Lucy Arlington
Lucy Arlington has published 5 books. The recommended reading order starts with Buried in a Book (2012).
Lucy Arlington writes cozy mysteries, a pen name originally conceived by Ellery Adams and Sylvia May. Together, Adams and May penned the first three novels in the A Novel Idea Mystery Series: Buried in A Book, Every Trick in the Book, and Books, Cooks, and Crooks. As their individual writing projects expanded, they passed the Lucy Arlington name to author Susan Furlong. Ellery Adams continues to write several mystery series, including the Books by the Bay Mysteries and the Charmed Pie Shoppe Mysteries. Sylvia May's debut novel, The Unraveling of Abby Settel, received an Honorable Mention in the 2011 Reader Views Literary Awards. Susan Furlong, writing as Lucy Arlington, is also the author of the upcoming Georgia Peach Mysteries series.
Shelf & Shadows
Order of Novel Idea Mysteries Books
- Tagsmysterycrimeliterary-fictionDescriptionAt 45, Lila Wilkins loses her journalism career and starts over. She takes an internship at A Novel Idea, a literary agency in North Carolina. It's a humbling restart, but she needs the work. Then an aspiring author dies in the waiting room. He was penniless, desperate to be published, and now he's dead. Lila finds threatening letters. Someone wanted him silenced. She can't let it go. Her journalist instincts kick in. Who would kill over a manuscript? The agency world is cutthroat, but this is literal. Lila digs into the victim's past, the letters, the motives swirling around unpublished dreams and literary ambition. This is cozy mystery with bite. Arlington gives us a midlife protagonist who's lost everything and has to rebuild with grit. The literary agency setting is fresh—full of egos, rejections, and the kind of desperation that can turn deadly. Lila is sharp, resourceful, and relatable. A strong series opener that understands reinvention isn't easy, but it can be thrilling.Publication dateJanuary 1, 2012Amazon rating4.1/5Print length350LanguageEnglishPublisherCenter Point Pub
- Tagsmysterycrimeliterary-fictionDescriptionWhat happens when the business of storytelling collides with the messy reality of murder? In the world of literary agencies, where manuscripts pile high and ambitions run higher, the line between fiction and fact can blur in dangerous ways. Lila Wilkins navigates the peculiar ecosystem of the Novel Idea Literary Agency, where quirky colleagues, demanding authors, and the relentless churn of the publishing industry create their own kind of drama. But when a real crime intrudes upon this bookish sanctuary, the stakes shift from rejection letters to something far more sinister. The cozy rhythms of manuscript reviews and client meetings give way to suspicion and secrets. Someone in this world of words has written a deadly chapter, and Lila finds herself reading between the lines to uncover the truth. With her insider's knowledge of the literary world and a sharp eye for detail honed by years of evaluating stories, she must piece together a narrative where every character might be unreliable and every motive remains hidden in subtext. The Novel Idea agency becomes both sanctuary and trap, a place where the tools of her trade—observation, analysis, intuition—become instruments of survival.Publication dateFebruary 5, 2013Amazon rating4.5/5Print length304LanguageEnglishPublisherBerkley
- Tagsmysterycrimeliterary-fictionDescriptionThis is the kind of cozy mystery that knows exactly what it's doing—pairing literary agents with murder, books with bodies, and small-town charm with serious stakes. Lila Wilkins works at the Novel Idea Literary Agency, where the days are filled with manuscripts, quirky authors, and the occasional publishing drama. But when a local food festival brings together books and cooks in the charming town of Inspiration Valley, things take a deadly turn. A cookbook author ends up murdered, and suddenly Lila's nose for a good story leads her straight into a dangerous investigation. What sets this apart is the world Arlington builds—a literary agency that feels lived-in, populated by characters who love books as much as readers do. The mystery unfolds with the warmth of a small-town gathering and the tension of secrets simmering just beneath the surface. Lila is smart, curious, and refreshingly human as she navigates both the publishing world and a killer on the loose. If you love cozies that celebrate books, community, and clever sleuthing, this one delivers. It's got heart, a satisfying puzzle, and enough literary charm to keep you turning pages late into the night. Perfect for anyone who's ever wondered what happens when the people who bring stories to life find themselves in the middle of one.Publication dateFebruary 4, 2014Amazon rating4.4/5Print length304LanguageEnglishPublisherBerkley
- Tagsmysterycrimeliterary-fictionDescriptionThe Novel Idea Literary Agency is buzzing when Damian York rolls back into Inspiration Valley, North Carolina—hometown hero turned television darling, here to launch his shiny new gardening book. It should be a triumph, a celebration, the kind of event that puts a small-town agency on the map. But in a cozy mystery, you know the trowels and pruning shears won't stay decorative for long. What starts as a feel-good homecoming quickly tangles into something darker, and the agency finds itself at the center of secrets that have been buried far longer than any perennial. Lucy Arlington plants you right in the heart of this literary world, where book deals and small-town gossip intertwine, and where the people who craft stories for a living suddenly find themselves living one they didn't write. The charm here is in the setting—a literary agency that feels lived-in, populated by characters who love books as much as they love solving puzzles. It's warm, it's clever, and it knows exactly what it is: a cozy mystery that doesn't apologize for delighting in both the quirks of publishing and the satisfaction of unraveling a well-laid plot. Perfect for anyone who's ever wondered what happens when the launch party turns into a crime scene.Publication dateFebruary 3, 2015Amazon rating4.4/5Print length320LanguageEnglishPublisherBerkley
- Tagsmysterycrimeliterary-fictionDescriptionThere's something irresistible about a small-town literary agency where the manuscripts pile high and the secrets run deeper. Lila Wilkins has landed her dream job at the Novel Idea Literary Agency in Inspiration Valley, North Carolina, but working with temperamental authors and navigating the publishing world's quirks is only the beginning of her troubles. When a local author turns up dead under suspicious circumstances, Lila finds herself caught in a mystery that has nothing to do with plot twists on the page. Suddenly, she's reading between far more dangerous lines than she ever imagined. With her colleagues as unlikely allies and a killer who might be closer than anyone suspects, Lila must use every ounce of her editorial instincts to piece together the clues before someone else gets their final chapter. Arlington crafts a cozy mystery that book lovers will devour—a world where literary passion meets small-town charm, and where the most compelling story isn't the one being shopped to publishers. It's warm, it's clever, and it understands that sometimes the most dedicated readers make the best detectives. Perfect for anyone who's ever wondered what really goes on behind the scenes at a literary agency, with a side of murder to keep things interesting.Publication dateFebruary 2, 2016Amazon rating4.3/5Print length304LanguageEnglishPublisherBerkley
Frequently Asked Questions about Lucy Arlington
Lucy Arlington writes the Order of Novel Idea Mysteries series. The books should be read in the order they were published to fully follow the unfolding story of the characters and the town. The series began in 2012 and includes five books, with each installment continuing the narrative established in the previous one.
To start with Lucy Arlington, begin with the first book in the Order of Novel Idea Mysteries series, which is Buried in a Book. This novel introduces the main characters, the setting of Novel Idea, and the central premise of the series. Reading this first book will provide the necessary background and context for the subsequent mysteries.
While the Order of Novel Idea Mysteries books can potentially be understood individually, it is strongly recommended to read them in chronological order. Each book builds upon the relationships and plot developments from the preceding entries. Reading them out of order may diminish the reader's understanding of character arcs and the overall progression of events in the series.
Lucy Arlington writes series. The books listed belong to the Order of Novel Idea Mysteries series, a cohesive collection of novels featuring recurring characters and a connected storyline. She does not appear to have written standalone novels based on the available information.
Based on the provided information, Lucy Arlington has written at least five books, all of which are part of the Order of Novel Idea Mysteries series. The list includes books published between 2012 and 2016. There is no information available about other works or additional books beyond this series.
The first book Lucy Arlington wrote, according to the provided list of her works, is Buried in a Book. This novel was published in 2012 and marked the beginning of the Order of Novel Idea Mysteries series. It establishes the setting and introduces the core characters.
The most recent book by Lucy Arlington listed is Off the Books, published in 2016. This is the fifth installment in the Order of Novel Idea Mysteries series. No information is available regarding any books published after 2016.
Lucy Arlington writes mysteries. Specifically, she is the author of the Order of Novel Idea Mysteries series, which falls within the cozy mystery subgenre. The books focus on solving crimes within a small, close-knit community.
Kelly Lane
Coming soon
Ginger Bolton
Coming soon
We verified the reading order for Lucy Arlington's books by cross-referencing official publication dates, ISBN databases, and publisher catalogs.
Last verified: July 2026
Shelf & Shadows. (…). “Lucy Arlington Books in Order.” Retrieved …, from https://www.shelfandshadows.com/authors/lucy-arlington