I did skim through this book up until the end, but did not read the second half thoroughly. However, I am familiar with the entirety of its plot, so I can provide a complete opinion. I have to say, I enjoyed the storyline! The topics that were covered were important to discuss (mainly focusing on human relationships of all sorts, both healthy and toxic), even though some of the ethical aspects of even the positive characters can be quite debatable. The magical and mystery elements were also exciting.

The execution disappointed me though, as I could not stick with reading the book in full despite its plot. Some ways of expressing things were simply confusing or hardly interesting for me; the fact that I did not read the previous books in the series might have contributed, but I don't think that it's the main reason.

Thank you NetGalley for the copy. This was wasn't for me, but it could be great for other people. I didn't know it was a third book and it was difficult to follow with the characters :(

I did enjoy the writing style, the social commentary and how the MC justifies her work. The conflict was a bit too fast resolved for my taste though, and I found that the characters were a bit bland.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25/5 stars!

A third instalment of the Pies Before Guys mystery series? Yes please!

Daisy Ellery owns Pie Girl and sells her delightful pies at a diner and on campus at a local university. Her side hustle, baking magical murder pies, is back in full swing in this book!

When Jodie, a volunteer at the local library, reaches out to Daisy to bake a pie to put an end to her abusive cop husband, Daisy stalls to accept the request. Her business of killing abusers isn’t exactly legal and getting directly involved with law enforcement seems like a scary idea. Not to mention, Jodie isn’t a referral from a previous client. Daisy worries it’s a setup.

However, once she decides to make the pie, Jodie becomes unresponsive. Fearing the worst, Daisy and her friend Melly become amateur detectives to find out what happened to Jodie and whether she is safe.

This has been my favourite of the books so far in the series. Daisy is back from her time on Bake My Day and is back in Penny, her RV, selling her Pie Girl pies and making murder pies in her spare time. My main complaint of book two was that the Pies Before Guys murder pies took the back burner.

I really loved this story. As always, this really isn’t the typical cozy and there are content warnings for domestic violence, murder, forced pregnancy, police brutality, etc.

Thank you to Net Galley and Crooked Lane Books for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

“There are times I wish I made murder pies for people of my own choosing. Like today. ”
Here are reasons to read the mystery book:

3rd in the Series - In this 3rd book in the Pies before Guys mystery series
Pie Baker - we continue to follow Daisy who has a very special talent
Magic - She can imbue her pies with magic, and she uses that magic to help stop domestic abuse, particularly when it comes from men
Cops Wife - and in this book we follow a request from a cop’s wife, which is especially hard to navigate

First I have to say that if you haven’t started this series, I highly recommend. It is whimsical and fun. However, this book made me sad because the author has stated that this is the last due to how lucrative it is being an author. So if you love mysteries, let’s give her a boost and try this one out. The characters are special and there are unique touches everywhere. While this is not my favorite book in the series, I do love it as a whole and think you should pick this up!

I genuinely love this series.

The Pies Before Guys books, and this third instalment THE LAST TO PIE, are a perfect blend of cozy mystery and darker elements. Personally, I'm a big fan of cozies anyway, but I think this is the perfect "in" for people who aren't - who find the usual amateur sleuth, small town, cutsie occupation or hobby shtick to be too twee. You get all those cozy elements but with a twist - a protagonist who's pretty darn up-front (at least with herself, her allies, and the reader) about the fact that she's a serial killer. A killer of abusive men through the medium of magical retribution-filled pies, but still. Think Dexter meets Pushing Daisies?

THE LAST TO PIE is darker than the last installment, that took us down a Bake-Off style TV-show route, and puts Daisy back into her close-knit diner-based found family setting. I will admit, there were a couple of references to events in the first two book early on where I'd forgot details/characters, but it really didn't take away from my enjoyment of this story. It just made me excited to reread the whole trilogy if (when?! fingers-crossed!) another book comes out. So, even with those little mentions, I think THE LAST TO PIE could be picked up as a standalone or an entry point to the series.

Another brilliant installment in the Pies Before Guys series, and I really hope it continues for a long time yet.

My only complaint is that this is the last in the series. It’s such a delightful one—fulfills the Pushing Daisies vibes I’ve always wanted since it was cancelled—and I’d gladly read like ten more of these.

The Last to Pie was a delightful treat! Although it is the third book in the Pies Before Guys series, it can be read as a standalone. However, I’m so glad I decided to read the first two books because I found a new favorite cozy mystery series! Daisy’s magic and the unusual way in which most murders occur in this series adds such a unique twist to the typical cozy. I don’t usually have trouble picking a favorite side character, but Daisy’s found family is so amazing that I love them all! I already miss these characters, and I really hope Misha Popp will serve up another Pies Before Guys soon!

I have enjoyed the books I have read by Misha Popp and this one was no different, in the fact that I enjoyed it too. A great read with great characters, especially Daisy as she just gets better and bolder as the series moves on.

This right up my alley too as it is not only a cosy mystery but has that foodie theme I like as well. A true cosy murder mystery and one I had no problem finishing in one sitting. A fun read with mystery and pie. What's not to like!?

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Misha Popp has done it once again with her latest in the Pies Before Guys Mystery series, The Last to Pie, producing a page-turner of a book that is difficult to put down.
I've been an all in fan of the series since it debuted, and I have to say that it is only picking up steam! This time around, everything is ramped up - the suspense, the danger, the innate sense of justice, the romance, and the family ties. The main character Daisy Ellery continues to grow, this time going past her own boundaries to help an abused woman. When the victim disappears, Daisy kicks things into high gear despite the danger to her and those around her, driven by a sense of guilt and responsibility along with her outrage on the victim's behalf.
In the midst of all of the danger there are tender moments in which Daisy realizes that the concept of family includes those whom you choose.
I particularly like that Daisy's brand of magic is a more natural one than the abracadabra, rhyming spells that are so often found in paranormal cozy mysteries. She needs no wands or rhymes, she just works her goals into her baking.
The Last to Pie is well-written, with relatable characters and a complex plot. It's also a very satisfying read.
I was thrilled to receive an ARC of The Last to Pie from NetGalley.

I am so glad to have discovered this ARC! I was not familiar with this series and may not have found it if not for NetGalley. Though it's not necessary, I purchased the first two books in the series so that I would be up to speed before reading this one. But, like I said, while it's always nice to have additional background information on the characters, all three books can be read as a stand-alone. Daisy, aka Pie Girl, bakes a special kind of pies, those with a healthy dose of magic, sometimes deadly. While looking the part of a 50s housewife she encourages the persona with pies that are to die for!

This is such a fun series. Daisy, our magic pie baking heroine is back, but this time, the stakes are higher. When Daisy receives a vague request to bake one of her murder pies for a police officer, she must decide whether it is morally wrong, right or if it’s a setup. You can probably guess which she decides. 🥧 I enjoyed this plot more than the second in the series, and will definitely continue with future installments. Misha Popp tackles brutality against women in a way that isn’t trivial or lightened, but empowering, triumphant and also somehow funny and whimsical. 4 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for this advanced copy, in exchange for my unbiased review.

The last to pie was a DNF for me at about 50% I just could not really get into the story line. I really wanted to love it though.

US pub date: 5/21/24
Genre: cozy mystery
Series: Pies Before Guys, book 3
Do I need to read book 1 first? You can read this one as a standalone, but book 1 is super fun, so I'd recommend checking it out!
Quick summary: Daisy's custom pies are designed to kill the worst men, and her relieved customers refer only the most deserving women to request a pie. But when a pie request comes in organically, and then the woman disappears, Daisy's baking gets a lot more complicated.

I love a cozy mystery, and this series is extra fun because Daisy's not just an amateur sleuth - she's a vigilante baker. You can tell how much she cares about the women she helps, as well as her fellow town residents and diner employees. The central mystery of book 3 was really compelling, and I enjoyed seeing Daisy try to figure out the truth and outsmart the no-good cop likely responsible for his girlfriend's disappearance. It was a quick read with a satisfying ending, and I'm excited to continue the Pies Before Guys series!!

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

We are back in the Pies Before Guys Mystery world with the third installment of this novel. Daisy has a pie request and this one is from a woman being controlled and abused by a cop. Worried it is a trap, she doesn’t reply quickly enough, and the woman who requested the pie goes missing. She is sure the boyfriend has something to do with it and works to find out what happened and to figure out a way for justice. Not only is she trying to figure out this mystery, but she is still fulfilling pie orders and trying to keep up with the rest of her life.

I enjoyed this book and continued to enjoy Daisy and the other cast of characters. I like how all the characters in these stories seem to have their unique personalities and you find yourself rooting for everyone. I quickly got pulled into the story, wanting to know what happened and how things were going to play out. Misha Popp explores domestic violence with care and allows us to feel and understand the pain that victims of abuse experience.

I always love the found family aspect in these books and it was no exception here. Frank and Juan from the diner, as well as Juan’s daughter, are people she loves and cares for, even when she initially didn’t want to put down roots. Noel, her boyfriend, has a heart of gold. He is so patient and kind, I just wish we got a bit more with them.

This was a great, page-turning story that I enjoyed. I don’t think you need to have read the other two books in this series, but they are also quite good! I was sad to hear this was the last book in this series, I know I will miss Daisy and the rest of her found family. Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for a copy of this book. All opinions are 100% mine.

The Last to Pie takes us back to the world of Pies Before Guys mystery series and I was happy to go along. Apart from our usual mystery part, what i really appreciated about the book was a sense of self-awareness and inclusion of highly relevant social commentary. I think broadening the boundaries of cozy mysteries is something that can add to the genre and this book does exactly that. The side characters are amazing in this one and the plot moved at a good pace. Overall I enjoyed the book and I am looking forward to the next one.

Thanks to the author, publisher and netgalley for the e-arc.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

I think my main downfall was that I didn't realise this was the third part of the series and I didn't understand a lot of things about the characters which made it hard for me to engage in the story. More so I don't think cosy mysteries are particularly for me.

I wasn't sure if I was going to read this one because the second book in the series wasn't my favorite. I'm glad I did because this book is more aligned to the first book.

I love Daisy and all of the adventures Misha has allowed us to be apart of. I was sad to hear the series won’t continue after this but am happy that we got to spend so much time with Daisy and the gang. Thank you for the opportunity to read this one early. I had such a good time.

The Last to Pie is book three in the Pies Before Guys Mystery series by Misha Popp.
I’m not sure how I missed book one and two. Upsetting so now I’m going to have to jump on Amazon and buy them because I enjoyed this book tremendously.
I loved these characters! Daisy Is just the best main lead ever. The characters are interesting and well constructed.
A witty, fun and immensely compelling read that ensures I'll be looking out for the book in this amazing series.
If you're looking for a cozy mystery that involves baking and found family, look no further!

Thank You NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!