Friday, July 13, 2012

Review & Giveaway: Pies and Prejudice by Ellery Adams



  
Mass Market Paperback, 304 pages
Expected publication: July 2012 by Berkley Publishing Group
ISBN: 0425251403 (ISBN13: 9780425251409)
edition language ; English

When 32 year old Ella Mae LeFaye Kitteridge catches her hubby in flagrante delicto in the elevator, with twins no less, she decides she wants out. Sooner rather than later. Where to go?

She hightails it back to Havenwood, Georgia to her childhood home.  In times of stress, Ella Mae overdoes it on her favorite occupation; baking pies! When her beloved three aunts,her mother and her mother's housekeeper, eat her pie and all have the same reaction, they figure out the pie makes whoever is eating it feel the same way that Ella Mae did while she was baking it. It's as if Ella Mae can magically imbue  her pies with her own emotions.

Ella Mae's mom and her three aunts decide Ella Mae should open her own pie shoppe so they become silent partners and make a bid on a local shop. Unfortunately, her childhood nemesis, Loralyn Gaynor wants the same piece of real estate for another one of her nail salons. Ella Mae discovers after an untimely screaming match run-in with Loralyn, that she is still as nasty as she was way back when. Too bad that Dr. Knox happened to be present during her outburst to Loralyn. So, when Loralyn's fiancé, local vet Dr. Brad Knox, is found murdered in one of Loralyn's nail salons, the finger of blame points to Ella Mae. Somehow her marble rolling pin is found beside the victim.

Seemingly, the horse vet had no enemies, so is someone setting up Ella Mae or is there some hidden agenda going on? There are some funny rumors going around the horsebreeding community. After all, Loralyn couldn't possibly be in love with the 70 year old vet, could she? It might just be another one of her "marry for money" schemes.

With law enforcement breathing down her neck, Ella Mae knows if she wants to keep baking, she needs to find the real killer to clear her own name. It's the only way she can keep her shoppe in business. No one else has her magic touch with piecrust!

Absolutely magical! I was definitely charmed with this new series. The characters come alive on the page and are downright endearing. Well, except for Loralyn, or course. She makes the perfect villain. Every good cozy needs one!

 If you like the magical elements of Sarah Addison Allen's books or Bailey Cates's Brownies and Broomsticks, you may very well like this one. Besides that, it's a darn good  mystery!

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by Berkley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Due to the ever so generous Berkley, I am able to offer a giveaway of one copy of this book. Open to US only. Be sure to leave an e mail address in your comment. Deadline to enter is July 20th at 5 PM (est). Bonus entries are as follows:

+4 for following on Networked blogs. Just remind me under what name.
+3 for blogging (sidebar is fine) or tweeting about the giveaway. Leave me a link, please.

If you cannot comment you can still enter by sending me an e mail with Pies and Prejudice in the subject line. Include your name and e mail and send to florida982002[at]yahoo.com

Good luck!

28 comments:

  1. I really love pie and wish I could eat it more often so at least I can read this pie center cozy and enjoy it vicariously. Thank you for the chance to win.

    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  2. I follow you with Networked Blogs under Carol Naomi Wong.


    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

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  3. I tweeted:

    http://t.co/43aboyk4

    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

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  4. What a great title! No need to enter me... too many books in the pile right now ;-)

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  5. I love Sarah Addison Allen's books as well as a good cozy so this is going on my must read list!
    meah56 at gmail dot com

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  6. I follow on networked blogs (Bookfan)
    meah56atgmaildotcom

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  7. Since you read so many cozies, I figure you know your stuff when it comes to the genre. This one sounds fantastic - thanks for the giveaway. kathy(at)bermudaonion.net

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  8. I love Ellery Adams' "Books by the Bay" series, so am definitely interested in reading this one. HFC follower and I added it to my blog sidebar.

    word_trix (at) yahoo (dot) com

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  9. Not only do i LOVE the title but this sounds delicious....and being a fan of Allen's writing makes me want to grab this one!!!

    stacijoreads@gmail.com

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  10. This does sound like a lot of fun, and I loved your enthusiasm in capturing how you felt about the book. Great review today! I would love the chance to read this one, so I will throw my hat into the ring for the giveaway, and thanks for hosting it!

    zibilee(at)figearo(dot)net

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  11. I do love pies. and mysteries. Sounds like one I can't pass up.

    carolsnotebook at yahoo dot com

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  12. Your description reminded me of Brownies and Broomsticks, which was a fun and interesting book.
    It also made me think of the theory that quilters can imbue an extra measure of nurturing into their creation, if they think loving thoughts as they stitch. I know it sounds corny, but there is scientific evidence that there is a measurable power to highly focused thoughts and emotions. This is why, whenever I make a quilt for someone, I consciously love the intended recipient throughout the whole quilt-making process. Likewise, when I was making a cross stitch for my mom, I replayed happy memories of learning to sew, going to the library, playing Scrabble and Boggle together, and drinking tea at the kitchen table together. :-)

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  13. I love a good mystery and this one sounds really good. I'd love to be entered to win. Thanks for the chance.

    mlawson17 at hotmail dot com

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  14. I'm thinking about Peach Crumb Pie now and practically drooling! I already have this book on my wish list.
    kpbarnett1941[at]aol.com

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  15. +4 I follow on Networked blogs as Karen Purbaugh Barnett.
    kpbarnett1941[at]aol.com

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  16. No need to enter me...I just finished reading this one and wanted to say how much I loved it too! I, too, am hosting a giveaway. This is a fun one.

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  17. I have had my eye on this new series. Thank you for your review. I look forward to trying it myself.

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  18. This looks like a great new series!
    FOLLOW VIA GFC
    drakebdog@gmail.com

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  19. Please enter me in this wonderful giveaway! Thank you!

    Suko95(at)gmail(dot)com

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  20. Sounds great. I would love to enter, thank you!

    Lisa.2713 at gmail dot com

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  21. This sounds like a good cozy, love the cover!.
    mamabunny13 at gmail dot com

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  22. +4 i follow via networked blogs - mamabunny shelor
    mamabunny13 at gmail dot com

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  23. +3 tweet
    https://twitter.com/mamabunny13/status/224849519966298112
    mamabunny13 at gmail dot com

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  24. I love cozies—thanks for the opportunity to win a copy of this book!

    skkorman AT bellsouth DOT net

    ReplyDelete
  25. I follow you on Networked Blogs (Sheila Korman)!

    skkorman AT bellsouth DOT net

    ReplyDelete
  26. Tweet: https://twitter.com/skkorman/status/225680319213363200

    skkorman AT bellsouth DOT net

    ReplyDelete
  27. e mail entry

    Kyndra

    smilinkyn@gmail[dot]com

    ReplyDelete

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