Christmas Caramel Murder

August 1, 2016
In Fluke’s tasty 20th Hannah Swenson mystery (after Wedding Cake Murder), the Lake Eden, Minn., baker discovers promiscuous Phyllis Bates’s frozen corpse in the snow. Distressingly, a nearby lunch bag belongs to nice Herb Beeseman and contains caramels made by Herb’s wife, Lisa—Hannah’s partner in the Cookie Jar bakery. Flashback to two hours earlier. At a rehearsal for the town’s annual Christmas show, Hannah and Lisa see Herb, dressed as Santa Claus, kiss Phyllis, scandalously underdressed as Mrs. Claus. It’s “a stage-kiss,” the director says, but Phyllis—Herb’s erstwhile high school girlfriend—clearly meant the kiss and didn’t care who knew. Unlike many cozy sleuths, Hannah cooperates with local police, especially Mike, who counts on her to find the killer. In Fluke’s bestsellers, which spawned a popular TV series, recipes aren’t frosting, they’re the cake. Meticulously detailed, using common ingredients, the dozen sprinkled throughout the text outshine the plot. But Hannah is irresistible as a cookie fresh from the oven, especially in scenes with her father’s ghost. Agent: Meg Ruley, Jane Rotrosen Agency.

October 15, 2016

Best-selling author Fluke's (Wedding Cake Murder) latest Hannah Swensen mystery takes place during the yuletide season in Lake Eden, MN. The Lake Eden Players are rehearsing for the annual production of A Christmas Carol, which will be followed by a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus. When sexy Mrs. Claus, aka Phyllis Bates, turns up dead, Hannah prepares for some amateur sleuthing to prove her friend Lisa's innocence. As Hannah's deceased father appears and plays the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future, the visions remind Hannah of crucial details that help her find the unexpected killer. VERDICT With a dozen delectable recipes from Hannah's Cookie Jar bakery, this holiday cozy will hit the spot with foodies and mystery fans.

Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2016
In this holiday cozy, Hannah Swensen tells Ross Barton the story of foul play during the Christmas season. Lisa, Hannah's partner at the Cookie Jar, is upset when she is not chosen to play the part of Mrs. Claus to her husband Herb's Santa, especially since the part went to Phyllis Bates, Herb's former high-school girlfriend. Clearly, the predatory Phyllis is still interested in Herb. Herb tells Lisa he is working late, but Lisa discovers he is not at work. When Phyllis is found dead in a snowdrift, Lisa and Herb are both suspects, so Hannah, along with her sister, Michelle, attempts to find the real murderer, all while busily baking for the holiday season. Small-town Minnesota life, familiar and well-drawn characters, the warm frame of the Christmas season, and a dozen delicious-sounding recipes add to this satisfying entry in a comfortable, always entertaining series.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)