Paper cuts

The sixth entry in the Secret, Book, and Scone Society series features bookstore owner Nora Pennington, whose past catches up with her when the former wife and the child of Nora's ex-husband, Lawrence, come to town. Kelly is dying of cancer, and Tucker, her neurodiverse son, will be left with his aunt and uncle, new residents of Miracle Springs, North Carolina, since Lawrence wants little to do with the boy. They hope that the valuable books left to Tucker will provide for him. But when Kelly is murdered and the books are stolen, the most likely suspect is Nora. This has all the cozy frame elements--a charming setting, strong friendships, and plenty of scrumptious sweets--but Adams also creates a layered mystery that provides both backstory for Nora as well as a smart whodunit plot that will keep readers guessing. It also doesn't shy away from examining real emotions. Lawrence left Nora to be with the pregnant Kelly, leaving Nora with still-raw feelings that are examined honestly. Newcomers to the series can dive right in, and fans will gobble up every detail.

The sixth entry in Adams's Secret, Book, and Scone Society series (after 2022's The Vanishing Type) finds bookstore owner Nora in a jam when the woman her husband left her for--who'd just extended an olive branch to Nora--turns up dead. Distraught, the bookseller turns to her "Society": a quartet of small-business owners in the fictional resort town of Miracle Springs, N.C. As gossip spreads, Nora befriends the deceased woman's young son, unleashing animosity from some townsfolk, and setting off a flurry of events that reunites a few families, causes ripples in a few more, and sends several characters to the ER. The story coasts on well-constructed characters (particularly Nora and the murder victim's neurodivergent son), delightful literary chats among Nora and her bookish friends, and a loving glimpse of the grit required to operate a small-town bookshop. The pace can flag, but never for too long as the author leads readers into darker corners of Miracle Springs than she's ever shown before. Series regulars will not be disappointed, and this entry's generosity of spirit may gain Adams new followers. Agent: Jessica Faust, BookEnds Literary. (May)

A bookstore owner is framed for murder. Nora Pennington, who owns Miracle Books in Miracle Springs, North Carolina, has a supportive circle of friends calling themselves The Secret, Book, and Scone Society. Her relationship with Sheriff Grant McCabe provides both strength and complications when she has a run-in with Kelly Walsh, her ex-husband Lawrence's second wife. When Nora and her friends visit a new cafe in town, they meet owners Kirk and Val Walsh, who have an odd reaction to her, perhaps because of the burn scars she got in a car accident that still haunts her. But it turns out that they recognize her as Lawrence's first wife; his current wife, Kelly, is Kirk's sister, and they've come to town to help her since she's dying of cancer. Kelly has a son, Tucker, who's neurodivergent. When Nora discovers that Kelly was the pregnant other woman she briefly met before she left Lawrence and that Tucker is Lawrence's son, she loses it, pushing Kelly aside just to get away. When Kelly is found dead of asphyxiation shortly afterward, Nora's friends insist that she get a lawyer, since her relationship with the sheriff puts both of them in a tough position, and a new deputy assumes that Nora is guilty. Nora and her sleuthing friends learn that Lawrence has acquired other wives, another child, and a string of lovers while building his wealth through questionable business practices. Now he shows up in town because he wants to build a casino nearby. Kirk's request that Nora evaluate some books that Tucker's grandmother has left him adds still more complications when they turn out to be worth a small fortune. Through it all, Nora remains on the hook, and her continuing investigations put her in the sights of both the law and the killer. Red herrings abound along with plenty of tips on choosing books. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

The sixth entry in the Secret, Book, and Scone Society series features bookstore owner Nora Pennington, whose past catches up with her when the former wife and the child of Nora's ex-husband, Lawrence, come to town. Kelly is dying of cancer, and Tucker, her neurodiverse son, will be left with his aunt and uncle, new residents of Miracle Springs, North Carolina, since Lawrence wants little to do with the boy. They hope that the valuable books left to Tucker will provide for him. But when Kelly is murdered and the books are stolen, the most likely suspect is Nora. This has all the cozy frame elements—a charming setting, strong friendships, and plenty of scrumptious sweets—but Adams also creates a layered mystery that provides both backstory for Nora as well as a smart whodunit plot that will keep readers guessing. It also doesn't shy away from examining real emotions. Lawrence left Nora to be with the pregnant Kelly, leaving Nora with still-raw feelings that are examined honestly. Newcomers to the series can dive right in, and fans will gobble up every detail. Copyright 2023 Booklist Reviews.

The sixth entry in Adams's Secret, Book, and Scone Society series (after 2022's The Vanishing Type) finds bookstore owner Nora in a jam when the woman her husband left her for—who'd just extended an olive branch to Nora—turns up dead. Distraught, the bookseller turns to her "Society": a quartet of small-business owners in the fictional resort town of Miracle Springs, N.C. As gossip spreads, Nora befriends the deceased woman's young son, unleashing animosity from some townsfolk, and setting off a flurry of events that reunites a few families, causes ripples in a few more, and sends several characters to the ER. The story coasts on well-constructed characters (particularly Nora and the murder victim's neurodivergent son), delightful literary chats among Nora and her bookish friends, and a loving glimpse of the grit required to operate a small-town bookshop. The pace can flag, but never for too long as the author leads readers into darker corners of Miracle Springs than she's ever shown before. Series regulars will not be disappointed, and this entry's generosity of spirit may gain Adams new followers. Agent: Jessica Faust, BookEnds Literary. (May)