Book Review: Peach Cobbler Murder by Joanne Fluke (Hannah Swensen #7)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Wonderful plot and great characters

Cons: A little slow at the start, but not too bad.

The Bottom Line:

Light and fluffy book

Despite a good mystery

Delicious cobbler

Rival Bakery Leads to Murder

Peach Cobbler Murder is the seventh entry in the Hannah Swensen mystery series. Hannah owns a cookie shop in the town of Lake Eden, Minnesota.

It's no secret to Hannah's friends that Hannah is no fan of Shawna Lee Quinn. Ever since the woman moved to town, she's been coming between Hannah and sometimes boyfriend Mike. But then Shawna opened the Magnolia Blossom Bakery right across the street from Hannah's own shop. Business for Hannah is looking pretty poor, and if things don't change soon, Hannah and Lisa might have to close their doors.

On a happier note, Hannah's partner Lisa and Herb's wedding day has finally arrived. So what if Shawna Lee has promised to bring her famous peach cobbler to the reception. It's only a minor dark cloud on an otherwise bright day. But Shawna Lee never makes it to the reception. Running by the bakeries afterward, Hannah finds Shawna Lee's dead body. With one of the best motives in town, Hannah knows she's got to act fast to make sure she doesn't wind up behind bars for a crime she didn't commit. But with most of the town at the wedding, who could have committed the murder?

Reading Sugar Cookie Murder, the last book in the series, I thought to myself that Shawna Lee would make a great murder victim. Obviously great minds think alike. While the murder aspect starts out a little slowly, I really didn't mind because there was still plenty going on with the wedding. And since we've gotten to know these characters over the course of six previous books, it was nice to join the festivities. That's not to say that there weren't hints of trouble brewing even in the fun times. And once Hannah finds the body, things really begin to pick up. Clues lead to a place I never would have imagined, but is absolute genius. Plus, the romantic triangle between Hannah, Mike, and dentist Norman heats up as well.

Of course, this book contains new dessert recipes as well. While there are several I'm anxious to try, I can tell you the peach cobbler is absolutely fabulous.

Any fan of the series will be pleased with Peach Cobbler Murder. Warm up the over for some treats and enjoy. I can't wait to visit with them again.

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