Pumpkin Pied

Gray Whale Inn Mystery #6.5

by Karen MacInerney

It's almost time for the Cranberry Island Harvest Festival and Pie Bake-Off... and the much-anticipated annual Great Pumpkin Contest. But trouble starts brewing when the front-running pumpkin is sabotaged... and flickering, ghostly lights set island tongues wagging. When the corn maze goes up in smoke, things really start heating up... and it's up to innkeeper Natalie Barnes to get to the bottom of things. Is it really a ghost? Or is it someone's twisted idea of Halloween hijinks -- which may take a deadly turn?

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Mystery Thriller, Novella, Short Stories, Halloween

54 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 19, 2015

About the author

I'm the author of the Agatha-nominated Gray Whale Inn mystery series, Tales of an Urban Werewolf. the Margie Peterson mysteries and the Dewberry Farm mysteries (plus a new fantasy in the works). My reading is like my writing: eclectic!

I grew up in the Northeast, but I currently live in Austin with my husband, two kids, and a houserabbit named Bunny. Feel free to visit me online at www.karenmacinerney.com; I love connecting with readers.

Reviews

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short, quick read from the "Gray Whale Inn Mystery" series (my first). With a Harvest Festival, a pumpkin contest, and strange things going on in the cornfield. Some think it's a ghost, or is someone trying to sabotage the festival? Pleasant little read that got me hungry with all the delicious food descriptions! The story had a nice autumn feel to it.

[Mark Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Natalie Barnes has a rare few days off at her bed and breakfast, her only guest being her college roommate Lucy Resnick. The timing is perfect since the annual Cranberry Island Harvest Festival is about to start. However, rumors are swirling that the area is haunted, and Natalie and Lucy witness a few weird things themselves. What is going on?

As a fan, it was fun to pop in to visit these characters in this October set short story. The plot was good and entertaining. It perfectly kept my attention for this short read. This is a short story that took me under an hour to read. Fans of the author will recognize Lucy as the star of her own series, and I enjoyed seeing her first appearance here as well as visiting the residents of Cranberry Island. Throw in a couple of delicious sounding pumpkin recipes, and you’ve got a festive winner.

Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pumpkin Pied earns 5/5 Blue Ribbons…Entertaining!

I am an apologetic fan of short stories. In the past I ignored or skipped over them thinking they were incomplete or not enough depth in the drama. How wrong I am! The proof…“Pumpkin Pied” from Karen MacInerney’s Gray Whale Inn Mystery. It may be easily read in an hour, no need to devote a lot of time, but with the same “quaint” B&B setting on Cranberry Island, Maine, wonderful characters with realistic strengthens and challenges, a puzzling crime and satisfying reveal, and rumors of a ghost, monster pumpkins, and pies, it is not short on entertainment. Natalie Barnes is preparing to enter the pie contest at the Harvest Festival with her Turtle Pumpkin Pie recipe (it gets her out of judging), but mysterious lights, blood in the corn maze, and gourd sabotage make for a fun romp. I greatly enjoyed the singular focus, not too much extraneous activity, and MacInerney’s marvelous descriptive style and wit. And…don’t think the big novels are the only ones to include recipes. Enjoy Charlene’s Pumpkin Whoopie Pies and the Prize-Winning Turtle Pumpkin Pie!

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's Harvest Festival time on Cranberry Island, and it looks as if it may be the last. The property's heirs intend to sell to a family who plans to build a big house on it. Unless someone can find a way to purchase it or get a historic or archaeological designation, it will not be available to continue the island's tradition. Someone sabotaged one man's pumpkin that would have won the town's prize. A pig's heart and blood decorate the corn maze's entrance. Mysterious lights appear on the property at night. Then the corn maze catches fire after some popping noises are heard. Who is sabotaging the festival? What's the purpose? Are they trying to scare off the new buyers or the festival itself? Natalie investigates. Will the property sale transpire as planned? A lot is going on in this short story, but the mystery is on the light side.

[Madeline · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Halloween novella with a little mystery, a little suspense, a little Pumpkin turtle pie recipe.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were too many characters for a short story and a lot of the names were similar: Catherine, Charlene, Claudette. The ending was very abrupt.

[Nola Arganbright · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short story from The Grey Whale Inn series. I love visiting the Grey Whale Inn and the citizens of Maine. Life is never dull and the food is always good.
I t is time for the great pumpkin festival but this may be its last year. There are mysteries to solve including the death of a prize pumpkin. Make your reservations and bring your cooking supplies to try a great new recipe.

[Piepie | The Napping Bibliophile · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid 3 stars. I loved all the cooking and food scenes, and I loved revisiting the characters of the Grey Whale Inn stories. The one mystery seemed far too simply solved for my taste, and one mystery goes completely unsolved... I suppose you have to read the next book or even a Dewberry Farm book to discover whodunit? All in all, a nice cozy mystery to read on a cool October day.

[Avid Series Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pumpkin Pied by Karen MacInerney is book 6.5 of the Gray Whale Inn contemporary mystery series set on an island off the coast of Maine. Natalie Barnes ditched a career in Texas to pursue her dream of owning and operating a bed & breakfast on Cranberry Island. As she prepares a Turtle Pumpkin Pie for the Harvest Festival contest, she enjoys a stunning view from the kitchen window: dark green evergreens, yellow birch, red maple, the ocean beyond.

The annual Harvest Festival has always been held in Eileen Franklin's meadow. This year could be the last Festival. Eileen died, her property is for sale, prospective new owners want to build a McMansion. Of course all the islanders are upset. The Harvest Festival is a cherished tradition. The pumpkin contest and the baking contest are fierce competitions.

Lucy, Natalie's college roommate, is visiting from Texas "where it's still 1,000 degrees". She contemplates following a dream, too: her grandmother's farm is for sale, in tiny Buttercup Texas.

Island postmistress and general store owner Charlene Kean, Natalie's best friend, describes a new ghost sighting. Rumor has it the meadow was a Native American (Abenaki) burial site. She entices them to watch in the woods together with a promise of her Pumpkin Whoopie Pies. They see flickering lights, then make a creepy, threatening discovery at the festival's corn maze.

Island deputy John Quinton, Natalie's fiance, is not too surprised that Natalie discovered a crime scene again. They've solved several island cases together.

Attending the Festival, Natalie chats with many island residents, hears all the latest news. After Natalie and Lucy survive sudden deadly danger, they watch again in the woods, and Natalie solves the mystery.

A "gentle" cozy mystery, brimming with friendship, community spirit, and the pursuit of your dreams. Recipes included: Natalie's Turtle Pumpkin Pie, Charlene's Pumpkin Whoopie Pies.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short story that adds the perfect feel for the beginning of the fall season.

Usually I complain about half books, but since this is not technically in that category, I can just go with the flow of starting a simple short story to kick-start the autumn season. Pumpkin Pied is not intended to move the series forward or to fill in any story gaps. It is just a quick snippet to settle into with a cup of coffee and a throw blanket.

It is fall festival time on Cranberry Island and with no guests at the Gray Whale Inn Natalie Barnes is free to participate in the island’s activities this year. Unfortunately, there is some shenanigans going on with the giant pumpkin competition, stories of a local ghost and now someone has splashed the corn maze with blood and has left a pig’s heart in full view. Then things take an awful turn when there is a fire and the old feelings of the land being cursed arise again.

To top it off, the field where the activities are held belongs to a home that will soon be placed on the market and the community of Cranberry Island may soon lose this gem and the festival that goes with it. That is unless a way can be found around the sale of the property to an outsider.

As Natalie said, “Who knew that harvest festivals could be so full of drama”.

[Edel Waugh Salisbury · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is autumn time on Cranberry island and the grey whale inn owner Natalie Barnes is getting ready to enter a pie in one of the competitions at the Pumpkin festival . With a friend in town and a quiet Inn Natalie gets to chill out a little and enjoy her friend visiting . Her friend Charlaine and her boyfriend John also make an appearance which I loved ! There are some creepy things going on on the island as well as some backstabbing and delicious cooking.
It was great being back on the island in the autumn time with this short story and I am crossing fingers and toes that this won't be the last short story in this series to be published to keep me going until more books are published :0) . A Christmas book would be awesome! .( crossing fingers)
P.s there are a few gorgeous recipes at the back of the book as well as a sample from another new series by Karen called Killer Jam. Def check this series out!

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great to be back on Cranberry Island with Natalie and her friends and family. I really enjoy the Gray Whale Inn Mysteries by author Karen MacInerney so it is great to have a short story to hold me over until February. Lucy from Dewberry Farms makes a cameo (Lucy made her first appearance in Killer Jam which was released in July. There is also a exert of the book at the end of Pumpkin Pied. There are also some delicious recipes for desserts that were featured in the short story.

A quick but well-written read. A good story as well as a good little mystery. Great book to get you in the mood for Fall...pumpkins, corn maze, pie....well worth the 99 cents US.

[Teri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pumpkin Pied is a quick romp to one of my favorite places to read about, The Gray Whale Inn on Cranberry Island, Maine. MacInerney offers a great read for the fall season, to tied us over until her next full release in the Gray Whale Inn series. Natalie Barnes is on the trail of a new mystery. It's time for the annual Cranberry Island Harvest Festival and Pie Bake-off and someone is out to sabotage the festivities. Pumpkin Pied will have you grabbing for a pumpkin latte and cider donuts with this quick, cozy read.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fast read about Halloween and pumpkin pie and harvest festivals in Maine.

Natalie, along with her friends, Lucy and Charlotte try to stop the sale of the property of land where the annual festival has been for many years. With some help from people in the town with some crazy ways to try to stop the sale. They really get into a lot of trouble.

The book has some good receipts for fall pies that sound good. I am going to try one of them.

I would recommend it to all my friends on Goodreads.

[Cameron Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great short read!

I am, unabashedly, a huge fan of the Gray Whale Inn series. Although a short story, it will tide me over til the next book. You might think that a short story would leave you unfulfilled but the plot is so well constructed that it was a satisfying read. An added bonus was meeting Lucy, the protagonist of MacInerney's new series Dewpoint Farms. Can't wait for the next!

[Lisa Adkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cranberry island has a new villian and Natalie Barns is armed with hot cider pumpkin turtle pie and a few great friends .
It's fall festival time, the ovens are warming up for the pumpkin pies. The festival spirit is in the air or is it an angry a spirit running afoul? Kick your shoes off sit back and enjoy this fantastic novella full of charm and mischief.

[Linda Smatzny · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an ebook short story featuring Natalie Barnes of the Gray Whale Inn. It is harvest festival and it may be the last time at the location it has always been held. Natalie has a friend, Lucy, from Texas visiting. Lucy is going to be the owner of the Dewberry Farm and will be featured in a new series by this author. This short story was a very quick easy read.

[Ingrid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun short story

This was a fun short story in The Gray Whale Inn series. I liked that it had a character, Lucy, from another of Karen's books, Killer Jam. I love all of her books, warm and cozy with great receipes

[Wanda Shuster · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun short story to bring us back to Cranberry Island, ready for fall and ready for the next book! Good read and of course I can't wait to try the recipes in the back...and visit our own huge corn maze nearby!

[Gabi Eagon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gray whale Inn

As usual never disappointed by Karen MacInerney! Great short story, quick read and very entertaining. Don't miss this good read.

[Cozybooklady · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written short story. I enjoyed reading this short story and the pumpkin contest results were great.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written short story with recipes! I enjoyed it.

[Georgette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this short story to be very satisfying and timely on many levels. In addition to bringing the main characters together to celebrate the season, it also serves as the bridge to introduce any of Karen MacInerney's fans to her cousin Lucy has come to visit and is on the precipice a making a life changing decision as to whether, like her beloved cousin to give up the city life (this time in Houston) and purchase her grandmother's farm which she has already named Dewberry Farm(and what a delicious series it has become). There is the biggest pumpkin contest along with all the trimmings of who, what and why. It is a fun read. Give yourself a brief respite for this holiday read.

[Mary Lou Webb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute story, yummy looking recipes

The story is cute, but it's a stretch to call it a mystery. There's only one tense moment in the story, and it doesn't last long. I like the characters, and I think they could be a lot of fun in a longer story with a real mystery to investigate. I realize the characters are most likely more fully developed in the longer books in the series, but I was rather lost as to who they were and their relationships in this story. I didn't even know the main character's name until the end of the story. However, the writing is clear and easy to read, well,edited, and the pace is good. I'd like to try some of the longer books to get to know the characters.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great quick read

Even with yesterday being New Years Day 2018, I still wanted to get in some reading, and this short mystery story/book was absolutely perfect. I had read it once before, but I didn't remember it all that well. I'm so glad I read it again. I loved the characters, I thought the plot was interesting – it thoroughly held my attention – and, even though really short, this was a thoroughly enjoyable read. I loved the setting with the fall harvest and especially the corn maze. Only problem is now I'm craving pumpkin pie in the worst of ways – not only a fun little read but also a delicious one – thoroughly enjoyable.

[Mystic Miraflores · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would have liked to be able to try the recipes, however, we have a gluten-free household, so Nat's recipes would need a major adjustment to be appropriate for my family. I don't know if I really want to deal with that, as there are many gluten-free cookbooks out there now and I might find similar recipes. I enjoyed the short story, however, speaking of gluten-free, the author made fun of the "difficult" guest who demanded gluten-free items to eat. I think this made the author seem insensitive to people who have celiac disease and need to be on this sort of diet.

[Jean Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a short well-written story in the Gray Whale Inn series and the second story I have read in this series. It is an interesting story about the Inn and the citizens of Maine. The food is always good and there is always something going on. It is time for the great pumpkin festival, and the people are a little bummed out as this may be the last year for it if the new owners decide to sell the property. There are mysteries to solve as well as a prize pumpkin dying. Mystery, humor and an unexpected happy ending. I will definitely read more in this series.

[Wanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun quick cozy read with some good recipes.
The story is set around a harvest festival on a small island with a corn maze, pumpkin pie contest and pumpkin growing contest. The land on which the festival is held is being sold and it will be the last year for the festival so everyone is a bit sad and wants to save it. Several "accidents" happen and Natalie and friends try to figure out who is behind it.

[T. Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful autumn short story!

Karen MacInerney's books let me enjoy delicious cozy recipes without the calories. Of course, she includes the recipes and I could make them if I was not trying to lose weight. So, reading about goodies is almost as good as eating them for me. I love MacInerney's well written and execution of mysteries. Cozy read on a fall day - much appreciated!

[Nadine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read

I read this as a standalone, not knowing where in the series it fit, and that worked fine. One tip though, I just couldn’t tell the following names apart: Charlene, Catherine, Claudette; just too many names starting with C and I kept confusing them. Maybe if I had been familiar with the series, then it wouldn’t have been a problem. But it was a nice story, I will be reading her full-length books for sure!