Pie - by Sarah Weeks

Yum.  Yum, yum, yummy.  You have no idea how many times I wanted to just set this book down and go make a pie.  That's the type of book it is: Inspiring.  Mouth-watering.  Yummy.

The story is about Alice, a nice girl whose aunt was the town's award-winning pie maker, and possibly the nicest lady ever.  When her aunt dies, Alice has to deal with that loss, but also the craziness that takes over her town as everyone tries to fill the pie-making gap left by her absence.  While all the ladies in town tried to out-do one another with their baking, somebody broke into Aunt Polly's house to steal her top-secret pie crust recipe.  Strangely enough, Polly had left the recipe to her cat in her will, and she left that cat to Alice.  Like it or not, Alice was in for a whirlwind of adventure as the mysteries begin to unfold!

This is a beautiful story of friendship, jealousy, the ties that hold families together and the problems that threaten to split them apart.  It is a charming book by a talented author, filled with real pie recipes from around the country.  It's a book to be enjoyed, hopefully with a side of pie.