Cinnamon Roll Murder

Hannah Swensen #15

by Joanne Fluke

With the Cinnamon Roll Six jazz band heading toward Lake Eden for the Weekend Jazz Festival, Hannah Swensen is more than happy to bake up a generous supply of their namesake confections. But tragedy strikes when the band's tour bus overturns on its way into town. Among those injured is Buddy Neiman, the band's beloved keyboard player. At first, Buddy's injuries appear minor, until his condition suddenly takes a turn for the worse, as in dead. Hannah's no doctor, but she suspects that the surgical scissor jutting out of Buddy's chest may have something to do with it.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Cozy, Audiobook, Food, Mystery Thriller

335 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2012

About the author

Like Hannah Swensen, Joanne Fluke grew up in a small town in rural Minnesota where her neighbors were friendly, the winters were fierce, and the biggest scandal was the spotting of unidentified male undergarments on a young widow's clothesline. She insists that there really are 10,000 lakes and the mosquito is NOT the state bird.

While pursuing her writing career, Joanne has worked as: a public school teacher, a psychologist, a musician, a private detective's assistant, a corporate, legal, and pharmaceutical secretary, a short order cook, a florist's assistant, a caterer and party planner, a computer consultant on a now-defunct operating system, a production assistant on a TV quiz show, half of a screenwriting team with her husband, and a mother, wife, and homemaker.

She now lives in Southern California with her husband, her kids, his kids, their three dogs, one elderly tabby, and several noisy rats in the attic.

Series:
* Hannah Swensen

Reviews

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cinnamon Roll Murder by Joanne Fluke is the 15th book in the Hannah Swensen cozy mystery series. I borrowed this book from the library as I couldn't find it in the store last week, and I'm trying to finish them all up this summer before I take on any new lengthy series. I love these books... sometimes the recipes take up more than I'd like, but any time I get a chance to spend time in Lake Eden, Minnesota, I'm a happy camper.

In this caper, the Cinnamon Roll Six jazz band sweeps into town during a storm. When their tour bus ends up having an accident, several players are admitted to the local hospital. One dies, and it's definitely murder. Hannah soon realizes he's not who he said he was... but she's also busy trying to figure out if the new woman in Norman's life is good or bad. When the two stories collide, all hell breaks loose. Hannah's almost killed for the 15th time... even if she were Moishe, her lovable cat, don't they only have 9 lives? Maybe she's doubling up by counting the new addition, Cuddles. So if there's 18, she's got 3 to spare! Except there are ~25 books in the series. Maybe she'll get a third cat...

Oh well... doesn't matter, this is always a pleasant 2 hour read. The murder story was good but I felt like a few parts were left open. I'm not sure I had enough time to get invested in all the characters, too. Ignoring those parts, it was a good short mystery. Thanks.

[Lorna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'll give it two stars since Norman grew a backbone, but I'm really tired of being treated like an idiot...the recipes, using a term only to define it just in case we're so dumb we've never heard it before, the overusing of character's names like we can't keep the people straight. Why, for the love of Pete, is Bev always referred to as "Doctor Bev"? Who would talk like that? I think we know who Bev is. Norman is a doctor, he's not referred to as Doctor Norman all the time. (Doc Knight I can live with because he seems to use the "Doc" as a nickname.) And don't miss the five pages devoted to how many people it takes to carry a dog crate so a dog can basically illegally live in a restaurant kitchen. Don't use bad grammar around Hannah, but it's okay to bend foodservice regulations. Oookay. And the mystery of Hannah's missing parka. For all they carried on about it, I thought it might play a role in solving the case, but.........no.

[Akl · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't know why I tortured myself with this series. I guess I liked the first book enough to continue? Thankfully, I didn't pay for any of these books. Thank you public library for saving me $$$.

By this latest book, I have grown to really hate Hannah. She is condescending, selfish, childish, and her needing to correct everyone's grammar drives me crazy. I liked Andrea and Michelle earlier in the series, but I've also grown to dislike them. The Swensen matriarch is the worst of all! The scene where the four of them have dinner and talk about how to get Norman back is the most pathetic thing I've ever read. Do adults really act like this? Of course Norman can't be happy with anyone but Hannah; of course Bev lies about her cat allergies; of course Bev is a gold digger; seriously? Not to mention while Hannah plans on getting Norman back, she still "loves" Mike. So, it's really about no guys can have anyone else but her?

I still don't understand why these guys are even attracted to her! Since book 1, they both have instantly fallen in love with her and they are okay with her dating both of them; they have even become best friends! So unrealistic!

The mystery is laughable! This one book specifically is filled with nonsense fillers. Pages of pages filled with nonsense about things that have nothing to do with the mystery.

I had this series in my wish list for the longest time. I am really glad I waited till the library got it. I wouldn't spend .99 on this nonsense. I don't know what's more disturbing, the fact that the author managed to make so much money off this never ending series or the fact that I actually finished the whole series despite my growing hatred for Hannah.

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hannah and her sister are on their way home (with a truckload of cinnamon rolls) when there’s a pile up on the interstate. A band in their tour bus (the band is also called the Cinnamon Rolls) is in the wreck, and when Hannah and Michelle go to help out, they are in for a surprise. In addition to the murder investigation, there were some interesting developments in the character stories in this one. Something is up with Hannah’s mother Dolores. There’s also trouble brewing in the Norman-Hannah-Mike story line as Norman is engaged to his dental partner who says he’s the father of her child, and Hannah is keeping Cuddles--she won’t let him have or visit his beloved cat.

But Mike and Hannah have their suspicions about the new woman in Norman’s life. And now Hannah has to figure out what’s going on with Dr. Bev and solve a double murder before the killer strikes again. Had to laugh when Hannah and Andrea go undercover. This was one of those mysteries that started a little slow, but all the pieces came together gradually and made more sense. Some of the recipes in this one sound especially good. The lemon cake/pie one sounded mouthwatering, and I really want to try the Thanksgiving stuffing muffins.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this 15th book in the 'Hannah Swensen' series, Hannah gets involved when a keyboard player is murdered. The book can be read as a standalone though knowing the characters is a bonus.

*****



Hannah Swensen (owner of 'The Cookie Jar' bakery/café) and her sister are on the icy roads of Lake Eden, Minnesota, planning to deliver an order of scrumptious cinnamon rolls. They come across a serious accident involving a tour bus and several cars. The bus crash killed the driver but spared the passengers, members of the 'Cinnamon Roll Six' band, in town for a jazz festival. Hannah helps transport several band members to the hospital, including the keyboard player Buddy Neiman - whose wrist is injured.



As it turns out the death of the bus driver seems suspicious AND Buddy Neiman is murdered in the hospital. Of course Hannah and her sisters feel compelled to investigate, and soon learn that Buddy is using a false name. The would be detectives have to learn Buddy's real identity and determine his connection to local residents, one of whom apparently murdered him.

While this is going on, Hannah is also dealing with another problem. Her erstwhile (sort of) boyfriend, the dentist Norman Rhodes, is engaged to fellow dentist 'Dr. Bev' - who claims her little girl is his child. Norman seems unhappy about the rapidly approaching nuptials and Hannah and her sisters strongly suspect shenanigans on the part of Dr. Bev. Thus, they set out to discover the truth.



The usual characters make an appearance in the book, including Hannah's fashionable mom, detective Mike, and co-baker Lisa. There's also a cute puppy that needs a home and Hannah and Norman's rambunctious cats. (I have a soft spot for adorable pet characters).

For me this book is just mildly okay. The mystery of who killed Buddy isn't too complicated, the death of the bus driver is ignored completely after the early part of the book, and what seem to be key plot points are very predictable. Moreover, one scene where Hannah confronts Dr. Bev while the dentist is trying on her wedding dress in a clothes boutique is ridiculously unbelievable.



I would have given the book 2 stars except that I did enjoy the warm comradery among the regular characters and all the coffee drinking and cookie baking (and eating). All this gives the story a nice atmosphere. And there are yummy sounding recipes as well. I've included photos of some of the recipes below.

You can follow my reviews at http://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com/

Recipes in the Book


Cinnamon Rolls


Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies


Chocolate and Avocado Drop Cookies


Hamburger Bake


Kentucky Butter Cake


Short Stack Cookies


Tapioca Pie


Stuffin Muffins


Pucker Up Lemon Cake


Piggy Chicken


Peaches and Cream Cookies


Cheese and Green Chiles Biscuits


Bran Oatmeal Raisin Cookies


Chocolate Caramel Pecan Bars

[Alannah Davis · Rating 1 out of 5]

Lazy writing, poor editing, flaccid filler posing as dialogue, characters as limp as overcooked macaroni and about as appealing.

Joanne Fluke is a good writer with a very readable style, but "Cinnamon Roll Murder" is clearly riding on the laurels of the series' popularity.

The premise sounded good, and the first paragraph (I always try to check for that "grabber") showed promise. Hannah bakes goodies for the jazz band Cinnamon Roll Six, the tour bus overturns on its way to town, and the mysterious keyboard player is murdered in the hospital emergency room. I was even willing to overlook the fact that Cinnamon Roll Six is the lamest name ever for a band whose musicians are over the age of ten. However, after I swiped my debit card for the $15 for the book, I found that the promise fizzled quickly.

In the first few pages, baker Hannah and her sister Michelle are on their way to bring freshly-baked cinnamon rolls to the jazz festival. Alas, it's snowing and there is a highway pile-up. Hannah and Michelle rush to the aid of an overturned bus, which is eerily silent. Is everybody dead? Nope. Instead of scrambling to get out of the upside-down bus, the band members and groupies are sitting around inside as casually as if they're gathered backstage after a concert. Despite the fact that the keyboard player has a possibly broken wrist (the groupie who used to work in a doctor's office splinted it), he flirts with Michelle. The band makes casual introductions. And by the way, the bus driver is dead. This was when I realized the author didn't care enough to make the scene realistic, and therefore I didn't care enough about the book to want to continue reading. And that was before Page 16. The $15 I paid was pretty much the only motivation I had in forcing myself to read the rest.

For a murder mystery, the murder didn't seem to play much of a role in the story. In fact, it seemed to be touched upon as an afterthought. Much of the dialogue is little more than filler. And there's way too much about the love triangle that made no sense anyway. (The two guys Hannah loves have become best friends? Seriously?) I admit to being only a sporadic reader of the series, but there is more the author could have done to make the characterization richer even in book #15 of a series. If I cared one iota about Hannah, I'd tell her to kick both of those boys to the curb. They're both pinheads. But so is she (at least in this novel), and they can all have each other.

And there must be an age gap of decades stretching between Hannah and her two sisters. Little sister Michelle is in constant need of protection (how old is she - 10?), and then there's the pantsuit-wearing Andrea. Pantsuits? Hillary Clinton wears pantsuits. Isn't Andrea a wee bit younger?

The biggest onus, though, is on the publisher, and not just for putting this piece of laziness into print. Early on, when the characters are in the hospital emergency room after the bus accident, Hannah tells her mother, "The driver's dead, but everyone else seems to be okay except the keyboard player." (As if it matters what instrument the victim plays in the band after a horrific accident and death). Then a few paragraphs later, Hannah accidentally makes a verbal slip and must admit to her mother that the driver is dead. Even if the author missed this glaring error, nobody else caught it? Not the editor, proofreader, or anyone else? Additionally, on page 102 of the edition I have, "but" is misspelled as "bu," on page 103 "store" is misspelled as "sore," and on page 239 "singing" was misspelled as "signing." And those are just the errors I caught. This is unforgivable and discouraging, especially since this is far from the first instance of sloppy editing/proofreading I've caught in published books in the past year.

The bright, shining star and saving grace of this book is the smattering of recipes throughout. They look truly yummy. Before I dump this book at Goodwill, I'm copying some of those recipes down. The ones for Stuffin' Muffins and Piggy Chicken look particularly scrumptious.

[Tonia Dempsey · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had such high hopes for this book, being the last was somewhat of a cliffhanger. But sadly, it turned out like all the other Hannah books lately...disappointing. When Doctor Bev was introduced into this series, she had the potential to be a "real" character, giving Hannah a little competition for Norman. Instead, the author went in a ridiculous direction with the "marry me or never see your daughter" claim. Seriously, what man would move a woman into his home and agree to instant marriage because she claims they have a child together? I understand small-town living, but a well-educated, professional man would not do this. I also think this plot cast Norman in a bad light because his character seemed so poor-hopeless-me (until the end when his own DNA test is revealed).

I had the mystery solved pretty quickly in this installment; it was almost too convenient & tidy. And Hannah's confrontation with Doc Bev was disappointing. There was also too much forced recipe talk (ex. the flour in a bag in the freezer conversation) and The Cookie Jar didn't get much mention, nor did Andrea's kids. Regarding Hannah correcting everyone's grammar and explaining every cliche - I'm starting to feel like this is the author speaking to her readers.

I really wanted to like this book because I liked Hannah in the early books, but this story had so much promise to turn out the way it did. This series needs to wrap up.

[Chris Curtis · Rating 1 out of 5]

These books could be so much better with just a few changes. Have the characters talk to each other like adults instead of kindergarten teachers explaining things to small children. Enough of how frumpy Hannah looks and how wonderful her mother and sisters look. And my goodness how much can these people eat? Especially chocolate and coffee!

[Regina the Constant Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ -Audiobook 🎧

I was pleasantly surprised that there were no recipes at the end of each chapter in this book. I expected them to be at the end of the book itself at least, but they weren’t. It’ll be interesting to see if it’s the same with the next book. As far as the storyline went, it was very interesting. We continue to see more character development in Hannah and her mom too! A very enjoyable read!

[Kim · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is so horrible that I just can't believe I am still reading this series. If I could give a negative star, I would give it a -10, it's that bad. This series started off being kinda funny and entertaining, and at one point I even looked forward to reading the next one in the series. But the last few have gotten ridiculous. There are two more in the series, and I do plan to read them, though why I should subject myself to them I have no idea!!

The author is writing as is if she writing a children's book, and we, as the reader, are treated as a child. Everything has to be explained to us as if we aren't intelligent enough to understand her juvenile writing. And the dialogue.. O.M.G. I can't even describe how it irritates the living crap out of me.

Here's an example: Hannah's cell phone rings. Hannah wonders who it could be. Michelle says, "well answer it and you will find out." Hannah says good idea. Really???

Another one.. The killer might be someone in the hospital. Someone else says, "it's possible because there are a lot of people with medical training in a hospital (can't remember who made that brilliant remark)" Geez, I never knew, glad Ms. Fluke pointed that out to me!

I could go on an on with these examples, but noooo, I am moving on to the next book in the series because I apparently need my head examined!

I just hope this series comes to an end soon, if no other reason than to put me out of my misery.

[☾❀Apple✩ Blossom⋆｡˚ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Be ready for another incredible adventure of The Great Hannah of Lake Eden, Baker of Cookies, Discoverer of Suspicious Corpses, Juggler of Men, Snooper of Snoops, Destroyer of Marriages; the Double-faced, the Mysterious, the Non-Liar, the Sleuth: once again fighting against one of the 235732483 psycho murderers who live and thrive in a community that appears, at this point, to be made of 99.9% criminals.

Okay so, let me get this straight: you are upset because one of the men you like is getting married with someone else and you think that she is not nice? We'll see if you are right... why do I feel like in the end you will be right - as always?



*dracarys*

[Maria Birnell · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pretty awful. Don't waste your time. I listened to the audiobook version and considered stopping several times but kept going to see if it could get worse. It did. I have no idea how this series is a bestseller. The author beats the reader over the head with everything - we are not morons, we can follow along without everything being repeated and over-explained. Also, Hannah does so many dumb things it is hard to take her seriously as a detective. I mean really when a killer is chasing you and you run for a deserted area under construction instead of the brightly lit, populated place because since it is unknown territory for Hannah, hopefully it will be to the killer as well. Wow. Great logic there. Not to mention the part where someone just got murdered about 10 seconds ago and Hannah goes on and on about her weight and personal appearance. Vain, much? Someone you know just got killed! Ugh. Ughhhh. Sorry, harsh. But I was very disappointed in what I thought would be a fun read.

[Rachel Aranda · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5-5 stars

It’s been a long time but this book was pretty dang close to perfect, and it’s been a while since a book in this series has earned 5 star rating. The mysteries, drama, and cat fights were so engaging that I couldn’t help but enjoy the ride. The plot and writing seemed pretty close to how it was. The only thing that felt slightly off was that the ending seemed a bit rushed and not quite as big as I would have liked. Overall, it was satisfying and I’m glad things will get back to normal. Here’s hoping things stay this enjoyable in regards to the writing.

I’m sorry I doubted Norman but he did let his serial lying, strumpet of an ex-fiancée back into his life... his judgement had to be questioned a tad. I’m just glad everything worked out in the end. If this doesn’t make Hannah realize how perfect Norman is for her then I don’t know what will.

[Jammin Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series! Hannah investigates the murder of a local jazz musician and all clues point to Seattle. But isn't that where Doc Bev is from? And Hannah's family is telling her to stand up to Bev and stop being so nice - she has to figure out a way to stop the wedding!! Great storytelling, and I didn't guess who the killer was so that's always fun for me.

[Katy · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is where my Hannah Swensen journey ends. When I started reading these books, I was reading them mostly because I wanted to crush my reading goal and these were perfect because I could knock one of these out in a couple hours. I kept reading them periodically because they’re just so bad that they’re laughable and I’ll be damned if I don’t love a whodunnit - even terrible whodunnits.

Something about ol’ Lake Eden shook me differently this time. Maybe it’s because it’s been so long since I’ve read one that my Hannah-Swensen’s-back-on-her-BS tolerance isn’t what it used to be. I found myself being viscerally annoyed by Hannah and literally everyone else. Hannah, as a character/woman/human, is just so unbelievable. There are literally hundreds of examples of this, but I think the most glaringly ridiculous one to me this time around was Hannah Swensen VS Computers.

I think it’s reasonable to say that this book is set around the publication date (2012). Hannah is a 30-something, college educated woman, and successful business owner ... she would (or should) have a basic understanding of the practical use of a computer. But Joanne spent 3 paragraphs having Norman explain what a f*cking JPEG was and what “downloading” meant? Come on, lady. And then she says she should have Norman teach her?!!! SHE SOLVES MURDERS!!!! If she can piece together the haphazard, poorly plotted clues Fluke writes in she can definitely teach her self how to right-click and save-as. Why does fuddy-duddy Norman have to teach her? It’s some variation of the “damsel” complex over and over and over in these books and it’s so stupid and annoying.

The dialogue, is (as always) subpar and unrealistic. Has Joanne Fluke EVER HAD a conversation with another person? From her writing it doesn’t seem like it. lf people in Minnesota or wherever Joanne lives act like this then we need to get rid the entire state and start over. It can’t be saved.

In summation, later losers.

[Kathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am still trying to figure out why I keep reading this series. Though we finally seem to have made some progress in the Hannah-Norman relationship in this outing I still find that the background story is very unrealistic. How often does an overweight, frizzy haired woman in her thirties have the two most eligible bachelors in town pursuing her. Are her cooking and baking skills that amazing? Is her company that fascinating? Or is that she is such a doormat willing to make meals for people in the middle night her greatest charm?

As always the recipes that accompany the books in this series sound delicious. Very readable if not somewhat ridiculously goody two shoesish in part. Horrible that a police detective's wife would sneak looks at his files to help solve cases. In all, very very silly.

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

The last one was a cliffhanger and it seemed like the series was really going to perk up. This was one of the worst books since the very first one, going back to tired (and not even necessarily accurate) cliches about Minnesota weather and small town living. Hannah still plays the part of someone's grandmother (though not my MN grandmother because she's way hipper than Hannah). The part where she wanted to "protect" her sister from the sight of the dead body was lame, since Michelle is 20-something and not 11, and the Swenson family collects dead body stories like Hannah probably gathers ceramic cat figurines or tiny spoons.

Since when did she decide Norman was "the one"? She moons over him the entire book as though they were engaged and he outright pitched her for Doctor Bev, who is now a completely flat and for the most part absent character. Mike is pretty much left in the dust. And when did Mike and Norman become best friends?

The murder itself takes a backseat in this one, and in fact I don't even remember who the killer was or what the circumstances were. Honestly, I thought "The Cinnamon Roll Six" was a seriously lame name for a musical group and it really grated on my nerves. This series is getting so tired and dreary, with all the characters remaining stagnant yet still managing to be more interesting than Grammy Hannah.

All that being said... I'll read the next one. I'm still skipping all the 10-page recipes though.

[Alopexin · Rating 1 out of 5]

That's my first foray into the cozy mystery scene, thwarted. To say that I hated this book would be an exaggeration. I couldn't give two shits about this book, which was why I started skipping 10 minutes ahead every 5 minutes of listening to the audiobook. Given the amount of time the characters spend talking about the most inane things ever (like how in the beginning the author had 4 separate characters explaining the circumstances of the highway accident in exactly the same words), how the author had to have the characters explain EVERYTHING like the audience is intellectually challenged, I thought I wouldn't miss much. But I skipped too hard ahead and I ended up in a pile of recipes, like whoops. To be honest, even the goddamn food and recipes described in this book sounded boring, like something pulled directly out of a Pinterest page (I might never conciliate with what American housewives considers """"""good cooking""""""" How excited can you be about biscuits with green chillies in them????). The romance subplot was just PATHETIC, with the """evil fiancée""" home-wrecker, cat-hater liar type. Ranting about this book is exhausting because there's literally nothing I like about it. And I do like cinnamon rolls.

[Cherry · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just the usual. I'm really looking forward to the one where Hannah kills Michelle because she's so much better at everything - and has their mother's petite frame and perfect looks.

Where on earth do you find a doctor who tells people to eat those awful bran cookies for their health?? If you want fibre, just eat the bran cereal that goes into the cookies, or try some fruit and vegetables!

And Hannah's self-congratulatory better-than-you attitude is getting more annoying. She contemptuously assumes that Lynnette can't check for a pulse (or whatever it was) because she's only a receptionist, so all Lynnette can do is answer the phone. But Hannah can, of course, because she's a paramedic cookie baker. Maybe Hannah is insecure because Michelle is so much better at everything, even making cookies.

Do people still wear pantsuits with embroidery around the hem? Youngish, fashionable people like Andrea is supposed to be? Pantsuits!

And - a criticism of all the books in the series - why, why, WHY does everyone accept Hannah as an authority? Nobody refuses to be interrogated by her on the grounds that she's not law enforcement, even the characters who don't want to speak to her. I'd refuse!

[Tari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every time I read one of these books I get hungry at all the awesome food they make and eat! There are twenty-two recipes included in this book, most of which are Hannah's specialty, desserts. In this installment, she and her sisters were determined to keep their good friend Norman from marrying someone just because she claimed he was her child's father. In the murder department, a jazz band that had gone off the road lost their driver for one thing, then their keyboardist was murdered at the hospital. It was definitely a tangled web to sort through to get to the killer, and I didn't guess who did it. I know a lot of the more recent Hannah books haven't had the same voice as the older books. This one was published in 2012 and did seem to be more of the older style, although when I reread the first book, I can do a better comparison. This one did a great job of making me want cinnamon rolls, because even though the band had that name, Hannah was on her way to deliver some cinnamon rolls when she and Michelle discovered the band's RV off the road. Good library borrow!

[Kasia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Springtime in Lake Eden brings relief from the cold winter months but since this is a Hannah book, there will be no rest for the wicked. Another murder ( good thing there are so many visitors or this would have been a ghost town by now lol) shakes the community and who else but Swensen and the gang to the rescue. One of the members of the Cinnamon Rolls Six Jazz Band ( what a rad name for a band) meets his end in Lake Eden, ironically enough there are some cinnamon rolls involved.

This was the usual cute stuff, Fluke sticks to what she knows best, and yes this is a cozy mystery, people expecting something else who keep reading these books are clearly wasting their time, Hannah is stuck in her own universe ( dating, clothing, etc wise ) but that’s the charm, and I enjoyed it. Not to mention the sweets in the book, Peaches and Cream Cookies? Yes please! I might try a batch when it gets warm so I can recreate Hanna’s spring time kitchen experience, sans the dead bodies of course…

- Kasia S.

[Mark Baker · Rating 3 out of 5]

When the piano player of a jazz band is killed, Hannah springs into action to find his killer. Meanwhile, she's also looking for a way to stop Hannah from marrying Dr. Bev. The characters were great as always, and the mystery was fun. But the Norman/Dr. Bev story was unrealistic. I'm hoping, however, that it is leading to the end of the Hannah/Norman/Mike love triangle.

Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.

[Shannon Binegar-Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting twists in this one.

I have never been so pleased with an ending as I was with this one. I was worried it would have a different outcome. I can't wait to see what happens next.

[benebean · Rating 2 out of 5]

this one annoyed me more than the others in this series. it also didn't help that they seemed to have switched narrators.

[Barbara ★ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been skipping around in this series - just picking the books I need for challenges. I was annoyed with myself as this book is further along in the series than I am and the events threw me a little at first.

I enjoyed the story and was happy with the conclusion. Maybe now Hannah will finally make up her mind between Mike and Norman. One can only hope she learned something from this installment.

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first book to read in this series and I loved it. Hannah and her sister, Michelle, see a local jazz band's bus overturned and go to investigate if people are okay. They find a dead driver and possibly suspicious circumstances of his death.

The ladies investigate a murder victim, Buddy Neiman's death. I think what I loved most about this book is that it is a "cozy mystery" but the element of surprise at whodunnit was spectacular. I didn't guess it at all.

I also loved the sisters involved in the detective work, their mother and her role, and how something like a cinnamon roll could become a significant item in the plot.

[Andrea Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a start! Sometimes the Swensen books begin at a steady pace, but this one leaped out with a bang! It stayed entertaining throughout with surprises along the way. The felines were hilarious.

Content: alcohol

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What do you serve when the jazz band Cinnamon Roll Six is coming to play at a weekend festival? Cinnamon Rolls, of course! In Cinnamon Roll Murder, Hannah Swensen is busily baking goodies for the festival when an accident occurs. The band's tour bus wrecks, injuring the keyboard player, Buddy Neiman. Buddy's injuries are minor and he's recovering in the hospital when someone decides he should take a turn for the worse. Hannah's mother discovers Buddy's dead body in his hospital room. The keyboard player has been stabbed repeatedly with a pair of surgical scissors. Once again, Hannah, her family and several of her friends are on the case to discover a killer.

There's no delicate way to say this....so I'm just going to blurt it out. The best part of this entire book was when Norman (Hannah's sort-of-love-interest- kinda-boyfriend-whatever-he-is) finally grew a set. Instead of being a push-over and not standing up for himself, Norman took care of a situation he was in with manly strength and determination. Go, Norman! Finally!!

The Hannah Swensen series is definitely a "cozy'' mystery series.....the plot is a light mix of humor, murder mystery and small town drama. There is no spurting blood, cussing, steamy sex or graphic violence. This book is just perfect for a few hours of relaxing reading. The book is just under 300 pages...so it's a quick read. Most of the recipes included in Cinnamon Roll Murder are desserts but there are also some main courses and appetizers, too.

Cinnamon Roll Murder is the 15th Hannah Swensen Mystery. There are 20 books, with #21, Banana Cream Pie Murder, coming out in February!

Anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries and baking will love these books! :)

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

When the Cinnamon Roll Six jazz band's bus is in a multi-car pileup near Lake Eden, Hannah and her sister are first on the scene, and accompany the musicians to the hospital. Keyboardist Buddy Newman has a sprained wrist, but the real problem is that while in the hospital, someone stabs him to death. Meanwhile, Hannah has to grit her teeth as her former swain, Norman Rhodes, prepares to marry the odious Dr. Bev so she will allow him access to their daughter. Everyone knows Norman will be miserable with Bev--and Hannah's family thinks it's time Hannah put her sleuthing talents to work on Norman's behalf, as well as solving Buddy's murder.

These books are always such fun, though I was so bummed that on the audiobook, at least, they took out all the recipes and put them on two disks at the end. It's probably easier for people to find them like that, but I love having them interspersed in the story, so you hear about whatever Hannah is making, then you get the recipe--and it's very restful, knowing that no one will be murdered at least for the duration of the recipe! So, that was a bummer. Otherwise the story was pretty good; I had somewhat predicted what would happen with Dr. Bev, and I was partially right. The author did completely drop the ball on the potential murder of the bus driver, though--we never did find out if his death was accidental or not. Anyway, I hope Hannah finally gives Mike the heave-ho in the next book for good; it's about time!

[Merand · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like this series, but the romantic thread is beginning to grow weary. You just get to the point when you want something to change/happen. I do feel like the series needs to take a turn here or it will grow too mundane to continue reading. I can't imagine that most readers aren't ready for things to change. Even the author's got to be tired of the same old same old. And as I've said before, this isn't amazing literature, but it does the job. It's fun, it's quick, it's simple. You can usually figure out whodonit pretty early on but don't mind reading through to the end either. As with all of Fluke's books, the recipes are tempting and hold great potential. And I enjoy the cooking techniques, tips, and advice that are woven throughout the story. And Fluke gives such detailed directions in her recipes that she makes it nearly impossible for someone to follow and have success. Of the twenty recipes included in this book, I'm ready to give at thirteen of them a try, including the cinnamon rolls recipe, which I've always wanted to make, butterama cake, stuffin muffins, raspberry drop sandwich cookies, and apple cinnamon whippersnappers. If the sound of those don't make you want to give this series a try, I don't know what will. Happy baking!