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Sandy Bay #1

Apple Pie and Trouble

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The first book in the Sandy Bay Cozy Mystery series!

Meghan Truman always had a dream to become a Hollywood actress. Hollywood decided she wasn’t good enough. She left Hollywood broken but with a burning desire to start afresh in the Pacific Northwest, pursuing her second dream – opening a bakery. She never expected that the owner of a rival establishment would be found dead and all eyes would be focused on her as the prime suspect.

As the new girl in town with a new bakery store, she’s determined to clear her name and find the murderer; otherwise she’ll have to leave Sandy Bay penniless and pitiful and possibly the murderer’s next victim.

No cliffhanger, swearing or graphic scenes!

72 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 20, 2018

816 people are currently reading
539 people want to read

About the author

Amber Crewes

59 books218 followers

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5 stars
256 (31%)
4 stars
232 (28%)
3 stars
216 (26%)
2 stars
80 (9%)
1 star
29 (3%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 135 reviews
Profile Image for Nancy H.
3,073 reviews
December 27, 2019
I liked this first entry into the Sandy Bay Cozy Mystery series, and will read more of them.
Profile Image for Glenda.
424 reviews18 followers
September 3, 2019
I had a lot of weekend road trips in August so I devoured the first five Sandy Bay Cozy Mysteries. The Audible narrator (Elena Marino) is perfect for the material. These novels pair well with M&Ms and are just about the right length to complete in the time it takes to get from one Buc-ee’s to the next one down a Texas interstate highway.
Profile Image for Jammin Jenny.
1,515 reviews222 followers
May 14, 2020
This was a fun quick cozy mystery read set somewhere in the Pacific Northwest. Someone is poisoned with an apple pie, but who is the killer? Fun characters, predictable outcome.
Profile Image for JoJo.
10 reviews
March 20, 2024
I don't normally say this but this was a terrible book. Very predictable writing and disjointed story line.
Profile Image for Shannon .
2,333 reviews156 followers
dnf
December 7, 2020
Apple Pie and Trouble
Sandy Bay, Book 1

I Picked Up This Book Because: Recommended while looking for a new series.

Media Type: Digital
Source: Scribd
Stars: DNF - No rating

The Characters:

Meghan Truman:


The Story:

Meghan is a new girl moving to town to open a bakery after a failed stint as an actor in L.A.. When her neighbor and competitor turns up dead she is the main suspect. The plot seemed interesting but the execution didn’t quite go off without a hitch. My main issue was I never connected with the characters. There were no motivations or reasons for their behavior. This left me with a void when trying to connect with them.

The Random Thoughts:
Profile Image for Lise.
1,034 reviews
May 5, 2020
Tinseltown's loss is Sandy Bay's gain. Meghan Truman has taken her neighbour's advice and left auditions behind for the sweet life of baking in the Pacific Northwest. Now if only her primary competition hadn't dropped dead after eating one of her pies...

Overall, this is a pleasant and quick read. Kobo tells me it took about an hour though it felt a little longer than that. I almost wish this introductory tale hadn't included a murder because it felt rushed and gave less time to flesh out the characters. I did, however, appreciate the fact that even in its abbreviated length, the investigation was satisfactorily resolved.

Moving on to the next in the series...
Author 1 book67 followers
January 20, 2020
Meghan Truman dreams to be a Hollywood actress, instead, she opens a bakery. Then, the owner of a rival establishment is found dead and Meghan's the suspect.

I was a baker in the Navy and supervised inmates at a bakery at a federal prison. So, this book I identified with. Add a mystery and the read is very sweet. I look forward to the next in the series.
279 reviews3 followers
September 1, 2020
Natural style of writing with Intrigue

I thought This was the best Mystery that Amber Crewes has written. Reading this book is like listening to your friends discussing a mystery. The book has a well written character that is natural, Throw in intrigue with a little surprise and you have Amber Crewes' writing style.
Profile Image for Courtney.
822 reviews
May 12, 2020
Apple Pie and Trouble was a really quick read, and quite cozy. I was able to figure out who the killer was, but wasn't expecting that she was aiming for someone else's death. In the end I am glad things worked out the way they did.
Profile Image for Cindy B. .
3,899 reviews221 followers
August 30, 2019
Moved along nicely, not intense but pleasant reading. Clean with an interesting plot. Nice cozy - hope the series is as well.
Profile Image for LINDA BOURG.
220 reviews25 followers
September 19, 2022
This was a really quick cozy mystery. I enjoyed it, although i had figured out who the murderer was, i finished the story. Will read more in the this series for a quick fill in read.
34 reviews1 follower
February 22, 2021
I enjoyed the first book of this series. It was a true cozy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for SANDYE.
458 reviews4 followers
August 6, 2020
Short, action-packed cozy mystery

The first of the Sandy Bay cozy mystery stories. Fun, fast read with great characters, and while it was predictable from the start, the journey to the end was still very enjoyable!! Can't wait to read the rest of the series!!
249 reviews2 followers
August 19, 2020
The first of the series! Meghan Truman is the main character who leaves a life in Hollywood to go with a friend to a cozy northwest town. She loves to bake, so guess what she does? A wonderful cozy mystery with pie and murder!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
84 reviews5 followers
July 16, 2020
Quick cozy

Never read this author before. Enjoyed the storyline and the characters.
Worked out the murderer.
Good plot.
Will read the other books 📚
Profile Image for Grady.
Author 51 books1,813 followers
August 26, 2018
‘Within a week of the opening, Truly Sweet was one of the most popular establishments in town.’

Author Amber Crewes (? nom de plume?) states that she loves writing and reading cozy mysteries! If there was one super power she desires, it is to become a super speed reader as there are way too many Mystery and Thriller books on her kindle waiting for her to read. She loves happy endings and a clean read and that's what you'll get in all the books in the Sandy Bay Cozy Mystery series!

And simply open to the first page of this very short novella and the style of her writing is very much in line with her overall attitude about writing fun mysteries to which we all an relate – ‘“Good Morning, Meghan Truman! It’s a beautiful day to be in Sandy Bay!” Meghan smiled sleepily at Karen, her seventy-two year old friend and former neighbor, who had just walked through the front door of the bakery, Truly Sweet. The two had met back in Los Angeles; Karen was a retired nurse, and she and Meghan had lived in the same apartment complex. Meghan adored Karen’s enthusiasm and vigor, and Karen was filled with energy as she burst through the door. “Someone’s cheerful this morning!” Meghan said, rubbing her hazel eyes and stifling a yawn as Karen hoisted herself up to sit on the counter. “I wasn’t expecting you. I’m sorry I’m still in my pajamas!” Karen tossed her frosted, shoulder-length blonde hair behind her shoulder and shook her head. “Sorry to surprise you, sweetie! I just couldn’t resist stopping by. I was driving by after leaving the gym, and I saw that you had painted the front door. I just had to stop by and admire it!” Meghan grinned. “I couldn’t sleep last night, and so there I was, outside, painting the front door at two in the morning. I just wanted everything to be perfect, Karen! It’s not every day that you start the business of your dreams!” Karen’s eyes became solemn and as she nodded, Meghan saw Karen’s eyes begin to glitter with tears. “Meghan,” Karen said. “I’m just so proud of you! At twenty-seven years old, you’ve moved across the country, and now, you’re about to open your bakery. How fabulous!” Meghan walked over to Karen and wrapped her arms around the older woman, feeling the warmth of Karen’s body as she leaned her head on Karen’s shoulder. “You are too much, Karen! I wouldn’t be here in Sandy Bay without your help; if you hadn’t convinced me to leave LA, I would
probably still be at some audition, still trying to make it as an actress.”

In that tone Amber creates a ‘cozy mystery that is completely satisfying, the plot of which is summarized as ‘Meghan Truman always had a dream to become a Hollywood actress. Hollywood decided she wasn’t good enough. She left Hollywood broken but with a burning desire to start afresh in the Pacific Northwest, pursuing her second dream – opening a bakery. She never expected that the owner of a rival establishment would be found dead and all eyes would be focused on her as the prime suspect. As the new girl in town with a new bakery store, she’s determined to clear her name and find the murderer; otherwise she’ll have to leave Sandy Bay penniless and pitiful and possibly the murderer’s next victim.’

Fun, with enough whodunit drama to make it sustainable – because this, after all, is Book 1 of an ongoing series. Very impressive start!
Profile Image for Tambi Smith.
157 reviews11 followers
June 20, 2025
In "Apple Pie and Trouble," the first delightful slice of the Sandy Bay Cozy Mystery series by Amber Crewes, I found myself whisked away to the charming town of Sandy Bay, where the air is thick with the sweet scent of freshly baked goods and small-town secrets. The story centers around Meghan Truman, a hopeful dreamer who traded the Hollywood hustle for the quaint allure of her best friend Karen's hometown. With a sprinkle of confidence and determination, Meghan opens "Truly Sweet," a bakery brimming with promise and pastries. Yet, it's not all sugar and spice, as the neighboring teashop owner, Norman Butcher, isn't exactly rolling out the welcome mat.
The plot thickens when Meghan's apple pie, intended to butter up Lori, Norman’s distressed employee, becomes the center of a sinister mystery. Norman's untimely demise—poisoned by an apple pie no less—sends shockwaves through the town, leaving Meghan's burgeoning business, as well as Meghan herself, under a cloud of suspicion. The vivid characters leap off the page, each one a potential friend or foe in this whodunit. As the tantalizing tale unfolded, I found myself swept along by the narrative's rapid pace, devouring each chapter like a favorite dessert.
The book is a rich tapestry of intrigue and warmth, with just the right blend of suspects and twists to keep you guessing. Though the timeline had me pondering a bit, the overall experience was as satisfying as a warm slice of pie. With a conclusion that wraps up the mystery like a snug apron string, I am eagerly looking forward to the next delectable installment, "Brownies and Dark Shadows."
In essence, this charming tale of pie and peril is a perfect recipe for a cozy night in, leaving me—and likely you—hungry for more of Sandy Bay’s sweet mysteries!
Book Rating:
Originality: 4.5/5.0
Plot Structure: 4.5/5.0
Pacing: 5.0/5.0
Dialogue: 5.0/5.0
Personal Enjoyment: 4.5/5.0
Cover Design: 4.5/5.0 (Not averaged in the overall rating.)
Overall Rating: 4.7/5.0 (Rating will be rounded up due to platforms not allowing partial ratings.)

Profile Image for Toni.
1,514 reviews63 followers
December 17, 2019
3 Stars

This is the first book in the Sandy Bay Cozy mystery series by Amber Crewes.

Basic plot: A fellow shop owner comes by and complains about Meghan starting her new business. He has a tea shop that offers bakery goods and he doesn’t need any competition. He tries to scare Meghan away but she is too stubborn for that. Then she tries to steal away his only employee who also happens to be his daughter. Then the man turns up dead and of course, Meghan is the prime suspect since he died from eating a piece of her apple pie.

I wish this book had been longer and more fleshed out. It has so much promise to be a 4.5 to 5 star book but with all the holes and gaps in time, I felt like it was more of a three star read for me. This is the first book in a series so I am sure it will only get better and better as the author learns about her characters and figures out their voice and intentions. The entire concept was a winner! Plot was outstanding. The actual villain was not even on my radar and I thought that was a great choice. Her motivation was on point.

I guess basically, I wanted more. I wanted to feel this world as if I lived there. Great start to a series that I am sure will only get better and better.
1,187 reviews5 followers
May 12, 2020
Meghan had been unable to accomplish her dream to become an actress. So at her friend’s advise she decides to move to the small town of Sandy Bay and open a bakery. She had put everything she had into the move and it was looking like she was going to be a hit. That is until her competition is poisoned by one of her pies. Now is is the main suspect and if she doesn’t clear her name she will lose it all, including her freedom.

This is the first book in the Sandy Bay Cozy Mystery Series the is set in a small town with an eclectic set of characters. The characters are well developed with engaging personalities. The narrative is well done allowing the reader to get a glimpse into the small town setting and the emotions, motivations and actions of the main character. The dialogue is good as well. The storyline flows smoothly and the mystery is well crafted with great suspects, plenty of clues, surprises, danger and suspense. It is a fun cozy mystery and a great start to a new series.
2,908 reviews13 followers
August 27, 2021
"Apple Pie and Trouble", first in the "Sandy Bay" series starts out pretty badly. It's a classic example of how not to do it as the first murder is not so much telegraphed as lit up with flares, klaxons sounding, and flashing arrows pointing towards the body.
"The next day, Meghan was startled when a tall, handsome police officer stepped into the bakery." Aaarrggh! Be still my beating heart :)
“I’m innocent,” she said quietly. “Innocent people don’t need lawyers. We can talk.” - oh dear, has this woman never read a crime novel or watched a TV detective show?
And then there are the odd words: "She feasibly could go home to Texas" - or "She could go home to Texas" - feasibly is an uncommon word, why let it raise its head?
I know that the series continues on for more than 20 books, which would seem to indicate that it gets better along the line - but this first book is simply amateurishly bad.
I gave up after 34 pages.
One Star.
Profile Image for R.
832 reviews5 followers
July 26, 2023
I read this one because I love a good bakery/food themed cozy.

I'll be honest, this wasn't an excellent cozy. It wasn't terrible, either.

It felt like what it was, the first in a series and, perhaps, the first the author had written. All the elements were there that you'd expect, and they were put together in the order you expect, but the book felt very "simple," and not in the "light read" kind of way.

I knew who the killer was quickly (which is very unusual for me), the writing was a bit too simplistic, and the dialogue wasn't as great as I wanted it to be. It was all a bit too easy.

However, I'm willing to say that the book was good enough for me to believe that future books in the series will be better, as the author goes on practicing and honing their skill. Therefore, I will read others in the series, since it was really good enough for me to trust the growth process of the author.
Profile Image for Tammy Lunsford - Escape to Books By Tammy.
1,901 reviews56 followers
February 2, 2022
Meghan has tried to use her talent as an actress in Los Angeles, and she is tired of the grind. She moves to Sandy Bay and opens a quaint little bakery named Truly Sweet. While she is remodeling the bakery she is visited by her neighbor across the street who owns a tea shop. Norman Butcher informs her that their small town does not need two places to order bakery treats because his tea shop already takes care of the sweet cravings of their town. She basically brushes him off. Once she opens her bakery it is very successful until a body is found. She is the top suspect since he appears to have been poisoned with her apple pie! This is the first in the series, and I can already see I am going to enjoy the characters in this series. If you need a little novella to read with a little mystery, this series will be just for you! It is also very clean with a little humor mixed in!
490 reviews9 followers
August 29, 2018
A cute bit of fluff. Nothing spectacular, but pleasant to read. Of course our little heroine should have made the arrogant policeman squirm a little before going out with him. His interrogation procedure was appalling. I know interrogations are never pleasant and policemen can be rather rough, but to question someone moving into town and opening a bakery, as if this is an unheard of and suspicious thing, and, therefore, makes her the possible murderer is ludicrous. He might have made the point that maybe she poisoned him after finding that he would be her competition, but,
to make the assertion that she moved into town just to murder him is ridiculous.
But, fortunately, the book is short and sweet and is over before you can dwell on such things.
Profile Image for Tari.
3,504 reviews100 followers
May 29, 2021
This seems like it's going to be a fun little series. The books look to be about an hour or two worth of reading which is perfect sometimes for those little times you need to fill in. I liked Karen immediately as Meghan's bestie. Meghan's a really likable main character, and she was eager to please and succeed in her new town. Until a guy she argued with got killed.

I had a sneaky feeling of who it was from fairly early on, but there were still a few other good possibilities too. The showdown was a good one, and all I can say is, "Karen, you rock!" It'll be cute seeing the relationship with Jack and Meghan grow too. Since it's such an easy series to binge, I found myself starting the second book right away.
Profile Image for Krystyna.
5,134 reviews53 followers
August 11, 2018
Family favourites

A really good read - shame that one of the names was mixed up in one place. Please bear in mind that it is only 87% of the page count. She has moved to town and opened a bakery on the advice of a friend. Not expecting the tea shop owner to ask her to move out of town. Further arguments follow especially when she asks his daughter to work with her. However she didn't expect to be suspect number one when he is found murdered. Further attempts on her (and his daughter's) life follow. Who is the killer? Why? Nice neat plot with good visualisation and strong characters.
36 reviews
July 11, 2020
Bakery Cozy Mystery

Introductory novella in this series of cozy mysteries set in Sandy Bay, in the Pacific Northwest. Meghan is new to the community, building a bakery business, when warned off by the Tea Room owner. He's later found dead,and autopsy results reveal that he was poisoned and had Apple Pie in his stomach contents! Meghan is automatically considered the Prime Suspect! If she is to save her business, she will need to investigate and find the real killer!
Well written, main characters are believable, although need a longer book to better develop. Few minor typos.
Nice quick read and I expect more good things to come from this series!
1,612 reviews32 followers
June 15, 2021
This is the first book Amber Crewes series of Sandy Bay Cozy Mysteries. I love the take off with the combination of yummy desserts paired with trouble. I am trilled that there are more books to come and they are available now so I will not have to wait for the next book in the series. The book centers on a young women who has recently moved to Sandy Bay; and guess what she has opened her own bakery called the Truly Sweet. She is creating a new life, when she fins herself the main suspect in a murder investigation. While this is a fairly quick read, don't worry you will find yourself hooked and moving on to the upcoming books in the series.


Profile Image for Roger.
5,433 reviews25 followers
December 16, 2019
Apple Pie and Trouble (Sandy Bay Cozy Mystery Book 1), my second read from author Amber Crewes. Well-written & enjoyable. another cute, clean cozy mystery. I was given an Audible copy of Ice Cream and Guilty Pleasures (Sandy Bay Cozy Mystery Book 9 and now of this book & am voluntarily reviewing it. I was impressed and enjoyed the vocal variety & inflections of narrator Stephanie Elena Marino who was absolutely outstanding. I look forward to reading more in this series & from this author when I get them. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).
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