A solid addition to the series, but this one didn't hold my attention quite as well as some others. I thoroughly enjoyed it and plan to keep reading!

The plot, usually tight with intrigue, unraveled early with the murder occurring almost immediately. What followed was an investigation that seemed implausively stunted. With Mike stepping aside, the reliance on Hannah to spearhead the case felt unrealistic. The dynamic interplay of wits between law enforcement and our beloved sleuth, which traditionally added spice to the story, was noticeably absent, leaving a bland taste in my mouth.

Then there's the ending—abrupt and dangling off a cliff I hadn't anticipated climbing. The introduction of cliffhangers, especially this late in the series, feels like a jarring shift in narrative strategy, leaving me more perplexed than intrigued.

Even though each book has become predictable and similar, I can't seem to stop reading them. Hannah once again proves herself to be smarter than the cops when solving this case. She's really motivated this time as her mother is the prime suspect. I will continue to read the series as long as Joanne Fluke continues to write it because I'm just too invented in it now!

The Summer Solstice Celebration has come to Lake Eden and surprise, surprise, so has another murder. But this time Hannah's mother, Delores, is a prime suspect.

As usual the goodies described took center stage being that the mystery was very light.

I enjoyed this entry in a very long running series, and it is exactly what I expected it to be after years of reading these books. Reader beware, there's a really nice cliffhanger at the end that might have you anticipating the next book more than you expected!

The pacing of this book is strange. It drags on and then abruptly ends. The recipes are delicious and glad that they don't take up a lot of the book like they have in the past. Can't wait for the next book!

It was fun visiting with Hannah and friends and family again. And of course I love the recipes. This mystery was interesting but did not hold my interest as much as this series in the past. It was repetitive at times.
Many thanks to Kensington and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

It's always a treat to read the latest story in the Hannah Swensen Mystery series by Joanne Fluke. I enjoyed reading this story and others should give this book a try.


I love the book's cover and look forward to making Pink Lemonade Cake myself. My thanks to Kensington Publishing and NetGallery for a digital copy of this book for my review. Here's to Hannah's next adventure!

It is time for me to say goodbye to this beloved series. It was one that introduced me to cozy mysteries. This is the end because I feel as though the stories are being pumped out and at times not making sense. I have loved this series from the start and sad to have to stop. I hope that she releases another series.

#PinkLemonadeCakeMurder #NetGalley

I have had ups and downs with the Hannah Swensen series. I do typically enjoy the murder mystery parts of the books. However, the love triangle between Hannah and Norman and Mike has gone on too long. It needs to be resolved. And I know how I would choose to have things end. The other thing that is a little irritating is that everyone who tastes every dad blame thing that Hannah bakes always says it’s delicious or the best she’s ever made. I mean really! I think we’ve figured out now that Hannah is a wonderful baker and there doesn’t need to be the constant compliments.

Another issue I had with this book is the use of Hannah and Norman … and other characters … to help interview suspects in the murder mystery. That is not going to happen in real life. Police detectives may use consultants, but they are not just going to cut a citizen lose to help solve the crime.

The book leaves you hanging on the edge of your seat with a huge cliff hanger at the very end. So I know I’ll have to read the 30th book in the series. So along for at least one more adventure with Hannah and the rest of the gang at The Cookie Jar in Lake Eden, Minnesota.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Cozies for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

I have loved Joanne Fluke for many years but this series is not aging well. I usually love hearing about Hannah Swenson and her family but I found many instances of that showed how out of touch the author is with the world around her. I do not recommend.

I have read all the Hannah Swenson books. I have enjoyed most of them – especially her earlier ones. However, in recent years, the quality has deteriorated. At first, the stories became shorter and less complex. Recipes seem to take up a larger portion of each book. But I still read the books because I enjoy a light mystery and the characters. However, I did not find this latest book to be enjoyable.

In my opinion, Pink Lemonade Cake Murder is Joanna Fluke’s worst Hannah Swenson book. Did Joanna Fluke get someone else to write this book? It is unrealistic, many of the characters’ traits changed, and it seemed a bit prudish.

Early on in the book, some teenage girls were riding through town in a convertible with a former major league baseball player. The girls’ outfits were a bit skimpy, but the town reacts as if they committed some horrible crime. The shame and disgrace that was directed at the girls was over the top. This book does not take place in 1950!

Hannah’s mother, Delores, has an intense and very public grudge against the former baseball player. Several years earlier, he dunked her three times at the county fair’s dunking booth. She complained that he ruined her favorite dress. Who wears a favorite dress in a dunk tank? And why was she furious that she was dunked? I thought this was a bit ridiculous. However, Dolores’ reaction was in keeping with her character. What was baffling was that most of the town agreed with her.

Readers who look forward to the mystery part of the story would be disappointed that the murder doesn’t take place until chapter 19 in the book. This seems to be the case in many of the recent Hannah Swenson books. The mystery seems to take a backseat to the descriptions of food, people, and events happening in Lake Eden.

Mike, who has been struggling with whether he wants to stay in Lake Eden as a police officer, is whisked away on a vacation. Even when he would like to come back to work on this latest murder investigation, his colleagues and friends conspire to prevent him from returning. Mike is upset and frustrated and he is portrayed as having frequent temper tantrums.

Without Mike, the entire police force is portrayed as having turned into bumbling idiots. They are depicted as incompetent and lacking confidence in their abilities to do their jobs – jobs that they have been doing for years. This includes Andrea’s husband, Bill, who has been the county sheriff and has years of experience. The police rely on Hannah to solve the murder. Suspect interviews are held in her bakery shop. They ask her to take part in the official police interviews. This was totally bizarre.

Many of the major male characters are portrayed as weak males who don’t have any brains. This is not how they have been portrayed in the other Hannah Swenson novels. I don’t understand why Fluke would characterize these characters this way. I am baffled.

When the next Hannah Swenson book is published, I will read it. I hope that it will be an improvement over this latest one.

Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for providing me with an advanced review copy in exchange for an honest review.

I have read all the books in the Hannah Swensen series. This was a great, fun, relaxing, cozy read. I know it can be cheesy, and some may give it bad reviews for the reason I like it, it is just fun. I enjoyed how this one really got back to who Hannah is as a character, The baseball theme was a cute idea, and I chuckled at Dolores being dunked in the dunk tank. Still makes me giggle. No, not all the recipes exactly matched the theme, and they do take up a great deal of the story, but that is what makes it fun! I feel when you read the book you cannot go in thinking it is going to be the mystery to end all mysteries. It is meant to be lighthearted.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

An almost satisfying visit to our favorite baker and her ability to put herself right in front of a murder and murderer! Seeing how the whole gang, minus Mike, are involved in the investigation, it make me wonder WHY Mike is having a mid-life crisis! An interesting aside as to why Mike's NOT there woven through the story, although it seems like he is deliberately being pushed away...WHY??

Lots of redundancies about door knocks at the rear door of The Cookie Jar, looking through the peep hole, and things that just kept being repeated. I find the fact that the police department is having a civilian sit in on their interviews with suspects and not doing them at the police station but instead in the kitchen of The Cookie Jar is very unbelievable, and would most likely get any evidence gathered in those interviews thrown out when the case goes to trial. I find it hard to believe that every single person in town loves everything that Hannah gives them to try no matter what it is, it would be nice to have some characters tell her they didn't like what she had them try to make her seem like a character who isn't the perfect baker that she thinks she is.

The ending seems to begin the premise of the next book! Very nice segue to the new story, or, knowing that this book was cobbled together, perhaps a way to have fans come back to see what happened. Another addition to the Hannah Swenson franchise and it was OK, but just OK. I hope the next book will be more Joanne Fluke's signature style rather than just words filling a page.

Even though the writing style has changed, this one was definitely much more enjoyable than the last couple of books in the series. I'm glad to see Hannah returning to her normal self but I really do hate that the last couple have ended with cliffhangers. It's almost as if the author is trying to force you to read the next one.

Joanne Fluke was my ultimate go to when I was pregnant and on bed rest several years ago so when I saw this on NetGalley I jumped at it. Needless to say, my reading tastes have changed quite a bit over the years but this gave me all the nostalgia feels and brought a smile to my face.

Hannah Swenson is in the middle of trouble yet again. While trying to convince long time love interest and police investigator, Mike to stay in Lake Eden, former ball player and all around garbage human winds up dead.

All of these Hannah Swenson books while entertaining, are also very repetitive. The personal and love interest storylines have stalled as well. I tried to take into account the fact that my reading tastes have changed but I just couldn't get into the story. It dragged and was completely predictable. I'm not sorry for having read it though. Always nice to visit Lake Eden .

Mike wants to leave the police force, so Hannah and the gang decide to show Mike how important he is to everyone. However, while Mike is on vacation, an ex-pro MLB player who has returned to town is murdered, and Hannah's mother seems to have the best motive to kill him. The police force, Hannah, and Norman work to solve the murder and keep Mike at arm's length so he can heal his burnout.

The love triangle is still ongoing in this book, the 29th book in the series. This is an issue that some will say needs to be resolved, which I do agree with; however, I had another issue with this book. While police do use consultants and informants who are not trained by a police force, I don't think they would allow those individuals to run the interviews or investigations. In this book, Hannah is the one who is the lead investigator on the case. I have a hard time with this. I can see her helping with an investigation but not being the one who is running the interviews for the police. I feel that if the interviews were conducted by the police officers and Hannah was just there in the background listening this would have been realistic. On a positive note, I did not immediately know who the killer was and was able to solve it along with Hannah.

All thoughts and opinions are my own; in no way has anyone influenced my opinion.

It seems like the whole town of Lake Eden, Minnesota is in an uproar with the news that Detective Mike Kingston is thinking of quitting police work. Our heroine Hannah Swensen calls in the big guns to help her sort-of boyfriend Mike figure out what he really wants and feels. Top of her list is his career mentor Stella Parks, who was also his training officer back in Minneapolis. When she hears Hannah’s story, she diagnoses burnout and decides to whisk Mike off for a lakeside rest cure.

Unfortunately for Mike’s peace of mind, however, murder soon strikes their small town once more. Using a combination of supportiveness and reverse psychology, Hannah, Stella and Hannah’s other boyfriend, dentist Norman Rhodes, assure Mike that they don’t need him back in town, and conspire to keep him up at the cabin where he’s staying. Of course, this strategy will only work if Hannah and co can actually solve the case before he can make his way back home.

The case itself is tricky. Former Major League Baseball star Bernie ‘No-No’ Fulton has come roaring back into town for the Tri-County Summer Solstice Celebration, which features a mini-tournament starring local high school baseball teams and retired celebrity ringers. No-No’s pitching talent is unfortunately exceeded by his arrogance. He’s made a habit of collecting enemies, from the athletes whose careers he ruined to the irate parents of the impressionable teen girls he’s sweet-talked or worse. Even Hannah’s mother Delores has sworn vengeance on him for a series of completely unnecessary humiliations.

So when Hannah finds Delores standing over No-No’s dead body while holding a baseball bat, Hannah knows she has a formidable task in front of her. Delores would never resort to murder, but the real killer likely has no qualms about letting her take the fall. Hannah will have to sort through a long list of suspects to figure out whodunnit, and fast. After all, the last thing she needs is for Mike to come running back into town at the expense of his own cure. But when things get dangerous for both her and Norman, who else will they be able to turn to?

Despite the emphasis on figuring out whodunnit quickly, this mystery is quite leisurely paced, perfect for anyone who wants a soothing cozy mystery to mull over while getting reacquainted with the inhabitants of Lake Eden. Baseball fans will also find much to love with the many anecdotes of the sport. I was most taken with the cliffhanger ending that has me super ready for the next book in the series!

As with all the other books, there were over twenty recipes included here. I really wanted to make this dessert, and have edited the recipe lightly here for space:

QUOTE
Tropical Pie

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F., rack in the middle position.

Ingredients:
1 Frozen deep-dish premade pie crust
1 15-ounce can apricot halves (cut into slices as you would for an apple pie)
2 15.25-ounce cans pear halves (cut into slices as you would for an apple pie)
1 20-ounce can pineapple slices (cut each ring into 8 chunks)

French Crumble:
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup (1 stick, 8 tablespoons, ¼ pound) cold, salted butter (cut into half-inch chunks)
½ cup brown sugar

Directions:
Remove the deep-dish pie and thaw according to package directions.

In a bowl of your food processor combine the flour, salted butter, and brown sugar.

Process with the steel blade in an on and off motion until the resulting mixture is in uniform small pieces.

In a medium-sized bowl combine the apricot slices, pear slices, and pineapple chunks with ½ of the French Crumble mixture.

Arrange this mixture in the deep-dish pie shell.

Sprinkle the rest of the crumbled mixture over the top of your pie.

Pat the top down with your impeccably clean hands and cut several slits in the top to vent.

Place your pie on a baking sheet lined with aluminum and bake at 375 degrees F. for 45-55 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

Remove from the oven and let your pie cool on a cold stovetop burner or wire rack.

Serve with strong, hot coffee or glasses of icy-cold milk.
END QUOTE

This tastes a lot more sophisticated and complicated than it was to actually make! It’s also delightfully different from your usual pie, even if the name is a misnomer: while pineapples are certainly tropical, apricots and pears come from more temperate climates. Regardless of the name, the fruit mixture is delicious in this pie (and I saved the juices from each can to make the base for punch by adding ice and fruit flavored seltzers later on.)

I was especially impressed by the use of the French crumble mix in this pie. Fruit pies are always tasty, but the crumble mix elevates the whole dish to another level entirely. The final product was so good that no one in my family even commented on the idiosyncratic appearance of the top crust, a result of me accidentally dropping that pan and having to reconstruct it, as has been my recent, unfortunate habit. I very much endorse Ms Fluke’s recommendation of enjoying each slice with a nice scoop of vanilla ice cream and a slice of cheddar cheese as well.

Next week, I’m on vacation! I’ll be back the week after that with delightful concoctions from a book inspired by the Grand Dame of Murder Mysteries herself, so do join me then!

Another fun read about Hannah Swenson. An easy book to curl up to and to enjoy the recipes that are included. A fast read.

Hannah Swensen is back with new recipes created for the Tri-County Summer Solstice Celebration. There’s one thing more important than the celebration: Mike, Lake Eden’s handsome police detective, is determined to quit. Bill, Andrea, Hannah, Norman, and more friends want him to stay. Delaying tactics seem to be the best idea, so Mike will have time to think over his decision. A colleague spirits Mike to the lake cabin for rest, relaxation, and fishing.

As one of the big events, a former Major League Baseball player is in town, showing off as usual, driving through town with three scantily clad teenage girls perched on the back ledge of his convertible, beauty queen style. Hannah’s mother, Delores, sees him and lets loose with a long list of ‘what’s wrong with him’ opinions and a promise to get even. Delores was the victim at a dunking booth for a previous celebration, and he threw the pitch that dunked her. She’s never forgotten or forgiven.

One of the girls’ daddies is most upset with her being ‘half naked,’ riding around, and with an older man like that, which then causes problems with her boyfriend, soon to be fiancé.

When the ball player turns up dead under the bleachers, discovered by Delores whose prints are all over the murder weapon, she’s a natural suspect, along with the angry daddy and a host of others.

Hannah and Andrea are determined to prove Delores is innocent by discovering the real killer while keeping Mike out of the investigation as a lesson in how badly he wants to remain a cop.

This is book twenty-nine in the series. While the mystery is a good one with an unexpected killer, the real suspense is in the last chapter, leaving readers with a classic cliffhanger, sure to cause a multitude of changes for all concerned.

Recipes are included as always – pink lemonade whippersnappers, tropical pie, pink lemonade cake with matching cream cheese frosting, chocolate lace cookies, blue cheese meatloaf, cherry crisps, 7th inning slush, Nutella trifle with raspberry whipped cream, How Now, Brown Cow (alcoholic version), How Now, Brown Bessie (non-alcoholic version), curveball cookies, strawberry pie, root beer cookies, summertime cookies, cinnamon toast popcorn balls, egg and bacon pasta salad, lemon muffins with lemon glaze, orange marmalade muffins with a matching butter, chocolate cherry oatmeal squares, sweet and sour chicken, satin swirl cocktail, chess bars, and a pink lemon drop martini.