This is the fourth book in the Secret, Book, and Scone Society. I have read 3 of the 4.This book is set in October, close to Halloween. Woven in the story are the themes of "witchy" women being strong women. There are also a bit about the occult and cults. As always Ellery Adams mentions a lot of wonderful books published by other others. As the main character has a bookstore, we see lots of recommendations. It is always wonderful when you see one of your favorite books mentioned.

The main mystery concerns a new mother and daughter who have recently arrived in town. They open a shop called Soothe. Many of the products offered in their shop feature CBD. The daughter is killed. Nora and the other women of the Secret, Book, and Scone society want to help find the killer.

I love the different characters, especially Sheldon. Ellery Adams also introduced some teen characters that I would like to see in up coming books. I did not like the secondary plot device which had a group of women boycotting the bookstore and other places that the group considered bad influences on the community.

Thank you to Kensington books and NetGalley for the free Advanced Reader's Copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is the 4th book in the Secret, Book, and Scone Society series by award winning cozy author Ellery Adams. As a long time cozy reader this series is one of my top 2 favorite series of all time . I have read the entire series and was delighted to read this next in series for review. Thank you with gratitude to the publisher, the author and to Net Galley. The charcters are so well crafted that each book in the series sweeps the reader away to Miracle Springs and their world of friendship ,love of books, of community and mystery., I absolutely loved this book and read it cover to cover as it was one of my most anticipated books of 2021. Each book in the series is enchanting and so enjoyable you never want them to end.

We return to Miracle Springs and to Nora who has a wonderful new employee Sheldon in the bookstore. I love that the author created a senior character with chronic pain that Nora is compassionate about . Sheldon has a talent for creating the perfect cup of coffee and a great love of books that fit right in with Nora and her customers. In spite of his health difficulties he is cheerful and popular with the customers. he is a delightful addition to the series.

A new store has opened near Nora called 'Sooth" that is a store with natural and CBD products to sooth chronic pain. Nora meets the new owner and her daughter when she has a incident with her angel statue outside her shop . Nora has a premonition while at the women's shop . Nora has a sixth sense of trouble and has a sharp sense of her intuition just as she has a talent for matching people with the right books. Her intuition was right when trouble occurs in form of a murder and Nora is on the case with her good friends of the Secret Book And Scone Society.

Nora falls under fire in this book with a local women's family values group for a window display together of strong women charcters with books that stand for women's rights . They want the display taken down but Nora stands her ground. They are also after the new store and a Native American store in Miracle Springs. I love this theme of standing up for books and women's stories throughout history . The themes of standing up for other's rights against censorship is one that is very timely and appropriate to this story of acceptance.

As the mystery deepens one of Nora's old friends appears and helps with the sleuth. Clues abound and as suspect add up I was captivated to the very last page as Nora and her friends solved the mystery. This was such an enjoyable story and a wonderfully intriguing world to spend time in that I read these books cover to cover with each new release. Bravo to Ellery Adams and thank you for such a wonderful series with strong women charcters we readers love to spend time with . These are independent women who run their own businesses and help their community as well as are a strong circle of friendship. Miracle Springs is a great place to spend time and you will come to love the bookstore ,, Nora and all the charcters as I do.

I highly recommend this series for your reading enjoyment. I cannot wait until the next in series.

This is the fourth book in the A Secret, Book, and Scone Society series that I am so excited about. What could be better than a cozy mystery that features a bookstore owner who uses bibliotherapy to help others and also follows a group of strong women friends who support each other and enjoy a little sleuthing when needed?? The author also starts each chapter with a quote and real books are mentioned in the bookstore. At the end of the book there are helpful bibliotherapy lists if you are looking for reading recommendations: Books Featuring Powerful Women, Books to Read Aloud to Someone with a Vision Impairment, Books for Young Women Struggling to Find Their Way, Books About Bullying (for kids).
I was very excited to read this installment and it did not disappoint. The crime is unusual and the suspect extra slippery. Time in Miracle Springs never disappoints. I'm already looking forward to the next book in the series!

Ink and Shadows by Ellery Adams is another in the series, Secret, Book, and Scone Society. Nora has a lot to deal with in this episode: murders, a campaign against the evil of her store, a breakup with Jed, and both new and old friends. As always, it is part mystery, part women's fiction. They all have secrets but some days Nora lets hers rule her life. She offered friendship to a young woman, new to town and hours later finds her dead, almost on her own doorstep. And oddly, a slip of paper, old, covered with odd writing, stuck under her doormat. Then, within a couple of days she sees someone defacing the rear door of Celeste's shop, and enters the shop and then the apartment, to find Celeste in the throes of death. It was all too much. Could McCabe sort it out? Or would it be up to her and her friends?

This book pulls at the heartstrings. So much sadness. Nora, as always, is right in the middle of it. Because it was the right thing to do, she put the sheriff in touch with someone from her previous life: an expert to analyze the slip of paper and send them in the right direction. When she showed up at the bookstore, it was one thing too many. Nora slammed the door and collapsed. There is always a lot going on in this series but this book was so emotional, so moving. Fabulous! Seeing Bobbie forced Nora to deal a little more with her past. An important step in her healing. I can't say enough good things about this book.

I was invited to read a free ARC of Ink and Shadows by Netgalley. All opinions contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #inkandshadows

My rating: 3 of 5 stars< I liked it.

Book 4 in the series.

I really like this series and the main characters with all their faults and character. I had a harder time with some of the the townspeople and their family values crap and witch hunt mentality. But Nora and The Secret, Book, & Scone Society stood up to it, and prevailed.

All in all, a pleasant, fast, read.

I look forward to more!

Mrs. Adams is a gifted storyteller; she can evoke all the emotions with her words. This book is the fourth in the series, but you can definitely enjoy it as a stand-alone. Nora and the other ladies of the Secret, Book, and Scone Society are all strong women, although they are all flawed and imperfect in their own rights. This makes the ladies realistic and relatable to almost anyone. I'd really love to visit Nora's bookstore and see the window displays. This book is well written with several well-placed red herring to keep the reader engaged in the mystery. I recommend this book to fans of cozy mystery or strong female protagonists.

All thoughts and opinions are my own, and in no way have I been influenced by anyone.

This is my first time reading this series. I didn't have any trouble following along but I do think I would enjoy reading the earlier books in the series. This was a good mystery with interesting characters. I loved the setting of the bookstore and how Nora, the owner, paired books with readers. I also enjoyed the supporting characters and their relationships. I especially enjoyed all of the book references and the descriptions of the displays etc. Very good read!
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher and voluntarily chose to review it.

Fourth in the Secret, Book, & Scone Society series and the first I have read. This story can standalone. I did not feel as if I missed out on anything but getting to know the main characters better by not having read the previous books.

Nora Pennington, the amateur sleuth in this story, has an ability to match people with books to meet their needs. Nora owns Miracle Books.

A new store owner (Celeste) and her daughter (Bren) move to town. The daughter seems a bit strange and I pegged her as trouble from the start. You’ll have to read if my initial assessment rings through by the end of the story.
Both the bookstore and the new shop are targeted as being unfriendly toward family values.
A few deaths occur and need to be resolved. Will there be a relationship breakup? Will a new relationship start? That remains to be seen.

I really enjoyed the menu being tied into books. I just might start referring to my Earl Grey as ChristyTea. I also liked the power of positive thinking, natural remedies, and the concept of healing presented in the book.
The characters are wonderful. Sheldon seems to be a good fit. The broken angel is great symbolism.
I look forward to creating some time to read the previous books in the series.

I was given an advanced copy by Netgalley. I am not required to leave a positive review.

Ink and Shadows was another excellent installment in the Secret, Book and Scone Society series by Ellery Adams. Meeting characters from our main characters backstories, being introduced to new people in the town, and seeing women (and men) rally together are the main points of this story. The unknown is not evil, and neither are differing viewpoints. In this book, we see Nora fight for new and old friends, and go through various relationship struggles. This literary mystery series fails to disappoint.

I am never disappointed in an Ellery Adam's book. Entertainingly well written with suspense, laughs, and a group of oddball amateur sleuths. Great read for a dreary day snuggled in a blanket with a hot cup of tea.

I received an ebook ARC from NetGalley and this is my voluntary, honest review.

It’s autumn in Miracle Springs, and Miracle Bookstore owner Nora Pennington is loving the season. In preparation or local festivals and the Halloween season she does one of her famous window displays showcasing fictional heroes and showing that fictional female characters can be heroes and inspire young women. But a local family values group doesn’t like her message, and ask her to take it down. When she refuses they go on a modern day witch hunt, targeting not only Nora but two other businesses, including a new shopkeeper, Celeste and her daughter Bren, who run Soothe, which sells CBD oil products.
But Nora and the other shopkeepers are having to now deal with vandalism, and then, to Nora’s horror, Bren is found dead near her house. Though the death is declared an accident, the ruling can’t explain the old book page covered with strange symbols and disturbing drawings left under Nora’s doormat, a postcard from an anonymous stalker, or multiple cases of vandalism.

But Nora and the Secret, Book, and Scone Society is not so sure about the ruling, especially when secrets from Celeste’s past come to haunt them all. The ladies of the Secret, Book & Scone Society know about secrets, and they are ready to work together to get to the bottom of things, and keep Celeste safe.
This is an incredible addition to the Secret, Book & Scone Society series. I loved this book from page one until the last page. Ms. Adams handles topics like censorship and bullying so expertly that I felt I was right there with the characters, experiencing the same emotions. Ms. Adams also captures the feelings of people who deal with chronic pain in the character of Sheldon, who is fast becoming one of my favorites in the series.
As the story unfolded I couldn’t swipe left fast enough. By the time I got to the final page I didn’t want the book to end, so I reread the last chapter, and will probably do so again. The ladies of the Secret, Book & Scone Society have become my friends over the course of four books. I hope there are many, many more to come.
I read a digital ARC of this book provided to me by the publisher through NetGalley.

Nora Pennington and her bookshop Miracle Books are getting spruced up to entice shoppers during the fall season. A new store called Soothe has opened up in town, run by Celeste and her daughter Bren. But a ladies' group called the Women of Lasting Values Society arrives in town and protests against Soothe's use of the occult and Nora's bookshop for its magical qualities. When a murder occurs, Nora is sought out by her friend Bobbie to help with the crime investigation.

This was another excellent entry in the Secret, Book & Scone Society series and is highly recommended.

I received a digital ARC from Netgalley and Kensington Books with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.

In this next book of the series we find Nora picturing her new window display and the strong women at the forefront. Once the display is up Nora couldn't be happier that is until a family values group makes a stink about some of the subjects in the window. Anything they feel is remotely magical or cult like they disapprove of and want gone, which happens to include other stores not just her bookstore. Nora and her friends are doing all they can to settle the other shopkeepers and figure out a way to quiet the disapproving group. When a death occurs the police declare it accidental but Nora doesn't believe that to be true. She gathers the group together in hopes of putting the pieces together to figure out what is truly going on. It doesn't help that other bad things are going on, several cases of vandalism, strange pictures on Nora's doorstep, and a stalker leaving notes. The ladies know that they must figure out just what is going on and who is behind it all before someone else ends up dead! I love this series and the emotions it brings forth throughout the read. The characters are unique and easy to connect with making the read that much more relatable.

I am loving this series. Nora, Hester, June and Estella, what would they do without each other? I love how they are there for each other. And we can’t forget Sheldon! In this book we meet Celeste and Bren. They have a story to tell. We also meet some very judgmental ladies, who might be like some folks you know. The story line is great and I love the characters. I can’t wait till my next trip to Miracle Springs. I received this book from Net Galley, but my opinion is my own.

Ellery Adams immerses the reader in the third Secret, Book and Scone Society cozy Ink and Shadows. Nora Pennington, proprietor of Miracle Books, tries to console a new shop owner for the death of her daughter, Brenna, but the shop owner also ends up murdered. While trying to track the murderer, she is also dogged by the preacher's wife who has formed a puritanical society and is trying to put Nora out of business. Lots of interest in the bookstore happenings. Many red herrings to eliminate at first. Highly recommended.

Ink And Shadows is the fourth book in the Secret, Book, and Scone Society series by Ellery Adams.

Nora Pennington and the Secret, Book, and Scone Society members hope to help someone deal with their secret once again.

Celeste and her daughter, Bren, have just opened their new shop, Soothe, where Celeste sells herbal products, natural lotions, homemade soaps, CBD oils, and Bren selling her handmade jewelry. Nora stops in to welcome them to Miracle Springs and to see what they have so that she might steer customers of her bookstore to their store. When Nora returns to Miracle Books, she finds a group of women whose intent is to restore high morals to Miracle Springs. They are protesting Nora’s bookstore because of her bookstore’s window display of books displaying fictional heroines and magical themes. The group is also opposing the sale of CBD oils.

One evening, as Nora headed back to her store, she came upon Wren, becoming violently ill. Nora stops and tries to give help to Wren, but she declines any help. That evening, after closing her bookstore, Nora heads for home. When she arrives, she finds a piece of paper that had strange symbols and words on it. Nora feels sure that Wren has left the paper, and when she looks around her yard, she finds the dead body of Wren.

Having a working relationship with the police department, Nora offers to contact her college schoolmate, Bobbie, to see if Bobbie can explain the symbols’ meaning. In the meantime, Nora and her Society friends will attempt to find the killer.

I found the book informative, as well as well-written and plotted. The characters are well-developed and believable. Who wouldn’t love calling them friends and also be able to live in this engaging community? I particularly enjoy the character Sheldon. Sheldon has health issues that hamper his getting around, but he always has a smile and is eager to help customers find the right book. I’m hopeful now that Nora has reconnected with Bobbie, we will see more of her in future books.

I am anxiously awaiting the next book in this series.

INK AND SHADOWS is the superb fourth installment in the fantastic Secret, Book, & Scone Society series. It is a unique cozy mystery/women’s fiction mashup that focuses on the compassion, friendship, and strength of flawed, complex characters with an emphasis on timely issues. And, of course, there are murders to be solved. This book feels a bit darker than the previous entries with mentions of the occult, and though all of the society members are featured, this story focuses on Nora and her dealings with a “family values” group and dedication to identifying the killer of town newcomers.

Author Ellery Adams never ceases to amaze me with her writing. Readers can see the thoughtfulness and care that goes into her novels. Her love of the written word shines through her protagonist Nora, a former librarian and owner of the local bookshop (in the back of the book, there is a wonderful list of books mentioned throughout the story).

I always adore my time spent with the ladies of the Secret, Book, & Scone Society, and INK AND SHADOWS is no exception. Highly recommended!

I received an ARC of this title from the author and Kensington Books and voluntarily shared my thoughts here.

Ink and Shadows by Ellery Adams is book 4 in the A Secret, Book, and Scone Society Novel. This is the first one I have read. Being a fan of other series by Ms. Adams, I thought I would try this series and am so glad I did.
It is set in Miracle Springs, North Carolina and focuses Nora the bookstore owner and her close friends. A newcomer, Celeste, has moved into the store front along with her adult daughter and Nora is picking up they have brought secrets with them. When Nora finds the daughter dead, she wants to find out why and who. The society starts an investigation on their own. When Celeste is murdered, Nora is bound and dtermined to get to the bottom and put away the killer, even if it means putting herself in danger.
This Cozy is a little on the dark side but I did not want to put it down. There were plot twists and turns. The characters are likeable and relatable. There is a bit of romance.
I was given an ARC by Kensington via NetGalley for an honest review.

I really enjoy how Nora always finds herself involved in a mystery. Her Miracle Book Store is a place that I would love to visit! I like her spirit. She has overcome a major mistake in her life for the most part. I think it is good that she still reflects on it and allows us to see that what is broken can be mended but will never be the same as it was before. She is an inspiration!

Nora Pennington, a bookstore owner, is redoing the shop window for the Halloween season. She is moving away from the traditional display and is going for strong women characters. The display causes some turmoil in the community as some don’t believe what these characters stand for. They protest against the bookstore and a new store Soothe. The owner of Soothe and her daughter have recently moved to the community and sell products using CBD oils. They are friendly but closed as to their past ties. When the daughter is found dead outside Nora’s home, Nora has to fight for not only her store but the killer.

I enjoyed this story. I had not read this series before; however, I thoroughly enjoyed the members of the Secret, Book, and Scone Society.