Guest- Ellery Adams and a Giveaway

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Congratulations Kathy L! You are the winner of Ellery’s giveaway! Jessie has sent you an email to coordinate delivering your prize!

Jessie: In New Hampshire enjoying the sounds of the cheerful birds in my back garden!

I am so pleased to welcome Ellery Adams to the Wickeds today! I know many of you will be familiar with her books and all the hours of reading pleasure she has created. Take it away, Ellery!

The Novelist’s Test Kitchen

I don’t know about you, but I can’t relate to characters that don’t eat. There’s something incredibly human about sitting down to a meal with another person—even if that person is fictional. I’m intrigued by how they take their coffee, if they have breakfast for dinner, and which candy they have stashed in a desk drawer. 

I enjoy describing food, but I had no idea how time-consuming creating food for a mystery series could be. I got my first taste (sorry, I couldn’t resist) of what it was like to come up with original recipes when I wrote The Supper Club mysteries. When I started The Charmed Pie Shoppe mysteries, I couldn’t keep up with all the emails focused on baking.  Feeling like I was becoming more food blogger than novelist, I decided not to include recipes in future books.

My love for baking was renewed after I saw an episode of The Great British Bake Off. I was hooked! Chopped, Top Chef, Cupcake Wars, Zumbo’s Just Desserts, Nailed It!—I don’t think there’s a TV cooking competition I haven’t watched. 

Eager to try some of these recipes, I put on my apron and recruited my daughter to be my sous chef. These photos show a small sample of the many things we’ve made together. 

Between watching TV shows, reading chef memoirs, and working in my own test kitchen for the past decade, I’ve learned a bit about what it takes to craft a memorable dish.

In Murder in the Cookbook Nook, the seventh installment in my Book Retreat Mysteries, I combined my love of food with my love of literature (along with a dash of murder) to show the darker side of a cooking competition. And did I ever have fun! Sometimes, a writer’s passions form a perfect pairing. I hope that passion shines through the pages when you read this mystery. 

Murder in the Cookbook Nook hits the shelves April 27th, but you could win a copy now (along with a culinary-themed surprise)!

How? Just share something you discovered by visiting my website: www.elleryadamsmysteries.com.

Published by Jessie Crockett

Jessie Crockett wears a lot of hats, both literally and literarily. As Jessie Crockett she is the Daphne Award winning author of Live Free or Die and the nationally bestselling Sugar Grove series. As Jessica Ellicott she has received starred reivews from Publishers Weekly and Library Journal for her historical mystery Murder in an English Village. As Jessica Estevao she writes the Agatha Award nominated Change of Fortune Mysteries. She loves the beach, fountain pens, Mini Coopers and throwing parties. She lives in northern New England where she obsessively knits wool socks and enthusiastically speaks Portuguese with a shocking disregard for the rules of grammar.

87 Thoughts

  1. Welcome, Ellery! I completely agree about needing to see characters eating. Best of luck with the new book – the dark side of a cooking competition is a perfect setting.

  3. I learned that there are 2 series that I need to read, and some I need to catch up on and I love your books. Looking forward to starting the Collectibles series. I like to go on ebay and check the vintage items. I’ve found some items but there is only one of them but they are my treasures. Thank you so much for this chance at your giveaway! pgenest57 at aol dot com

  4. ELLERY: Welcome back to the Wickeds. Yes, I am also food-obsessed so I don’t understand people who don’t care much about what they eat. This new book sounds like the perfect read for me.

    One new thing I learned from viewing your website. I found a series that I missed reading by checking out your bookshelf page: the Hope Street Church mysteries.

  5. Congratulations on the upcoming release of “Murder in the Cookbook Nook”! It sounds absolutely wonderful and being a baker makes it even more desirable and most definitely on my TBR list.

    Loved the YouTube film on you website. Just makes me want to read not only that particular book but to read more about the Scone Society. Found many books (WOW 30 written) that seemed to have slipped through me that I need to read as well. Was interested to find out that you also love to garden. Although we have downsized after retiring and moving to where the soil is very rocky (as in we live in Stone County – hint, hint), we do have a far sized raised and still grow our tomato and pepper plants from seeds. Just this past weekend after the last cold spell of the year hopefully, hubby planted them in the prepared bed. I also love having many flowers throughout the yard.

    Thank you for the fabulous opportunity to win a copy of “Murder in the Cookbook Nook” as well as some surprises! I would love to be able to read and review to spread the word of the soon to be released book. Shared and hoping to be the very fortunate one selected.
    2clowns at arkansas dot net

  6. Hi Ellery,

    I knew you wrote several series, but the number of individual books, that I didn’t know. You go girl!

  7. I learned that you like bright cheery colors from your IG account, cats, books and baking shows (particularly the non- cutthroat British baking show!)….. in othe words , very simpatica with me! 😊

  8. Hi Ellery, congrats on the upcoming release of your latest book.

    What I learned from visiting your website is that with the total number of books in your various series, it is possible to hear my wallet groan in agony as I contemplate just how I will catch up with everything.

  9. What i discovered from your website is that you have written a lot of books I’d like to read! I noticed that you have your stories situated in the south, which I like. I lived in Roanoke, Virginia for several years and loved it there (my son still lives there). The Pie Shoppe series sounds delicious! I’m also a huge fan of Paul Hollywood’s blue eyes and all things GBBO, although I doubt my baking will be winning me any handshakes lol! Best of success with your new book –

  10. I had no idea that you write so many series. I have read about half of the Books by the Bay series. I love the Book Retreat mysteries!!! I want to live in Storyton Hall.

  11. Youi are a busy lady, and I am grateful! Looking forward to the dark side of cooking competitions. I always suspected they were cut-throat!

  12. Welcome, Ellery! I love watching cooking competition shows which astounds my family since I don’t like to cook or bake. I hope we can see each other in person again some day soon.

  13. Ellery, congrats on the new book! Eating is such a basic part of life and shows so much about a character. It seems only natural to include it in a book in some fashion.

  14. Love your books! Congrats on the new one! I found out I’m already subscribed to your newsletter!

  16. Welcome and congratulations. Your header on your site is wonderful. So many books to choose from. yahhh. I too like it when a character eats in the story. After all, all humans must eat. You love cats. So do I. I could not find where to subscribe for your newsletter though. hmmm
    quilting dash lady at comcast dot net

  17. I love when food is featured in books. I watch a lot of cooking shows, too, and I like to try out new recipes. I can see what you mean by the food overshadowing the books. I think they compliment each other, but I admit to being spoiled by all the culinary mysteries out there-if there’s a really good dish described and the recipe isn’t in there, it is slightly disappointing. Though I suppose that’s a tribute to good writing, making it sound so good you want to make it yourself.

    I learned I need to read you Collectables series, those sound fun. Going to have to look around for some copies.

  19. I also love Great British Baking Show and watch it with my daughters. Your website is so well-organized and pleasing to scroll through. I have read the first Secret, Book, and Scone Society mystery, but I didn’t know you’d written so many books. I have added many to my TBR! I also learned from a comment above about your Instagram account so I am following you there now too!

  20. I knew I was a few books behind in your series but checking your website shows me how many!! Congratulations on the newest, it sounds intriguing.

  21. Hello! I have found the next book series for our Mystery Book Club…We are searching for a cozy murder mystery with food interests, and I am the researcher in our group from all over the country. You had me at the words “Food + Mystery”, but when I looked at your website and found not only our favorite food: “scone”… and then to find out you not only have reader’s guides, but that you might be able to meet with us online…that cinched the selection, and now I can sleep at night :-). Our book Club meets over Zoom on Wednesday nights at 5PM Pacific…would that be a problem? Thanks for sharing your talents and making yourself available to your readers. That is precious!

      1. Thank you so much Ellery! I will contact you via email after discussing with the group. I already sent out a general overview with your bio, bibliography, pointed out all the reasons why will all enjoy reading your books plus the video clip from your website. Exciting! In the meantime I bought your first book, and my wife and I are excited to start reading it. Blessings and health!

  22. I’ve learned that you’ve written more books than I have read! I better get busy reading! Yay!

    Thanks for the chance!

  24. I enjoy food vicariously via the mysteries I read. I’m just too lazy to spend much time cooking. (I’ll disguise it as other things I need to do, but the reality is I’m just lazy.)

  26. Congratulations on your new release! I learned a lot from your website. I didn’t know you have written over 30 books. I have read the Secret Book and Scone society series and it’s one of my favorite series. Hope there’s more to come in that series. Looking forward to reading “Murder In The Cookbook Nook”.

  28. I didn’t realize that Ellery Adams wrote many series. I watched a video on her website about the The Secret, Book & Scone Society. This looks like a series I would really enjoy. I’m going to have to try to get all of the books in this series and have a marathon reading.

  29. I love the Book Retreat Mystery Series! I am very hooked on it. I discovered it quite by accident when I wanted a simple cozy to read one weekend. Love it. I am looking forward to this one!

  30. Thanks for the chance. Something I discovered was I like ground herbs sprinkled on my cold cut sandwiches. I like sage on my turkey and ground oregano on grilled cheese. I also sprinkle them on vegetables before cooking them in microwave.

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  32. I discovered that I missed your last Hope Street Church mystery. I don’t like when characters don’t eat either. I mentioned it to an author because her character skipped so many meals, I was afraid she would faint. Hey, I did faint when I wasn’t eating much at college. I didn’t like the food but I learned to eat more types of foods. Stay safe and well.

  33. I learned about a few of your series I somehow missed! Can’t wait to dive into them!

  34. Ms. Adams has written over 30 books. Thank you for the opportunity. God bless you.

  36. I discovered that I need to buy a lot more of your books if I want to own all of them. So far I only have sixteen. I need to step up my game. LOL

  37. Hi I discovered the Hope series. I can’t wait to find out more about these. I love your books.

  38. I discovered that there is a 4th book in the Secret, Book & Scone Society! I love that series, along with all of Ellery’s books. So many more to read!

  39. Love your Ink and Shadows book cover! I learned that I have a lot of catching up to do in reading your books!

  40. Congratulations on your upcoming release. I can’t wait to go back to Storyton Hall!! I wish it was a real place that I could visit. I loved the video for The Secret, Book, & Scone Society book, and the BookRX lists.

  41. Congratulations on the new book! I didn’t realize just how many books you have published! Wow! Also that there were two cozy chicks cookbooks. Thanks for the chance to win your new book!

  42. Hi Ellery! I’ve learned that there are two series I’ve not read yet. We can’t have that! (Supper Club and Collectibles) I need to get busy! Also, while scrolling through these comments- I also found out that I’m going up against my dear high school friend, Kristin Shadler in hopes to win! Move over, Schadler! 😉 Thank you for considering me.
    Tracy X Hartman

  43. That you have three cats and you jokingly call your kids “The Trolls”

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