Novel Idea Mysteries Books in Order

Recommended Reading Path: Publication and Chronological Order

For readers diving into the Novel Idea Mysteries, the path is straightforward: the series should be read in publication order. Because characters evolve, relationships develop, and Lila Wilkins makes significant strides in her professional career, reading the books out of order will spoil minor character developments and town events. Fortunately, the chronological order matches the publication sequence perfectly.

Here is the recommended reading order for the five main novels in the series:

1. Buried in a Book (2012)
2. Every Trick in the Book (2013)
3. Books, Cooks, and Crooks (2014)
4. Played by the Book (2015)
5. Off the Books (2016)

Book-by-Book Breakdown

1. Buried in a Book (2012)

The series opens with Buried in a Book, introducing us to Lila Wilkins, a 45-year-old single mother who has recently been laid off from her job as a journalist. Desperate for a fresh start, Lila accepts an internship at the A Novel Idea Literary Agency in Inspiration Valley, North Carolina. Her new start is quickly derailed when she discovers a dead aspiring author in the agency's waiting room. To protect her new job and the agency, Lila must use her investigative journalism skills to solve the murder.

2. Every Trick in the Book (2013)

Now promoted from intern to associate literary agent, Lila's career is finally on track. However, trouble strikes during the local Inspiration Valley Book Festival. When a polarizing, high-profile author is found dead, suspicion falls upon one of Lila's colleagues. Lila must balance agent duties, such as scouting new talent, with the high-stakes task of unmasking a murderer hiding among the festival attendees.

3. Books, Cooks, and Crooks (2014)

In the third installment, Lila manages a celebrity chef event hosted by the literary agency. The event takes a dark turn when the guest chef is murdered, and a secret recipe becomes the focal point of the investigation. Lila finds herself digging through culinary secrets, kitchen politics, and town rivalries to find the culprit before someone else gets burned.

4. Played by the Book (2015)

In this entry, the series transitions to a new writer under the shared pseudonym. Lila attends a writers' retreat at a historic, reputedly haunted estate in the mountains. When a writer is killed, Lila must navigate the eccentricities of the retreat guests, historical rumors, and a clever killer who wants to ensure Lila's story ends prematurely.

5. Off the Books (2016)

The fifth and final book features a high-society wedding in Inspiration Valley that turns fatal. When the wedding planner is found murdered, Lila must investigate the complex relationships and secrets within the town's elite families. It serves as a fitting conclusion to Lila's arc, tying together her journey as a mother, professional agent, and local sleuth.

What to Know Before You Start

The series is set in the fictional town of Inspiration Valley, North Carolina. Known as a haven for writers and creative souls, it features charming local spots such as the Expresso Yourself coffee shop. Lila's mother, Althea, who runs a local fortune-telling business, adds a touch of whimsical humor to the stories, balancing Lila's more grounded, practical approach to solving mysteries.

While each book features a self-contained murder mystery that is fully resolved by the end of the novel, the overarching personal lives of Lila, her son, her mother, and her colleagues are continuous. Reading the books sequentially allows you to appreciate Lila's gradual transition from a struggling, unemployed single mom to a confident, successful literary agent.

The Collaboration Behind the Pseudonym "Lucy Arlington"

One of the most interesting aspects of the Novel Idea Mysteries is the authorship. "Lucy Arlington" is not a single author, but a collective pen name that evolved over the life of the series. Understanding this transition helps explain subtle shifts in style between the third and fourth books:

• Ellery Adams and Sylvia May (Books 1–3): Cozy mystery veterans Ellery Adams and Sylvia May co-wrote the first three books. They conceived the series during a road trip returning from a mystery writers' convention, drawing inspiration from the real-life roles of literary agents.
• Susan Furlong (Books 4–5): Due to heavy writing schedules and commitments to their own respective series, Adams and May handed the Lucy Arlington pen name over to author Susan Furlong. Furlong took over starting with Played by the Book and concluded the series with Off the Books, maintaining the cozy atmosphere while bringing her own pacing and plotting style to the final two books.

Spin-Offs and Companion Reading

While there are no direct spin-off series set in Inspiration Valley, fans of the Novel Idea Mysteries will find similar cozy, bookish charm in the individual works of the contributing authors:

• Ellery Adams: If you love the literary themes of the Novel Idea series, Adams's Book Retreat Mysteries and Bibliophile Mysteries offer similar cozy, book-centric investigations.
• Susan Furlong: Readers seeking a slightly darker, more suspenseful procedural style can check out Furlong's Georgia Peach Mysteries or her standalone thrillers written under her own name.