The Book of Candlelight is the third book in the Secret, Book & Scone Society cozy mystery series. Nora Pennington is the owner of Miracle Books. Nora has a skill, she does book therapy, recommending books to her patrons that they need at the time for whatever is going on in their lives. In this outing, she meets Sheldon, a stranded traveler, who ends up being a new friend. With a rain storm hitting Miracle Springs, the Miracle River overflows and spills out a body on it's banks amidst the ruins of a footbridge. The body is that of local Cherokee potter, Danny, a gentleman that Nora recently met and made a purchase from. Both Nora and the Sheriff are sure this is not an accident and the Secret, Book and Scone Society begin their own investigation. When a second body turns up, the investigation picks up in a sense of urgency.

I really enjoy this series. The idea of a bibliotherapist is really interesting and I love seeing what Nora will recommend next. I also love the idea of the town of Miracle Springs healing those who end up there. The characters all have secrets, things that happened to them in the past and baggage, but they find solace, welcome and healing in this small town. The newest inhabitants are Lou and her friend Pat, the owners of the new inn, Inn of Mist and Roses. When they renovate they find a mysterious diary and a the drawing of a red bird that might help solve the murders. With the ladies finding themselves in danger, not a lot of suspects and some new and interesting characters, the story and mystery kept me reading and listening until I finally found out who the culprit is and how the discoveries will change several lives in Miracle Springs.

I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Nora and the rest of the town are tired of the rain. It gets even worse when Nora finds the body of a craftsman she had just met and purchased a beautiful handmade pottery piece from. When she discovers that he leaves behind a pregnant wife, she feels drawn into helping solve his murder, so she enlists the help of the Secret, Bone, and Scone Society.

I like this series. The characters have recognizable human flaws but all try to be better people. This book introduces some new characters that I hope are in future books, especially Sheldon. The writing is very good, and I really recommend this series.

Every time I read a book in this series I am reminded that not all cozy mysteries are cozy. Miracle Springs continues to be a very tragic town full of people looking to escape their past which is always a struggle. I adored the addition of Sheldon I feel like he really brings a beautiful balance that was previously missing.

Miracle Springs are having a top up in the form of rain ... lots of rain, the inns and hotels are full to overflowing (indeed one new inn has taken some people in even though they are still in the thick of renovations!) and for some businesses (Miracle Books owned by Nora Pennington being one) people are spending like there is no tomorrow, sadly for one person this turns out to be true, a local potter known as Cherokee Danny is found in the swollen river and both Nora and Gabe the Sheriff are sure this is no accident.

As well as this there is a strange man hanging around and vandalism to both a house and Miracle Books, although with the latter a new friend come employee has stepped up and used the vandalism to create a show stopping window display! Now the four friends need to put their heads together to solve a murder, the vandalism, another murder and a century old mystery, preferably before anyone else dies.

Ellery Adams always keeps me entertained! She continued to engage me in another mystery. I thoroughly enjoyed this and cannot wait for the next installment!

"The Book of Candlelight " the 3rd instalment in the Secret, Book, and Scone Society Mystery series by Ellery Adams. I really enjoy this series, I’m not sure why it took me so long to read this instalment. I like how each of the four women have issues/things from their past that trouble them but it doesn’t stop them from forming a close bond nor being there for each other when needed.

The mystery is interesting and well plotted, with two murders to solve. I liked that Native American folklore played into the mystery especially the symbolism of the red bird. I kept guessing and second-guessing myself on whodunnit right to the very end.

I recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends. I can’t wait for the next book to come out in January 2021.

I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Kensington Books and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Ellery Adams redefines the cozy mystery with this fascinating and complex mystery anchored character study.
Please see my complete review in the October 2020 issue of www.reviewingtheevidence.com.

I absolutely love this series. The characters are well-developed and their friendship is very genuine. They stick together helping each other and new people to their town. Each character has her own heartbreak and together these ladies take care of each other. It hits home as we all,have days when we feel we do not matter. The gals lift each other up and they spread their friendship around.

This book is a quick, sweet cozy mystery, set in the North Carolina town of Miracle Springs, and centering on four friends, who form the Secret, Book & Scone Society, led by bookshop owner Nora. It’s a perfect escapist weekend read, for those that want to be carried away from the problems of the “real world,” something most of us could really use right now.

This the the third book in the series, but I had no problems reading it as a standalone. Some of the women’s backstories are probably better explained in previous books, but there’s enough explained for first-time readers to keep up. And the mystery is self-contained.

Nora buys a handcrafted bowl at the local flea market from a Native artist named Danny. The next day, She finds Danny’s body underneath a bridge, and can’t accept the “accidental death” ruling. Something doesn’t feel right and her hunch seems to be confirmed when Danny’s family symbol, a red bird, begins appearing across town. The women begin to investigate the death themselves.

The mystery is really intriguing and involves a bit of town history. It’s complex and touching, which I really enjoyed. I did not guess the ending at all - it’s got a couple twists and plenty of suspects, so it’s not something that’s obvious. But I enjoyed it.

There’s also plenty of subplots that I throughly enjoyed. The love lives of the women, their friendships and hardships all factor in and I really enjoyed getting to know them. Also the other minor characters, like Sheldon and Marie, were also really interesting and I look forward to seeing more of them in future installments.

The only thing i wasn’t sure of was Nora’s relationship with Jed. I’m still warming up to that. Maybe I need to read the previous books to see how it’s developed, but I didn’t feel the sparks between them.

Overall, if you’re looking for a cute escape, this is a great book to pick up. It will whisk you away for a time and envelope you in this new world.

"The Book of Candlelight” is the nicely done third book in Ellery Adams Secret, Book, and Scone Society Mystery Series (due to some slightly rough language and themes I am not quite sure I would label this a cozy mystery but it is close to being one). Nora is one of the most complex characters that I have come across in a mystery. She is deeply flawed and scarred (both physically and mentally) and not always the easiest person to get along with – frankly there were times I didn’t like her but she lingered in my mind long after I finished reading the book. She may not always be likable but she is a fiercely loyal friend who cares about people perhaps more than she realizes. Her friends Estella, June, and Hester are also richly drawn characters who also have flaws and troubled backgrounds – one of those troubled backgrounds adds a second mystery to the book which is nicely done but heartbreaking. Sheldon is a new character in this book and I can’t begin to describe how much I like him as a character – I look forward to reading more about him in future books. The mystery itself is well done with more than a few surprises and tinged with sadness.

“The Book of Candlelight” is another nicely done mystery by Ellery Adams.

The Book of Candlelight by Ellery Adams
Book #3: Secret, Book, and Scone Society Series
Source: NetGalley and Kensington
Rating 4½/5 stars

Since coming to Miracle Springs, Nora has broken all her self-imposed rules. Given her difficult past, Nora wasn’t going to get attached to anything or anyone beyond her bookstore and little home. In recent months, however, Nora has acquired several new close friends, a boyfriend (of sorts), and helped solve at least two major crimes. So much for following the rules.

In the time since the last murder, Nora and her friends have tried to settle back into normal life. For Nora and Hester that means a ridiculously busy business, for Estella it means a business on the brink of collapse, and for June, it means settling into her new position as manager of the hot springs. Both Nora and Hester are in desperate need of help at their respective businesses and all want to see Estella back on her feet and not worrying about the state of her livelihood. The women want nothing more than to help one another and resume their lives as usual, but, as always, fate has other plans.

One of Nora’s favorite places to visit in her limited time off is the flea market where she picks up odds and ends to sell at the bookstore. One of her newest favorite couples are Danny and Marie, two talented local artisans who sell stunning wares. Unfortunately, Nora’s budding friendship with the couple is cut short when she stumbles across Danny’s body floating in the river. Though Nora hadn’t known Danny well, or for long, she liked he and his wife tremendously and wants to know how her new friend ended up in the river. Though the sheriff absolutely does not want Nora and her friends involved (again!), the women are determined to do some sleuthing of their own.

Running parallel to the latest murder mystery is the personal live of all four women. Nora is dealing with her new feelings towards Jed and how to move forward with him, Hester is dealing with her past and how it is negatively impacting her present, June is still struggling with the estrangement from her beloved son, and Estella is desperate to save her business. As always, each of the women is there to help the other, but the stakes seem to be higher than ever. Solving a murder is dangerous enough, but there also seems to be a stalker in town who is specifically targeting Nora and her friends. With more going on than any one woman can handle, it’s imperative the women stick together and support one another through this dark and dangerous time.

The Bottom Line: I’ve liked this series before, but it really steps up to a new level in this installment. There is so much going on in this read and every bit of it is interconnected and woven together beautifully. The murder of Nora’s friend takes the reader back and forth between the past and the present and introduces three new characters that will hopefully be making appearances in future installments of the series. The mysterious stalker advances the story of one of the four women significantly, and Nora has a new employee that is a wonderful, wonderful addition to the bookstore and the series! In all, I found this book to the strongest and most enjoyable of the series to date. I certainly hope this trend continues!

Compellingly Atmospheric
Have you ever read a book that you can smell and feel the words? This series does that to you. It is so well written that you become completely immersed in their world. I'm totally loving this series.

Nora Pennington owns a Bookstore/coffee shop. She buys a special piece of pottery for her boyfriend from Danny who winds up dead in the river in the town. She and her friends all try to figure out how he died as they don't think it was an accident due to the torrential rains they have been having. She also befriends Sheldon who is great the customers in her shop. Sheldon is very quirky and fun.

Even though this was the third book in the series I still was able to catch up with what was happening in the series. Very fun read.

The third novel in the Secret, Book & Scone Society, The Book of Candlelight by Ellery Adams, starts when Nora Pennington is replenishing her bookstore, and visits the flea market as she usually does once a week. There she meets Danny and Marie, and purchases a beautiful pottery bowl that was made by Danny, who is a Cherokee Indian. Unfortunately, after a crash on her bicycle due to the never-ending rain in the area, the bowl ends up with a chip in it. Nora takes it back to Danny to see if it can be repaired, but instead discovers Danny’s body floating in the river. Although it seems that Danny drowned, Nora is suspicious, and it is found that Danny was murdered. Meanwhile, Two women are refurbishing a bed and breakfast in town and Nora is wary of the new owners, since she discovers that they have a few of Danny’s pieces and insist they didn’t know him. Those women ask Nora to look at some old books of a previous owner, and Nora learns about Rose, who left the bed and breakfast to her female heirs. Nora meets some of the other guests at the bed and breakfast, and when one is found murdered, her list of suspects gets longer.

This series is different from most cozy series; although Nora is the main protagonist, June, Hester, and Estella also play a major role in the mysteries. All four of them have come to Miracle Springs to heal, since all have had a major setback in their lives. Adams does an excellent job of developing her characters, and they are very believable. There is some violence, language, and sexual innuendo in this novel, which is not typical of a cozy, but it isn’t over the top. The story flows well, and is well-written enough to keep readers’ interest.

There is a different feel to this novel, since the protagonists are trying to heal themselves and at the same time heal and help others. The book is a feel-good novel, and it is uplifting as well as suspenseful. This is a nice series, and this installment is highly recommended.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

A lovely quote by Truman Capote; an intriguing opening line setting season and character, leads to another gem by Ellery Adams. This is book #3 of the Secret, Book, & Scone Society.

New readers will learn that Nora, our lead character, owns Miracle Books. A store designed for tourists and residents, filled with books, the welcoming scent of coffee, and small treasures meant to enhance a book shelf. She lives in a converted working train car (aka Caboose Cottage). She has a beau, Jedediah Craig --handsome, warm and a paramedic. She has a wonderful set of companions members of the Society named above (SB&SS). I want to be Nora.

I also want to live in Miracle Springs. This rural town is a refuge. A place for transformation, it resembles in part Warm Springs GA, where FDR healed post polio. In these chaotic times, I really want to move. Mystery or no, let's all head out.

Perhaps not. Better to let Nora discover the body floating in the flotsam. Better to let Nora help his wife deal with grief. Better to let Nora's tears mingle with the unless rain. Our job will be to enjoy
Adams mastery of form. And hope to return again to Miracle Springs.

Recommended for all cozy readers.

Full disclosure: I received this copy as an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review. Thank you Kensington Publications and netgalley for this opportunity.

Adams' latest novel explores the death of a Cherokee artisan and the subsequent fallout. Adams has developed a set of compelling characters and a fantastic location to put them in. I enjoyed the inclusion of historical and Native American elements in the mystery.

Another excellent edition to a wonderful series! Full of twists and turns that leaves you wanting more and enjoying each moment until the end when the killer is caught!

The Book of Candlelight is the latest book in Secret, Book, and Scone Society series from Ellery Adams. The rain in Miracle Springs, North Carolina, has been relentless—and a flood of trouble is about to be unleashed . . .

As the owner of Miracle Books, Nora Pennington figures all the wet weather this spring is at least good for business. Nora finds both new customers and a new friend, the sixtysomething Sheldon, who starts helping out at the store.

Since a little rain never hurt anyone, Nora rides her bike over to the flea market one sodden day and buys a bowl from Danny, a Cherokee potter. It’ll make a great present for Nora’s EMT boyfriend, but the next day, a little rain turns into a lot of rain, and the Miracle River overflows it banks. Amid the wreckage of a collapsed footbridge, Danny's body lies within the churning water.

Nora and the sheriff both doubt the ruling of accidental drowning, and Nora decides it’s time for the Secret, Book, and Scone Society to spring into action. When another body turns up, it becomes clearer that Danny’s death can’t be blamed on a natural disaster.

This was a good book. I recommend it and this series! Well-written plot with great characters and a lot of literary references throughout the book. Thank you to Net Galley for an advanced reader’s copy for review.

Absolutely fantastic book! Can be read as as stand alone!! I found a new favorite author!!! Loved the characters and the story line!!!! I need to read everything by this author!! Feel good cozy that keeps you on the edge of your seats !!!!!!!!! Thank you Net Galley and Kensington publishing for my ARC copy in exchange for my honest opinion. All thoughts are my own and mine alone !

I love this series and finished this book in one sitting. Love that there is a little magic and girl power throughout. If you love mysteries this is a series you should read!