Book Review: Lemon Meringue Pie Murder by Joanne Fluke (Hannah Swensen #4)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Characters

Cons: Mystery a tad too obvious

The Bottom Line:

Summertime entry

And we meet the last sister

Fun just like always

Tangy Fourth Entry

Hannah Swensen owns The Cookie Jar, a cookie shop in Lake Eden, Minnesota. She grew up in the small town and knows all the residence. She loves her life of baking desserts and visiting with friends. Now, if only she's stop being involved in murders.

Hannah thinks her life is settling into a comfortable rhythm. The Cookie Jar is doing well, and the pie promotion they are doing for the summer is a hit. She has two boyfriends, dentist Norman and police detective Mike. Then Norman announces he's bought a house he intends to turn into the dream home the he and Hannah designed. This startles Hannah because he hasn't proposed and she doesn't even know for sure what she'd say if he did.

The house is full of antiques, and Norman gives Hannah's mom, Delores, the first chance to go through them. While searching the supposedly empty house, Delores finds the body of Rhoda Scarf, the previous owner. Rhonda had come back to pick up a few personal items, but the food Hannah finds leads her to believe that she planned to meet someone there the night she was murdered. Who was the mysterious dinner guest? Was it the killer? And why kill her right before she left for an extended trip to Europe?

Those who already love this series will enjoy the latest addition. With three other visits under our belts, it's like meeting up with old friends again. I was thrilled to finally get to meet Michelle, Hannah's youngest sister; her scenes were hilarious. Delores gets a bit of a softer side in this book, mainly because she finds the body. And Hannah's relationship with her middle sister Andrea continues to grow. I love watching them together.

The murder plot takes a little time to get started, but it takes center stage once things get rolling. This one seemed a little more straight forward then the others, and I had the killer figured out before Hannah did. Even so, I enjoyed every minute leading up to the suspenseful and creative ending.

As a sub-plot, Hannah decides to go on a diet. These scenes were very funny since Hannah lives for dessert.

As with the others, this book is well written. I find the words just flow off the page.

This book features a total of 9 new recipes to try. I've tried four of them, and they are all fantastic. And don't be afraid to try the "Mystery Cookies." That secret ingredient tastes great in them.

If you enjoy cozies, this series is for you, and Lemon Meringue Pie Murder will entertain. Because of the progressive nature of the relationships, it's best to start at the beginning. But you'll enjoy every delicious minute along the way.

And if you want to find the proper order, here's the Hannah Swensen Mysteries in order.