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Sky High Pies #1
Murder by the Slice
When Kate Reed returns to her Colorado hometown to take over the family’s bakery café, she’s ready for a rewarding new adventure. Sky High Pies, a treasured local landmark in tiny Crescent Creek, promises to be the exact opposite of Kate’s hectic, hazardous life as a private investigator in Chicago. After a dozen topsy-turvy years in the Windy City—disrupted most recently by three devastating twists of fate—Kate’s ready for the change.
As she settles into a new routine in the Rocky Mountains, everything’s going as planned. Until, that is, perilous ripples from her previous life threaten Kate and everyone around her. When an FBI agent is killed and the suspected murder weapon is found at Sky High Pies covered with Kate’s fingerprints, she instinctively returns to PI mode to help local authorities identify the killer and prevent any additional deaths—including her own.
Murder by the Slice, Book 1 in the Sky High Pies Cozy Mystery series, includes a tasty trio of Nana Reed’s Sky High recipes!
As she settles into a new routine in the Rocky Mountains, everything’s going as planned. Until, that is, perilous ripples from her previous life threaten Kate and everyone around her. When an FBI agent is killed and the suspected murder weapon is found at Sky High Pies covered with Kate’s fingerprints, she instinctively returns to PI mode to help local authorities identify the killer and prevent any additional deaths—including her own.
Murder by the Slice, Book 1 in the Sky High Pies Cozy Mystery series, includes a tasty trio of Nana Reed’s Sky High recipes!
224 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 29, 2015
311 people are currently reading
338 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
September 14, 2019
This was a good start to this series. Kate returns home to take over her family's bakery but what turns out to be a new start becomes chaos. Someone in her past is killed with something her bakery making her prime suspect. A good start to this cozy.
July 24, 2017
Just a Little Confusing
When you read this book you really have to concentrate or let this be the only book your reading.
Kate moves back to her hometown in Colorado after her break up with her boyfriend and her boss is murdered.
She takes over the family pie business and while doing that is hectic enough, she has to deal with someone who wants something she doesn't have.
While I'm not big on P.I/intrigue stories, this wasn't to bad.
My biggest problem was that I thought it had to many characters popping in and out. Which did get a little confusing as why they were mentioned in the first place if not going to give them more depth.
Story was ok, but I have to admit I have read a later book in the series and it is much better.
Does need some better editing, but no biggie.
And the recipes, if like the ones I tried from the later book are just as good, then it's worth the money
When you read this book you really have to concentrate or let this be the only book your reading.
Kate moves back to her hometown in Colorado after her break up with her boyfriend and her boss is murdered.
She takes over the family pie business and while doing that is hectic enough, she has to deal with someone who wants something she doesn't have.
While I'm not big on P.I/intrigue stories, this wasn't to bad.
My biggest problem was that I thought it had to many characters popping in and out. Which did get a little confusing as why they were mentioned in the first place if not going to give them more depth.
Story was ok, but I have to admit I have read a later book in the series and it is much better.
Does need some better editing, but no biggie.
And the recipes, if like the ones I tried from the later book are just as good, then it's worth the money
March 27, 2024
over the top
The book was just to wordy and slow. It was filled with everyone screeching and shouting and having over the top reactions 🙄😏. The MFC is a PI but all the clues.were.literally.waving.at.her and she was clueless almost the entire book. The plot is actually not bad if it moved faster and had more character development. 2.5 rounded up to 3 stars
The book was just to wordy and slow. It was filled with everyone screeching and shouting and having over the top reactions 🙄😏. The MFC is a PI but all the clues.were.literally.waving.at.her and she was clueless almost the entire book. The plot is actually not bad if it moved faster and had more character development. 2.5 rounded up to 3 stars
April 24, 2016
This lightweight mystery focused a little too heavily on the backstory of the main character, Kate Reed, at the expense of the main story. This translated into some significant pacing problems. Kate was likable as the new proprietor of Sky High Pies, but less convincing as a former PI. Still, books in a series often improve over time and I'd be willing to try another one at some point.
2.5 stars
2.5 stars
October 9, 2019
This was my first time reading anything from this author and I really enjoyed this book. I have found a new series but the problem was I wanted a piece of pie while I was reading it. Kate Reed returns home to take over the family pie/bakery business. Everything seems to be going great including seeing her old love who is now the town chief deputy until her apartment is broken into and someone tore it apart obviously looking for something. But what? It seems that someone thinks Kate has something that her old boss, Rodney, who was murdered, sent her. As Kate investigates the more questions she has. Can she find out what they are looking for and who it is before they kill again. Great story, some wonderful characters and recipes. What more can you ask for.
March 31, 2020
Action Packed
I found this book to be a humorous and fun read. The author did a great job laying the groundwork for future books. This book had humor, action and fun twists. The recipes are always a bonus.
I found this book to be a humorous and fun read. The author did a great job laying the groundwork for future books. This book had humor, action and fun twists. The recipes are always a bonus.
February 11, 2020
This was a really good book! I look forward to reading the next one. The characters are people you can relate to, and I love a good mystery!
June 11, 2023
Kate's thoughts after the law enforcement responds to a break-in (Kate has only been back in her hometown less than a week at this point): "During my years working for Rodney, I’d been in some truly harrowing predicaments: car chases, staring down the barrel of a gun, late-night stakeouts in dangerous parts of the city. Coming home to find my apartment completely trashed and a menacing note scrawled on the chalkboard didn’t rank at the top of the list by any means."
Kate is following a lead on a homicide and Earl runs the local motel where the murder occurred. Earl says:
“Some old English writer dude once said that the only completely consistent people are dead.” A dark, soggy laugh followed the statement before Earl wiped his mouth with a napkin. “But you know what? I like consistency; my routine helps me get everything done that I need to do. And, you know what else? That writer guy’s dead now, so who gives a rat’s rear?”
The late Rodney Alexander's words of wisdom:
"'It is not in the stars to hold our destiny,’” I interjected. “‘But in ourselves.’”
This book had me guessing as to who the killer was the whole time. I did suspect someone in particular, but it wasn't him in the end. There seems to be a budding... re-budding potential romance with Kate and her ex-boyfriend from high school, Trent and I always enjoy reading about a bit of romance amidst a murder mystery.
As far as Kate's coworker Julia, I feel as though there is something not so innocent and maybe sinister under all that sweet talk and non-cussing. However, maybe we'll come to learn she actually is a nice girl. Kate's sister, Olivia was in town for Kate's first week of work at Sky High Pies, but the talk by her of enjoying her time makes me wonder if she will perhaps be moving back with her husband and children to town and she can help out at the pie shop for good.
This seems like it will be a cute series and I look forward to every book following this. I look forward to getting to know all of the characters better. There are pie and scones recipes mentioned in the book, too, and I imagine the recipes will be in all 39 of the books. There were 4 recipes in this read.
Next is Chocolate Most Deadly (Sky High Pies Cozy Mysteries Book 2).
Kate is following a lead on a homicide and Earl runs the local motel where the murder occurred. Earl says:
“Some old English writer dude once said that the only completely consistent people are dead.” A dark, soggy laugh followed the statement before Earl wiped his mouth with a napkin. “But you know what? I like consistency; my routine helps me get everything done that I need to do. And, you know what else? That writer guy’s dead now, so who gives a rat’s rear?”
The late Rodney Alexander's words of wisdom:
"'It is not in the stars to hold our destiny,’” I interjected. “‘But in ourselves.’”
This book had me guessing as to who the killer was the whole time. I did suspect someone in particular, but it wasn't him in the end. There seems to be a budding... re-budding potential romance with Kate and her ex-boyfriend from high school, Trent and I always enjoy reading about a bit of romance amidst a murder mystery.
As far as Kate's coworker Julia, I feel as though there is something not so innocent and maybe sinister under all that sweet talk and non-cussing. However, maybe we'll come to learn she actually is a nice girl. Kate's sister, Olivia was in town for Kate's first week of work at Sky High Pies, but the talk by her of enjoying her time makes me wonder if she will perhaps be moving back with her husband and children to town and she can help out at the pie shop for good.
This seems like it will be a cute series and I look forward to every book following this. I look forward to getting to know all of the characters better. There are pie and scones recipes mentioned in the book, too, and I imagine the recipes will be in all 39 of the books. There were 4 recipes in this read.
Next is Chocolate Most Deadly (Sky High Pies Cozy Mysteries Book 2).
August 13, 2022
This book is one of the most poorly edited books I’ve ever read. It was revealed that one character was not who he presented himself to be and was using an assumed name and then the author seemed to forget that whole part and had the main character google (with no luck) the name and position as he had given it. There were many editing errors, both missing words and extra words. They were usually small ones like in and the, but it made it annoying to read.
The characters were very flat and they were pretty much all rather stupid. The main character is supposed to be really smart and a great PI, but she missed pretty much every clue and while investigating she left things to much later instead of actually trying to figure things out. For example, if I got a thumb drive from my dead boss – who inexplicably sent it to a previous address requiring the post office to forward it twice – I wouldn’t just copy the files to my computer, I’d figure out the passwords right away and open the files. Speaking of the thumb drive, why were the files password protected using passwords her dead boss used but he apparently was given the thumb drive by someone else and sent it to her the day before he died just in case? She seemed shocked that a knife used in a murder a few miles away could possibly also be planted at her home as a warning to her, though she had made the connection about that earlier (the author made sure to mention it was totally her excellent PI skills figuring that out of course). Over and over how tired she was and how little sleep she was getting was mentioned, to the point it got downright irritating.
When her fingerprints were found all over the knife – because it was HER knife someone had stolen – the police acted like that meant she killed the guy. Nevermind it was her knife that she used all the time so of course her prints would be on it.
The whole book was incredibly predictable which made it quite boring. I found myself finding every reason not to read it and ended up taking almost two weeks to read a book the length of one I’d typically read in a couple days. Usually I like cozy mysteries, but Murder by the Slice is one to skip.
The characters were very flat and they were pretty much all rather stupid. The main character is supposed to be really smart and a great PI, but she missed pretty much every clue and while investigating she left things to much later instead of actually trying to figure things out. For example, if I got a thumb drive from my dead boss – who inexplicably sent it to a previous address requiring the post office to forward it twice – I wouldn’t just copy the files to my computer, I’d figure out the passwords right away and open the files. Speaking of the thumb drive, why were the files password protected using passwords her dead boss used but he apparently was given the thumb drive by someone else and sent it to her the day before he died just in case? She seemed shocked that a knife used in a murder a few miles away could possibly also be planted at her home as a warning to her, though she had made the connection about that earlier (the author made sure to mention it was totally her excellent PI skills figuring that out of course). Over and over how tired she was and how little sleep she was getting was mentioned, to the point it got downright irritating.
When her fingerprints were found all over the knife – because it was HER knife someone had stolen – the police acted like that meant she killed the guy. Nevermind it was her knife that she used all the time so of course her prints would be on it.
The whole book was incredibly predictable which made it quite boring. I found myself finding every reason not to read it and ended up taking almost two weeks to read a book the length of one I’d typically read in a couple days. Usually I like cozy mysteries, but Murder by the Slice is one to skip.
September 2, 2019
Kate Reed returns to her Colorado hometown to take over the family’s bakery café, she’s ready for a rewarding new adventure. Sky High Pies, a treasured local landmark in tiny Crescent Creek, promises to be the exact opposite of Kate’s hectic, hazardous life as a private investigator in Chicago. When an FBI agent is killed and the suspected murder weapon is found at Sky High Pies covered with Kate’s fingerprints, she instinctively returns to PI mode to help local authorities identify the killer and prevent any additional deaths—including her own.
I love the start to this series. The story is fast-moving with twists and turns that will keep you guessing to the end. I love the main character of Kate Reed and her maybe love interest ex-boyfriend Deputy Chief Trent. Along with her sister, friends, and co-workers, the characters work well together. Kate is self-sufficient but still knows when to ask for help and when to lean on family members or friends.
This is definitely a series that is going to go in my to read list.
I love the start to this series. The story is fast-moving with twists and turns that will keep you guessing to the end. I love the main character of Kate Reed and her maybe love interest ex-boyfriend Deputy Chief Trent. Along with her sister, friends, and co-workers, the characters work well together. Kate is self-sufficient but still knows when to ask for help and when to lean on family members or friends.
This is definitely a series that is going to go in my to read list.
February 4, 2017
Took me a bit to get into
This story was good but it did not catch me right off the bat, it took a while to build. In the end, I realized that I enjoyed the slower reading pace on my part and that there were a lot of good things like a strong female lead character, a nice setting with an exciting history background of the lead character, and a romance angle. I was a bit dismayed in one of the most crucial parts of the story that the name of the culprit and the lead character was mixed up. Too bad that the editing really messed up big time and so that was the big reason why the story did not get 5 stars. I will probably read more books in this series as I liked the characters and the premise of the series theme and can only hope for better editing.
This story was good but it did not catch me right off the bat, it took a while to build. In the end, I realized that I enjoyed the slower reading pace on my part and that there were a lot of good things like a strong female lead character, a nice setting with an exciting history background of the lead character, and a romance angle. I was a bit dismayed in one of the most crucial parts of the story that the name of the culprit and the lead character was mixed up. Too bad that the editing really messed up big time and so that was the big reason why the story did not get 5 stars. I will probably read more books in this series as I liked the characters and the premise of the series theme and can only hope for better editing.
September 4, 2019
Exciting, suspenseful, heartwarming
A great cozy mystery that will keep you guessing right up to the end! Kate takes over the family bakery cafe in a small mountain town. Her sister and friend helping her through her first week. Add in a break-in, a murder, and a mysterious envelope from her former boss & mentor who whose murder was still under investigation in Chicago...and you've got a great cozy mystery. Well-written storyline, great characters, and the hint of a possible romance rekindling in future books from this same series!
A great cozy mystery that will keep you guessing right up to the end! Kate takes over the family bakery cafe in a small mountain town. Her sister and friend helping her through her first week. Add in a break-in, a murder, and a mysterious envelope from her former boss & mentor who whose murder was still under investigation in Chicago...and you've got a great cozy mystery. Well-written storyline, great characters, and the hint of a possible romance rekindling in future books from this same series!
April 22, 2022
I can't do poor editing. That's a really hard line for me. Sometimes conversations between characters jump around and there's a lot of subtext that is not made clear between characters. At one point the author mixed up the names of two characters for a few pages (at the climax of the mystery, no less) and this made it very confusing and lead to a lot of re-reading just to gain clarity on what was going on. The story was fine but the poor editing was difficult to get through and I probably won't read the rest of the series due to being exhausted after just one book.
October 30, 2017
Kate Thought returning to her home town to take over the family’s bakery would be a calming and quiet existence. However, her quiet town is experiencing their first murder and all because she came home. This is a very enjoyable reading story. The characters are great fun and very believable. You will get pulled into Kate’s problems and fall in love with her bakery. Highly recommend this book to all mystery lovers. I read this book through my prime membership and am very glad I did.
September 8, 2019
I loved that this felt so natural. The characters seemed real and the town didn’t come off so cutesy or quirky as in so many cozies. Katie has a few annoying traits but I loved her background as a PI now taking on the task of running her family’s bakery. It gave her an air of legitimacy as she prowled around the case. Lots of fun.
January 25, 2017
Delicious
This was the first book I have read by this author. It took a while to get things going but after they did I enjoyed the mystery. Watching Katie and Trent get reacquainted was fun. I will definitely read more in this series to see where they go.
This was the first book I have read by this author. It took a while to get things going but after they did I enjoyed the mystery. Watching Katie and Trent get reacquainted was fun. I will definitely read more in this series to see where they go.
August 11, 2018
Good Book #1
I love cozy mysteries and especially a book starting a new series. It was fun and made my mouth water when talking about pies! Anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries should like this one.
I love cozy mysteries and especially a book starting a new series. It was fun and made my mouth water when talking about pies! Anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries should like this one.
July 6, 2018
Pies, threats and files
Awesome. She has returned to her family business after the death of her boss and losing her boyfriend. However things don't go too smoothly. Threats, FBI, files, break-in and murder follow her home. What had her boss been investigating when he'd been killed? With an ex-boyfriend and his ex-wife (formerly her BFF) running the investigation things are getting a bit heated. Will a break happen to tie up loose ends and figure out exactly what is going on? A nice plot, well contrived and executed and with characters that feel real.
Awesome. She has returned to her family business after the death of her boss and losing her boyfriend. However things don't go too smoothly. Threats, FBI, files, break-in and murder follow her home. What had her boss been investigating when he'd been killed? With an ex-boyfriend and his ex-wife (formerly her BFF) running the investigation things are getting a bit heated. Will a break happen to tie up loose ends and figure out exactly what is going on? A nice plot, well contrived and executed and with characters that feel real.
October 23, 2019
Murder by the slice by Mary Maxwel
Book was a delight, kept be drooling over the naked goodies,had to stop reading for a few min. To pop a pan of brownies in the oven. The mystery portion of the book was fast paced just the way I like them!
Book was a delight, kept be drooling over the naked goodies,had to stop reading for a few min. To pop a pan of brownies in the oven. The mystery portion of the book was fast paced just the way I like them!
July 20, 2020
Long adieu about nothing
I skipped over 10 chapters just to get to the end of this book and be done with it. While I hope the writing and characters will develop in interest and skill as the subsequent books are added, this series will not be one I pick up again anytime soon.
I skipped over 10 chapters just to get to the end of this book and be done with it. While I hope the writing and characters will develop in interest and skill as the subsequent books are added, this series will not be one I pick up again anytime soon.
August 12, 2017
Dying for pies
Love this book. Excellent character development and storyline. I can't wait to read the next one. Culinary cozy with recipes
Love this book. Excellent character development and storyline. I can't wait to read the next one. Culinary cozy with recipes
August 24, 2019
Great opening story of the series
I am very pleased with how this series has started. Great character development and plot to get me hooked to read more.😊
I am very pleased with how this series has started. Great character development and plot to get me hooked to read more.😊
September 12, 2019
Everyone in this town acts like a teenager and that guy is so obviously not from the FBI it's painful to read. Stopped about a third of the way in.
December 7, 2019
Exciting story and read
The interactions and subterfuge was perfectly adapted to this book. The characters were well entwined. And it ended as it should.
The interactions and subterfuge was perfectly adapted to this book. The characters were well entwined. And it ended as it should.
March 11, 2022
Excellent read.
The story kept you guessing. I did figure out some of it near the end but the ending was terrific.
The story kept you guessing. I did figure out some of it near the end but the ending was terrific.
September 25, 2022
Nice read
I liked the small town setting and the bantering between friends. If you want a quick read with a bakery setting added to the mystery this book won't disappoint.
I liked the small town setting and the bantering between friends. If you want a quick read with a bakery setting added to the mystery this book won't disappoint.
February 6, 2023
Food and Murder
Good start then got bogged down for awhile. Picked back up and kept me entertained until the end. Would include this author in my reading repertoire.
Good start then got bogged down for awhile. Picked back up and kept me entertained until the end. Would include this author in my reading repertoire.
October 24, 2017
We have seen bakers turned amateur detective, but I think this is the first book that I've read that the main character is a Private Investigator turn baker. I enjoy how this book took a spin on a common trope in this genre.
Though I found it was a little easy to figure out, that was fine because this book was so heavily focused on introducing the characters and their background with Kate. Since the reader is dropped into a town where Everyone knows everyone else. It's nice to have the back story. We also get to see what Kate's life was like when she was in Chicago.
I love the simple writing style that was used in this book. It was a very good start to this series.
Though I found it was a little easy to figure out, that was fine because this book was so heavily focused on introducing the characters and their background with Kate. Since the reader is dropped into a town where Everyone knows everyone else. It's nice to have the back story. We also get to see what Kate's life was like when she was in Chicago.
I love the simple writing style that was used in this book. It was a very good start to this series.
February 25, 2017
Cute book, actually!!!!! Someone REALLY needs to proofread it though!!!! Dang!!! Lol
I was kinda of stratified to see how no one grabbed onto the fact that Kate actually HAD what the bad guys were looking for!!!!! Doh!!! Did they not "get it" or was the action/reaction by Trent AND Kate really that naive or just downplayed???? I was/am still confused!!!! I forgave the poor writing cuz it's a cute book, but pulverized, someone needs to wake up here! Potential, yes!!!!!
I was kinda of stratified to see how no one grabbed onto the fact that Kate actually HAD what the bad guys were looking for!!!!! Doh!!! Did they not "get it" or was the action/reaction by Trent AND Kate really that naive or just downplayed???? I was/am still confused!!!! I forgave the poor writing cuz it's a cute book, but pulverized, someone needs to wake up here! Potential, yes!!!!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews