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Strawberry Shortcake Murder: A Hannah Swensen Mystery

Strawberry Shortcake Murder: A Hannah Swensen Mystery

List Price: $6.50
Your Price: $5.85
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Strawberry Shortcake Murder
Review: After what she promised her anxious mother would be her one and only foray into crime-solving, Hannah Swenson (Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder, 2000) is ready to return to relative obscurity as proprietor of The Cookie Jar, the favorite spot for coffee-and-whatever in Lake Eden, Minnesota. She may thwart mama's desires by dating sexy cop Mike Kingston rather than steady-Eddie dentist Norman Rhoades. She may even agree to a brief stint as head judge of Hartland Flour's Dessert Bake-Off (to be televised locally following the nightly news). But no more murders. At least, not until fellow judge Boyd Watson, coach of the Jordan High School basketball team, turns up in his garage lying face downward in a puddle of strawberries and crème fraîche. His wife Danielle, home nursing her latest black eye, is so sure she'll be accused that she goes ballistic. So, moved by Danielle's pleas, Hannah agrees to try her hand at detection just one more time, enlisting the help of her chic and poised sister Andrea (and in the process resolving their long-standing smart-vs.-pretty-sister rivalry). Together, the two Nancy Drews search every hidden corner of the tiny midwestern Mecca, asking unguarded questions of everyone who might possibly know anything about the murder-including, of course, the murderer. For all her recklessness, though, does anybody believe Hannah won't be available for still more encores? Fluke's small deviations from formula are laudable, but not enough to counterbalance her draggy pace and clumsy clueing.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: A Cute Series
Review: Another light read from a very cute little series.

However, the author really needs to work on character development a bit so that Hannah isn't quite so unlikeable. The way she kept sticking her nose into the investigation and determining what was and wasn't important for the police to know just left me wondering why she hadn't been arrested for withholding evidence, witness tampering, and several other charges.

I also wish the author would get out of the annoying habit of having the characters use each others' names in every sentence they say to each other (Hi Hannah. Hi Lisa. How are you Hannah? I'm fine Lisa, how are you? Fine Hannah. That's good Lisa.) This drove me nuts during the first book, and it didn't get any better this go-round. The story isn't hard to follow at all, so this really isn't necessary, and makes for a very distracting read.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Hannah doesn't live around here; GOOD THING!
Review: Hannah is the heroine of this cozy mystery. She owns a cookie store and is baker extraodinaire! So good, she's the main judge of a cooking contest that is turning into the towns biggest murder mystery. This second novel is also chock full of wonderful recipes and great characters. She's involved in solving the murder along with her sister (who happens to be married to the town's policeman, hoping to be promoted to detective. Another helping hand from Hannah, this time almost to her own peril. You'll enjoy the character development as well as the dessert recipes! If Hannah lived around here, I'd be her best customer!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Strawberry Shortcake Murder
Review: Hannah Swensen is among the judges for the Hartland flour company's cookoff. One of the judges drops out and she is forced to find another. The local basketball coach volunteers, but the abrasive wife beater makes no friends at the contest. Later that evening, he is found dead in his garage. Since his wife Danielle is suspected of the murder, Hannah feels obligated to find the killer.

There is alot going on in this novel, murder, cooking, blackmail, and drugs. The murderer is not difficult to figure out, but the book is alot of fun, nevertheless.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A cooking contest ends in murder
Review: Hannah Swensen is among the judges for the Hartland flour company's cookoff. One of the judges drops out and she is forced to find another. The local basketball coach volunteers, but the abrasive wife beater makes no friends at the contest. Later that evening, he is found dead in his garage. Since his wife Danielle is suspected of the murder, Hannah feels obligated to find the killer.

There is alot going on in this novel, murder, cooking, blackmail, and drugs. The murderer is not difficult to figure out, but the book is alot of fun, nevertheless.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A delicious mystery
Review: Hannah Swenson is back and ready for more action. When her friend Danielle Watson calls and asks Hannah to come over, she is surprised to find that Danielle's husband Boyd has been murdered in their garage. The police suspect Danielle because of Boyd's abusive history. But Hannah is convinced that she's innocent and starts her own investigation. While staying a step ahead of the police, Hannah finds blackmail, town secrets, and a second body. But can she find the killer before he or she decides Hannah knows too much?

I was slightly disappointed with this book. I saw several plot points coming long before they did. Also, I would have liked to see more of Hannah's family and friends. These wonderful characters helped make the first book for me, but they had a significantly smaller roll here.

Still, the overall mystery and motives were great. And I loved seeing the relationship between Hannah and her sister Andrea mature. These two provided some great laughs and smiles. The setting, Minnesota in December, was so vivid it made me shiver from cold. And it includes 7 more delicious sounding recipes including some I wished were in the first book.

I recommend this book and am looking forward to the next in this wonderful series, hopefully with a little more character development for the wonderful cast of supporting characters.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Inexplicably Entertaining
Review: I am so glad that I stumble accross JoAnne Fluke. I eally enjoyed tis book.Its a mice relaxing read. I must be honest though. I almost enjoyed the "sub-plots as much as the mystery itself. The people in this little town ar wonderful. It's amusing to see Hanna's mother try to take a hand in her life and how she draws her sister into her mischief!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Very enjoyable read.
Review: I am so glad that I stumble accross JoAnne Fluke. I eally enjoyed tis book.Its a mice relaxing read. I must be honest though. I almost enjoyed the "sub-plots as much as the mystery itself. The people in this little town ar wonderful. It's amusing to see Hanna's mother try to take a hand in her life and how she draws her sister into her mischief!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Wonderful Read
Review: I loved book just as much as I did the previous one Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder. I could not put it down and when it was finished I wished it wasn't the end. If you are looking for a vivid suspense filled plot Strawberry Shortcake Murder is definately it. A warm blanket and this book go hand in hand.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: absolutly great
Review: i loved this book and the previous one in this series. it is easy to read, entertaining, and still leaves you guessing who the killer is until the end. the cookie recipes are such a great bonus also!


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