Another in the Pies Before Guys Mystery Series is the third installment of this cozy mystery series, and it certainly does not disappoint! While each book in the series can stand alone, I highly recommend starting with Magic, Lies, and Deadly Pies (book 1) to get the full picture of Daisy's journey, the characters, and the intricate web of relationships that drive the story. It sets the perfect foundation for understanding Daisy’s world and her motivations.

In this third book, Daisy is back to her beloved pie-making, but things aren’t as simple as before. She’s established some hard-and-fast rules to help her navigate life and her magical pies, but when a new request crosses her path that challenges those rules, Daisy finds herself at a crossroads. This dilemma brings up a bigger question for Daisy: Are her rules truly helping her, or are they holding her back from something more fulfilling?

The plot also delves into Daisy’s personal life, making this installment a lot more than just a murder mystery. Daisy is faced with some tough decisions that will determine her future, and watching her grapple with them adds a layer of emotional depth to the story. I loved how the author tackled these themes, creating an uncomfortable yet necessary storyline that kept me hooked.

As always, returning to the town and reconnecting with familiar characters was a joy. The author does a great job of keeping the series fresh and engaging by introducing new twists and turning the focus on the characters’ growth and evolving relationships. The stakes feel high, and the mystery is filled with twists that keep you guessing until the end. I was absolutely captivated by the storyline and was excited to see where it would lead.

Overall, this is a fantastic addition to the Pies Before Guys Mystery series, and I’m eagerly hoping for more books in the future! The combination of mystery, character growth, and personal dilemmas makes this a cozy mystery worth reading.

**Thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book.

The Last to Pie by Misha Popp is a cozy and delightful mystery with a perfect mix of charm and intrigue. The story follows a baker who, while competing in a prestigious pie contest, becomes entangled in a murder investigation. Popp’s writing is warm and engaging, with a strong, likable protagonist and a well-paced plot filled with twists and surprises. With its blend of baking, suspense, and small-town charm, The Last to Pie is an enjoyable read for fans of cozy mysteries and lighthearted whodunits.

Daisy is back with her most dangerous request yet. The woman has little to no contact with the outside world and her boyfriend is a domineering cop. Daisy can't decide if she wants to take the case. When the woman goes missing, she feels compelled to jump in. This does not make Daisy's boyfriend at all happy, especially when the cop starts to retaliate.
Opinion
I think this is my favorite series. I do struggle with the concept of murder pies, even though "Daisy" is killing off the bad guys. However, I love that Daisy is able to incorporate her love of baking into her commitment to make the world a better place.
This book was just plain awesome. The ante was raised when Daisy herself was put in danger and I just plain loved it. I will certainly be on the look out for more books by Popp, she just has a way of writing that draws me in.
Many thanks to Net Galley and to Crooked Lane Books for providing me with an ARC of this book.

I love the Pie Girl mysteries and am sad to hear this was the last one. With that said this one wasn’t my favorite of the three but it still gave me all the cozy mystery feels. I really like how Popp writes her characters and weaves depth into her fun novels. I will miss reading about Pies Before Guys but I’m glad I was able to go on this journey!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance electronic copy. All opinions are my own.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

Book Review: The Last to Pie by Misha Popp

Rating: 4 Stars

Hey there, fellow book lovers! I just finished reading The Last to Pie by Misha Popp, and I’m here to share my thoughts.

First off, can we just take a moment to appreciate the covers of this series? They are utter perfection! Seriously, every time I see one, I can't help but smile. Now, onto the juicy bits of the book!

So, Daisy Ellery is back in action, doing what she does best — baking pies and, well, taking care of some not-so-nice guys. This time around, things get a little more intense. Daisy receives a request for help that doesn’t come with the usual referral, which makes her super nervous. Is it a genuine plea for help from a woman stuck in a bad situation, or is it just a sleazy cop trying to dig into Daisy’s secret life? You can feel the tension building right from the start!

When the woman who reached out goes missing, Daisy springs into action, convinced her boyfriend is behind it. And let me tell you, things get even crazier when Daisy uncovers some seriously shady stuff about the boyfriend's job too. It’s like a rollercoaster of suspense and cozy vibes all wrapped up in one delightful package.

What I loved most about this installment is how it brought back all the elements from the first book that I adored. After not being completely sold on the previous entry in the series, I was thrilled to see Misha Popp back on track! The murder pies? Yes, please! Plus, it was fantastic to see familiar faces like Noel, Frank, and Juan again. They add so much to the small-town charm that I’ve come to love.

I really appreciate how this author balances humor and tension. It’s not often you find a cozy mystery that can make you chuckle one minute and keep you on the edge of your seat the next.

In short, The Last to Pie is a delightful read that checks all my boxes: cozy elements, suspenseful plot twists, and characters that feel like friends. I’m crossing my fingers that we get more adventures with Daisy and her crew in future books because this series is just so different from anything else I’ve read!

If you’re a fan of cozy mysteries with a dash of humor and a side of suspense, definitely grab a copy of this one. You won’t regret it!

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️

What would you do if you were Daisy Ellery, baking extraordinaire and killer of bad men, and your most recent murder pie order was requested for a local police officer?

After the Great British Bake Off-esque backdrop of book 2, Misha Popp thrusts Daisy Ellery and her readers into a tense narrative, in which a young woman is abused by her boyfriend and then disappears without a trace. No one is looking for her except Daisy, and she is driven by guilt. She hesitated when the woman's murder pie order came in, seeing the intended target was a cop. Daisy knows the statistic; domestic violence perpetrated by cops is rampant. However, she also must protect herself, her past clients, and the future women she intends to help. Uncertain if this was a ruse by the authorities to catch her, Daisy waits. Now, with the woman missing, the time for waiting is over, but when the cop boyfriend turns his attention onto her, it seems that neither Daisy nor those she cares about are safe until this man is stopped.

This was a powerful narrative. At times the intensity of the mystery was fueled by the themes of domestic violence as well as police corruption and abuse of power. I appreciate Misha Popp's willingness to address these issues in the Pies Before Guys series, and it's one of the reasons why this series is an Auto-Preorder for me every year. While this is the first book in the series not to receive a 5 star from me, it's not because this is a sub-par storyline. I was gripped by Daisy's struggle to find this missing woman, the ticking clock making this narrative time sensitive, and the continued depiction of a community that supports Daisy. This book lost points from me for the awkward love triangle that the author seemed to include, as Melly continues to hang around and undermine Daisy's relationship with Noel, even if that isn't Melly's intent. With that said, I did like the Daisy is a woman character who doesn't want children, and I hope that continues to be her character arc.

Actual Rating: 4.25 stars
Original Pub Date: 21 May 2024
Reading Format: print + audio

PREVIOUS BOOKS IN THE SERIES:
Magic, Lies, and Deadly Pies—5 stars
A Good Day to Pie—5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for an E-ARC copy in exchange for this honest review!

A deliciously dark cozy mystery and a delightful addiction to the series. The story blends cozy mystery elements with a darkly humorous twist. The plot is filled with twists and turns, some of which are predictable but still enjoyable.
Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I love this series so much!!! Misha Popp has created the coziest of cozy mysteries that not only has delicious pies, but also explores the growing cases of misogyny, spousal abuse, police brutality and femicide in the United States. Pies Before Guys is a love letter to the unbreakable bonds sisterhood, magic & some damn good pies! 🥧

📚 Third in the Series
🔍 Cozy Mystery
🗣️ Social Commentary
🥧 Magic Pies
💀 Pies Before Guys
🪦 Vigilante Justice
💅🏼 Nail-Biting Suspense

This series is such a great read and I am keeping my fingers crossed for more installments! 🤞🏼

Thank you so much Crooked Lane Books for the gifted copy!

I personally found the story telling in this book to be confusing. I understood that this was a 3rd book in a series which is probably why the story didnt make a lot of sense as i feel like you have to read the first two books to understand this book. But that is not why I gave this one star. The characters are just boring and tbh the story was boring, like it deals with very serious themes and did tackle it well but I found the characters morals to be odd like male abusers must die but female abusers must not? I would have preferred there not to be this moral distinction especially when the rest of the characters appear woke and modern. I found it repetitive too and just had to give up.

This is another great story in a cool series. I love the magical element and the justice combined is just fabulous. I wish I had a taste of a couple of these concoctions for sure! I look forward to seeing how the story continues!

I love this series; such a cool idea and total GIRL POWER vibes. This, like the others, was a solid mystery with just the right amount of pie!

I received an advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

I accidentally read this one before reading the second book in the series (it might be the first), and it was just as good as the first one I read and easy to follow along! I don't think I've read a more feminist cozy mystery than this one. There's been a few, but this one is really obvious about it, which I like.

In this latest installment of the Pies before Guys series, Daisy has her most complicated request yet from a domestic abuse victim. When Daisy discovers that the abuser is a police officer, she realizes she needs to tread even more carefully than usual, to help the woman who ordered the pie. Complicating matters further, Daisy finds herself keeping secrets from boyfriend Noel, causing stress and tension in the relationship.

Book number three gives readers more insight into Daisy’s background, a peek into the lives of her coworkers at the diner, and her relationship with friend Melly. Daisy takes more risks than in the first two books, with the stakes higher than ever. Best read in order, invested readers will appreciate the intensity in the third book.

I received a copy of the book from Net Galley and have written an objective review.

The Last to Pie
So interesting I wish I could have read the first and second book. The murder pies the villain was so evil! Every time he was in the scene I was nervous. What is going to do next? Some things I wish were explained but probably would have made sense if I read the first and second book: I did not understand the tension between the best friend and her boyfriend. I was left wondering about her own trauma. The entire diner dynamic. But knowing this was the 3rd book and that I didn’t read the first two, those questions were forgiven. I felt for the victim I really wanted a happy ending for her and luckily us readers got that, thankfully.

Looking for a fun cozy? This one is a hoot. I loved it and the mystery was great. I loved the descriptions of all the food.

Another in the Pies Before Guys Mystery series! This one is #3 - and, although the mystery is contained and would stand well on its own, I highly recommend starting with book 1, Magic, Lies, and Deadly Pies because it really sets the stage for all the characters, storylines, and helps you understand how Daisy got to this point.

And there's a lot to this one! Daisy is back to her pie-making-ways, keeping her new rules in place. But when she gets a request skirts some of her new rules, she has to wonder if her new rules are more helpful or hurtful.

Daisy also needs to make some hard decisions in here. It involves her life, her future and what all this means for her. I loved being back in the town, with these characters I know so well. I loved the uncomfortable storyline and the twists it gave. It really is a great book 3 and I hope it means we'll get more in this series!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

A quirky twist on the murder mystery. In this case, we know the murderer, we just don't know who and why they will get a special pie! The plot is woven with wonderful detail and entwines the personal lives of the characters throughout the pie business antics. It is interesting how the author weaves such a serious issue of domestic violence into such a lighthearted appearing story line. The witty dialogue, the unique characters, the unique interpersonal relationships and of course the murder pies all come together to make a fun story to read and is definitely on my favorite series list! I'm already chomping at the bit for the next book to be written so I can see how things go for the characters in their personal lives!

Daisy has received a request to help bake one of her magic pies but it didn’t come in by the normal ways, even so she agrees to take it. I have liked the previous book and the premise of baking magic into pies to kill abusive men however I ended up not finishing this book as I didn’t enjoy reading about abusive situations, even if the main character was out for revenge.

Another fun read. I love Daisy and her crazy jobs. Her relationships feel real and I was totally drawn into this new story. I'm looking forward to the next book/story..