Chocolate Cream Pie Murder is the 24th installment in the bestselling Hannah Swenson series by Joann Fluke. The books are mysteries, and definitely in the cozy, culinary mystery genre. However, the last few novels have become a bit more suspenseful and closer to actual thrillers, even though they still contain no graphic sex, language, or violence. Fluke also writes stand-alone thrillers, and it seems that her expertise in thrillers has influenced this delightful series of cozies. The upside is that they still contain fun recipes for those foodies who follow the series.

Hannah Swenson, who recently married, learned after her honeymoon that her husband was a fraud and was actually married. He disappeared shortly after the marriage, but has returned in this mystery, along with some shady characters who are related to some murders that are occurring in this tiny town. Hannah isn’t safe, and while investigating what is going on, puts herself, family members, and friends in danger.

While this series is lighthearted, the novels still have plenty of suspense and difficult scenarios. Most readers are familiar with the characters, who seem real, and have been well-developed throughout the series of novels. One of the best ways to escape is to read about idyllic towns with idyllic characters, and Joanne Fluke is a master; the setting and stories are almost make-believe, but are definitely worth reading. Fans are chomping at the bit while waiting to read the next installment.

Readers who like consistency in a series, and interesting, well-developed characters, believable scenarios, and building suspense, should immediately pick up Chocolate Cream Pie Murder, the latest installment in the series. It is a quick read, and also fun. Cooks will want to try the recipes, which turn out picture-perfect.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

I love the rest of the books in this series and this one was a great new addition. I really enjoyed the story and the characters were very well written.

What can I say about this series that I haven't said already or that anyone else hasn't already said. They are fun, quick reads - total fluff, total brain candy. I actually must say that this is probably my favorite cover so far ... I think it's really cute.

Generally nothing much has changed in this series. The characters still talk in a stilted manner, still say things that are obvious. And the last sentence in this novel really disappointed me, even though I could see it coming from miles away. The murder (no prizes for guessing who finally met their end) only occurs at about the 80% mark.

#teamnorman all the way, baby. And I'm stubborn enough to keep reading to see just how long this ridiculous saga will keep going.

Thanks, Netgalley, for this arc.

Loved the book all the way to the end!! I think this is my favorite of this series and definitely has the most recipes! Must read!!

I have long been a fan if Hannah Swenson and Joanne Fluke. I have read every book so far. This book is the best of the recent installments. The mystery is satisfying,
and the receipes are worthy of a spin in my own kitchen. It feels like visiting old friends with each new book. Thank you netgalley for an arc of this book, the review is my opinion.

I enjoyed this latest book in the "Hannah Swensen" series. This one seemed to be to bit a more well-written than some in the series. Although the mystery seemed a bit predictable, it was an interesting read. I'm still amazed by the amount of information that is shared with Hannah during these investigations. And if you love recipes, this one has plenty to keep you baking for a while.

It's hard to believe that Joanne Fluke has 24 books in the Hannah Swensen series but this is proof. She has certainly shaken things up for Hannah and all her friends in the last several stories. You really should read the previous books to get the full effect of this one. Hannah's "ex" returns to Lake Eden for a film festival and ends up dead. Everyone in town was happy to murder him for Hannah and someone did. Love this series, love the recipes and with the cliff hanger at the end of this one I can't wait for book 25. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The Hannah Swensen series of books is one of my favorite cozy mystery series ever. I found these books right after the first book was released and count down the next release as soon as I finish reading the current book. Chocolate Cream Pie Murder was definitely a wonderful addition to the entire series.

I had to play catch up last year and read/listened to about 6 books in the series back to back to back, so I have to admit Ross took me a bit by surprise when he came back into Hannah's life. I've wanted Hannah to have the love of her life for so long, I missed so many clues about Ross. I love how close Hannah is to both Norman and Mike, yet have never felt like either would be her happily ever after as they each didn't have issue with her dating the other from the beginning. I wanted Ross to be the real deal even once we found out he wasn't. I really hated that he ended up being such a tool when Hannah deserves the best.

I will say that Chocolate Cream Pie Murder was a bit different from other books in the series. Usually we have Hannah and her crew working from almost the first chapter on solving a murder. This time we had Hannah having to deal with telling everyone in Lake Eden that her "husband" Ross really was still married so her marriage wasn't legal. Coming from a small town, I absolutely loved that Hannah made the announcement at her church and everyone there had her back. My heart truly did break for Hannah as she was going through all of this, and I hurt for her more once Ross started calling and harassing her. I loved how fast-paced this book was and while I was thrown off a bit for who was being all the stuff with Ross, I was right about a couple other things in the book...especially the cliffhanger statement at the end. I have to say it makes me wonder where Ms. Fluke will take this series with the next book.

While Chocolate Cream Pie Murder didn't follow the usually formula with murders and Hannah solving everything with her sisters, I did enjoy this book and can't wait to read the next book in the series.


Rating: 4 Stars (B)

Another great cozy mystery from Joanne Fluke. Hannah has kept us all happily reading for many years. Her friends, enemies and frenemies are all busily working and scheming so we get another 5 star story. I'll keep reading as long as Hannah keeps cooking!

Another excellent edition to a wonderful series! Full of twists and turns that leaves you wanting more and enjoying each moment until the end when the killer is caught.

This the 26th visit to Lake Eden with Hannah Swenson and her family and friends. It's as comforting as hot cocoa and a snuggly blanket. Still, it's long on recipes and taste testing them, while short on mystery. If you're a fan of the series, that won't bother you. What did concern me is the sudden recasting of a former hero into a despicable villain.

A sweet treat for fans.

I DNF at 25%. I have been loyal to this series for years and years, but I think I just lost interest after the whole Mike or Norman question ended? Or maybe I'm just changing as a reader.

The Hannah Swenson series is one of my favorites and has been for a long time. Chocolate Cream Pie Murder was no exception. Hannah's ex Ross has popped back up in her life--but he's not the same Ross she thought she knew and loved. He's angry and nasty to her, and keeps demanding money. It's up to Hannah and the cast of loving characters that surround her to find out what is really going on. For me, the ending felt oddly satisfying!

Dare I say that this was better than I was expecting? The last several in this series were poorly written, but this one was better. The conversations weren't as "fake" between the characters and Hannah wasn't nearly as annoying as in the past. This gives me hope for the future of this series!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book, which I voluntarily chose to review.

Another winner by Joanne Fluke. Enjoyable. Looking forward to seeing where the series continues. Hope it continues to move forward.

Chocolate Cream Pie Murder
(Hannah Swensen #24)
by Joanne Fluke (Goodreads Author)
Kindle Edition, 304 pages
Published February 26th 2019 by Kensington


Goodreads synopsis:
Not even Lake Eden’s nosiest residents suspected Hannah Swensen would go from idealistic newlywed to betrayed wife in a matter of weeks. But as a deadly mystery unfolds in town, the proof is in the pudding . . .
 
When The Cookie Jar becomes the setting of a star-studded TV special about movies filmed in Minnesota, Hannah hopes to shine the spotlight on her bakery—not the unsavory scandal swirling around her personal life. But that’s practically impossible with a disturbing visit from the shifty character she once believed was her one and only love, a group of bodyguards following her every move, and a murder victim in her bedroom. Now, swapping the crime scene in her condo for her mother Delores’s penthouse, Hannah and an old flame team up to solve a case that’s messier than an upended chocolate cream pie. As suspects emerge and secrets hit close to home, Hannah must serve a hefty helping of justice to an unnamed killer prowling around Lake Eden . . . before someone takes a slice out of her!

***

4 Stars

This series never gets old. A guilty pleasure for sure.

I am not sure how much I can say about this book without giving the fate of Ross away. We were on the edge of our seats in the last book wondering if Ross would ever rear his ugly head again after up and leaving Hannah high and dry not long after they married.

He does show up again in this book after much worrying and wondering on Hannah’s part. She really does still love him despite the fact that he went back to is wife and in fact she and Ross had never been truly married.

I was scared for Hannah in this book. Ross was not like he was in previous books. I felt like he had been body snatched. The story was much like a locked door mystery where no one can quite figure out how it all went down and why. I don’t feel the synopsis above tells the story of what happened in this book very well. The TV special was just a minor blip on the radar, but some of the people Hannah had met from previous books did show up from back when she was on TV and Ross was producing.

I really liked this book because the use of the normal minor characters of Mike, Norman and Michelle were used in great ways. In other books, I felt like these characters were almost overlooked. She did that well in this one. I wonder now where Hannah’s eye will wander. So I guess we are back to the Mike or Norman question when it comes to her love life.

I applaud Ms. Fluke for the ingenious why she dealt with the character of Ross. I am sure this really appeased many of the fans who had not been happy when she had married
Ross.

If you love cozy mysteries, definitely pick this cozy up. It was a fun ride!

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

I loved this book so much. I have not read cozy mysteries for quite some time, and I am really looking forward to getting back into them. I'm glad I started with this series because Hannah is so easy to fall in love with. I also absolutely love cooking so getting so many recipes was a huge treat for me. This is the only book I've read from the series, but I am definitely going to read more. I loved the small town feel and I really feel like I connect with Hannah. I highly recommend this book!

I am having a live hate relationship with this series right now. I found this book hard to get through. I was so excited about it because of the cliffhanger in the last book, but this book fell short for me. This book had great writing and I love the characters but they haven’t evolved in the twenty plus books and it is hurting the recent books. It is like the series is stuck. I highly recommend reading this series I love the earlier books more than anything. I will continue to read the series but it has lost its spark

Many thanks to NetGalley, Joanna Fluke, and Kensington Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are 100% my own and independent of receiving an advance copy.

I am not sure what happened with this book. I have read many others in this series and have had various degrees of enjoyment. I know what to expect so I am not comparing this to some highbrow literature and expecting the get the same experience. Sometimes you just want what you want and the ease of reading, the expectation of how it is going to go, the familiarity of the characters are all I wanted when I opened up this book. And I knew I would get at least a chocolate cream pie recipe out it!

But this stunk! I really didn’t enjoy it at all. I’m so sorry to say this but it was a big disappointment. It opens up with Hannah having to apologize to her community announcing that her marriage was over. Not just over but Norman, the man she married had fooled her and was already married to someone else, nullifying her marriage. Eventually Norman gets murdered and it has to be solved. But this book went nowhere. There really wasn’t a story. Halfway through there wasn’t even a murder to solve. It was mostly Hannah with her neighbours making recipes. It was beyond fluff. Everyone was sickly sweet to each other. How can everyone be in such a good mood and so nice to each other all of the time. They were constantly coming up with new recipes. It sort of went like Oh there’s pineapple and mint and Brussel sprouts in your fridge so I’m going to make a new kind of muffin for the store to sell and aren’t they so delicious! Everyone gets to “test” out the new creation and it is always amazing. Also these people would be 300 pounds if they ate the way they did in this book. They are always drinking coffee and eating plates full of cookies, muffins and cakes. They hardly eat a real meal with vegetables! It was so out of the realm of believable and the characters so cardboard I couldn’t stand it! As I said, I understand the premise of these books but somehow this time, it just didn’t work for me.

Another good book in this series! These books about Hannah always keep me entertained and this one has a couple of twists in the storyline that will add even more interest to see what happens next. If you are a fan of this series, you will. It be disappointed in this book. As always, I’m looking forward to the next one!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.