Pride and Pastry

Pies and Prejudice by Ellery Adams.

Ellery Adams is the author of the Books by the Bay mystery series, most of which I've reviewed here on Stuff and Nonsense.  Her most recent book, Pies and Prejudice, is the first of a new series called The Charmed Pie Shoppe Mysteries, and will be released next Tuesday, July 3. 

The protagonist is Ella Mae LaFaye, who left her hometown of Havenwood, Georgia to marry Sloan Kitteredge, with whom she moved to New York.  Although she'd been eager to leave small-town life, when she found Sloan in a very compromising position with the twins from down the hall, Ella Mae's first reaction is to go home.

It doesn't take her long to decide to divorce Sloan and stay in Havenwood.  As a budding pastry chef, when Ella Mae is stressed, she bakes amazing pies.  So, with the help of her mother and three aunts, she purchases an empty storefront and decides to turn it into a pie shop.

But returning to her hometown means reconnecting with some of her old acquaintances who still live there, including her high school nemesis Loralyn Gaynor, who makes it clear that she wants Ella Mae to leave.  When Loralyn's elderly fiancé is found with his head bashed in by a rolling pin, Ella Mae is the primary suspect, even though he was in Loralyn's nail salon.

Since the police are focused on Ella Mae, she and her family must prove that she is innocent.

Apart from the theme of women returning to their hometowns, Adams' two series have little in common except her fantastic writing and characterization.

Having recently had a sister-in-law go through a troubled pregnancy, I feel so blessed compared to Ms. Adams, whose own sister-in-law recently passed away after complications from a Caesarian section.  Since she won't have much time to promote her new publication, I'd like to ask my readers to please purchase a copy if you are able.  I promise you won't regret it!