Pies and Prejudice

Starred review from July 1, 2012

Ella Mae leaves her ailing marriage and lonely New York City life to seek comfort in her idyllic hometown of Havenwood, GA. A gifted baker, she decides that a pie shop is her destiny. There's magic in her culinary gifts: her freshly baked goods pick up on her moods (sad, happy, etc.), and then the eaters absorb the mood. Tragedy strikes when the local equine veterinarian is murdered, and Ella Mae's rolling pin is the weapon. Our sleuth scrambles to identify the murderer by working with the victim's son, renewing her friendship with a local firefighter, and baking pies that make people want to tell her secrets. VERDICT A little play on Jane Austen with a nod to Arthurian legend gets this new series from veteran author Adams (she also writes as J.B. Stanley and cowrites as Lucy Arlington) off to an enchanted start. A sensory delight for those who like a little magic with their culinary cozies; think Bailey Cates's recent Brownies and Broomsticks.

Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2012
Books by the Bay series author Adams begins a new line featuring Ella Mae LeFaye and her return to Havenwood, Georgia, after the abrupt end of her seven-year New York marriage. She is enveloped by her mother and her aunts, but childhood nemesis Loralyn wants Ella Mae gone. Ella Mae opens a pie shop but is soon a suspect in the murder of Loralyn's fiance, who was killed with Ella Mae's marble rolling pin. Then another victim dies in the pie shop, and the police pursue Ella Mae while she hunts for clues to clear herself. A dusting of magic covers the story as Ella Mae learns of her own powers and recognizes other talents in her family. The magic offers a new twist but does not overpower the savory blend of suspense, pies, and engaging characters. Foodie mystery fans will enjoy this, along with titles from Carol Culver's pie-shop series.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)