Thursday, September 12, 2013

Plum Deadly Book Tour: Why Pie? by Ellie Grant/Review & Giveaway



Why Pie? 
By Ellie Grant 

Already readers are asking: why pie? 

Why not cake, cupcakes, brownies, applesauce, or ice cream?

The answer is, because that’s what we thought of! 

We can never tell from one book to another where are imaginations are going to take us next! We have written about a new sheriff in a small town. We’ve written about gardening and Renaissance Faires. We’ve written about volunteer firefighters and ghosts. We’ve written about a lady mayor in a small town who lives next to the Graveyard of the Atlantic. 

What do these things have in common? 

Only our imaginations. 

Writing is taking your imagination and finding out how large it really is. It’s looking at faces and thinking about who the people are behind them, and what you can do with them. Characters need special places to live and breathe. They need interesting hobbies and jobs. They have to fall in love and find their lives falling apart. 

On the day we decided to write a pie shop series, we saw an ad in a magazine for cherry pie and ice cream. It was big and splashy and looked delicious. You could taste the tart cherries and the smooth cool ice cream. 

And Pie in the Sky, an old fashioned pie shop in downtown Durham, North Carolina was born.  Our first thought was that the pie shop was a little run down because an older lady had been running it by herself for a few years. We saw Aunt Clara’s character first. She was a spry, chipper woman who never feels sorry for herself. She takes in her niece who has been a little thoughtless in her quest for success. 

The two women find each other again. They serve pieces of that big cherry pie we saw. We tried to write the pie so people would want to eat it, just like that ad we saw. 

And so far, that seems to be the case. Maybe we should have bought some stock in a pie company!
**************************
Review
I really loved this first Pie in the Sky mystery from the writing team of Jim and Joyce Lavene (writing as Ellie Grant). Maggie Grady has returned home to Durham, NC, to work at her Aunt Clara's pie shop after being accused of embezzlement at her NYC bank job. When her former boss Lou arrives at the shop with news that he has uncovered evidence that exonerates her Maggie is ecstatic at the thought that she will have her good name back and might even be able to return to the life that she loved. Lou is planning a news conference for the next day, but it's not meant to be as he is found dead in the pie shop's back alley later that day. Now Maggie not only has to clear her name of the embezzlement charge, but possible murder charges as well.

One thing I really appreciate about this book is that there isn't so many characters and suspects that it ends up taxing the brain, a trend I'm seeing more and more in cozies today. Maggie and her Aunt Clara have a wonderfully supportive relationship, and newspaper man Ryan seems to be the perfect match for Maggie. Everything is tied up neatly at the end and the groundwork is laid for the next book in the series with the introduction of a new love interest for Clara.

I dare you to read this book without your mouth watering for a slice of one of Clara's pies...luckily there are recipes at the end! Treat yourself today to this wonderful mystery!

Be sure to leave a comment with your email address...I have one paperback copy of Plum Deadly to give away! (US only, ending 9/15)

PlUM dEADLY SEPT

Book Details
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Published by: Gallery Books
Release Date: September 3, 2013
Number of Pages: 304

Synopsis
Unjustly accused of cooking the books, Maggie Grady is forced to retreat from her high-flying New York financial career to the town where she grew up. Her aunt Clara greets her with open arms and a job at the family-owned business that has baked the best pies in the South for over forty years. Unfortunately, while Maggie is determined to return to banking, her reputation there seems permanently in the pits. That is, until her old boss, Lou, visits with news that he’s found the real crook. Before he can reveal the details, though, Maggie finds his body right behind the pie shop.

With only her own word that Lou planned to exonerate her, Maggie is in the spotlight. The police seem to suspect that Aunt Clara’s damson pie may not be just dangerously delectable, but downright deadly. Maggie doesn’t just have her own name to clear; she has to make sure that her aunt’s beloved business isn’t harmed, either. Yummy local reporter Ryan Summerour appears eager to help, and Maggie can’t help hoping that it’s not just the police who find her a person of interest—but Ryan, as well. She’d thought it challenging to make the perfect pie crust that Aunt Clara demands, but that turns out to be nothing compared with finding a murderer. . . .

About This Author
Ellie Grant writes award-winning, bestselling mystery fiction as themselves, J.J. Cook and Joyce and Jim Lavene. They have written and published more than 60 novels for Harlequin, Berkley, Amazon and Gallery Books along with hundreds of non-fiction articles for national and regional publications. They live in rural North Carolina with their family.

Author Links:
www.elliegrant.net
www.romanceofmystery.blogspot.com
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16130461-plum-deadly
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ellie-Grant/409736699080379?ref=hl

https://twitter.com/AuthorJLavene


Purchase Links
AMAZON          B&N               Book World                  Book Depository                    Powell’s Books

21 comments:

Michstjame said...

This sounds like a fun new series. I love stories where someone returns to their roots and finds a new calling, so this should be right up my alley. Plus, pie!

Thanks for the giveaway.

michstjame at google dot com

Acemommy said...

I've seen this cozy on all of the blogs - I really want to start reading it!! I love pie! Thanks for the giveaway!

sarah2323 at gmail dog com

Unknown said...

Sounds like a fun read! Excited to hear it is the beginning of a series.
kumquat8 at hotmail dot com

Rita Wray said...

Thank you for the review, I can't wait to read the book.

Kit3247(at)aol(dot)com

Anonymous said...

The book sounds like a fun read, has a great cover and the authors behind it are well-known for quality books. What else can I say. I would love to read it--thanks!
Rita @ My Home of Books
duffygal777@gmail.com

Deerwalker said...

Great story and great pies what more could you want?

Bruce Hamilton
countfool(at)aol(dot0com

Unknown said...

I know reading this story will have me salivating for pie!
Have you seen the 1990's British show "Pie in the Sky"? A police detective opens a restaurant that specializes in meat pies. Good show.
libbydodd@comcast.net

Carol N Wong said...

I love pie! Want to read about Clara's pies. I am also very glad that this book isn't cluttered by characters. Sometimes, I give up on trying to who done it when there are too many possibilities. Thank for hosting this giveaway.

CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

Donna E said...

I like to eat pie - don't necessarily like to make them. If I'm reading about pies (i.e. Aunt Clara's and Maggie's), I'm not consuming any calories and I can have all I want. :)
Our church has a pie auction coming up -- if I should win a copy of PLUM DEADLY, I might just make use of one of the recipes!

donna(dot)durnell(at)sbcglobal(dot)net

Amanda Ray said...

This sounds like a great new series! (and they live in my "neck of the woods"- rural NC) Looking forward to starting a wonderful new cozy series!

My Recent Favorite Books said...

Im on this tour, and really enjoyed this book! =)
Great review!

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

Yes PIE! Can't wait to start this series.

dotkel50 at comcast dot net

Cyndi Riccio said...

Will have to add it to my "to be read" list - sounds like a fun read!

holdenj said...

This looks great! I didn't realize Ellie was that same team I've read before! Thanks for the chance to win.
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

Unknown said...

Great review! Book sounds fantastic! Thank you for sharing with us and please enter my name in the giveaway. Thank you!
Barbara Thompson
barbmaci61(at)yahoo(dot)com

Anita Yancey said...

I haven't read any of Grant's books, but this one sounds really good. I would really enjoy reading it. Please enter me. Thanks!
ayancey1974(at)gmail(dot)com

jank1961 said...

I love mysteries, especially when they are also about family and small family run businesses....oh, and food!!
Jan, Wag 'n Woof Pets
jank1961 at gmail dot com

Karen B said...

My name is being called by a Peach Crumb Pie!
kpbarnett1941[at]aol.com

cyn209 said...

i LOVE this cover!!!!
thank you for the giveaway!!

cyn209 at juno dot com

Sue said...

Pies are so much more interesting than banking---I think I'll like this book.
suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com