Ellery Page is back–and poking his elegant nose into trouble again! Unlike everyone else in Pirate’s Cove, Ellery Page, aspiring screenwriter, reigning Scrabble champion, and occasionally clueless owner of the village’s only mystery bookstore, is anything but thrilled when famed horror author Brandon Abbott announces he’s purchased legendary Skull House and plans to live there permanently. … to live there permanently.
Ellery and Brandon have history. Their relationship ended badly and the last thing Ellery wants is a chance to patch things up–especially when his relationship with Police Chief Jack Carson is just getting interesting. But then, maybe Brandon isn’t all that interested in getting back together either, because he seems a lot more interested in asking questions about the bloodstained past of his new home than discussing a possible future with Ellery. What is Brandon really up to?
Ellery will have to unscramble that particular puzzle post haste. Because after his former flame disappears following their loud and public argument, Ellery seems to be Police Chief Carson’s first–and only–suspect.
***This story contains no on-screen sex or violencemore
I was looking forward to this book, mostly because I was excited to see how the relationship between Jack and Ellery would pan out. Things seemed to evolve rather nicely…until they didn’t. That bumped me up a bit, but the book was really fun to read.
Ellery found himself, once more, at the center of a murder, this time involving his ex. The town people were as crazy as I’ve grown to love them, and everyone one was a suspect…again.
I laughed, I was sad, I got intrigued, I solved a murder and now I can’t wait for the next book in the series.
M/M cozy mystery, murder, murder-investigation, law-enforcement, friendship, bookseller, small-business, small-town, island-life, amateur-sleuth, verbal-humor, situational-humor*****
The story truly follows all the cozy criteria and has a great plot, fascinating characters, and laughs. It also has a police detective, a bookshop owner (and former professional TV actor) named Ellery (like Ellery Queen mystery writer!), a frenetic puppy named Watson (is there any other kind?), the Scallywags, and the Silver Sleuths. It’s set in an island off New Jersey (USA) that’s accessible by ferry (that’s why they can have cars). Ellery inherited the bookshop and rundown Dutch Colonial from an ancient of his father and has only been a resident for four months. An old acquaintance (a real creep) comes to town to write about an old murder at a local cursed old house but winds up murdered himself. Guess who becomes the prime suspect by the police and the goat of the local press. Let the sleuthing begin!
Matt Haynes always does a wonderful job with all the voices and really acts out the story and not just read it with a voice that brings the characters to life with inflections entirely suited the situations and characters.
“Secret at Skull House” is a thrilling and twisty sequel in this wonderful mystery series by Josh Lanyon.
I think I might have loved it even more than the first book.
It’s full of secrets and mysterious pirate legends, decades-old murders and fresh ones too, gossiping and meddling citizens and a bookseller that desperately deserves a break. I love Ellery so much and I loved seeing him make friends and slowly fitting in with all Pirate’s Cove wacky inhabitants. Speaking of which, I love them all. Jack Carson, though, I feel for the guy and what he went through, but he acted a bit like a jerk at times. I’m hoping, after that ending, he’ll come to his senses soon.
The murder mystery this time was interesting and chilling at times, and I was holding my breath up until the end. And the culprit!! I GASPED.
Starting book #3 now.
Another good mystery. More great characters. Beautifully crafted settings. (I love Josh Lanyon’s settings. ) Great narration. What more can a m/m, mystery, romance fan ask for? Well… I adore stories that involve bookstores, law enforcement, and disgraced &/(!?$#@s. Not giving away that one just in case it counts as a spoiler, but I got those things too.
5 CRANKY STARS
Well, as the title says, this is book 2 and it is just as entertaining as book 1- Murder at Pirate’s Cove. It would be good to read book 1, just to learn more about the main characters but it is not absolutely necessary. The author fills in background very well. This time, Ellery’s college Ex shows up in Pirate’s Cove having just bought Skull House. It is miles out of the town right on the shore. Brandon Abbott is a successful writer of mystery novels with supernatural villains. Ellery does not have any of his books in stock, but the townsfolk all seem to know who he is and are delighted. Suddenly, business picks up a little. The bad part is that Ellery does not like Brandon, and they parted on bad terms. Of course, Brandon wants to stay with him but there is no way that will happen. Almost as soon as he gets there, Brandon winds up dead and it is Ellery that alerts police to the possibility. He had gotten a frightening voicemail and went to Skull House looking for Brandon and could not find him. The next day when the construction crew finds his body, Ellery again becomes a prime suspect. This time though, Nora sets up a sleuthing club to help Ellery clear his name. Things go bad right from the start and Ellery gets deeper in trouble. Several of the towns hidden secrets are revealed much to the dismay of the townsfolk. Another great beach read for mystery lovers.
3.5 Stars
On its own this was a good cozy mystery. As part of the series it didn’t stray too far from the first book, though there was a little progress in the romance part. Well, if by progress you mean something relatively concrete being decided, though not the outcome readers are likely hoping for. Overall though, I think this is likely better as a standalone than part of the series unless you’re committed to reading whatever comes next.
I honestly love this author’s writing so it’s no hardship to read virtually anything they write. This series is no different, I just think that it’s trying to find its legs and hasn’t fallen into its stride yet. Most cozy mysteries feature different cases with the continuing thread being the town itself and the MC finding not only their niche in the town, but what they can offer to the various mysterious events that take place in it. Ellery is no different, though the first is tough when there are a certain characters in town that seem to have it out for him and will do everything in their power to make him feel unwelcome and unwanted.
There’s pretty much no romance in this one, just like in the first book, just hints and some disappointments this time around. Where they’ll go from here, I can guess, but for the most part there’s likely going to be a long road for them to travel with a whole bunch of complications I’m not sure I will like since I’m all for romance being a help rather than a hindrance with all the mystery solving.
I’m definitely in for the next book in the series because I’m incredibly curious at how Ellery will fit into the town, if a certain journalist will calm her sh.. and how Jack will deal with not claiming Ellery as his earlier. Also, I seriously want to see more being done to involve Scrabble because up to now, it’s been an untapped element in the series.
Another good story from Josh Lanyon.
4 1/2 Stars
I enjoyed seeing Ellery Page again. He is a well-written character with the typical problems that most people have. Well, except for the fact that he keeps getting accused of murder.
I’ve got to be honest, though. I am not feeling much chemistry between Ellery and the Police Chief. Jack blows lukewarm and cold. Mostly cold. There aren’t sufficient interactions and conversations between them (on-page) for me to get a good read on how well they fit together. It’s kind of a lazy, meandering path they are taking towards romance. Hopefully, Book 3 will shed a little more light on that. But enough of that.
I liked the mystery. The secondary characters are well-placed and distracting enough that I was kept guessing about which one of them could be the bad guy.
I was entertained throughout the book and was clueless about who the killer was up until the end.
I liked being able to focus on the mystery and main character without the added stress of seeing the violent end to the victim or sex confusing the situation.
I look forward to more in this series.
This second book in the series is as much fun as the first. Once again Ellery is accused of murder, but this time he’s got members of the community backing him. Not all of them of course, there’s still Sue, the hateful newspaper reporter/owner spreading her particularly poisonous brand of story.
The mystery was clever and kept me guessing and I didn’t work it out until Ellery had laid it all out for me.
The relationship between Ellery and Jack is so slow burn that it is literally going backwards at this point. But apparently there are a lot more books planned so hopefully it will progress eventually.
Can’t wait for book 3.
This is book two in the cozy mystery series Secrets and Scrabble starring book store owner and reluctant amateur sleuth Elliott Park. And once again, Elliott is driven to investigate a murder in order to clear his own name. How unlucky can one guy be?
Elliott is having a perfectly nice day and hoping for some forward movement in his crush on Police Chief Jack Carson, when he hears news that completely ruins his day…his ex has bought Skull House. Elliott figures he has a reprieve as it will take a long time before that house is inhabitable but sure enough, Brandon shows up that night. It quickly becomes apparent that there are secrets surrounding Skull House that people in town do not want discussed and when Brandon turns up dead Elliott becomes the prime suspect in a murder once again. So much for the burgeoning relationship with Jack!
The hunt for clues is interesting and the red herrings are plenty. I was pretty sure of the villain early on but it was fun to read Elliott’s trajectory of coming to the same conclusion. The ending is vintage cozy mystery though the rescue is never explained which is bothersome. The ending is bittersweet though I am anticipating the tension in book three with some glee.
The writing is crisp and clever as usual with Lanyon. And her development of setting is so well done I feel like I know these people and I could visit Pirate’s Cove…which I keep wanting to call Cabot Cove because there are so many similarities! A quick, fun read.
**I voluntarily read an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion.**
I’m loving this cozy mystery series by Lanyon. It’s such a fun read. I’d love me a Nora in my life.
Nobody crafts a story like Josh Lanyon, and this wonderful “cozy” mystery series really shows off her skills. I’m loving Secrets and Scrabble!
Ellery is a doll, and there’s a fascinating cast of characters to back him up. The mysterious goings-on of Buck Island keep getting more interesting, and if Ellery and Jack just stay friends I think I’ll be okay.
So much fun, and all I can say is: Josh Lanyon, please write faster!!!
This is the second installment of the Secrets and Scrabble Series. It is a wonderful cozy mystery. It is set in this unique pirate themed town that allows for some interesting situations. The characters are interesting and the pace good. A wonderful read, I can’t wait for the next installment of the series.