After two entries that were stories of her past, she finally brought a resolution to the Hannah/Ross situation. As always, Joanne Fluke's series is a quick read. It may be the writing style, or it could be I can't put them down. Loose ends were tied up, and I am once again hopeful for romance in Hannah's life.

3.5

In this, the 24th installment in the Hannah Swenson series, Hannah is still struggling with a broken heart from her sham marriage to Ross. Ross returns and continues to wreck havoc on Hannah's life and everyone significant in Lake Eden gets involved.

This series was my first foray into the cozy mystery series genre. I fell in love with Hannah, the folks of Lake Eden and all the wonderful recipes included in the books. I will admit that in some of the later books, the storyline was starting to get old. But in the last few books, the author has found a way to shake things up. So while we still have all of the same significant characters, the plot in this book is a bit different. While there is a murder to solve, we spend a great majority of our time with Hannah as she and the town deal with Ross's threats. And the ending!!!! I can't wait to see where Hannah's life goes from here.

My thanks to Kensington Books and Netgalley.

WOW! This is book 24 in the Hannah Swensen murder series. They all work well as standalones; although, they do follow events in the lives of the Swensen family, especially Hannah. Like most cozy mysteries, it’s a nice little story with a murder and is neatly wrapped up in the end. It’s the kind of book I find enjoyable because the family treats each other with respect and the author doesn’t throw in sex or cursing.

Hannah’s husband/not-really her-husband is back in this one, and the author shows a different side to his personality. Previous books led me to believe that he wasn’t quite the fairy-tale catch that Hannah thought he was because of the small, suspicious things he did. Mike and Norman are looking out for Hannah, as well as her family. (Personally, I’ve always been team Norman, as he is such a kind and thoughtful man. I’d love to see Hannah end up with him someday. )

By the end, the story is neatly wrapped up, and like the other editions, this one has recipes throughout. The descriptions make them sound so good, I wish there was a Cookie Jar near me.

If you like good, clean cozy mysteries, this is a series that I recommend you check out.

I'm a big fan of Joanne Fluke's Hannah Swenson novels. I've read every one of them and even have the cookbook. While I thoroughly enjoyed every one of her murder mysteries, Chocolate Cream Pie Murder didn't live up to my expectations. The story didn't seem as long as some of her others and it left me wanting me more. I wait impatiently for every one of her books to come out. I'll still always read her books though...I enjoy them that much!

Intriguing, the ending was almost predictable, but I will read the next book to find out the fate of Hannah Swanson. Typical Joanne Fluke book, I enjoyed it very much!

Chocolate Cream Pie Murder by Joanne Fluke is the twenty-fourth A Hannah Swensen Mystery. Hannah Swenson is still reeling from the fact that her new husband, Ross is married to another woman. She is lucky to have such loving, supportive friends and family. Actually, the whole town has rallied behind her with several people threatening to harm Ross if he steps foot in town. Unfortunately, it looks like Ross will be visiting Lake Eden soon for the Minnesota Movie Festival with interviews being conducted at The Cookie Jar. After a severe blizzard that left Hannah stranded at home, she is happy to be back at The Cookie Jar. She is preparing to bake her mouthwatering cookies when there is a knock at the backdoor. Ross has snuck into town and wants the money he left behind for Hannah along with a key. Hannah soon learns how little she really knew the man she married as she fights to get answers and to stay alive.

I have been anxiously waiting for Chocolate Cream Pie Murder because I wanted answers about Ross. I never understood why the author took the series in this direction (probably so she would not have to pick between Mike or Norman). Chocolate Cream Pie Murder reminded me of cool whip—light and fluffy. There is mystery and intrigue mixed with baking, eating, drinking coffee, time with Moishe and Cuddles, friendship, family, and chatting. I wanted fewer recipes and more substance. At the end of the book, I was still left many unanswered questions about Ross. I will admit, though, that Chocolate Cream Pie Murder was an improvement over the previous books in the series where Hannah veered off course courtesy of the persuasive Ross. I found the story easy to read with the author’s conversational writing style and engaging characters. Lake Eden has friendly residents and charming shops. Chocolate Cream Pie Murder can easily be finished in a couple of hours. I do not recommend reading Chocolate Cream Pie Murder on its own. You do not have to read all the books in the series, but it helps to have read the last four or five (the Ross saga). The mystery is extremely simple. It was obvious who would be killed and who did the killing plus what a key clue would be to solving the mystery. The murder does not occur until very late in the book. The dialogue, unfortunately, continues to be stilted. Joanne Fluke leaves us with a surprise ending and we will have to wait until the next A Hannah Swensen Mystery for answers (once again). I am giving Chocolate Cream Pie Murder 3 out of 5 stars.

Although I am a fan of Joanne Fluke and cozy mysteryies, I must be honest and say that I have only read about ten of her Hannah Swenson mysteries. Having received this one from Netgalley, I was more than willing to delve into the intricacies of Hannah’s life in idyllic Lake Eden, Minnesota. From the beginning of the book, it was obvious that this was all about Hannah and her personal life and not so much about solving a mystery. In the other books that I have read, there is a dead body discovered early in the first few chapters and Hannah is immediately involved in finding the perpetrator. In this book, however, the murder doesn’t occur until the book is over three fourths of the way through. I didn’t really miss it though because I was caught up in finding out more about Hannah and how she was recovering from Ross’s deception. I was kind of prepared for the cliffhanger at the end, but this one was a doozy! This was a book to read and relax with, not necessarily one in which you strive to follow the clues and figure out the murderer, along with amateur sleuth Hannah. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, especially how the entire town rallied around Hannah and supported her through her personal crisis. Fans of Fluke may be slightly disappointed at the lack of mystery, but will be rewarded with loads of yummy recipes, complete with Hannah’s practical suggestions on how to make them just the way she does. Enjoyable and light reading!

This was a fast paced mystery with yummy recipes and surprising twists. Hannah started her day telling the town the truth about her marriage and ended up being supported by them all. What happens after only leads to questions some answered some not. Thank you NetGalley.

Chocolate Cream Pie Murder by Joanne Fluke is a book intended to tie up loose ends, which is does...mostly. We open with Hannah preparing to make an announcement in front of the entire congregation-in her view the easiest way to reach the most people, that her husband has left her to return to his wife; that she was, in fact, not married; and that if they wanted their wedding gifts back, please let her know. Everyone is extremely sympathetic and Hannah pulls up her big girl panties and begins to move on (with the help of her friends and family, of course!) Then she hears from him. The world starts to spin.

This is not the best of the series, by a long shot. It is repetitive, often on the same page; sometimes in the same paragraph. Hannah is an endearing character, as are Mike and Norman, Michelle and Andrea (who hardly appears in this book), Lonnie, Carrie, Mom and Doc Knight, but none of them are at their best here. If this were the first of the series for a reader, it is not clear whether they would bother to go back and read the rest. The solution was never truly explained and the loose ends were not tied up. It was a disappointment. I recommend this to a read of the Fluke series but only because you can't just stop.

I received a free ARC of Chocolate Cream Pie Murder in exchange for a fair and honest review. #netgalley #chocolatecreampiemurder

In this 24th addition to the Hannah Swensen cozy mystery books, we learn the truth about Ross Barton - a central character in the last few novels. If you're behind in the series this review will contain spoilers.

SPOILER ALERT/ SPOILER ALERT/ SPOILER ALERT

Hannah Swensen, owner of 'The Cookie Jar' bakery in Lake Eden, Minnesota, devotes most of her time to devising new recipes and baking cookies/pastries.....an activity that provides a creative outlet and helps her relax.

As Valentines Day approaches Hannah - with the help of her sister Michelle and bakery partner Lisa - is creating new cookies and cakes to sell on the romantic holiday. Hannah draws on her family, friends, and customers to be 'taste testers' for the nouveau sweets....which are usually accompanied by innumerable cups of strong coffee. 😊🍰🍪

Unfortunately Hannah won't have a 'honey' to celebrate Valentines Day with because Ross Barton - the man Hannah recently married in front of the whole town - vanished soon after they wed. Hannah's best friends, Mike Kingston (the cop) and Norman Rhodes (the dentist), made it their business to track Ross down - and Hannah now knows where Ross went.....and that he's not coming back to her.

Everyone in Lake Eden is furious at Ross for hurting Hannah, and ready to throttle him up if he shows his reviled face in town. This creates a problem for the detested cad, who left a lot of money and a mysterious key behind. Thus Ross has started to call Hannah, insisting she get him his money and give him the key.....OR ELSE. Fearful about Hannah's safety, Mike organizes a protective detail so that Hannah is never alone.

Meanwhile, Hannah goes about her business - running her bakery; creating new confections; making meals for her friends; bringing goodies to her neighbors; chatting with the townsfolk; helping her mom organize a book launch; cuddling her cat Moishe; watching Moishe play with Cuddles (Norman's cat); etc. One of the strengths of the series is Hannah's interactions with the people in Lake Eden, who've become favorite recurring characters for many readers.

The requisite murder doesn't occur until about 80% into the book, and Hannah - a dedicated amateur sleuth - resolves to find out who did it and why. Neither Hannah nor the police do much investigating, however, and Hannah solves the crime with a flash of intuition. Hannah's inner thoughts when the killer shows up - about whether to be confrontational or not - are odd and off-putting, and feel like amateur writing at best.

In my opinion Joanne Fluke REALLY jumped the shark with this novel. The author's Hannah Swensen books started out as mysteries with a few recipes thrown in. As the series progressed the 'story part' of the novels became smaller and smaller and the 'recipe part' of the novels became larger and larger.

Now Fluke has finally written what can only be categorized as a COOKBOOK.

This novel is approximately fifty percent story and fifty percent recipes.....and the 'story part' is MOSTLY about discussing, preparing, and eating baked goods - with the occasional savory dish thrown in. I'm surprised a publisher would let this book be marketed as a mystery.

I was already skeptical about continuing with this series, but this is the last straw. Unless I decide to open a bakery, I'm done with these books.

For me this is a two-star story but I'm giving the book three stars because of the enormous effort that went into the recipes. In her acknowledgements, Fluke thanks the people that helped her with the comestibles as follows:

"A big hug to Trudi Nash for her ability to read a recipe and know how it's going to taste....and for marrying a man who doesn't mind all the time we spend on food talk."

"Big thanks to Kathy Allen for the final testing of Hannah's recipes and coming up with her own recipes like the Frozen Sugared Grapes! And thanks to Kathy's family and friends for taste testing."

"Thank you to my food stylist Lois Brown for her expertise with the launch parties and the TV baking segments."

"Big hugs to all the Hannah fans who share their family recipes."

I think Fluke needed to spend more time on the plot and less time on the food.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author (Joanne Fluke), and the publisher (Kensington) for a copy of the book.

*****

Since this is a cookbook (IMO) I'll give examples of some of the goodies.

Valentine Whippersnapper Cookies
Strawberry Bundt Cake
Peach Scones
Country Egg Bake
Chocolate Mint Cookies
Frozen Sugared Grapes (You have to be careful with these. They have an alcohol kick.)
Cheese and Garlic Stuffed Mushrooms
Pink Grapefruit Cake
White Chocolate Brownies
Pub Soup
Chocolate Cream Pie
Beery Good Beef Brisket
Apricot Coffee Cake
Pineapple Walnut Muffins
Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Balls (These helped Hannah nab the perp.)

Hannah tells everyone in Lake Eden about Ross Barton's actions in marrying her when he was already married. The town stands behind Hannah. Right after a big winter storm Ross returns to Lake Eden in the early morning. He threatens Hannah with harm unless she gets him money.
The book follows Hannah as she goes about her daily life with a protective detail made up of Mike and Norman and Lonnie.
I never thought about this before but Hannah has a sort of reverse harem thing going and Joanna Fluke wrote the series this way long before reverse harems became popular in teen books.
There is tension throughout the book. I kept expecting Ross to corner Hannah and harm her. The book plays out in a different fashion.
It is a good read but I suspected both the villain and the "cliff hanger" at the end of the book.

This was an enjoyable read, but for me, the structure was not it. When I was 75% through, that was when the book became the most interesting for me. However, since I was already 75%, the actual plot and the big reveal felt so rushed. It didn't even make sense at all. What I did like about this book was the family and friend dynamics. Everything felt so cosy and I loved how everyone wanted to help each other out. Especially nowadays I don't think that is something you really come across anymore.

We're back for another jaunt through Lake Eden, Minnesota, with Hannah Swenson Barton, who is reeling over the last book's revelation that she's not actually married to her missing husband, Ross Barton. Sound like a soap opera yet? Good, because it's going to get soapier as you read this latest installment. There's stalking, threats, a bloody murder, and the hits just keep on coming for Hannah. You may wonder how long she can go on with such drama? Well, they're in cow country, so I guess until the cows come home. Another twist at the end of this novel, which observant readers will likely guess at while reading. The earlier Hannah books were solid stand-alone entries in the cozy mystery genre, but the last several are dependent on readers following the series religiously. I suppose it's one way to keep sales going in a series that borders on overly-long in a market that's saturated with cozies. Maybe one day, Hannah will finally be settled down, and her weekly Jessica Fletcher-syndrome of tripping over bodies will end.

How many books in this series am I going to read hoping they return to the interesting plots and non-stilted dialogue of the first few? It appears at least one more called the Chocolate Cream Pie Murder.

Hannah is once again being harassed by the annoying Ross. Usually I would describe the murder that Hannah must solve around now. However, this time it occurs so late in the book that it would be a major spoiler.

Without a murder, nothing much happens in the first 2/3 of the book. There is a chapter on the weather, cats chasing each other, and of course cooking dinner. There are more recipes here than usual too—and not just desserts.

I found the Chocolate Cream Pie Murder to be pedestrian and worse, boring, compared to other books in the series. I can’t recommend it except to hardcore fans, which is a shame. 2 stars.

Thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Well written cozy mystery. I enjoyed the plot. Mystery fans will love this book. I received an arc from Netgalley and this is my unbiased review.

I love these books. This is another great story about Hannah and company. And all the great recipes that are included in the book! I think I gained weight just drooling over them. I wish she and Michelle lived near me. I love small towns and how folks look after each other in them. Course every now and then you get a real jerk, to say it nicely. This story moved right along and I was waiting to see what was going to happen next. You may have some surprises. I hope you enjoy this series as much as I do. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.

Chocolate Cream Pie Murder by Joanne Fluke
Have read the whole series and can't to find out what happens next with Hannah and the sleuths who help her solve murders in the MN town where she runs the Cookie Jar.
Starts with listing of other works by the author, she writes in different genres.
Hannah makes an announcement about her husband Ross and why he's not been around. wow what a shock!
Love hearing of all the characters in town that help her get over her loss and get on with daily life events.
Her life is the one in danger in this book. Love how the cops and friends are all over it by spending the night at her house even to make sure she's safe.
They know he's back in town and threatening her by all the phone calls and demanding of money...Doesn't happen til the end when she walks in on it all, in her condo...
Others are there to protect her as she gathers the clues from things the prior several weeks before that are all now adding up...
Converstion charts at the end. Lots of recipes among the story. What a cliff hanger at the end LOL.
Other thriller works are summarized at the end along with an excerpt.
I received this review book from The Kensington Books via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.
#ChocolateCreamPieMurder #NetGalley

Chocolate Cream Pie Murder by Joanne Fluke is the latest in the Hannah Swenson series.
Hannah is back and so is her husband who had went missing in the previous book.
I enjoyed this segment though, it seems more “catch up with the Minnesota gang” then a murder mystery.
Once you are about half way in the mysteries start and will keep you guessing until the end.
It is an easy read and has some tasty sounding recipes.
I was given an ARC by Netgalley and Kensington books for an honest review.

Last year when I was going through my big binge read of cozy mysteries, I discovered Joanne Fluke's Hannah Swensen series. It is a fun, foodie series set in Lake Eden, Minnesota. I listened to the first 3 books in audio from my local digital library. I read the first three and then took a break (or maybe there weren't any more audiobooks at the digital library). Whatever the reason, when I found Chocolate Cream Pie Murder at Netgalley, I knew I had to request it.

As this is book 24 in the series, a lot of has happened since the books I've read. The biggest thing to happen is Hannah is she got married. However, she has recently (probably in the last book) found out he was already married. This book was focused on her dealing with that betrayal.

True to the winter Minnesota is having this year, Lake Eden experiences a blizzard that has them all snowed in for days. Hannah's friends were all so worried about her being alone that they drove through the blizzard so they could be snowed in with her. As someone who lives alone, I found that kind of strange. I've been snowed in for a week and loved it. But it gives them the chance to do a lot of baking (something I've also done when snowed in).

There are a lot of recipes in this book. I was a bit disappointed that most of the cake recipes used a box cake. If I went to a bakery and found out that the cake they sold me was made from a box, I would be upset. Yes, they are adding things to the box cake, but still what kind of professional baker uses cake mixes?

There is also a lot of dialogue. But it felt very stilted - just not how normal people talk.

Like when they are making breakfast. They are going to make scrambled eggs but don't think the skillet is big enough for 5 people so Hannah gets out a baking pan and Michelle asks what are they going to make. I was like have you not watched the 50 egg bake videos on Facebook?

Or later the mushroom appetizers come out to her table and Hannah is told to let them cool. She asks how long to wait and the answer is 3 minutes. I think in regular conversation one would answer "a couple or minutes" or "a few minutes" because if one's at dinner they aren't watching a timer (and if you are, then you might need a new dinner companion). Also, Hannah runs a bakery; she cooks all the time. Does she really need to ask how long to wait until something is cool enough to eat?

I guess what really irked me with the dialogue was how much it resulted in telling rather than showing me the action.

I also had to wonder when the mystery part of this cozy mystery was going to start. Hint - it is well past the halfway mark and the mystery is wrapped up in just a few pages at the end. Most of the story was Hannah, Lisa, and Michelle testing recipes for their Valentine's Day menu.

I know these are just nitpicky issues and when I could get past them, I enjoyed the characters and close-knit community of Lake Eden. I read it quickly (probably because of all the recipes that I skipped over) over the course of two very busy days. It was a nice weekend distraction.

If you like books with recipes or are a fan of Joanne Flukes, then you should pick up this book.

WARNING!! Do not read this book while you're hungry - especially if you have a sweet tooth!! Like all of Joanne Fluke's books, the cozy mystery is coupled with some delectable recipes.

I love revisiting Hannah and her family & friends in Minnesota. In these books, the mysteries are almost secondary to me as to my enjoyment of the story. Nevertheless, I didn't guess the killer in this book so that's always a plus for me in a mystery.

This is a fast, enjoyable read. And now I wish I had a piece of that chocolate cream pie!! You betcha!!