The Book of Candlelight (Secret, Book, & Scone Society #3) by Ellery Adams

The Book of Candlelight

(Secret, Book, & Scone Society #3)

by Ellery Adams 

Hardcover, 224 pages

Expected publication: January 28th 2020 by Kensington

Goodreads synopsis:

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 sixty-something 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 . . .

***

4.5 Stars

This is the third book in the Secret, Book & Scone Society by Ellery Adams.

At first, this didn’t even seem like a murder. The body of a local artisan was found after a huge flood and relentless storm of days earlier. As they begin talking to everyone trying to figure out the circumstances it seems less and less like an accident and more like murder.

The entire whodunit is surrounded by a found diary from the Inn of Mist and Roses. The story of Rose becomes a critical stepping stone into finding out why Danny was killed and what the motive might be. I felt like a lot of this was just coincidental. Nora would stumble upon things that were important and then chapters later would understand its significance. I liked being able to see the clues unfold. A lot of books sort of try to do a bit of a magical trick and make you not notice one thing while noticing something else that isn’t truly important. I like to be part of the figuring out process and not just have it all revealed to me at the end. Here I got to try and figure things out on my own and test my theories.

I thought the entire concept was great and the fact that they uncovered this unusual plot almost accidentally made it even better. As she investigates, Nora’s and her boyfriend’s relationship is tested which puts even more angst into the storyline. I loved the addition of Sheldon to the staff. He is just a hoot and a half. a keeper for sure.

Overall it was a great read and I plan to read the previous two books in 2020.

If you love a good cozy mystery, definitely check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.