Description /Buy link takes you to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate I earn money from qualifying purchases.
Cooper Lee is the featured central character in the Hope Street Church Mystery series penned by American writer Ellery Adams. The earliest book portraying Cooper Lee was initially published in September 2014, titled The Path of the Crooked, and the series of books is classified as fiction, mystery (particularly the cozy mystery sub-genre), and contemporary genres.
Get notified when Ellery Adams releases a new book at BookNotification.com.
Order of Hope Street Church Mystery Series By: Ellery Adams, Tina Radcliffe
| # | Read | Title | Published | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Path of the Crooked | 2009 | Description / Buy | |
| 2 | The Way of the Wicked | 2010 | Description / Buy | |
| 3 | The Way of the Guilty | 2010 | Description / Buy | |
| 4 | The Root of All Evil | 2014 | Description / Buy | |
| 5 | Fate of the Fallen | 2016 | Description / Buy | |
| 6 | The Deeds of the Deceitful | 2020 | Description / Buy | |
| 7 | Methods of Malice | 2023 | Description / Buy | |
| 8 | A Taste for Crime | 2024 | Description / Buy |
Protagonist Copper Lee’s family members include: Ashley Elizabeth, her younger sibling; Magnolia “Maggie” Lee, her mother; Earl, her father; and Grammy, her paternal grandmother. These people came to the aid of a heartbroken Lee who was between a rock and a hard place. First, her boyfriend whom she had been with for half a decade left her to her own devices and, worse still, chose another girlfriend over her. This prompted Lee to move in with her parents. There was nothing to write home about her occupation either; the occupation, which involved repairing office machines, was out-and-out tedious. As such, it was a reprieve when her kith and kin persuaded her to exorcise the memories she spent with her then damnable boyfriend from her mind.
Cooper Lee, who was slowly but gradually going down the path of self-destruction, such as through smoking, resolved to seek solace in a worship center instead after she was welcomed there by one of the faithful named Brooke Hughes. Hope Street Church comes in in this context. Incidentally, the title of the series, Hope Street Church Mystery, is based on the aforementioned church wherein Cooper Lee sought a sense of belonging. At the church, Cooper Lee signs up for a Bible study group wherein she chances upon kindred spirits; members who, like Lee, quit bad behaviors and opted to change for the better.
The first book in the Hope Street Church Mystery series, The Path of the Crooked, principally recounts the events that transpire hard on the heels of becoming a member of the Bible study group. Brooke Hughes, who is among the prominent members of the said study group, is murdered at her residence. Wesley Hughes, who is Brooke’s husband, is fingered for the murder by the authorities much to the surprise of the group members; the members, who knew the couple inside out, believe that the couple loved one another to get into such things. As such, the Bible study group members can vouch for the innocence of Wesley Hughes and, realizing that he might be sacrificed at the altar of someone’s offense and be incarcerated, they resolve to distance him from any wrongdoing by conducting an independent investigation.
In the quest, Cooper Lee teams up with Nathan Dexter, one of the group members and Lee’s heartthrob, and they chance upon extensive fraud. But the duo had not bargained for a series of other murders. The ensuing plot is captivating and to say that the series is terrific is an understatement.
Best Hope Street Church Mystery series Books
The following are the best three books in the Hope Street Church Mystery series.
The Path of the Crooked: The most notable is The Path of the Crooked and has been summarized above. The second on is The Way of the Wicked; this is the second book in that series. Hereby, the church’s Bible study group members, including Cooper Lee who is in a romantic affair with Dexter, volunteer for humanitarian aid. When one of those receiving the aid is murdered, the authorities finger the Bible study group members, prompting the members to interview one another.
The Graves of the Guilty: It is the third in the Hope Street Church Mystery series. Hereby, Cooper Lee and her lover Nathan Dexter are looking forward to a Valentine’s Day that is full of fun. But their expectations are destroyed by the unexpected implication of her sister Ashley Elizabeth into the murder of the person whose corpse she chanced upon and, worse still, another attractive and electrifying man who may jeopardize Lee and Dexter’s love affair.
Other Book Series You May Like
Readers who enjoyed Ellery Adams’ Hope Street Church Mystery series also liked the following series of books. The first one is titled “Greek Girl Mysteries” and it is authored by Julie Anne Lindsey. The featured protagonist is IT specialist Mia Connors who is sleuthing the murders of her associates, some of which she has been implicated in, often to the chagrin of the authorities.
The second is called “Witch City Mystery” series authored by Carol J. Perry. Set in Salem upon Massachusetts, this series features protagonist Lee Barrett, who is a psychic and clairvoyant; she uses these abilities to smoke out murderers. The third one is the “Caprice De Luca Mystery” series penned by Karen Rose Smith. The featured protagonist, Caprice De Luca, is sleuthing a series of mysterious deaths wherein she might be implicated by virtue of her home staging occupation.
What Is The Next Book in The Hope Street Church Mystery Series?
There doesn't seem to be an upcoming book in The Hope Street Church Mystery Series. The newest book is A Taste for Crime and was released on April, 16th 2024.