The Tattered Cover - (A Secret, Book and Scone Society Novel) by Ellery Adams (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

It was a dark, rainy night at Nora Pennington's Miracle Books when a mysterious death brings the Secret, Book, and Scone Society into the Halloween season on the trail of a murderer . . .

As the residents of Miracle Springs, North Carolina, select their costumes, plan parties, and get excited for a night of tricks or treats, Nora joins in on the festivities by hosting medium memoirist Lara Luz at the bookstore. Charismatic and compelling, Lara mesmerizes the audience with her life story. Struck by a bolt of lightning as a child, she was pronounced dead only to be resurrected with the ability to connect with those on the other side.

Lara performs a reading for a select group of bookstore patrons when the encroaching storm knocks out the power. In the sudden darkness, howling cold winds intensify, and Lara clutches her heart, collapsing dead without warning. But Nora doesn't believe she died of natural causes. Not one member of the psychic's reading group--which includes the town's widower pharmacist, an urgent care nurse, a mystery author, and even truculent Deputy Hollowell--were admirers of Lara.

Nora confirms this when she stumbles upon Lara's journal in the aftermath of her death. For within its leathery bound pages are the medium and her clients' deepest and darkest secrets, written in code. Now, Nora and the Secret, Book, and Scone Society must sift through the suspects and their motives to uncover which one of them is a killer before he or she is tempted to strike again . . .

Review Quotes

Praise for The Secret, Book, and Scone Society Novels

"With triggering topics of hoarding, addiction, and other types of abuse as thematic elements, this novel exhibits more depth than is often lacking in other cozies... Adams's fans and devoted readers of this type of novel will not be disappointed, but there is also enough substance and intrigue to satisfy fans of more hardboiled mysteries. Even non-series readers can jump right in as Nora encounters her latest adventure."--Library Journal STARRED REVIEW on The Little Lost Library

"Series regulars will not be disappointed, and this entry's generosity of spirit may gain Adams new followers." --Publishers Weekly on Paper Cuts

"This has all the cozy frame elements--a charming setting, strong friendships, and plenty of scrumptious sweets--but Adams also gives readers a layered mystery that provides both backstory for Nora as well as a smart whodunit plot that will keep readers guessing. It also doesn't shy away from examining real emotions... Newcomers to the series can dive right in, and fans will gobble up every detail." --Booklist on Paper Cuts

"Red herrings abound." --Kirkus Reviews on Paper Cuts

"Readers will cheer as Nora, an endearingly imperfect protagonist, and her group of dedicated literary friends, each with their own complicated backstories, search for answers. Bibliophilic cozy fans will be in heaven." --Publishers Weekly on The Vanishing Type

"The full cozy treatment...Adams provides the red herrings, the foreshadowing, and the clues we need to pick out the murderer, and yet she turns some sharp corners that cause us to question their decisions." --New York Journal of Books

"Ellery Adams's cozy mystery novel The Vanishing Type is a testament to women's friendship--with sides of murder, romance, coffee, and baked goods." --Foreword Reviews on The Vanishing Type

"The winding path to the truth showcases both the strengths and the weaknesses of the loving sisterhood." --Kirkus Reviews on The Vanishing Type

"A love letter to reading, with sharp characterizations and a smart central mystery." --Entertainment Weekly on The Whispered Word

"Adams launches an intriguing new mystery series, headed by four spirited amateur sleuths and touched with a hint of magical realism, which celebrates the power of books and women's friendships. Adams' many fans, readers of Sarah Addison Allen, and anyone who loves novels that revolve around books will savor this tasty treat." --Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW, Pick of the Month on The Secret, Book, & Scone Society

"Ink and Shadows is a big hug of a book for bookstore lovers who have been pining to visit their favorite emporiums for the past year." --Criminal Element on Ink & Shadows

"An appetizing dish for mystery lovers who enjoy books about bookstores, small towns, and female friends." --Booklist on The Book Of Candlelight

"Adams kicks off a new series featuring strong women, a touch of romance and mysticism, and both the cunning present-day mystery and the slowly revealed secrets of the intriguing heroines' pasts." --Kirkus Reviews on The Secret, Book, & Scone Society

"This affecting series launch from Adams provides all the best elements of a traditional Mystery...Well-drawn characters complement a plot with an intriguing twist or two." --Publishers Weekly on The Secret, Book, & Scone Society

"A perfect read...four women whose divergent lives intermingle due to their shared passion for books, good food, and ultimately, friendship, become unwittingly embroiled in a murder investigation. The deep, dark secrets each of them carries provide the suspense in this admixture of cozy small-town life and perplexing mystery with the right amount of pathos to garner the reader's sympathy." --The Cape Cod Chronicle on The Secret, Book, & Scone Society

"Lovers of reading and strong women will be impressed by this entertaining cozy packed with mystery, romance, and sisterhood." --Kirkus Reviews

About the Author

Ellery Adams has written over forty 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 reads, bakes, gardens, spoils her three cats, and rearranges her bookshelves. She lives with her husband and two children (aka the Trolls) in Chapel Hill, NC. For reading guides and a list of bibliotherapy titles, please visit ElleryAdamsMysteries.com.