Kristina A. reviewed on 4/11/2018 + 1528 more book reviews

Lord of the Pies by Nell Hampton is the second tale in A Kensington Palace Chef Mystery series. Carrie Ann Cole is the personal chef to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in Kensington Palace. Carrie Ann is busy preparing for a pie themed bridal shower being hosted by the Duchess for Penny Nethercott's sister on Saturday. The gathering gets moved to the Orangery and Carrie Ann will be using Chef Wright's kitchen. After the event, Carrie Ann leaves a lemon meringue pie as a thank you to the chef and his staff. Early the next morning, Penny awakens Carrie Ann because there are police at the Orangery. A waiter was found face down in Carrie Ann's pie. The pie was poisoned, and Carrie Ann is the prime suspect in the man's death. Carrie Ann sets out to clear her name and reputation before she loses the job she loves. After competing in a pie competition, Chef Butterbottom and his staff end up severely ill. Carrie Ann is the runner up, and she is once again under suspicion and in the tabloids. While at the Orangery talking to the sous chef, Carrie Ann learns that Chef Wright has disappeared. They find the flirtation chef dead in the walk-in freezer. The bodies are piling up and the common denominator is Carrie Ann. Can Carrie Ann find the person responsible before she ends up in the tower?

While Lord of the Pies is the second book in the series, it can be read alone. Lord of the Pies is a busy book. What I mentioned above in my summary is just a drop in the bucket. There is a stalker, clubbing, baking, another new assistant for Carrie Ann, pie competition, tabloid photographs, Carrie Ann goes out for drinks with Jasper, cooking, chatting, eating and gallons of tea. I thought Lord of the Pies contained good writing, has a steady pace and a great theme (working for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at Kensington). The author has a conversational writing style that engages the reader and soon has them engrossed in the story. I like Carrie Ann as the main character. She is well-developed and has excellent cooking skills. She does, though, need to wise up to the ways of the world and proper etiquette (rules) when working in a royal household. I am not so enamored with Penny. I am amazed she can get out of bed for work after a night of drinking and dancing (returning home in the wee hours). The mystery is intriguing. You never knew who the next victim would be (I kept hoping Chef Butterbottom would not recover). Many readers will be surprised when the solution is revealed. There was, though, too much supposition. Carrie Ann with Agnes (her latest assistant) and Penny speculating on the crimes. Some of the same details kept getting repeated. I could have done with less romance between Carrie Ann and Jasper. Her falling into his arms after a harrowing ordeal did not seem believable since the pair have yet to go one a real date (only went out for drinks once). I did not feel any spark between them. Now Carrie Ann and Ian are another story. I am giving Lord of the Pies 4 out of 5 stars (I liked it). The mouthwatering descriptions of pies along with the recipes at the end of the book will have you digging out your pie pans. If you are looking for an entertaining cozy mystery to read, then look no further than Lord of the Pies.

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