“Entertaining…packed with mystery, romance, and sisterhood.” —Kirkus Reviews New York Times bestselling author Ellery Adams is back with the latest in her acclaimed Secret, Book, and Scone Society series. Local bookstore owner Nora Pennington is back on the case in Miracle Springs, North Carolina when an accidental death turns out to be something much more sinister… something much more sinister…
Nora Pennington is known for her window displays, and as Halloween approaches, she decides to showcase fictional heroines like Roald Dahl’s Matilda and Madeline Miller’s Circe. A family-values group disapproves of the magical themes, though, and wastes no time launching a modern-day witch hunt. Suddenly, former friends and customers are targeting not only Nora and Miracle Books, but a new shopkeeper, Celeste, who’s been selling CBD oil products.
Nora and her friends in the Secret, Book, and Scone Society are doing their best to put an end to the strife—but then someone puts an end to a life. 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.
The only hope is that Nora can be a heroine herself and lead the Secret, Book, and Scone Society in a successful investigation—before more bodies turn up and the secrets from Celeste’s past come back to haunt them all . . .
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I love this series. It’s one of my favorites and one of a few that I’m caught up with. I adore the characters and book references and the setting. It’s not a traditional cozy. Cozy with an edge. Can’t wait for more.
#InkAndShadows review:
Although this is a standalone, it does make it seem as though we already know everyone, even though they reintroduce them. There are numerous book references: titles, authors, quotes, etc. Although some parts seemed a little like excessive information, there were also some really touching moments.
Adams writing shows that hate comes in all forms and it’s not always who the media portrays. Prejudice is on all sides.
It was a slow start but picked up after the murder.
One of my favorite quotes in the book is actually from a side character, “Looks like neither of us got our Mr. Darcy. Good thing we can have as many book boyfriends as we want. We can have a whole harem.” Yep…real life.
After a short while of intrigue, it slowed down again. Bummer. I tend to put books down and pick up others when that happens.
On the bright side, there are areas where the author makes you rethink things and look at things in different perspectives.
One thing that irritated me was that the main character, Nora, doesn’t tell the sheriff everything that happens when she needs to give statements, then later needs to contact him to let him know. I find that highly annoying, especially because its pertinent information and I don’t understand why she would not have included them in the first place. This happens multiple times. Nora acts like it was just something she didn’t need to share until she felt it was important. That’s not how it works; all information needs to be given! Ugh! Quite frustrating!!
When I finally finished it, I really liked the ending. It had a theme throughout of second chances. I would definitely recommend this book to cozy mystery lovers. As a matter of fact, I’m getting my mom to read it next!
Some of my other favorite quotes in the book:
“We have books as our companions.” Nora Pennington, page 178
“By pouring yourself out, you can be filled up.” Nora, pg. 196
“Being together made the hard things easier to bear.” Pg. 217
#BetweenTheChapters!
Ink and Shadows by Ellery Adams is the 4th A Secret, Book, and Scone Society Novel. This is my favorite book in the series. It contains developed characters that are realistic. Nora came to Miracle Springs, North Carlina for a fresh start after she was severely burned. Nora has a knack for picking out the books that people need at that moment in time. I enjoy the paranormal element with Nora’s pinkie finger tingling when something is amiss. Sheldon Vega is a favorite of mine. He is a kind, creative man who suffers from chronic pain. Ellery Adams manages to convey how chronic pain affects his life (and how painful it can be). I like how understanding Nora is of Sheldon’s pain and that he cannot always make it to work. The whodunit was interesting with some unique elements. It is one that plays out which disappointed me (I love solving the crimes in the book before the reveal). It is a complex mystery that touches on some dark topics (grimoires, dark magic, cults). This book would be great to read during the month of October (it will get you in the mood for Halloween). I love the book references sprinkled throughout the story. I especially loved that my favorite childhood series was mentioned (other girls wanted to be Nancy Drew, I wanted to be Cherry Ames). I especially liked the window displays that Nora and Sheldon created. They are magical and unique. While I know the Women of Lasting Values is fictional, there are (unfortunately) groups like it in the real world who object to books for one reason or another. I like how this issue was addressed in the story. I did object to the foul language in the story. There is only a small amount, but I would rather it not be included. Nora and Jed have some romantic issues. I am not a fan of the Nora and Jed pairing. I would love to see Nora end up with Sheriff McGabe. I liked how close Nora and Grant became in this book (I am keeping my fingers crossed that they will become a couple). We did get to learn more about Nora’s past and meet an old friend. She was a great addition. Ink and Shadows can be read as a standalone if you have not indulged in the other books in this intriguing cozy mystery series. Ink and Shadows is a clever cozy mystery with dazzling displays, bonanza of books, a disturbing death, a controlling collective, a pagan page, and fine friends.
Ink and Shadows is the fourth book in the Secret, Book & Scone Society by the talented Ellery Adams. This series hooked me from the very first book and Ms. Adams keeps drawing me back to these characters. At the heart of this series are the friendships, sisterhood, and bonds that these four women share and continue to strengthen. Ms. Adams invites the reader in to share in their joys, sorrows, laughter, worries, and tears. Each woman is flawed and imperfect, but together they lift each other up in friendship and help one another through their journey. Each one has their special talent and they lean on each other through each mystery until it’s solved.
The mystery in this book is a bit darker than in previous books with a hint of the occult and the tragic murder of a mother and daughter, who were new to Miracle Springs. The suspects were few as we didn’t get to know the victims long enough to know their history but the reader is not surprised when the killer is revealed.
Ms. Adams is a talented author whose words and stories always entertain. I’ll be looking forward to the next book in the series.
I voluntarily read a digital advanced review copy provided to me by the publisher through Netgalley. The thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
This is such an interest in series. Nora and her friends get involved in investigating the murder of the new wellness shop’s owner’s daughter. When the shop owner is also murdered, they now have another murder to investigate. Nora is also troubled by a group of women protesting her bookstore for the display of books she has about magical women. I love the town of Miracle Springs. It sounds so enchanting. I would love to visit and have Nora pick out the perfect book for me, Hester bake me a comfort scone, Estella work her magic on me at her salon and spa, and June knit me a cozy pair of socks. I love the friendship between these women and how they support each other.
Excellent cozy mystery. Excellent narration. Very entertaining and engaging. Loved it!
I absolutely loved this book, the fourth in the Secret, Book, and Scone Society! I have read every one with great anticipation, and I think they just keep getting better and better.
This story is about Nora Pennington, owner of Miracle Books in Miracle Springs, North Carolina and her friends, that make up the Secret, Book and Scone Society. These characters are near and dear to my heart. Everyone has a little something magical about them. Nora is known for her amazing window displays, but her Halloween display, focusing on strong women brings about the ire of a local “morality” group spearheaded by the new -t0 -town pastor’s wife. Determined not to let the group bring her down, Nora and her friends come together to overcome it.
Then , Nora finds a dead body by her home, someone she had invited if they ever needed help. A mysterious paper with unusual writing shows up at the shop, and another murder happens in town.
I enjoy the way the author really pulls you in to Miracle Falls and makes the characters seem real. None of them are perfect, they all have their secrets and histories.
I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in a great cozy mystery series.
I received an advance copy of this book from #NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for my honest review.
Well written Cozy Mystery, with imagination, depth of character and story line… A good read… I have read all of Ellery Adams books in the series.. and this is the best..Ellery Adams was in her groove… I love her little book store…
Ink and Shadows by Ellery Adams brings a fresh setting and engaging characters to this southern cozy mystery. An independent book store, Miracle Books, is owned by Nora Pennington. She’s known for her window displays and her ability to match customers with the perfect book. As Halloween approaches, she decides to showcase fictional heroines. A family values group disapproves of her choices and when she won’t remove the display, they target her business as well as a couple of other local businesses.
Nora and her friends in the Secret, Book, and Scone Society book club try to end the discord, but soon Nora finds a dead body. Was it an accident, murder or suicide? Does it relate to the protests or is something else happening in the small town of Miracle Springs, North Carolina? Of course, Nora and her friends investigate.
Nora, as well as several of the other characters, are well developed, flawed, and complex. There’s also a lot of chemistry between Nora and Jed and between Nora and Sheriff Grant McCabe. However, romance is a very minor part of the story. The secondary characters provide additional interest and conflict.
Secrets, misunderstandings, difficult pasts, greed, family, friendship, tragedy, romance, and humor keep the story moving at a good clip. This novel isn’t super twisty, but had a few surprises along the way. A lot of loose ends were tied up at the end, but the reader has no clues to a couple of them other than through the reveal. I would have preferred some clues along the way. I enjoyed all of the literary references. How many of the books mentioned have you read? Additionally, the novel contains a list of books mentioned in the novel.
Overall, the novel was engrossing and entertaining. Each chapter starts with a quote. Which will be your favorite? This is the fourth book in the Secret, Book, and Scone Society Novel series and I am looking forward to reading the next one. However, I also want to go back and read the first three novels in the series.
I received a physical copy of this book from Kensington Books and the author in a Goodreads Giveaway. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date was January 26, 2021.
Love this series and book. This series has a little more depth snd darkness uncommon to cozies, but the overall story and characters are wonderful.
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.
“This is how Nora Pennington planned to make the world a better place. Book by beautiful book.”
And this is how Ellery Adams makes the world a better place as well. I have just spent a lovely few days reading the latest in this series and, IMHO, it is the best in the series so far. Nora’s friend Bea keeps telling her we have to keep walkin’ our walk, and this time it brings Nora into another round of loss, death and sadness on top of which is a rousing mystery you’ll love. I’m very glad our library had this copy. Some day, I will get the whole series for myself. Highly Recommended 5/5
I loved this book. This series always has an interesting story. The characters become your best friends. Someone you can count on. Their back stories are so real. Plus the small town in the Carolinas where this bookstore is located makes me want to live there. It’s so real. So cozy. So comfy.
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. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher and I’m voluntarily providing an 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.
Nora Pennington owns Miracle Books, a bookstore in the small town of Miracle Springs, North Carolina, and is known for her window displays. When a group who says they’re out to increase family values takes offense at Nora’s display, they launch a campaign against her store as well as a couple others in town including a new CBD store run by newcomer, Celeste. The strife caused by this group isn’t all that’s going wrong as there are two suspicious deaths that Nora gets involved in.
I’ve really enjoyed this series and this book was also a fantastic read. I was pulled into this well-written book from the beginning and kept hooked until the end. The mystery will keep you guessing and you’ll be on the edge of your seat throughout the book. There were a couple things I disagreed with and some errors/typos that distracted from the story for me but the overall read was a great one and a I look forward to the next book. I highly recommend both book and series which I suggest you read in order.
I am normally not much of a fan of cozy mysteries, but Ellery Adams has converted me. This is book four in the series, but I think that it really doesn’t matter if you haven’t read the first three is the series. Nora is owner of Miracle Books. She lives and breathes books! Her life is good, great town, wonderful friends, loving boyfriend but things go crazy after she finds, newly moved into town a murdered young woman behind her shop. Then she finds the mother of the deceased also dying, in her arms. The plot thickens and Nora needs to find closure by solving The Who done it!
I am voluntarily posting an honest review after reading an Advance Reader Copy of this story.
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.
Ink and Shadows
Book Four in the A Secret, Book and Scone Society Series
Summary
The first sign something is amiss at Nora Pennington’s home this night is tingling where part of her pinkie should be. The second is the piece of paper someone has placed under the welcome mat. The paper appears to be old. It is covered with symbols written in black ink. A spiral is drawn in the middle. On one side of the spiral is robed figure holding a bowl; on the other side, a second robed figure holding a snake. Spooked, Nora scans her yard and spots a shadowy shape in her grass. Inside of her home, Nora grabs a light and a knife. The knife she sticks in the waistband of her jeans so she can carry her phone in one hand and the flashlight in the other. The flashlight beam reveals the body of a young woman Nora met not long ago. Further investigation reveals that tattoos on the body are like those written on the paper Nora found under her doormat.
As Nora finds out more about the young woman and her mother-another shop owner just moved to town-mysteries deepen and another body is found. Nora must find out the identity of the murderer before he or she strikes again.
Recommendation
I have mixed reactions about this book. The mystery itself was difficult to solve, and that is a good thing. I’m still trying to make up my mind about some of the characters. But overall, I think this is a well-written book with some characters that rub me the wrong way. Probably because they remind me of people and situations I’ve experienced, but not so much I’m put off from reading more in this series.
Never incountered an Ellery Adams book I didn’t love!