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Hannah Swensen #9
Les Enquêtes d'Hannah Swensen - tome 8 Meurtres et tarte au citron vert
The yummy [ninth] smalltown cozy from Fluke (after 2006's Cherry Cheesecake Murder) finds sometime sleuth Hannah Swensen, owner of the Cookie Jar in Lake Eden, Minn., judging the baking contest at the Tri-County Fair.
When one of her fellow judges, home economics teacher Willa Sunquist, is murdered, Hannah determines to sniff out the killer. Was it a man from Willa's mysterious past? Or a student she flunked?
Fluke has developed a charming supporting cast — Hannah's besotted (and slightly spineless) two suitors, her overbearing but likable mother, her endearing sisters and her levelheaded business partner all feel like friends by the time the murder is solved.
The dozens of tempting recipes Fluke includes are an added treat.
This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
When one of her fellow judges, home economics teacher Willa Sunquist, is murdered, Hannah determines to sniff out the killer. Was it a man from Willa's mysterious past? Or a student she flunked?
Fluke has developed a charming supporting cast — Hannah's besotted (and slightly spineless) two suitors, her overbearing but likable mother, her endearing sisters and her levelheaded business partner all feel like friends by the time the murder is solved.
The dozens of tempting recipes Fluke includes are an added treat.
This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
416 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
914 people are currently reading
8116 people want to read
About the author
Joanne Fluke
134 books8,590 followersLike 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
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
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,015 reviews
August 14, 2017
3 stars to Joanne Fluke's Key Lime Pie Murder. The 9th book in the Hannah Swensen series delivers good cozy fun and is a simple, quick and easy read for fans. But I'm getting a bit concerned with the love story Hannah can't resolve -- choose one, Hannah, or abandon them for Ross!
Story
The carnival blows into Lake Eden full of quirky new folks, interesting little dramas for the townspeople and strange connections to the past. Hannah's asked to be 1 of 3 judges in the baking contest and consumes tons of different breads, cakes, pies and desserts. When she finds one of her co-judges clobbered to death, Hannah knows she's stumbled upon trouble once again. Poor Willa Sunquist, a former Lake Eden resident with a few secrets, loses her life and throws Hannah into a panic. Did one of the residents object to Willa's return? Did one of the traveling carnies exact revenge? Or was this someone stalking the victim all across the country?
Hannah once again solves the mystery alongside her growing assistants with sister Michelle getting more actively involved in this one. Throw in some more romance with Mike and Norman, and Hannah's life seems to be a non-stop roller coaster. Fun side stories about diets, family reunions, marriage and magic.
Strengths
1. Lake Eden is an amazing town. Let's ignore all the murders that happen for now. The vivid cast of characters and the realistic setting are a fantastic part of why these books are so successful. Fluke has created a world you can escape to finding both drama and comfort all at the same time.
2. Besides the main plot, there are several smaller plots that are moving the overall story along quite nicely. All of the main characters are starting to have their own stories that draw you in tightly... so even when the primary murder mystery gets a tad frustrating, you have other parts that keep you connected.
Weaknesses
1. Something changed with the style in this book. It's not a huge change, but everyone has started picking on Hannah for being a bit overweight. In the earlier books, Hannah would comment on it once or twice and a friend who make her feel better, but in #9, everyone has something to say about her weight. And people like Lisa and Andrea who have never really been rude before come across as insensitive. It annoyed me a bit -- hope that part doesn't continue in the series.
2. The mystery plot took more than half the book to actually occur. Luckily, Fluke holds your attention with all the other attributes in the book, but by about page 150, I realized the death had just occurred and we barely had any idea who she was or why she was killed. The actual sleuthing all rushed by in the last 75 pages. It seems this was more about the carnival characters and less about the murder. It eventually comes together, but for new readers, they might think this isn't the cozy for them if the murder takes that long to occur.
Final Thoughts
I'd put this one near the middle of the books as far as personal appeal. It's a great character and setting builder. It's a weak mystery. I wasn't invested in Willa to care exactly why she was murdered. I think more time should have been spent in building background on Willa and her connection to the town of Lake Eden. Depsite some of the flaws, I'd still recommend to someone who wants a good series and can sometimes ignore the lack of a strong mystery. :)
About Me
For those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I read A LOT. I write A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on Goodreads, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at https://thisismytruthnow.com, where you'll also find TV & Film reviews, the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge and lots of blogging about places I've visited all over the world. And you can find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Vote in the poll and ratings. Thanks for stopping by. Note: All written content is my original creation and copyrighted to me, but the graphics and images were linked from other sites and belong to them. Many thanks to their original creators.
Story
The carnival blows into Lake Eden full of quirky new folks, interesting little dramas for the townspeople and strange connections to the past. Hannah's asked to be 1 of 3 judges in the baking contest and consumes tons of different breads, cakes, pies and desserts. When she finds one of her co-judges clobbered to death, Hannah knows she's stumbled upon trouble once again. Poor Willa Sunquist, a former Lake Eden resident with a few secrets, loses her life and throws Hannah into a panic. Did one of the residents object to Willa's return? Did one of the traveling carnies exact revenge? Or was this someone stalking the victim all across the country?
Hannah once again solves the mystery alongside her growing assistants with sister Michelle getting more actively involved in this one. Throw in some more romance with Mike and Norman, and Hannah's life seems to be a non-stop roller coaster. Fun side stories about diets, family reunions, marriage and magic.
Strengths
1. Lake Eden is an amazing town. Let's ignore all the murders that happen for now. The vivid cast of characters and the realistic setting are a fantastic part of why these books are so successful. Fluke has created a world you can escape to finding both drama and comfort all at the same time.
2. Besides the main plot, there are several smaller plots that are moving the overall story along quite nicely. All of the main characters are starting to have their own stories that draw you in tightly... so even when the primary murder mystery gets a tad frustrating, you have other parts that keep you connected.
Weaknesses
1. Something changed with the style in this book. It's not a huge change, but everyone has started picking on Hannah for being a bit overweight. In the earlier books, Hannah would comment on it once or twice and a friend who make her feel better, but in #9, everyone has something to say about her weight. And people like Lisa and Andrea who have never really been rude before come across as insensitive. It annoyed me a bit -- hope that part doesn't continue in the series.
2. The mystery plot took more than half the book to actually occur. Luckily, Fluke holds your attention with all the other attributes in the book, but by about page 150, I realized the death had just occurred and we barely had any idea who she was or why she was killed. The actual sleuthing all rushed by in the last 75 pages. It seems this was more about the carnival characters and less about the murder. It eventually comes together, but for new readers, they might think this isn't the cozy for them if the murder takes that long to occur.
Final Thoughts
I'd put this one near the middle of the books as far as personal appeal. It's a great character and setting builder. It's a weak mystery. I wasn't invested in Willa to care exactly why she was murdered. I think more time should have been spent in building background on Willa and her connection to the town of Lake Eden. Depsite some of the flaws, I'd still recommend to someone who wants a good series and can sometimes ignore the lack of a strong mystery. :)
About Me
For those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I read A LOT. I write A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on Goodreads, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at https://thisismytruthnow.com, where you'll also find TV & Film reviews, the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge and lots of blogging about places I've visited all over the world. And you can find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Vote in the poll and ratings. Thanks for stopping by. Note: All written content is my original creation and copyrighted to me, but the graphics and images were linked from other sites and belong to them. Many thanks to their original creators.
November 26, 2023
It’s summer in Lake Eden, Minnesota, Hannah’s cat Moisha is acting strangely, there’s a fair on, which means temptation in the form of all things fried candy bars, and of course, a baking contest to judge. And wherever Hannah goes? Murder follows.
So many yummy recipes in KEY LIME PIE MURDER, plus lots of fun scenes at the fairgrounds. The judging of the baking competition got into lots of different pies, which is going to get me on a pie kick for sure, especially with that key lime! When one of the judges is murdered, Lucy has to figure out whodunnit. Lots of twists and turns with this particular mystery. And figure out what’s up with Moisha (which I confess, I found even more perplexing than the main murder plot! Oh, the cats!)
So many yummy recipes in KEY LIME PIE MURDER, plus lots of fun scenes at the fairgrounds. The judging of the baking competition got into lots of different pies, which is going to get me on a pie kick for sure, especially with that key lime! When one of the judges is murdered, Lucy has to figure out whodunnit. Lots of twists and turns with this particular mystery. And figure out what’s up with Moisha (which I confess, I found even more perplexing than the main murder plot! Oh, the cats!)
April 30, 2019
There was only one thing to do. Perhaps it was the wrong thing, but that had never stopped her before.
Hannah has been chosen as one of the judges for the baking contest at the Tri-County Fair in Lake Eden, Minnesota. While her sisters are competing for the pageant and the mother-and-daughter beauty contest, Hannah, who's always been better at baking cookies in her store than at looking pretty, works with the other chefs and experts in town, tasting and judging an endless amount of cupcakes, cookies, pies and banana breads. But what was supposed to be the sweetest booth of them all will leave Hannah with a very bitter taste in her mouth, when she discovers the body of another judge laying face down on the floor. The initial shock of finding the corpse, the threats from her mother to stop her corpse-finding habits or else, not even the explicit prohibition of snooping around from her cop "boyfriend" will stop her. Once again, Hannah is on the loose. She will find out who ruined the party, and she will find it soon.
Oh boy, oh boy, here we go again! Lake Eden must be the town with the highest rate of murders in the United States... If you live there there's one on two chances your neighbor is a killer or, at least, a burglar. I mean, seriously, you better lock your doors and, I don't know, learn karate or something, or just find an online job and never leave your home. Did online jobs even exist at the time? Anyway, if you go to Lake Eden, Minnesota, please stay away from The Cookie Jar: it may look like an innocent cookie shop, and it may smell like vanilla and cinnamon, but what you can't detect underneath all that sticky, sweetish small-town goodness is the cold, stale smell of death.
And whatever you do, for Goodness' sake, never, never meet eyes with the terrible, horrible, despicable... Hannah Swensen. If you see her, do my a favor: run, run for your life, and don't look back. If you do so, we may see each other again. 👋🗡️
Hannah has been chosen as one of the judges for the baking contest at the Tri-County Fair in Lake Eden, Minnesota. While her sisters are competing for the pageant and the mother-and-daughter beauty contest, Hannah, who's always been better at baking cookies in her store than at looking pretty, works with the other chefs and experts in town, tasting and judging an endless amount of cupcakes, cookies, pies and banana breads. But what was supposed to be the sweetest booth of them all will leave Hannah with a very bitter taste in her mouth, when she discovers the body of another judge laying face down on the floor. The initial shock of finding the corpse, the threats from her mother to stop her corpse-finding habits or else, not even the explicit prohibition of snooping around from her cop "boyfriend" will stop her. Once again, Hannah is on the loose. She will find out who ruined the party, and she will find it soon.
Oh boy, oh boy, here we go again! Lake Eden must be the town with the highest rate of murders in the United States... If you live there there's one on two chances your neighbor is a killer or, at least, a burglar. I mean, seriously, you better lock your doors and, I don't know, learn karate or something, or just find an online job and never leave your home. Did online jobs even exist at the time? Anyway, if you go to Lake Eden, Minnesota, please stay away from The Cookie Jar: it may look like an innocent cookie shop, and it may smell like vanilla and cinnamon, but what you can't detect underneath all that sticky, sweetish small-town goodness is the cold, stale smell of death.
And whatever you do, for Goodness' sake, never, never meet eyes with the terrible, horrible, despicable... Hannah Swensen. If you see her, do my a favor: run, run for your life, and don't look back. If you do so, we may see each other again. 👋🗡️
February 11, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ -Library Book 📕
I read my first book of this series back in 2005, ‘The Sugar Cookie Murder’ A gift from my sister for Christmas that year. I read it and enjoyed it, but I really wasn’t into cozy mysteries at that time, so I didn’t look into the other books in the series. Fast forward to 2017, when I decided to start the series from the beginning.
I would compare this series to Chocolate Cake. Why not, since it is a series partially about baking?Anywho…You know it’s going to taste the same as the last time you had chocolate cake but it’s so enjoyable you can’t help but have it again and again. This is book #9 of the series and like the previous eight there was a murder and Hannah found the body and then got herself face to face with the killer after investigating the crime. Like I said, chocolate cake, but dang good!!
I read my first book of this series back in 2005, ‘The Sugar Cookie Murder’ A gift from my sister for Christmas that year. I read it and enjoyed it, but I really wasn’t into cozy mysteries at that time, so I didn’t look into the other books in the series. Fast forward to 2017, when I decided to start the series from the beginning.
I would compare this series to Chocolate Cake. Why not, since it is a series partially about baking?Anywho…You know it’s going to taste the same as the last time you had chocolate cake but it’s so enjoyable you can’t help but have it again and again. This is book #9 of the series and like the previous eight there was a murder and Hannah found the body and then got herself face to face with the killer after investigating the crime. Like I said, chocolate cake, but dang good!!
June 13, 2008
I loathed this book. The series started off so cute for me. I was thrilled to find a series with no bad language, no sex --nothing objectionable so that I would feel embarrassed if my oldest child picked it up.
It's all gone downhill.
I was actually listening to the book on CD, and when I got to the point when Hannah inevitably finds a dead body, (and where she was musing that she ought to seek Mike's help). She started rationalizing that if she was wrong she'd look like a fool, and I knew she was going to go forward. I got so disgusted with Hannah's arrogance I just skipped to the end. I put in the final CD just so I'd know who did it.
I couldn't believe Hannah was so dense (Mike was definitely the better detective in this one). Even having skipped a majority of the book, I figured out within seconds who the bad guy was.
And the wrap-up of the book? It was all too perfect. So perfect it was obnoxious.
I don't subscribe to the belief that some writers and most of Hollywood have that all heroes must be deeply flawed, but Hannah is the worst Mary Sue I have ever come across. Her suggestions to others are always the perfect solution, her cookies and her cooking experiments are always perfection, and things end perfectly for her family. The perfection seems to go on and on. It's really quite obnoxious.
I can't believe Hannah cannot figure out what her mother is up to either. She doesn't even have an inkling. Her mom is spending quite a bit of time typing on her new computer (and she got a printer) AND her mother has increased her use of "Regency Romance" phrases exponentially--hmmm could she be writing a Regency Romance book? (This is my unconfirmed guess because Joanne Fluke doesn't confirm what Delores is up to in this book and I'm not going to bother reading the rest of the series to find out if I'm right).
I would highly suggest to the author that she 1) get a better editor so glaring errors like her Shakespeare one in Sugar Cookie Murder don't occur again. (She misquotes Shakespeare AND she wrongly attributes the quote to the play Macbeth. Ummmm so much for Hannah's stellar English language education. The quote is from HAMLET.) 2) Read up on Mary Sue characters and take steps to change Hannah. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Sue) 3) Read the earlier "Cat Who" mysteries by Lillian Jackson Braun to get a better idea how to blend small town characters and a likeable main character with murder mysteries in a way that isn't annoying.
I think this series is a lost cause at this point. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone--not even for the recipes.
It's all gone downhill.
I was actually listening to the book on CD, and when I got to the point when Hannah inevitably finds a dead body, (and where she was musing that she ought to seek Mike's help). She started rationalizing that if she was wrong she'd look like a fool, and I knew she was going to go forward. I got so disgusted with Hannah's arrogance I just skipped to the end. I put in the final CD just so I'd know who did it.
I couldn't believe Hannah was so dense (Mike was definitely the better detective in this one). Even having skipped a majority of the book, I figured out within seconds who the bad guy was.
And the wrap-up of the book? It was all too perfect. So perfect it was obnoxious.
I don't subscribe to the belief that some writers and most of Hollywood have that all heroes must be deeply flawed, but Hannah is the worst Mary Sue I have ever come across. Her suggestions to others are always the perfect solution, her cookies and her cooking experiments are always perfection, and things end perfectly for her family. The perfection seems to go on and on. It's really quite obnoxious.
I can't believe Hannah cannot figure out what her mother is up to either. She doesn't even have an inkling. Her mom is spending quite a bit of time typing on her new computer (and she got a printer) AND her mother has increased her use of "Regency Romance" phrases exponentially--hmmm could she be writing a Regency Romance book? (This is my unconfirmed guess because Joanne Fluke doesn't confirm what Delores is up to in this book and I'm not going to bother reading the rest of the series to find out if I'm right).
I would highly suggest to the author that she 1) get a better editor so glaring errors like her Shakespeare one in Sugar Cookie Murder don't occur again. (She misquotes Shakespeare AND she wrongly attributes the quote to the play Macbeth. Ummmm so much for Hannah's stellar English language education. The quote is from HAMLET.) 2) Read up on Mary Sue characters and take steps to change Hannah. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Sue) 3) Read the earlier "Cat Who" mysteries by Lillian Jackson Braun to get a better idea how to blend small town characters and a likeable main character with murder mysteries in a way that isn't annoying.
I think this series is a lost cause at this point. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone--not even for the recipes.
October 18, 2008
Boring book, boring town, great recipes.
That for me sums up Key Lime Pie Murder. I usually love books centered around food because they tend to be charming and incorporate a dash of sensuality. This was not the case with this book. Hannah Swensen is the full-time owner of a local bakery and part-time detective. When she finds Willa, a bake and beauty contest judge dead, she sets out to find the killer and bring him to justice.
Great mysteries are known for their tight pacing and "never-let-up" suspense. The problem is, this book is so slow moving that any interest anyone could have possibly had in the murder case is drowned by all the boring details of the town and the interactions between its equally boring inhabitants. I was more than halfway through the book before the main crime was even introduced!
The characters were boring to me not because they were from a small town, but because most are little more than caricatures. For example, Hannah our main character is the typical, not too pretty, not too plump, frizzy-haired cat-lady heroine who doesn't think she's beautiful and yet has two great guys fighting for her affections. Her sister Andrea is the typical beautiful, vain-appearing woman who deep-down is smarter and more insecure than she appears and her mother is the predictable genteel, bossy busybody.
Finally, Willa the victim is such a cardboard cutout that not only does the reader find it difficult to care about her fate, but even the characters in the book don't seem genuinely moved by her death. There's a brief spat between Hannah and Mike (local policeman and love interest) about whether Willa should be referred to as "the victim" but that's about as much emotional involvement we see. Hannah angsts more about Moishe the cat's eating habits than her supposed friend's death.
There were other WTF moments that were annoying. No matter how small a town someone is in (and I grew up in a small town myself), I found it really hard to swallow Hannah's complete lack of technical savvy from everything to computers to cell phones. It seemed more typical of a 65 year old than a 30 year old. In general too much of Hannah's behavior felt "older" to me, like the author had over-identified herself with the character. Then the choice of weapons in the book were just ridiculous. I'm sorry, but using a pie and a cell-phone as a means of self-defense is just dumb. Hannah also has a penchant for explaining "localisms" that not only are obvious but don't seem that "local" at all. Take this passage for instance:
"I'll be there. Do you want to come over after?" Hannah asked the question, and then she laughed at the way she'd lapsed into regional Minnesota dialogue.
I could identify nothing in the phrasing that was particularly unique to Minnesota.
The one saving grace of this book was the recipes which were truly mouth-watering. If not for those, this book would have been a complete waste of time.
That for me sums up Key Lime Pie Murder. I usually love books centered around food because they tend to be charming and incorporate a dash of sensuality. This was not the case with this book. Hannah Swensen is the full-time owner of a local bakery and part-time detective. When she finds Willa, a bake and beauty contest judge dead, she sets out to find the killer and bring him to justice.
Great mysteries are known for their tight pacing and "never-let-up" suspense. The problem is, this book is so slow moving that any interest anyone could have possibly had in the murder case is drowned by all the boring details of the town and the interactions between its equally boring inhabitants. I was more than halfway through the book before the main crime was even introduced!
The characters were boring to me not because they were from a small town, but because most are little more than caricatures. For example, Hannah our main character is the typical, not too pretty, not too plump, frizzy-haired cat-lady heroine who doesn't think she's beautiful and yet has two great guys fighting for her affections. Her sister Andrea is the typical beautiful, vain-appearing woman who deep-down is smarter and more insecure than she appears and her mother is the predictable genteel, bossy busybody.
Finally, Willa the victim is such a cardboard cutout that not only does the reader find it difficult to care about her fate, but even the characters in the book don't seem genuinely moved by her death. There's a brief spat between Hannah and Mike (local policeman and love interest) about whether Willa should be referred to as "the victim" but that's about as much emotional involvement we see. Hannah angsts more about Moishe the cat's eating habits than her supposed friend's death.
There were other WTF moments that were annoying. No matter how small a town someone is in (and I grew up in a small town myself), I found it really hard to swallow Hannah's complete lack of technical savvy from everything to computers to cell phones. It seemed more typical of a 65 year old than a 30 year old. In general too much of Hannah's behavior felt "older" to me, like the author had over-identified herself with the character. Then the choice of weapons in the book were just ridiculous. I'm sorry, but using a pie and a cell-phone as a means of self-defense is just dumb. Hannah also has a penchant for explaining "localisms" that not only are obvious but don't seem that "local" at all. Take this passage for instance:
"I'll be there. Do you want to come over after?" Hannah asked the question, and then she laughed at the way she'd lapsed into regional Minnesota dialogue.
I could identify nothing in the phrasing that was particularly unique to Minnesota.
The one saving grace of this book was the recipes which were truly mouth-watering. If not for those, this book would have been a complete waste of time.
May 23, 2013
I did finish the book. Barely. Things I didn't like:
* The recipes have cheesy notes in them, like (if you can't get key limes, use regular lime juice). The notes are bold italics, so they look more important than the actual ingredient.
* There are constant admonitions to "just beat the eggs in a glass with a fork"
* The writing is awful. This book reads like a first draft that hasn't been edited. Wordy, clunky, and generally annoying. Please recognize that this criticism comes from someone who reads Dan Brown without flinching.
* I'm not entirely sure how old the main character is, but somewhere around 30. She acts like a cranky 60-year-old. She doesn't want a cell phone, can't figure out how to use it, hates computers, and whines about her weight. But then she sneaks around her mother acting like a 12-year-old. Couldn't stand her.
* I never did understand why either of the men in her life are interested in her. And why she's stringing along both of them.
All in all, it read like a G-rated recipe-heavy poor imitation of Stephanie Plum. Go read some Janet Evanovich instead. At least she doesn't say stuff like:
"Me, neither" I replied in the vernacular of my childhood.
There was also a reference to a Minnesota-type sentence construction that made my skin crawl. Not that the character used it, but that she laughed about using it, then thought about how she was using it, and then the narrator/heroine pointed out that her boyfriend used something equally regional in his reply.
BLECH.
Oh, and the sideline about her mother using Regency phrases could have been cute, but was overexplained and thus sucked.
I kind of liked the cat.
* The recipes have cheesy notes in them, like (if you can't get key limes, use regular lime juice). The notes are bold italics, so they look more important than the actual ingredient.
* There are constant admonitions to "just beat the eggs in a glass with a fork"
* The writing is awful. This book reads like a first draft that hasn't been edited. Wordy, clunky, and generally annoying. Please recognize that this criticism comes from someone who reads Dan Brown without flinching.
* I'm not entirely sure how old the main character is, but somewhere around 30. She acts like a cranky 60-year-old. She doesn't want a cell phone, can't figure out how to use it, hates computers, and whines about her weight. But then she sneaks around her mother acting like a 12-year-old. Couldn't stand her.
* I never did understand why either of the men in her life are interested in her. And why she's stringing along both of them.
All in all, it read like a G-rated recipe-heavy poor imitation of Stephanie Plum. Go read some Janet Evanovich instead. At least she doesn't say stuff like:
"Me, neither" I replied in the vernacular of my childhood.
There was also a reference to a Minnesota-type sentence construction that made my skin crawl. Not that the character used it, but that she laughed about using it, then thought about how she was using it, and then the narrator/heroine pointed out that her boyfriend used something equally regional in his reply.
BLECH.
Oh, and the sideline about her mother using Regency phrases could have been cute, but was overexplained and thus sucked.
I kind of liked the cat.
October 3, 2017
I'm still enjoying this series (it keeps my reading balanced when I'm also halfway through a horror novel or psychological thriller), but I have to wonder about the murder per capita in such a small town. And then there's Hannah's mom, who calls half a dozen times a day, sometimes at six in the morning. Eek!!! Now that's scary.
I liked the mystery, as well as the fairground settings. Although now I want a deep fried Snickers bar ...
I liked the mystery, as well as the fairground settings. Although now I want a deep fried Snickers bar ...
June 3, 2010
Joanne Fluke should just do cookbooks.
Seriously, her recipes are great, at least all the ones I've tried. But the characters and stories in this series? They're stale. They need to actually DO something, grow, or just get new characters all together. This is the last of this series I'm going to read.
Hannah is still in the middle of a love triangle, one where she's kissing and thinking about forever with two different guys... and it's enough already. I find it impossible to believe that they're both that in love with her and ok with the other one being in the picture AND that she's heartless enough to not realize how hurtful she's being with her lack of action.
Aside from the lackluster plot and so-so murder mystery this time around, it's the fact that I've grown to dislike a lot about Hannah that I'm quitting.
I'll keep the books I have though - those recipes are killer.
Seriously, her recipes are great, at least all the ones I've tried. But the characters and stories in this series? They're stale. They need to actually DO something, grow, or just get new characters all together. This is the last of this series I'm going to read.
Hannah is still in the middle of a love triangle, one where she's kissing and thinking about forever with two different guys... and it's enough already. I find it impossible to believe that they're both that in love with her and ok with the other one being in the picture AND that she's heartless enough to not realize how hurtful she's being with her lack of action.
Aside from the lackluster plot and so-so murder mystery this time around, it's the fact that I've grown to dislike a lot about Hannah that I'm quitting.
I'll keep the books I have though - those recipes are killer.
February 12, 2014
I'll be a very happy person if all my cozy mysteries are as good as this one. After scoring 1 star in the last 3 books - after which I took a long hiatus from reading these books - in the series, this one surprised me. The irritating characters were not themselves, and that helped. Also I'm quite smug about this book. Not that because I divined the culprit, but because I caught Hannah Swensen, the well educated grammar Nazi, misusing an expression. We don't say hold down the fort, but hold the fort. Damn Americans. Kidding.
September 4, 2018
This was a really good mystery but the love triangle with Hannah, Norman, and Mike is getting a bit tiresome.
I adore Hannah's cat Moishe- he is one of my favorite cozy mystery cats!
After reading this book, I have a strange curiosity about what a deep fried milky way tastes like but I think I will be okay if I never try one haha.
I adore Hannah's cat Moishe- he is one of my favorite cozy mystery cats!
After reading this book, I have a strange curiosity about what a deep fried milky way tastes like but I think I will be okay if I never try one haha.
September 6, 2023
3 stars | 4/5 audiobook
This is the 9th book in the Hannah Swensen bakery-themed cozy mystery series. I have enjoyed these books on audiobook so far and they have proven that cozy mysteries aren’t just old lady books (sorry to any old ladies who might take offense).
Hannah not only is involved in ANOTHER murder case in this small town (I mean… how many people are going to die in this town? It had to have a TERRIBLE crime rate) but she FOUND THE BODY for the ninth time (yes she does this EVERY book, but I’m pretty sure it’s a running joke now).
Hannah’s cat is being weird, her mom is being weird and we have so much small down drama involved yet again. The actual murder doesn’t even happen until like halfway through the book and to be honest I completely forgot who the woman was by the time the murder happened.
The ending, while not guessable to me, just felt underwhelming. There was way too much cat talk in this for that cat basically to just want the cat across the street. Her mother’s mystery is quite obvious even though it hadn’t been revealed yet. There was also way too much emphasis put on Hannah’s weight - there’s been some mentions before but never like this book.
This one just didn’t feel as much like the other books. It still was an entertaining read but it almost seemed like TOO much was going on. But Hannah’s still got 2 (maybe 3) boyfriends and I NEED to know who she chooses so I’m reading on.
This is the 9th book in the Hannah Swensen bakery-themed cozy mystery series. I have enjoyed these books on audiobook so far and they have proven that cozy mysteries aren’t just old lady books (sorry to any old ladies who might take offense).
Hannah not only is involved in ANOTHER murder case in this small town (I mean… how many people are going to die in this town? It had to have a TERRIBLE crime rate) but she FOUND THE BODY for the ninth time (yes she does this EVERY book, but I’m pretty sure it’s a running joke now).
Hannah’s cat is being weird, her mom is being weird and we have so much small down drama involved yet again. The actual murder doesn’t even happen until like halfway through the book and to be honest I completely forgot who the woman was by the time the murder happened.
The ending, while not guessable to me, just felt underwhelming. There was way too much cat talk in this for that cat basically to just want the cat across the street. Her mother’s mystery is quite obvious even though it hadn’t been revealed yet. There was also way too much emphasis put on Hannah’s weight - there’s been some mentions before but never like this book.
This one just didn’t feel as much like the other books. It still was an entertaining read but it almost seemed like TOO much was going on. But Hannah’s still got 2 (maybe 3) boyfriends and I NEED to know who she chooses so I’m reading on.
January 29, 2025
Hannah judges sweets, and a new sweetshop has opened offering high-calorie goodies. I had issues with the regular comments about Hannah's weight, her need not to eat things, and her unhealthy method of trying to hide her food vices from everyone around her. I was honestly just feeling bad for her for most of the book.
There is more content than usual devoted to food and not as much to the mystery, so this had less content.
The love triangle still stands.
Moishe likely has kittens or something going on.
3 Stars
There is more content than usual devoted to food and not as much to the mystery, so this had less content.
The love triangle still stands.
Moishe likely has kittens or something going on.
3 Stars
April 28, 2024
Pretty sure I’m done with the series now. The last one I read in this series was a couple of years ago, but I was in the mood for a cozy mystery and this one was available at the library. I feel like Hannah is getting dumber; or at the very least learning nothing from her various brushes with death, investigations, and the imminent danger that puts her in. Her “romance” is boring and insipid, and I find the cast of side characters more annoying then charming now. The writing itself is fine, which is why I don’t feel I can give it less than 3 stars. From a technical stand point I think the writing is perfectly serviceable. The mysteries always varied for me between well done and kind of stupid. If you really like cozy mysteries I wouldn’t warn you away, but I’m tapping out after 9.
March 8, 2024
I had the killer picked out ,but with the twist and turns. It had me thinking it wasn't the man I thought it was. But in the end, I was correct.
I really enjoyed this one a little more than I have the other I've read so far. Maybe some of the others will be just as good as this one.
I really enjoyed this one a little more than I have the other I've read so far. Maybe some of the others will be just as good as this one.
April 17, 2010
I absolutely love the characters in the Hannah Swenson series. I enjoyed seeing more of Hannah's younger sister, Michelle, as well as the affection between Norman (one of Hannah's suitors) and her cat Moishe. This books was a little less focused on the romantic triangle, and a little more focused on the community, the mystery, and Hannah's family, which is why I like it better than #8 in the series. But I really do wish Hannah would fish or cut bait when it comes to the men in her life.
I'm looking forward to the next one in the series!
I'm looking forward to the next one in the series!
August 8, 2015
Joanne Fluke's books seem to get better and better. This one had a great plot with several twists and turns and I enjoyed that. I like how Michelle has joined the clan more often and that Delores wasn't as involved in this book as much, she can be too much. Looking forward to 9.5 :)
September 18, 2022
I thought this one was really good. The stories keep getting better and better!🥧☠️
August 7, 2019
Entertaining cozy mystery! This was a fun adventure that featured cowboys, desserts, and a murder mystery. I enjoyed trying to figure out who committed the crime. Delightful twists kept me guessing.
Content: alcohol
Content: alcohol
November 12, 2013
Goodness, this was a slog.
Now, apparently this is a series, and I haven't read any of the books before it, so it's possible there's some subtext I'm not getting which would have made it more interesting. But, as it stands, it feels more like Joanne Fluke really wanted to write a cookbook, but was laboring under the misconception that all books needed to have a story contained within them, so she dashed out a plot as quickly as possible about a lady named Hannah and her quest to eat a deep fried candy bar.
There's also murder in there somewhere, but it doesn't even show up until page 120. I was counting. (For those of you interested, the key lime pie made its first appearance on page 84.)
On the plus side, the recipes all look pretty tasty, and I'll probably end up trying some of them. So I guess in this respect, it fulfilled all my expectations for the "Key Lime Pie" part of the title, and pretty much none for the "Murder" part.
Now, apparently this is a series, and I haven't read any of the books before it, so it's possible there's some subtext I'm not getting which would have made it more interesting. But, as it stands, it feels more like Joanne Fluke really wanted to write a cookbook, but was laboring under the misconception that all books needed to have a story contained within them, so she dashed out a plot as quickly as possible about a lady named Hannah and her quest to eat a deep fried candy bar.
There's also murder in there somewhere, but it doesn't even show up until page 120. I was counting. (For those of you interested, the key lime pie made its first appearance on page 84.)
On the plus side, the recipes all look pretty tasty, and I'll probably end up trying some of them. So I guess in this respect, it fulfilled all my expectations for the "Key Lime Pie" part of the title, and pretty much none for the "Murder" part.
January 6, 2020
It’s county fair time and Hannah’s entire family is involved. Actually, it seems like the whole town is at the fair. Including the murder victim and her killer. Hannah is a judge for the bake goods at the fair, and her younger sister is a beauty contestant. But when one of the people involved with the beauty contest is found murdered, Hannah’s main interest shifts to finding the killer. Still, she finds time to run her bakery, to judge contests, to worry about her cat’s lack of appetite, and to keep company with Norman even while she is attracted to Mike. She hardly has time to sleep! It’s an interesting mystery with endearing characters and prize winning recipes.
September 10, 2024
Only Hannah Swensen would be correcting a murderer's grammar in her head as he's actively trying to kill her. I literally can't with this woman. CHOOSE A HUSBAND ALREADY. ITS BEEN 9 BOOKS OF INDECISION.
Read
December 26, 2010Recipes galore and a fun read. She is a good mystery writer for women. No gore. Nothing to gross one out and give you nightmares. A good women's writer.
September 16, 2021
Great addition, loving this series.
June 14, 2025
3.5 ⭐️ Not one of my favorites in the series but still a good read.
January 11, 2017
Key Lime Pie Murder
Author: Joanne Fluke
Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corp, 2007
Genre: Mystery
342 pages
In the wintertime when it finally gets chilly here in the South, I love to spend a Sunday afternoon on the sofa with my chihuahuas, a warm blanket & fuzzy socks, a cup of hot tea, and a cozy mystery novel. Cozies range from cute kitschy stories with sleuth dogs and cats to more serious mysteries, but they all follow some basic rules: keep it light...no hard core spurting blood or profanities; make it fun; and the good guys always win in the end.
Basically, a cozy is a nice afternoon murder mystery that leaves you feeling energized not traumatized.
One series that I have been reading off and on for years is the Hannah Swensen Mysteries by Joanne Fluke. The kitsch in this series is the main character runs a dessert bakery and the books are filled with recipes from her shop, The Cookie Jar. Hannah is from Lake Eden, a small town in Minnesota. She has not one, but two, love interests (one of which is a cop, of course), a nosy mother who is trying desperately to marry her off, a sister who is married to the police chief.....just a great setup for a cozy series!
The books are light reads....a perfect distraction for an afternoon or two. No sex, no cursing, no blood spurting, and lots of kitsch (and yummy recipes!)....formula cozy mystery. The book I have pictured here, Key Lime Pie Murder, is the 9th book in the series. There are 18 books in the series so far, with #19 Wedding Cake Murder coming out in March. If you know which love interest she finally decided to marry....don't tell me! I still have six more books to read! :) No spoilers! Dentist or Detective. So hard to choose!
In Key Lime Pie Murder, Hannah is judging the baking contest for the county fair when a fellow baking contest judge is murdered on the Midway. Soon Hannah is sifting through suspects and looking for clues. A fun read!
I like Joanne Fluke's writing. Her characters are engaging and fun, without being over-developed. Just the right amount of fluff and no plodding or extra padding to weigh down the story. Cozies are supposed to be light, easy reads....and that is what Fluke delivers. The books are fun romps just like they are meant to be. She doesn't go short on the recipes either. Key Lime Pie Murder includes 16 recipes ranging from the required Key Lime Pie recipe to instructions on how to make deep fried candy bars (I gained a pound just typing that, by the way).
Hallmark Channel has made 3 of the books into made-for-television movies called Murder, She Baked (yes,they went there -- and it's cute). The movies are on their new Halmark Movies & Mysteries channel. I've watched all 3 -- the Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder (book 1), A Peach Cobbler Mystery (book 7) and A Plum Pudding Mystery (Book 12). They star Allison Sweeney, who used to be the host on Biggest Loser (and she also portrayed Sami Brady on Days of our Lives). She does a great job in the role of Hannah, although in the books Hannah has red hair and is slightly overweight.
The Hallmark Channel website has some neat extras including outtakes and interviews with the cast from the movies here:
http://www.hallmarkmoviesandmysteries...
http://www.hallmarkmoviesandmysteries...
http://www.hallmarkmoviesandmysteries...
The Plum Pudding Mystery website has a download link for a free ebook version of A Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder.
My rating: 8/10
Some mild violence...not graphic.
Light, fast read.
Ages 10 & up
Author: Joanne Fluke
Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corp, 2007
Genre: Mystery
342 pages
In the wintertime when it finally gets chilly here in the South, I love to spend a Sunday afternoon on the sofa with my chihuahuas, a warm blanket & fuzzy socks, a cup of hot tea, and a cozy mystery novel. Cozies range from cute kitschy stories with sleuth dogs and cats to more serious mysteries, but they all follow some basic rules: keep it light...no hard core spurting blood or profanities; make it fun; and the good guys always win in the end.
Basically, a cozy is a nice afternoon murder mystery that leaves you feeling energized not traumatized.
One series that I have been reading off and on for years is the Hannah Swensen Mysteries by Joanne Fluke. The kitsch in this series is the main character runs a dessert bakery and the books are filled with recipes from her shop, The Cookie Jar. Hannah is from Lake Eden, a small town in Minnesota. She has not one, but two, love interests (one of which is a cop, of course), a nosy mother who is trying desperately to marry her off, a sister who is married to the police chief.....just a great setup for a cozy series!
The books are light reads....a perfect distraction for an afternoon or two. No sex, no cursing, no blood spurting, and lots of kitsch (and yummy recipes!)....formula cozy mystery. The book I have pictured here, Key Lime Pie Murder, is the 9th book in the series. There are 18 books in the series so far, with #19 Wedding Cake Murder coming out in March. If you know which love interest she finally decided to marry....don't tell me! I still have six more books to read! :) No spoilers! Dentist or Detective. So hard to choose!
In Key Lime Pie Murder, Hannah is judging the baking contest for the county fair when a fellow baking contest judge is murdered on the Midway. Soon Hannah is sifting through suspects and looking for clues. A fun read!
I like Joanne Fluke's writing. Her characters are engaging and fun, without being over-developed. Just the right amount of fluff and no plodding or extra padding to weigh down the story. Cozies are supposed to be light, easy reads....and that is what Fluke delivers. The books are fun romps just like they are meant to be. She doesn't go short on the recipes either. Key Lime Pie Murder includes 16 recipes ranging from the required Key Lime Pie recipe to instructions on how to make deep fried candy bars (I gained a pound just typing that, by the way).
Hallmark Channel has made 3 of the books into made-for-television movies called Murder, She Baked (yes,they went there -- and it's cute). The movies are on their new Halmark Movies & Mysteries channel. I've watched all 3 -- the Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder (book 1), A Peach Cobbler Mystery (book 7) and A Plum Pudding Mystery (Book 12). They star Allison Sweeney, who used to be the host on Biggest Loser (and she also portrayed Sami Brady on Days of our Lives). She does a great job in the role of Hannah, although in the books Hannah has red hair and is slightly overweight.
The Hallmark Channel website has some neat extras including outtakes and interviews with the cast from the movies here:
http://www.hallmarkmoviesandmysteries...
http://www.hallmarkmoviesandmysteries...
http://www.hallmarkmoviesandmysteries...
The Plum Pudding Mystery website has a download link for a free ebook version of A Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder.
My rating: 8/10
Some mild violence...not graphic.
Light, fast read.
Ages 10 & up
February 17, 2011
Lipsmackingly delicious slice of mystery pie
The ninth in the series is exactly what one would expect, yummy and dependable to deliver that specific Hannah charm and the sweet aromas of the Cookie Jar to keep the mind wrapped around sweets half the time, I never crave chocolate and coffee as when I read these books, it's just insane! The baker /sleuth combo is quite tasty when one reaches for this book, Hanna is the owner of the Cookie Jar and along with her coworkers, friends and family this small Minnesota town resident is always there to deliver the laughs and a bit of a mystery, her crime solving skills keep coming in handy when so many tragic things seem to happen at Lake Eden ... Winters are cold and summers are hot but in between there's Hannah, her orange fuzzball of a cat name Moishe, her two potential loves ( she simply can't choose between nice and dependable Norman and the handsome but juvenile cop Mike ) and her hilarious regency era obsessed mother, chic sister with two kids along with a few minor characters that really feel like home when I read about them. I love this series, it's cozy and heartwarming and even though some things are going at a snail's pace and feel like teenage flirting going on for ages ( the Norman / Mike saturation) I still really like how slow the time moves and how's its always ready to greet me back when I want to be back in it.
The Tri-County Fair is the backdrop for the crime, one of the judges gets murdered and it's up to Hannah to solve this, her life seems to be in constant danger since she was also a judge, so her snooping abilities are tuned to the highest degree. I had my guesses but in the end was fooled for a second, this was a cute mystery that makes me want to read Carrot Cake Murder next ... Fluke is great when it comes to cozy mysteries, like a freshly baked cookie on a cold day she's just what I need when I'm in that mood.
Kasia S.
The ninth in the series is exactly what one would expect, yummy and dependable to deliver that specific Hannah charm and the sweet aromas of the Cookie Jar to keep the mind wrapped around sweets half the time, I never crave chocolate and coffee as when I read these books, it's just insane! The baker /sleuth combo is quite tasty when one reaches for this book, Hanna is the owner of the Cookie Jar and along with her coworkers, friends and family this small Minnesota town resident is always there to deliver the laughs and a bit of a mystery, her crime solving skills keep coming in handy when so many tragic things seem to happen at Lake Eden ... Winters are cold and summers are hot but in between there's Hannah, her orange fuzzball of a cat name Moishe, her two potential loves ( she simply can't choose between nice and dependable Norman and the handsome but juvenile cop Mike ) and her hilarious regency era obsessed mother, chic sister with two kids along with a few minor characters that really feel like home when I read about them. I love this series, it's cozy and heartwarming and even though some things are going at a snail's pace and feel like teenage flirting going on for ages ( the Norman / Mike saturation) I still really like how slow the time moves and how's its always ready to greet me back when I want to be back in it.
The Tri-County Fair is the backdrop for the crime, one of the judges gets murdered and it's up to Hannah to solve this, her life seems to be in constant danger since she was also a judge, so her snooping abilities are tuned to the highest degree. I had my guesses but in the end was fooled for a second, this was a cute mystery that makes me want to read Carrot Cake Murder next ... Fluke is great when it comes to cozy mysteries, like a freshly baked cookie on a cold day she's just what I need when I'm in that mood.
Kasia S.
June 29, 2011
If I were a fictional character planning on murdering someone in Lake Eden, Minnesota, I would first ensure that Hannah Swensen, baker-sleuth-extraordinaire, was indefinitely incapacitated, because it would seem that none of these murders-- the recipients of whom she always just happens to come across right after the deed has been done-- would be solved without her saavy (savvy? I can never remember) amateur skills. This is the 9th book in a series that is currently 14 books long, and the premise is the same as in the last eight books, and probably just as cookie-cutter (oh, puns!) as the next five. If the series focused solely on Hannah and her murder mysteries, it would be a tired plot indeed.
However.
Fortunately for us readers, the author has built a pretty strong community in Lake Eden, full of people who cross paths with Hannah's so much that their lives become part of the plotline and overall arc of the series. Also, you would think that the novelty of including recipes would wear off, but surprise! It's still as lovely a quirk as ever. So while this only gets two stars, it's two solid stars from someone who will grudgingly continue reading the rest of the series. (=
However.
Fortunately for us readers, the author has built a pretty strong community in Lake Eden, full of people who cross paths with Hannah's so much that their lives become part of the plotline and overall arc of the series. Also, you would think that the novelty of including recipes would wear off, but surprise! It's still as lovely a quirk as ever. So while this only gets two stars, it's two solid stars from someone who will grudgingly continue reading the rest of the series. (=
June 29, 2019
This was one of the early books from Joanne Fluke with Hannah Swenson. It was quite good. I may have read it years ago, I am not sure, but it was worth reading and adding to the list of good mysteries. This is when Norman gets his cat, Cuddles, which was long time ago. Lots of mystery and murder of course.
May 20, 2021
This was another good Hannah Swenson cozy mystery. I made the mistake of accidentally reading it out of order, so it was a bit confusing in parts, but all-in-all it was a fun read and entertaining, light mystery with tasty sounding desserts and the always present, always appealing coffee.
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