Death by Deep Dish Pie

Stain-Busting Mystery #2

by Sharon Short

Like nearly everyone else in Paradise, Ohio, local laundromat owner and stain-removal expert Josie Toadfern eagerly awaits the upcoming July 4th Founders Day celebration with its highlight, the annual Breitenstrater Pie Company pie-eating content, sponsored by the owners of the town's upper curst enterprise. But things may not be so sweet this year, what with juicy rumors flying that a black sheep Breitenstrater wants to spill the beans about some deep, dark family secret. And when a pie-making bigwig suspiciously drops dead after sampling the company's latest wares, Josie leaps into action. She loves her teeny-weeny community, despite its blemishes—and any stain on its reputation must be eradicated! But if she sticks her thumb—or her nose—into this particular pastry, she's going to pull our more thank a plum...and she may end up getting her own lethal just desserts.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction

272 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published June 29, 2004

About the author

Sharon Short is the author of sixteen published books.

Her newest, Trouble Island, is historical suspense and will be published by Minotaur Books on December 3, 2024.

As Jess Montgomery, she writes the historical Kinship Mysteries set in the 1920s and inspired by Ohio’s true first female sheriff.

Sharon is a contributing editor to Writer’s Digest, for which she writes the column, “Level Up Your Writing (Life)” and teaches for Writer’s Digest University.

She is also a three-time recipient of the Individual Excellence Award in Literary Arts from Ohio Arts Council and has been a John E. Nance Writer in Residence at Thurber House (Columbus, Ohio).

When not writing, Sharon enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading, swimming, and occasionally hiking.

Reviews

[Cozy Reader Lady · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some good stain removal tips plus a cozy mystery

"Death by Deep Dish Pie (A Toadfern Mystery/The Stain-Busting Mysteries #2)" by Sharon Short reads very well standalone. I actually had to double check I was right when typing it was #2 in the series as it read like a first book in a series. It has a bit of a Fourth of July theme to it as well. The town is getting ready for their Fourth of July and Founder's Day celebrations when the top CEO of the town's primary employer collapses face first in his lemon ginseng pie at the annual pie eating competition before he can make a big announcement.

Of course, Josie, is the only one to go about preserving any kind of evidence that the death is anything other than natural. She's also the only one to do any kind of investigation. In the end his death was technically natural but many other secrets and events unfold to complete turn things over for the whole town.

[Gwen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Charming read about Paradise that isn't. Or, it is but ... the good and bad of living in a really small town is clear. Ferrets, town history, challenging stains (only when one is uncertain of their actual origin), gingseng ... all are intermingled in this mystery. Along the way to solving a murder (or, two, or three), Josie deepens a relationship with her cousin Sally and ponders the nature (and truth) in her relationship with Owen. In the end, Breitenstarter pies end up much better than they were when the novel started, in quality, taste, ownership and (real) history.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

The main character, Josie Toadfern, runs a laundromat so some of the details of this cozy mystery are about stain removal. I think I prefer recipes. But I did enjoy the book. Set in a small Ohio town with a quirky cast of characters. The pie company is the largest employer in the small town still owned by a family with secrets to hide. This makes for intrigue and murder.

[Jenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely not my favorite cozy. It wasn’t terrible, it was just a bit much country for my liking. A little too small town. With too much pie eating and a lot of old time characters. Everyone seemed angry all the time. And the deaths were a little too convenient. I’ll probably skip over any other “stain” mysteries.

[Heather Butterworth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute little cozy mystery. I enjoyed the characters, and the mystery itself was fun. I do wish we had gotten to the action faster, and certain subplots (Owen and Guy in particular) seemed a bit forced. Overall, though, this was enjoyable.

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun read with lots of village secrets exposed and an interesting outcome to the murder. A nice light series good for bedtime reading.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable, a tad slow at first but got better.

[Sandra Grant · Rating 3 out of 5]

3..5 rating

A good first book in a series but could have sued a bit more careful editing.

The addition of a ghostly former teacher added nothing to the story.

[Louisa Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an okay book. Josie Toadfern in the little town of Promise, and, of course, there are a couple of mysterious deaths, but that was par for this type of story.

[Janell · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a really convoluted mystery with lackluster characters. Definitely hard to stay interested.

[Xylene · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an entertaining read as well as informative, though I really can't say it was a book I would recommend to anybody who likes mystery novels. I love the stain removal tips, but have not tried one yet. That's all.

Just kidding!

The novel's cover art was eye catching as well as the title "Death by Deep Dish Pie"(come on now, if you read something like that, you will be like Josie Toadfern yourself, curious as hell), when I read the excerpt at the back I was like "I will buy this book" and I did buy it after a lot of arguments with my "inner goddess", but when I was on the process of reading- I called it process cause I was like half asleep or half- hallucinating with the utopia thing(I love the outdoors!).

I came up with the conclusion that I expected too much with the book and it just let me down on a spiral haywire(not the author's fault, by the way! It's just me).

You better read it to see what I mean, or maybe not.

[Sallee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sharon Short, the author lives in my area and when I am aware of it, I like to read local authors as they often use local references. This is one of the Josie Toadfern mysteries and this one is about the Brietenstrators Pie Co. When the CEO dies at a pie eating contest, susposedly of a heart attack,his teen aged daughter goes misssing, his brother is missing also and a visitor to the Brietenstrators home who was working a deal to buy the pie company and turn it into a health food pie company seems to have his own agenda. As Josie gets involved, her dreams of her junior-hi history teacher in which she is ranted at and given advice which is sometimes helpful in solving the mystery. Josie disliked this techer intensely and cannot understand why she shows up in her dreams. That being said, Josie"s nosiness keeps her "nosing" around and she finds herself in danger.

[Tammy Ketring · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did make it to the end..

There were several mistakes in the editing of the book that I couldn't ignore.....my English teacher in high school is now my friend!! I love reading and mysteries are a favorite of mine, which is why I did give it 4 stars.....food, romance (although not much) and a good storyline are always a must in my opinion.

[Dejon Loggins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Picked This Book To Read Because I Liked The Artwork And The Cover It Was An Page Turner It Was Some What Scary But Not The Scariest It Wasn't Sad But It Was Easy To Read."Death By Deep Dish Pie" Begins With This Is a Good Book,But Around The End

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another great new cozy to try out and enjoy with a good murder mystery, some twists and turns and a bit of humor. A delight.

[Charity · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a harmless but extremely slow book that I read for the title. Yum... The mystery itself was so-so. I probably won't read any of the rest of the series

[AngryGreyCat · Rating 2 out of 5]

i have enjoyed the other books in this series but for some reason this one did not appeal to me as much. I had to force myself through to the end and actually ended up skimming a little bit.

[Lydia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Josie Redfern is an interesting character. The concept is innovative and fun.

Good read.