The Whispered Word (Secret, Book & Scone Society)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting – North Carolina
Kensington (November 27, 2018)
Hardcover: 224 pages
ISBN-10: 1496712404
ISBN-13: 978-1496712400
Kindle ASIN: B07B77VBXX
Nora Pennington, owner of Miracle Books, believes that a well-chosen novel can bring healing and hope. But she and the other members of the Secret, Book, and Scone Society know that sometimes, practical help is needed too. Such is the case with the reed-thin girl hiding in the fiction section of Nora’s store, wearing a hospital ID and a patchwork of faded bruises. She calls herself Abilene, and though Nora and her friends offer work, shelter, and a supportive ear, their guest isn’t ready to divulge her secrets. But when a customer is found dead in an assumed suicide, Nora uncovers a connection that points to Abilene as either a suspect—or another target.
Summer’s end has brought other new arrivals to Miracle Springs too. Entrepreneur Griffin Kingsley opens Virtual Genie, a cyber business that unloads people’s unwanted goods for cash. With the town in an economic slump and folks hurting for money, Virtual Genie and its owner are both instantly popular. A patient listener, Griffin dispenses candy to children and strong coffee to adults, and seems like a bona fide gentleman. But Nora’s not inclined to judge a book by its cover. And when a second death hits town, Nora and her intrepid friends must help the new, greenhorn sheriff discern fact from fiction—and stop a killer intent on bringing another victim’s story to a close . . .
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Secret, Book, and Scone Society Members
Nora, the owner of Miracle Books, tries to heal people woes with a unique set of books she personally selects 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”.
June works at the hot springs spa where people come to rejuvenate themselves.
Estella is a beautician who tries to help her clients find their true selves.
Working together they try to help people, like Abilene, a young woman that has found her way to Nora’s shop wearing a dress that is way to big for her, a hospital ID bracelet and visible bruises. The ladies try to take her under their wing by offering a job and finding her a place to stay. Abilene has secrets and she is nowhere close to being reading to share them. Nora has a feeling one of her secrets connects her to a woman found dead from an apparent suicide.
There is also a new business in Miracle Springs. A business that helps customers sell their collectibles and other goods online. The grand opening had people lined up and down the street. The shop seems to be on the up and up but Nora is keeping an eye on the place. She doesn’t have a lot of confidence in the new sheriff, and she has no trouble barging into any of his investigations, especially after another body is found.
As in the first book another victim of an apparent suicide until The Secret, Book, and Scone Society digs deeper. Until my son took his life I never realized how many deaths in mysteries are first categorized as probable suicides. Each time I come across this now in a book I have to pause and tell myself that 99% of the time, that is not the case and to keep reading. I don’t want to spoil anything but the woman did not take her own life. In fact, what unfolds is a well-plotted mystery that tangles around and around and around again before the real culprit becomes clear. And again, like in the first book, the wonderful core characters of The Secret, Book, and Scone Society grow and learn more about themselves in the process.
I love the compassion these women have for almost everyone they meet. People in Miracle Springs are struggling due to the poor economy and immediately they try to do something to help. They have come up with a nice little idea to help some folks a bit. Also, the way they opened their hearts to a complete stranger in Abilene was so telling and heartwarming. These are flawed characters, with their own issues, yet they can set them aside for others in need.
Miracle Springs sounds like a perfect place to visit. A town based on healing the body, soul, and mind. It also a perfect place to set a cozy mystery series because there is always a new batch of people coming to town. Our family’s best vacation ever was to North Carolina, days spent by the ocean had their own healing effect, so I can totally understand why Ms. Adams has chosen this locale for this story and others.
Another great read from this author. It can be read all on its own too!
About the Author
Ellery Adams has written over thirty mystery novels and can’t imagine spending a day away from the keyboard. Ms. Adams, a native New Yorker, has had a lifelong love affair with stories, food, rescue animals, and large bodies of water. When not working on her next novel, she bakes, gardens, spoils her three cats, and spends far too much time on Pinterest. She lives with her husband and two children (aka the Trolls) in Chapel Hill, NC. For more information, please visit www.elleryadamsmysteries.com. Be sure to sign up for her newsletter here.
Follow Ellery Adams on Amazon and find more of her books here.
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
The Secret, Book, and Scone Society members sound interesting and “The Whispered Word” by Ellery Adams sounds amazing. I’d love the opportunity to read it. The cover speaks volumes!
2clowns at arkansas dot net
Thanks for the chance!