Is Val’s breakfast pie the quiche of death? Owning her own business seemed like pie in the sky to Valentine Harris when she moved to the coastal California town of San Nicholas, expecting to start a new life with her fiance. Five months–and a broken engagement–later, at least her dream of opening a pie shop has become a reality. But when one of her regulars keels over at the counter while eating a quiche, Val feels like she’s living a nightmare. After the police determine the customer was poisoned, business at Pie Town drops faster than a fallen crust. Convinced they’re both suspects, Val’s flaky, seventy-something pie crust maker Charlene drags her boss into some amateur sleuthing. At first Val dismisses Charlene’s half-baked hypotheses, but before long the ladies uncover some shady dealings hidden in fog-bound San Nicholas. Now Val must expose the truth–before a crummy killer tries to shut her pie hole.

Oh my! An entire shop of pie. A dream come true. Val has poured everything she has into Pie Town, even going so far as sleeping in the tiny back room.

When good friend of the shops dies in his booth after some quiche, fingers are pointed and Val doesn’t think the police are taking this as seriously as they should.

Against her better judgement, she follows Charlene down a rabbit hole of investigations, conspiracy theories and narcoleptic cats. All for the chance to nab a real killer and get business going back in Pie Town. Plus Charlene just may hold the answer to her living situation so she lets herself get sucked into Charlene’s outlandish stakeouts and plans.

I liked Val a lot. Not so much on the ex! What a jerk! The combination of Val and the elderly Charlene chasing criminals and stumbling over bodies works. And it’s a good thing it does, because this little town is full of liars, schemers and killers!

I’m looking forward to the next one already. And some more of the hunky cop!

Netgalley/Kensington   Release Date: October 31st.