Pies Before Guys Mystery

The first time Daisy Ellery killed a man with a pie, it was an accident. Now, it’s her calling. Daisy bakes sweet vengeance into her pastries, which she and her dog, Zoe, deliver to the men who’ve done dirty deeds to the town’s women. But if she can’t solve the one crime that’s not of her own baking, she’ll be out of the pie pan and into the oven. Parking her Pies Before Guys mobile bakery van outside the local diner, Daisy is informed by Frank, the crusty diner owner, that someone’s been prowling around the van—and not just to inhale the delectable aroma. Already on thin icing with Frank, she finds a letter on her door, threatening to reveal her unsavory secret sideline of pie à la murder. Blackmail? But who whipped up this half-baked plot to cut a slice out of Daisy’s business? Purple-haired campus do-gooder Melly? Noel, the tender—if flaky—farm boy? Or one of the abusive men who prefer their pie without a deadly scoop of payback? The upcoming statewide pie contest could be Daisy’s big chance to help wronged women everywhere…if she doesn’t meet a sticky end first. Because Daisy knows the blackmailer won’t stop until her business is in crumbles.

Daisy bakes a little murder into every pie she creates, and she and her dog, Zoe, deliver them to the town's worst cads. Now, Daisy's entered a televised, elimination-style competition and has a shot at $100k in prize money, but she still has a murder pie to deliver between filming. In a completely unexpected turn of events, she discovers that her intended victim is one of the competition judges, and he turns up dead before the pie even arrives. Now, Daisy has to solve the murder, even if it means working a bit of magic, before someone calls foul play and exposes her murderous secret. For anyone who's ever fantasized about the world of competitive baking à la the Great British Bake Off, or has ever dreamed of getting back at that guy who wronged them years ago, Popp's culinary cozy series is as alluring as a perfectly baked pie. This edgy yet utterly charming novel takes the idea of "a dessert to die for" to a whole new level.

Daisy Ellery is back to doing what she does best: making pies and killing guys. And it's about to get more dangerous than ever. Daisy knows the statistic-domestic violence perpetrated by cops is rampant. It was only a matter of time before she was called in to help. But when this request arrives in her inbox, it isn't accompanied by the required referral and that makes Daisy nervous. Is this really a woman trapped in a violent relationship, or is it a shady cop trying to uncover Daisy's murdery side hustle? Daisy hesitates to accept the job-until the woman who left the request goes missing and it's clear her boyfriend is responsible. Knowing his work buddies won't be any help investigating, Daisy sets out to find the woman and plans a little justice of her own. When Daisy finds evidence that the boyfriend wasn't just a monster in private but corrupt at work too, things get even more perilous. Feeling guilty that she hesitated to help the woman, Daisy is determined to find her and get her justice-whatever it takes.