Magic, Lies, and Deadly Pies by Misha Popp Narrator: Tanya Eby
Series: Pies Before Guys #1
Published by Dreamscape Media on May 10, 2022
Source: NetGalley
Genres: Cozy Mystery, Paranormal
Length: 8 hrs 2 mins
Pages: 336
Format: Audiobook
Purchase at Bookshop.org or Audible
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Daisy Ellery’s pies have a secret ingredient: The magical ability to avenge women done wrong by men. But Daisy finds herself on the receiving end in Misha Popp’s cozy series debut, a sweet-as-buttercream treat for fans of Ellery Adams and Mary Maxwell.
The first time Daisy Ellery killed a man with a pie, it was an accident. Now, it’s her calling. Daisy bakes sweet vengeance into her pastries, which she and her dog Zoe deliver to the men who’ve done dirty deeds to the town’s women. But if she can’t solve the one crime that’s not of her own baking, she’ll be out of the pie pan and into the oven.
Parking her Pies Before Guys mobile bakery van outside the local diner, Daisy is informed by Frank, the crusty diner owner, that someone’s been prowling around the van—and not just to inhale the delectable aroma. Already on thin icing with Frank, she finds a letter on her door, threatening to reveal her unsavory secret sideline of pie a la murder.
Blackmail? But who whipped up this half-baked plot to cut a slice out of Daisy’s business? Purple-haired campus do-gooder Melly? Noel, the tender—if flaky—farm boy? Or one of the abusive men who prefer their pie without a deadly scoop of payback?
The upcoming statewide pie contest could be Daisy’s big chance to help wronged women everywhere…if she doesn’t meet a sticky end first. Because Daisy knows the blackmailer won’t stop until her business is in crumbles.
Magic, Lies, and Deadly Pies is not your typical cozy mystery. Yes, we have an amateur sleuth who is a baker; she has a dog and a couple of potential love interests. But we know who the killer is – Daisy herself. She kills men with magic and pies – but they deserve it. The mystery is who is threatening to expose her.
I liked Daisy – but she does kill people. She’s a fabulous baker and a statewide pie contest has some of her attention during the book. She has an adorable trailer she lives in and she wears vintage dresses. For someone in her line of business, she can be a bit trusting.
We learn about halfway through who the blackmailer is, but by then we’re invested in seeing how Daisy will solve the problem without crossing any of her lines.
The book has the lightheartedness I expect from a cozy, but it does talk about serious issues like abuse, domestic violence, and addiction. I really enjoyed it, but it might not be for everyone.
I listened to the audio and the narrator did a good job. The voices made sense with the characters and she made Daisy seem really charming.
- Diverse characters
- Magic, mystery, and romance
- Darkly humorous
- Pie recipes
About Misha Popp
Misha Popp enjoys writing about murdery women and over-the-top baked goods, but not so much about herself. She lives in rural Massachusetts where she bakes entirely too many pies and sculpts things out of chocolate. An unrepentant school nerd, she has a collection of degrees that have nothing to do with the jobs that pay her.