The Pierogi Peril

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By Geri Krotow

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Publisher Description

Lydia Wienewski has opened her Polish-American cafe and bakery on the shore of Lake Erie, but her idyllic new venture is shattered when the low tide leads to a terrible discovery.

July, 1982. Lydia Wienewski's dream has finally come true: Lydia's Lakeside Cafe and Bakery, selling delicious Polish-American fare on the shore of Lake Erie, is now open and her fortunes are looking up. Even her old nemesis and tutor, the irascible Madame Delphine, has made time to sample Lydia's delectable pierogi, with some of her students in tow.

But when Lydia finds Madame Delphine dead in the water, her lakeside dream turns into a nightmare. Was it a bizarre suicide, or brutal murder? As Lydia and Grandma Mary investigate, they discover that there was more to Madame Delphine than meets the eye, and quickly find themselves drawn into an increasingly perilous situation! Can they uncover the truth about Madame Delphine's untimely death?

9 Reviews

3.5

Banana Hanna

Created 11 months ago

Claire Eden

Created about 1 year ago

Helena G Reads

Created over 1 year ago

“⭐️: 3.5 / 5 This is the second book in a cozy cuisine mystery series. I’m happy I read the first book before picking this up because it is repeatedly alluded to and brought up as a point of character development. This story picks up shortly after the end of the first book. Overall I thought this book was fun and cozy but fell short for me. If you like a mystery that revolves around a woman in her 30s amateur sleuthing with her grandmother you’ll get a kick out of this book. Would recommend for those who are fans of - Polish cuisine - 80s - Buffalo, NY setting - Amateur sleuth mysteries ⚠️ body horror”

Predictable Unsatisfying ending Unsatisfying plot Easy to read

sarah-sisterswho_readtogether

Created over 1 year ago

“My Rating: 3.5 Thank you NetGalley and Severn House for the opportunity to read this ARC. It’s 1982 and Lydia Wienewski’s dream is coming true when she opens her cafe and bakery specializing in Polish-American fare on the shores of Lake Erie. Not even her old nemesis and tutor Madame Delphine can resist Lydia’s delectable pierogi, who arrives with several students in tow. But a dark cloud settles over Lydia’s idyllic dream when she finds Madame Delphine dead behind her cafe the day after their reunion. Lydia and Grandma dive back into investigation mode to quickly find the culprit and uncover the truth about Delphine’s death. Growing up in a family with Polish heritage, I have always been drawn to books and movies that highlight it. I loved the tidbits of the Polish language and the talk of pierogi and kielbasa, as that had been one of my favorite meals growing up. Many of the characters reminded me of my family, which gave me such nostalgic feelings of making pierogi with my aunts and family friends. This book has a cozy mystery feel as we venture alongside Lydia and Grandma Mary as they try to solve Madame Delphine's murder. Their tenacity and banter made it an enjoyable experience. Though I did not read the first book before reading this one, the author does add snippets to recap the events of book 1 without it feeling overwhelming and without giving away all the details of book 1. I would definitely suggest reading book 1 first, so you don't miss a thing! I loved the recipies at the back of the book and am inspired to cook up some homemade pierogi soon! If you love cozy mysteries that have strong family bonds and fiesty female characters, check out The Kielbasa Queen Mystery series. Read if you like:”

Kristin Longhouse

Created over 1 year ago

“I am grateful to Net Galley for letting me read this book before it was released. I was so excited by the premise of this book and the fact that it’s set in my hometown. Being of Polish descent as well, I found the characters relatable. However, I have so many issues with this book. First, I was so excited to read how the author would weave Buffalo into the narrative. It was completely clunky. It seemed as if the author had a list of places she had to mention in the story but it was done superficially and didn’t give the reader any real connection to the area. She made great pains to name Cheektowaga, Union Road, the East Side of Buffalo…but then made up a fictional town where the murder actually took place. I don’t get it. There is no such place as Acorn Bay…but she took great pains to include the names of a local hospital and the international bridge. It was weirdly specific while simultaneously being extremely detached. Second, a big plot point was the tide on Lake Erie. Scientifically speaking, there is a tide on the Great Lakes but it’s not anywhere near as dramatic as the ocean tides. The tides on Lake Erie are diurnal and change the water level no more than 5 centimeters a day. So using the “low tide” as a plot point is ridiculous to anyone who understands the difference between lakes and oceans. Plot-wise, there was way too much of characters discussing the crime and analyzing it. The reader never had a chance or reason to go back and look for clues in the text. The dialogue was tiresome. I did like how some of the minor early events in the book showed up as critical at the end. I would say if you liked Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers you might enjoy this. It was a light-hearted murder mystery. If you’re from Buffalo, you’ll be disappointed other than seeing some familiar names of places in print. The ending felt rushed and was unsatisfying after so much interminable drudgery of pointless dialogue. I thought about going back and reading the first book but I’ve changed my mind.”

About Geri Krotow

Geri Krotow is the award winning author of over thirty novels, including the Whidbey Island contemporary romance series and the Silver Valley, PD romantic suspense series. A U.S. Naval Academy graduate and former Naval Intelligence Officer, Geri left her Navy career after nine years to follow her heart and focus on her dream of becoming an author. When not writing or reading, Geri loves to knit and go on long walks with her beloved dogs. A native of Buffalo, New York, she relishes frequent return visits.