A pie to die for

Rue's solid series opener introduces listeners to Este March, her magical lucky pies, and the seasonal town of Split Pine. Now that the off-season has arrived, the pace of life--and narration--is a comfortable meander as Este's performer, Callie Beaulieu, welcomes listeners to the diner and introduces the year-round residents. The usually quiet town is thrown into disarray when Jeff, the new produce vendor, turns up dead. Este's social mores don't give her much room for outward snark, and this, when combined with the warmth Beaulieu imbues in her, might fool listeners into thinking she's a pushover. However, the strength to be kind is the same strength that allows her to track down a killer. While there is an element of self-interest in her investigation since she's the prime suspect, Este mostly wants to restore a sense of safety to her community. The solidity of the mystery suffers a little from balancing against the setting and magical pie lore. Each of these story elements is hefty on its own. However, now that much has been explained, subsequent series entries may have more room for murder. VERDICT A delicious magical cozy to entice listeners new to the subgenre.--Matthew Galloway

Convinced that an island outsider is up to no good, a pie shop owner encourages police to investigate him, at the risk of seeming like a suspect herself. Este March is getting ready for the off-season, when Split Pine Island in northern Michigan shuts down to everyone but locals as November ushers in cold weather. That means selling tourists their last meals from her family-owned Lucky Pie Diner, famed for its pies, some of which bring the eater good luck through a magical recipe. So tourists naturally want to get one last chance at luck before next summer rolls around. Este is distracted from her preparations for the final days of the season when her latest produce order is tripped up in transit. Instead of the reliable Denny McAvoy delivering her latest order from Evergreen Produce, some new guy named Jeff Kelly shows up with produce at double the price and half the value. And no strawberries! Este tries to keep it positive, but when new guy Jeff is found dead on a boat, she imagines that she might not be the only one he rubbed the wrong way. She's certain that non-local Mick Gorley has something to do with Jeff's demise. After all, Mick and daughter Jersey have managed to skirt the island's needlessly complex housing laws, so who knows what other round-the-back schemes they may be working? Este tries to convince local sheriff Tom Cunningham of Mick's guilt, but her interest in the case makes her look more like a suspect than a concerned citizen. Maybe she should eat a piece of her own lucky pie before she's put on the hook for Jeff's murder. A sweet treat for mystery mavens looking for something not too challenging. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.