Breach of Crust (A Charmed Pie Shoppe Mystery #5) by Ellery Adams

It's been a magical week in cozies for me. I found another mystical series I hadn't read before. Now when you see the name, you will be shocked too. You know I love Ellery Adams! So how did I miss the first four parts in this series? That's as much a mystery as any. However, now that I have read Breach of Crust (A Charmed Pie Shoppe Mystery #5) by Ellery Adams, I am going to fix that!

From the back of the book:

Plate up another slice of Southern magic and mystery from the New York Times bestselling author of Lemon Pies and Little White Lies . . .

PIE SHELLS AND DEATH BELLES

Ella Mae LeFaye’s delicious pies are still drawing long lines—as well as the attention of Beatrice Burbank, president of the Camellia Club, a philanthropic organization comprised of high-society Southern ladies from the charming and affluent town of Sweet Briar, Georgia. To ensure the success of their centennial dessert cookbook, Bea hires Ella Mae to teach the tasty tricks of her trade to the club’s members at their annual retreat. Eager to work on new recipes for customers with food allergies and dietary restrictions, Ella Mae readily agrees.

But when Ella Mae finds Bea’s body floating in Lake Havenwood, she wonders what she’s gotten herself mixed up in. Someone certainly wanted Bea to eat humble pie, and the retreat offers no shortage of unsavory characters, including Ella Mae’s longtime nemesis, Loralyn Gaynor. Ella Mae definitely doesn’t need magic to tell her she must find the killer before someone else gets panned.

My thoughts:

Wow, the characters in this series are fabulous. I even thoroughly enjoyed the nemesis! I do have a thing for those types of characters, and there were a few in this book. I loved the interactions, power struggles, and growth. There was a lot going on underneath the mystery. The mother-daughter relationship certainly added a real, unexpected level of depth.

There were plenty of suspects and the mystery was filled with twisty turns that kept me flipping pages and guessing right up the reveal. I jumped in here and had no issues keeping up. Oh, and as you might expect, in the back you will find delicious recipes.

Take some time to browse the other great mysteries available from Berkley Prime Crime. While you are there, you can sign up for the newsletter so you never miss a new release. I must warn you though, after browsing my wish list is longer than I could probably read. You can also connect with them on Twitter where you can happen across a fun giveaway as well. 

Disclosure: I may receive products in exchange for an honest review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I personally believe will be good for my readers.