Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

Pies and Prejudice
Pies and Prejudice
Pies and Prejudice
Audiobook8 hours

Pies and Prejudice

Written by Ellery Adams

Narrated by C.S.E. Cooney

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

3.5/5

()

About this audiobook

When the going gets tough, Ella Mae LaFaye bakes pies. So when she catches her husband cheating in New York, she heads back home to Havenwood, Georgia, where she can drown her sorrows in fresh fruit filling and flaky crust. But her pies aren't just delicious. They're having magical effects on the people who eat them, and the public is hungry for more.

Discovering her hidden talent for enchantment, Ella Mae makes her own wish come true by opening the Charmed Pie Shoppe. But with her old nemesis Loralyn Gaynor making trouble, and her old crush Hugh Dylan making nice, she has more than pie on her plate. When Loralyn's fiance is found dead-killed with Ella Mae's rolling pin-it'll take all her sweet magic to clear her name.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateJan 26, 2016
ISBN9781515971207
Pies and Prejudice
Author

Ellery Adams

Ellery Adams is a New York Times bestselling author who has written over thirty novels. A native New Yorker, she has had a lifelong love affair with stories, food, rescue animals, and large bodies of water. When not working on a novel, she bakes, gardens, spoils her cats, and wastes time on Pinterest. She lives with her husband and two children in Charlotte, North Carolina, where she can't imagine spending a day away from her keyboard.

More audiobooks from Ellery Adams

Related to Pies and Prejudice

Titles in the series (5)

View More

Related audiobooks

Cozy Mysteries For You

View More

Related articles

Reviews for Pies and Prejudice

Rating: 3.6632653496598646 out of 5 stars
3.5/5

147 ratings24 reviews

What did you think?

Tap to rate

Review must be at least 10 words

  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Ella Mae LeFaye leads a charmed life, although she doesn’t know that as Pies and Prejudice opens. Newly widowed and leaving the sad memories behind in Manhattan, she returns to her hometown, the fictional Havenwood, Georgia. Ella just wants to relax and grieve, but her mother and three aunts have big plans for her: a pie shop.Not all is sweetness and light in Havenwood. Loralyn Gaynor, the mean girl from Ella’s childhood, hasn’t changed her stripes. She’s been accumulating wealthy husbands and reaping the rewards. She has another man lined up, a local veterinarian who specializes in horses. But pretty soon, he’s dead and Ella is top of the suspect list when it’s learned the murder weapon was Ella’s rolling pin. With the pie shop about to open, Ella needs to figure out a way to get the murder solved so she can focus on pie. The cozy formula in Pies and Prejudice is tried and true. Girl has setback, girl goes home to recover, girl gets sucked into a murder investigation, girl meets or rediscovers hunky guy, girl solves murder, all is well. What sets this book apart from others in the cozy mystery sub-genre is its smooth plotting, great characters and “charming” premise. A great beginning and I plan to read more in this series.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Ella Mae LeFaye has returned to her hometown of Havenwood, Georgia after discovering her husband was cheating on her with the goal of opening her own pie shop. Supporting her in her efforts is her mother, three aunts, and their long-time maid. However, when the fiance of Ella Mae's long-time nemesis is found murdered and the murder weapon is her rolling pin, Ella Mae's return home is more difficult than she anticipated.Reading this book I was highly aware that if I'd been in the wrong mood, I would have abandoned it. However, it happened to catch me in all the optimism of a new year and I made it through the whole book but finished it with no intention of returning to this cozy mystery series. The content is pretty run of the mill for the genre although the prose runs a little heavy on the overly descriptive language. The antagonist is an over the top villain who doesn't feel like a real person. The book has a dash of magical realism throughout (Ella Mae's pies can make people feel the emotions she had when making the pie) that tips over into full out fantasy by the end of the novel. The mystery is decent but not particularly suspenseful. Overall, I don't regret the read but I'll likely forget it quickly and be entirely fine with it. Ultimately the best thing about the book is the title.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Cute magical realism. A mashup of the classic pie baking, cozy mystery and the cozy witch comes into her powers for the first time after returning home.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    This book was SO BAD. And I don't even expect a lot from cozy mysteries like this, but it still was so bad. It was trying very hard to be Practical Magic, the awesome Alice Hoffman book, but it just ended up being ridiculously overwritten and fussy.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Previously I enjoyed some of Adams' other series, I assumed that would be the case here. After finding her husband with two women in an elevator, Ella Mae moves back from New York to her native northwestern Georgia town. She dreams of opening her own restaurant, and her way with pies makes it clear a pie shop serving both sweet and savory offerings fits her perfectly. Before she can begin, she becomes a murder suspect because of crime scene evidence and insults she hurled at her childhood rivalry. As she investigates, she must learn a little about horses. While I enjoyed the mystery itself to a certain degree, I did not enjoy the incorporation of "magic" into the recipe. I prefer my cozies to be straightforward mysteries, not a combination of genres. Magical realism simply didn't work here. It's too far-fetched and just plain strange. The mystery left much to be desired. I'll skip the rest of this series.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Digital audiobook performed by C.S.E. CooneyFirsts in the “Charmed Pie Shoppe” mystery seriesFrom the book jacket When the going gets tough, Ella Mae LeFaye bakes pie. So when she catches her husband cheating in New York, she heads back home to Havenwood, Georgia, where she can drown her sorrows in fresh fruit filling and flaky crust. But her pies aren’t just delicious, they’re also having magical effects on the people who eat them – and the public is hungry for more. Having discovered her hidden talent for enchantment, Ella Mae…. [opens] the Charmed Pie Shoppe. But when her old nemesis, Loralyn’s fiancé is found dead – killed with Ella Mae’s rolling pin – it’ll take all her sweet magic to clear her name. My reactions:I’ve been drawn to this basic premise – food’s magical qualities – since reading Citra Banerjee Divakaruni’s [The Mistress of Spices]. That predilection was reinforced by [Like Water for Chocolate] by Laura Esquivel and Joanne Harris’s [Chocolat]. So I was sucked in by the promise of the magical qualities of Ella Mae’s pies, as well as previous good experience reading another series by Adams. But I was sorely disappointed.As cozies go, this is a pretty decent premise. And Adams populates the book with an interesting array of charmingly eccentric characters, even if they are all out of central casting. But the “woo-woo” element just got away from her. Ella Mae is so completely clueless about her gifts as to make it completely unbelievable. The melodrama is way over the top. And the murder mystery plot is just a mess.I finished because I needed a challenge book for a genre I usually avoid – witches. And I’ll torture myself with more from the series for the same reason. But I really don’t recommend them. I prefer my books, even cozies, like my pies – less “charm” and more filling.C.S.E. Cooney is not a narrator I’ve come across before. She does a reasonably good job of performing the audio. Though I do think her Southern accent is a bit over-the-top. Still, her pace is good and her diction is clear (a real plus as I listened at double speed).
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    When Ella Mae LeFaye discovers her husband cheating, she runs home to her birthplace of Havenwood, Georgia and her mother. While she finds comfort in baking, it's her mother and three aunts who convince her that her pies hold miracles, and she needs to open a pie shoppe. But her childhood enemy, Loralyn Gaynor, wants the building for a third beauty salon, and is attempting to get her fiancé to buy it for her. Ella Mae wins out, and Loralyn vows revenge.When there's a shouting match at a bank between Loralyn and Ella Mae, but all customers can see is Loralyn's fiancé, and he's later found dead - with Ella Mae's rolling pin as the weapon, she's put in the hot seat as the lead suspect. But the police don't have enough to charge her, so she's released. Now Ella Mae is on the hunt for a killer to free herself, but if she doesn't find one, she'll be cooked herself...I enjoy Ellery Adams books, and I really wanted to like this one. While it starts out okay, I need to say that toward the end it got too "woo-woo" for me. I'm not one who likes paranormal, fantasy, witches, etc. (I do like ghosts if they're interesting); and when things were winding up at the end I started rolling my eyes. For the most part, I like books to be believable, and this one went off the rails.Ella Mae started out fine, and I even enjoyed her ability to make 'magical' pies. I thought it was a cute touch to the book - but when she picked up the baby names book and started looking at them, that was it for me. Seriously? This is when she discovers the truth? And it's in her name? I would have also liked to have known more about her time in New York. Didn't she even care about her belongings? Were her clothes tainted with her husband? Who just leaves everything behind? Not even packing a suitcase? Also, some of the pie recipes sounded gross. I would also like to know how the rolling pin got out of her home and into the burning building. It was never explained. (It was explained how it disappeared out of the truck, but not how the original rolling pin got out of her house. Who took it and when?I also felt many of the characters were caricatures. Tainted horse farms but no one wonders why the Gaynors weren't involved? That should have been the first thing the police should have looked at. Why didn't they look at Loralyn as being involved, either? An intelligent cop might have been able to connect the dots the minute they realized Ella Mae had no motive.At any rate, I won't be reading any more in this series. Sorry.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    This was an okay stereotypical cozy mystery. Nothing special about it at all (even the magical pies were just meh). The stereotypes were all there. The main character wasn't very bright and didn't have much depth to her. She kind of accidentally stumbled upon the killer. It was fine for a mindless read as long as you're not expecting too much out of it.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Not my cup of tea
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This is a great start to a pretty awesome series! It's a great amalgamation of Nancy Drew, food, and magic. It wins everything! :)
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    the book that started the series. wish I had read the series in order! now I have a better understanding of the characters. series is a bit overly dramatic and cutesy but gets better as it goes on.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Well, about 1/2 way to 3/4 of the way through this mystery, I started to get aggravated. It was obvious from the start that Ella Mae had no idea she had any gift beyond being a very good pastry chef. Yet, as the evidence mounts, it's never explained and she blithely goes along as if she just accepts the effect her pies have on those that eat them without any curiosity or question. Luckily, it's all explained at the end, the author just waited rather longer than expected to explain everything.

    The murder mystery was a good one, although the clues felt a bit disjointed. I guess that's to be expected - otherwise the mystery might be too easy to solve for the reader. :) Still, the ending took me unaware, and I liked it - no obvious solution and no clichés. There are quite a few great characters, although her "evil nemesis" will probably get on my nerves quickly if she makes too much of an appearance throughout the series - pure nastiness is NOT what I look for in a cozy mystery. The aunts are a hoot, and I love the steaminess of the romantic possibilities. I'm looking forward to the next book, Peach Pies and Alibis.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A fun story with lots of family relationships,intrigue....and a little bit of magic. I can hardly wait to read the rest of this series.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This is a new series by Ellery Adams. Her first Books by the Bay series is a delight and so I knew this one would be just as good. Ella Mae has left her cheating husband and moved back home to Georgia to be near her mother and three aunts. She didn't quite finish culinary school but is so good at making pies and pastries that the degree doesn't matter especially since she plans on opening her own pie shop, called the Charmed Pie Shoppe. When her old nemesis from school, Loralyn starts giving her a bad time, Ella Mae loses her temper and shouts she'd like to see her dead. Unfortunately that phase comes back to hurt her when Loralyn's fiance is the one who ends up dead.In order to clear her name and to find out who killed nice thoroughbred horse vet Ella Mae sets out to find a killer.There are plenty of suspects and Ella Mae considers them all but even she is shocked at the actual killer.I've got the next book in this series in my TBR tower and am looking forward to reading it soon.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This was a nice, light read, which fit in nicely during an unusually light homework week in grad school. I'm curious to see how the romantic interests pan out in future books in the series.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Pies and Prejudice should be every foodie's delight. The descriptions of Ella Mae's baking at the beginning of this book had my mouth watering and my memories firmly in the past when, as a young child, I would watch my grandmother bake her own wonderful pies. Although my grandmother's pies were good enough to convince their eaters that they'd died and gone to heaven, Ella Mae's pies are indeed magic. Whatever mood she's in while she's making her delectable concoctions is transferred to the baking. If she's feeling romantic, the folks who eat those pies go looking for love in all imaginable places. Adams uses this device to infuse quite a bit of humor into the book. (The romance is provided by Ella Mae's old high school crush, Hugh Dylan.) I wish I could say that my enchantment with this book lasted through to the last page, but it didn't. The mystery and its resolution took the backseat to Ella Mae and the self-discovery of her talents and those of her family. Although this is important to the book-- and to setting up future books in the series-- it made the mystery feel rushed, and the way the identity of the killer is revealed is a letdown. Since so many clues to what's really going on with Ella Mae and her family are given, it's easy to put the puzzle pieces together, so I felt as though more emphasis on the mystery would have made for a stronger book.Don't get me wrong. Ellery Adams is one of my very favorite cozy writers, and I greatly enjoyed the characters and setting of this book. I just feel as though someone sneaked a strawberry* into my cherry pie. *I'm allergic to strawberries.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Pies and Prejudice is the wonderful first book in the A Charmed Pie Shoppe Mystery series from Ellery Adams.

    Ella Mae, after catching her husband in a comprising position with a set of twins in their apartments elevator, she leaves him. She leaves with just the clothes on her back and Charleston Chew, her Jack Russell terrier, well, she did stop by the ATM machine before she headed for the small community of Havenwood, Ga, the town she left just a few years ago.

    Having attended culinary school while she was in New York, Ella Mae knows her way around the kitchen. She sets to work, with the help of her mother's cook/housekeeper Reba, to make a blueberry pie. After they sat around eating their pie, it is noticed that aunt Dee is crying indigo colored tears. The aunts realize that she has added "charm" into her pies and they suggest that she open a pie shop. There is a shop that just happens to be available, but they find out that Ella Mae's nemesis from childhood days, Loralyn Gaynor, also wants the shop. But good prevails and the shop is Ella Mae's. While in line at the drive-in window of the bank, Ella Mae replies to barrage of threatening words from Loralyn, that she better stay away from her family and dog. But before the words were out of her mouth the only person it appeared she was talking to was Loralyn's fiancee, Bradford Knox. The next day, Veterinarian Bradford Knox in Loralyn's other nail salon. What with the threat that appeared to made to Dr. Knox and the murder weapon appears to be a rolling pin that belongs to Ella. Dr Knox is a highly respected Thoroughbred vet whose clients have an amazing winning record. As Ella goes into sleuthing mode see finds that Knox may not be as professional as he should be.

    The Charmed Pie Shoppe has a very succesful opening, with everyone loving everything in the shoppe. Ella Mae is meeting is going to meet with someone at the shoppe, But as she is preparing a special treat the person is murdered. But this does help point her in the right in the right direction for learning who killed Dr. Knox.

    This is a wonderful new series with a well written story and at the same time makes the reader aware of how far some might go to have a winning race horse. The aunt's are absolutely adorable and there are a couple of possible romantic interests for Ella introduced. And Adams' is dead on with the the description and antics of Charles Chew.

    Very much looking forward to the next book and a long running series.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    After catching her husband cheating on her, Ella Mae La Faye Kittredge returns home to Havenwood, Georgia to fulfill her dream of opening a pie shop. She is determined to succeed even if Loralyn Gaynor is equally determined to ruin her. Soon Ella Mae has more than Loralyn to worry about - someone is murdered and she quickly becomes a major suspect. Now Ella Mae must clear her name while also running the pie shop - she may need some magic to help her."Pies and Prejudice" is the enchanting first book in Ellery Adams Charmed Pie Shoppe cozy mystery series. There is a lot to like about this book starting with Ella Mae (who is just starting to realize her potential) and her family including her mother, aunts, and Reba (who is practically a member of the family). The Southern setting is well done - as is the age-old rivalries between families especially Ella Mae's family and the Gaynor family. The magical elements are wonderfully done - I like the idea of magical pies - and I was pleasantly surprised to find out that several people in the book have magical abilities not just Ella Mae (I have to admit one in particular took me by surprise although it had been hinted at throughout the book). What really makes this book work is the writing. While Adams comes perilously close to overdoing similes in the book, in this case it works. The book almost comes alive in the mixtures of sounds and the smell of baking pies (if only this book came with something you could scratch to smell the pies!). In fact, while the mystery aspects were very well done I was so into the book that I was caught by surprise when the killer was revealed - I wasn't ready for the book to end!"Pies and Prejudice" is a charming book and I look forward to reading more books in the series.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    PIES AND PREJUDICE was the kind of story that I wanted to jump inside of. The charming setting, engaging characters and well-crafted mystery made this one of my favorite cozies to date. The book begins with Ella Mae LaFaye returning to her hometown of Havenwood, Georgia, right after leaving her cheating husband back in New York. Instead of letting anger and sadness take over, Ella Mae decides to live her dream by opening a pie shop in downtown Havenwood, with a little financial and a lot of emotional support from her mother and three aunts.

    There’s something very unique about Ella Mae and her delectable desserts. She not 100% sure, but it appears that somehow she’s able to influence the behavior of others by baking emotions into her pies. This strange ability comes in handy when police find her fingerprints on the murder weapon that killed a local racehorse veterinarian, who happened to be engaged to Ella Mae’s lifelong nemesis, Loralyn Gaynor. Afraid that the bad press of being a person of interest in a murder investigation will ruin her business before it can get off the ground, Ella Mae sets out to find other suspects so investigators will point their fingers elsewhere.

    This is the first book by Ellery Adams that I’ve read, and I have to say that I’m an instant fan! I adored the setting – a small mountain town in northwestern Georgia, but the well-drawn characters were what pulled me into the story. Even the secondary characters popped off the page. The aunts were a hoot, Loralyn was so wicked, and even Ella Mae’s dog “Chewy” was a huge presence. I also enjoyed the paranormal elements in this book. I’m intrigued by Ella Mae’s transference ability, and it looks like she comes from a long line of women blessed with magic. This is a fabulous start to Ms. Adams’ new cozy mystery series, and I’m looking forward to the next one.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Excellent book! Reminded me of "Like Water for Chocolate." Got to love mysteries with recipes. This book was full of characters with magical abilities,, but subtly portrayed, so you aren't sure if they do or if they don't. I hope this is the start of a series.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Read for Fun!Overall Rating: 5.00Story Rating: 5.00Character Rating: 5.00First thought when finished: Hands down one of my favorite cozy mysteries--EVER! I know the name suggests it but this is NOT a Pride and Prejudice set book.What I Thought of the Story: Pies and Prejudice is probably the best cozy mystery that I have read in two years and I have read some really good cozy mysteries! The story takes place after Ella Mae comes back to her hometown after a failed relationship. She is dealing with a lot of feelings (family, love, old friendships, old hates) but she does have one thing she can count on: her brilliantly cooked pies! She also notices that what she feels seems to work its way into her pies! Poor Ella ends up blamed when her old bully's future husband (say that 5 times fast) ends up dead! She must open up a pie shop, clear her name, and deal with all the people in her life without losing her freedom. This was just such a fun story as the mystery unfolded before our eyes. Don't assume you know who did it because I was totally wrong!What I Thought of the Characters: Pies and Prejudice is chock full of great characters! Ella Mae is wonderful but to me it is the Aunts (and her Mom) that kind of steal the show. You just fall in love with this wonderful group of ladies and their very different personalities! You want to go have tea with them, laugh with them, and finally just move right in with them! I can't wait to see their next adventure!Final Thought: I would recommend this story to any cozy mystery lover! I am making (suggested rather strongly) that my bookclub read it for September! I think this is a great book to introduce new cozy mystery readers to the genre!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    SUMMARY: Ella Mae LeFaye is a thirty-something New York culinary school student who specializes in pies and pastry. When she discovers her husband has been baking with others in her metaphorical kitchen, she flees the city with her puppy in toe, racing back to her hometown of Havenwood, Georgia, to reconnect with her mother and beloved aunts. Once there, Ella Mae attempts to start over in the one place where everyone knows her name and her story. As she tries to overcome expectations - those that others have for her, as well as the ones she has for herself - she begins a magical new life, quite literally, riddled with possibilities and problems.WHY YOU'LL LIKE IT: Ella Mae is a worthy protagonist. She's strong and capable - in no way a milquetoast - but undeniably feminine and accessible. She is a true steel magnolia. She's relatable. You know this woman. You are this woman. Her journey, if not the circumstances, is yours, and you can't help but root for her. Her family is a delightful mishmash of every possible personality archetype you can name, but they're not monolithic or static. They will remind you of your own mother, of your favorites aunts and/or cousins, and of your best friends. The characterization is exquisite.The plot is tightly focused, complex yet straightforward, and the denouement is surprising and satisfying. The pacing is swift yet not rushed.Most lovely is Adams' use of language, which is sophisticated without being stifling. Each word is specifically chosen for maximum impact. It is precise and uncompromising; there is no pandering to the audience. There are no throwaway passages, no unnecessary filler. The prose itself is lush and sensual, allowing the reader to identify more fully with the characters. You experience what they do. You see, smell, and taste what they do.The magical aspect of the story enhances it; it doesn't detract from it. It's reminiscent of parts of "Chocolat" and "Like Water for Chocolate."WHY YOU WON'T: Some readers are simply uninterested in elements of fantasy blended with mystery. If that's not your cup of tea, perhaps this book is not for you. However, those elements are clearly stated in the book's description, so there should be no cases of "buyer beware." You know what you're getting, and that's a good thing, as it can be very frustrating to invest time in a book which shifts genres with no warning. Some readers might feel that Adams' powers of description are simply too much, but for those of us who prefer redolent character-driven, introspective works, this is a book you should definitely consider.Finally, those who purchase the book expecting Olivia Limoges (the heroine from Adams' Books by the Bay series) with nifty magical powers, you'll be disappointed. Ella Mae is not Olivia, and we're all the better for it. Not only does this highlight Adams' deft ability to create resonant characters, how boring would it be to read the same character, just with a different name in a different plot? While Ella Mae shares some characteristics with Olivia - namely strength and determination - she stands on her own. Perhaps the greatest difference between them is that Ella Mae acknowledges her emotions and uses them to fuel her, while Olivia remains standoffish and sometimes unapproachable, which makes her just as much a mystery as the crimes she investigates.BOTTOM LINE: Adams is a superlative author with a gift for language, and Ella Mae is a welcome new heroine in her stable. I look forward to reading many more of her adventures.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Ella Mae returns from NYC and her failed marriage (she caught her husband in the act with twins) and her mother and aunts persuade her to open the Charmed Pie Shoppe.Ella Mae has run-ins with her old nemesis and her old crush but when her rolling pin is found at the scene where her nemesis' fiancé is found dead, her reputation is at stake and Ella Mae needs to find her actually committed the murder. During her investigation, she is busy baking all sorts of delicious sounding concoctions and her special ingredients are hard to distinguish. There are many characters in this new series but they are introduced easily along with the clues that lead to the resolution. Sure wish this pie shop was in my town!
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Heading home to Georgia after discovering her hubby's infidelity, Ella Mae LeFaye is surrounded by a group of strong, loving women that encourage her to keep baking the pies that leave the town of Havenwood wanting more. Adams' new novel veers away a bit from the traditional cozy and into almost a Sarah Addison Allen like magical realism tale. If it weren't for a couple pesky bodies, I'd say Adams was heading to a new genre! I found the descriptions of the town and Ella Mae's gearing up of her pie shop to be wonderful but some of the equine talk bogged me down. All in all, a nice first book in a new series that I will definitely want to continue.