Bleeding Tarts

Pie Town Mystery #2

by Kirsten Weiss

Val's new pies are foolproof--but not bulletproof.

Old West ghost towns are as American as apple pie. So what better place to sponsor a pie-eating contest than the Bar X, a fake ghost town available for exclusive private events on the edge of Silicon Valley. Valentine Harris is providing the pies, hoping to boost business for her struggling Pie Town shop and become a regular supplier for the Bar X. But no sooner does she arrive in town than a stray bullet explodes the cherry pie in her hands. And the delicious dessert is not the only victim. Val finds the Bar X bartender shot dead in an alley. Egged on by her flaky friend and pie crust specialist, Charlene, Val aims to draw out the shooter. But solving a real murder in a fake ghost town won't be easy as pie. And if Val doesn't watch her back, her pies won't be the only thing filled full of lead . . .

Genres: Cozy Mystery, Mystery, Cozy, Fiction, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller, Ebooks

368 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published April 24, 2018

About the author

Kirsten Weiss writes laugh-out-loud, page-turning mysteries. Her heroines aren’t perfect, but they’re smart, they struggle, and they succeed. Kirsten writes in a house high on a hill in the Colorado woods and occasionally ventures out for wine and chocolate. Or for a visit to the local pie shop.

She is best known for her cozy and witch mystery novels. So if you like funny, action-packed mysteries with complicated heroines, just turn the page…

Kirsten sends out original short stories of mystery and magic to her mailing list. If you’d like to get them delivered straight to your inbox, make sure to sign up for her newsletter at kirstenweiss.com

Feel free to follow her on Twitter @KirstenWeiss or Bookbub, get in touch on Facebook, post a picture of this book to Instagram and tag her @kirstenweissauthor, or send her an email. She’ll answer you personally…which may be a good or a bad thing, depending on your perspective.

Reviews

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bleeding Tarts by Kirsten Weiss is the second book in the cozy Pie Town Mystery series. Each book in the series features a new mystery to be solved so it would be possible to understand the mystery as a standalone however the character stories do carry over book to book.

Valentine ‘Val’ Harris is the owner of Pie Town and is out looking for new business hoping for a contract from the owner of the Bar X , a fake ghost town. When Val and her pie crust maker, Charlene, arrive at the Bar X Val finds herself almost the victim of a stray bullet that instead takes out one of the pies she’s carrying.

As Val runs and ducks for cover after her pie is shot she finds herself in the alley next to the saloon at the Bar X where she uncovers a dead body. The bartender of the saloon is in the alley the apparent victim of one of the flying bullets. As Val phones police covered in cherry pie some begin to think she is the shooter so again Val and Charlene find themselves chasing a murderer before they become the next target.

I’m sure it’s very apparent from my rating that I absolutely love this series. It took all of a few page turns to immediately begin laughing again and think to myself oh my I missed Charlene… yes, Charlene the side kick in the stories, the lady is absolutely hilarious. Now don’t get me wrong I’ve enjoyed Val and the setting of her pie shop along with the mysteries but I think if you took Charlene out of the books they would probably fall flat and instead with her I find myself laughing out loud and loving every minute. This series is one that I will be sure to return to over and over just for the laughs alone.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Valentine Harris is a baker who does a bit of amateur sleuthing on the side. She's a bit stressed lately because she recently expanded her pie shop and it's been a bit difficult juggling finances. To bring in a bit of money, she's providing the pies for an eating contest at an area tourist attraction. Bar X is a fake ghost town and Valentine wants a contract with them. Supplying pies for the tourists would bring in some much needed steady income for Pie Town. As she is delivering the pies for the event, things get a bit dicey. Sharp Shooters are practicing for an event at the ghost town, and a stray bullet slings through one of the pie boxes she's carrying. Valentine is hardly recovered from the explosion of cherry filling and pie crust when she sees a dead man on the ground. The Bar X bartender has been shot dead. Calling the police covered in bright red cherry pie filling makes her a suspect at first, but soon Valentine is on the case, doing whatever she can to identify the killer. Baiting a killer is dangerous though. If she's not careful, it won't be just the pie and the bartender that have a couple extra holes in them.

Bleeding Tarts is the second book in the Pie Town cozy mystery series. It isn't necessary to have read the first book, The Quiche and the Dead, to enjoy this mystery. A bit of the character background is continued from the first book, but there is enough background info included in the second book to make it easy to just jump in and read.

I enjoy this series. It has a nice mix of humor, background theme and mystery. There are recipes included at the end of the mystery as well. Pie recipes of course! Not all are dessert pies though. One is savory and involves cheese...definite yum there. :)

The mystery in this newest addition to the series moves along at a nice pace. The murder happens pretty quickly in chapter one, so there isn't a lot of waiting for the dirty deed to be done. The setting of a fake ghost town with every sort of tourist trap trick is very entertaining and fun. I thought it was hilarious when Valentine gets shot right in the pie....and then the police think she's covered in blood when it's actually cherry pie filling. :) The rest of the book was just as cute and fun. Definitely a great cozy!

A 3rd book in the series, Pie Hard, is coming out in February 2019.

**I voluntarily read an advance readers copy of this book from Kensington via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

[Elle G. Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Release Date: April 24, 2018
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Actual Rating: 5 stars

There was absolutely nothing that I didn't like about this book! It's fun, filled with humor, and has relatable characters. Some are a bit eccentric (Charlene and Marla) but I loved them because of it! I have to admit, I was weary going into this one because I didn't LOVE the first book in the series, but this one was perfection. I'm really glad I decided to give it a try.

Bleeding Tarts is the second book in the Pie Town Mystery series which follows Val (the owner of Pie Town) and her sidekick Charlene. Val is your typical woman in her early 30's who has a knack for figuring out the who-dun-it in murders. Charlene is her eccentric sidekick who is a bit wacko, but good at what she does. The two are a dynamic duo in both baking pies AND solving crimes and you don't want to miss them crack the case in this book!

I love how the author used a bit of paranormal spoofing in this one. That's not to say it's a paranormal cozy because it's not. However, adding in a "haunting" along with some fairy and alien "sightings" was laugh out loud funny. I really loved how dynamic the book is.

If you are a cozy mystery fan then you should read this series. I keeps getting better and better and I can't wait for the next installment! Find the reading order below:

Series Reading Order
I recommend reading this series in order

1. The Quiche and the Dead: https://amzn.to/2OnEEOe (currently $1.99)
2. Bleeding Tarts: https://amzn.to/2N9nJKx (this book I reviewed)
3. Pie Hard: https://amzn.to/2Inv2O8 (releasing Feb. 26)

[LORI CASWELL · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Bullets are blazing everywhere when Val arrives with her delivery to the Bar X, one even takes out a pie SHE WAS HOLDING!! Covered in cherry pie she discovers one of the bullets hit someone. She finds the bartender from the Bar X Saloon dead in the alley when she runs for cover. She really wants the business from this fake ghost town to improve her bottom line but is it worth getting killed over? Charlene has one of her “pie in the sky” ideas that she and Val (the Baker Street Bakers) can prove her old friend Marla is the murderer, I mean find the killer. But someone is not happy with their interference and lets them know it in some very dangerous ways.

Charlene is flakier than any of her fabulous crusts and Val loves her too much to call her out on her weird conspiracy theories. That is until she decides her old arch enemy Marla is guilty from the moment the shots were fired. Instead of trying to catch the real killer, who could still be Marla, Charleen tries to twist up all the facts. I will admit to laughing out loud as Marla and Charlene’s rivalry soared to new heights throughout the story. The author also introduces a supporting cast at the Bar X. These characters, like the ones we met in the first story, are very well written. We learn a lot about all of them within these pages.

I really enjoyed the setting of the Old West ghost town. Still new and just getting ready to open with a big event, a pie eating contest. A great way to mesh together the Pie Town shop with a new business. I also liked the little place Val has moved into. A very unique idea and the views are to die for.

The murder at the ranch gave a wide range of suspects. Who had alibis and who didn’t? Was it two people working together? Another murder shakes the investigation up as the fingers are being pointed at almost everyone.

A lot of drama took place away from the Bar X too. Val is being targeted by the killer, Heidi, owner of the gym next door is still on her SUGAR KILLS rampage, Val ex is still hanging around every though Val is trying to actually make it through a date with Detective Gordon Carmichael, and there may be fairies or ghosts in the local dog park.

Between Charlene’s trying to divert attention to Marla and the nice twists given by the author, I found this mystery very entertaining. Life at Pie Town and Val’s personal life added a lot to the story. I have never watched Stargate, but fans will love that Val and Charlene are watching the series and will enjoy the references to the characters.

Put all of this together along with all the pies and you have a delightful cozy mystery. I really like the cover too!

You are going to want to have pie available as you are reading. I recommend cherry, but skip the bullet!

[Montzalee Wittmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bleeding Tarts
By Kirsten Weiss
This is book two in the series. Val is taking a big sale of pies to the ghost town called Bar X where they will be having a big event when someone shots a cherry pie out of her hands. Then she hears another shot. She runs to hide and finds a dead body! That won't be the last one she finds either!
Val and Charlene, her feisty elderly pie shell cook, decides to figure out who is guilty before Charlene's rival figures it out!
Lots of fun ensues!

[☆Dani☆ ☆Touch My Spine Book Reviews☆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book just like the first in the series!!!😍 I totally #fangirl over this series! Not only do I just love Charlene's never-ending humorous behavior! I am totally jealous that a woman in her 70-80s can have that much fun sleuthing around and I can't! Man, responsibilities!😤 This was a great mystery, had a good plot and I wasn't expecting the ending! I love this series because there is no insta-love or anything like that just fun and sleuthing. I highly recommend this series!

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the second book in the Pie Town Mystery series by Kirsten Weiss to be just as enjoyable as the first book. There is a good mystery with plenty of suspects to choose from and a lot of clues for the reader to sift through in order to figure out "whodunit". I was able to figure out who the culprit was before the reveal but not that much and it didn't detract from my enjoyment. It isn't often that I figure out the identity of the culprit before the protagonist but when I do, I always enjoy reading on to see how the identity is revealed.

I think the author has done a good job of writing a very diverse cast of secondary characters to go along with her two main amateur sleuths. Val and Charlene are a wonderful pair and very diverse. Charlene seems to be the more impetuous one and Val tends to balance her out with caution and sometimes common sense. I liked that Val was able to see the parallel's between her situation with Heidi and Charlene's situations with her nemesis Marla, who quite frankly made me want to slap her a number of times during the story.

Overall, I think is a fun series with solid mysteries and a diverse cast that has good potential as the series grows and evolves.

I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy provided to me by the publisher, Kensington, through Netgalley.

[Sabine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me begin with how much I love the book cover. The colours, the kitty, the pies and the deliciously messy counter caught my attention and played a big role in my decision to give this new-to-me author a try....and boy, did I have a good time with this ghost town mystery.

Charlene is a hoot and I admire Val for putting up with her crazy ideas about fairies, ghosts and aliens. Even better were the looney encounters between Charlene and Marla - I couldn't stop laughing about their attempts to one-up each other.

It was a solid plot that left me clueless about the murderer until the big reveal.
I am looking forward to reading more in this series.

I requested this book on Netgalley and would like to thank Kensington and the author for providing me a copy.

[Leo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most of the book gave a classical cozy and soft thrilling feeling but it took me a few days to finish it and during the time I forgot much of it. It was mostly enjoyable but very forgettable

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

An old west ghost town is having a pie contest and Val is bringing a pie, which is shot out of her hands. She also finds the Bar X bartender shot and dead in an alley. Val and her pie crust specialist friend try to draw the shooter out and put themselves in danger. The plot was good but the story seemed to drag on and on.

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Pie Town Mystery series, but I did not read the first book and had no problem following this story. Val Harris owns Pie Town and is trying to drum up new business after hiring new employees. She had taken on a catering job for the Bar X Ghost Town that is holding a benefit. When Val and Charlene (her pastry baker) arrive at the fake ghost town, Val is shot at along with finding a dead body. As the story continues, Val is the victim of a couple more attempts on her life. Obviously, she is not taking that sitting down and is out to find the murderer as well as whoever is trying to kill her.

Charlene and Val are the Baker Street Bakers, sleuths ready to solve a mystery. Charlene, who says she is 42 but more like 82, is a hoot. She and her old nemesis Marla are trying to outdo each other in solving the murder and their encounters are so funny. She and Val get themselves in some sticky situations while trying to sort out the situation, but her individual investigations almost always end up in hilarity. The murder in this story happens right at the beginning of the story and the plot moves along quickly. The setting of a fake ghost town is pretty interesting and certainly very different from any others I have read about. If you are looking for a fun cozy mystery with a good mystery, pick up this book. I will definitely go back and read the first book in this series to see what I have missed. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley.

[Shawna Shaheen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is book 2 in series.Val was entering a Charity Pie Eating Contest. For recognition for Val Pie Shop Pie Town. That her older friend Charlene ( she was one of the pie bakers at her shop and her land Lord ) she wanted her to participate in. Charlene knew some the the people that were having it. They went to a town that was like a ghost town. And Marla ( a woman Charlene knew was there) They were friends with one another along time ago. Marla and Charlene they tried to one up each other. Marla tried to be Better and always be a huge success after would do something more exciting than Charlene owner Eyan and his daughter Bridget ( Charlene knew him and his daughter too) Val realized when she got there that Marla and Charlene were at odds with one another. So Cal went to take pies out of can to put them where they were to be a contest. But Wham shots starting raining out. ( The owners and Marla said don't worry they are harmless) well a shot hit one of Val's Pies which she had in her hand. And the cherry topping oozed out on her. There was another shot and Val found a man Devon dead on ground. She did not know him but someone came up behind her and said You Killed Him. It was Bridget Ryan's daughter. Then Detective Cooper ( Val was trying to have a date with him in last book) came to scene and Val told him it was Cherry filling in my hand it is not blood. There were 3 men Larry Curly and Mo( they looked like them too but the had named themselves that) that were sharp shooters. This was an alright book. I liked the characters but wasn't that interested in the book. Maybe Book 3 will catch my attention

[Cozybooklady · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bleeding Tarts is the 2nd book in the Pie Town series.
This is a cute series, built with strong characters that will continue to grow as the series progresses.
Val is excited to be providing the treats for the Pie eating contest. What she doesn't expect is to become the victim of a mysterious stalker who seems determined to keep her quiet.

I enjoyed how the author wrote about Val and her nemesis Heidi, and about Charlene and her nemesis, Marla.

Charlene sees Marla as an arrogant, spiteful woman whose main goal is to out best her at every opportunity.

I would like to see Val become more confident in her abilities. There's a fine line between lack of confidence and a whiny character.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher and NetGalley.

[Erica Chaillot · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am really enjoying this series. Val is so relatable and Charlene is so realistic. I am excited to continue this series.

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bleeding Tarts by Kirsten Weiss is the 2nd book in the Pie Town Mystery series, and I loved it. Bleeding Tarts is a perfect blend of mystery and humor. Not only is this book really funny, I often found myself laughing out loud a lot, the mystery kept me guessing. I found this book to be a quick read, I read it in one day, with a well developed plot and characters. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series. If you love humorous cozy mysteries, I recommend this book and series.

I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Kristina Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bleeding Tarts by Kirsten Weiss is the second slice of A Pie Town Mystery series. Val Harris owns Pie town in San Nicholas, California. Val along with her crust maker, Charlene McCree are taking pies out to the Bar X (an Old West ghost town available for events) for a pie eating contest. Val is hoping to get a contract to regularly supply pies from the owner, Ewan Frith which will help her struggling business (she has hired too many employees). Val is carting the cherry pies to the saloon when a shot rings out and shoots one of the pies splattering her with cherry goo. Val ducks into an alley and finds a man dead on the ground, and he is not playing opossum. Who was the shooter aiming at? The victim is Devon Blackett who was the bartender for Bar X. With Val once again a suspect in a murder case, her dinner date with Detective Gordon Carmichael is canceled. Charlene is determined that they (Baker Street Bakers) will solve the case especially since her archrival, Marla Van Helsing has decided sleuthing is her new profession (she even printed up cards). The killer, though, is a nasty varmint who wishes to derail their sleuthing by taking out Val. Then a second Bar X employee is killed. Val and Charlene need to work quickly before the Bar X turns into a real ghost town.

Bleeding Tarts is a humorous, quick paced cozy mystery. While this is the second installment in A Pie Town Mystery series, it can stand on its own. There are numerous quirky characters along with zany antics sprinkled throughout the story. Heidi, who own Heidi’s Gym, is back and she has increased the size of her “Sugar Kills” sign (her business is next door to Pie Town). Charlene is still going around town with Frederick, her cat, draped about her shoulders. Marla Van Helsing is a black widow (all of her husbands were rich and are now dead) on the prowl for her latest victim (i.e. husband). Val needs this venture with Bar X to be a success since her business is doomed without it. She has taken on too many employees and there is not enough money coming in to support them (assistant manager, pie crust maker, dishwasher, pie maker). It might help if she did not have coffee available for customers on the honor system (put money in a jar). I think Val should take some business classes or get a good accountant. Let us not forget Charlene’s obsession with ghosts, fairies and all things extraterrestrial. She is not sure if the problem in the local park is a ghost or if fairies have moved in. I did love the Samantha Carter, Rodney McKay, and Dr. Zelenka references (fans of Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis will get it). I wish the mystery had been a stronger. There are a limited number of suspects, and I was able to identify the guilty party. There is some misdirection that could send readers down the wrong trail. My rating for Bleeding Tarts is 3 out of 5 stars. Bleeding Tarts will have you laughing from the very first page as Charlene drives them out to the Bar X (she should have her license taken away).

[Taryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this second book of the series Val is hard at work trying to keep Pie Town in the black. She has taken on Bar X, a Wild West Town, as a new client. They need pies for their pie eating contest and Val can't wait to add their name to the list of places Pie Town serves and delivers to. While making the delivery with her crust maker they run into a woman that is Charlene's nemesis. Charlene goes off to confront Marla leaving Val to deliver the pies and while doing so not only does she find a body but someone shoots one of the pies in her hands. The dead man is a bartender at the Bar X and has only been working there a few months, who would have wanted to kill him and why? Charlene intends to find out, she has been friends with the owner and his family for years and knows he nor his daughter could have done it. The only problem is Marla, Charlenes nemesis, saying she's is going to find the killer first. Charlene drags Val into the investigation and they start asking questions of the workers. When Val almost gets run over by horses she wonders if they are on to something. There are only so many suspects and all claim to have an alibi but do they really? Val aims to find out. Follow along as Val runs her business, follows clues, helps another client and tries to make a date with a certain cop. This is a fun series filled with interesting characters who believe in fairies, aliens, and so much more. It's a wonderful series that will have you laughing out loud. I look forward to seeing what Val and Charlene get into next.

[QNPoohBear · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pie shop owner and baker Valentine Harris and her pie crust maker Charlene are excited to make a delivery to the exclusive faux ghost town Bar X in northern California. The visit quickly turns sour when first Charlene runs into her old nemesis, Marla and Val's pie gets hit by a bullet. Then Val discovers a dead body in the alley behind the saloon and becomes a suspect in a murder investigation. The detective, Gordon Carmichael doesn't really think Val is a killer, especially since he wants to take her out of a date. Charlene blames the death on a mysterious Phantom of Bar X and sets out to solve the mystery and thwart her rival. Meanwhile, the health nut next door to Val's shop is dating Val's ex and won't stop harassing Val about selling sugar. As mysterious things start happening to Val, she begins to wonder whether she wasn't the target of the first bullet after all. That makes her more determined than ever to figure out who did murder the Bar X bartender.

This mystery is LONG and unnecessarily so. I wasn't so captivated by it that I couldn't put it down and I really didn't care who killed Devon or why. I never solved the mysteries and some of the answers seemed a bit far fetched.

I knew early on that I wasn't going to be reading any of the other books in this series because I did NOT like the characters. While Val seems sensible, for the most part, and I liked her, Charlene drove me absolutely crazy! Charlene is an octogenarian who acts like a spoiled, silly teenager. She carries her white cat, Frederick, around her neck like a stole, claiming he's a therapy animal. Charlene's crazy conspiracy theories and wild paranormal obsession drove me crazy. I get enough of that insane paranormal stuff at work and don't need it in my pleasure reading. Her rivalry with Marla is out of control. Both of them are old enough to know better yet act like competitive children. Marla is very unpleasant, bragging about her wealth, wanting to copy everything Charlene does just to one-up Charlene and generally being annoying and rude. The rivalry was the main focus of the novel and really really annoyed me. Without it, I may have been more into the plot. Also, the Bar X can't be a faux ghost town because ghost town means a place that has been deserted. Bar X is full of people and is a living history wild west town or faux wild west town but not ghost town. I'm being nitpicky but that bothered me.

Bar X does not sound like a place I'd like to visit. None of the people who work there are all that pleasant. Ewan, the owner, seems nice enough now but he had a wild past and may be hiding secrets. His daughter, Bridget, is snippy and a bit rude. She withholds evidence from the investigation at first. Her connection to Devon, the murder victim, seemed obvious to me and I'm sure Gordon. Devon seems like an unpleasant person himself. He was a lazy opportunist who shouldn't have been hired. His resume raises red flags and the gossip about him can be proven at least once. Everyone deserves a second chance but this was one chance too many. Larry, Moe and Curly (yes their real names) are the resident sharpshooters. They seem nearly as competitive as Charlene and Marla in spite of claiming to be best friends. They have secrets too. Larry, a used car salesman, seems the nicest of the three but is still a suspicious character since something happens connected to his business that really can't be a coincidence.

Back in town, there are an odd assortment of other characters. The manager of Pie Town wants to be a mortician! She's a bit odd. She loves her job because she's needed but she also is passionate about becoming a mortician. Pie Town regulars include RPGers Harriet and Ray. Ray is a nice guy who is a good friend to Val. Harriet seems to have feelings for Ray but he's clueless. There's also Graham and Tally Wally, the local wise guys. I found Wally a bit sexist at times. Mrs Banks, an elderly woman in town, keeps losing her groceries and blaming it on aliens or fairies, is hilarious but also sad. Next door is "Healthy Heidi" who hates sugar and declares war on Val. Val also serves savory pies like quiche and chicken pot pie not just sweets. Heidi's animosity is out of control and unbelievable. She's partly motivated because for some reason she's in love with Val's ex, who sounds boring. Heidi is out of control and crazy. I did not like their rivalry. Gordon seems like a great guy. He's back in his hometown caring for his aging parents and he is a super nice guy who helps out old ladies. He is a good detective but very by the book black and white. His boss, Chief Shaw, is an incompetent buffoon who deliberately targets Val just to get free pies. He's sexist and really really annoyed me.

This series is not for me but I did recommend it to a friend who probably will enjoy the silliness more than I did.

[Patrizia · Rating 4 out of 5]

La protagonista e la storia mi sono piaciute, ma la spalla ottuagenaria e il suo continuo bisticciare con una coetanea (peggio dei bambini dell'asilo) mi hanno dato veramente sui nervi. Forse qualcuno apprezza quest'ultimo aspetto del libro, ma io proprio no: quantomeno un mezzo punto se n'è andato per questo motivo.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun read. The killing of the pie and all of Charlene’s antics were funny. There were several twists and turns with the mystery. Val’s house and Poe Town were vivid settings. Enjoyable listen.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

rating: ★★★★½ (really loved it)
audio narrated by Renée Chambliss

I absolutely love this series!! This had all of the humor and chaos I was looking forward to! It started off with a bang and never slowed up. The addition of the arch nemesis was hilarious although I was hesitant about it at first. The suspects were a complete riot so it was an entertaining blend of suspense and comedy. Mad props to the supporting characters who really make this series great!

[RO G'ma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bleeding Tarts is the second book in Kirsten Weiss’ A Pie Town Mystery series. The mystery is well plotted and entertaining, the cast of characters are strong, eccentric, and likable. The two main characters, Val and Charlene, have a chemistry that allows them to work well together and makes them a hilarious duo. There are plenty of suspects to choose from and lots of clues to sift through in order to try to figure out whodunit. There isn’t any graphic violence or adult situations, but there is some adult language.

After Valentine ‘Val’ Harris moved to the small town of San Nicholas in California, she followed her dream and opened Pie Town. She’s excited when Ewan Frith, the owner of the Bar X, places a large order of pies for a pie-eating contest and has high hopes of becoming a regular vendor for the fake old west ghost town. When Val and her talented piecrust maker, Charlene McCree, are delivering the pies, a bullet hits one of the cherry pies Val’s carrying; she drops the remaining pies off in front of the saloon, and frantically searches for a place to hide and discovers a body. The deceased is Devon Blackett, Bar X’s bartender. Detective Gordon Carmichael, the only detective in San Nicholas, and Val’s upcoming first date must be postponed because she’s found another murder victim. Val and Charlene, start asking questions and looking into Devon’s death, another murder occurs, Ray, a gamer and regular Pie Town customer, is injured trying to protect Val during one of the multiple attempts on her life. Charlene’s nemesis, Marla Van Helsing, is trying her hand at investigating to compete with Charlene and Val’s nemesis, Heidi Gladstone, the owner of the gym next to Pie Town who’s dating Mark Jeffreys, Val’s ex-fiancé, continues to torment Val.

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

[Vickie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wild West time for Val, Charlene and the gang. This was change-up from the first book. Val still has some worries. Pie Town is doing better and she's hired staff, so she worries that everything will continue so she can pay her employees. She worries about if the promised date with the newest detective in town will actually happen. And she's worried about living as it seems someone is out to get her after finding the body up in the Old West town she's hoping to get hired as a caterer.
There is a body pretty much immediately and the investigation begins, pretty much because Charlene feels the need to do so after a past competition shows up.
The main thing about this series that I like so much is how well the characters are done. The non-likeable ones [two in this book] are just non-likeable enough to want to smack them and want the people they are antagonizing to get them back somehow. The nice ones, especially Val, are way nicer than I am. They keep a lot of what they are thinking to themselves when the non-likes attack in their snarky, get-one-over ways. Even when Val is being led into the path-there's-a-good-reason-it's-less-traveled by Charlene and Charlene is one of Val's friends.
I liked the investigation, plenty of suspects and I liked watching Val and Charlene work towards the solve.
I can definitely recommend this book, series and author. Kirsten Weiss is one of my favorites.

[Arlene Arredondo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a cozy murder mystery with a splash of humor.
The main characters of this series are a pie shop owner, with a past of being involved in solving three murders, an octogenarian friend and coworker who sees a mystery to solve in every corner.
They are both part of the sleuthing group Baker Street Bakers, and Val, our main character has her eyes set on the police detective Gordon.
When they are hired for a pie eating contest at an old town style bar, the delivery is made with more than a few inconveniences. Charlene has to confronte her old time Nemesis, while Val is in the middle of a shooting where the a Cherry pie has being injured and a murder is uncovered.
Lots of fun moments, suspects and unexpected twists.

Note: I received an ARC for review purposes and an honest and unbiased opinion.

[Kellene · Rating 3 out of 5]

This would have been a 4 star if not for the crap between Charlene and Marla, whom I wanted to punch square in the face throughout the whole book. I have a feeling I'm gonna see her again and still gonna despise her. Charlene's weirdness took a back seat to trying to best Marla. However, I still enjoy the rest of the cast, and yep, I want to play with the gamers. The mystery was a lot of fun, back and forth between suspects until the resolution. Some of the pies sounded amazing, but some made me wonder who thought that combination was a tasty plan. I'm ready for the tension between Val and the good detective to cease and the relationship to move forward.

[Jenny Houle · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second book in Kristen Weiss’s Pie Town Mystery series brings us on a whole new adventure with Val. While delivering pies to Bar X in an attempt to build a long term recurring customer, first Val’s pie is struck by a stray bullet, and, as she is recovering from that scare, she then stumbles upon a body.
In this book we also meet Charlene’s life long arch rival. Pretty sure Charlene is officially my favorite sidekick in a cozy mystery series, and given that I started the genre with Grandma Mazur from Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series, that’s saying something.

[Emmalynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

These mysteries are good, however Charlene and Marla were way to over the top annoying so much so it took away some of the enjoyment of the book. Val still needs to grow a backbone. Chief Shaw is an idiot, ( the norm for cozies apparently). The story while a little to long is funny at times, madcap humor, as Val tries to keep her shop afloat while sibling yet another murder.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

**I voluntarily read this ARC**

A fun addition to the series. The wild west town setting was fun, but I do wish it was featured more. The mystery was fun and not overly complicated. The recipes at the end had me cracking up.

[Andy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't end up liking this sequel as much as the original. I found the mystery less compelling, and Charlene and Marla's endless bickering was soooooo annoying. I still like Val and her pie shop. I just wish there were fewer irritating characters. Overall, it was okay.

[Linnea · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a cute read but a bit long.