A simply delightful and easy-to-read mystery set in a small town in western North Carolina. The town, Miracle Springs, has hot springs that are reputed to have healing powers. And some of the residents have other forms of therapy, namely books and scones, for wounded and hurting souls.

Change in the form of a new housing development is coming to the town. But when one of the partners in the building firm says he wants to correct what he has done wrong and turns up dead soon after, a quartet of women start to investigate.

With great writing, wonderful characters that are very real and not too quirky, this is a wonderful page-turner, I could hardly put it down.

I enjoyed the setting and the atmosphere of this story, and the characters were interesting, however it felt a bit too much like a mashup between contemporary women's fiction and a cozy mystery instead of a smooth integration of the two genres. It seemed unlikely that women who had ended up on the wrong side of the law would then make the decisions that could get them arrested and potentially have them lose everything for a stranger and someone they just met.

It feels like such a special treat when i read a book about secret societies and books clubs. I mean who wouldn't love to have a few select friends to discuss books with them.
This book felt even extra special.

Miracle Spring is a town where people came for healing. It is also the town where Nora, Estella, June and Hester, four damaged women, hide from their pasts and seek new beginnings. Neither one of them waned to share her privacy and secrets with the others, each one of them just went on day in day out, the best they can and from a safe distance from any intimate relation. Until Neil Parrish crossed their paths, another tortured soul seeking healing and trying to find a way to correct his mistakes. He was trying to find counsil in Nora's Miracle Books store, when he was found dead.
The events that unfolded from that point brought these four women together, trying to seek justice for the dead man and eventually uncovering a bigger scheme.

I enjoyed the mystery very much. It was interesting and well written. But the part i loved the most was about these women. They were different, scarred from their pasts, unwilling to share their burdens but bit by bit they started to build a very beautiful friendship.
I really liked it that for once it was not a romance that came out of mystery (although their was a nice hint of it also), but how these special ladies bonded together over books and scones. That was magical for me.

The Secret, Book, and Scone Society is an excellent series debut that will enchant and delight readers. I went in believing that this was a light cozy mystery and was pleasantly surprised by the depth this story contained. This book melds cozy mystery, magical realism, and contemporary fiction together to create an enchanting story with realistic, well-developed characters. The descriptive writing style worked beautifully with the mystery plot. Plus there are enough literary references to delight any reader.

After a visiting businessman is found dead on the local train tracks, Nora Pennington is convinced that his death was actually a murder. Rebuffed by the local police, she joins with three other local woman who also believe the death was suspicious. Together, these four women found the Secret, Book and Scone society. Each of these remarkable women has a secret they buried long ago. However, to earn the trust of the others, they decided that they each must expose their darkest secret. While seeking out the truth of the mystery, this group may just get more than they bargained for on all accounts.

I loved how realistic the characters in this book felt, particularly the main characters. They were all flawed in their own way. The friendships that formed between the four women of The Secret, Book, and Scone Society were lovely, based on mutual respect and understanding. Also, I adored that Nora used literature to help others heal while Hester makes comfort scones that bring them peace. The plot was relatively straightforward but the villains were wonderfully realistic. I loved how tightly woven the plot was. The author did a fantastic job of creating suspense while still giving the reader enough information to solve the mystery on their own.

I will be eagerly anticipated the second installment in the Miracle Spring, North Carolina series. The Secret, Book, and Scone Society was utterly charming. I loved the unexpected depth contained in this cozy mystery. Definitely recommend if you're looking for a good mystery.

I enjoyed reading this interesting story. I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review.

This cozy mystery is for those who love reading stories which take place in libraries or bookstores. Nora Pennington owns Miracle Books in Miracle Springs, N.C. She believes her books are full of excitement, pain, inspiration, love, and fun. One of her customers is murdered and she intends to find out who did it. There is a real estate scam going on in this special town. It was a very good read. Thank you to Net Galley and Kensington for giving me an ARC in exchange for a review.

My very first cozy mystery was a good introduction to the genre. This book features lots of literary quotes and references, which definitely earned points with me. The writing is pleasant and detailed, really affording you the opportunity to get to know the characters, who all have a very different voice. The characters in this book aren't perfect, far from it. I've gotten tired of characters too perfect to be real. Our main character, Nora, has a troubled past and disfiguring scars from a fire. The rest of the book club has their own stories. Their scars may not be as obvious as the ones Nora has, but they're there. All of them are outsiders of sorts who haven't made many friends in Miracle Springs. The way they tentatively bond with each other, afraid to be hurt but needing comfort and companionship quite desperately, is touching.

Miracle Springs is a small, charming town in North Carolina. People flock there when they need healing. They have natural hot springs and a reputation as being a place to go to relax and heal. Nora is the proprietor of Miracle Books, and she has her own special skills. She can talk to a customer about their life and then select books for them that will help them heal or come to terms with some issue. She uses literature to heal. She's not the only person in town with the ability to help people in unusual ways. Hester is a younger woman with a bakery who makes "comfort scones", specially made for each customer that can invoke memories of happy times.

When a man reaches out to Nora for help as she sits in a park, she sends him to the bakery and tells him to meet her back at the bookstore for some bibliotherapy. She waits patiently, but he never arrives. Local hairdresser Estelle soon visits bursting with news: the man has been killed by a train, and no one is sure if he was pushed or walked in front of it himself. Nora refuses to believe that the man would kill himself, but only a few people are willing to listen: Hester, Estelle, and June, who is a lovely woman who works at the local spa.

Four lonely women have come together to seek the truth and form lasting friendships. They think sharing their secrets is as scary as it gets, but soon they might be in the kind of danger they only read about in books: the man's death is only the tip of the iceberg in a big town secret.

I received an advanced copy of this book from Net Galley and Kensington books, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Nora Pennington has come to Miracle Springs, North Carolina to escape a terrible tragedy. She feels safe in her bookstore helping her customers find their own healing in the books she chooses for them. Hester runs the Gingerbread House bakery. Customers tell her a little bit about their lives and what brought them to Miracle Springs. Then she bakes them up a “comfort scone”. She and Nora work together by sending their customers to each other’s stores. June works at the hot springs spa where people come to rejuvenate themselves and Estella is a beautician who tries to help her clients find their true selves. These 4 women were very introverted, had no friends, and barely knew each other until a man left Hester’s bakery on his way to Nora’s bookstore and never arrived. Soon after, he is found dead on the railroad tracks. The local police quickly rule the death a suicide but these ladies can’t believe that is true. Together they form the Secret, Book & Scone Society and decide that together they can find the truth and get justice for a man they didn’t even know.

This is such a special story, so much more than a cozy mystery, but a story where the characters bring hope to others while examining their own lives. They are each in places of needing healing themselves and over the course of this story a heartwarming bond is formed. These characters are written with a loving hand as we learn throughout the book the traumas they have endured to become the woman they are today. At first they read as timid characters but their strength grows with the turn of each page. Ellery Adams is known for creating characters that readers want to know better. These character are absolutely wonderful. They are compassionate, engaging and relatable and believable. Characters you would want to be friends with if you could jump into the book. I want to join their society.

The mystery itself was a curious one. Neil Parrish was a business man clearly at a crosswords that he was unsure how to handle. Knowing nothing of the man Nora and the rest of Secret, Book & Scone Society had to do some research and legwork including sneaking around in places that put them in danger. For me it was like a huge puzzle with too many pieces. Some information moved their investigation forward, some sent them in circles, or was just interesting but may not have anything to do with Parrish’s death. I was intrigued and entertained following along for each new discovery. I was holding my breath for the climatic scenes. Wow!

Miracle Springs is a very interesting place and a fantastic setting for this series. I think we have barely scratched the surface of the potential stories that can be gleaned from the town and its residents. As someone trying to heal myself from a variety of things in my life I wish I could actually travel there for my “comfort” scone and my bag of books that would set my healing on a clear course.

I have loved everything I have read by this author. She is such a talented writer and she has created something truly magical in this story. I am excited to see where she takes this series. This amazing story was a true trip to PARADISE. What a extraordinary escape!

Nora Pennington came to Miracle Springs, NC to heal from physical and psychological trauma from her past. Miracle Springs offers healing to everyone who visits. The natural hot springs and spa offer physical comfort. There is also spiritual and psychological healing through baked comfort scones at the Gingerbread House, and bibliotherapy at Miracle Books. Nora runs the bookshop, and always seems to know just the right books to help each customer. The shop is in the old railway depot. She lives nearby in an old caboose, refitted into a tiny house.

One afternoon she meets a visiting businessman who seems troubled about his past. She sends him to the bakery to get a comfort scone and then tells him to come to her bookshop. She wants to gather some books that can help him put his life on the right path. Unfortunately he never makes it to the bookshop. His body is found on the train tracks. Local police believe he may have jumped in front of the train. The man worked for the development company building upscale homes in town. He was scheduled to meet with other company officials about the housing development that very day. Nora just can't believe he committed suicide instead.

Nora soon finds herself bonding with 3 other women in town -- Hester, Estella and June. Not only do they investigate the businessman's death, but they form the Secret, Book & Scone Society. Their little group finds true friendship amid sleuthing, sharing personal secrets and finding comfort in trust, loyalty and caring.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. The story is a nice blend of women's fiction and mystery. I love how Nora's shop uses books to help people heal. I also liked the idea of Hester baking custom scones to give comfort to her customers. The description of her scones and the lovely spices and ingredients she uses just sounds so delicious! The four members of the society are believable and well-developed characters. Each one is so different, yet they all come together as a perfect circle of friends.

I like that the story is set in Western North Carolina where I live. I recognized a lot of the places and regions mentioned in the story. :)

The mystery is nicely paced with some surprising twists, and it isn't overpowered by the emotional healing/friendship portion of the plot. The two intertwine together rather well. I usually avoid women's fiction because it often is just too sappy, overly emotional or melodramatic for me. This book avoids those extremes. The main characters Nora, Hester, Estella and June are nicely developed. They are all very different women, but they come together quite well as close friends.

Although this isn't the type of book I normally read, I enjoyed it immensely. This is a nice start to a new mystery series, and I will definitely be waiting for the next adventure of the Secret, Book and Scone Society!

Ellery Adams is the author of several mystery series. For more information on the author and her books, check out her website: http://elleryadamsmysteries.com/

**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Kensington via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

What a great introduction to a new cozy mystery series. Nora owns a bookstore, recommending books to help people heal. Hester bakes special healing scones, and June and Estella also have their own thing in Miracle Springs, a small town visited for its healing properties. After a murder occurs, the four get together to help solve the mystery. Filled with literary references and appealing characters, I recommend for cozy lovers.

Wow! This is so much more than a cozy mystery. The back stories of the four main female characters added depth and heart. The mystery was relatively straight forward as we quickly learned the identities of all the bad guys and gals, but there are definitely some surprises. The book was a total page turner for me. I am eager to read the next one in this series.

EXCERPT: I read all the time. And I listen to people. I really listen...Stories don't change much across continents and centuries. Hearts are broken. Pride is wounded. Souls wander too far from home and become lost. The wrong roads are taken. The incorrect choice is made. Stories echo with loneliness. Grief. Longing. Redemption. Forgiveness. Hope. And love.

THE BLURB: From New York Times bestselling author Ellery Adams comes the first in an intriguing new series set within a quirky small-town club where the key to happiness, friendship—or solving a murder—can all be found within the pages of the right book . . .

Miracle Springs, North Carolina, is a place of healing. Strangers flock here hoping the natural hot springs, five-star cuisine, and renowned spa can cure their ills. If none of that works, they often find their way to Miracle Books, where, over a fresh-baked “comfort” scone from the Gingerbread House bakery, they exchange their stories with owner Nora Pennington in return for a carefully chosen book. That’s Nora’s special talent—prescribing the perfect novel to ease a person’s deepest pain and lighten their heaviest burden.

When a visiting businessman reaches out to Nora for guidance, she knows exactly which novels will help. But before he can keep their appointment at Miracle Books, he’s found dead on the train tracks.

Stunned, Nora forms the Secret, Book, and Scone Society, a group of damaged souls yearning to gain trust and earn redemption by helping others. To join the society, members must divulge their darkest secret—the terrible truth that brought each of them to Miracle Springs in the first place.

Determined to uncover the truth behind the businessman’s demise, the women meet in Nora’s cramped and cozy bookstore to share stories and trade support. And as they untangle a web of corruption, they also discover their own courage, purpose, and a sisterhood that will carry them through every challenge—proving it’s never too late to turn the page and start over . . .

MY THOUGHTS: I finished The Secret, Book and Scone Society by Ellery Adams last night and I am still undecided. I liked the book. I didn't love it, but I wanted to. It was just a little bit too 'twee', too saccharine. And yet I love the work of Alice Hoffman and Sarah Addison Allen, to which this has been compared.

I loved the concept of the book, that the right selection of books can soothe our souls, that we can take from books things that will improve our lives, that we can learn great lessons from what we read. I believe that no man is an island, that our friends are our greatest assets. I believe all this. So why didn't The Secret, Book and Scone Society work for me? After pondering for almost 24 hours, I am none the wiser.

Perhaps Nora could recommend some books to sort me out.

3.5☆ I believe that this is the first installment of a planned series. I could be tempted to read the next book.

Thank you to Kensington Books via Netgalley for providing a digital copy of The Secret, Book and Scone Society by Ellery Adams for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the 'about' page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system. This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

I have read many books by this author. In fact, she's one of my favorite mystery writers. I was excited to see this new title and series with a new publisher, which signals to me a bold new step in her illustrious career.

This wholly original novel features a strong protagonist, Nora Pennington, whose instincts and deftness are eclipsed only by her empathy. In "The Secret, Book & Scone Society," Ellery Adams plumbs the depths of the concept of "story"--what it means to have a story, the value of your story, and how stories can both help us make sense of our lives and help us perhaps move past our most injurious moments.

Adams's beautiful novel is difficult to classify. It's ultra-cozy settings belie the serious, complex, and important issues that envelop Nora and friends. There isn't a weak character in the book. Adams--long a master of evoking the regional and specific settings where her work is set--is at the top of her game in using just enough detail to paint a portrait of the setting so vivid that you feel like you've been to all of these locations.

This is an A+ stellar effort from one of my favorite authors. Highly recommended for all readers!

Have you ever started a book and within just a few pages known that you were going to love it? It's rare, but special when it happens, and it happened when I started to read this one.

It has all the elements...books and references to other books, women friendships, a realistic and intelligent plot, well-drawn characters and just a little extra -- not so much paranormal, but more magical realism.

Nora has made a new life for herself in Miracle Springs, N.C. When she refuses to believe the death of a customer was suicide. The investigation and new friendships change her life.

The Secret Book And Scone Society is the first book in a wonderful new series by author Ellery Adams. This book is absolutely the best book I have read all year. I was unable to part with it until it was finished and I cried when it ended. This is mystery magic ! . Ellery Adams has a talent for transporting the reader and as you read this book you are transported to Miracle Springs, a place of healing that will touch your heart.
Nora has come here to live and run a bookstore called "Miracle Books." She is a Biblotheaipist with a innate talent for finding books a person needs when they visit her bookstore. She is also a victim of a fire and has secrets she does not share surrounding her previous life. She is a loner who keeps to herself and happily runs her business. She lives in a renovated train car near her bookstore which was delightful to experience through her eyes. She longs for friendship and a normal life but accepts due to her outward scars and inward trauma she is fine alone.
Miracle Springs is also the home to three other independent very damaged women in town. Hester who is a baker of comforting scones that when eaten revel deepest secrets. . Estelle runs the hair salon and June is a manager of a healing waters spa. They are drawn together by a death that occurs in their town that involves Nora and decide to come together to form a fast friendship as they attempt to solve the murder. They agree to share their secrets and in doing so become fast friends and form their secret club, The Secret Book And Scone Society. As they told their individual stories I found myself very touched . These women are people all would hope to have as friends. They are all of us damaged by life. They band together to solve the crime and help each other as their friendship grows.
As they begin to investigate they find a terrible underlying crime occurring between the local bank and the Sheriff. They soon join forces and are a unstoppable force against the evil that threatens their lovely town. They are brave, smart and take many risk together to stop the killer.
This book will make you believe in the healing power of books. Ms. Adams has well crafted all the right cozy elements with a fantastic mystery and finely tuned conclusion that will leave you breathless and wanting to read the second in series immediately.
Throughout the book and at the beginning of each chapter are marvelous book quotes and delicious scones. The town is delightful and the rich details place you in this beautiful village.
This is one of the best mysteries I have ever read. I await the next in series and appreciate the ARC by the author which did not influence my review.
At Chapter 3 the author has a quote by Maya Angelou that says "There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you. " A perfect quote for this book and for The Secret Book And Scone Society.
This book is a masterful buildup of suspense, great characterization and a exciting conclusion that make this my favorite book of the year. ,

I'm a big fan of Author Ellery Adams work, so the moment I saw her announce her new series, I pre-ordered the book. I sure wasn't disappointed!

<i>The Secret, Book and Scone Society</i> takes you to Miracle Springs, NC where four independent women - Nora, June, Estella, and Hester - become friends while trying to solve a murder that's tearing their town apart.

While the women move towards solving the murder, you learn that the bookseller, spa manager, beautician, and baker aren't quite what they seem: they each have a secret. One by one, they reveal their secrets to each other as they get closer to discovering the murder.

The Secret, Book and Scone Society has well-developed and quite flawed characters that beg you to turn the page to get to know more about them, especially those secrets they've kept for years. Despite the cozy genre, there is an edge or reality and darker themes to this series, which I personally like.

Filled with a delightful town, those characters you can't help loving, and lots of twists and turns, <i>The Secret, Book and Scone Society</i> will leave readers both satisfied - and ready for the next adventure with Nora and friends.

(Note: I received a copy from the Publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own)

The Secret, Book and Scone Society by Ellery Adams is the first book in Miracle Springs, North Carolina series. Nora Pennington owns Miracle Books in Miracle Springs, North Carolina. The town is known to be a place of healing and Nora is known locally as a bibliotherapist. A man in the park wishes Nora‘s help, so she suggests that he pick up a comfort scone from Gingerbread House and come to her shop. Before he can get to Nora for assistance, Neil Parrish is found dead on the train tracks. When the police rule it a suicide, Nora along with Estella, June and Hester form The Secret, Book and Scone Society. Their purpose is get the truth about the man’s demise. They delve into Neil’s life to uncover what could have gotten him killed. They knew he came to town ahead of his partner’s and he was wrestling with a problem. When the four ladies meet to discuss what they have uncovered, each member of the group reveals the secret that brought them to Miracle Springs. These four women band together to get justice for one man and find themselves embroiled in a corruption scandal. The best thing to come out of this is four lone woman find friendship, love and acceptance.

The Secret, Book and Scone Society is well-written and engaging. My attention was captured right away with Nora’s description. I found the four main characters to be personable yet flawed from life’s tragedy. They were fleshed out and given life—very realistic. Each one is unique. There are also some characters (namely Sheriff Todd Hendricks) that readers will really dislike and wish to maim. I did not like how the police treated women in this book (I know it was part of the story, but it was offensive). I liked the description of the town, the Gingerbread House, Nora’s home (it is in a red train caboose) and, most especially, Miracle Books. My rating for The Secret, Book and Scone Society is 4 out of 5 stars (I liked it). The book contained more cozy elements than mystery. I was hoping for a more complex whodunit (like is Ms. Adams Murder in the Mystery Suite). I did like the authors use of misdirection in this book.

This was a good beginning for the new series. The protagonists are damaged souls but as they divulge their problems to each other, they also reach out to others---finding the right book and solving murders. A fun read.

The Secret, Book and Scone Society is the first book in this exciting new series.

This series centers around four women who are friendly toward each other but don’t know each other well enough to say they are friends. The town where they live, Miracle Springs, North Carolina, is famous for its healing springs. Each of the women has their own healing power. The main character, Nora Pennington, suffered severe burns from an auto accident and still has extensive scar damage. While recovering in the hospital from her burns, she learned the healing power of books from one of her nurses. When she moved to Miracle Spring.

One morning Nora is sitting on a bench feeding the birds a scone when Neil Parrish, strikes up a conversation, wondering if she is the lady that heals people with books. She answers yes and suggests he go to The Gingerbread House and get a comfort scone and come to her bookstore for a talk and she would select some books to help heal his problems. But before they can have their meeting Parrish is killed when he falls in front of a train. Nora’s bookstore is located in the towns old train depot and one by one the other three women come in to talk about the tragic event. The police department decides that it was a suicide, but the four woman seriously doubt that, as he seemed so sincere for making up for things that happened in his past.

The more the women discuss the tragic event their friendship begins to grow and they are soon good friends and are willing to share the secrets that each have and that they have not shared with anyone else. So the Secret, Book and Scone Society is formed and with this new alliance set off to find what really happened to and why. Then when there is another death of one of Parrish’s business partners and the arrest of one of the Society’s members for his death, they know are sure both deaths are related and get serious about their investigation.

Another well-plotted and told story from Ellery Adams. This book has a wonderful cast of characters. All four women have secrets from their past, nothing really bad, but secrets that you would only feel comfortable sharing with an extremely close friend. There might even be a romantic interest for Nora,

I’m anxiously awaiting the next book in this touching and at the same time exciting new series.

This reader does believe in the healing power of books from his own experience.

I am very happily immersed in THE SECRET BOOK AND SCONE SOCIETY by Ellery Adams. The first in a new series for prolific writer Adams, this is a delicious mix of baking and bibliotherapy with tons of references to book titles and authors - plus a mysterious death to solve. Doesn't that sound perfect? Four strong women, Nora (a former librarian), Hester (the baker), Estrella (runs a beauty salon) and June (works at he local spa) learn to trust each other as they combine to solve the death of Neil Parrish, an investor in a housing development in Miracle Springs, North Carolina. Library Journal called THE SECRET BOOK AND SCONE SOCIETY a "tasty treat" and gave it a starred review.