The Little Lost Library by Ellery Adams

Summary

When an elderly Miracle Springs resident, Lucille Wynter, arranges for Nora to deliver an order of books to her creepy, crumbling Southern Gothic mansion on the outskirts of town, Nora doesn’t expect to be invited in. An agoraphobe, Lucille doesn’t leave Wynter House. But when Lucille doesn’t come to the door to collect her books, Nora begins to worry.

Forcing her way into Lucille’s dilapidated home, Nora is shocked to find rooms bursting with books and a lifeless Lucille at the foot of her stairs. After reading a note left behind by Lucille, Nora wonders if her death was an accident. Did she fall or was she pushed by someone seeking a valuable item hidden within Wynter House? Lucille’s children are clearly confident the house contains something of value, because they hire Nora to sift through the piles of books. (Goodreads)

Thoughts

The Little Lost Library is a cozy but mysterious novel, set around a bookstore owner, and the unexpected death of one of her reclusive customers, Lucille Wynters. This book is the seventh novel in the Secret, Book, and Scone Society novel, although it can be read as a standalone. I was confused about the mentions of Nora’s past trauma, although I assume it would make sense if one has read the previous books. As someone who has not read the previous books in the series, the story still felt mostly cohesive and well written. It was a bit hard to grasp the many characters at first, but the list of relevant characters at the front of the book was helpful. This book follows Nora, who figures out the mysterious murderer behind Lucille Winters. The Little Lost Library is a cozy and eerie book, which I recommend to lovers of romance and mystery.

The overall plot of the novel was well written. I liked the mystery and foreboding of the Wynter’s estate, and the trail of clues that Nora had to follow. The concept of hidden nooks and rolling bookshelves where tiny books were hidden was quite interesting. The eight clues all added up in the end, and relayed the true story of the Wynter’s family. The plot twist shocked me, and I liked how perfectly it was timed. Right when it felt like the mystery was solved, and everything was coming to an end, more secrets were revealed and everything came crashing down. I was surprised when the family history was discovered in the bookcase of the little library, and even more stunned when the true murderer’s identity came to light.

In terms of pacing, I enjoyed how the book immediately started with the murder, and gave a clear introduction. During the middle of the story, the excitement died down a little, and I found some of the interactions to be a bit bland, since it did not reveal anything about the mystery, and just relayed some everyday conversation. Near the end, the story picked up pace again, which kept me wanting to read more, and solve the clues alongside Nora and her friends.

I really liked the overall theme of books and how they have effects on people. The protagonist Nora, owns a bookstore, and works hard to build a welcoming environment for her customers. Near the beginning, Nora was assisting Batrice with finding a novel. Batrice was struggling with a toxic coworker, who was spreading false rumours about her to others. Immediately, Nora pulled out some books about people facing similar situations, and about how they overcame their problems. For Batrice, books are a space to find comfort in knowing she is not alone, and to escape into a world with no conflicts. I love how Nora can always suggest the perfect book for customers. Whether they are looking for spooky classics, autumn romances, or thrillers written by female authors, she will always make great suggestions. 

Nora is a hardworking, and empathetic person, which makes her the perfect bookstore owner. One of my favourite parts was when Nora decided to hire Charlie Kim, a high schooler who had been secretly taking books from the store and returning them, in order to impress his crush with knowledge of books. Nora, knowing Charlie was unable to afford buying many books to read, and believing his pure intentions, decides to offer Charlie a job at her store. It turns out, Charlie is a very hard worker and significantly decreased the heavy workload of Nora and her fellow employee, Sheldon. I loved Nora’s willingness to give others a second chance, which was an opportunity to support Charlie.

I resonated with Nora the most, as a fellow reader and book enthusiast. I also find myself suggesting books to many of my peers and friends, based on their specific requests. Ellery did an amazing job in the imagery of the bookstore capturing the comforting and welcoming atmosphere of a bookstore. I loved the inner monologue of Nora, and how she was eager to solve the mystery, despite the risks involved in this dangerous task. My integrity would have also led me to bring justice to Lucillle Wynter’s death, although I would not have been as fearless as Nora in walking headfirst into Wynter House.

At the beginning of each chapter are quotes said by notable people, which summarize main themes that will occur in that section. This reminded me of another book I read, titled Better Than The Movies, which included quotes from famous rom-coms on every chapter. I think this was a nice addition, since it prepares the reader for what they will encounter. Ellery also mentions popular books in the story, like Rebecca Yarros' Fourth Wing and Iron Flame, which I enjoyed, as it highlights how recently this book was written. Incorporated in the end is a Book List of the titles introduced, which can be helpful for picking your next read!

Reviewed by Lianna Kwan

March 12, 2025