Lord of the Pies by Nell Hampton
After I received "Lord of the Pies" in the mail, it took me a few days to read it. I really enjoyed the first book in the series, but it had been several months since I read that one, and with all the Royals constantly in the news recently, I just wasn’t sure I wanted to read a mystery with them in it. But, one rainy day, I sat down, opened the book, and didn’t close it until I finished it. What an absolutely delightful read! Nell Hampton has done a phenomenal job of weaving mystery, romance, intrigue, royalty, friendship, and a strong cast of terrific characters into one lovely book. The character development is wonderful. The main character, Carrie Ann Cole, is not a flighty, damsel in distress who continually undermines a criminal investigation. She is a strong, independent, and career-driven American chef who is navigating her new life in a demanding job in England. Readers walk with Carrie Ann as she grows in her job and confidence, develops friendships, and creates a niche for herself in the Royal Household. If you enjoy a good mystery, then Lord of the Pies is definitely a treat. Except for one Agatha Christie novel, I have always been able to figure out who the killer is in the books I’ve read…until Lord of the Pies! I was not expecting this ending, and so enjoyed how it was resolved, I read it twice! There is only one aspect of the book that distracted me from the plot and that is how many hours a week Carrie Ann works. I know being a chef is a very demanding job, but she seems to be in the Royal kitchen from 5:30 am. to 9 p.m. six days a week in order to cook all meals, desserts, snacks, etc., and that seems really excessive. As a reader, I wasn’t sure how she could keep her energy up with those hours. With that aside, I definitely recommend this book, and look forward to the next one in the series.