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Pizza Lovers Mysteries Books In Order

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Publication Order of Pizza Lovers Books

A Slice of Murder (2009)Description / Buy at Amazon
Pepperoni Pizza Can Be Murder (2010)Description / Buy at Amazon
A Pizza To Die For (2011)Description / Buy at Amazon
Rest in Pizza (2012)Description / Buy at Amazon
Killer Crust (2012)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Missing Dough (2013)Description / Buy at Amazon
Thin Crust Killers (2014)Description / Buy at Amazon

The Pizza Lovers Mysteries is a cozy mystery series by Chris Cavender, the pen name used by Tom Meyers, the Agatha nominated American author. This compelling novel has 7 primary works that Cavender published between 2009 and 2014. Eleanor Swift, who is also a main character in several other novels by Chris Cavender, is the lead character in these books. Eleanor is the owner of a small Pizzeria christened A Slice of Life in the small town of Timber-Ridge in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina town. For Swift, the Pizzeria is a kind of therapy, helping take her mind off the loss of her husband from a horrible accident. While nothing of note ever happens in her sleepy town, this does not seem to bother her, as she needs the quietude, at least for now. An important character in the series is Maddy, who is Eleanor’s sister that works with her in the pizzeria. Just like her sister, Maddy is a free spirited character who is looking for love. Swift seems to fall in love or get into relationships slower than her sister. Nonetheless, despite their differences in personality, the two are the best of friends and would do anything to help the other if they are in trouble. As such, Maddy is heavily involved in the sleuthing activities that Eleanor always seems to be in the middle of, either as a suspect or just as an interested party.

The Pizza Lovers Mysteries is one of the most popular of cozy mystery series. As is to be expected of cozy mysteries, the recipes, if they are good enough can drive a novel’s popularity, and these books have some of the best you could ever wish for. However, the story lines are the meat of the series, as Chris Cavender has proved that, he can write a good mystery narrative with each subsequent novel in the series more popular than the last. The first novel in the series, A Slice of Murder, exploded out of the blocks becoming one of the most in demand cozy mystery in 2009. The series quite fast paced given that the average length of a novel in the series is 250 pages. Nonetheless, despite the fast pace, there are not too many twists and turns as Cavender finds a balance between catering for the food lovers, the family story lovers, and the detective mystery lovers. The author is very good at developing his characters, as he makes the two sisters seem very real with different personalities and temperaments. While the storylines are not very complex, they make for a relaxing and enjoyable read, though they will leave you craving the pizza during the reading and even days after you finish them.

Eleanor Swift has dedicated her life to the Pizzeria, determined to make it a success for the sake of her husband who had started it. She has a history with the police chief, Kevin Hurley, who is always trying to rekindle the flames of romance, though he is now married with kids. Since Eleanor does not want anything to do with him, He does his best to make her life difficult by jumping to conclusions whenever there is a crime involving Eleanor without doing thorough investigations. However, Eleanor also plays her part in fueling Kevin’s suspicions given that she just cannot keep her nose away from any of the criminal happenings in her hometown. Add to the fact that she seems to have a nasty temper that she unleashes at the most inopportune of moments, and you begin to understand why she gets into so much trouble. Over the course of the novels, Eleanor Swift, which adds to the spice of the novels. Nevertheless, the bad blood between the two sisters and the chief of police just refuses to go away as each twist and turn just unearths more suspicion.

The first novel of the Pizza Lovers Mysteries series and one of its most popular is set in Timber Ridge. Timber Ridge, North Carolina is a small sleepy town in which nothing interesting ever happens. This does not bother Eleanor Swift the owner of A Slice of Delight, as she has a broken heart to mend. Everything goes haywire one wintry night when she delivers her pizza special, only to find the client Richard Olsen on the kitchen floor with a big kitchen knife in his chest – dead. Kevin Hurley, who had a huge crush on her in high school and is now the local police chief, is the first respondent on the scene. Believing that she is guilty, he is determined to lock her up for the crime. Initially, the sister of the dead man also thinks that Swift is guilty, but Eleanor soon convinces her of her innocence, and she asks that she assist in solving the murder. Maddy, Eleanor’s sister gets in on the action, proving herself quite a capable sleuth. Going along at quite a lively pace, Cavender writes a good story that culminates in a thrilling finale.

Another early novel in the Pizza Lovers Mysteries series that gained much popularity among cozy mystery fans is the second novel, Pepperoni Pizza Can Be Murder. For once, Eleanor is not under a cloud of suspicion for murder. However, there is a body in the kitchen that will have the surly police chief Kevin Hurley asking a lot of questions. While she is certain that Gregg her deliveryman would never kill his brother with a pizza-rolling pin, the hard part is proving it. What makes it worse for Gregg is that he had recently caught his girlfriend kissing his brother on his couch, coupled with the fact that Wade was demanding more than was rightfully his in an inheritance feud. It is no surprise that Timber Ridge’s top cop is hell-bent on arresting Eleanor’s deliveryman and putting him away. But as the two sisters begin their sleuthing, they find that Wade was a man with very many enemies. If they cannot find out who killed Gregg’s brother, he is going to prison for a very long time. While finding the killer is hard enough, escaping alive to serve him up to the cops is quite another matter. This is one cozy mystery that will keep you glued to your seat with suspense.

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