Humble Pies and White Lies

Amish Inn Mysteries #8

by Elizabeth Penney

Thanksgiving is only a week away, and Liz Eckardt plans to make a delicious, home-cooked feast for her guests at the Olde Mansion Inn while she revels in the holiday festivities in Pleasant Creek, Indiana. Residents eagerly await the pumpkin pie bake-off and the national spotlight it will shine on their small town when the event is broadcast on a popular TV show. Mary Ann Berne, Liz's good friend and fellow Material Girl, is expected to win the pie contest, but one of Liz's guests is also a strong contender.

With the cameras rolling and everyone in town watching, the judge tastes the final round of pies. But when she takes a bite of Mary Ann's pie...she chokes and collapses to the floor.

Someone poisoned Mary Ann's pie, and Liz and the other Material Girls quickly set out to find the culprit. But who would want to harm the judge? As they desperately search for answers, they discover numerous secrets and lies, old high school conflicts that have never been resolved, and simmering resentments ready to boil over....

During this season of thankfulness, Liz witnesses estranged families attempting to reconcile while she strives to make the holiday joyous and memorable for her family and friends. Will they all have a reason to be thankful this year, or will it turn out to be a Thanksgiving they would rather forget?

Genres: Mystery, Amish, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Amish Fiction

205 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Elizabeth Penney lives in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, where she pens novels and tries to grow things. Elements that often appear in her novels include vintage summer cottages, past/present mysteries, and the arts. After spending early years in England and France, she grew up in Maine, settings that are reflected in her books.

Elizabeth is the author of the Apron Shop Series and Cambridge Bookshop Series from St. Martin's as well as over twenty novels, short stories, and hundreds of business articles. A former consultant and nonprofit executive, she holds a BS and an MBA. She's also written screenplays with her musician husband.

She loves walking in the woods, kayaking on quiet ponds, trying new recipes, and feeding family and friends.

Reviews

[Tina Loves To Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a Cozy Mystery, and this is the 8th book in the Amish Inn Mysteries series. I love the characters in this series. I really enjoy this cozy mystery series. I found the book to be a fun read and really enjoyed this book.

[Cozy Reader Lady · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Humble Pies and White Lies (Amish Inn Mysteries #8)" by Elizabeth Penney is a little bit Thanksgiving themed here and there throughout the book. The mystery part starts at a pumpkin pie contest and there's some Thanksgiving meal talk in the middle.

The local car dealership/repair shop starts having issues of possible money scams. Then one of its owners is poisoned at the pumpkin pie contest, Liz gets involved. Especially since one of her friends is the primary suspect and a couple others are victims of the money scams. For a moment I suspected the victim of poisoning herself, but my main focus was on another suspect. I was partly right with that second suspect.

I'm not quite sure what makes the Inn Liz runs an Amish Inn other than being in an area with many Amish. Maybe it's better explained in the previous books. This is really the only detail that bothered me about not having read the previous books in the series. It's a fairly standalone story otherwise.

[Christa · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this installment of the Amish Inn Mysteries, Liz is helping to judge a pie contest when another judge appears to have been poisoned. A friend of Liz, Naomi, baked the pie, and Liz knows she needs to solve the murder before her friend is arrested.

I liked this addition to the series, and enjoyed reading about Liz and her friends again. This books was fun and entertaining.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fun series. Excited to start the next one.

[Pamela Pavkov · Rating 5 out of 5]

Humble Pies and White Lies is a tasteful mystery written by Elizabeth Penny in the Amish Inn Mystery series. This story is set in Pleasant Creek Indiana and a holiday bake off involving Pumpkin pies. Liz Eckardt, owner of the Old Mansion Inn, is a judge in a local pie contest set to be on a popular televised cooking show when the final round is spiced up by murder of a judge. When Liz's close friend, Mary Ann, is a shoe in to win this contest her pie is the one that has been poisoned and kills a judge. Totally devastated Mary Ann turns to Liz to clear her name but all evidence points directly to her. This story takes many twist and turns, brings out many secrets from high school, and Liz's guest may be involved. This is another great story in this series.

I was not given a complimentary copy of this book to read and review. I was not approached to post a favorable response. I have rated this story with five stars for meeting my expectations of a wonderful mystery that I can highly recommend to others.

[Readsandeats · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. Elizabeth Penney's writting is really good and her plotlines keep you well engaged.
Liz runs an Inn, where the material shop is part of the premises. Her friends run the shop and she joins them for quilting. She is going to be busy this coming Thanksgiving with the Inn fully booked and the annual Pie Baking contest.
Liz is asked to be a judge for the first round of the contest, she enjoys the experience but in the final the main judge is poisoned. Who did it and why? Was it an accident? One of Liz's quilting friends is the main suspect, so Liz and her friends set about finding out the real culprit.
There is also the story of why a reporter has come to town and then there are the older newly weds, why are they there?

Will definitley go back to the beginning of the series to read it.

[Mayda · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s close to Thanksgiving Day and the perfect time for a pie baking contest. Mary Ann has high hopes of winning. But when one of the judges collapses after tasting her pie, the contest is canceled, and Mary Ann is the prime suspect in the attempted murder. This storyline would be entertaining enough on its own, but the author has included other story threads about the Amish and other neighbors, and those additions make this novel even more delightful. The characters continue to develop as the series grows, and it’s interesting to read about the changes they go through.

[Debby · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was good. This is not my favorite series but it still makes good reading. Liz and
the Material Girls are out to solve another mystery. One of their own is accused of murder so the stakes are high.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun addition to the Amish Inn Mysteries, and one of my favorites in the series so far. There are some interesting suspects in this one, and the relationship between Liz and Jackson continues to develop.

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pie contest with a poisoned pie. Liz is on the case!

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series hasn't disappointed me yet!

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was rather obvious and nothing really happened until nearly half way through the book.

[Mary]

fast reading

[Raylie Wags · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book at a book sale from my area's library. I enjoyed this cozy mystery and its small-town essence. I recommend it if you are looking for a cozy mystery book or a book under 250 pages.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute and captivating page turner as usual.