The Tattered Cover
Secret, Book, and Scone Society #8
By Ellery Adams
ISBN: 9781496743824
Website: elleryadamsbooks.com
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra
Summary:
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 . . . (Goodreads)
Review:
The Tattered Cover is the 8th book in the Secret, Book, and Scone Society series by Ellery Adams. And it is the 3rd book in the series that I have read. A true delight in cozy mystery reading.
As I have previously written in a review for this particular series -> The members of The Secret, Book, and Scone Society (Nora Pennington-owner of Miracle Books, Hester Winthrop, Estella Sadler, June Dixon) once again are involved in sleuthing…no surprise there since this is after all a cozy mystery ☺. And what a great crew to solve the mysteries that abound!
The story begins with many residents of Miracle Springs, North Carolina gathered at Nora Pennington’s Miracle Books for a book reading (and a select number of patrons will also get a psychic reading) by author and psychic Lara Luz. Unfortunately, during the evening, the lights go out due to a storm and then Lara clutches her heart and falls, eventually being pronounced dead! Nora does NOT believe that Lara passed from natural causes. And now Nora must prove it.
There are many suspects and just as many twists and turns while Nora and the Secret, Book, and Scone Society try to uncover the truth behind Lara’s demise. I enjoyed the comradery between Nora and the Society – it seemed to demonstrate their ability to work together and get the job done (so to speak). There are a few other relationships which seem to be developing nicely. Namely – that of Nora and Sheriff Grant McCabe. A slow-burning relationship which has its ups and downs, especially with Nora and sleuthing – which Grant is none too happy with. Maybe in subsequent books, we might see this relationship develop further?
Another point which should be brought to a “new to this series” reader… the story provides enough background of the main characters and the interrelationships, etc., that this book can quite easily be read as a stand-alone. After all – I have only read books one, six, and now eight in this series!
Aside from the intriguing and entertaining story, I quite liked the look of the cover art, but then it is no surprise, as it is all about books!
I highly suggest you read this newest addition to the Secret, Book, and Scone Society series. Regardless of where you pick up this series, it is easy to follow, entertaining, and will keep you guessing (unless you are a super sleuth) until the end 🙂
