The Whispered Word: A Secret, Book, and Scone Society Novel

Written by Ellery Adams

Narrated by Cris Dukehart

Nora Pennington, the owner of Miracle Books, believes that a well-chosen novel can bring healing and hope. But she and the rest of the members of the Secret, Book, and Scone Society know that, sometimes, practical help is needed, too. Such is the case with the reed-thin girl hiding in the fiction section of Nora's store, wearing a hospital ID and a patchwork of faded bruises. She calls herself Abilene, and, although Nora and her friends offer work, shelter, and a supportive ear, their guest isn't ready to divulge her secrets.

But when a customer is found dead in an assumed suicide, Nora uncovers a connection that points to Abilene...as either a suspect or another target. When a second death hits town, Nora and her intrepid friends must help the greenhorn sheriff discern fact from fiction and stop the killer before another story is prematurely brought to a close.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dreamscape Media Audio
• Release date: Nov 27, 2018
• ISBN: 9781974906116

Ellery Adams

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.

Reviews for The Whispered Word

[Elizabeth Rundle · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I am hoping there will be another book to follow on

[Shantel Barnhill · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love these ladies and their little town. Wish there was more.

[dono421846 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Secret, Book & Scone Society series continues to present intriguing mysteries with interesting characters. This second entry picks up immediately after the close of the first volume. The touch of magic realism becomes more obvious, making it more intriguing.

[Mari Melting · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I’m enjoying this slightly darker cozy mystery series about a group of four women, who have all had long kept secrets but have come together to become friends and solve crimes! Looking forward to the next book in the series.

[ethel55_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the first book I've read about Miracle Springs, so the women who comprise the society were all new to me. I enjoyed getting to know them and am so very curious how Nora Pennington came to be a bibliotherapist. What a great concept. When a young woman shows up unexpectedly, they take her under their collective wing, waiting to find out more from the reticent runaway. Also new to town is an antique and appraisal store fashioned very vividly after the Arabian NIghts. The mystery behind Amanda Frye's death was a bit convoluted and her estranged son made a great red herring, he was so unlikable.

[carlathelibrarian · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

“The Whispered Word” the second book in The Secret Book and Scone Society was another winner for me. Nora happily runs Miracle Books in Miracle Springs, North Carolina and her friends Hester, June and Estella all own or run other local businesses. When they discover a sickly looking girl with bruises, wearing clothes that clearly did not belong to her and a medical I.D. bracelet hiding amongst the shelves in Miracle Books, the group quickly come to the girl’s aid. They are trying to find out more about her, when a local woman is found dead in the pond on her property. Is there a connection between this newcomer, Abilene, and the murdered woman?

Although this series is a cozy mystery one, there is a lot more to it than just a mystery to solve. I love the setting of Miracle Springs. The characters in the story have all ended up in Miracle Springs looking for healing. They all have very emotional pasts with stories that have not all been told. We learn a bit more of Nora's story as well as the paramedic who is becoming special to Nora. Abilene also has a very sad past and when she finally shared it with the ladies, I had a tough time not crying along with the characters. Ellery Adams weaves a tale so realistic, you will feel like you are in Miracle Springs. Along with the healing theme of the books, I enjoyed the setting of Nora's bookstore, the customers she helped and the various references to books that I have loved. As I said at the beginning this is a cozy mystery, but it is very unique and one that I would definitely recommend. The publisher, Kensington Publishing, generously provided me with a copy of this book. The rating, opinions and ideas shared are my own.

[newsieq · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The little town of Miracle Springs, North Carolina, is truly a place where miracles happen. The four women who are members of the Secret, Book, and Scone Society help things along. Their leader is Nora Pennington, owner of Miracle Books, has a special knack for figuring out just what book can help people get through their issues. (She calls herself a bibliotherapist.) Each of the other members has her own special skill – and they have revealed their deepest, darkest secrets only to each other. When a young girl named Abilene attaches herself to Nora and the store, the women decide they need to help per face whatever trauma has brought her to Miracle Springs. But before they can do that a local woman who is a bookstore customer, dies. It’s an apparent suicide. Can the victim’s book collection have something to do with her death? Then a murder occurs – one that’s possibly related to the earlier death. I love this series. It’s cozy to the max … with a hint of the supernatural, but just a hint. I like everything Ellery Adams writes!

[aztwinmom · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

In this second book in the Secret, Book, & Scone Society, Nora and her friend find a frail, bruised young woman in Nora’s bookstore. Because of their backstories, they all do everything they can to help her. Nora continues to use her skills as a “biblio therapist” to help people. The women in the group each has her secrets, but has learned that sharing them can be helpful. As they help their new young friend, they must deal with their own pain as they become involved in solving murders and mysteries. I love this series. It is much more than a cozy mystery; it’s also a story of the strong bond these women have formed.

[lindapanzo · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This second and latest installment in the Secret, Book and Scone Society isn't just an excellent mystery, it's a story of women and their strong friendships. The four friends in the Society, including Nora, the bookstore owner, do kindnesses for people, a Secret Kindness, and, in particular, aim to help Abilene Tyler, who appears at the bookstore looking badly-nourished, wearing ill-fitting clothes, visibly bruised, and unwilling to speak of her past life.As is true with most mysteries, there are murders but, for me, what sets this series apart is the friendships among the women of the Secret, Book and Scone Society. Here's hoping there are many, many more books to come in this terrific, feel-good series. Highly recommended!!(I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for a fair and honest review.)

[kris_anderson-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Whispered Word by Ellery Adams is the second A Secret, Book and Scone Society Novel. Nora Pennington owns Miracle Books in Miracle Springs, North Carolina. A thin young woman with a hospital bracelet on her wrist, bruises on her body and in ill-fitting clothes was found hiding in the store after closing, and she later falls asleep on a mound of bubble wrap in the back room. Abilene (doubt it is her real name) is keeping her secrets to herself. Nora, Hester, Estella and June offer Abilene a place to live, work and assure her that they are willing to listen. The four women are making and delivering kindness tote bags to those in need and their first stop is Amanda Frye. Unfortunately, Amanda is no longer in need because they find her floating in the algae filled pond near her home. It appears to be a suicide, but Nora has her doubts. Virtual Genie is the new shop in town run by Griffin Kinsley and his associate, Tamara Beacham. They buy peoples belongings for cash which is just what some people need during the current economic downturn. When rumors begin to circulate about Virtual Genie, Nora finds herself looking into their business practices. Nora soon finds clues that link her three mysteries. Nora needs Abilene to open up so she can fill in the missing blanks. When a second person is found dead, Nora and her friends must work quickly to identify the killer before he strikes again.The Whispered Word can be read as a standalone if you have not picked up The Secret, Book and Scone Society. Everything a reader needs to know about Nora and her friends is included (but you are missing out on a good cozy mystery). I thought The Whispered Word was well-written. My attention was captured right away and was held throughout the book. The pacing is gentle as the story unfolds and picks up near the ends. The story is rich in details that allowed me to visualize the scenes. I like Nora who operates Miracle Books in an old train station and lives in a tiny home constructed from a train caboose. I like how the four women have grown since The Secret, Book and Scone Society. They have shared their secrets and it has drawn them closer together. Their friendship will be tested, though, in The Whispered Word when Nora pressures Abilene for answers and one of the ladies feels protective. The mystery is complex and multilayered. It is woven masterfully throughout the story with twists that will surprise readers (I always love a good twist). I like how Nora’s one finger tingles at just the right moment. The Whispered Word is not a light cozy mystery. It deals with some disturbing issues, but the author addresses them carefully and respectfully. I was surprised at how Nora approached Abilene with her questions. Knowing that Abilene has suffered, I thought she could have handled it differently (a gentler approach). There is also some foul language. Nora’s romance with Jedediah Craig is progressing nicely. He cares for her and wants to protect her. While I do not feel that Jedediah is the right man for Nora, it is a step forward for her. I would like to see Nora end up with Sheriff Grant McCabe. I am giving The Whispered Word 4 out of 5 stars (I liked it). The Whispered Word contains humor, romance, secrets, good characters, a charming small town, mysteries, book recommendations, and delectable baked goods.

[cyderry · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Nora Pennington, the owner of Miracle Books, is startled when she finds a battered young woman hiding in her bookshop. Nora, Hester, Estella and June offer the young woman a job and a place to live and try to reassure her that they are there to help. Their kindness tote bags are a sample of their efforts to help others and while on a delivery, they discover Amanda Frye floating in the algae filled pond near her home. Virtual Genie, a new shop in town where people in need of cash can sell their items. However, Nora hears about some problems with their business practices and after some investigation, sees the three mysteries are connected. A second person is found dead, so Nora and her friends need to quickly to persuade the young woman to tell her secrets before another person is harmed.I loved the weay the stories were woven together and led to a very interesting conclusion.

[kmartin802_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

When Nora Pennington discovers a young woman wearing a hospital bracelet and clothing that's too big for her sleeping in a corner of her bookstore, it starts a chain of events that includes three murders and a hidden treasure.Nora runs Miracle Books in Miracle Springs, North Carolina. It has been a perfect place for this burn-scarred woman to rebuild her life. She and her three friends, who also came looking for a new start, are all eager to help young Abilene Tyler make her own new start. But Abilene is on the run from someone who wants her dead.The first victim is Amanda Frye who was one of Nora's most difficult customers - always complaining and never satisfied. When she and her friends go to deliver Secret Kindness bags, they discover Amanda drowned in a pond on her property. They use her landline to call the police and Nora sees something odd. She finds a misused book on her kitchen counter along with an empty bottle of pain pills. It looks like a suicide but Nora can't believe Amanda would ever mistreat a book that way. The town has suffered from some misfortune with the closing of a bank and a real estate project falling through. A new business named Virtual Genie has come to town to take people's treasure on consignment which looks like a lifesaver for people who need to sell things to make ends meet after the business failures. Some of her friends are suspicious about the aims of that company and suspicions grow when the murdered woman's son is seen arguing with someone from Virtual Genie and when he tries to sell some of her mother's treasured books even though he isn't the one who inherited them.This was a nice cozy mystery. I absolutely loved all the references to books and Nora's gift for finding the right book at the right time for her customers. There were so many great quotations from books too. I liked that Nora is beginning a romance and deepening her friendships with the women who have banded together to form the Secret, Book, and Scone Society. Fans of feel-good cozies and book lovers will enjoy this offering and be looking for more in the series.

[maydacat_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A mysterious young woman, obviously distressed, shows up in Nora’s bookshop. She is wearing an ill-fitting dress and a hospital bracelet. Feeling empathy for this woman, Nora gives her shelter and food. Slowly, the woman’s unhappy tale emerges, but Nora and her secret society know there is more to this woman’s life than she is divulging. And as the bodies pile up, the urgency to find the truth grows. This is compelling mystery, with some underlying social conflicts. This second tale in the series is even better than the first, and the characters, especially Nora and her boyfriend, are better developed as their story continues.

[katebaxter_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Four women, each with a secret and broken or scarred in their own right, develop close bonds with one another as they learn to trust. They are the Secret, Book and Scone Society. Into their world drifts a frightened young woman, haunted by shadows and ever so skittish. She too has secrets and trusts no one with whom to share them. An irritating customer of Miracle Books appears to have taken her own life but something just doesn't sit right with the Society. On top of all that, a new consignment shop opens. Are they on the up and up or just taking advantage of folks who have recently fallen on tough times financially? The characters are better developed and the tone darker than is found in most cozy mysteries. Yet, this gives the story more gravitas and it more easily relates to our everyday existence. In spite of that weight there is much hope found throughout the book.If you are a cozy mystery fan seeking a story which will linger with you, then this is the book for you! I thoroughly enjoyed it and trust that you will too.Synopsis (from publisher's website):Nora Pennington and her fiction loving friends in small-town Miracle Springs, North Carolina, encounter a young woman desperately in need of a new beginning . . . Nora Pennington, owner of Miracle Books, believes that a well-chosen novel can bring healing and hope. But she and the other members of the Secret, Book, and Scone Society know that sometimes practical help is needed too. Such is the case with the reed-thin girl hiding in the fiction section of Nora’s store, wearing a hospital ID and a patchwork of faded bruises. She calls herself Abilene but won’t reveal much else. And when a customer is found dead in an assumed suicide, Nora uncovers a connection that points to Abilene as either a suspect—or another target. After a second death hits town, Nora and her intrepid friends must help the new, greenhorn sheriff discern fact from fiction—and stop a killer intent on bringing another victim’s story to a close . . .

[sara_cat-107388 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

After finishing the first book in this series several months ago, I was excited to pick up the next volume and see if Adams continued to pull me in to the lives of the Secret, Book, and Scones Society. There are some moments that seem to work out just too perfectly or people sometimes seem too 'x' to be realistic. However, the overall acre and suspense of the story kept me reading. As a book lover myself, I love how each chapter begins with a quote from an author or from a book as well as titles and authors sprinkled throughout the novel. I also appreciated even more in this book all the mouthwatering descriptions and attention paid to food and the role it can play in our lives. And, I enjoyed seeing the deepening of the friendship between these female friends.If you're a book lover but aren't sure if mystery is for you, give this series a try.