Murder in the Secret Garden

Book Retreat Mystery Series, Book 3

By: Ellery Adams

Narrated by: Johanna Parker

Length: 8 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's summary

There is a hidden garden bordering the grounds of Jane Steward's book-themed resort - a garden filled with beautiful but deadly plants such as mandrake and nightshade. Tucked away behind ivy-covered walls and accessible only through a single locked door, as described in the pages of Frances Hodges Burnett's classic novel, the garden is of special interest to Jane's current group of guests, the Medieval Herbalists.

But when one of them turns up dead, Jane must discover whether a member of the group has come to Storyton Hall to celebrate their passion for plant lore or to implement a particularly cruel means for murder. With thousands of books at her disposal, Jane believes that she has the proper materials to solve this deadly problem. If she's wrong, however, she may lose something far more precious than the contents of Storyton's secret library.

©2016 Ellery Adams (P)2016 Tantor

Loved it!

Personally, I loved everything about the book, and series so far. Great story, and I enjoy the narrator.

Outstanding addition to this series..

Any additional comments?

I really enjoyed the first two books in this series, but this one took the series to a whole new level. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and ended up staying up way later than planned so that I could finish listening to it in two days. The main characters have developed so much since the first book, and I feel like I know them so much better now. I was very satisfied with the ending. And, of course, I LOVED the names of the ducks! Very creative. I'm truly looking forward to the next installment, and I highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys a good cozy mystery.

Another enjoyable mystery

As with the others in this series, very enjoyable. It has an interesting topic but is in line with series plots.

A really great series!

Ellery Adams has done an outstanding job on this addition to the Book Retreat Mystery series. It's written with intelligence not only of the characters but for the reader also. There's nothing I hate more than reading a book where the characters are just plain stupid. That's certainly not the case with this series of hers. I love the main characters, the descriptions of the locations and the atmosphere. From the moment I start the book until the very end, I am totally enthralled. In fact, I'm usually quite sad when the book is over since I know it will be awhile before the next installment is released (please hurry Ellery!). The narrator of the audio book is outstanding. I'm not sure how she is chosen but she is the very embodiment of the main character. If you love this series as much as I do, try the Books by the Bay series by Ellery Adams. It's just as wonderful. I haven't been as entranced with her other two series.. Charmed Pie Shoppe or Hope Street Church. So if you've tried either one of those series, and you're not crazy about them don't let that hold you back from trying Book Retreat Mysteries or Books by the Bay series. These two are outstanding. There is also Antiques and Collectibles series. That's somewhere in between. Happy reading!

Still a great series

I haven't given this one a five for two reasons: the interactions between Edwin and Jane are over the top, full-blown prose I'd expect to find in a Regency Romance - maybe. Their relationship just does not reflect the time the book is set in. Yes, they are book lovers but that doesn't mean they're sappy and certainly the characters are presented as the opposite of sappy in every other respect. The second reason I didn't give this one a five is because too many of the female characters are sounding so much like the aunt I can't tell for sure if it's her speaking. But I still love the uniqueness of this series and am waiting anxiously for the next one!

I have enjoyed this series of books

I think these books are very well writen, the stories are intelligent and interesting. I am not always crazy for the readers character voices but I can live through it. Well worth it.

Wonderful Story

I hope Ellery keeps writing this series. I read others of his series too. makes me happy

Loving This!

Another wonderful book in this amazing series. A mystery to keep you guessing until the end. Loving this author's work and looking forward to many more in this series.

I wish I could visit Booktown!

What did you love best about Murder in the Secret Garden?

This book (like the other 2) has such a perfect cast of characters. They begin to feel like family, and I found myself wishing I could visit Storyton myself! This charming retreat filled with a cozy atmosphere seems like the most inviting place! Of course there is some murder and mystery amongst all the charm, and this keeps the story captivating from start to end. Everyone comes together with their unique talents and insights to solve the crime and get to the bottom of what is truth & what is fiction.

What did you like best about this story?

The narration. Johanna Parker does a marvelous job of making each character so different that they stand a part as distinct people when you listen. This is important in an audiobook, and it really kept me engaged.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes! Although I had to break it up into 3 days due to time, but I would have loved a whole day just with this book.

Pleasant surprise

Loved the storyline. Descriptive. Good narrator. Want to start from the 1st book in series.