Key Lime Pie Murder (Hannah Swensen series Book 9)

Another wonderful book by Joanne Fluke. Enjoy all the recipes included in this book. Hannah is an individual we can all associate with. Pretty but not perfect. These are wonderful books for young readers as well.

Another successful instalment from Joanne Fluke - I love the storylines, the characters and most especially the wonderful recipes this series has given us. Although, I have to confess that I'm getting pretty tired of the 'love triangle' situation. Please Hannah, choose one or find someone new. I can't wait for the next instalment to find out what Hannah's mum is up too and to see if any progress is made on the 'amour' front.

The Book is wonderful. I love the fact that every recipe mentioned in the book by the character is also a complete recipe you can make yourself in your own home. The book is written in such a way that you feel a part of the characters life. Hats off to another great book .

Another successful instalment from Joanne Fluke - I love the storylines, the characters and most especially the wonderful recipes this series has given us. Although, I have to confess that I'm getting pretty tired of the 'love triangle' situation. Please Hannah, choose one or find someone new. I can't wait for the next instalment to find out what Hannah's mum is up too and to see if any progress is made on the 'amour' front.

The Book is wonderful. I love the fact that every recipe mentioned in the book by the character is also a complete recipe you can make yourself in your own home. The book is written in such a way that you feel a part of the characters life. Hats off to another great book .

Other commenters are right: Hannah is a slob, eating nothing but cookies and baked goods all day long, always rude, sarcastic and condescending with her mum, yet the men in the town are fighting for her.... The "recipes" are disgusting, many use yellow cake mix and one even substitutes crackers for apples in apple pie! Terrible book.

Highly-creative confection recipes plumped the pages in KEY LIME PIE MURDER. Not knowing when to stop, the recipes opened themselves into luscious, heavy-laden, in-plot cooking, tasting, and contest judging. Then they incorporated themselves into a turbo-charged, flavor-upgrade including every imaginable slant of sweet & creamy. Yet, the surged concoctions didn't come across as overdone. (The extra hits of coffee maybe helped and were welcome!) The confections won a Literary Blue Prize from my taste buds, and enhanced the delight of light reading. This # 9 in Joanne Fluke's Hannah Swensen, Minnesota Cookie-Jar series was clearly giving Diane Mott Davidson a run-for-her-pie-crusts as "Queen of The Culinary Mystery."

As many culinary mystery series as I've reviewed, this was one of the more successful for causing me to feel like I was literally tasting, sniffing, and munching along with the characters, especially with the judges of the entries in the baking contest for the county fair. (No calories in print, when it's absorbed from eyes to brain; I've had no compulsion yet to eat pages.) A collection of scenes took place inside the ambiance of judging-tasting-sprees back-dropping discussions of town doings and murder. It didn't take much of that for my level of addiction to the sweet treats in this plot to be shoved over the edge of any concern about addiction.

What made that addiction achievement seem like such a feat to me was the fact that my natural preference for flavors, even in culinary mysteries, is savory rather than sweet, which is why I was so ecstatic to find Phyllis Richman's Chas Wheatley series a few years ago (Richman, now retired, had established a long running career as a savored food critic for the Washington Post, and every bite of her appreciation for haute cuisine in the high realms of restaurant magic seemed to have been incorporated into her series, which appears to have ... sob ... ended after her third entry, Who's Afraid of Virginia Ham? See my reviews).

So, what can I say about # 9 in Fluke's series, except that I appreciated her enhanced ability in KEY LIME to use sweet instead of savory to provide a wide-eyed read, which fell easily into a state of "Yum" in mystery heaven.

In addition to # 9's surge in texture and flavor of creative confections, KEY LIME seemed to have primed the collection of Lake Eden regulars, including Hannah and Dolores-monster-Mom, into a mode of Cheshire-Cat-relaxation, soaking up the ambiance of living in a world-of-fiction riding gleefully on The New York Times Best Seller List. I swear I could see that type of smug, snugly satisfaction in Joanne Fluke's grinning mug in the photo on this book's jacket (a lovely, perky pose taken at a book signing by her husband, Ruel).

Every angle and edge of this book's plot, mood, and style was dreamy, content, and cozy without losing any depth in reading engrossment. Could a reader become intoxicated by a culinary mystery which was high on sugar, caffeine, chocolate, butter, cream ... with all of those served warm, gooey, fresh, and chewy? Well, I say to that, "Yep."

So, how was room left for slipping in cultural issues or literary machinations? I have no clue. Yet, Fluke did interject tidbits about attitudes which detectives must develop in order to run their investigations without personal investment hampering perspective. Also, the characters of Norm, Mike, and Moishe, along with their relationships with Hannah and each other, were taken up a few notches in warmth and simple satisfaction.

It seemed that Fluke packed into this novel everything she had developed and hoarded in her author's repertoire, and then some. At the same time it felt as if she had enjoyed the heck out of designing new recipes for this plot, and playing new schemes and scenes for its themes.

Here lives an author who loves her work, has found her niche within it, and dug down for the long haul (see my Listmania and review of the pilot to her series, Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder: A Hannah Swensen Mystery (Hannah Swensen Mysteries). With warm cookies of every imaginable variety, and pots of coffee forever brewed, brewing, or ready to brew, what else could Fluke do but simmer another sweet, tangy stew of a mystery, in a "one (or more) up" on her past offerings.

This one did nicely, and even I, a person who grew up in a professional bakery in The Malt Shop in Florence, Colorado ...see my the store Short, Coal & Coca-cola ..., was tempted to take time to bake some of these recipes. I hate to accept the fact that my energy for baking is almost gone, which is maybe one of the reasons for my seeking tangy flavor in fiction, which can be found in all types of novels, not exclusively in culinary mysteries.

You've outdone yourself on this one, Joanne Fluke.

All in good taste,

Linda Shelnutt
Author of several Kindle books and the store Shorts, including:
Molasses Moon
Myrtle's Ultimate Mystery
Full Moon Rising (The Books of Gem)
New Moon Blues (The Books of Gem)
The Rose and the Pyramid (The Books of Gem)
Morning Comes: the Pre Dawn Blues - Part 1

Key lime pie murder_ a Hannah Swensen mystery with recipes by Fluke_ Joanne
Hannah is a judge for the county fair but she finds another judge dead. Hannah proceeds to gather clues, find out who wanted her dead and who has an alibi.
She also is involved with Mike the cop and the dentist Norman. You wonder if she will ever pick one! Love the characters and Hannah's family and people who run nearby shops in town.
So funny how her sister Andrea bought it that oatmeal was their mothers cure for getting gray hairs as Andrea has found a few on her head LOL
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).

The ninth in the series is exactly what one would expect, yummy and dependable to deliver that specific Hannah charm and the sweet aromas of the Cookie Jar to keep the mind wrapped around sweets half the time, I never crave chocolate and coffee as when I read these books, it's just insane! The baker /sleuth combo is quite tasty when one reaches for this book, Hanna is the owner of the Cookie Jar and along with her coworkers, friends and family this small Minnesota town resident is always there to deliver the laughs and a bit of a mystery, her crime solving skills keep coming in handy when so many tragic things seem to happen at Lake Eden ... Winters are cold and summers are hot but in between there's Hannah, her orange fuzzball of a cat name Moishe, her two potential loves ( she simply can't choose between nice and dependable Norman and the handsome but juvenile cop Mike ) and her hilarious regency era obsessed mother, chic sister with two kids along with a few minor characters that really feel like home when I read about them. I love this series, it's cozy and heartwarming and even though some things are going at a snail's pace and feel like teenage flirting going on for ages ( the Norman / Mike saturation) I still really like how slow the time moves and how's its always ready to greet me back when I want to be back in it.

The Tri-County Fair is the backdrop for the crime, one of the judges gets murdered and it's up to Hannah to solve this, her life seems to be in constant danger since she was also a judge, so her snooping abilities are tuned to the highest degree. I had my guesses but in the end was fooled for a second, this was a cute mystery that makes me want to read Carrot Cake Murder next ... Fluke is great when it comes to cozy mysteries, like a freshly baked cookie on a cold day she's just what I need when I'm in that mood.

Kasia S.

Key Lime Pie Murder is the first installment that I have read in the Hannah Swensen Mystery series. I happened across the book during a used book sale, and it was the title that definitely caught my eye. When I peeked inside, I saw that the novel contained recipes for various baked goods (including, of course, Key Lime Pie!), and that was what sold me. Plus, from reading the back cover, the story sounded like it would make perfect light summer fare.

The book opens with Hannah, who is the co-owner of a bakery and cafe, The Cookie Jar, arriving at the Tri-County Fair, where she is a last-minute replacement judge for the baked goods competition. One of her fellow judges, Willa Sunquist, seems sweet, yet she has an air of mystery about her, occasionally mentioning odd facts about her background. Then, only a few nights into the fair, Hannah stumbles over Willa's body after the fairgrounds have closed. Why would anyone want to hurt Willa, who was also serving as the chaperone for the Tri-County Beauty Pageant? Hannah decides to find out.

Although this was my inaugural Swensen mystery, I felt pretty familiar with the basic structure of the story. For example, author Joanne Fluke makes it quite obvious that this is not the first time that Hannah has discovered a dead body, nor is it the first time that she has taken it upon herself to solve a mystery. Hannah is assisted by her two sometimes-boyfriends, the wonderful, dependable Norman, and the more studly, manly Mike. Those reviewers who have read many books in this series have suggested that Hannah's indecision between these two lovers gets old quick. I could certainly see the possibility of that happening; it does seem a bit ridiculously unrealistic for Hannah to be in romantic relationships with BOTH of these men, with both of them being fully aware of the other and apparently willing to tolerate it.

Finally, there are the recipes. There are 16 total recipes included in Key Lime Pie, and not a healthy one in the bunch! Most are cookie recipes, although there is a bit of variety, with a couple of pies, breads, and even a breakfast omelet. I haven't tried making any of the recipes yet, but they definitely sound yummy--I am most looking forward to trying Pineapple Delights and Cappuccino Royales. My only complaint is that the instructions for the recipes are written in a scattered, disorganized fashion that seems all over the place. For example, some list the total number of cookies the recipe makes, some don't (and when this IS listed, it is usually a HUGE amount, like 10-12 dozen!), and most are replete with various notes and other interruptions, which can be quite distracting.

Overall, I found Key Lime Pie Murder (Hannah Swensen Mystery With Recipes) to be a fun light summer read, which was just what I was hoping for. Before I even started reading this book, I purchased the next novel in the series as well, Carrot Cake Murder (Hannah Swenson Mysteries With Recipes), and I am looking forward to reading that one soon.

Despite the fact that I find descriptions of county fairs and rodeos very boring, I was hoping that the Cookie Baker would show signs of maturing. Not so! She was even stupid in this one by spilling her guts to the cowboy that she had suspected. Whoa! I guess that Joanne Fluke doesn't want her readers to like, let alone-respect, her main character. There are two reasons why I continue to read this series. (1) My library has them and I don't need to spend any money. (2) I continually keep hoping that Hannah will Grow Up. But I'm giving up on that one. Her continued dalliance is downright disgusting. Thumbs down to Mike whose main appeal is physical attractiveness, even though he really doesn't treat her well or show her any attention unless he wants something from her. Norman who is Always doing thoughtful things for her and Always there for her genuinely loves her and shows this continually. I can't but hope that in the end that she marries Mike and ends up forever unhappy because he's always looking at other women and ignores her. After all this is really what she deserves for treating Norman the way she does.

Key Lime Pie Murder was a simple read, nothing overly complicated, but it was just a flat read for me. Hannah and her sisters/friends totally disregard their safety, the law, and common sense by hiding even more evidence and information from the police than I think they ever have before. The few people who shake things up a bit - Doloroes and Bill - are mostly absent from this installment. I'm so tired of the Mike/Norman relationship that I don't even care anymore about what they do or don't do. All I keep thinking is that, in real life, this hunky cop wouldn't spend two sexless years waiting on a plump, frizzy redhead while she disrespects his job and intelligence by sticking her nose into these investigations. And I also don't think a plump small-town dentist is going to pine away while his love calls him only when she needs him to look something up on the internet or take a picture of something. Given all the bodies Hannah keeps finding and murders she keeps investigating, Lisa must open and close the Cookie Jar about 250 days a year. Maybe she'll get a raise or grow a spine in the next book.

I was mostly just bored with this book. Thank God the reading went much faster than the droning, boring plot. I think all that Swedish Plasma has eaten a hole in Hannah's brain because she's stupider in this book than any other HS book thus far. I didn't feel any sympathy when the victim was killed, I didn't feel any dread when the killer was after her, and I feel anything at all in the book was humorous. I'm now avoiding gluten so I can't even try the recipes so that doesn't even bring me any enjoyment. Hannah's total lack of technological savvy was implausible - any 30 year old on planet Earth learned how to use a cell phone from Zach Morris on Saved by the Bell. The sub-plot with Moisha was better than the last with Tracey - at least I didn't have to read about all the inanely, obnoxiously wonderful things Tracey did... I just had to read about how Moisha's wasting away while he stares at the unmoving curtains of a neighbor's condo.

I think the fun has finally been sucked out of this series for me. I purchased about 10 Hannah Swensen books as a bundle on eBay and I think I'll read the last book or two sometime in the next five years so I can finally give them all away.

I have this series on my keep bookcase. I adored them from the get go. Hannah was a likeable, capable character and I enjoy that. I especially like that she is a little chubby and not 'model perfect', like far too many heroines. For many of the books in the series, I enjoyed the suspense of Hannah choosing between her two men, Norman and Mike. I am on team Norman all the way, but it is beyond time for Fluke to end this tired storyline. I recently emailed her and thanked her for the lovely stories (the early ones are FABULOUS) and asked if Hannah would soon make a choice. From her answer, I don't believe Hannah will be choosing any time soon, if ever. This bothered me a bit, because Hannah and her family seem to be stuck in a time warp where nothing changes. (I was ecstatic at the birth of Andrea's second child, just for this reason).
Although annoying, this could MAYBE be overlooked, if the murder mysteries were still intriguing. I had Key Lime Pie solved far before Hannah had a clue. The murder was also more boring than usual. I didn't give a hoot about the victim, nor the suspects. Despite Hannah's words of grief, I never felt she cared that much either. She was far more worried about her cat acting odd, than her friend that was murdered. (And I am a cat lover!). The coolest thing about this book was an all too brief scene with a Twirl A Whirl. I thought that showed tons of creativity. Fluke really needs to stir the batter a little here, she needs to break from the mold that has proven so successful before. Otherwise, I fear she will lose some of her fanbase, because there are an awful lot of really good mysteries out there to sink your teeth into.

Key Lime Pie murder features recipes that make my mouth water. In this novel Hannah is investigating the murder of her friend Willa at the Tri County Faire! My favorite supporting character was Ruby who makes these fried candy bars that just sound amazing. Felt a little let down by this one not going to lie. I felt like this one had a rapid conclusion and was at times very boring. My usual reading time is commuting to work on the subway and I found myself listening to music instead of reading and putting my Nook back in my bag. But I love Hannah, Lisa, Andrea and Delores along with the rest of Lake Eden so I still was able to enjoy it.

I liked the storyline with the Cowboys and county fair events but I'm sitting here in 90+ degree weather in MN and the author stated that most Minnesotans don't spend money on central air conditioning units because there aren't enough hot days in the year... Simply untrue. In prior books she has used the wrong names for American Indian tribes in MN and the Dakotas. Makes me wonder how much about our state she actually knows.

I enjoy all the Hannah Swensen books in the series so far. There is always a good plot with some twists and turns. I like watching the development and progression of the lives of the main characters, and it's fun to check out the recipes.

The book was pretty good. Things Iiked about it was that for the most part it was non violent and pretty tame. What I didn't like about it was that towards the back the author got mixed up on who the bad guy was. This was a critical area where names were changed. The editing committee should have caught that before printing.

The formatting isn't as good as others - at least in the kindle. Different sections of chapters run together making it confusing when there is a scene change. Also, why does the main character think chocolate contains endorphins? Does the author know this isn't true?

Key Lime Pie was GREAT reading. I really enjoyed the carnival atmosphere. Hannah's got her plate full by catering the Chamber of Commerce booth, judging a baking contest, helping the magician with his act, and of course finding herself smack-dab in the middle of a murder. With each book, Joanne always gives us an interesting new cast of characters to suspect, and reunites us with familiar friends and family. What we have here is once again, good entertaining reading with a plot that keeps you guessing. Oh and a secondary mystery concerning Moishe. You'll love that one. This wonderful series is suitable for young and old alike. Other reviewers seem to have the same opinion.. I heartily agree. I'm hooked on the Hannah books and so is my daughter and 13-year old grandson. He's a reader and says they're cool. We all look forward to whatever "tasty treat" comes next. Speaking of treats, as usual this latest batch of recipes had me drooling. Gooood stuff.

I have enjoyed each of Joanne Fluke's previous Hannah Swensen novels, but this was by and far the worst one I have read yet. It usually takes me about a day to a day and a half to read her books, whereas I spent more than a week and a half plodding through this one.

The plot was slow and I often found myself confused. The author would get ahead of herself, leaving me reading the same sentence several times wondering if I had missed something in the previous paragraph, only to find that the confusing sentence is explained a page or two later. About 125 pages into the book, Willa Sunquist was FINALLY killed-- keep in mind that the book is only 337 pages, which means that it took more than 1/3 of the book to kill someone off! The murder was solved in about 10 pages, leaving me wondering just what happened in all the pages I had read. (I concluded that nothing happened and I had wasted a lot of time reading this book.)

I used to enjoy the murder mysteries of Jill Churchill, until I noticed the decline in quality and my declining interest. One of Churchill's worst books was the one in which her main character discovers the wonders of car alarms and cell phones (I think I reviewed it here on the store before). That was the last Churchill book I read, and that's when I turned to Joanne Fluke to entertain me. But now Joanne Fluke has made the same mistake, with Hannah SO unwilling to enter the 21st century, what with not having a computer or a cell phone and yet at the same time stringing along two men.

There was a part in the book where Norman wants to take a photo of Moishe with his cell phone and send it over to someone else's cell phone. All the while, Hannah is confused-- "Are you going to get your camera? Are you going print the picture out and fax it over?" It was just unbelievable! If Hannah is indeed 29 pushing 30, there's no way she could be so dense and confused about modern technology.

Am working my way through the Hannah Swenson series and find I like each one even more than the one before. These are clean cut, funny, smart murder mysteries and the author allows the reader to join Hannah in trying to figure it all out! Plus you get lots of scrumptious recipes? After reading go to the Hallmark channel and watch the TV movies!

I absolutely love this series. The books are easy reads and can keep me entertained for hours! I always think that I know who the culprit is but I'm always wrong!! The love story that is mixed in makes it even more interesting.

I found this book draggy and uninteresting. The lead character has a repulsive gluttony that was repeatedly described in the book. I wanted to like it because the whole cnceot with the recipes is so cute, but I couldn't identify with anything about it.

I have read the entire Hannah Swensen series and they seem to be getting worse with each book. I could believe her not having a cell phone because she hates being interrupted by them or doesn't feel she needs one but I can't believe she wouldn't know anything about them. Ms. Fluke has trapped herself into writing characters that never grow or change because her fans liked them in the earlier books. Instead of learning and growing from each case Hannah seems to get stupider! And if she's not going to pick one man or the other then let them both go and end the boring triangle.

In lake Eden, Minnesota, Hannah Swensen owns the successful Cookie Jar, but this week she is spending more time out of her store except for baking her specialties. Residents and visitors are attending the Tri-County Fair with the Great Northwestern Rodeo and Carnival as part of the festivities so Hannah is keeping her customer the Chamber of Commerce supplied with cookies, judging a baking contest, and serving as a magician's assistant. Hannah also worries about her cat Moise who has gone off his feed spending most of his time looking out the window.

One night while she works the fair, she learns that the carnival box office was robbed. Later that night she finds the murdered body of her fellow baking judge Willa Sundquist and notices the vague outline of the man she assumes is the killer. Unable to resist especially since she liked the victim, Hannah investigates, which turns into a family affair when her sisters and her business partner join her.

Do not read this novel on an empty stomach as the sixteen dessert recipes will cause a sweet craving. Joanne Fluke has baked a delicious amateur sleuth with an eccentric support cast that keeps the tale light and fluffy but tasty and fun. There are plenty of suspects, and Hannah finds it rough going but she and her cohorts persevere because she wants to insure that the killer gets his or her just desserts.

Harriet Klausner

I have read, and own, every book in this series. They are always entertaining and I love the setting and characters. The only thing I don't love is the never-ending, never eventful, love triangle between Hannah and Mike and Norman. It is so unrealistic that I don't want to read about it anymore. I think readers would be very happy to see this situation resolved one way or another, and with a bit more realism.

Great reading, especially when you need a quick read to pass the time. I read it on vacation and could put it down and pick it up to read again without losing my train of throught. I have enjoyed all of the Hannah Swensen Mysteries.
JoJo

Once again Joanne Fluke provides an appetizing story on the residents of Lake Eden, Minnesota. This time around it is the county fair where Lake Edenite Hannah finds herself judging the baking contest. But, as usual for Hannah and her family are thrusted into a murder mystery. If you are a fan of the series, you will be brillantly pleased. If you have never picked up a Hannah Swensen Mystery book, do so. Not only do you experience the normal drama of a mystery book, you feel the tribulations of poor Hannah trying to choose which man she is currently dating to marry. I believe you can enjoy this book without reading the others, but it may be helpful to read the others as well. But either way, you'll absolutely love this book and the recipes as well.

Plump cookie shop owner drinks coffee and eats sweets nonstop while debating which eligible bachelor battling for her hand she should marry. Gets involved in murder mystery, puts self in danger, obsesses over deep fried candy bars and her forlorn cat.

Review by Laura Lynn on romancingthepage.com

I love Sadie Hoffmiller! I love her quirkiness and her ability to get stuck in the most amazing situations. I have to admit I cringe when she sneaks into places she does not belong and takes risks I can not imagine taking. Then again, I am not a heroine in a mystery series.

In "Key Lime Pie", the fourth installment of the the Sadie Hoffmiller Culinary Mystery series, Sadie takes a leap of faith and ends up in Florida trying to help her friend Eric solve the mystery behind the disappearance and possible death of his daughter Megan. As always, Sadie has an unusual preoccupation with food, and spends most of the book realizing she hasn't had a chance to try the local key lime pie.

Sadie should be used to half truths, lying bad guys and uncomfortable situations, but apparently she sees a lot more good in the world that her position as heroine of this series allows. As usual, she is confronted with cops who do not appreciate her involvement, "good guys" who don't tell her everything, and thugs in disguise. By the time she has figured out "who done it" she is ready for a shower, a nap, and a good slice of key lime pie.

Author Josi S. Kilpack has a gift for story telling, and as usual, the reader finds themselves invested in Sadie's predicament. I found myself wanting to know what happened next and needing to find out who the bad guy was. In the end, I was surprised by the identity of the perpetrator as well as the information we learned about the "innocent" members of the story. I think the next book in the series will have a different tone now that Sadie has learned a little more about life and love. As a character she is growing, and as a reader, I can't wait to see what happens next!