Audible Book Review: The Secret, Book & Scone Society by Ellery Adams

I had seen mixed reviews but I enjoyed this easy listen mystery.
The Secret, Book & Scone Society
By: Ellery Adams
Narrated by: Cris Dukehart

Series: The Secret, Book & Scone Society, Book 1
Length: 8 hrs and 31 mins
Release date: 11-03-17
Publisher: Dreamscape Media, LLC
Genre: Amateur Sleuths, Cozy Mystery, Woman Sleuth
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.25.

Publisher's Summary
Miracle Springs is a place of healing. Strangers flock there hoping that the natural hot springs, five-star cuisine, and renowned spa can cure their ills. And, if none of that works, they often find their way to Miracle Books, where, over a fresh-baked scone from the Gingerbread House bakery, they exchange their stories with owner Nora Pennington in return for a carefully chosen book. That's Nora's special talent: prescribing the perfect novel to ease a person's deepest pain and lighten their heaviest burden.
But when a visiting businessman reaches out to Nora for guidance, he's found dead on the train tracks before he can keep their appointment. Determined to uncover the truth behind the businessman's demise, Nora forms the Secret, Book, and Scone Society, and, as the society works to untangle the web of corruption surrounding the murder, they also discover their own courage, purpose, and a sisterhood that will carry them through every challenge.
©2017 Ellery Adams (P)2017 Dreamscape Media, LLC

Review:
Nora Pennington is the owner of Miracle Books in Miracle Springs, a town known for resting and healing. The bookstore is in the old train station and her tiny home is a former caboose. Nora has a special talent for getting patrons to share their stories while she picks just the right books for their situation. She has become known as a local “bibliotherapist”. She isn’t trained in psychology, but she is well trained in observation and empathy, especially after experiencing a traumatic event in her own past that left her emotionally and physically scarred. Although she welcomes sharing stories in exchange for book ‘therapy’, Nora tends to remain on her own with books as her best friends.

Nora has just met a visiting businessman and is anticipating his visit to the bookshop. Instead, the man is found dead, having been pushed onto the train tracks. At first Nora is afraid the police department will treat the incident as a suicide. Then she is concerned when they arrest a local woman.

Nora soon gathers several other local shop owners or employees into a group they name ‘Secret, Book and Scone Society’. Hester runs a bakery across the street and makes "comfort scones," that fit the customers. Estella is a trashy hair stylist, with a blatant tendency to flirt. June works at the hot springs hotel where tourists are attracted. These women are initially a loose group willing to help investigate and solve the murder. Along the way they agree to share their own secrets and solidify their friendship.

The women get some help from other locals. One is a nice paramedic who, to her surprise, seems to be interested in Nora. Another it a town deputy who is involved in the case but is willing to listen to the conjectures of Hester and the other ladies. Finally, there is a bartender who expresses great affection for Estella.

I enjoyed the characters and their unique ‘abilities’ which might be a bit magical, or just insightful and led by experience. The mystery winds around with greed and corruption and one of the evil does stands out pretty quickly, while another appears in a twist. I enjoyed the mystery and plan to read more in the series. I recommend this to fans of cozy mysteries and small town settings.

Audio Notes: I enjoyed the narration by Cris Dukehart. The voices are sufficiently clear and distinct for each character. The audio enhanced my enjoyment of the story.

Source: 5/6/18 Audible Daily Deal $2.95. This qualifies for 2022TBR and 2022Audiobook goals.

Audible Book Review: Hour of Need by Melinda Leigh

This is an easy listen mystery with romance.

Hour of Need
Scarlet Falls, Book 1
By: Melinda Leigh
Narrated by: Cris Dukehart

Length: 10 hrs and 13 mins
Release date: 12-09-14
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Genre: Mystery, Romantic Suspense
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Content 4.0; Narration 4.5.

Publisher's Summary
A 2015 Daphne du Maurier Award finalist from Wall Street Journal bestselling author Melinda Leigh.
While fighting in Afghanistan, Major Grant Barrett receives devastating news: his brother and sister-in-law have been murdered in Scarlet Falls, the sleepy suburb of Grant’s youth. Emotionally scarred from war, the career soldier returns home on emergency leave to temporarily care for his orphaned nephew and niece. But when someone tries to kidnap the kids and their teenage babysitter, Grant knows it’s not a random act…and neither were the murders.
Already devastated by her neighbors’ violent deaths, Ellie Ross is shattered by the attempted abduction of her teenage daughter so she desperately turns to Grant for help. As they navigate a deadly search for the truth, they struggle with growing feelings for each other and Grant’s impending return to Afghanistan.
But time is running out. The killer is growing bolder by the hour, and Ellie and Grant must find him before the children become his next victims.
Bestselling author Melinda Leigh delivers another gritty mystery simmering with spine-tingling passion in this first Scarlet Falls novel.
©2014 Melinda Leigh (P)2014 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved

Review:
Major Grant Barrett is given emergency leave to return home after his brother, Lee, and sister-in-law, Kate, are murdered in the streets of Scarlet Falls. Grant needs to take charge of his orphaned six-year-old nephew, Carson, and 4-months-old, colicky niece, Faith. He is relieved to have the help from his neighbors, Ellie Ross, her mother and her teenage daughter, Julia.

Ellie is a legal assistant who worked for Lee and she is aware that Lee had taken on a controversial civil case. The case was the result of a suicide of a high school student involved in an ice-skating club who was allegedly being mercilessly bullied by two other girls on the skate team. The managing partner at the firm directs Ellie to find the case file, and any others that Lee had at home, and bring them back to the office. Before Ellie gets a chance to try to gather the office files, she is accosted by a man with a gun who threatens to kill her mother and daughter if Ellie doesn’t deliver the civil case file to the blackmailer. Ellie would like to trust Grant with her secret but she is too afraid to risk her family.

Grant and his high finance lawyer sister, Hannah, are staying at Lee’s home with the children, while a third brother/Uncle Mac, floats in and out to help. The group is not aware that the house is under surveillance until Grant comes home to find the house ransacked. A few days later a man tries to kidnap Carson while Julia is with the children at the park. Now Grant is determined to uncover Ellie’s secrets and to track down his brother’s murderer.

Grant and Ellie are drawn to each other but are reluctant to indulge their attraction since he is a career military man expected to return to Afghanistan within a month. She has experienced abandonment in her youth and doesn’t want to put herself or her daughter through that loss. Still, Grant and Ellie find themselves seeking comfort as they try to keep their families alive and safe.

This is what I consider an easy romantic suspense. I was glad to listen to this as a change to the sci fi genre which I have been into. The story is not heavy on action although Grant does get a chance to show off some of his soldiering skills. The bullying issue is sad, and the crime has some good twists. I enjoyed the mix of family, mystery, and not too heavy romance. I would read more by Ms. Leigh and I recommend this to fans of mystery romance.

Audio Notes: I think this is my first experience with Cris Dukehart as a narrator although she appears to be a prolific narrator. I enjoyed her clear, skilled presentation. She provides distinct voices and inflection fitting the scenes. The narration enhanced my enjoyment of the story.

Source: 12/13/2019 Audible Member Sale $5.24. This qualifies for 2021TBR and 2021Audiobook goals.