I had not read any of the previous books in the series which might be my downfall with the one. I could never quite connect with the characters.

This is one of my favorite series, a bibliomystery that is second to none. Nora Pennington has found sanctuary in the town of Miracle Springs and her delightful bookstore, Miracle Books. She has made friends with a group of special, caring women who support each other and extend that help to others in need. Together they formed their own group that they call the Secret, Book and Scone Society. Each of the four women has a personal burden that they have shared with the others and it binds them together. Nora's burden is the result of a car accident and the resulting fire that left her with burn scars. Miracle Springs has helped her recover. Love, friendships, trust and belonging are strong threads in this series.
As Nora is trying to think up a new theme for her ever popular window display - Halloween is just around the corner - there is an incident across the street that will be the start of great conflict and the murder of two women new to town. Nora is looking forward to getting to know the mother and daughter owners of the new business, Relax. Sadly it's not meant to be. Was it in any way connected to the new wave of prejudice displayed by a group of women who are pushing family values and are focusing on Nora when she decides to do her next window display with books featuring strong magical women? If they had their way, Nora would be the next business to cease to exist.
As Nora and her friends try to uncover who would commit murder, someone from Nora's past arrives in town. At the same time Nora's romantic relationship undergoes a major upheaval.
Spending time in Miracle Springs is always a wonderful reading escape. Besides giving me a very enjoyable and well crafted mystery, the characters of Nora, Hester, Estella and June - the members of the Secret, Book and Scone Society - are women I would love to call my friends. The supporting cast is good, too.
If you haven't read any of the series, please start at the beginning and get to know their personal stories. It will be time well spent and I'm sure you will come to love this series as much as I do.
My thanks to the publisher Kensington and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Elderly Adams delivers another wonderful addition to the Secret, Book, & Scone Society series, this one dealing with the modern issues of censorship and protesting, feminism and healing oils. Nora and her friends welcome a new store, specializing in CBD oils and herbal remedies, run by a secretive mother and daughter duo, to town, just as they unveil a new Halloween window for Nora’s bookstore. But the display riles up some of the people of the town, who are concerned it promotes witchcraft and paganism. Soon, a body turns up, along with some strange symbols, and Nora finds she might actually be embroiled in an ancient, dangerous, mystery.

As with all of the SBSS books, they are part of a series, but can be read as standalones. The author does a good job of introducing everyone and the town of Miracle Springs in each installment.

This book was really cozy and it felt like pulling on a nice sweater very time I picked it up. I just loved slipping into the world of Miracle Springs and mystery was really interesting, which kept me wanting to keep coming back. There’s a lot going on, so I was plenty interested and excited to see how things worked out in the end.

And there were some great twists in there that I really enjoyed. I love that this series combines history, mystery, and everything in between to construct these great mysteries!

The only thing I don’t like is that this is another series where I don’t know that the protagonist is with the right guy. I just don’t know about Jed. A lot happens in their relationship in this one, so you’ll have to see where it all goes, but I just don’t know. I can’t help like feeling she should be with a different character - you will know who.

Anyway, suffice it to say, I highly recommend this book and this series. This is another winner for Nora and the girls and I can’t wait to see where they go next!

Ellery Adams is my favorite author in my New found "bookaddiction". Cozy mysteries. This is book 4 in the secret book and scone society. I JUst love following the female characters in this series. They are strong,. They are caring they are kick Ass. Their beautiful friendship is strong. I highly recommend this series

Ellery Adams is one of my favorite Cozy writers - and the wonderful thing about her series are always the characters - characters that are imperfect, flawed, and all the more loveable.

Ink and Shadows didn't disappoint: fast paced, a clever mystery.

While this book is the 4th in the A Secret, Book, and Scone Society series, it can be enjoyed as a stand alone, but as a lover of the characters to get to know them better.

(Note: while I read this via NetGalley, I loved this book so much that I also bought a copy to keep)

My take on the “A Secret, Book, and Scone Society” series has sometimes been good, at other times not good. The main character is easy to like and dislike equally. Nora has never seemed to grow to me, even now, in book four, Ink and Shadows, she is far too namby-pamby. I get not wanting to lose control, and given her past, I can understand her reluctance to drive or reveal her past. But it’s not as if she killed someone, although, if you are just now reading book one, you might not realize this. Her bookstore sounds impressive, as does the town itself. Although she has friends and the community’s support, she always backs off whenever she wants to do or say something, making it hard to like her. There are times when I have wanted to shout at her to “get a spine”.

The premise of this edition to the series has made me wonder if the author might be trying to take the character down a different path from where she started and this might be a transition book? First off, there is no real secret society, which is one of the things that drew me to the series in the first place. Everyone knows about Nora and her co-conspirators. The scones are far and few and play little to no part in the overall scheme of things. The CBD twist in this book seems as though it was just thrown in. Books are everywhere, and this is one of the bright spots in the series.

It’s not to say that Ink and Shadows, or the series, don’t have value; these books are entertaining and even emotional at times; I dare say more than one reader will choke up at the ending of this book. Suspects aren’t really over the top, and motives are present if a bit convoluted. Everyone congregates at Nora’s bookstore all the time, which is fun and keeps readers happy. The victim(s) are genuinely likable, even when they are secretive and rude. However, I found that the big reveal at the end was unnecessary and did not add value to the story. The CBD controversy never came to anything. In general, I would caution readers who are interested in reading this book to start by reading the other books in the series; otherwise, you will be lost and, most likely, not finish or enjoy this addition.

As always Ellery Adams hits it out of the park. This book is the 4th in the Secret, Scone and Book Society series and it's an excellent one. I love this series for so many reasons, it's particularly enjoyable to me because it's a little darker than the cozies I usually read. The characters are phenomenal and they all had secrets that helped them bond as a family. The murders in this book will keep you guessing and you'll find it hard to put the book down.

Ink and Shadows is the fourth entry in Ellery Adams’s Secret, Book, and Scone Society series. I have enjoyed all of the books and recommend them. They are, perhaps, best read in order although the author gives enough back story for a new reader to quickly catch up.

Two things that I love about the series:

The main characters. Each of them has struggled in life and moved forward. Each has a particular love or talent that is given its due in the books. My favorite is Nora. She owns the bookstore of my fantasies; there are amazing themed displays, a full array of titles, good coffee and knowledgeable staff. There are nooks to sit in and children’s story hours. Plus, Nora is a bibliotherapist. This means that the novel is filled with good reading suggestions. Nora has her past struggles and guilts; she has a new relationship which is in trouble in this title.

Nora’s friends are all women with their own stories and talents. They include a baker, a woman skilled in massage and comfort and two other close friends. Each has a gift for friendship.

The setting. The small town is lovingly portrayed. It is cozy with farmer’s markets, festivals, artisan shops, good foods and the outdoors close by.

There are murders sullying the town. Both a daughter and her mother are dead. Is the cause their interest in a grimoire or is there another reason? Are their deaths tied to the commune that they lived on prior to coming to Miracle Springs?

The author takes on some social issues as well. There is a group of women who believe in censorship and want Nora’s Halloween store windows taken down. There are also comments on CBD.

Readers who want a slightly less than cozy, cozy take a look at this series. I am already looking forward to the next book!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Ellery as an author can do no wrong in my humble! Another fantastic tale, woven by this master. The series is so well written, had me entertained the entire time! Full of fun, cozy excitement and a happy wrap each time! This one was a touch darker then previously written tales, just my cup of tea!

Loved it and can’t wait for the next one! If you haven’t read this series yet, (Secret Book and Scone Society). Well get after it cause you are missing out!

What can I really say at this point, it is an Ellery Adams novel, you know that it will be fantastic.

What I love about this series is the depth and grit. Although technically a cozy mystery, this series doesn't shy away from serious topics. The cast is made up of 4 women with very flawed pasts that have found a way to move on and share forgiveness with each other and within themselves. And what makes it a cozy?? Well, they are in a secret book club and solve mysteries.

This installment raises the subject of banned books and not judging a book by its cover in more ways that one.

I highly recommended this series. I have gifted the first book in this series to several people. It has just stuck with me and I feel like it always will.

I had a digital copy of this book via NetGalley, as well as the audio version which I highly recommend.

Release Date: January 26th 2021

This continuation of the mystery series . Nora is a librarian turn book store owner in a small town in western North Carolina. Nora loves holidays and with Halloween coming up she goes all out on her window display. However a group in town is not a fan of Nora display and are very vocal. On top of that a young newcomer is discovered dead, but is it an accident or murder?

The characters were colorful and fun. I enjoyed the background stories. I love the other three books in this series but this one was hard to get into. I liked reading it but would not read it again.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#bookstagram #netgalleyreads #bookrecommendations #inkandshadows

Princess Fuzzypants here: This, the latest story from the Secret,, Book and Scone Society, has a group of some of the most interesting heroines, headed by the indomitable Nora. They all have been damaged by past events but have come together as friends and a powerful source of good and compassion in their town. They are the kind of woman the reader would love to call friends. Their support system is not just internal but stretches to others who need help.

The owner of a herbal and holistic shop in town, Celeste, is sorely in need of friends. Her angry daughter’s death by mysterious circumstances has her on edge. There are deep secrets about her past she does not want to share and there is someone from her past who has found her again. Any doubt that this person will stop at nothing to find whatever he is seeking vanishes when Nora stumbles across the dying Celeste. Her last words provide clues as to where to look to find out what is at the heart of the murders and how to catch a killer.

At the same time as these tragedies are unfolding, there is a group of women in town who have set their sights on Nora, Celeste and her other friends. Their witch hunt is vindictive and cruel led by the wife of a minister. There is quite a twist that is revealed at the end to explain the reasons behind this woman’s hatred. Plus, Nora’s boyfriend is out of town where his mother is seriously ill in hospital. It is a good thing she has lots of supporters to get her through the worst. I did not want to put the book down and enjoyed it thoroughly.

Five purrs and two paws up.

This was an amazing addition to the series! It was page turning! This is the third book in the Secret, Book, and Scone Society!

We return to Miracle Springs, N.C. and the Miracle Bookstore in book 4 of the Secret, Book and Scone Society cozy series. Nora is being targeted by a religious sect for promoting magic and the devil with her window display of children's books that show powerful women. Another new shop owner is being targeted too and her daughter is found dead in Nora's yard. A good story that can be read as a stand alone. Lots of returning characters. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is the fourth installment in the Secret, Book and Scone Society and while there is definitely a backstory, I didn't feel lost. You quickly become part of the community and come to know Nora and her friends.

The mystery is a good one and will keep you up - hard to put down.

This series appears to be a bit darker than a typical cozy mystery as the protagonist has an incident in her past that she deeply regrets and has led her to her new role in Miracle Springs and she muses on that and the impact on her life. But that just makes her a believable woman.

I am looking forward to reading the series' backlist and further fleshing out Nora and her friends and townspeople. And I enjoyed the author enough to read through her "Book Retreat" series as well.

I received an ARC but the opinion expressed is my own.

This latest mystery finds Nora and her friends looking to welcone a new neighbor and her daughter. But some of the town’s residents have decided to work on banning the new shop because of its unnatural mystic association. And the ban soon includes Nora’s shop because of her recent window display of strong women. But things quickly take on an even more serious tone when a death occurs. Was it murder? This is an enjoyable series filled not only with strong women, but I loved the back and forth discussions on book banning. It’s sad that in a country of freedoms, we should be subject to anyone trying to dictate vehemently our reading choices, based on their own personal prejudices. I also loved the introduction of an especially vibrant character out of Nora’s past. Hope she comes back in future stories. Disclosure: I am voluntarily reviewing this book and all opinions are strictly my own.

This was a delightful book. I’ve enjoyed the series so far, but this is far and away my favorite. I’m enjoying the character growth, the deep ending friendships, and the intriguing storylines. And I loved the way this one dealt with themes of redemption, acceptance, and second chances. Great read!

Thanks to Net Galley and Kensington for the complimentary digital review copy of this title.

I look forward to every return trip to Miracle Springs, North Carolina and Miracle Books. This was the fourth in the Secret Book and Scone Society and just the cozy, intriguing read I was craving.

The mystery is always satisfying, but the friendship between these women is what keeps me returning. That and the backdrop of the bookshop and the picturesque setting. I often wonder if the author is using Nora to voice some of her own opinions, such as the threat of censorship in this story. This series is a celebration of women, female friendships, and women owned businesses. I'll return as often as author Ellery Adams invites us in.

Just when I didn't think that this series could get any better, it did! I love this series so much! Not only do I get to enjoy a story about a bookstore, with interesting book displays and get to hear about all of Nora's suggestions to her customers for their various interests, but I get to visit with characters that feel like friends. June, Hester and Estella are Nora's friends and are central to the story and help Nora with the mystery, but they also add to the warmth of the story and help to draw the reader in. I love the feeling of community that I feel when I read these books. I highly recommend this book and this series to mystery readers, but also to readers of women's fiction. You won't be disappointed.

I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The fourth installment of The Secret, Book, and Scone Society series lives up to the quality of the first three books. Nora is a bookstore owner with a tragic past. After starting her new life in a small town, she forms an alliance with three other women, each with a secret. In this episode, a new shop opens in town, one that carries all sorts of natural healing materials. It is owned by a mysterious woman and her daughter, who seems to have secrets of her own. Meanwhile, a group of do-gooders target the bookstore and this new shop for their wares which they claim are not good for the youth of the town. A murder occurs on Norah's property, and the four women are moved to investigate. Excellent characters and a great story.