Below is the complete list of Ellery Adams books in order of publication, which is the recommended reading order for the series....
Read All the Ellery Adams Books in Order
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Read Antiques & Collectibles Mysteries Books in Publication Order
- A Killer Collection (2006)
Buy on Amazon - A Fatal Appraisal (2006)
Buy on Amazon - A Deadly Dealer (2011)
Buy on Amazon - A Treacherous Trader (2015)
Buy on Amazon - A Devious Lot (2016)
Buy on Amazon - A Killer Keepsake (2017)
Buy on Amazon - A Bidder End (2019)
Buy on Amazon - A Fatal Fabergé (2020)
Buy on Amazon - Mint Condition Murder (2021)
(With Parker Riggs)
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Read A Charmed Pie Shoppe Mystery Books in Publication Order
- Pies and Prejudice (2012)
Buy on Amazon - Peach Pies and Alibis (2013)
Buy on Amazon - Pecan Pies and Homicides (2014)
Buy on Amazon - Lemon Pies and Little White Lies (2015)
Buy on Amazon - Breach of Crust (2016)
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Read Book Retreat Mysteries Books in Publication Order
- Murder in the Mystery Suite (2014)
Buy on Amazon - Murder in the Paperback Parlor (2015)
Buy on Amazon - Murder in the Secret Garden (2016)
Buy on Amazon - Murder in the Locked Library (2018)
Buy on Amazon - Murder in the Reading Room (2019)
Buy on Amazon - Murder in the Storybook Cottage (2020)
Buy on Amazon - Murder in the Cookbook Nook (2021)
Buy on Amazon - Murder on the Poet’s Walk (2022)
Buy on Amazon - Murder in the Book Lover’s Loft (2023)
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Read Books By The Bay Mystery Books in Publication Order
- A Killer Plot (2010)
Buy on Amazon - A Deadly Cliché (2011)
Buy on Amazon - The Last Word (2011)
Buy on Amazon - Written in Stone (2012)
Buy on Amazon - Poisoned Prose (2013)
Buy on Amazon - Lethal Letters (2014)
Buy on Amazon - Writing All Wrongs (2015)
Buy on Amazon - Killer Characters (2017)
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Read Hope Street Church Mystery Books in Publication Order
(with Tina Radcliffe)
- The Path of the Crooked / Stirring Up Strife (2009)
Buy on Amazon - The Way of the Wicked / Path of the Wicked (2010)
Buy on Amazon - The Way of the Guilty / The Graves of the Guilty (2010)
Buy on Amazon - The Root of All Evil (2014)
Buy on Amazon - Fate of the Fallen (2016)
Buy on Amazon - The Deeds of the Deceitful (2020)
Buy on Amazon - Methods of Malice (2023)
Buy on Amazon - A Taste for Crime (2024)
Buy on Amazon - Dying to Sell (2025)
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Read Secret, Book & Scone Society Books in Publication Order
- The Secret, Book and Scone Society (2017)
Buy on Amazon - The Whispered Word (2018)
Buy on Amazon - The Book of Candlelight (2020)
Buy on Amazon - Ink and Shadows (2021)
Buy on Amazon - The Vanishing Type (2022)
Buy on Amazon - Paper Cuts (2023)
Buy on Amazon - The Little Lost Library (2024)
Buy on Amazon - The Tattered Cover (2025)
Buy on Amazon - The Liars’ Book Club (2026)
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Read Novel Idea Mysteries Books in Publication Order
(as Lucy Arlington)
- Buried in a Book (2012)
Buy on Amazon - Every Trick in the Book (2013)
Buy on Amazon - Books, Cooks, and Crooks (2013)
Buy on Amazon - Played by the Book (2015)
Buy on Amazon - Off the Books (2016)
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Read Supper Club Mystery Books in Publication Order
- Carbs & Cadavers (2006)
Buy on Amazon - Fit to Die (2007)
Buy on Amazon - Chili Con Corpses (2008)
Buy on Amazon - Stiffs and Swine (2008)
Buy on Amazon - The Battered Body (2009)
Buy on Amazon - Black Beans and Vice (2010)
Buy on Amazon - Pasta Mortem (2019)
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Read Standalone Novels in Publication Order
- Invasive Species (2026)
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Ellery Adams
Ellery Adams is the pen name of American mystery author Jennifer Stanley, best known for her bestselling cozy mystery series centered around books, food, and small-town life. Writing under the Ellery Adams name, she has built a substantial catalog of interconnected and standalone mystery novels, many of which combine literary references, community-centered storytelling, and character-driven investigations. Reading Ellery Adams’ books in publication order provides the clearest way to follow recurring protagonists, evolving relationships, and shared fictional settings.
Adams began publishing in the early 2010s and quickly established herself within the cozy mystery genre. Her breakout success came with the Books by the Bay Mystery series, launched with A Killer Plot (2010). Set in the fictional town of Oyster Bay, North Carolina, the series introduces Olivia Limoges, a sophisticated amateur sleuth whose love of literature plays a central role in solving crimes. Publication order is particularly helpful here because Olivia’s personal life and friendships develop steadily across the series.
She followed with the Charmed Pie Shoppe Mystery series, beginning with Pies and Prejudice (2012). Set in Georgia, this series blends Southern charm, culinary detail, and murder investigations. As with her other works, Adams uses recurring townspeople and long-term character arcs, making chronological reading beneficial for understanding the growth of both protagonist and supporting cast.
One of her most popular ongoing series is the Book Retreat Mystery series, which debuted with Murder in the Mystery Suite (2014). Set at a literary-themed retreat in the Blue Ridge Mountains, the series follows Jane Steward as she manages Storyton Hall, a resort dedicated to book lovers. The novels frequently reference classic literature and often structure mysteries around genre themes. Reading these in publication order preserves continuity in Jane’s relationships and the larger arc involving the retreat’s mysterious benefactor network.
Another widely recognized series is the Secret, Book & Scone Society, beginning with the novel of the same name in 2017. This series centers on Nora Pennington, a bookstore owner who helps others heal from trauma through carefully chosen books and baked goods. Compared to Adams’ earlier series, these novels place greater emphasis on emotional depth and recovery alongside mystery plotting. Publication order is particularly important here because the core group of women at the heart of the series evolves significantly over time, confronting personal struggles that carry from one installment to the next.
Across all her series, Ellery Adams’ writing style is defined by:
- Strong female protagonists
- Small-town settings
- Literary and culinary themes
- Emotional subplots interwoven with mystery
While each mystery contains a self-contained case, Adams consistently develops her characters beyond the immediate crime. That steady character growth makes reading in publication order especially rewarding.
In addition to writing as Ellery Adams, Jennifer Stanley has published under other pen names, but the Ellery Adams catalog remains her most extensive and recognizable body of work. Her novels have earned multiple appearances on bestseller lists within the cozy mystery category and have developed a loyal readership drawn to their blend of warmth, intellect, and suspense.
Viewed across her publication timeline, Adams’ career reflects increasing narrative confidence and thematic depth. Early series focus more tightly on puzzle-solving within charming communities. Later works incorporate deeper emotional arcs, especially around friendship, grief, and personal reinvention. Reading her books as they were originally released preserves that evolution—allowing readers to see how her protagonists grow not only as amateur detectives but as fully realized individuals within richly imagined towns.