in Book One to Three next week.

Jane is the Guardian of Storyton Hall along with her two sons. Her Mother and Father live upstairs. Sinclair, who is the Head Librarian, works with clients and is a rare book expert.  Certain aspects that Visitors learn may later be important for clues.  I was fascinated by the details..how to hold a book by cradling it or washed hands versus gloves. In fact, all sorts of technical things are imparted. Are they information or red herrings? Cradling the book is definitely worth knowing for those of us who collect at any rate...  The workers in the soon- to- be- spa area dig up the bones of a man. But how long has he been dead? The book found with him in the grave was unreadable, so, the text might be written with onion juice or some other secret way of writing. But how does this affect Storyton and will there be more deaths?

Secrets, rare books, invisible text, a gutsy heroine and delicious food...how much better can a mystery get? Not much...five stars on this one.


Blurb:

Welcome to Storyton Hall, Virginia, where book lovers travel from near and far to enjoy the singular comforts of the Agatha Christie Tea Room, where they can discuss the merits of their favorite authors no matter how deadly the topic . . .
 
With her twins, Fitzgerald and Hemingway, back in school, Jane Steward can finally focus on her work again—managing Storyton Hall, and breaking ground on the resort’s latest attraction: a luxurious, relaxing spa named in honor of Walt Whitman. But when the earth is dug up to start laying the spa’s foundation, something else comes to the surface—a collection of unusual bones and the ragged remnants of a very old book. The attendees of the Rare Book Conference are eager to assist Jane with this unexpected historical mystery—until a visitor meets an untimely end in the Henry James Library. As the questions—and suspects—start stacking up, Jane will have to uncover a killer before more unhappy endings ensue . . .

“Combines clever clues, a smart and courageous heroine and an interesting setting in a whodunit that will inspire readers to make further visits to Storyton Hall.”