Adams' latest Secret, Book and Scone Society mystery is compelling and explores the ways that secrets have a way of twisting people's lives and even putting them in danger. With plenty of well-developed characters and a fantastic location, this was a great read.

The Whispered Word by Ellery Adams is the second in the Secret, Book and Scone Society. It is a story about four women: Nora, Hester, June, and Estella, who live in Miracle Springs, North Carolina. Nora is a book store owns who doubles as the local bibliotherapist; Hester is a baker who owns her own bakery/coffee shop; Estella is a beautician who owns her own salon; and June works at a local spa. They have discovered their friendship through shared, but different life experiences and have given one another strength and support during their friendship. One day Nora discovers a young woman sleeping in her shop and there our story begins.

This is a gently written book with good characters that continue to reveal themselves to the reader. The plot is unexpected and there are plenty of twists and turns and red herrings, all the while dealing with different personal problems. More importantly, the characters show growth. Adams treats real life issues with kindness and understanding and there will be more as this series progresses. I highly recommend The Whispered Word, it ends well.

I received a free ARCC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. #netgalley #thewhisperedword

A strange young woman shows up at Nora's book store, Miracle Books, in Miracle Springs, NC. Abilene clearly needs clothes, a place to live, and a job. Nora and her friends take her under their wing. They know what it's like to have secrets and be alone. When a book store customer is found dead, and then her out-of-town son is murdered, can they be connected to Abilene? Or are the deaths connected to Virtual Genie a new business in town. Nora hooks up with another newcomer in town, an EMT with his own secrets. It also feels like the new sheriff might be a match for her too.

The first book in the series had me hooked from the first chapter and this second one captured my interest from the first few pages. I love this group of ladies and how they are helping each other heal from various life events and it was wonderful to see them extend the same healing to a girl that appears to be running away from something or someone.

Miracle Springs sounds like a magical place that I'd like to be able to visit with Nora at the Bookstore and Hester to try some of her pastries.

As I have come to expect from Ms. Adams, the mystery is well-written with just enough twists and turns that kept me reading .... even after my flight landed. In many ways it is such a 'feel good' book that it seemed perfect for this time of year.

I'm already thinking that it'll will be much too long before the next book in the series is published.

The Whispered Word is the second book in Ellery Adams’ Miracle Springs, North Carolina series. The mystery is well plotted, and the characters are well developed. The four main characters are strong females who are very different, each having suffered personal torments and held those secrets close to their hearts, who have developed a unique bond with each other. There is adult language and an adult scene in this book. Ms. Adams’ writing style pulls readers in and keeps them turning pages until they find themselves at the end of the story and wanting more.

Nora Pennington is the proprietress of Miracle Books in Miracle Springs, North Carolina; her shop is in the old train station, and she lives in a tiny house she named Caboose Cottage. The Secret, Book, and Scone Society was formed by Nora and three other women who each have secrets that brought them together to form a friendship society focused on supporting each other and helping those around them in need. Nora is a bibliotherapist who helps heal customers who need it by suggesting books to read. June Dixon works at a luxury spa where the hot springs are located. Estella Sadler owns a hair salon and works magic on her clients. Hester Winthrop owns a bakery, where everything tastes wonderful and offers healing properties, but comfort scones are her specialty. The members of the Secret, Book, and Scone Society know that people sometimes need help and that is true of Abilene, a young woman with a heartbreaking story, who was found hiding in Nora’s bookstore. Abilene designed a beautiful window display for Nora and baked delicious treats in Hester’s bakery. The group takes her under their wings, offering her work, shelter, and a supportive ear, but she’s reluctant to share her story. The four friends prepared Secret Kindness bags, and as they approach the home of the first recipient, Amanda Frye, they discover her floating in a pond. The new sheriff, Grant McCabe, and Deputy Andrews begin their investigation, and her death is ruled a suicide, but later, it's determined she was murdered. Nora uncovers a connection between Abilene and Amanda. After a second death occurs, Nora and her friends help the sheriff and his deputy find the truth.

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

Anything by Ellery Adams is absolute gold! I love the way she writes her characters and how she twists the mystery!

I love this series and think that it improves with each instalment, this one was the best in the series.
It's not the typical cozy mystery, the characters are not pretty young things but woman who are "damaged" and are healing.
It's like reading a good women's fiction book with a mystery.
There're strong elements like friendship, sufferance and healing and support.
I loved the realistic description of the town that has to face the economic problems, people pawning their heirlooms to survive.
I loved the characters, each of them, even if flaw, damaged or suffering.
I loved the mystery that kept me guessing till the end.
This is one of my favorite cozy series and it met all my expectations even if they were quite high.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Kensington Books and Netgalley for this ARC

The ladies of the Secret, Book, & Scone Society are settling into life in Miracle Springs after the closure of the bank. They are putting together baskets for their less fortunate neighbors, who have lost their jobs and are struggling. But on their first night out they find a body, that of Amanda Frye, one of Nora Pennington's customers at Miracle Books.

The ladies find Amanda floating in a pond near her house. Some think it's a suicide of a woman who had nothing to live for, but Nora and her friends do not. Nora knows things need to be investigated, and she and her friends are very good at finding out secrets.

This is the second book in the Secret, Book, & Scone Society, and it is just as good as the first one. I have to admit though, that the fact the murder victim had my last name was a bit disconcerting at first, but then it made me laugh.

I love the way Ellery Adams weaves a story. She has a way with words that ensnares the readers’ senses and draws them in for a tale that leaves them turning the pages far into the night.

In this second installment, the ladies find a bruised and starving woman hiding in the bookshop. She says her name is Abilene, but Nora knows better. Still, Nora and her friends take the young girl under their wing, and she starts to work at Hester's bakery. But Nora soon begins to think Abilene is somehow involved in Amanda's death.

I love how Ms. Adams wove the bank failure into this book. It made way for entrepreneur Griffin Kingsley to come to town and open Virtual Genie, a cyber business that unloads people’s treasures for cash. But is Kingsley helping residents who are in need of money, or taking advantage of the situation? There is also the arrival of the interim sheriff, Grant McCabe. Will he be willing to accept Nora's help in solving the mystery? And, there is the relationship growing between Nora and paramedic Jed Craig. I loved watching the two of them interact.

One of my favorite parts of this series is the fact that the characters are flawed and realistic. They don't see things through rose-colored glasses, but they work to support each other, even if they don't always see eye-to-eye. They have relationships that I can relate to, and it makes me feel for the characters even more.

The book quotes that Ms. Adams uses to open each chapter are thought-provoking and perfectly selected. They weave into the story seamlessly and provide great insight into the characters and the storyline.

All in all there is nothing I don't like about this series. Impeccably-drawn characters, a tight mystery, and hours of reading enjoyment. What's not to love?

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

I LOVE this series ! This is a delight for all book lovers. . I have loved the first in series and this book I highly recommend. This is a series every book lover will appreciate and hold close to your heart after the last page is read. It is a richly described complex story of secrets, starting over in life and solving spectacular mysteries while. surrounded by book recommendations and the most adorable bookstore I have every read . The author has so many book recommendations that my "To Be Read" list grows considerably with each book in the series.. This is the second A Secret, Book and Scone Society book in the series.
You are definitely going to want to read the first which serves as a fabulous introduction to Nora and friends. There is so much to love here in the telling of the story and of the wonderful group of women friends that the author has created.
In this next in series Nora and friends are helping a emaciated frightened young woman who turns up in a hospital gown and is afraid to talk. Nora lets her stay in the bookstore overnight and she creates a fabulous window display for the bookshop showing Nora that she has a command of books and is very bright. She only speaks when she talks of her love for books which Nora can relate to as Nora was once as shy due to her background and is a bibliophile herself . As she feels for her and turns to her friends to discuss how to help this girl. they decide to do all they can . She decides to let the girl stay with her and they find her clothes and a job at the bakery.
A mystery deepens when one of Nora's customer's is killed and Nora soon figures out that her death is tied to the young girl somehow. Soon Nora is putting together her background but offends the girl when she pushes her to talk and the girl moves out . In the meantime a new store in town that is buying belongings for cash is proving popular but has Nora's suspicious from the beginning as to the owners and their possible ties to past crimes and suspicious business practices. Soon Nora finds clues that tie the new business, the death and the young lady together and finds herself in danger. The mysteries in this book are multi layered and beautifully written with such outstanding plot twists I was unable to guess the suspect or the ending !

The Whispered Word is the definitive cozy mystery series . The author has such rich details here that you will be rendered unable to put the book down until the last page is done. I like the protagonist Nora who has started over in life after life changing events and created the well loved bookstore Miracle Books. She lives in a tiny home near the bookstore made from a train caboose and I love the descriptions of both the enchanting bookstore and the tiny home. She has a gift of helping people through books and has found her place in life. I was pleased to see that Nora has a romantic interest and it was perfectly woven to the store but not a main part of the plot which was just right . I have the feeling this is not the right person for Nora but it was a nice addition to the story.
This is the perfect read with a charming setting, book recommendations and a wonderful multi-layered sleuth to enjoy. All of the charcters are people I want to be friends with and integral to the story with fascinating stories of their background and friendships with each other . I especially like that the group creates "blessing bags' with gifts for people and leaves them at people's door as a surprise. They are generous, kind and very protective of one another as we find in this next in series. I look forward to the next in series. Thank you to the author, Net Galley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book with gratitude. It was a fabulous reading experience !
My personal opinions are my own..

In Miracle Springs, North Carolina, the members of the Secret, Book and Scone Society find a frightened young woman hiding in the fiction section of Nora Pennington's bookstore. She calls herself Abilene Tyler but she is not ready to divulge her past. Nora and her friends offer work at Hester's bakery, shelter at Nora's home and support. When Nora's customer Amanda Frye is found dead in the pond outside her home, the police think it is a suicide. But then Nora uncovers a connection to Amanda that points to Abilene as either a killer, or the next target. Meanwhile, newcomer Griffin Kingsley has opened Virtual Genie, a business that unloads people’s unwanted goods for cash which is greatly needed in a town and people hurting for money. When a second death occurs, Nora and her friends must help the new hire Sheriff McCabe to stop a killer.

This was another entertaining read in the Secret, Book and Scone Society series. I received an eARC via Netgalley and Kensington Books no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.

I don't know how I felt about this book. It's the second in the series and while many have said it can be read as a standalone, having only read the second, I would say I need to go back and read the first. That said, I also don't know that this will be a favorite series of mine by the author. SHe's wonderfully descriptive, the story engaging, I just don't know that I cared for the women of the society. They felt superficial, bitter, and angry.

Worth picking up and judging for yourself though, clearly I'm in the minority.

Thank you Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2603328433

The Whispered Word by Ellery Adams is the second A Secret, Book and Scone Society Novel. Nora Pennington owns Miracle Books in Miracle Springs, North Carolina. A thin young woman with a hospital bracelet on her wrist, bruises on her body and in ill-fitting clothes was found hiding in the store after closing, and she later falls asleep on a mound of bubble wrap in the back room. Abilene (doubt it is her real name) is keeping her secrets to herself. Nora, Hester, Estella and June offer Abilene a place to live, work and assure her that they are willing to listen. The four women are making and delivering kindness tote bags to those in need and their first stop is Amanda Frye. Unfortunately, Amanda is no longer in need because they find her floating in the algae filled pond near her home. It appears to be a suicide, but Nora has her doubts. Virtual Genie is the new shop in town run by Griffin Kinsley and his associate, Tamara Beacham. They buy peoples belongings for cash which is just what some people need during the current economic downturn. When rumors begin to circulate about Virtual Genie, Nora finds herself looking into their business practices. Nora soon finds clues that link her three mysteries. Nora needs Abilene to open up so she can fill in the missing blanks. When a second person is found dead, Nora and her friends must work quickly to identify the killer before he strikes again.

The Whispered Word can be read as a standalone if you have not picked up The Secret, Book and Scone Society. Everything a reader needs to know about Nora and her friends is included (but you are missing out on a good cozy mystery). I thought The Whispered Word was well-written. My attention was captured right away and was held throughout the book. The pacing is gentle as the story unfolds and picks up near the ends. The story is rich in details that allowed me to visualize the scenes. I like Nora who operates Miracle Books in an old train station and lives in a tiny home constructed from a train caboose. I like how the four women have grown since The Secret, Book and Scone Society. They have shared their secrets and it has drawn them closer together. Their friendship will be tested, though, in The Whispered Word when Nora pressures Abilene for answers and one of the ladies feels protective. The mystery is complex and multilayered. It is woven masterfully throughout the story with twists that will surprise readers (I always love a good twist). I like how Nora’s one finger tingles at just the right moment. The Whispered Word is not a light cozy mystery. It deals with some disturbing issues, but the author addresses them carefully and respectfully. I was surprised at how Nora approached Abilene with her questions. Knowing that Abilene has suffered, I thought she could have handled it differently (a gentler approach). There is also some foul language. Nora’s romance with Jedediah Craig is progressing nicely. He cares for her and wants to protect her. While I do not feel that Jedediah is the right man for Nora, it is a step forward for her. I would like to see Nora end up with Sheriff Grant McCabe. I am giving The Whispered Word 4 out of 5 stars (I liked it). The Whispered Word contains humor, romance, secrets, good characters, a charming small town, mysteries, book recommendations, and delectable baked goods.

This book is part of a series, the "Secret, Book, and Scone Society." I really enjoyed the first book in the series that described how four very different women became friends as they gradually shared their deepest secrets. In this second book of the series, the group is focused on helping a troubled young woman who appears in the bookstore. Shortly afterward, a woman no one liked is found murdered and the group tries to find her killer. The two stories eventually weave together.
I was anxious to see how this series would develop, and I think this new book shows how this "society" will be sustained with the women reaching out to help those who've lost their jobs or who've had other emotional stresses. There's some mystery, some romance, and a little humor in this new book, and it was a good read!

Another excellent edition to a wonderful series! Full of twists and turns that leaves you wanting more and enjoying each moment until the end when the killer is caught.

This series has become one of my must reads. I loved the first, The Secret, Book and Scone Society and, sometimes one wonders if the next book will be as good. Oh, yes, this one is as good. Nora and the three other women in the secret, book and scone society are going strong. This time they take a young girl into their circle and try to help her find her way. Her name, she has decided, is to be Abilene, and she holds her secrets close. With the help of Nora, Estella, Hester and June (all carrying their own secrets) Abilene has a chance at a new life.
Nora and her friends decide to create and deliver "comfort bags" to various local residents who have fallen on hard times since they lost their jobs and the end of the previous mystery. The bags contain knitted sox, bread, etc. like a comforting hug. While delivering one to a rather prickly customer of Nora's book store, Miracle Books, they find her drowned in the pond in her back yard. The first thought is suicide. Nora sees evidence in the woman's house that leads her to believe it was murder. Not long after, the woman's estranged son arrives and tries to steal from his mother's estate. She left her prized book collection to someone else and her son is none to pleased.
Another event runs in tandem with the death when a new business opens up called Virtual Genie, offering cash for valuables that they will sell on line. Since the financial hit has affected so many residents and money is tight, they have a willing clientele. Nora wants to make sure they are on the up and up and does a bit of investigating. Jed, her new love, is one of those having financial troubles and he has taken an item to Virtual Genie to sell. What do all of these threads have in common? As Nora is a book seller and the first clue to a possible homicide is a book collection and Nora was acquainted with the deceased, the police ask for her help. Well, one thing leads to another.....
It's nice to find a well crafted mystery series that has such depth. It's a women's story, it's an inspirational story, it's a bit of a love story, it's a search for ones self and so much more. They all come together seamlessly and I can't wait for book #3.

4.5 stars.

The Whispered Word is a cross between cozy mystery and inspirational women’s fiction in the best possible way. The shining success of the book is its amazing characters - Adams is really good at creating rich, round characters who draw a reader into their souls. I really want to be friends with these four women. There are also many excellent book references and the nuance to make a person want to read all of them.

Given the genre, the danger of mush is ever-present, but this episode in the series manages to avoid becoming over-the-top sentimental almost all of the time. There is perhaps a tiny bit of plot manipulation at the end. Nevertheless, It makes me sad that this is the newest one and I have to wait now for another.

I loved this book and was so excited to get this book early (even just a little bit early :) ). I read all kinds of books and love cozy mysterys. I think that Adams rides the line between cozy and thriller well. You feel the tension, the urgency, the danger for the characters, but won’t wake up in a cold sweat worries about yourself or others. I also think the plot twists are not predictable. I also enjoy that the characters grow and develop in the second book in the series. I love that her characters are far from perfect and though there is a happy ending her characters are not automatically over all of their issues by the end of the book. I am so glad she has started another series!!!

The Whispered Word is a very good murder mystery. I enjoyed the plot and the setting. I anticipate reading more books in this series. My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for for my digital arc this is my unbiased review.

Another good, solid mystery from Ellery Adams. It’s a little darker than her other series, but a very good read with believable characters and an involving mystery.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This has got to be one of the best cozy series that I have ever read, hands down. I have a hard time with it even being classified as a cozy because it just doesn't feel like your typical cozy - the real life element of it, the non-snoopiness of the 4 main characters, the love and compassion that is shown - so many aspects of this make it so different than your average cozy mystery.

Nora, Hester, June and Estella are just fantastic characters; I love them all - for their quirkiness, for their gifts, for their love and compassion and for their willingness to share the secrets that still form who they are at their very cores in a time when sharing such things usually results in being stabbed in the back worse than you first were. Their willingness to continue to trust each other and build on that friendship is so fantastic and at times made me very sad, which seems like a crazy emotion right? Makes me sad that this cannot happen more in real life. I have 1 friend I trust beyond words and several friends that I truly enjoy, but to have three friends who will do anything for you? That is a rare gift indeed and if you have that, make sure you do everything in your power to not lose it. It is so precious.

This story centers around a young girl who finds refuge in Nora's bookstore and the becomes an assistant to Hester while she [clearly] heals from whatever trauma she is running from. As the women shelter her and work with her and as her secrets start to come out, it will take all four of the women and their gifts to get through all that happens. Throw in several murders and some very unsavory people and you have an excellent story. A very excellent story.

I will tell you to be prepared to have strong emotions while reading this; I cried a lot. I felt these people's pain. I commiserated with their issues. I felt what they were feeling because I have dealt with some of these very things in my own life. And the quotes at the beginning of each chapter alone were enough to often bring me to tears. This is a very real book and I had serious tears and book hangover at the end. You will not be sorry if you take the time to read this; I promise you that.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for a chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.