The Book of Candlelight
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4.3 • 255 Ratings
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- $9.99
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
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 . . .
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 new customers for her store, Miracle Books. 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. But the next day, after Miracle River overflows its banks, and Danny’s body is found floating within the churning waters, Nora decides it’s time for the Secret, Book, and Scone Society to spring into action. 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 . . .
“A love letter to reading, with sharp characterizations and a smart central mystery.”
—Entertainment Weekly on The Whispered Word
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In Adams's delightful third Secret, Book, and Scone Society mystery (after 2018's The Whispered Word), Nora Pennington, the owner of Miracle Books in Miracle Springs, N.C., spots the body of Cherokee Danny, a potter she met the day before at the local flea market, floating in the town's river, which recent rains have swollen. Danny evidently drowned, but Nora and Sheriff Grant McCabe suspect foul play. Meanwhile, remodeling by innkeepers Louisa "Lou" Simmons and Patty Meacham turns up more than one secret hiding place in the old inn, including a diary kept by an ancestor of Lou more than a century ago. Drawings in the diary of red birds, besides suggesting a link between the past and the present, offer clues to information worth killing for. When a second body is found, Nora knows a killer is loose and lays a trap Sheriff McCabe reluctantly agrees to participate in. A guest stranded at the inn by the wet weather, the charming Sheldon Vega, provides part-time help at the bookstore and more. Adams has a knack for creating endearingly imperfect characters. Cozy fans will be well satisfied.
Customer Reviews
Candlelight
Good story and message .
Miracle Springs is an unusual place.
I like this fictional town so full of wonderful people and interesting happenings. I’ve enjoyed their stories very much.
The Book of Candlelight
Nora runs a small town bookstore and prides herself on being able to pick the right books for each customer who steps within her doors. During a scouting mission at the flea market, she picks up a lovely bowl by a Native American artist. His love for his wife touches her. Thus she feels invested when she finds his body floating in the swollen river. Soon her amateur sleuthing leads her to secrets and mysterious volumes. At the same time, Nora and her closest friends become targets of vandalism and threats. Does this have anything to do with her search for answers?
Parts of this novel proved exceptionally cheesy. While I enjoy pop culture references and learning new things, it felt like the writer tried to squeeze in more than the story could support. I did enjoy the colorful characters and how they interacted with each other.