Ellie Alexander’s Live and Let Pie is the most delicious installment yet in the fantastic Bakeshop Mysteries set in Ashland, OR! Life is sweet once you step into Torte, everybody’s favorite small-town bakeshop. But what happens when it becomes the scene of a crime? The heat is on for pastry chef, family business operator, and unlikely sleuth Jules Capshaw. Just when she thought she could enjoy … Capshaw. Just when she thought she could enjoy some time away from the kitchen, Jules manages to discover a skull during a picnic by the lake. As if unearthing remains that may be connected to a missing-persons case from the 1960s isn’t enough on her plate, Jules must contend with the unsolved matter of her own marriage while her estranged husband Carlos sails the open seas, awaiting a verdict. Then there’s Jules’s bitter landlord Edgar, who is intent on making a sweet deal on a vacant lot down the block from Torte–until he turns up dead. If only Jules could find a recipe that would let her bake her cake and eat it, too…
The Bakeshop mysteries are:
“Delectable.”–Portland Book Review
“Delicious.”–RT Book Reviews
“Marvelous.”–Fresh Fiction
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I jumped into this series on book 8 and this is the next one. I found it to be as delightful as the last one, possibly more so. In this book, Torte’s remodel finally gets completed and Jules and her mother are ready to celebrate with their newly expanded team. With Jules’ mom (Helen) and The Professor (Doug) back from their honeymoon, they’re looking for a new place to live to mark the new life they’ve started together. In a genuinely heartfelt move, they suggest Jules accept the family home she grew up in as a gift from them both. Between house-hunting with her mom, mulling over what to do about her marriage, and moving Torte to the next step in its growth, Jules has everything she can possibly manage going on. An older murder is discovered just before a new murder occurs and thanks to her other activities, Jules has a lot of information to share with the police. In true bestie fashion, Lance happily drags her deeper into the intrigue as they try to see what they can uncover themselves.
I’m going to cry when it’s time to finally say goodbye to these characters. New ones are being introduced and have already taken a place in my heart. I truly hope it doesn’t end soon. The dialogue remains fun and charming. We see one of the team act out of character and learn more about them, their views of the future, and their fears. Being the 9th book in the series, it should be fairly evident that the world is well established. I definitely recommend this as a read for any cozy fan.
Thank you to Ellie Alexander, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for allowing me the chance to read this story and provide my honest thoughts and opinions.
I love this series and Live and Let Pie fits right in with the wonderful characters and complex mystery that Elle Alexander’s novels are known for.The renovations are complete and Torte has an expanded family and oh, how I love that family. Because Ms. Alexander creates dynamic characters, there a few growing pains but overall Jules is thrilled with the expansion and the new larger team. She is still thrilled that her mother and the Professor are married and looking for a new home together so she couldn’t refuse a chance to go look at a house that sounds perfect. One surprising element of the book is that she does not find a dead body. That doesn’t mean that they are lacking though as an old skeleton starts looking like it may have a link to the victim of new murder. The question becomes whether or not the two murders are linked, too. Even with the bakery up and fully running Julie has some major decisions to make and of course, Lance eggs her into investigating the current murder. Life is busy and good for her but as much for others.
I received an ARC copy of the book via Netgalley but as all of my friends know, I always share about books that I love.
This is easily one of my favorite series. I love diving back into Torte and the town of Ashland. Torte has expanded and it was fun getting to know the new employees. I look forward to reading the next book.
Live and Let Pie by Ellie Alexander is the ninth A Bakeshop Mystery. Jules Capshaw is busy running Torte and supervising the renovations. With the shop expansion, it is time to hire some new employees. Jules’ mother, Helen and her new husband have been house hunting. Helen requests that Jules accompany her to look at a house on Emigrant Lake and they can then enjoy a picnic afterword. Unfortunately, the picnic takes a backseat when two teenage girls discover a skeleton while diving. George Mill went missing in the 1960s when the town of Klamath Junction was flooded for Emigrant Lake expansion, and now his body has finally been found. Edgar Hannagan is selling his lot, and he has numerous interested parties including the owner of the Nightingale B&B and the director of the homeless council. When Edgar is found murdered, Jules sets out to track down the killer. She must work in her sleuthing in between the grand re-opening of Torte, two bickering employees, the 58 year old crime and her indecision regarding Carlos. Jules dives into baking to avoid thinking about her marriage, and her delectable treats provide a handy excuse when visiting the people on her suspect list. Come along to Ashland, Oregon for Shakespeare, friendly faces, tasty desserts and a touch of murder.
Live and Let Pie takes us back to Ashland, Oregon and Jules Capshaw. She cannot wait for the renovations on Torte to be finished. Jules is hiring three new employees who she hopes will fit in with the rest of her staff, but change can be difficult for people. I like Ellie Alexander’s conversational writing style. It makes for an easy, breezy book with steady pacing. Baking is prominently featured in the story. Creating and baking of pastry is described in detail (one example is a fluffernutter). I find that it interrupts the flow of the story with so many baking breaks. I wish the author would take the time to further develop the mystery instead. While Live and Let Pie is the ninth book in the series, it can be read alone. The author summarizes what has happened to Jules so far for new readers. Jules is still contemplating what to do about her marriage. This has been going on for nine books and it is time for a decision to be made. Personally, I am not a fan of the suave Carlos who is handsome and seems to charm everyone with his personality and cooking (too perfect). I kept hoping Jules would ditch the chef for Thomas. Jules also has a major decision to make regarding her living arrangements courtesy of a wonderful offer from the Professor and her mother (I do not know why she hesitated). I like the staff of Torte along with Helen, the Professor, Thomas and Lance. Lance provides many humorous moments in Live and Let Pie. One cannot help but laugh at Lance’s antics, and he does make the sleuthing more entertaining. I enjoyed the descriptions of the finished Torte (though, I would not like going up and down those stairs). The two mysteries are not at the forefront of the book. I do like how they tie together, but the solution was not surprising. I would have preferred full closure on the mysteries instead of supposition. I am giving Live and Let Pie 3.5 out of 5 stars. There are recipes at the end of the book for those who wish to recreate some of Torte’s creations.
Another fun book in an entertaining series. The Torte team grows in this book and it was fun to get to know some new characters. The scenic location and Torte antics were the highlight of this book for me. I have really enjoy the author’s recipes that are included with past books, and I look forward to trying a recipe or two from this book as well.
https://cozyexperience.com/live-and-let-pie-book-review/
I loved it! Another delicious, fun, twisty mystery filled trip to Ashland!
LIVE AND LET PIE by Ellie Alexander is the ninth book in the A Bakeshop Mystery series. It’s the wonderful cozy mystery about Jules Capshaw, the expansion of Torte (the business she co-owns with her Mom), the discovery of a skull in the local lake, and the murder of one of the town’s most disgruntled citizen.
Jules has a lot on her plate right now – the remodel of the Torte Bakeshop in Ashland, Oregon that she co-owns with her mother, hiring additional employees, deciding whether she wants to accept the Professor and her mother’s offer of them gifting her the home she grew up in, and trying to figure out the fate of her long distance marriage to Carlos. However, when a skull is found by kids diving for treasures in the local lake, the mystery of who was it and how had it landed in the lake wrapped its mysterious grip on Jules. She sets out in amateur sleuth mode to help her step-father known as the Professor – the soon to be retired detective, her friend Detective Thomas and the new Detective Kerry find clues to solve the crime of days gone by. Could they have found the remains of George Mills whose disappearance in the 60’s had never been explained? Did he die from foul play?
While helping her mother search for a new home for the newlyweds to start fresh as a couple, Jules discovers that a local resident, Edgar, had talked to and agreed to sell a prominent piece of property to three different individuals – each with a different purpose for the land. When he turns up murdered, was that what led to his being killed or was it something else entirely? Was one of the three the murderer? Along with fellow sleuth Lance, Jules starts following clues which has her talking to folks both in town and one that moved away years ago as well as a long list of suspects. Are the two cases connected or two separate incidents? Will her nosing around lead to another murder attempt — on her?
Ellie Alexander weaves a cozy mystery of not one murder, but two that happen decades apart. You will be joining forces with Jules as an amateur sleuth seeking answers. Along the way, you can’t help but fall in love with the characters – from the friction between Andy (resident barista) and Sequioa (one of the new hires), the comforting banter between Jules and Thomas, the quirkiness of Lance, and the love and respect between Jules and the Professor. As the reader, it’s fun to be like a fly on the wall in Torte making it easy to understand the dynamics of Ashland making it a place you would love to visit as you fall in love with the residents of the town.
LIVE AND LET PIE is a book you won’t be able to put down. You will be guess and then second guessing only to be proved entirely wrong in the end with the reveal. As you shake your head, you’ll be thinking “now that makes perfect sense” and wondering why you didn’t see that before. In the end, it will leave you wanting to explore more books by this author. This is the first book I’ve read in this series and I had no problem with the flow or knowing who was who or what was going on. Most definitely recommend this 5+ book to anyone that loves a well-written cozy mystery or just a fabulous read.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
There is so much going on in this 9th installment of the Bakeshop Mysteries. Carlos has returned to his cruise ship and Jules still doesn’t know what she wants as far as their relationship. Helen and Doug have returned from their honeymoon and are househunting to find the perfect place. She is putting in fewer hours at Torte but both she and Jules are very excited about their grand reopening with their new expanded space.
Jules takes a little time away from baking when she goes to look at a house with her mom. When she takes a little walk around the lake she arrives just as 2 young girls diving for treasure find a human skull. A skull that may belong to a man that disappeared back in the ’60s. There is also a piece of property for sale that has several parties very interested so when the owner is killed there are plenty of suspects. Jules is in the middle of it all but she may find herself spread too thin.
All my favorite characters are back and are joined by some new employees at Torte. This causes some tension in the ranks. Again, the new characters evolve quickly throughout the story and the continuing characters continue to grow. Jules has a chance to take a huge step thanks to her mom, but the stress of a life with Carlos or without needs to be rectified soon.
I was very captivated by both mysteries and the way they intertwined. They were so well-written, I was totally surprised when the killer was revealed. The person wasn’t even on my radar. Nicely played Ms. Alexander.
As I have come to expect there is a lot of baking and brewing and eating and drinking going on. Torte is my kind of place and the food descriptions had my stomach growling.
The characters in this series always keep me coming back for more. From the drama of the murders to the daily happenings at Torte I am all in. The author has found the perfect cozy recipe to keep readers engaged and entertained.
A fun book with a body turning up from long ago connecting with a current murder. Torte is also having their grand re-opening and adding new staff. It was fun to read about how the two cases connected and see the new staff fit in. Looking forward to what’s next for Jules. Would like to see her move on from Carlos, but if she decides to stay with him, I’ll hope things work out well.
Live and Let Pie by Ellery Adams is number nine in the Bakeshop Mystery series. Changes are afoot. Jules mother has remarried after years of being without a mate. Her husband, Carlos, and stepson, Ramiro, had attended the wedding and Carlos has expressed a desire to leave his traveling (on a cruise ship) days behind him and join her here in Ashland. A dilemma for Jules to solve. The bakeshop has been remodeled and expanded and Jules actually has a little more time to herself with the additional staff. The mystery came to light when Jules was house hunting with her mother. Both her mother and her mother’s new husband have homes of their own and have decided that instead of moving into one of them, they should purchase something new, together. The mystery is a cold case: a death from many years before. Investigating it brings up all kinds of trauma for the, now elderly, folks involved. It is a convoluted tale, but an interesting one.
The exciting part of this book is the characters and their interactions with one another. Many of them have been friends or acquaintances for years so their interactions are based on shared experiences and memories from many years. Andy, a young employee, for example, is more frightened of telling Jules’ mother that he is dropping out of college to work and learn at Torte, than he is of telling his own parents. The employees are an eclectic bunch as are the members of the community with whom Jules interacts. One of the exciting advantages of a well-written series is how well the reader gets to know the members of the community, is able to see and feel their growth as well as their heartaches and joys. The mystery was well plotted and fun to explore, as well. This is a cozy mystery but it is detailed and has depth enough to please any mystery aficionado. I recommend it. You will not be sorry.
I received a free ARC of Live and Let Pie in exchange for a fair and honest review. #netgalley #liveandletpie
Live and Let Pie by Ellie Alexander is the latest in the Bake Shop Mystery series. We are taken back to Ashland, Oregon where the renovations at Torte are complete.
Jules is interviewing for additional staff and getting her grand opening set. When a skull is brought up from under the lake that appears to have been there for years, her radar goes off and she starts to delve into the history of the lake and the abandoned town. When a towns person is murdered, Jules sets out to find out if the two are connected.
There are relatable characters, some a bit eccentric, a lovely setting, and enough twists and turns to keep you guessing until the end.
I am ready to make the trip to Torte!
There are recipes included.
I was given an ARC by St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for an honest review.
Incredibly appetizing in every way!!! I simply devoured this book. Jules and her crew, plus a few new additions tempt your taste buds with new culinary treats along with a healthy helping of murder mystery.
I can’t get enough of this cast and the ever growing stories that are following each of them. Ashland is real but if Ellie could just make Torte and all of her characters real life people, I would be all over that Pinocchio scenario!
I love that we have turmoil and resolution within Torte with new staff and the finishing of the expansion. Carlos didn’t make an appearance this time but was definitely on Jules’ mind so I’m hoping we see him next time. And having not one – cold case murder – but another happen while trying to solve the first was a great twist.
Also, as usual, I can’t wait to get in the kitchen and try out some of the amazing recipes Ellie includes in the back. They’re always amazing and after reading her books I’m dying to cook and bake up a storm! Cheers to Torte! Until next time…