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Pie in the Sky Mysteries #1
Plum Deadly
In this cozy mystery, a young woman is framed by her boss for embezzlement and flees to her aunt’s pie shop—but when her ex-boss turns up dead on their doorstep she must start her own investigation to find the killer—before he finds her.
CHOCOHOLIC CREAM. BOUNTIFUL BLUEBERRY. LOTSA LEMON MERINGUE. EVEN DANGEROUSLY DAMSON.
Who could resist such pies? Who would even want to resist the pie shop that makes them? Certainly not the residents of Durham, North Carolina, and the little bakery and café called Pie in the Sky is one of the most popular meet-up places in town.
Unjustly accused of cooking the books, Maggie Grady is forced to retreat from her high-flying New York financial career to the town where she grew up. Her aunt Clara greets her with open arms and a job at the family-owned business that has baked the best pies in the South for over forty years. Unfortunately, while Maggie is determined to return to banking, her reputation there seems permanently in the pits. That is, until her old boss, Lou, visits with news that he’s found the real crook. Before he can reveal the details, though, Maggie finds his body right behind the pie shop.
With only her own word that Lou planned to exonerate her, Maggie is in the spotlight. The police seem to suspect that Aunt Clara’s damson pie may not be just dangerously delectable, but downright deadly. Maggie doesn’t just have her own name to clear; she has to make sure that her aunt’s beloved business isn’t harmed, either. Yummy local reporter Ryan Summerour appears eager to help, and Maggie can’t help hoping that it’s not just the police who find her a person of interest—but Ryan, as well. She’d thought it challenging to make the perfect pie crust that Aunt Clara demands, but that turns out to be nothing compared with finding a murderer. . . .
CHOCOHOLIC CREAM. BOUNTIFUL BLUEBERRY. LOTSA LEMON MERINGUE. EVEN DANGEROUSLY DAMSON.
Who could resist such pies? Who would even want to resist the pie shop that makes them? Certainly not the residents of Durham, North Carolina, and the little bakery and café called Pie in the Sky is one of the most popular meet-up places in town.
Unjustly accused of cooking the books, Maggie Grady is forced to retreat from her high-flying New York financial career to the town where she grew up. Her aunt Clara greets her with open arms and a job at the family-owned business that has baked the best pies in the South for over forty years. Unfortunately, while Maggie is determined to return to banking, her reputation there seems permanently in the pits. That is, until her old boss, Lou, visits with news that he’s found the real crook. Before he can reveal the details, though, Maggie finds his body right behind the pie shop.
With only her own word that Lou planned to exonerate her, Maggie is in the spotlight. The police seem to suspect that Aunt Clara’s damson pie may not be just dangerously delectable, but downright deadly. Maggie doesn’t just have her own name to clear; she has to make sure that her aunt’s beloved business isn’t harmed, either. Yummy local reporter Ryan Summerour appears eager to help, and Maggie can’t help hoping that it’s not just the police who find her a person of interest—but Ryan, as well. She’d thought it challenging to make the perfect pie crust that Aunt Clara demands, but that turns out to be nothing compared with finding a murderer. . . .
304 pages, Paperback
First published September 3, 2013
10 people are currently reading
995 people want to read
About the author
Ellie Grant
9 books35 followersEllie Grant is a pseudonym for husband and wife authors who get help writing from their cat, Quincy, and their big rescue puppy, Rudy. They live in North Carolina with their family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
July 30, 2019
What in the name of Sweet Valley High was going on in this book?
Having never been accused of embezzlement, I wouldn't know about having all my property seized. If in the way off instance I were caught and all my things were being seized, my ass would go to jail for the fight I would start over whether or not I get to take my Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer with me.
Ryan walks in to the Pie Shop one day. Aunt Clara sees him and winks at Maggie. The next day, Ryan and Maggie are boyfriend and girlfriend. What?
This book was a bit too flakey for me. It was cute in some spots, but the laissez faire tone of the story and characters left me rolling my eyes.
Having never been accused of embezzlement, I wouldn't know about having all my property seized. If in the way off instance I were caught and all my things were being seized, my ass would go to jail for the fight I would start over whether or not I get to take my Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer with me.
Ryan walks in to the Pie Shop one day. Aunt Clara sees him and winks at Maggie. The next day, Ryan and Maggie are boyfriend and girlfriend. What?
This book was a bit too flakey for me. It was cute in some spots, but the laissez faire tone of the story and characters left me rolling my eyes.
August 27, 2013
After being accused of stealing from the bank she works at, Maggie returns to her hometown in North Carolina with her tail between her legs. With no money and no chance that any bank will ever employ her again she finds herself waiting tables at Pie in the Sky, her aunt's pie shop.
When her former boss shows up dead at the back door to Pie in the Sky, Maggie is the main suspect. With a little help from a local newspaper reporter she sets about finding the killer and clearing her name.
Plum Deadly is a cozy murder mystery very much along the lines of Leann Sweeney's Cats in Trouble series and Cleo Coyle's Coffee House Mystery series. For the most part it was pretty good. If I have one criticism it would be that not everything that happened got an adequate explanation. I presume they will be revisited in the next books in the series but I would have liked a few of those loose ends tied up.
Many thanks to Edelweiss and Gallery Books for providing me with this ARC
December 12, 2013
This mystery was so cozy I almost suffocated. It was too cutesy for me and I just about overdosed on the syrupy sweetness. It was predictable and the characters were more like toons.
September 6, 2020
A cozy mystery that is sweet as a pie 😉
It was a good mystery with a good ending, liked that it was so sweet and cozy, perfect to curl up in bed with a cup of tea and with. Looking forward for more books in the series
It was a good mystery with a good ending, liked that it was so sweet and cozy, perfect to curl up in bed with a cup of tea and with. Looking forward for more books in the series
April 26, 2022
To start, two repeated grammatical errors drove me crazy about this book: 1) "piecrust" is two words, not one compound word; 2) the word "Dumpster" is not a proper noun and should therefore not be capitalized unless maybe it's at the beginning of a sentence.
Aside from those, this book was a pretty big dud. I read it for Book Riot's 2017 read harder challenge (done in 2019) for the "book that takes place within 100 miles" category, since I live in Durham.
The Durham in this book universe is very weird. Apparently literally everyone who lives in Durham went to Duke (not Durham Tech, not NCCU, nor any of the other schools close by enough to commute to since we're not acknowledging that the Triangle is small enough (especially if you live in Durham) for that to be very simple), which was a big surprise to me given that Duke isn't exactly a piece of cake (err.. easy as pie? Sorry, dropped the ball there) to get into, so the side characters having gone there felt, well, unlikely? But maybe that's actually how things work and I'm totally wrong.
Unfortunately, grammatical annoyances and neverending Blue Devils aside, this book was not great. Very simplistic writing and character building that kind of felt like a story that would arise from someone's first mystery writing class?
I know this is the first in a series so maybe certain pieces come back around in other books, but there wasn't a ton of surprise (even the ending, which I didn't specifically see coming, garnered a "huh, okay" response from me) and the real estate situation felt kind of like it was all for nothing (half-baked? Sorry these are too easy).. I guess to add suspense/suspects? Definitely kind of fell flat for me since there was never any build up where I might actually have worried that something might happen.
Anyway, maybe if you like very simplistic books with cookie cutter characters, this will be right up your alley (no pun intended if you've read the book)? It wasn't my cup of (iced sweet) tea, but if you want something totally mindless, maybe it's yours.
As a P.S. there's a scene where the tanning salon owner is described as having a butterfly tattoo on her face that looks like it's moving as she talks? What the actual eff? That is not normal for anyone except maybe a tattoo artist and it was a bizarre unneeded detail that made the book seem even more ridiculous.
Also these cutesy pie names? Ugh. Alliteration is not that clever, especially not here. I like a whimsical name but these were just eye-rollers.
To boot, there are actual pie recipes in the back of the book. I get the gimmick of it but I am very curious if anyone has actually made those because it seems like a terrible idea given that the authors don't claim any baking background..
Okay, sorry, this book made me roll my eyes a lot while reading and that comes through here. Two stars but I'm done with "Ellie Grant" forever, hopefully.
Read Harder 2017 (done in 2019) - Read a book that is set within 100 miles of your location
Aside from those, this book was a pretty big dud. I read it for Book Riot's 2017 read harder challenge (done in 2019) for the "book that takes place within 100 miles" category, since I live in Durham.
The Durham in this book universe is very weird. Apparently literally everyone who lives in Durham went to Duke (not Durham Tech, not NCCU, nor any of the other schools close by enough to commute to since we're not acknowledging that the Triangle is small enough (especially if you live in Durham) for that to be very simple), which was a big surprise to me given that Duke isn't exactly a piece of cake (err.. easy as pie? Sorry, dropped the ball there) to get into, so the side characters having gone there felt, well, unlikely? But maybe that's actually how things work and I'm totally wrong.
Unfortunately, grammatical annoyances and neverending Blue Devils aside, this book was not great. Very simplistic writing and character building that kind of felt like a story that would arise from someone's first mystery writing class?
I know this is the first in a series so maybe certain pieces come back around in other books, but there wasn't a ton of surprise (even the ending, which I didn't specifically see coming, garnered a "huh, okay" response from me) and the real estate situation felt kind of like it was all for nothing (half-baked? Sorry these are too easy).. I guess to add suspense/suspects? Definitely kind of fell flat for me since there was never any build up where I might actually have worried that something might happen.
Anyway, maybe if you like very simplistic books with cookie cutter characters, this will be right up your alley (no pun intended if you've read the book)? It wasn't my cup of (iced sweet) tea, but if you want something totally mindless, maybe it's yours.
As a P.S. there's a scene where the tanning salon owner is described as having a butterfly tattoo on her face that looks like it's moving as she talks? What the actual eff? That is not normal for anyone except maybe a tattoo artist and it was a bizarre unneeded detail that made the book seem even more ridiculous.
Also these cutesy pie names? Ugh. Alliteration is not that clever, especially not here. I like a whimsical name but these were just eye-rollers.
To boot, there are actual pie recipes in the back of the book. I get the gimmick of it but I am very curious if anyone has actually made those because it seems like a terrible idea given that the authors don't claim any baking background..
Okay, sorry, this book made me roll my eyes a lot while reading and that comes through here. Two stars but I'm done with "Ellie Grant" forever, hopefully.
Read Harder 2017 (done in 2019) - Read a book that is set within 100 miles of your location
July 31, 2019
I started to read this book and got through part of the first chapter before...
What on earth is going on here? I can see why there were only two of these. Almost immediately, the protagonist tells us that she lost her job at a bank because she'd been accused of embezzling money from an important client. They showed her papers that verified this and told her they wanted to keep it quiet. They froze her bank accounts and said they would take what was needed to pay back her debt.
First, you'd have to be pretty darn stupid to embezzle money and leave a paper trail behind you. Then, we're told a policeman was standing outside her door at home to make sure she didn't take anything valuable with her. Huh? They want to 'keep it quiet' but tell the police? How does that work? The police are not going to ignore embezzlement, so why would they tell them? They can't just order and officer to stand outside her door with no reason behind it. There wouldn't have been a police officer at all.
Secondly, they really don't have the right to stop her from taking her belongings, unless they have proof she bought them with stolen money (and they didn't) - this was ridiculous. From. Her. Home. There is no way they could have stopped her from taking her clothing, jewelry, shoes, household appliances, furniture, etc., if it came down to it. And, since the author mentioned it, if it was her home, why did she leave? Being accused isn't the same as being convicted.
If they tried this garbage with someone in actuality, then they'd better be prepared for the court fight that comes next. Because you can bet your sweet rear end there certainly would be one. An innocent person would not only have denied it, they'd threaten to take it to court, get an attorney, and demand copies of the "incriminating" evidence. They'd better have more than a couple of sheets of paper - and be able to answer where the 'evidence' came from.
When it comes to that, why didn't she? She knew she wasn't guilty but didn't fight it? Just accepted it and grabbed a duffel bag full of everyday clothing and left?
The author should have done better homework. This was just sloppy. Either get your facts together or write something else. FYI, dumpster isn't capitalized unless it's the actual name of the company that produces it or at the beginning of a sentence.
The following spoiler contains the ending and what was wrong with that, too!
There were so many things wrong with this book and not a single thing right.
What on earth is going on here? I can see why there were only two of these. Almost immediately, the protagonist tells us that she lost her job at a bank because she'd been accused of embezzling money from an important client. They showed her papers that verified this and told her they wanted to keep it quiet. They froze her bank accounts and said they would take what was needed to pay back her debt.
First, you'd have to be pretty darn stupid to embezzle money and leave a paper trail behind you. Then, we're told a policeman was standing outside her door at home to make sure she didn't take anything valuable with her. Huh? They want to 'keep it quiet' but tell the police? How does that work? The police are not going to ignore embezzlement, so why would they tell them? They can't just order and officer to stand outside her door with no reason behind it. There wouldn't have been a police officer at all.
Secondly, they really don't have the right to stop her from taking her belongings, unless they have proof she bought them with stolen money (and they didn't) - this was ridiculous. From. Her. Home. There is no way they could have stopped her from taking her clothing, jewelry, shoes, household appliances, furniture, etc., if it came down to it. And, since the author mentioned it, if it was her home, why did she leave? Being accused isn't the same as being convicted.
If they tried this garbage with someone in actuality, then they'd better be prepared for the court fight that comes next. Because you can bet your sweet rear end there certainly would be one. An innocent person would not only have denied it, they'd threaten to take it to court, get an attorney, and demand copies of the "incriminating" evidence. They'd better have more than a couple of sheets of paper - and be able to answer where the 'evidence' came from.
When it comes to that, why didn't she? She knew she wasn't guilty but didn't fight it? Just accepted it and grabbed a duffel bag full of everyday clothing and left?
The author should have done better homework. This was just sloppy. Either get your facts together or write something else. FYI, dumpster isn't capitalized unless it's the actual name of the company that produces it or at the beginning of a sentence.
The following spoiler contains the ending and what was wrong with that, too!
There were so many things wrong with this book and not a single thing right.
January 16, 2016
Unjustly accused of cooking the books, Maggie Grady is forced to retreat from her high-flying New York financial career to the town where she grew up. Her aunt Clara greets her with open arms and a job at the family-owned business that has baked the best pies in the South for over forty years. Unfortunately, while Maggie is determined to return to banking, her reputation there seems permanently in the pits. That is, until her old boss, Lou, visits with news that he’s found the real crook. Before he can reveal the details, though, Maggie finds his body right behind the pie shop.
With only her own word that Lou planned to exonerate her, Maggie is in the spotlight. The police seem to suspect that Aunt Clara’s damson pie may not be just dangerously delectable, but downright deadly. Maggie doesn’t just have her own name to clear; she has to make sure that her aunt’s beloved business isn’t harmed, either. Yummy local reporter Ryan Summerour appears eager to help, and Maggie can’t help hoping that it’s not just the police who find her a person of interest—but Ryan, as well. She’d thought it challenging to make the perfect pie crust that Aunt Clara demands, but that turns out to be nothing compared with finding a murderer. . . .
Dollycas’s Thoughts
WOW!!!! Cozy lovers are going to go crazy for Maggie Grady and Aunt Clara!! and probably gain a couple of pounds too!!
Ellie Grant is really popular cozy authors Joyce and Jim Lavene writing under a pseudonym. I don’t know how this team writing thing works but these two have it mastered. They always give us superb characters and put them in wonderfully sticky situations.
Maggie is fabulous. She was fired from her dream job for something she didn’t do. Something that could drive a lot of people over the edge or into a deep dark place. Instead she goes home to North Carolina to her Aunt Clara and she just may find her bliss. She couldn’t wait to leave there years ago and had rarely returned but this time she realizes this is where she belongs.
Aunt Clara reminds me a lot of my mom. Clara’s business is her life and without it she would be lost. It was something she had done with her husband. They ran the business together and when he passed away she did her best to carry on with business as usual. Maggie finds a few things that fell through the cracks but quickly sets things right. Aunt Clara is the type of woman that always has a smile on her face and finds something good in even the worst situations. When it comes to her niece, all she wants is Maggie to be happy.
This story is an excellent debut to what I know is going to be a fabulous cozy series. They have filled this pie, I mean story, with sweet characters, a plum of a mystery, sifted in some smart dialogue, a pinch of romance and a heaping spoonful of humor. You will devour the whole thing in one sitting!! Oh and did I mention, the book includes recipes!!!!! This book is worthy of a blue ribbon at any fair!
With only her own word that Lou planned to exonerate her, Maggie is in the spotlight. The police seem to suspect that Aunt Clara’s damson pie may not be just dangerously delectable, but downright deadly. Maggie doesn’t just have her own name to clear; she has to make sure that her aunt’s beloved business isn’t harmed, either. Yummy local reporter Ryan Summerour appears eager to help, and Maggie can’t help hoping that it’s not just the police who find her a person of interest—but Ryan, as well. She’d thought it challenging to make the perfect pie crust that Aunt Clara demands, but that turns out to be nothing compared with finding a murderer. . . .
Dollycas’s Thoughts
WOW!!!! Cozy lovers are going to go crazy for Maggie Grady and Aunt Clara!! and probably gain a couple of pounds too!!
Ellie Grant is really popular cozy authors Joyce and Jim Lavene writing under a pseudonym. I don’t know how this team writing thing works but these two have it mastered. They always give us superb characters and put them in wonderfully sticky situations.
Maggie is fabulous. She was fired from her dream job for something she didn’t do. Something that could drive a lot of people over the edge or into a deep dark place. Instead she goes home to North Carolina to her Aunt Clara and she just may find her bliss. She couldn’t wait to leave there years ago and had rarely returned but this time she realizes this is where she belongs.
Aunt Clara reminds me a lot of my mom. Clara’s business is her life and without it she would be lost. It was something she had done with her husband. They ran the business together and when he passed away she did her best to carry on with business as usual. Maggie finds a few things that fell through the cracks but quickly sets things right. Aunt Clara is the type of woman that always has a smile on her face and finds something good in even the worst situations. When it comes to her niece, all she wants is Maggie to be happy.
This story is an excellent debut to what I know is going to be a fabulous cozy series. They have filled this pie, I mean story, with sweet characters, a plum of a mystery, sifted in some smart dialogue, a pinch of romance and a heaping spoonful of humor. You will devour the whole thing in one sitting!! Oh and did I mention, the book includes recipes!!!!! This book is worthy of a blue ribbon at any fair!
July 18, 2014
Since I completed my 2nd marathon on May 4th, I was able to catch up on some reading the following weekend while we were away. I started going through the TBR pile and noticed I had 2 mysteries I won via book blog contests that I hadn't even attempted to pick up.
The 2nd of the 2 books was Plum Deadly by the writing duo of husband and wife, Jim and Joyce Lavene. The 2 have several active series right now and this is the 2nd of their books I have read.
The story moved along nicely and is set in Durham, NC, home of the Duke Blue Devils, my favorite sports team. It seemed as if everyone in the town was smart enough to get into Duke and they all had fond memories of going there.
The main character is Maggie who is forced to come back home and live with her aunt Clara, after she loses her job in NY. Clara owns a pie shop and Maggie starts working there while she looks for a more permanent job. Her former boss comes into the shop with just the information Maggie is looking for but before he can spill the beans, he ends up dead behind the pie shop.
The police immediately suspect Maggie and possibly her aunt of wrongdoing. In the middle of this, a local reporter, Ryan appears and wants to help Maggie and her aunt solve the case and clear their names. Ryan becomes Maggie's love interest, which of course, we knew would happen. A cozy wouldn't be a cozy without a little love interest or 2 thrown in.
Maggie didn't run around town with half formed ideas and her actions and words were more deliberate than some of the other characters I've read. The mystery wasn't overly complicated but did have a twist at the end. At least for most readers. I was pretty much expecting the twist so I wasn't overly shocked by it.
All in all, it was a good read and I'm glad I won the book. I wouldn't say I'm jumping to read the next one but if someone presented it to me, I wouldn't mind reading it if I had time.
The 2nd of the 2 books was Plum Deadly by the writing duo of husband and wife, Jim and Joyce Lavene. The 2 have several active series right now and this is the 2nd of their books I have read.
The story moved along nicely and is set in Durham, NC, home of the Duke Blue Devils, my favorite sports team. It seemed as if everyone in the town was smart enough to get into Duke and they all had fond memories of going there.
The main character is Maggie who is forced to come back home and live with her aunt Clara, after she loses her job in NY. Clara owns a pie shop and Maggie starts working there while she looks for a more permanent job. Her former boss comes into the shop with just the information Maggie is looking for but before he can spill the beans, he ends up dead behind the pie shop.
The police immediately suspect Maggie and possibly her aunt of wrongdoing. In the middle of this, a local reporter, Ryan appears and wants to help Maggie and her aunt solve the case and clear their names. Ryan becomes Maggie's love interest, which of course, we knew would happen. A cozy wouldn't be a cozy without a little love interest or 2 thrown in.
Maggie didn't run around town with half formed ideas and her actions and words were more deliberate than some of the other characters I've read. The mystery wasn't overly complicated but did have a twist at the end. At least for most readers. I was pretty much expecting the twist so I wasn't overly shocked by it.
All in all, it was a good read and I'm glad I won the book. I wouldn't say I'm jumping to read the next one but if someone presented it to me, I wouldn't mind reading it if I had time.
June 25, 2013
This is the first book in a new cozy mystery series. Maggie, the main character, has returned home to her Aunt Clara, after being accused of embezzlement and fired by her bank employer. Now working at her aunt's pie shop, she is surprised when her former boss, Lou, walks into the shop and tells her that he knows she is innocent and plans to provide evidence of this at a scheduled press conference tomorrow. However, he refuses to give her any additional information, saying it is safer for her until it is announced. Later that afternoon, she stumbles across his dead body in the alleyway behind the pie shop. Can Maggie provide her innocence of not only the embezzlement, but now Lou's murder...since it is soon proven that he was poisoned. What are her plans for the future, a return to her old life in the financial world, or staying to help her Aunt Clara with the pie shop. This was a good start for a new series, with a plot that flowed nicely, good character development and background information. I am looking forward to the next book in this series! [Disclosure: I received an advance uncorrected proof of this book in return for a review.]
September 5, 2013
Plum Deadly is plum delightful!
When a murder victim, Maggie Grady's former boss Lou, is found on the pie shop's back step Maggie looks like prime suspect #1. But with Lou about to clear Maggie's name on embezzlement charges with an announcement of the real thief and an unsavory business man trying a little too hard to buy Aunt Clara's shop at any cost, there are plenty of other suspects to go around!
This first in a new series is a delicious threat. Maggie and her Aunt Clara are wonderful new characters. I had a great time hanging out with them in their pie shop Pie In The Sky. I don't even eat pie and it made me hungry! A fast and entertaining read, I was kept guessing until the surprising conclusion of this great book. I really look forward to the next installment in this new and hopefully long running series.
NOTE: Recipe lovers will be thrilled with the recipes included for flaky pie crust and 3 tasty pies!
When a murder victim, Maggie Grady's former boss Lou, is found on the pie shop's back step Maggie looks like prime suspect #1. But with Lou about to clear Maggie's name on embezzlement charges with an announcement of the real thief and an unsavory business man trying a little too hard to buy Aunt Clara's shop at any cost, there are plenty of other suspects to go around!
This first in a new series is a delicious threat. Maggie and her Aunt Clara are wonderful new characters. I had a great time hanging out with them in their pie shop Pie In The Sky. I don't even eat pie and it made me hungry! A fast and entertaining read, I was kept guessing until the surprising conclusion of this great book. I really look forward to the next installment in this new and hopefully long running series.
NOTE: Recipe lovers will be thrilled with the recipes included for flaky pie crust and 3 tasty pies!
September 19, 2013
I'd give this one a solid 3.5, but since no 1/2 stars I'm just going with 3. I haven't cared a lot for other books by Joyce & Jim Lavene that I've read, but this one was an exception. Besides craving pie like crazy, this was a pretty good story. Maggie was a good character, as was Ryan, the reporter, but Aunt Clara was my favorite. A true optimist if ever there was one! A convincing bad guy and a good resolution to both major parts of the story. I'll read the next and hope the recipe for Chocoholic Cream Pie is included! RECOMMEND!
June 19, 2013
I enjoyed this book very much! I thought I had an idea of who the 'bad guy' was, but I was totally wrong. Maggie Grady is a likeable, believable character, and the "mystery situations" are well-thought out. Keeping you guessing! Great book, fast read, I can't wait to read the next book. I would have read it in one sitting, but we had a storm resulting in power failure and it got too dark to read! I hope there is more to come and soon!
July 17, 2013
Another cozy mystery series. I enjoyed meeting the characters and watching as they unraveled the mysteries. I think this will be a good series for readers of Diane Mott Davidson and Joanne Fluke. Although reading about all those wonderful pies made me gain a few pounds . I also learned that technique is just as important as ingredients in making pie crusts that are really flaky.
September 13, 2013
Four Stars: A comfy cozy with a realistic story line and pie!
Maggie isn't exactly thrilled to once again be waiting on tables at her aunt's pie shop. Still she is grateful that her aunt took her in when she showed up on her doorstep homeless and practically penniless. She was falsely accused of embezzlement at her high power bank job. She was locked out of her apartment and sent packing, the only reassurance was that the bank wouldn't press charges. Maggie is innocent, though. Things start to look up when her former boss and mentor shows up at the pie shop to clear her name, but before he can do so, he is found dead on the doorstep. Can Maggie catch a killer and prove her innocence?
What I Liked:
*Every once in awhile it is nice to pick up a comfy cozy mystery especially when I need a palate cleanser. A cozy mystery always promises comfortable characters, a suspenseful mystery and usually something appealing like food. Plum Deadly definitely delivered with its charming pie shop, likable characters and realistic mystery. If you enjoy a good cozy mystery every now and again, or if you are an avid fan, I think you will enjoy Plum Deadly.
*For me, the draw to a cozy book is a delightful setting that features food. I feel in love with the old pie shop set near Duke University. Pie in the Sky is a shop that has been around for decades catering to those who have a craving for a delectable slice of pie and a hot cup of coffee. The little old shop is care worn and cozy and run by the pleasant and sweet Aunt Clara. I fell in love with the cute little pie shop, and I could almost picture being nestled into its comfy confines nibbling on a big slice of pie. The pie shop is definitely the star of the book.
*Aside from the pie shop, I enjoyed the characters. Aunt Clara is friendly, kind and rarely has a harsh word for anyone. She has been creating delicious pies from scratch for years. Her secret pie crust recipe has been passed down three generations by word of mouth. Clara is a bit scattered brained and forgetful. She is an absolute sweetheart, and I thoroughly enjoyed her. Maggie, on the other hand, isn't a tougher sell. She comes across in the beginning as selfish and concerned only about herself. Her Aunt Clara took her in when her parents where killed when she was five. After she graduated, she took off to pursue her big dreams, and over the last fifteen years she has returned only once or twice, and not even when Uncle Fred died. Thankfully, as the story progresses, she begins to open her eyes, and by the end she makes a dramatic change. I liked the new and improved Maggie. Rounding out the cast is Fred the gruff policemen, who actually won me over, and the love interest and news paper reporter Ryan.
*The one fault I usually have with cozy mysteries is that they lack believability. You always have a heroine who suddenly is thrust into the middle of solving a murder because for whatever reason the local law enforcement is incapable. I know when reading a cozy mystery that I have to suspend realistic beliefs and just go with it. However, I found this mystery to be a bit more believable. Maggie isn't doing the majority of the crime solving, and she relies heavily on help from her newspaper friend, Ryan, and Fred the cop, who at first starts out as an enemy. The three work together and make a great team. I thought that Ryan helping out lent more credibility as reporters are used to digging to find answers. You still have to stretch your imagination, but who cares, it is a cozy mystery it is meant to charm and entertain.
*I liked that everything wraps up neatly at the end before the author lays down some new tantalizing tidbits that will be followed up in the next book. No jarring cliffhangers or lots of lingering questions.
*Finally, I loved that the book included not only the secret pie crust recipe, but three additional pie recipes at the end. There was a recipe for Lotsa Lemon Meringue Pie, Delia's Deep-Dish Cherry Pie and Clara's Coconut Custard Pie. I have to say I thought the clever alliterative titles for the pies added to the overall charm.
And The Not So Much:
*The author does a terrific job of placing red herrings, doing her best to convince the reader that someone other than the real culprit is responsible for the murder. While I thought this aspect was well done, I was a bit befuddled that after all the buildup regarding the property developer wanting to purchase the pie shop, that the story line just kind of fizzled and went away quietly. I don't know I guess after all the drama with Mr. Mann I was expecting a bigger payout.
*I wasn't a big fan of the romance. At first, the pair starts out at odds, Maggie is unwilling to trust a newspaper reporter, and who can blame her? Then suddenly, the romance just takes off. It felt a bit to quick for me and I would have liked to see the two develop a better friendship foundation. It almost felt a bit like insta love. I can say, though, that I was relieved that there was not a love triangle as those are becoming more prevalent even in cozies.
*There was a story line regarding Aunt Clara's failure to pay the taxes on the pie shop. Maggie ends up putting a lien on Aunt Clara's house in order to make the payment. Then at the end, Clara all of sudden has the money in hand from the renters. How did she get the money? Did she go to the renters and ask for it?
*At one point, someone vandalizes the pie shop by cutting the power lines. I thought this was a big dramatic development, and then it just dies. I was left wondering who cut the power lines and why? Was it Mann or the murderer?
Plum Deadly is perfectly pleasant way to pass a rainy afternoon. Cuddle up and lose yourself in the cozy Pie in the Sky Pie Shop with Maggie, Aunt Clara and the rest of the gang. This was a charming little mystery that kept me entertained until the very end. I was satisfied that it stayed believable. I thoroughly enjoyed reading everything pertinent to pie, and in fact, I now have a healthy hunkering to eat pie. If you are looking for an easy, breezy read consider picking up Plum Deadly. I enjoyed this book and I am eager to read the next one.
Favorite Quotations:
"Nice to read something besides family problems and books about women finding themselves. I don't understand why all those women feel so lost in the first place."
"Some foods are better because of the people who make them."
"It's more than a recipe. It's love."
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.
Maggie isn't exactly thrilled to once again be waiting on tables at her aunt's pie shop. Still she is grateful that her aunt took her in when she showed up on her doorstep homeless and practically penniless. She was falsely accused of embezzlement at her high power bank job. She was locked out of her apartment and sent packing, the only reassurance was that the bank wouldn't press charges. Maggie is innocent, though. Things start to look up when her former boss and mentor shows up at the pie shop to clear her name, but before he can do so, he is found dead on the doorstep. Can Maggie catch a killer and prove her innocence?
What I Liked:
*Every once in awhile it is nice to pick up a comfy cozy mystery especially when I need a palate cleanser. A cozy mystery always promises comfortable characters, a suspenseful mystery and usually something appealing like food. Plum Deadly definitely delivered with its charming pie shop, likable characters and realistic mystery. If you enjoy a good cozy mystery every now and again, or if you are an avid fan, I think you will enjoy Plum Deadly.
*For me, the draw to a cozy book is a delightful setting that features food. I feel in love with the old pie shop set near Duke University. Pie in the Sky is a shop that has been around for decades catering to those who have a craving for a delectable slice of pie and a hot cup of coffee. The little old shop is care worn and cozy and run by the pleasant and sweet Aunt Clara. I fell in love with the cute little pie shop, and I could almost picture being nestled into its comfy confines nibbling on a big slice of pie. The pie shop is definitely the star of the book.
*Aside from the pie shop, I enjoyed the characters. Aunt Clara is friendly, kind and rarely has a harsh word for anyone. She has been creating delicious pies from scratch for years. Her secret pie crust recipe has been passed down three generations by word of mouth. Clara is a bit scattered brained and forgetful. She is an absolute sweetheart, and I thoroughly enjoyed her. Maggie, on the other hand, isn't a tougher sell. She comes across in the beginning as selfish and concerned only about herself. Her Aunt Clara took her in when her parents where killed when she was five. After she graduated, she took off to pursue her big dreams, and over the last fifteen years she has returned only once or twice, and not even when Uncle Fred died. Thankfully, as the story progresses, she begins to open her eyes, and by the end she makes a dramatic change. I liked the new and improved Maggie. Rounding out the cast is Fred the gruff policemen, who actually won me over, and the love interest and news paper reporter Ryan.
*The one fault I usually have with cozy mysteries is that they lack believability. You always have a heroine who suddenly is thrust into the middle of solving a murder because for whatever reason the local law enforcement is incapable. I know when reading a cozy mystery that I have to suspend realistic beliefs and just go with it. However, I found this mystery to be a bit more believable. Maggie isn't doing the majority of the crime solving, and she relies heavily on help from her newspaper friend, Ryan, and Fred the cop, who at first starts out as an enemy. The three work together and make a great team. I thought that Ryan helping out lent more credibility as reporters are used to digging to find answers. You still have to stretch your imagination, but who cares, it is a cozy mystery it is meant to charm and entertain.
*I liked that everything wraps up neatly at the end before the author lays down some new tantalizing tidbits that will be followed up in the next book. No jarring cliffhangers or lots of lingering questions.
*Finally, I loved that the book included not only the secret pie crust recipe, but three additional pie recipes at the end. There was a recipe for Lotsa Lemon Meringue Pie, Delia's Deep-Dish Cherry Pie and Clara's Coconut Custard Pie. I have to say I thought the clever alliterative titles for the pies added to the overall charm.
And The Not So Much:
*The author does a terrific job of placing red herrings, doing her best to convince the reader that someone other than the real culprit is responsible for the murder. While I thought this aspect was well done, I was a bit befuddled that after all the buildup regarding the property developer wanting to purchase the pie shop, that the story line just kind of fizzled and went away quietly. I don't know I guess after all the drama with Mr. Mann I was expecting a bigger payout.
*I wasn't a big fan of the romance. At first, the pair starts out at odds, Maggie is unwilling to trust a newspaper reporter, and who can blame her? Then suddenly, the romance just takes off. It felt a bit to quick for me and I would have liked to see the two develop a better friendship foundation. It almost felt a bit like insta love. I can say, though, that I was relieved that there was not a love triangle as those are becoming more prevalent even in cozies.
*There was a story line regarding Aunt Clara's failure to pay the taxes on the pie shop. Maggie ends up putting a lien on Aunt Clara's house in order to make the payment. Then at the end, Clara all of sudden has the money in hand from the renters. How did she get the money? Did she go to the renters and ask for it?
*At one point, someone vandalizes the pie shop by cutting the power lines. I thought this was a big dramatic development, and then it just dies. I was left wondering who cut the power lines and why? Was it Mann or the murderer?
Plum Deadly is perfectly pleasant way to pass a rainy afternoon. Cuddle up and lose yourself in the cozy Pie in the Sky Pie Shop with Maggie, Aunt Clara and the rest of the gang. This was a charming little mystery that kept me entertained until the very end. I was satisfied that it stayed believable. I thoroughly enjoyed reading everything pertinent to pie, and in fact, I now have a healthy hunkering to eat pie. If you are looking for an easy, breezy read consider picking up Plum Deadly. I enjoyed this book and I am eager to read the next one.
Favorite Quotations:
"Nice to read something besides family problems and books about women finding themselves. I don't understand why all those women feel so lost in the first place."
"Some foods are better because of the people who make them."
"It's more than a recipe. It's love."
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.
January 16, 2021
This is the first book in the series. Maggie has returned back to her aunt’s pie shop after being accused of embezzling money from the bank where she worked in New York. Discouraged and embarrassed, she has begun looking for opportunities, but in the meantime, she begins to realize how things have gotten out of hand since her uncle’s death. As she works to start sorting things out with the shop and her aunt’s home, she reluctantly begins to learn to make pies. She is surprised one day when her old boss shows up and claims that he has evidence that she did not steal the money and plans on revealing what he knows in a press conference the next day. But when he turns up dead at the back door of the shop, Maggie finds herself in trouble in more ways than she could have ever imagined. As she tries to clear the shop and herself as well as find out who did steal the money, she gets help from a local reporter/publisher, Ryan. The book includes several pie recipes.
January 23, 2021
Why I give high rate for this novel?Because even this is a cozy mystery genre, which is clean, easy and far from scary or complicated, I get bust after finding the real culprit at the end. So unexpected, usually I'm good at guessing who the killer or villain in mystery or thriller, this is different.
The story is good, smooth, full of suspens and give an unexpected ending. Its good to know through the character that you'll always get helped from good person during a difficult times. It's not easy to move on from the accusation that blackened your name and honor. But the truth always revealed. I'm feel sorry to people like Jane and his husband which are desperate, and willing to sacrificed their own blood and other people live, for their status and wealth. Don't let the money poison our humanity and love in life. There always solution for any trouble if you being brave and honest.
This novel is not just about police, investigation, killer, pies, coffee, poison and romance, but it portrayed an example of life, how to had a good live, live is full of surprises and we must always being prepared.
The story is good, smooth, full of suspens and give an unexpected ending. Its good to know through the character that you'll always get helped from good person during a difficult times. It's not easy to move on from the accusation that blackened your name and honor. But the truth always revealed. I'm feel sorry to people like Jane and his husband which are desperate, and willing to sacrificed their own blood and other people live, for their status and wealth. Don't let the money poison our humanity and love in life. There always solution for any trouble if you being brave and honest.
This novel is not just about police, investigation, killer, pies, coffee, poison and romance, but it portrayed an example of life, how to had a good live, live is full of surprises and we must always being prepared.
February 21, 2018
Ok, there are some issues. First off, since when does getting accused of embezzlement (but let go instead of prosecuted) cause you to lose all your money and possessions? Second there was insta-love, but no triangle.
Maggie comes home to her aunt's pie store after being fired from her bank and not visiting for years. She realizes she isn't likely to get another bank job and that her aunt has been floundering a bit since her husband died. Then her old boss shows up and says he has proof she is innocent and will do a press conference the next day. But of course he shows up dead soon after.
The local newspaperman, Ryan falls hard for Maggie and works with her and her aunt to discover who killed her old boss. The police officer was reasonable which is nice and the mystery wasn't too difficult to solve.
Maggie comes home to her aunt's pie store after being fired from her bank and not visiting for years. She realizes she isn't likely to get another bank job and that her aunt has been floundering a bit since her husband died. Then her old boss shows up and says he has proof she is innocent and will do a press conference the next day. But of course he shows up dead soon after.
The local newspaperman, Ryan falls hard for Maggie and works with her and her aunt to discover who killed her old boss. The police officer was reasonable which is nice and the mystery wasn't too difficult to solve.
January 8, 2021
After being fired from her job in banking Maggie Grady returns from New York to live with her Aunt who has a family business that she loves - baking and selling pies . Maggie is determined to get herself back into the banking business and clear her name but her loyalty to her Aunt is strong and even though the business is not great she wants her Aunt to stay right where she is but someone is trying to buy her out for the land. Maggie formers boss pays her a visit and wants to share the secret of who framed Maggie but he then turns up dead. Maggie is a suspect but truth will out or will it?
February 19, 2024
I found this book disjointed. 2 people were talking the a third person was part of the conversation. Too much didn't make sense. MC worked at pie shop for quite a time then finally she was taught how to make crust.
December 28, 2024
The end was nice. There was an interesting cliff hanger and the killer was a surprise!
But overall, I feel like some of it was unrealistic. It was also a little underdeveloped to me. I wish the characters were more unique.
It was a good light read!
But overall, I feel like some of it was unrealistic. It was also a little underdeveloped to me. I wish the characters were more unique.
It was a good light read!
December 31, 2018
I read this type of book when I want to relax, take my mind off of whatever’s worrying me, and not have to think. This book fits the bill.
November 30, 2023
Nice to find another author who writes good mysteries, not full of ghosts and spirits etc
March 17, 2017
I really enjoyed the book. The book flowed nicely and kept my attention throughout the book. A bit of romance is added to the mix but not the focus of the story.
I enjoyed that it was a team effort between Maggie and Ryan in solving the death of Lou.
Maggie is accused of embezzling money from the bank where she worked. Having nothing left she returned to Aunt Clara's and helping her aunt in the pie shop. Lou, her former boss, shows up at the pie shop to tell her he has a plan to expose the real person who embezzled the money. Maggie finds Lou dead when she takes the trash out.
I enjoyed that it was a team effort between Maggie and Ryan in solving the death of Lou.
Maggie is accused of embezzling money from the bank where she worked. Having nothing left she returned to Aunt Clara's and helping her aunt in the pie shop. Lou, her former boss, shows up at the pie shop to tell her he has a plan to expose the real person who embezzled the money. Maggie finds Lou dead when she takes the trash out.
September 8, 2013
Plum Deadly is the newest addition to Jim and Joyce Lavene’s books. Although this is the first I have read of any of their works, when I was invited to participate in a tour, I couldn’t turn it down. I am starting to really get into these cozy mysteries because they are so lighthearted and fun.
After being falsely accused of embezzlement Maggie Grady flees back home to her aunt Clara. While trying to rebuild her reputation, Maggie works at the family business, Pie in the Sky. When her ex-boss, Lou, confronts her with knowledge that can clear her name, she’s ecstatic. Unfortunately for both of them, Maggie finds his body behind the shop before he can release the information. Now, not only does she have to clear her name of theft, she has to prove to everyone she’s not a murderer either.
Maggie is such a wonderful character. Even though she is down on her luck, she is very sweet and kindhearted, especially to aunt Clara. I really liked aunt Clara too. She had such a positive personality and always saw the good in everything. She also liked to play matchmaker, which led to Maggie’s relationship with Ryan Summerour, a local reporter. Although he and Maggie get off on the wrong foot, things soon get heated after a surprise kiss goodnight. What I liked the most about Ryan was that he never used Maggie. She wasn’t just another story to him.
This author duo has definitely got it going on. Together they have built a pleasant little town with touching characters. I haven’t really grasped the concept of how this team might work but you would never know it was more than one voice. Everything flowed beautifully from beginning to end at just the right rate.
I would recommend this lighthearted novel to anyone who enjoys curling up with a nice, cozy story. Did I mention that it also includes recipes? That’s right! You can make the same pies that Maggie and aunt Clara made in the shop. So gather up your baking supplies, get out your favorite blanket and enjoy the treat of both this loving story and the yummy pie.
Disclaimer:
I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me, in exchange for my honest review.
After being falsely accused of embezzlement Maggie Grady flees back home to her aunt Clara. While trying to rebuild her reputation, Maggie works at the family business, Pie in the Sky. When her ex-boss, Lou, confronts her with knowledge that can clear her name, she’s ecstatic. Unfortunately for both of them, Maggie finds his body behind the shop before he can release the information. Now, not only does she have to clear her name of theft, she has to prove to everyone she’s not a murderer either.
Maggie is such a wonderful character. Even though she is down on her luck, she is very sweet and kindhearted, especially to aunt Clara. I really liked aunt Clara too. She had such a positive personality and always saw the good in everything. She also liked to play matchmaker, which led to Maggie’s relationship with Ryan Summerour, a local reporter. Although he and Maggie get off on the wrong foot, things soon get heated after a surprise kiss goodnight. What I liked the most about Ryan was that he never used Maggie. She wasn’t just another story to him.
This author duo has definitely got it going on. Together they have built a pleasant little town with touching characters. I haven’t really grasped the concept of how this team might work but you would never know it was more than one voice. Everything flowed beautifully from beginning to end at just the right rate.
I would recommend this lighthearted novel to anyone who enjoys curling up with a nice, cozy story. Did I mention that it also includes recipes? That’s right! You can make the same pies that Maggie and aunt Clara made in the shop. So gather up your baking supplies, get out your favorite blanket and enjoy the treat of both this loving story and the yummy pie.
Disclaimer:
I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me, in exchange for my honest review.
September 14, 2013
The major fault of this book is I want to eat lots of pies. They sound so good. Flakey crusts. In the back of book does have some pie recipe but It should come with pie, don't you think?
A lot of the setting is at the pie shop or talking about pie and having to make good sounding pies.
Maggie is the main character. She is smart, selfish and now that her busy dream life has been taken away from her, She realizes how wrong she has been not to spend more time with her Aunt.
Maggie was working for a bank until she was accused of taking millions from her bank. The bank froze her accounts, took all she had leaving her with not even enough money to go home.
(I wonder how the bank could take her apartment and everything even her clothes) They don't even press charges against her.
Her Aunt Clara and her Uncle Fred took Maggie in when she was four after her parents were killed. Since her husband's death Clara has not made a lot of good decisions. She has kept the Pie in the Sky open. She is glad that Maggie has come home. She loves her and plans to teach her the family's secret to making good pie crusts.
Maggie's boss comes to her hometown and tells her that he found out who had really stolen the money and he has called a press conference for tomorrow where he will announce the real thief.
Next time Maggie sees him he has died behind Pie in the Sky.
Now things get even worse for Maggie as she as been a person of interest in the death of her boss.
The mystery of who the thief and killer is good. There are a few good suspects for Maggie to look into. I was kept guessing till the killer let it out about something.
There is good drama and action and even some romance as Maggie tries to clear her name. At the same time someone is trying to make Clara sell her land so he can build a office building for doctors.
The ending is setting up for another book that sounds good I hope it is going to come out quickly. I will want to read it but first make sure I have some pie on hand to go with it.
I was given this ebook to read and agreed to be part of its blog tour and give honest review of it.
A lot of the setting is at the pie shop or talking about pie and having to make good sounding pies.
Maggie is the main character. She is smart, selfish and now that her busy dream life has been taken away from her, She realizes how wrong she has been not to spend more time with her Aunt.
Maggie was working for a bank until she was accused of taking millions from her bank. The bank froze her accounts, took all she had leaving her with not even enough money to go home.
(I wonder how the bank could take her apartment and everything even her clothes) They don't even press charges against her.
Her Aunt Clara and her Uncle Fred took Maggie in when she was four after her parents were killed. Since her husband's death Clara has not made a lot of good decisions. She has kept the Pie in the Sky open. She is glad that Maggie has come home. She loves her and plans to teach her the family's secret to making good pie crusts.
Maggie's boss comes to her hometown and tells her that he found out who had really stolen the money and he has called a press conference for tomorrow where he will announce the real thief.
Next time Maggie sees him he has died behind Pie in the Sky.
Now things get even worse for Maggie as she as been a person of interest in the death of her boss.
The mystery of who the thief and killer is good. There are a few good suspects for Maggie to look into. I was kept guessing till the killer let it out about something.
There is good drama and action and even some romance as Maggie tries to clear her name. At the same time someone is trying to make Clara sell her land so he can build a office building for doctors.
The ending is setting up for another book that sounds good I hope it is going to come out quickly. I will want to read it but first make sure I have some pie on hand to go with it.
I was given this ebook to read and agreed to be part of its blog tour and give honest review of it.
September 5, 2013
Maggie has just been accused of stealing an enormous amount of money from the bank where she used to work. Now she is being forced, because of lack of funds, to move back to her small hometown in North Carolina to work in her Aunt Clara’s pie shop. One normal, average day her old boss shows up at the pie shop to clear Maggie’s name, saying that he wrongly accused her of taking the money and that he now knows who it really was. Maggie is beside herself with joy, hoping that she will be able to go back to her old life in New York, and possibly take her Aunt Clara with her. But when her boss is found dead right outside the Pie in the Sky, her aunt’s shop, Maggie is the main suspect!
This was one of the best cozy mysteries that I have read this year! I absolutely fell in love with Maggie and her Aunt Clara. Not to mention, Durham, North Carolina is only about four hours away from where I live. Maggie was a genuine heroine who I liked right away. She was real and confident, yet she had this innocence about her. She was the perfect person to go around trying to solve a murder. I admired her even more because she constantly had the best interests of her Aunt Clara at heart. Maggie wanted to repay her aunt for bringing her into her home all those years ago. Their relationship was just as cozy as the mystery!
My favorite place to be was Aunt Clara’s pie shop. It was so warm and inviting, and the names Clara gave to her pies were fabulous. I love the idea of owning a pie shop and I couldn’t think of a better setting for a new cozy mystery series. This is a debut and let me just say that I am hooked and cannot wait for the next in this tantalizing series. The ending was a bit open-ended and left me wanting another slice, I mean another book!
***A copy of this book was provided to me by the publishers at Gallery Books in exchange for my honest review***
This was one of the best cozy mysteries that I have read this year! I absolutely fell in love with Maggie and her Aunt Clara. Not to mention, Durham, North Carolina is only about four hours away from where I live. Maggie was a genuine heroine who I liked right away. She was real and confident, yet she had this innocence about her. She was the perfect person to go around trying to solve a murder. I admired her even more because she constantly had the best interests of her Aunt Clara at heart. Maggie wanted to repay her aunt for bringing her into her home all those years ago. Their relationship was just as cozy as the mystery!
My favorite place to be was Aunt Clara’s pie shop. It was so warm and inviting, and the names Clara gave to her pies were fabulous. I love the idea of owning a pie shop and I couldn’t think of a better setting for a new cozy mystery series. This is a debut and let me just say that I am hooked and cannot wait for the next in this tantalizing series. The ending was a bit open-ended and left me wanting another slice, I mean another book!
***A copy of this book was provided to me by the publishers at Gallery Books in exchange for my honest review***
May 18, 2014
Unjustly accused of embezzling money, Maggie Grady flees her high-flying New York banking career to the town where she grew up. Her Aunt Clara welcomes her back with open arms and offers her job in the family owned business that offers the best basked pies, around. Unfortunately, while Maggie is determined to return to banking (she even begs for a job in an email), her reputation seems to be permanently in the dumps. That is, until her former boss, Lou, shows up with news that he has discovered the real guilty party. Being the "drama queen" that he is, he wants to wait to reveal this info. during a press conference the next morning, but before he can make his grand announcement, he is found dead on the back stoop of the pie shop.
As is with most cozy debuts, Maggie is in the spotlight -- all evidence points to her. The police suspect that a piece of Aunt Clara's pie was used as the murder weapon, so now it's not just Maggie's reputation on the line, but Aunt Clara's, as well. It is up to Maggie to solve the crime!
There is an interesting side story about the finances surrounding Aunt Clara's pie shop, a romance with a local reporter, and more that make this a great kick-off to [hopefully] a brand new series!
On an interesting note, I love pie, but like everyone, there are certain flavors that I do not like. The recipes included at the end of this story are for three pies that I would never eat -- Lotsa Lemon Meringue Pie, Delia's Deep-Dish Cherry Pie, and Clara's Coconut Custard Pie.
Still, there is a nice recipe for a flaky pie crust. I'm looking forward to seeing what else Ellie Grant has to create!
As is with most cozy debuts, Maggie is in the spotlight -- all evidence points to her. The police suspect that a piece of Aunt Clara's pie was used as the murder weapon, so now it's not just Maggie's reputation on the line, but Aunt Clara's, as well. It is up to Maggie to solve the crime!
There is an interesting side story about the finances surrounding Aunt Clara's pie shop, a romance with a local reporter, and more that make this a great kick-off to [hopefully] a brand new series!
On an interesting note, I love pie, but like everyone, there are certain flavors that I do not like. The recipes included at the end of this story are for three pies that I would never eat -- Lotsa Lemon Meringue Pie, Delia's Deep-Dish Cherry Pie, and Clara's Coconut Custard Pie.
Still, there is a nice recipe for a flaky pie crust. I'm looking forward to seeing what else Ellie Grant has to create!
October 21, 2013
Maggie and her Aunt Clara live in Durham, North Carolina. Maggie has come back home because she's been charged with embezzling funds from the bank where she worked. Thank goodness she likes pies. Baking a dozen pies a day is what her aunt's life is all about. The name of Aunt Clara's shop is Pie In The Sky. Sadly, Maggie comes home with troubles following behind her. There is murder and all sorts of troubles like break ins, stolen laptops, etc. You know. It's the typical cozy. I waited anxiously for a dead body. Didn't have to wait long. A dead body is found outside of the pie shop.The dead man is a person Maggie knows very well.
I enjoyed the characters in this cozy. I especially liked the ending where Ellie Grant leaves a cliffhanger. I have my fingers crossed this is where the next cozy will start.
I love North Carolina. So I waited anxiously for Ellie Grant to write about sights around town. Unless I missed it. I didn't see any named in the book. Sorry, but it was like being plunked in the middle of Nowhere, USA. Other than that I enjoyed the cozy. I rediscovered the importance of family support. Maggie had no one to hold on to except for Aunt Clara. Finally, of course she made friends with Ryan and other people. Looking forward to another Plum Deadly by Ellie Grant although with a different title. Since this is a Cullinary cozy, there are pie recipes in the back of the book. This is a wonderful treat just before Halloween.joyceandjimlavene.com/Ellie...
I enjoyed the characters in this cozy. I especially liked the ending where Ellie Grant leaves a cliffhanger. I have my fingers crossed this is where the next cozy will start.
I love North Carolina. So I waited anxiously for Ellie Grant to write about sights around town. Unless I missed it. I didn't see any named in the book. Sorry, but it was like being plunked in the middle of Nowhere, USA. Other than that I enjoyed the cozy. I rediscovered the importance of family support. Maggie had no one to hold on to except for Aunt Clara. Finally, of course she made friends with Ryan and other people. Looking forward to another Plum Deadly by Ellie Grant although with a different title. Since this is a Cullinary cozy, there are pie recipes in the back of the book. This is a wonderful treat just before Halloween.joyceandjimlavene.com/Ellie...
August 19, 2013
Plum Deadly is the first book in the Pie In The Sky series. I hope the first of many!!
Maggie Grady has returned to her hometown, after unjustly being accused of embezzling bank funds. Maggie is busy helping her Aunt Clara run Pie In the Sky Pie shop, much needed, too.
Then one day her former boss, Lou, walks through the door of the pie shop. He lets Maggie know that he knows she's not guilty and will explain everything at a news conference the next day. the next day never comes, as when Maggie is taking out the trash, she finds Lou slumped against the back door, dead. Quite naturally Maggie becomes a person of interest. Shortly after the discovery of body, Ryan Summerour, owner of a local newspaper wants to do a person interest story and help Maggie clear her name.
A wonderful first book for this delicious new series with believable characters, all I would to call my friends. Aunt Clara whose wonderful baking skills keeps the customers coming back, but she could use a little help with the business side. Maggie who would still like to have that pie in the sky job at a bank, she does enjoy working in the pie shop and knows that her aunt needs her around the shop. Plus Ryan is there and could be a love interest that Maggie is also looking for.
Definitely hungry for the second book in this series. Recipes also included, too.
Maggie Grady has returned to her hometown, after unjustly being accused of embezzling bank funds. Maggie is busy helping her Aunt Clara run Pie In the Sky Pie shop, much needed, too.
Then one day her former boss, Lou, walks through the door of the pie shop. He lets Maggie know that he knows she's not guilty and will explain everything at a news conference the next day. the next day never comes, as when Maggie is taking out the trash, she finds Lou slumped against the back door, dead. Quite naturally Maggie becomes a person of interest. Shortly after the discovery of body, Ryan Summerour, owner of a local newspaper wants to do a person interest story and help Maggie clear her name.
A wonderful first book for this delicious new series with believable characters, all I would to call my friends. Aunt Clara whose wonderful baking skills keeps the customers coming back, but she could use a little help with the business side. Maggie who would still like to have that pie in the sky job at a bank, she does enjoy working in the pie shop and knows that her aunt needs her around the shop. Plus Ryan is there and could be a love interest that Maggie is also looking for.
Definitely hungry for the second book in this series. Recipes also included, too.
May 17, 2014
Plum Deadly is the 1st book in Pie in the Sky Series. Maggie has lost her high powered position in the banking world in New York City. She was accused of stealing money from an important client and was escorted from the bank. Her accounts were frozen to pay back her debt. She returns home with just enough money for a bus ticket.
She returns home to her Aunt Clara who owns a family run pie making business in North Carolina. Maggie was raised by her Aunt Clara and Uncle Fred due to the death of her parents when she was young. Soon after her return, a murder occurs and Maggie is under suspicion.
The book read fast and I thought it became more interesting about half way through. Maggie had been raised by a very loving aunt and uncle but once she moved to New York, she only went home once in twelve years and that was for her uncle's funeral. She called several times a year. She was so caring about her aunt after her return so it didn't ring true to me about her absence and little communication for the past twelve years.
If you like cozy mystery books featuring food and with some romance, you probably will like this book. The pies made one hungry.
The mystery was complex enough as to who was the embezzler and who committed the murder. There was also a segue to the next book on the last page.
She returns home to her Aunt Clara who owns a family run pie making business in North Carolina. Maggie was raised by her Aunt Clara and Uncle Fred due to the death of her parents when she was young. Soon after her return, a murder occurs and Maggie is under suspicion.
The book read fast and I thought it became more interesting about half way through. Maggie had been raised by a very loving aunt and uncle but once she moved to New York, she only went home once in twelve years and that was for her uncle's funeral. She called several times a year. She was so caring about her aunt after her return so it didn't ring true to me about her absence and little communication for the past twelve years.
If you like cozy mystery books featuring food and with some romance, you probably will like this book. The pies made one hungry.
The mystery was complex enough as to who was the embezzler and who committed the murder. There was also a segue to the next book on the last page.
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