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Secret, Book & Scone Society — by Ellery Adams
Secret, Book & Scone Society Series in Order: 9 books
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The Secret, Book & Scone Society
Book - 1
From New York Times bestselling author Ellery Adams comes the first in an intriguing new series set within a quirky small-town club where the key to happiness, friendship -- or solving a murder -- can all be found within the pages of the right book.....
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The Whispered Word
Book - 2
In New York Times bestselling author Ellery Adams' intriguing new Secret, Book, and Scone Society novel, Nora Pennington and her fiction loving friends in small-town Miracle Springs, North Carolina, encounter a young woman desperately in need of a ne...
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The Book of Candlelight
Book - 3
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 Miracl...
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Ink and Shadows
Book - 4
Ellery Adams, the author of multiple New York Times bestselling mystery series and a perennial B&N bestseller, offers the fourth in a beguiling cozy mystery series featuring librarian-turned-bookseller Nora Pennington with a penchant for bibliotherap...
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The Vanishing Type
Book - 5
Entertainment Weekly hails the Secret, Book, and Scone Society series by the beloved New York Times bestselling author as "a love letter to reading." In this entrancing new story, bookshop owner, bibliotherapist, and occasional sleuth Nora Pennington...
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Paper Cuts
Book - 6
Miracle Springs, North Carolina, is famed for its healing springs. But bookstore owner Nora Pennington has a tendency to land in a different kind of hot water. Though she loves to practice bibliotherapy by finding the perfect books for her customers ...
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The Little Lost Library
Book - 7
Big clues come in small packages as North Carolina's Miracle Books owner Nora Pennington and the Secret, Book, and Scone Society attempt to solve a series of murders connected to a bibliophile's missing books . . . When an elderly Miracle Springs res...
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The Tattered Cover
Book - 8
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 th...
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The Liars' Book Club
Book - 9
In the latest installment of Ellery Adams' USA Today bestselling series, as clouds gather over the Great Smoky Mountains, an absent groom, a stolen historical document, and a book club coming apart at the seams stir up a different sort of storm in th...
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Series Premise
The series is set in the fictional small town of Miracle Springs, North Carolina—a healing destination known for its natural hot springs, spas, and five-star cuisine, where people arrive seeking physical or emotional recovery. Nora Pennington owns Miracle Books, a cozy bookstore where she practices bibliotherapy: listening to customers' troubles and prescribing the perfect novel (or series) to ease their pain. When words alone aren't enough, customers often visit Hester Winthrop's Gingerbread House bakery for a custom "comfort scone" baked to suit their mood. In the debut, a visiting businessman seeks Nora's guidance but is found dead on the train tracks before their appointment. Stunned, Nora forms the Secret, Book, and Scone Society—a group of four damaged women yearning for redemption by helping others. To join, members must reveal their darkest secret—the painful truth that brought them to Miracle Springs. The society—Nora, Hester, Estella (salon owner), and June (thermal pools employee)—uses their skills (books, baked goods, beauty, and healing waters) to investigate murders while supporting each other. Each book features a standalone mystery: a suspicious death, poisoning, or disappearance tied to the town or society members' circles. The women solve cases discreetly, often uncovering corruption, family secrets, or hidden motives. The premise emphasizes healing through friendship, literature, and small acts of kindness—books and scones become tools for truth and redemption in a town built on recovery.
Secret, Book & Scone Society Series Characters
Nora Pennington is the central protagonist: bookstore owner and bibliotherapist, scarred by a traumatic past (physical and emotional scars she hides with long sleeves and scarves). Wise, empathetic, and guarded, Nora prescribes books to heal others while slowly opening up through the society. Her growth from isolation to belonging drives the series.
Hester Winthrop owns the Gingerbread House bakery: warm, nurturing baker whose custom scones comfort customers. She brings kindness and culinary insight to investigations.
Estella Sadler runs the Magnolia Salon & Spa: glamorous, sharp-tongued, and fiercely loyal. She adds style, confidence, and beauty-world knowledge.
June Dixon works at the thermal pools: gentle, healing-focused, offering spa wisdom and emotional support.
The four women form the Secret, Book, and Scone Society—each with a hidden past they reveal to join. Their bond strengthens across books, creating a found-family dynamic.
Supporting characters include locals, guests, law enforcement (often Sheriff Grant McCabe), and recurring figures who add texture to Miracle Springs.
Setting of the Secret, Book & Scone Society Series
The series is set in Miracle Springs, North Carolina—a fictional small town in the Appalachian foothills, renowned as a healing retreat. Visitors flock for natural hot springs (thermal pools), spas, gourmet dining, and serene landscapes—rolling hills, forests, and a quaint downtown with shops, a train station, and community hubs.
Key locations include:
- Miracle Books: Nora's cozy bookstore, filled with shelves, reading nooks, and a bibliotherapy corner.
- Gingerbread House: Hester's bakery, fragrant with scones and comfort treats.
- Magnolia Salon & Spa: Estella's beauty spot.
- Thermal Pools: June's workplace for relaxation.
The town feels intimate and supportive—everyone knows everyone, gossip spreads, but kindness prevails. Seasonal details (spring blooms, summer festivals, autumn leaves, winter coziness) enhance immersion, while the healing reputation contrasts with hidden secrets and crimes.
Tone & Themes of the Secret, Book & Scone Society Series
The tone is warm, comforting, and gently uplifting—quintessential cozy mystery with emotional resonance and a focus on healing. Adams balances light suspense (murders, investigations, mild threats) with heartfelt moments of friendship, forgiveness, and personal growth. Humor is subtle—wry observations, quirky small-town antics, and the charm of bookish or baking mishaps—providing levity without undermining the stakes. The atmosphere avoids darkness or graphic violence; cases highlight human vulnerability and the redemptive power of community. The series feels hopeful and restorative—conflicts resolve positively, justice prevails, and every story affirms the idea that shared secrets, the right book, or a perfect scone can mend broken spirits. It's ideal for readers seeking relaxing, feel-good cozies with depth, sisterhood, and the quiet magic of bibliotherapy.
The Secret, Book & Scone Society series by Ellery Adams endures as a heartwarming cozy standout, blending bibliotherapy, friendship, and gentle mysteries in the healing town of Miracle Springs across 8+ novels. From the society's formation in The Secret, Book & Scone Society to ongoing adventures in titles like The Tattered Cover, the books offer consistent comfort: clever whodunits, emotional depth, vivid small-town charm, and the power of books, scones, and sisterhood to mend wounds. With strong ratings and enduring appeal, it's a perfect escape for cozy mystery fans seeking warmth, wisdom, and the quiet magic of healing through stories. Whether starting with Book 1 or savoring the full series, Miracle Springs proves that the right book—and the right friends—can light even the darkest paths.
Books in this series fall into the following genres
Genres
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