Another fun read about Hannah and her friends/ family. This time, it isn't a murder mystery. Instead it is about finding out who exactly "John Doe" is who showed up in their town with a TBI. Also to note, this is not the next in the series. This is in the timeline before her mother opened her antique shop in town.

These books are always a delight, and as smooth as a hot chocolate. The receipts are great, and these days, I always need a dose of Christmas. That said, I do prefer the whodunnits, but understand this is a prequel. Always happy for the next one!

If you subtract all of the recipes and talk of food, there really is not very much substance to the story, which is unfortunately how the past few books have been going. Also, there have now been "flashback" books recently for the series. It makes me wonder if the series has run its course (this is book #26 in the series, so it does have a respectable number of books in it!) as the overall story arc that was created earlier in the series doesn't really seem to get moved forward very much anymore.

OK, let's say it's Christmas, and you need a bit of a break. Maybe it's snowing, or you wish it would snow. Maybe you're overwhelmed with relatives, or you're feeling alone. Maybe you've been shopping too much, or you're struggling to lower expectations. Maybe you're trying to avoid the dishes or the tryptophan coma.

Whatever it is, maybe you just want to spend some predictable time with old friends, a lot of sugar, and a very loose definition of murder.

If that is how you're feeling, this may be the book for you. Number 26 in the Cookie Jar cozy mystery series is set at Christmas. It includes a tree trimming for children in the hospital and many Christmas-themed cupcakes (recipes included - dolled-up cake mixes). The story revolves around baker Hannah's efforts to identify the amnesiac homeless man to whom she opened her door early one morning. Everyone wants to help. Everyone eats a lot of cupcakes. Everyone spends a lot of time specifying their drink orders. For no particular reason, Hannah falls out of bed.

I liked the way Hannah ultimately identified the homeless man. Although the resolution seemed prolonged, the approach was consistent with her character. There is a helpful tip for keeping your chocolate chips from falling to the bottom of your cupcakes. (And no, not flouring them.)

The book is light on plot, repetitive (pages are devoted to characters telling each other what we just learned), implausible, and extremely sweet.

But that may be the point.

Many thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Christmas came early for me this year! Thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for this advanced copy of Christmas Cupcake Murder to review. Joanne Fluke’s Hannah Swensen series is the gold standard of cozy mysteries and Christmas Cupcake Murder is an instant Christmas classic! Hannah Swensen and her pals are at it again solving a case around Christmas time. This mystery takes us back in time to before Hannah started solving crimes. The cookies and story are as sweet as ever, Hannah helps a John Doe figure out who he is while whipping up some delicious recipes along the way. I loved getting to see my favorite midwestern bunch at an earlier, simpler time in the series. From Blue Apple Pie to Vegas Cookies there’s a recipe for everyone in this book! Pick this one up today and pair with your favorite hot drink and cozy seat!

I realize this is really a Christmas book, but it was wonderful to read in front of the air conditioner when it's in the nineties outside. I really loved the saved-the-day-at-the-last-minute ending. I did wonder why nobody made a big deal out of figuring out who Donnie was, but I was already sucked into the story and kept on reading, This will make some really good Christmas reading for someone. The recipes are going to be fun to try out as well.

An enjoyable Hanna Swenson, Christmas mystery. Set before any of the other mystery novels in this series it still follows the same formula we have come to know and love. The recipes are a bonus

What a sweet kind story - perfect for the holiday season. And with recipes to die for, I can't decide which to make first!

Hannah Swenson’s sister, Andrea, is helping out at the Cookie Jar during the busy holiday season. And the rest of the residents of Lake Eden are dealing with their own small dramas, but nothing tops the discovery of a nearly dead man just steps from Hannah’s bakery. Once agin, Hannah puts on her detective hat to solve the crime. Fans of the series will find soothing enjoyment in this cozy mystery series

As a long time lover of this Hannah Swansen series, and after close to thirty books, one would think I would have gotten tired of these stories. But in fact, Fluke's midwestern mysteries still entertain me as much as they ever did. I look forward to the next book in the series!