Strawberry Shortcake Murder (Hannah Swensen series Book 2)

Joanne Fluke's Hannah Swenson Mysteries are a wonderful change when you want something light and fun to read. I recently discovered her books and have enjoyed each one of them. Only problem I have is I always want something sweet to eat!

This book is wonderful. Rich in characters! Love love love the recipes! Will be trying all of them.
I word like it more if the same information regarding characters were not repeated in numerous books. I will still Dr them all!!!

Minnesota, hot coffee, fresh cookies, a pet cat and a murder mystery. This series of books has provided me with many hours of fun reading. Not scary enough to keep you awake at night, but thought provoking enough to have you guessing "who done it". The recipes are an extra treat to bake for yourself and have ready for munching while reading the next mystery.

I enjoy cozy mysteries; they're light reading and entertaining. The Hannah Swensen Mysteries are considered part of this genre. Amateur sleuth, Hannah, who owns a cookie bakery, investigates murder in a small tourist town in Minnesota. Her side kick is her beautiful sister Andrea whom is married to local police detective, Bill. Hannah has two love interests: Not so handsome dentist named Norman who she enjoys as a friend and seems to respect; meanwhile, there's the handsome police detective, Mike, which she's only physically attracted to and has no respect for as a person or detective. Her mother, Delores, manipulates her personal life.

I started off with Chocolate Chip Murder and found it moderately entertaining for the first book in a series, so I ordered the next three books hoping the writing technique such as dialog and character complexity would improve. Unfortunately, there is no improvement.

The best part of this book is that I kept reading it tell the end. It took me over half the book to figure out the motive for Coach Watson's murder. However, there was another murder victim whom I thought was obvious the minute this victim disappeared and the motive was immediately understood.

Hannah's disregard for the law is the worst part of the book and the series so far. Somehow she manages to tamper with evidence, withhold evidence, steal, lie, breaking and entering and not get reprimanded.

Not sure if I would recommend this series yet, I will read the next two books in the series to determine if these are worthwhile.

This was my first Joanne Fluke novel, but will definitely not be my last. It was entertaining and informative. There were seven recipes contained within.

Just when you think you've figured it out- more evidence leads you in a different direction.

Warning!!! Read the recipes first and have the ingredients on hand. Reading this book may cause the urge to bake!!!

I am so excited that I found this series! Joanne is a great writer and I have really enjoyed her wit and her recipes. The characters are and their interactions are believeable and enjoyable. I wish we could take a weekend jaunt to Lake Eden. This book was just as good as the first one!
As a teacher, I know my peers will enjoy sampling the recipes listed in her books.

This is the Second Book in the Hannah Swenson murder series. I wasn't sure if this book was going to be exactly the same as the first ( Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder) In some ways it was, Hannah found the dead bodies/ Victims, Hannah took it upon herself to dig up information and press the local folk for gossip, Hannah all the while ran around from event to event taking care of her business, and finally Surprise, surprise Hannah discovers the murder and is put into a life threatening situation when low and behold Bill and Mike (the policemen) arrive just in time to save her. Urggh.. I really did enjoy the whole story line and the characters, The books is a crazy easy, no thought, read.. which right now I really enjoy. I did in fact order the third and fourth book ( blueberry muffin murder, and lemon-meringue pie murder). After reading the second in the series I'm pretty sure the basics are going to be the same in every book, but Hannah does met new people in each book and a different Towny dies in each book so I am interested to find out all that. I have never been a big murder mystery Book reader but I am enjoying them. It is completely and totally a Fluff Read. :)

Put aside all you know about how real life police work, because in this series of books, they turn all too often for help in solving the crimes committed in their town, to people who are not only not employed in the law enforcement field, they are just related to them by marriage or relationships. I know that this series is meant as a "cozy mystery", but I can suspend disbelief for so long before I have to say WHAT?!!
Plus, I didn't really find myself connecting with the characters in the book.

I like the way Joanne Fluke has written Hannah. She is your average woman. She doesn't have the best figure, but that is ok. That is what I like about her. She makes me feel good about not being a size 2. Hanna is realistic, except she keeps finding dead bodies. I guess if she didn't, we wouldn't want to read her. I hope this series goes on for quite some time.

I noticed that many of the people who purchased this book also purchased the Aurora Teagarden series by Charlaine Harris. Like many,I caught part of a made for tv movie and since both series run on the Hallmark Movie Channel, decided to try to books. In my experience, books are always better than movie versions, and so far, this series has been enjoyable.

I really like these Joanne Fluke murder mysteries but more for the recipes than the stories, although they are decent mysteries. Hannah is a very believable character and the people in her inner circle have been built up enough so that you take an interest in them. I would say you even like them. The real stars in these stories are the recipes and the baking tips. As an amateur baker, I find them very valuable. These books are worth a look, especially if you spend time in the kitchen.

I enjoy reading about Hannah Swenson and her side job as a murder mystery solver. It's a fun series that I like to read as my "in between books." When I finish reading a book that may have been "heavy" - content wise, or subject matter, it is nice to pick up a well-written, plot friendly book by Joanna Fluke.

Love this series and this is one of my favorites. I am a bit frustrated tha Hannah has not mede a choice between her two men. It's obvious her detective is not going to change his behavior. How many women find a man who just wants to love her and help her be all that she wants to be? As a reader I am ready for her to.make a choice.

As usual, her premise that a cookie shop owner can solve a murder case quicker than law enforcement officers is totally improbable but amusing enough that I keep reading these stories. This is fluff, not hard core mystery, but you don't always want to wade through gore and sociopaths in your recreational reading. If you just want a fun mystery story this is for you.

I enjoyed reading this book because it was light, fast paced.and humerous at times. I choose it because I was intrigued by the cover title. And an added bonus to this story are the recipies. My daughter and I have tried many of them and have not been disappointed. They are great!
One last point ; I tried going to the end to solve the mystery. It didn't work. It was worth reading every chapter til the end.
Since then we have read almost all of Anna Swensons' novels.

Started reading the whole Joanne Fluke series and wasn't impressed basically with the development of the main character, Hannah. The author spells every little thing out which gives the reader nothing to assume or figure out. For a funnier, more basic read I enjoy the Janet Evanovich series. For more intense mystery reading (again, a female lead character), Sue Grafton or Nevada Barr is what I'd recommend. I was just disappointed in this series.

I enjoy these Hannah Swenson mysteries the best. However, I would prefer if they were in the larger paperback books like they sell at retail stores. The larger paperback books are much easier to read and to handle.

We find Hannah involved in another murder in her small town of Lake Eden, this time it's the High School Coach who bites it. His wife is the primary suspect and Hannah just plunges in to defend her especially since the victim died face down in her strawberry cheese cake. Fun, no brainer mystery.

Minnesota, hot coffee, fresh cookies, a pet cat and a murder mystery. This series of books has provided me with many hours of fun reading. Not scary enough to keep you awake at night, but thought provoking enough to have you guessing "who done it". The recipes are an extra treat to bake for yourself and have ready for munching while reading the next mystery.

Throughly loved the storyline and the recipes. Have made many and are very good. Ms Fluke is a very good writer, as I read I find myself transporting myself to the location. Since I just discovered Ms Fluke I have my more books to read. Keep up the great work.