I actually read this book at Halloween time and it was perfect timing. It\"s amazing how something so simple as a book to display can enrage a group of people bent on expressing their point of view and not allowing anyone else theirs. In greater oddity for timing, I had conversations with my 13-year-old about that same subject while reading the book, as we were discussing civil rights as part of her modern history class!t

But the book is a perfect tale of small town life and how things can get out of hand very quickly by false information being spread around, and buy secrets and false appearances being kept. This is a quick read and quite enjoyable, and I will definitely be going back and reading the rest of the books in the series!

Excellent book. The plot was serious and intriguing. The characters were full and alive. You could feel their emotions. Nora, the main character is relatable and enchanting. I was captivated by this book and could not figure out the mystery until it was explained. I stayed up late reading the ending, which was satisfying. I cannot wait for the next book.

I think this was my favorite in this series so far. The characters are interesting and I have become quite vested in what is going on in their lives. I love the small town, the bookstore and the mysteries are interesting. I love the book therapy titles given.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest revew.

Ink and Shadows by Ellery Adams is set in the small town of Miracle Springs and it features an amazing bookstore run by our amatuer slueth Nora. The book starts with Nora planning her "Woman of power" October store windows and welcoming a new business run by a mysterious mother and daughter.
A local "morality" group in town not only has issue with the new shop owners CBD products, but also Nora's witchy windows and they are getting boycotted.
Then Nora finds a body outside her house and things turn even more dangerous.

I found this book was a little more dark and serious then the typical cozy. It definitely looked at more complex issues. I loved the relationship between Nora and her friends and I enjoyed this book

Books about bookstores, displays and friendship always capture my eye! Ellery Adams doesn't disappoint with this one in the Secret Books and Scones series. Nora and friends have come up with a wonderful display for her bookstore window, BUT not everyone in town is a fan. Nora's store is targeted along with 2 other small businesses in town, and then someone is murdered. Nasty, hurtful events don't sit well with Nora, she is determined to make them stop!

Nora Pennington came to Miracle Springs with plenty of secrets, so she doesn't hold it against newcomers who do the same. When those secrets lead to murder -- and personal danger for Nora -- it's another story.

There is a lot going on in this book: chronic pain, adult food allergies, CBD oil, cults, evangelical Christian objections to Wicca, empowerment of women, teen angst... It's on the verge of interfering with the story. However, Nora's sincere love of books and her quirky band of supportive friends make for an entertaining read.

The story is well written, too, with passages worth reading twice to savor the language.

I hope that future books may focus in on some of the interesting issues introduced in this book, exploring them more closely instead of just packing in references.

The Secret, Book and Scone Society is back. In Ink and Shadows the ladies welcome a new shop owner, Celeste, and her daughter, Bren, to Miracle Springs. It is clear to all that Celeste and Bren have brought secrets of their own to town. As protests and a dark sense of foreboding overtake the town, Nora returns home for the night to find Bren's body. Can Nora, the Sheriff and the Society find out who murdered Bren before the murderer strikes again. Are evil forces really at work in Miracle Springs? I love this series not only for the wonderfully crafted mystery that keeps me guessing until the end but because of the tightly woven Secret, Book and Scone Society who always leave me feeling uplifted and as if I have received a hug from a dear friend. I highly recommend Ink and Shadows to all readers because there is so much more to this series than mysteries. I anxiously await the next installment.

By the end of the book, I was wondering if Ellery Adams was trying to reach a bit too far by tossing in triggers to grab attention and then trying to tie them all up with a neat bow to let the reader know that all is right and fair in Miracle Springs, North Carolina. Unfortunately, that bow didn’t sit well with me since it didn’t quite encompass the off behavior of the pastor’s wife, and I felt that part of the story just died with no conclusion.

Nora Pennington, the owner of Miracle Books, is contemplating a new window display when she decides to center on strong heroines. After a confrontation at the store, a local women’s group takes offense and starts a campaign to besmirch the shops in town that don’t live up to their definition of family values. With the crusade in full swing, new business owner Celeste is feeling the brunt since she is a bit too new-age for the pearl clenching crowd.

Nora is the overprotective type, and when pages of an old book appear on her doorstep, followed by a body behind her house, Nora can’t help but get involved. Unfortunately, this won’t be the only body found that will have the people of Miracle Springs talking. Both she and the local police need answers, yet Nora was unprepared when an old friend knocks on her door - a friend that knew her from before.

Ellery Adams does try to tie up all the loose ends – there are just too many. There is a great deal thrown at the reader in the last few pages, but if you have been following along, most of it rings true. There is an out of the blue confession that doesn’t make sense since nothing alluded to it during the previous three hundred pages, so I don’t know how that will sit with readers. Overall, the book is a well-intended continuation of the series -- I just would have preferred more cohesiveness.

I enjoyed the premise of Ink and Shadows by Ellery Adams, and I liked reading the information about healing and herbal remedies. I've read other books by Ellery Adams, and I really like the characters in this series.

If you like cozy mysteries, you will like this series. It's set in a very quaint and pretty town, and the main character is a bookstore owner, which is a plus.

Adams is a good writer that pulls readers into the story and setting.

#InkandShadows #NetGalley

Another wonderful, amazing story from the magical pen of Author Ellery Adams. This series has the greatest characters who are full of warmth and compassion and make every story have a happy ending. This story is centered around Nora Pennington and her bookshop, Miracle Books. Nora has the ability to match people to the books they need to read that will be therapeutic for them. Nora’s gathered a small group of phenomenal friends around her who also have special gifts they can administer to help others in need—whether it’s mental or physical needs.

This story is a bit darker than previous ones as a cult and dark magic are part of the fear tactics in the plot. I felt like I had an idea of who the murderer was but couldn’t be sure until the ending.

I always love the book references Nora applies to the refreshments she serves customers in the bookstore. I was moved when her old friend, Bobbie sought her out and immediately began to help with the crime investigation. The plot is really clever and interesting. I was practically cheering when the gang trapped the heartless killer! Bravo!

I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Kensington Publishing. All opinions are my own. Thank you.

Like fine wine, this series gets better and better. The author knows how to pull this reader into her realm of wonderment with an eclectic cast of characters, engaging dialogue and an intriguing and robust story line that had me completely immersed in all aspects. This was a well-executed mystery with a comfortable tone and enough mayhem that created a satisfying whodunit where the newcomers and morality values took center stage in the telling of this tale. The drama begins when Nora and SBSS members start investigating and each clue leads us closer to the killer’s identity and the motive. There were a few twists and turns that enhanced how well this story was being told. What I like most about this series is the camaraderie between the women and how it makes me feel at the conclusion of each story. This is another great book in this heart-warming and endearing series.

This was a well written cosy, murder mystery. I found the storyline just a little sad, but quite compelling and certainly wanted to follow it through all the way to the end.

This is the first of this series that I have read and it stood alone very well, I will definitely keep an eye out for more in the series as they are a likeable, caring and supportive group of ladies in a caring community. I loved the diversity of the group and the acknowledgement of the unique contribution of each. The characters are all written and relatable.

I must admit to being a little unsure about the love interest at this time. I think I may be biased in a different direction.

My thanks to #Netgalley, the author and Kensington Books for my advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I find these stories about a sisterhood in Miracle Springs pure magic. Despite their own personal tragedies and issues each woman has a unique healing skill she employs to help others. Bookshop owner Nora welcomes a new mother/daughter business to town. Their business is soon targeted by a local women's group as "unhealthy," as is Nora's and one other's. The situation escalates as it becomes obvious something is wrong with the daughter and her mother is keeping secrets. Nora and friends use all their resources to try to help even when tragedy strikes.

Each time I visit Nora and her friends in their NC community, I feel like I'm home. This series is so soothing and relaxing. Although the story involved hate, murder, sadness, and loss, it's the emphasis on books and their healing power that is the main attraction. Adams just gets it when it comes to bibliophiles love of books. She exudes that in this series. The last paragraph of the book enscspulates it when Nora is savoring the anticipation of a new book waiting for her. I was waiting to see if anything developed between McCabe and Nora. Sheldon is quickly becoming my favorite as he stole quite a few scenes in the book. Visit this series and you'll be hungry for more.

My first entry into the series and an amazing introduction to Nora Pennington and her shop, Miracle Books, in Miracle Springs, North Carolina.

Protagonist Nora is part of the Secret, Book, and Scone Society—her friends contributing to investigations. Nora runs a themed showcase window but this year her powerful women display runs amok of a group of ladies who decide the books pose a dangerous theme for young, impressionable minds.

In the meantime, a new shopkeeper has popped up, selling CBD oil products along with natural remedies, scents, soaps, and gift baskets. It is her daughter that raises a number of red flags and finding a private moment with the girl offers her help. It isn’t long before the girl is found deceased in Nora’s backyard.

The support characters in this book add such a dimension to the narrative you want to meet her staff and share book nights. Later in the book, an old college roommate comes back into her life and wouldn’t we all have loved to known anyone like Bobbie!

Surely there is a category level above cozy (intellectual cozy?) that includes the emotion, experience, and gravitas imparted in these pages. From beautiful prose to too many quotables to list here, and in between, the subtle investigation, the gentle gleaning of leads that weaves in and between the lives of the characters.

An unusual cozy mystery in that the victim(s) are not hateful people who generated lots of suspects. The antagonist is only gradually prodded out after one of few red herrings. Unusual number of references to particular names or events only an older generation might recognize (you better be quick to catch) and an interesting tidbit of information regarding CBD oil—a COA—Certificate of Analysis.

The novel served quite well as a fascinating standalone for me and opened a whole new realm of cozy as well. Highly recommended.

Fourth installment in this consistently 5 star series. Beyond the prerequisite well-plotted and entertaining mystery, the series delves into two themes. First, the is the power of books to heal and open doors to new worlds and experiences. Second, is the power of friendship and caring to ease one's path through troubles and to celebrate the joys of life. While the Secret, Book, & Scone Society is a group of strong, independent, but slightly damaged women, the friendship of several male characters, especially Sheldon and the sheriff, is pivotal to the story.

Nora Pennington has remade a life for herself in Miracle Springs, North Carolina, and her bookshop has become vital to the town itself. After a group of "right-minded" women attack her store, plus those stores belonging to other strong and intelligent women, as being evil and supporters of Satanism. Discovering the body of a young woman practically on her doorstep, leads Nora and her friends down a dangerous road as she tries to solve of the death while working to save their businesses.

Highly recommended!

The Secret, Book, and Scone Society in Miracle Springs, North Carolina is welcoming a new shopkeeper but things aren't going smoothly. Celeste, the new shopkeeper sells CBD oil which is not popular among all the residents in Miracle Springs so when Nora Pennington's Book store puts up a new window display emphasizing the magic of books, activities get a bit dicey and Celeste's daughter is discovered dead.

How is it that all these things are related? Why would someone kill a new resident in town? The twists and turns that are integrated in this story are fascinating as well as the characters - new and regular.

The series just keeps getting better and better!

Another good book in this series. It seemed a bit darker than the previous one. I really enjoy this series and adore the bookstore. Can’t wait for their next mystery
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the early copy

What a cute cover! and who can resist a bookstore setting for a novel? This is the fourth book in the Secret, Book & Scone Society series, but only the second one I've read. I love the character in the society, especially Nora, the owner. It's really just a group of friends with a penchant for solving mysteries, and they have a big one this time. There's a new resident of the small town of Mineral Springs who is opening a new shop called Soothe, with her daughter. But trouble has followed her to town and the mystery begins.

This is definitely a cozy mystery and is very enjoyable with all the homey touches of the bookstore, the bake shop, and the friendly sheriff. I loved my time immersed in this book and I hope to return to this series with the next installment.

Thanks to Kensington Books through Netgalley for an advance copy.

Ink and Shadows is an interesting cozy mystery about a bookstore owner named Nora and her group of friends. The characters are very well written and come across as real and sincere. The mysteries were intriguing and I was guessing to the end. I loved the bookstore setting and her helper Sheldon. It is a very enjoyable book that I could not put down. I loved it and look forward to reading more by this author.