CARROT CAKE MURDER (Hannah Swensen Mystery)

as usual hannah discovers a dead body and she gets herself involved in the investigation. the usual lake eden faces appear and the love triangle between hannah, norman and mike still makes an appearance (im rooting for mike myself) usual fun and stuff.

Family Reunions Are Murder (1/1 people found this helpful)

Lisa and Herb have put lots of work into putting together a reunion of both their families. And all that work is about to pay off as relatives start pouring into Lake Eden from all over the United States. But the talk of the reunion is Herb's uncle Gus. No one has heard from Gus since he left Lake Eden in the middle of the night 30 years ago. His surprise appearance makes several people happy, but it also stirs up lots of old hurt and gossip.

As everyone gathers for the group picture the next afternoon, no one can find Gus. Hannah is enlisted to find him. And find him she does, dead. Was someone carrying a grudge for 30 years? Can Hannah solve the mystery before the reunion ends?

This is a strong entry sure to please long time fans. The mystery is given more prominence then it has in the last few books, with plenty of clues and red herrings. There are quite a few funny scenes as well. The climax is terrific. While I did figure out the killer before Hannah, it wasn't that long before. Some of the series regulars don't have as much page time as in previous books, but that allows more time for the mystery to take center stage. There is plenty of cooking in this book as well with 10 new dessert recipes and 5 other recipes to enjoy. I've tried three of them and just think about them makes my mouth water.

It's always a joy to spend time in Lake Eden. Hannah's many fans will welcome this latest entry with open arms.

I have loved the other books in this series, but this one is a little disappointing (2/2 people found this helpful)

As I have read and enjoyed all the books in this cosy series, I was looking forward to a few hours curled up with 'Carrot Cake Murder.' This latest books follows a similar structure to the other novels in the series, which follows Hannah Swenson the owner of 'The Cookie Jar' as she finds another dead body and ends up investigating the murder. The book also includes the familiar cast of characters.

This time the victim is Herb Beeseman's long-lost uncle Gus (not Lisa's uncle, as it says in the blurb!) who returns for a family reunion. Gus left Lake Eden many years before and it seems that someone still had a score to settle.

This book was a big disappointment for me. It was nice to read about characters who have become so familiar, but Bill and Andrea and Claire from Beau Monde Fashions didn't feature very much in this book and neither did the 'love-triangle' between Hannah, Norman and Mike. I feel as if Fluke wants to keep up some suspense, but doesn't know how to do it or how to resolve the relationships and so has just left it hanging! I would rather that Hannah just made a decision and then that story-line could develop in a different way.

The book also felt as if it had been rushed. It clearly is not of the same quality as earlier books such as 'Blueberry Muffin Murder' and 'Strawberry Shortcake Murder.' This might be a good book for those who are already fans but it isn't the best example of her writing.

If you haven't read one of these books before, I would recommend that you start with the 'Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder' and work your way through. That way you'll get a chance to see the characters develop.

CARROT CAKE MURDER (Hannah Swensen Mystery)

Joanne Fluke

Reader Reviews:

usual cosy read (0/0 people found this helpful)

Family Reunions Are Murder (1/1 people found this helpful)

I have loved the other books in this series, but this one is a little disappointing (2/2 people found this helpful)

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