A Pie to Die For by Gretchen Rue is the first book in the new Lucky Pie Mystery Series. I hate giving any book less than four stars, but I just couldn’t justify eeking it up a star. I’ll start with the positives though, because there were many.

I love that it takes place on an island in Michigan that basically gets cut off from the mainland during the winter. The characters were well developed. I loved Nora, the little gray kitten. I really enjoyed the main character, Este’s, relationship with the town’s sheriff, Tom. While Tom did warn Este to stop investigating, he actually listened to her.
And I really liked all the baking she did throughout the book, at her shop and also at her house, and she was actually at the shop often and doing work. The recipes at the end look like things I would try and she makes it super easy to make pie dough.

No for the first bummer, which I could have overlooked since it’s first in the series and I would hope it would progress more in future books, and that is, the premise of the lucky pies. We don’t exactly find out how this ability came to be, but there is the possibility that she’ll find out some information from her father or Grampy in future books, so that’s fine. Although she knew she made some lucky pies during the book, we never see any results of any of them. I would have liked to have read at least one or two instances when something good happened to one of the people who stopped by her shop and got a lucky pie.

And for the biggest thing, was how often Este went over the suspects and motives. I know it happens all the time in cozies, but Rue mainly had Este going through the information in her thoughts. Not much talking with friends about it, which would have made it a bit more interesting. I found myself skimming a lot in this book when that started happening, and I would say it’s about half of the book.
Now I could have even overlooked this, but it’s not her first cozy series, so that’s not great that she did this.
And I realized the other reason why I didn’t enjoy it was because there really was not that much dialogue in this book, just a lot of Este thinking her thoughts.

I would give book two in the Lucky Pie Mysteries a try, just to see if we find out more information about the pies or see some islanders seeing their luck turn, or if there was more dialogue and less going over the clues. But if not, then I would have to go onto other series, since there are so many out there.

This is the first book in a new series. Este March lives on an island that shuts down in the winter to tourists. She runs the Lucky Pie bakery that has been in her family for years. There is rumor that at least one pie each day is lucky and will bring good luck to those who eat it. The thing is, only Este knows which pies are lucky and she will not tell anyone. This year on the last day for tourists, the produce delivery is made by a stranger instead of the normal delivery man. He is not friendly and makes several people on the island mad. When he is found dead the next day, the local sheriff thinks Este is somehow involved. Este decides she must find the killer before she is convicted of the murder and she loses the family business. Will she find the killer before the killer decides she is getting too close and needs to be silenced?

I had a little bit of a hard time and almost dnf. But I stick it out because there are things I like about it. I almost dnf because there were multiple parts that rambled on about cooking. I understand she owns a dinner and enjoys cooking; she basically does a lot of it. But there were multiple sections, 2-3 pages (e-book) long, going into too much detail about what she was doing and why. However, I powered through! I did like the story very much. Este was easily likeable. I enjoyed her (maybe bidding) relationship with Tom. Even though I almost quit, I think I will continue reading when eventually book 2 comes out.

Paranormal Culinary Cozy Mystery following a Northern Michigan diner owner and magical pie maker who turns sleuth to clear her name in an unpopular new produce vendor's murder.

5/5 stars: This is the first entry in Rue's new Lucky Pie Mystery series, which is a Paranormal Culinary Cozy Mystery that takes place in Michigan and features a diner owner and magical pie maker. With plenty of twists and turns, Rue has crafted a mystery that deftly balances the suspects, clues and red herrings and will leave you pondering the whodunit until the final reveal. Rue's character work is excellent, creating complex yet incredibly likable characters. Este is great, hardworking and down-to-earth. Additionally, the Kitty, Este's best friend and the other eclectic folks of the Lucky Pie Diner and Split Pine Island are a hoot and a half. I very much look forward to seeing Este's relationship with the local sheriff, Tom, develop. And I really got a kick out of how Nora, an adorable fluff-ball kitten, adopted Este. As for the paranormal element, they are incredibly minimal; Este bakes “luck” into special pies. This isn't a huge part of the plot and the “magic” is almost nonexistent. But I enjoyed it nonetheless. But wait, one mustn't forget all the absolutely yummy food described in the book, which you can try out yourself by using the recipes that are included. If you're looking to get in on a brand new Cozy Mystery series from the very beginning, be sure to pick up this great read.

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

My rating 3.5 stars

“A Pie to Die For” by Gretchen Rue the 1st instalment in the "A Lucky Pie Mystery" series. I enjoyed this book and added Gretchen to my must read authors list! it’s the end of the tourist season in Split Pine– but a murder at the Lucky Pie Diner stirs up trouble for the sleepy town in this series debut.

I liked the setting of an island called Split Pine in the upper peninsula Michigan. I liked the character of Este and she has a good core group of friends as well as a possible romance in the works.

I think it was a good debut to the series as it set us up for future instalments where the luck in the pies might be more involved in the story. But I found that some things seemed repetitive with respect to telling us about how the lucky pies work and some of the pie baking.

Overall it was entertaining, full of twists and turns and I didn’t completely guess whodunnit until it was revealed.

Plus all the descriptions of all the pies had me wanting a hot cup of tea and a slice of Este’s Apple Carmel pie (luckily there are recipes in the the back of the book)

I recommend this series to all my cozy loving friends and I can’t wait for book 2 to come out!

I requested and received an Advanced Readers Copy from Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my OWN.

This is a great, cozy mystery set on an island! I loved the picturesque atmosphere of the book, and would love to read more of this series!

An interesting start to a new series set on Split Pine Island. Este is a suspect when the new vegetable supplier- wh0 seems to have rubbed everyone the wrong way- is murdered right before the Island shuts down for the winter, She's a pie maker whose treats are said to be magical (although there isn't much about that in this installment) but she's also an intrepid, if somewhat bumbling, investigator. The characters-including Este- need more fleshing out and this would have benefited from another edit. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. Looking forward to the next one.

The first in a new cozy mystery series that centers around Este, who runs a diner on the island of Split Pine. She is known to make lucky pies and relies on off-island vendors for fruit. When she gets a new vendor, she is worried when he is rude. Things get worse when is murdered. She investigates to make her island safe again.

For a debut, I thought this was pretty good. I liked the characters and setting and think Rue set up the series well. I will say I don’t think the magic element was necessary. The luckiness of the pies didn’t seem to factor in whatsoever to the plot or even really come up besides many people coming to the diner because they want a lucky pie. But Este doesn’t really investigate at the diner by talking to people, so it wasn’t even relevant there. I’ll be interested to see where Rue takes that element in the future.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A Pie to Die For by Gretchen Rue is the debut of A Lucky Pie Mysteries. I liked the basic premise of a tourist island that is cut off from the world for the winter (I wanted to start off with something positive). I found the book to be dominated by cooking and baking. There are paragraphs with Este describing in detail what she is cooking or baking (it takes up at least forty percent of the book). There are too many characters introduced in the beginning (information overload). 0054he bad guys were overdone (remind me of cartoon villains). The mystery was very simple (and it is pushed into the background). There is a lack of suspects. Este does very little sleuthing (she is too busy cooking, baking, and flirting). Este thinks about the investigation repeating the suspects and clues. The reveal was anticlimactic (extremely). Magic is a subtle element in the story. I thought A Pie to Die For lacked depth. There were lots of different elements, but all of them were superficial. The story plods along to the end with no excitement (plenty of sandwiches, soup, and pie). As you can tell, I could not get into A Pie to Die For.

A Pie to Die For by Gretchen Rue shows a side of Michigan that few see.

Will Este find the killer before the killer realizes she is on to them?

Este March
Our sleuth is Este March; she is the current owner of Lucky Pie Diner in Split Pine, Michigan. She isn’t a detective; her main profession is pie baking. But after a man is killed and she is questioned, she can’t let it go. Este is curious and tenacious. However, her investigation skills leave a bit to be desired. Este puts herself at risk and doesn’t notice her surroundings when looking for clues.

I like Este, but maybe she should leave the investigation to the professionals.

The Mystery
It was apparent who was going to be murdered. Este does follow the clues, and she figured it out before me. Well, when the killer told her why. The general mystery was well plotted. I feel that a bit of the pie opinions and instructions could have been left out.

Three Stars
My rating for A Pie to Die For by Gretchen Rue is three stars. I like the sleuth and mystery, but I thought that the story dragged a bit, and there are too many details about making a pie. The first time, it was interesting, but the rest took me out of the story.

Recipes included are Lucky Pie Diner’s Basic Pie Dough, Lucky Pie Spice Blend, Cranberry Apple Cider Pie, Buttermilk Pie with Berry Compote, Carrot Pie, Sugar Pie with Homemade Whipped Cream, Shepherd’s Pie Este-Style, and Tourtiere.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of A Pie to Die For by Gretchen Rue.

Until the next time,
~Jen

If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out Baroness Book Trove.

A cozy, magical pie shop owner in a sleepy town on Split Pine Island named Este is faced with solving the murder of a not very well liked vendor, Jeff, who is relatively new to town after the town Sheriff suggests Este may be the murderer. She learns that lies and deception are prevalent throughout the town as it seems she is being framed for the murder. Follow Este on her mission to clear her name in this cozy murder mystery journey that I’d highly recommend if you’re looking for a story that’s beyond the ordinary!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️3.5

This is such a cozy, delightful, warm mystery! If you’re a foodie this one may be the one for you. I loved the recipes and definitely have to try them out. I think ultimately this is a great debut and some of the pacing will get ironed out in future books and it had great supporting characters that I hope we see more of! There is a lot of description which is great though at times it felt a bit repetitive. Everything did come together nicely and I didn’t guess the ending.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for an eARC copy in exchange for a candid review.

This is an interesting start to a new cozy mystery series, the Lucky Pie Mysteries. It is set on imaginary Split Pine Island in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The summer folk are leaving and the island is settling into winter when the story begins. Este March owns and operates the Lucky Pie Diner, where she sometimes makes mysterious lucky pies. Everyone knows everyone on this island, which causes lots of stress when the body of the new delivery guy is discovered in the harbor, clutching a receipt from Este's diner. Because she feels threatened, Este believes she must solve the murder, much to the chagrin of the local sheriff, the brother of Este's BFF and a possible love interest for her. I enjoyed meeting Este and her island neighbors, and tried to solve the murder before she did, unsuccessfully. Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing an ARC.

Este March runs the Lucky Pie Diner on Split Pine Island, a tourist attraction which as we begin the story is about to close for the winter season. When a man is found murdered Este was the last person to see him alive and is therefore a suspect. Of course she needs to clear her name.

I am undecided on this one. The mystery was okay but there was much too much cooking going on and the characters were also rather too aggressive. Not a place I would like to live for sure! There was also a suggestion of magic in some of the pies Este was baking but this was mostly just hinted at.

Maybe future books will feature the magical pies and what happens to the lucky people who get them.

A Pie To Die For is the perfect, cozy little murder mystery novel!

The novel follows Este, a woman who works in the family-owned Lucky Pie Diner in Split Pine, a sleepy island town off the upper peninsula of Michigan. The pies at Lucky Pie Diner are magical, fulfilling the dreams of the customers who eat them. This seems like a cute magical realism novel, until a murder is committed at the end of tourist season and the sheriff suspects Este, the last known person to see the victim alive. Obviously not the murderer, Este takes the investigation into her own hands and (of course!) mischief ensues.

This book has all my favorite things when it comes to the cozy genre. We've got fall vibes, a family owned small business, a sleepy lake town, gossiping neighbors, and a touch of romance. All in all, the whole book felt a bit like an episode of Gilmore Girls if Gilmore Girls had a whodunit murder mystery episode. It was full of charm and easy to like characters. All in all, A Pie To Die For is the perfect, easy to read book to curl up with after a long day.

Read if you like:
- cozy mysteries
- beautiful, descriptive cooking/baking scenes
- charming side characters
- low stakes
- Gilmore Girls

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing an advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked this book. Cozy mysteries are one of my favorite genres of books to read and this one had characters I became invested in and want to continue reading about. I received this free copy for an honest review from Netgalley. I will be looking for more from this author.

This is a charming first in series that has all the cozy elements we readers love done to perfection. A intriquing mystery, a smart savvy protagnist and a wonderful island setting. I loved that all the supporting characters added to the fun and that the main setting is the "magical" pie bakery. I look forward to the second in series and further adventures of the bakery, our protaganist and sleuthing.

Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity. My review opinion is my own.

Fun fun vacay read; this was a great poolside read while I was cruising. The series continues to impress me and I look forward to more character development as this keeps going.

This is such a perfect start to a new cozy series. The island of Split Pine is the ideal location for a murder mystery, quaint & cut off for the season. I loved Este! She’s bright & a very strong lead to carry the whole story. Rue’s writing is everything you could want, rich, descriptive & well thought out. The Lucky Pie Diner is a true gem of an idea, the kind other writers will wish they had come up with. The mystery itself was a really well thought out one, I wasn’t sure who the guilty party was & the ending was tied up nicely. I can only hope there will be more books in the future. This is a definite recommend.

A very foodie cozy. The sleuthing takes a backseat to the food prep.

The day after Lucky Pie Diner owner Este March had an argument with the new produce delivery guy the man is found dead on his boat, holding a copy of Este’s invoice. Naturally, she gets the feeling she is considered a suspect. Thus she is determined to investigate herself, lest the local sheriff - a nice guy, but about as experienced in running a murder investigation as Este is - misses some vital clues.

The story is set on Split Pine, an island off the Michigan coast, where tourists are welcome March through October, but come November everyone that is not a permanent resident of the island must leave. It’s one of the many bylaws of the island that make me wonder what would happen if these were challenged in court. And since some of the bylaws don’t respect personal property or encourage some kind of monopolistic truck system, it is surprising Este doesn’t mention the bylaws have ever been challenged.

Anyway, produce guy. Rather unexpectedly Este’s regular produce guy is replaced by Jeff, who not only doesn’t deliver her order in full, he also charges twice as much for what he does deliver. No wonder Este is upset with the man.

The next morning, after Jeff is found dead, the sheriff informs her Jeff’s last stop was at her diner and there is a witness to their argument.

Here’s what’s bothering me about that: if Jeff’s last stop was at seven a.m. why did he not leave the island soon after? What kept him on the island until at least the evening? (When he was killed.) And why does Este not ask these questions as part of her investigation?

Don’t know if the sheriff is investigating that angle. Or investigating at all. Okay, quite rightly the sheriff doesn’t share the details of his investigation with Este, but town gossip also has not picked up on his investigation other than his interview with Este. So either town gossip is slacking or the sheriff is (and the way town gossip operates it’s probably the latter).

The sheriff does tell Este not to get involved in the investigation when she shares with him what she found out about her former produce guy. Uhm, no. Doing a search on the sudden disappearance of your vender is actually smart business acumen. The only link to the sheriff’s investigation is Este’s assumption that there is a link.

Decent enough cozy. Not enough viable suspects to make for an interesting mystery. Well-written though and Este is a likeable character, even if she talks about the dishes she cooks and the pies she makes too much (and seemed to have forgotten about her newly adopted cat the day the power went out).