Book review: Ellery Adams’ The Tattered Cover.
Published by Kensington Cozies. Thank you to Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for my gifted ARC.

If Miracle Springs were real, I’d be on Zillow right now, house-hunting with a mug of tea in hand. In The Tattered Cover, Ellery Adams brings readers back to the heartwarming, twisty, and quietly powerful world of the Secret, Book, and Scone Society—and this time, a medium drops dead in Nora Pennington’s bookstore. Just another Tuesday in Miracle Springs, right?

Halloween is brewing. Nora is dipping her toe into author events, and her first big guest is psychic memoirist Lara Luz—charismatic, mysterious, and maybe just a little too in tune with the afterlife. When the lights go out during a storm and Lara collapses, dead before finishing her private readings, everyone is quick to blame a bad heart. Everyone except Nora. And when she finds Lara’s coded journal filled with secrets about the reading’s guests—including a mystery author, a suspicious widower, and Deputy Hollowell herself—it’s clear someone had more than candy on their Halloween agenda.

This series has always balanced heart and suspense, but The Tattered Cover sharpens the stakes while still giving us everything we love: strong female friendships, smart sleuthing, emotional depth, and a sprinkle of bibliotherapy. Adams writes like she’s handing you a warm blanket and a cold case, and I devoured this one in a day. The tension between Nora and Hollowell adds some great heat, while Estella’s big life changes bring heartfelt moments that had me misty-eyed between plot twists.

This book feels like autumn in book form. There’s something so satisfying about the way Adams writes the seasonal details—crisp leaves, cinnamon-sugar scones, cozy sweaters, and the kind of storms that rattle both windows and alibis. You can practically smell the pumpkin spice as you turn the page. But it’s not just seasonal charm. There’s emotional depth here. Adams is one of the rare cozy authors who can write about grief, trauma, and growth without making the story heavy. Instead, the weight gives the mystery substance.

Nora’s inner world continues to evolve, and so do her relationships—with her partner, Sheriff Grant McCabe, with her chosen sisters in the Society, and with herself. There’s a quiet power to watching a woman rebuild her life from the ruins of her past, and Nora does it one page at a time. Literally. Her gift for bibliotherapy—prescribing just the right book for just the right emotional wound—isn’t just a gimmick, it’s the beating heart of this series.

The supporting cast shines as always. Sheldon is still the ultimate scene-stealer with his flair for children’s storytime and his unmatched eye for whimsical window displays. Hester’s bakery is still turning out therapeutic carbs by the dozen. June brings calm, Estella brings sass, and together they form one of the most endearing found families in mystery fiction. There’s a baby on the way, a wedding on the horizon, and no shortage of secrets threatening to unravel it all.

As for the mystery? It’s layered and satisfying. The suspects are all delightfully flawed, and the coded journal gives the whole investigation a literary edge I adored. Decoding motives, secrets, and metaphors? Yes, please. And without spoiling anything, I’ll say this: the killer reveal was twisty, emotionally resonant, and genuinely surprising. Adams doesn’t do cheap shocks. She does meaningful revelations, the kind that click into place with a satisfying snap.

Favorite quote? “She knew how poisonous loneliness could be. How it could diminish hope and make even the most tender heart turn bitter.” That’s peak Adams—emotional truth in one clean line. And isn’t that the core of this whole series? Healing doesn’t happen in isolation. It happens when people sit down, tell the truth, listen with kindness, and maybe share a scone.

Whether you’re new to the series or an honorary member of the Society, The Tattered Cover delivers a satisfying mystery, a killer twist, and enough cozy charm to make you wish you could browse Miracle Books in real life. This is comfort reading with claws—warm, wise, and just dark enough to keep your lights on.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
#TheTatteredCover #ElleryAdams #SecretBookAndSconeSociety #CozyMystery #BookstoreMystery #MiracleSprings #Bibliotherapy #NetGalley #KensingtonCozies #FallReads #CozyBookReview #AmateurSleuths #MurderInABookstore

It is a dark and stormy night and Nora will be hosting her first author event. Lara Lutz a Psychic Medium is going to read from her new book. The book is a memoir, as well as doing a handful of private readings.
The event does not exactly go as Nora would like. Especially when during the private readings Lara ends up dying.
Nora is convinced that Lara was murdered, even as some are saying it was her bad heart. When Nora finds Lara’s journal in Miracle Books she comes to the conclusion that Lara was definitely not a very nice person.
Nora, Hester, June and Estella jump into helping with the investigation.
Every visit to Miracle Springs has me wishing it was a real place. I could definitely see myself curled up on a chair in Miracle Books with a mug of tea and a good book.
I have always loved the relationship between the ladies as the characters grow and develop. Love my visits to Miracle Springs getting to spend time with the ladies, Sheldon, Grant and Charlie is a wonderful addition. They have all found a special place in my heart.

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the opportunity to read this book.

This is a great book! I’m a huge fan of Ellery Adams. I’ve read many of her series, including this one. I love how she balances mystery, character development, and a richly crafted world in which her characters and stories live. I would highly recommend this book to any of Ellery Adams’ fans, or fans of (cozy) mysteries.

On a dark and rainy Halloween night Nora Pennington hosts medium Lora Luz to talk about her memoir and do a reading for a small group of ticket holders, including the recently widowed pharmacist, a mystery author, the mother of Nora's newest employee, even Nora's nemesis, Deputy Hollowell. When Lara dies before the readings are finished, some say it was her bad heart. Nora disagrees and believes she was murdered. The Secret, Book and Scone Society crew jumps into the fray to investigate.
Miracle Springs is another of Ellery Adams wonderfully created locations where I would love to live or at least visit. She has a knack for creating inviting small communities that I find enticing. She also has a gift for developing characters who are quirky and flawed yet endearing. Over this eight book series it has been delightful to watch the characters grow as well as their relationships develop and mature. I was delighted to see weddings, babies, understanding of the true character of others and acceptance of self as an integral part of the story.
This series just keeps getting better and better and I eagerly anticipate each new book.
My thanks to NetGalley and Kensington for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book.

Nora is excited to have an author event at her bookstore. The author will do private reading of a select few people. What Nora did not expect is for the author to die in the store under suspicious circumstances. I have loved this whole series for all the small town vibes, a book telling about other books, the book club, and amateur sleuthing as Nora looks for clues. This is a cozy mystery that you get to know all the characters and get updated on what is going on in their lives now.
It just makes you want to visit this fictional town and go to the bookstore and grab a coffee and as one. The author has a gift of bringing all the characters to life and endearing them in your heart.

I love the Secret, Book and Scone Society Novel series. This one did not disappoint me at all. The mystery was top-notch with the little twists and turns. It is very well-written and extremely readable. We also have a wedding and a baby's birth, what more could we want in a book.

I always love anything that starts with 'A dark and rainy night'. The mystery starts at a reading in the book store with a medium that dies during a storm. Nora finds the medium's journal and takes it on looking for clues when she learns that the death was not the result of a heart condition but was murder.

My favorite part of this series is the relationship between the ladies of the society. I can't imagine what it would be like to have all of those fabulous women in my tribe. I love the way they support each other through thick and thin. All I've got to say, is you'll love this book.

There is a lot packed into this book, both good & bad! I do love to see some joy in the group with an upcoming wedding and baby to plan for and some other relationships moving in positive directions. There are definitely several storylines running together in the story with the death of a psychic in the bookstore and the connection to another author doing a book reading. Nora is trying to put all the pieces together while getting used to living with her boyfriend and trying to decide if she wants to move back to her train car home. There are a number of suspects, some tied to the Miracle Springs crew, and some visitors. A second death causes even more chaos and suspicion and Nora is left with nagging thoughts about the perpetrator that cause problems in her own relationships. I really enjoyed this book and its ending.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy.

Number 8 in the series. I think that to get the most out of this one, you should first read a few of the others. <I>The Tattered Cover</I> very much deals with the relationships of the SBSS members, and the history unveiled in earlier books. The "mystery" is almost secondary. I did not think that there was any doubt at all who the "bad guy" was.

Still, an enjoyable visit to the town of Miracle Springs.

<I>Thank you to the author and Netgalley for making this e-ARC available.</I>

I really enjoyed this new cozy series and I love Ellery Adams other cozies so this was no surprise
CAnt wait to read more in the series!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review this book

The latest in Ellery Adams A Secret, Book and Scone Society series is so satisfying. In 'The Tattered Cover' a death occurs in the bookstore when a medium comes to promote her new book. All of the numerous characters play a part in the intricate story of past and present circumstances that have a bearing on the outcomes. It is just wonderful and I don't want to give any clues away, but followers of the series will be as happy as I am about the outcome. Get the entire series, you will be rewarded by doing so.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

The Tattered Cover by Ellery Adams is the eighth book in the Secret, Book, & Scone Society series. I feel each book in this series just gets better with the characters constantly evolving and changing. In this story we have a wedding, a murder, and a baby. There is love, heartbreak, betrayal, friendship, and laughter.

It is Halloween time and Nora Pennington is hosting her second author event in the history of Miracle Books. The season is a perfect time to have medium Lara Luz talk about her memoir and do a small reading at the store. During the reading, the lights go out and Lara complains about her heart, and then dies. It seems a natural death, but Deputy Hollowell is at the reading and treats it as suspicious and takes photos of the scene.

Nora finds Lara’s journal later and concludes that Lara wasn’t a nice person and was probably coercing clients into paying more for readings or maybe even extorting clients. As the gang investigates, the story takes some turns that leave you wondering what is going on. Why did people lie about knowing Lara? You have to feel for Allie and Deputy Hollowell as things are brought to light in this book.

Sheldon and his decorating of the storefront window is one of the best things about this series. I love how he takes story time to new heights each time and the love he has for his job. Charlie has been a terrific addition to the cast of characters in this series. The quotes at the beginning of each chapter are fun and I really appreciate the bibliography at the end of all the books mentioned in the story. I hope that this series has a long life because it is so much fun.

Events from The Little Lost Library come into play in this story and we find out more about Deputy Hollowell and what brought her to Miracle Springs. I can’t say enough good things about this book and the characters in it.

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It's Halloween and Nora is hosting a medium at their first ever author event. Stormy weather adds to the night, when there is a death-or is it murder? Nora can't shake the feeling that something was off, has a very strong feeling as to who is the culprit, and works with her friends to solve the mystery. Not wanting to give away any more info, read the book! Love the characters and the idea of the close knit town and store. Looking forward to more in the series. Many thanks to NetGalley, Ms Adams for all the books and her series, and Kensington Books for publishing. This review is given from an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great read. Had all the elements of a good cozy; fantastic characters, fun mystery, and plenty of plot twists.

Thank you very much to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for an advance copy of The Tattered Cover.
I read it in one day. Ellery Adams has a lovely gift for writing small town cozy mysteries set in a bookstore run by Nora who considers herself a bibliotherapist- someone who can pick out just the right book to move folks forward in their lives.
She and her close friends have a book and scone society where clues and details are shared about local crimes.
I love the local Western North Carolina references and the deep love of books that shines through it.
For this installment, the murder takes place in Nora’s bookstore.
I always love the details about the bookstore’s customers, the talented barista, the great baker who stocks the store’s baked goods with very amusing themed items, etc.
A visiting author dies as she is in the midst of talking to a select few people who bought tickets to an exclusive meeting with her.
Nora is right in the thick of it, and begins to investigate the attendees once it’s determined the author was murdered. It seems that most of the attendees had connections to the deceased that they had not previously disclosed.
Her love interest, the sheriff keeps her informed on the official side of the investigation and she shares her (and her friends’) findings.
The suspicions rise, fall, and swirl like so many autumn leaves in this story set mostly between mid October and December. The friend group also plans a wedding for a beloved salon owner, so there are some side stories mixed into the mystery thread.
I appreciated the deeper explanation of the killer’s motivations. We already suspect something isn’t as it appears, but getting a deeper explanation made it more satisfying.

I hope this review is helpful while being spoiler- free.
I have always enjoyed Adams’ Secret Book and Scone Society mysteries and hope you will too.
The author is also kind enough to list the books recommended as bibliotherapy throughout, so that it’s easy to find them after without having to search.
Thanks again to Ellery Adams, NetGalley, and Kensington Publishing for providing the advance copy.

Another great book! I love coming back to Miracle Springs and visiting the bookstore ☺️. Another wonderful mystery to be solved with all my favorite characters. Definitely a must read.

Nora Pennington, owner of Miracle Books in Miracle Springs, North Carolina, is surprised when an author wants to do a reading and signing at her small bookstore. But urged by her employee and friend Sheldon, she agrees. When that turns out to be successful, she organizes a mixed signing by several authors just before Halloween. Among them is Lara Luz, a psychic who wants to read from her memoir and then has agreed to do special readings for a small number of attendees. Among them are a widower, a nurse, and surprisingly, Deputy Hollowell, a K9 officer who's clashed with Nora from the day she came into town. But, if this is a success as well, Nora will be able to hold more.

Unfortunately, it isn't. The lights go out due to a storm, and Lara is struck down, supposedly from a bad heart. When Nora tries to help, Lara's partner pushes her, and Nora strikes her head and passes out. When she awakens, she discovers that Lara is dead, and she eventually learns that it was murder. Her own partner, Sheriff Grant McCabe, wants her to stay out of it because she received a concussion, but Nora and her friends are curious enough to want to know who murdered her -- Nora is concerned that her reputation will be tarnished by the murder in her store -- so they still do their own investigation. When Nora accidentally finds Lara's personal journal, she sees that the woman kept track of her clients.

But it's more than that. When she starts to decipher Lara's code, something sinister pops up...and it might just be the key to why Lara was killed...

This is the eighth book in the series, and I have loved them all. I have grown fond of the people in Miracle Springs, and have even felt for them and their own secrets and pain. Once you journey to a town in books, if the writer is good enough (and Ms. Adams certain is), you want to return again and again.

This book does not disappoint. I do not want to say too much about it, because I want the reader to enjoy their own travels to Miracle Springs. I will say that finding the murderer isn't easy, and the answers aren't always the ones that come with the clues. The conclusion was definitely surprising; the story was intriguing and even dark at times. But all this added to the suspense and the enjoyment of the tale.

Nora has her own decisions to face; Estella is looking at a new life to come forth; and even Hester may find some changes coming to her. But even the subplots are part of the main plot, and it's pulling you into the story almost from the start. I read this one through in one sitting, which I rarely do. All I can say now is that when you get the chance to read this, do so. You will not be disappointed. Highly recommended.

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.

Another lovely installment of The Secret, Book, and Scone Society. Ellery Adams never fails in her ability to tell a cozy mystery story. Nora, Estella, June, Hester, Sheldon are back super sleuthing after a murder that takes place in Miracle Springs, a little too close to home.

Love the relationship between Nora and McCabe. And the new addition to the Book Club, can’t wait to see how “L” fits in.

Nora may be my spirit animal but Sheldon makes me smile so big!

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy of The Tattered Library.

In the seventh instalment of The Secret, Book, & Scone Society by Ellery Adams, Nora Pennington, Bibliotherapist and owner of Miracle Books, is hosting her first author event: a Psychic Medium named Lara Lutz will be reading from her new memoire and doing a few private sessions with paying guests.

The event has a few hitches, including a power outage, a sick author, and some unexpected guests, and despite Nora trying her best to keep her composure, her intuition is telling her those are the least of her problems for the night. When Lara dies seemingly from heart failure, right in the readers circle, Nora is disappointed to have been proven right.

As always, this series delivers the perfect blend of book references, cozy characters, and delightful treats. I love spending time with the girls - Nora, Hester, Estella, and June - as well as Nora’s partner Grant and her employee Sheldon. I love that over the course of the seven books in the series, I’ve truly been able to picture these characters and they hold such a special spot in my heart.

This book focuses a lot more on the mystery, and the characters (especially Estella who is experiencing some major life milestones) than some of the others in the series. I did find myself missing the miraculous power of Nora’s bibliotherapy, Hester’s comfort scones, Estella’s empowering hair styling, and June’s cozy knitwear. Because of that, I wouldn’t suggest a new reader starting with this book; however, loyal readers of the series will love Nora’s latest adventure!

The Tattered Cover is the eighth book in a wonderful series set in Miracle Springs, NC. If I could I'd move there in a heartbeat. Ellery Adams descriptions of the community are so vivid and heartwarming. I've loved this series from the start and can't say the books keep getting better, they are all good. They are consistently well written mysteries and as the series progresses we have learned more of the backstories of the characters.

The Tattered Cover" by Ellery Adams
This cozy mystery is absolutely wonderful! I loved Nora's story and her friends, Hester and Estella June. Having already read "The Little Lost Library," it was so gratifying to follow Nora's journey again.
The story, set in the beautiful Fall season, is just perfect. Ellery Adams always crafts captivating stories, and I really enjoy her North Carolina settings since I used to live there. Nora's bookstore is a place that gives me so much peace and always brings a smile to my face.
If you're looking for a cozy mystery set in a small town, "The Tattered Cover" is definitely for you. I give it 5 stars without a second thought!