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Hope Street Church Mysteries #5
Fate of the Fallen
A brand-new book in the terrific Hope Street Church mystery series, by New York Times bestselling author Ellery Adams and Elizabeth Lockard.
Welcome to Hope Street Church, where friendships are formed, fresh starts are encouraged, and mysteries are solved.
Cooper Lee and her friends in the Hope Street Bible Study Group are enjoying a glorious summer day in the park, complete with picnic, hiking, swimming, and a local bluegrass band. But Cooper knows that no good day goes unpunished, and when a man turns up dead in the nearby woods—and the sister of Cooper’s fiancé is named as the prime suspect—the group may have to trade in their prayers of thanks for pleas of divine intervention.
Cooper knows her future sister-in-law is innocent, so when the police arrest her for the murder, the Bible study group must step in to catch the real killer and prevent a grave injustice. Following a twisted trail of clues that leads to a hit-and-run driver, a homeless veteran, and a park full of suspects who may hold more secrets than solutions, Cooper must hold firm to her spiritual convictions before an innocent woman faces a conviction of a more earthly nature.
Includes heavenly recipes from Magnolia Lee’s kitchen!
About the Authors:
New York Times bestselling author Ellery Adams grew up on a beach near the Long Island Sound. Having spent her adult life in a series of landlocked towns, she cherishes her memories of open water, violent storms, and the smell of the sea. Ms. Adams has held many jobs, including that of caterer, retail clerk, car salesperson, teacher, tutor, and tech writer, all the while penning poems, children's books, and novels. She now writes full-time from her home in Virginia.
Elizabeth Lockard has been writing fiction since childhood, and following a writing and editing career in the communications field, she turned her full attention to her oldest love and decided to make a career of it. Her favorite authors are Elizabeth Peters and Krista Davis, but she enjoys most books with mystery and/or thriller elements. She lives in Phoenix with her husband, son, and two dogs.
Welcome to Hope Street Church, where friendships are formed, fresh starts are encouraged, and mysteries are solved.
Cooper Lee and her friends in the Hope Street Bible Study Group are enjoying a glorious summer day in the park, complete with picnic, hiking, swimming, and a local bluegrass band. But Cooper knows that no good day goes unpunished, and when a man turns up dead in the nearby woods—and the sister of Cooper’s fiancé is named as the prime suspect—the group may have to trade in their prayers of thanks for pleas of divine intervention.
Cooper knows her future sister-in-law is innocent, so when the police arrest her for the murder, the Bible study group must step in to catch the real killer and prevent a grave injustice. Following a twisted trail of clues that leads to a hit-and-run driver, a homeless veteran, and a park full of suspects who may hold more secrets than solutions, Cooper must hold firm to her spiritual convictions before an innocent woman faces a conviction of a more earthly nature.
Includes heavenly recipes from Magnolia Lee’s kitchen!
About the Authors:
New York Times bestselling author Ellery Adams grew up on a beach near the Long Island Sound. Having spent her adult life in a series of landlocked towns, she cherishes her memories of open water, violent storms, and the smell of the sea. Ms. Adams has held many jobs, including that of caterer, retail clerk, car salesperson, teacher, tutor, and tech writer, all the while penning poems, children's books, and novels. She now writes full-time from her home in Virginia.
Elizabeth Lockard has been writing fiction since childhood, and following a writing and editing career in the communications field, she turned her full attention to her oldest love and decided to make a career of it. Her favorite authors are Elizabeth Peters and Krista Davis, but she enjoys most books with mystery and/or thriller elements. She lives in Phoenix with her husband, son, and two dogs.
297 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 28, 2016
138 people are currently reading
667 people want to read
About the author
Ellery Adams
68 books5,306 followersUSA Today and New York Times bestseller author Ellery Adams has written over forty novels and can’t imagine spending a day away from the keyboard. Ms. Adams, a Native New Yorker, has had a lifelong love affair with stories, food, and rescue animals. She likes to spend her free time rearranging the bookshelves in her home in central North Carolina.
Ellery's Series Include: Secret, Book, & Scone Society (Kensington) Book Retreat Mysteries (Kensington) Books By the Bay Mysteries (Berkley Prime Crime), Charmed Pie Shoppe Mysteries ((Berkley Prime Crime), Molly Appleby Antiques & Collectibles Mysteries (Beyond the Page), and Hope Street Mysteries (Beyond the Page).
Ellery also writes genre-blending fiction focusing on women and their inner monsters. Her first release in this exciting new direction is Invasive Species, which hits the shelves 4/14/206.
For book club guides, bibliotherapy lists, and recipes, please visit www.elleryadamsbooks.com
Ellery's Series Include: Secret, Book, & Scone Society (Kensington) Book Retreat Mysteries (Kensington) Books By the Bay Mysteries (Berkley Prime Crime), Charmed Pie Shoppe Mysteries ((Berkley Prime Crime), Molly Appleby Antiques & Collectibles Mysteries (Beyond the Page), and Hope Street Mysteries (Beyond the Page).
Ellery also writes genre-blending fiction focusing on women and their inner monsters. Her first release in this exciting new direction is Invasive Species, which hits the shelves 4/14/206.
For book club guides, bibliotherapy lists, and recipes, please visit www.elleryadamsbooks.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
May 3, 2018
I have read the four previous books in this series, and was looking forward to visiting with the Hope Street Bible Study group one more time. All of the usual characters are back again with some new characters involved in the mystery. Cooper and Nathan are planning their wedding Grammy is sneaking out once a week with a gentleman and Magnolia is still making delicious cookies, scones etc for sale and to share with friends and family.
Once again, the group stumbles on a murder, this time Nathan's sister's boss who she dated at one time. She is also the one who found the body, so of course is the prime suspect and actually gets arrested for the murder. As the group investigates they are also helping out a homeless man who was run down in the parking lot at the park where the murder occurred. I figured out that these two crimes were tied together, but it did not help me figure out who the culprit was. The story moved along quickly and the plot was easy to follow. My complaint is that there is no real hook in the series. The characters are not really changing or growing and I feel like the series is becoming a bit stale. I read several of Ellery Adams other series and there is more entertainment in them than this one. With all that being said, I still recommend this book to fans of Christian Cozies. It was still a decent story.
Once again, the group stumbles on a murder, this time Nathan's sister's boss who she dated at one time. She is also the one who found the body, so of course is the prime suspect and actually gets arrested for the murder. As the group investigates they are also helping out a homeless man who was run down in the parking lot at the park where the murder occurred. I figured out that these two crimes were tied together, but it did not help me figure out who the culprit was. The story moved along quickly and the plot was easy to follow. My complaint is that there is no real hook in the series. The characters are not really changing or growing and I feel like the series is becoming a bit stale. I read several of Ellery Adams other series and there is more entertainment in them than this one. With all that being said, I still recommend this book to fans of Christian Cozies. It was still a decent story.
August 20, 2021
I really enjoyed this series even if it took me a while to finish it. I read the first 3 books in this series several years ago and finally finished it this year! Glad I can mark it off as finished.
March 17, 2023
Another fun visit with the Hope Street Church Bible Study Group. As always, the murder is front and center in this book, but that doesn’t mean that Cooper doesn’t have a lot going on in her own life. The mystery was complex and included the use of a Fitbit to help determine cause of death, which I found creative, and event though I figured out who the murderer was right away, it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the story. I’m glad there’s two more in the series and I look forward to diving into those soon.
December 8, 2021
Here is where I leave this series. I finished the book, but it was a drag. Annoyingly lacking most of the hilariously cringeworthy pseudo-Christian moments of the first book, this volume is left with a cast of forgettable characters and a plot that is both unnecessarily complicated and aggressively uninteresting.
December 23, 2016
Fate of the Fallen by Ellery Adams and Elizabeth Lockard is the fifth book in A Hope Street Church Mystery series. The Sunrise Bible Study Group is spending the day at a blue grass festival. There are many activities for them to enjoy (booths, food trucks, music) as well as hiking and swimming. They are enjoying a hike when the group encounters Nathan’s sister, Christine. Christine is on a mini-work retreat with her boss, Sinclair Gordon and fellow Sphinx Digital Systems and Solutions employees. Later in the afternoon, Cooper Lee and Nathan are enjoying some quiet time together when Christine comes stumbling out of the woods—with blood on her hands. Christine and her group were looking for their missing boss, Sinclair. He had failed to show up for dinner. Christine stumbled upon him in the woods off a hiking trail. Inspector McNamara is assigned the case. Christine quickly rises to the top of the suspect list. Cooper cannot let her future sister-in-law be accused of the crime. Cooper, with the help of the Sunrise Bible Study Group (Savannah, Trish, Bryant, Quinton, Jake, and Nathan), sets out to find the real culprit. Nathan also has some very important news to share with Cooper. But, every time Nathan tries to talk with Cooper, they get interrupted. How will Nathan’s news affect Cooper and Nathan’s future?
Fate of the Fallen is easy to read and nicely written. The book did not have the same touch as Ellery Adams other novels (like her A Book Retreat Mystery series and The Charmed Pie Shoppe series, for example). I found the pace to be very slow in the beginning (and periodically throughout the novel). I give Fate of the Fallen 3 out of 5 stars. The mystery in Fate of the Fallen was easily solved. I could tell who was going to be murdered, who would get blamed, and the actual killer before the crime was committed (very disappointing). The actual crime did not take place until I was 15% of the way into the book. Fate of the Fallen was not as enjoyable as the previous novels in A Hope Street Church Mystery series. I just felt the book was lacking which is very atypical of Ellery Adams’ novels.
Fate of the Fallen is easy to read and nicely written. The book did not have the same touch as Ellery Adams other novels (like her A Book Retreat Mystery series and The Charmed Pie Shoppe series, for example). I found the pace to be very slow in the beginning (and periodically throughout the novel). I give Fate of the Fallen 3 out of 5 stars. The mystery in Fate of the Fallen was easily solved. I could tell who was going to be murdered, who would get blamed, and the actual killer before the crime was committed (very disappointing). The actual crime did not take place until I was 15% of the way into the book. Fate of the Fallen was not as enjoyable as the previous novels in A Hope Street Church Mystery series. I just felt the book was lacking which is very atypical of Ellery Adams’ novels.
February 9, 2016
Having read all of the previous Hope Street Mysteries, I was looking forward to this latest entry. [I received an e-version from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.] All of the usual characters are back in this sweet Christian Cozy. The Hope Street Bible Study group is still intact, and Cooper and Nathan are planning their wedding. Magnolia is still baking delicious cookies (recipes included) and Cooper's work and family situations remain mostly the same.
I think that this sameness is what bothered me about the book. In this as well as the four previous tales, there has been little growth and development in the characters. I didn't see the brilliant prose and surprising twists I have come to expect from Jennifer Stanley/Ellery Adams, and found the plot a little plodding, the denouement a little predictable. Fate of the Fallen requires the reader to be familiar with the previous books in the series to understand the dynamics. Finally, there is the big glaring error that was introduced in Book 1, and has, necessarily, continued throughout: Cooper is reported to have had on "ocular transplant" resulting in eyes of two different colors. As of this review, unfortunately, such an operation is still not possible. (Funny thing, the eye color has absolutely nothing to do with the plot lines in any of the books, so one might ask why it was introduced in the first place.)
With all that being said, I still recommend this book to fans of Ellery Adams in all her incarnations, and especially to those who love Christian Cozies.
I think that this sameness is what bothered me about the book. In this as well as the four previous tales, there has been little growth and development in the characters. I didn't see the brilliant prose and surprising twists I have come to expect from Jennifer Stanley/Ellery Adams, and found the plot a little plodding, the denouement a little predictable. Fate of the Fallen requires the reader to be familiar with the previous books in the series to understand the dynamics. Finally, there is the big glaring error that was introduced in Book 1, and has, necessarily, continued throughout: Cooper is reported to have had on "ocular transplant" resulting in eyes of two different colors. As of this review, unfortunately, such an operation is still not possible. (Funny thing, the eye color has absolutely nothing to do with the plot lines in any of the books, so one might ask why it was introduced in the first place.)
With all that being said, I still recommend this book to fans of Ellery Adams in all her incarnations, and especially to those who love Christian Cozies.
May 7, 2016
This is another book in a series of Hope Street Bible Study books by Ellery Adams. I haven't read any of the previous ones. In this edition, Cooper Lee, her fiancee, Nathan, and the rest of their Bible study group take a day trip to a park to enjoy an arts and bluegrass festival. A gentleman is found dead in the woods and the person who discovered him, Nathan's sister, becomes the #1 suspect. What happens next is a quite endearing tale of the Bible study group playing detective.
I really enjoyed the characters in this book. As someone who has grown up in church, I can just picture some of the people I know as the characters in this book. The story line was well drawn out and I thought the way the two mysteries in the book became weaved together at the end. It was an enjoyable read and I would recommend this for anyone wanting a light read.
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed the characters in this book. As someone who has grown up in church, I can just picture some of the people I know as the characters in this book. The story line was well drawn out and I thought the way the two mysteries in the book became weaved together at the end. It was an enjoyable read and I would recommend this for anyone wanting a light read.
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 3, 2016
It's been a while since I've read this series but it didn't take long to get reacquainted with the characters in this series.
As Cooper and Nathan progress with marriage plans, it doesn't take long for them to get caught up in another mystery.
This time the mystery strikes close to home when Nathan's sister Christine is accused of murder. Cooper knows Christine is innocent and stops nothing to prove her innocence.
I enjoyed the story and I look forward to reading the next book.
I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my fair and honest review.
As Cooper and Nathan progress with marriage plans, it doesn't take long for them to get caught up in another mystery.
This time the mystery strikes close to home when Nathan's sister Christine is accused of murder. Cooper knows Christine is innocent and stops nothing to prove her innocence.
I enjoyed the story and I look forward to reading the next book.
I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my fair and honest review.
September 28, 2022
I loved this book. But it was a bit strange my attitude while reading it. I had read #6 in this series first so I knew what would happened to the characters after this book. I read with a bit more attention to some of them, knowing what would happen to them next, wondering if I could discern any foreshadowing. I could not.
Cooper and Nathan are engaged (finally if you would ask Cooper, but in the great scheme of things, it wasn't THAT long that they had been dating). Cooper has gotten a promotion at work, she meets Nathan's sister, and things seem to be going swimmingly for everyone.
The Sunrise Bible Study group decides to take a day of refreshment at a local park for picnics, hiking, swimming, and a concert on the lawn to end the day. But instead of a relaxing day, it ends with the finding of a body and Nathan's sister quickly becomes the prime suspect. While still reeling from the experience, Cooper's car is broken into at iHop, her father's camera stolen from the front seat, and a man is run down by a hit-and-run driver. What a day!
Of course, the group works together in spite of the police inspector's warnings not to get involved to try and solve the mystery of the death and the hit-and-run.
I am sorry that Ms. Donna from the previous book and Edward from earlier books did not make appearances in this book. Perhaps they had gotten better contracts with another author to be characters in those books. :)
Cooper and Nathan are engaged (finally if you would ask Cooper, but in the great scheme of things, it wasn't THAT long that they had been dating). Cooper has gotten a promotion at work, she meets Nathan's sister, and things seem to be going swimmingly for everyone.
The Sunrise Bible Study group decides to take a day of refreshment at a local park for picnics, hiking, swimming, and a concert on the lawn to end the day. But instead of a relaxing day, it ends with the finding of a body and Nathan's sister quickly becomes the prime suspect. While still reeling from the experience, Cooper's car is broken into at iHop, her father's camera stolen from the front seat, and a man is run down by a hit-and-run driver. What a day!
Of course, the group works together in spite of the police inspector's warnings not to get involved to try and solve the mystery of the death and the hit-and-run.
I am sorry that Ms. Donna from the previous book and Edward from earlier books did not make appearances in this book. Perhaps they had gotten better contracts with another author to be characters in those books. :)
April 4, 2025
Cooper, her fiance Nathan, and the rest of the Hope Street Sunrise Bible Study Group are involve in another murder investigation. This time, Nathan's sister Christine is a prime suspect in the death of her boss while everyone in the book was at a big festival in a park. This story was weak--the only people the police and the church friends investigated was co-workers even though they mentioned he volunteered and loved fitness. I'm guessing it was to edit for length but it made the story seem very elementary. A lot of the book involved reviewing each suspects location during the murder timeframe.
Cooper is wearing thin on me. She always stuffs her feeling under the guise of being patient or not wanting to burden others. The way she and Nathan interact even though they have been together for ages and are engaged seems disconnected. For example, he had really big news to tell her but wanted to wait until they were in person and they couldn't make that happen for a whole week? Even though they both live in the same town?
Minor story spoilers, not mystery related: At this point I don't care if she moves to Cali with Nathan or not. Also, her granny's insistence of privacy with her beaux is obnoxious because she is always insistently nosing into Cooper's business. The fact that she made Cooper feel guilty for worrying about her is hypocritical. Come on Granny!
Cooper is wearing thin on me. She always stuffs her feeling under the guise of being patient or not wanting to burden others. The way she and Nathan interact even though they have been together for ages and are engaged seems disconnected. For example, he had really big news to tell her but wanted to wait until they were in person and they couldn't make that happen for a whole week? Even though they both live in the same town?
Minor story spoilers, not mystery related: At this point I don't care if she moves to Cali with Nathan or not. Also, her granny's insistence of privacy with her beaux is obnoxious because she is always insistently nosing into Cooper's business. The fact that she made Cooper feel guilty for worrying about her is hypocritical. Come on Granny!
April 18, 2024
The Bible study group goes to the park for a day of exercise music and food. They see Nathan's sister along with all the employees she works with. Later in the day Cooper and Nathan see his sister looking at her boss who is dead on the ground. Of course, Nathan's sister becomes the prime suspect, especially since she had dated the boss several years before and didn't tell the police that. Nathan and Cooper and the rest of the Bible study group have to work very hard to find the real culprit and get Nathan's sister out of jail. Some of the side issues include the homeless man they find injured in the restaurant parking lot, Nathan's proposed a job in California, and Cooper's grandmother going off in a car with a man every Saturday.
I enjoy this series.
I enjoy this series.
June 4, 2019
Another great entry in the Hope Street Church Mystery series that once again proves that where there is a will, there is a way even in the case of proving a murder! The characters are warm, welcoming, flawed and interesting in a manner that draws you in and has you rooting them on. I would recommend reading the series in order as that will enhance your enjoyment, but you could technically read this as a stand alone and not be too lost in the characters' backstory development. This is definitely a Christian cozy mystery, but a very enjoyable one and you don't have to be into the religion genre to enjoy this story.
November 2, 2017
This one was not my favorite of the series but I liked it just the same. Nathan has some "big news" in this one. I wont give anything away but it was hard to swallow. Not sure if more will come but would be interested in seeing where that goes. Nathan's sister is charged with murdering her boss. The bible study group sets out to prove her innocent. No shortage of other crisis around. Not my favorite because it was mostly based around Nathan and Cooper. I like when there is more going on with the other characters.
January 26, 2022
there were parts of this book that were very preachy. This wasnt the case in prior books in the series. That's a disappointment because I was really enjoying the characters being more like real people who happen to be Christians rather than the stereotypes in most "Christian" novels that are sickly sweet and unattainable.
I really like that there's not a bakery, coffee house or antique store as the background. It's nice to see something different. The religious element isnt front and center, just a part of the characters' lives.
I really like that there's not a bakery, coffee house or antique store as the background. It's nice to see something different. The religious element isnt front and center, just a part of the characters' lives.
June 15, 2023
The Hope Street Bible group is deep into solving another death. The group is at a near by park to enough some hiking, good food and a concert in the evening when disaster strikes and Cooper finds a dead body and her fiance's sister is standing by the body with blood on her hands. Of course she is not the killer but the police think she is so now it's up to the Bible group to prove her innocence. The problem is there don't seem to be any good suspects.
My favorite part was their interaction with the homeless man and how they actually helped him!
My favorite part was their interaction with the homeless man and how they actually helped him!
November 5, 2025
In this installment of the Hope Street Mysteries, the Bible Study group has to help out Nathan's sister who is accused of committing a murder. There is also a side-story about whether Cooper and Nathan are going to move to California. This volume felt a bit more plodding than some of the others. It took a while for the murder to happen, it became clear pretty early on who had committed the murder and how the pieces would fit together. The book had some parts that seemed to drag or were unnecessary. However, the relationships between the characters kept me reading.
August 1, 2020
I wasn't impressed. The writing was fairly pedestrian and the plot was not well developed and trying to preach while telling this story took away from the storyline, sometimes getting in the way of the plot. Perhaps developing the characters in a better way would get your point of faith across better, without hitting people over the head.
August 6, 2020
Great story! It was a quick, easy read, and even though it is #5 in the series, it worked well as a stand-alone story. I was most impressed by the fact that, unlike most cozy mysteries I read, I had no idea of the murderer's identity until it was revealed. I definitely look forward to reading more about Cooper and her Bible study friends.
June 6, 2023
This book is part of the Hope Street Church Mystery series. When they Hope Street Bible Study Group stumbles upon another murder, they do their best to clear a loved one of the charges. I have enjoyed every book I have read in this series and always love to see the mystery unravel. This isn't one of my favorite mystery series, but it is enjoyable all the same.
May 2, 2024
A well done book about the Bible Study group solving a murder. This time it involves Nathen's sister and her company. Cooper Lee and the gang rush to the rescue and solve the case, not before being warned to stay away by their friendly police friend. A lot of sweets are prepared and the eating is good, including a French cooking class.
December 5, 2024
For some reason the vibe of this book felt different. How did the supportive fiance suddenly turn into a man who made plans without consulting anybody? The sudden big brother protective thing felt very different and exclusionary. The mystery was okay but predictable, even with some really flimsy clues tying it together.
August 1, 2017
Great series
I just happen to find this series, thought I'd read the 1st one and see .well then I wanted to read more! I look forward to more in this series from Ellery Adams!!!! And hopefully soon!
I just happen to find this series, thought I'd read the 1st one and see .well then I wanted to read more! I look forward to more in this series from Ellery Adams!!!! And hopefully soon!
March 22, 2022
Fate of the Fallen
Good book. The characters are just the kind of people who you want to meet. They stand up for each other, they offer friendships and commitment. Best church group ever. Very good book.
Good book. The characters are just the kind of people who you want to meet. They stand up for each other, they offer friendships and commitment. Best church group ever. Very good book.
September 27, 2023
The Hope Street Church Bible study group is filled with wonderful, compassionate characters who seemingly stumble into situations where their faith truly seems to guide their lives and actions. Very enjoyable cast of characters guided by their faith and friends. 😍
May 14, 2024
A Very Entertaining Murder Mystery
This is a great adventure with some great characters. Cooper finds time to not only repair copy machines, but to solve a murder. An intriguing mystery with some added personal conflict.
This is a great adventure with some great characters. Cooper finds time to not only repair copy machines, but to solve a murder. An intriguing mystery with some added personal conflict.
August 12, 2017
wish I could find a group of friends who are so dear to each other and solve murder mysteries to the frustration of the sheriff/ police.
October 11, 2019
This is the final book of the series and I'm sad to see it go. Ellery Adams is one of my favorite cozy mystery authors and this series is no exception. Although originally written under one of her early pseudonyms, this series was remastered and re-released under her name again. The characters are fresh, funny and unique. Although the "Hope Street Church" part of the series name may turn off a few readers, it isn't overly "preachy" or anything of the sort. If anything it's just about a group of great friends who happen to have met at a weekly bible study. They do talk about prayer, but nothing specific. I found it refreshing to have this brought up in a series and it has me longing for a group of friends like the Sunshine Bible Study group. The friendships run deep and they welcomed Cooper into their fold without issue when she joined back in book 1. I'll definitely miss this group of characters!
July 1, 2022
I have really liked this series. The characters are so fun and I love figuring out who the murderer is right along with them.
March 25, 2023
Some obvious solutions are ignored until the end. I like the books, but they seem to infer the readers are intellectual stunted.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews