Book 62, 2018

[chez_jae]

Lemon Pies and Little White Lies by Ellery Adams

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Since it's been storming all weekend, I had time to finish Lemon Pies and Little White Lies last night. It's the fourth installment in Ellery Adams' "Charmed Pie Shoppe" mystery series, featuring baker, witch, and Clover Queen Ella Mae LeFaye.

Ella Mae is mourning the absence of Hugh Dylan, who has left to travel the world in hopes of reclaiming his lost magic. Because her feelings are affecting her pies, Ella Mae bakes a special pie, infuses it with all of her feels for Hugh, and puts it in the freezer. This enables her to carry on and bake happy thoughts into the pies she serves to customers. And just in time, too. Havenwood's celebration of Founder's Day is coming up, and Ella Mae has organized a "History in the Baking" pie contest, with bakers from all over the country descending on the small town to participate.

However, not all is sunshine and pies. When a woman is found dead under suspicious circumstances and Ella Mae's aunt's barn is set on fire, it seems that someone is taunting her by leaving clover symbols at each site. In the meantime, a monstrous storm bears down on Scotland, destroying several sacred groves. Ella Mae learns there is a woman there who claims to be the true Clover Queen, and she's coming for Ella Mae.

Well now. That seemed to be quite a bit of excitement for the fourth book in an installment. I was not liking how the plot was playing out, which is why it took me so long to finish the book. A new man in town is making Ella Mae's girlie parts tingle, and I'm like, 'But, Hugh is the love of your life! You've loved him since you were children!'

The resolution was satisfying, except that I didn't like that Ella Mae has seemingly lost her powers in a bid to prevent Nimue from harming Hugh and everything else she holds dear. Now she's just a mundane woman? I imagine she'll regain her powers at some point, else the 'magical' part of the series is null and void. Meh.

Favorite line: "Are you the victim of a childhood raisin trauma?"

Plot was well-crafted, and there was certainly enough going on, although it often seemed to be too much going on. Four stars:

****