The Book of Candlelight by Ellery Adams is the third book in the “Secret, Book, & Scone Society” cozy mystery series. Publisher: Kensington Books, coming January 28, 2020.

In the new Secret, Book, and Scone Society novel from New York Times bestselling author Ellery Adams, the rain in Miracle Springs, North Carolina, has been relentless—and a flood of trouble is about to be unleashed . . .

As the owner of Miracle Books, Nora Pennington figures all the wet weather this spring is at least good for business. The local inns are packed with stranded travelers, and among them Nora finds both new customers and a new friend, the sixtysomething Sheldon, who starts helping out at the store.

Since a little rain never hurt anyone, Nora rides her bike over to the flea market one sodden day and buys a bowl from Danny, a Cherokee potter. It’ll make a great present for Nora’s EMT boyfriend, but the next day, a little rain turns into a lot of rain, and the Miracle River overflows it banks. Amid the wreckage of a collapsed footbridge, a body lies within the churning water.

Nora and the sheriff both doubt the ruling of accidental drowning, and Nora decides it’s time for the Secret, Book, and Scone Society to spring into action. When another body turns up, it becomes clearer that Danny’s death can’t be blamed on a natural disaster. A crucial clue may lie within the stone walls of the Inn of Mist and Roses: a diary, over a century old and spattered with candle wax, that leads Nora and her friends through a maze of intrigue—and onto the trail of a murderer . . .

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This fast paced and well-written drama had me completely immersed in all aspects, quickly becoming a page turner. With a solid and tightly woven plot, the author set the stage in bringing an intensifying and electrifying story that encapsulated a variety of emotions and I could not put this book down until all was said and done.

I love the camaraderie of the four women whose roles are so pivotal to the telling of this tale. The author doesn’t skimp on anything, giving me enough of the story to keep me enthralled with every interaction as clues after clues lessened the suspect pool, until one person was standing. With a few red herrings, strategically placed to keep me in the game, the author let me know that she controlled the telling of this tale and delivered one of the best books in the series.

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FTC Full Disclosure – I received an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) from the publisher.