Pistols & Pies: Sweet Bites, Book 2

Sweet Bites Mysteries, Volume 2

By: Heather Justesen

Narrated by: Pamela Almand (The Captain's Voice)

Length: 7 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's summary

Negotiations underway with a narrator. No auditions accepted at this time. The gigantic cake for the new city rec center opening is going to be great advertising for Tess Crawford's new bakery, until she finds the city councilman who oversaw the project dead.

Tess vows to stay out of this investigation, but then the victim's troubled step-son is fingered for the murder and Tess jumps in to prove he's innocent. Trouble is, someone else wants her to leave it alone and isn't afraid to take her out to protect their identity. Tess and her growing gang of amateur sleuths scramble to catch the killer before one of them ends up dead.

©2013 Heather Justesen (P)2013 Heather Justesen

Great second book in the series

I really growing to enjoy this series. Tess is spunky and sweet at the same time. There are things in the series that are more than a touch unbelievable. Sure I always ask my baker look into murders, she is totally qualified. Yup, suspend reality a touch for this book.

I love the potential love triangle. Sean is all young player, loads of charisma, a real bad boy any gal might want to reform. Jack is the steady single dad, a little bossy but definitely husband material. Tess is going to have some serious decisions to make as this series continues.

Love the addition of her friend Lenny, he is a perfect sidekick to balance out her BFF Honey. They are all irrepressible and running head long into trouble.

The poor detective takes tons of flack, he is not only having to do his job but also look out for Tess and company. He is far from incompetent, he does very well considering the challenges he faces. I will give it that Tess can do things he can not, ie gossip and trespass.

The mystery was not a huge surprise, plenty of clues lead up to this conclusion. It was not obvious from the start, it progressed nicely and came together near the end. Very satisfying.

The small town family feel of the whole series is great. I love the whole dynamic all the characters share.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Pamela Almand, she has a great feel for the lead character. The whole book comes from Tess' POV, so her voice is most prominent. Ms Almand has a terrific flair adding just enough snark to the voice at the perfect moments. She has a great pace that keeps the book moving along steadily throughout the action. I love that little rasp she has in her voice, it's a super appealing tone.

I am eager to see what happens next in this series. There is just something so endearing about the characters, it makes me overlook flaws in the overall plot.

Disclosure - I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts, opinions and ratings are my own.

I want more Sweet Bites ... Now!

My review
Another enjoyable story from the Sweet Bites Mystery series, our intrepid super-baker solves yet another mystery, but, yes,this time by request! It's not as if she is bored, her business is building well, she just can't help herself. Oh where would we Cosy lovers be without such intrepid and nosy women?
I love the way the series is developing, getting to know the characters and their back stories, the lure of the small town community, the sheer cosines of it all. That is until the murder!

As the blurb says, the victims' teenaged stepson is being fingered for the heinous crime, teenaged boys being what they are (a mystery, wrapped in an enigma etc. or near enough) Tess proves surprisingly adept at dealing with them, all it takes is food! Who knew?
I love a story that hooks my interest quickly, this one certainly did that, what's more, it held my attention, so much so that I was reluctant to break.
Tess interests me, she is finding and forming her very own family in order to satisfy her need to belong, so far, it's working very well. For both of us. I enjoy Tess and her "family" and really want to hear more. Of course, we know that the storyline is going to be more than unlikely, but so what? It's a story, it transports us to somewhere else, an enjoyable place, a place to listen and relax.
Can't wait to hear more.

Narration
I love the voice of Pamela Almand, simple as that. Dulcet tones, that is, sweet, soothing and low, she could read aloud the label of a sauce bottle and I would listen, it is entrancing. Need I say more? Well yes I do, I have to say how well she characterises both male and female, the listener never doubts who is holding forth. Pamela never intrudes upon the story, there is nothing required of the listener other than to enjoy the work of the author, exactly as it should be. I sincerely hope the author never, ever considers another narrator for this series.

Yummy mystery

Would you listen to Pistols & Pies: Sweet Bites, Book 2 again? Why?

no but I might read it.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Lenny because he changed his life around. He cared for
Tess and for Kat.

Any additional comments?

4 stars ebook & audio book

I had won audio book from Heather Justesen. It down loaded easy on my kindle fire. I liked the story and the reader very well.
Did not like when I wanted to hurry and finish the book I could not. It was great to listen to book while I got things done.
After the second day I broke down and bought the ebook to finish.(I am a fast reader)

So I would rather buy ebook for my kindle fire and use text to talk feature when I want to listen to book and than switch to reading when I want to.

Pistols & Pies is the second book in the Sweet Bites Mysteries series. It is the first one I have read. It is a cute cozy mystery.
I like the plot, the characters, the setting. Also like that it is a clean read. Did make me want to eat sweets.

I don't like all the recipes that distract from the story. I would rather have them all in the back of the book or front instead of at chapters.

I Tess and wanted her to date Jack. but like Shawn to. Tess runs a bakery and makes wedding cakes. She left Chicago to come to small town where her Grandmother used to live to open her business. She finds dead bodies and gets involved in figuring who the murder is.
Now someone is trying to kill her.

Her co-worker from Chicago has left his job to come work part time for her.

The mystery was pretty good. I did figure out a part of it before it was revealed. But not all of it. Lots of action, drama and romance.

I would read more of Heather's stories in the future.

Publisher: Jelly Bean Press (February 3, 2013) 242 pages

The Fun Continues

What did you love best about Pistols & Pies: Sweet Bites, Book 2?

The characters are fun and likeable. The story doesn't have the usual absurd twists that seem to be cropping up lately.

What other book might you compare Pistols & Pies: Sweet Bites, Book 2 to and why?

Several years ago I started a food themed series. I think the author was Diane Mott Davidson. As the series progressed, the supporting characters were muddled. I hope this series keeps the same focus.

Which character – as performed by Pamela Almand (The Captain's Voice) – was your favorite?

Of course the heroine is my favorite but I would like to see more of the paramedic.

Any additional comments?

I look forward to continuing the series.

Pastry chef rides again!

Where does Pistols & Pies: Sweet Bites, Book 2 rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

In the middle...the series is a lot of fun and fun to listen to

What did you like best about this story?

Great characters with amusing personalities

What does Pamela Almand (The Captain's Voice) bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Fun and a smile! And good pace

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes! It really flowed and the stars stay consistent from book to book in the series.

Any additional comments?

Recipes are excellent, but would prefer them written or at the end.

Another sweet mystery!

What was one of the most memorable moments of Pistols & Pies: Sweet Bites, Book 2?

I really enjoyed when Sean showed up to help Tess. It was nice to see a minor character from the first book come back. I like the relationship that is developing between Tess and Sean.

What does Pamela Almand (The Captain's Voice) bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Ms. Almand brings warmth to the story. She has a smooth rich voice that makes you feel all warm and cozy.

Any additional comments?

Book 2 in the Sweet Bites Mystery series is as good as the first. I really enjoyed following Tess into a new mystery. The characters are real and the story keeps you entertained. I recommend this book and the series to my friends and family who want to listen to a cozy mystery.

Narrator not a good fit for this story

Pamela Almands’s voice sounds as though it would be good for a story about pirates, I think, but it doesn’t work for me here. I’ve listened to the first two books of this series now, and I don’t think I can do another. Her voice does not fit what I imagine the characters’ voices to sound like. There are times when it sounds like she is smiling and she shouldn’t be... I do find the stories themselves entertaining.

fun in Arizona

A fun book to read, I like the unique setting of this series and the characters are fun and realistic.