The Vanishing Type

Author: Ellery Adams

Series: The Secret, Book, and Scone Society

Genre: Cozy Mystery, Fiction

Format: Physical

Publish Date: April 2022

Read: May 2024

Favorite Quote: No one keeps every book they read, which means the ones we do keep are important. A person’s library is like a fingerprint.

Story Synopsis: Nora Pennington owns a small bookstore in the mountains of North Carolina. Deputy Andrews seeks out Nora to help plan a proposal to Nora’s best friend Hester. Not long after, all the copies of The Scarlet Letter have the name Hester scratched out. When a non-local hiker is found dead on a hiking trail with a rare and old book, Nora and her friends work to uncover the connections between the dead man, the book, and possibly their friend. However, the murderer continues to strike, going after Hester’s but also causing Hester’s past and secrets to spill out in town.

Why does this book beguile? The Vanishing Type came to me in a blind book bundle where I had no idea what I would get. I’m a sucker for any book set in North Carolina, so I decided to read it, even without reading the prior four in the series. The Vanishing Type is an easy, wholesome, cozy read and perfect for anyone who wants a light novel to sink into. Adams does a good job of moving the story along with the plot and the subplot. There were maybe a few too many details for me (the quippy phrases on the mugs? What someone wore down to the hair ribbon?), but I liked it regardless. It’s a great palate-cleanser book after reading some heavy nonfiction and weird fiction books lately!

Rating: 3.5/5

Link*: The Vanishing Type by Ellery Adams

If you’re interested in this, read*: Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe by Heather Webber