I've read this entire, long-running series and what keeps me coming back are the intriguing mysteries in each book. There are always a few strong suspects and the stories move at a good pace. An easy, enjoyable read, Chocolate Cream Pie Murder is no exception. Without giving too much away, Hannah's "husband" is back in the picture and trying to cause problems in her life. She has to figure out how to get him back out of her life with as little contact as possible with him. I have to say, I was completely blown away - twice - at the end of the story. A cliffhanger, which has been a theme in recent books, has me eager for book #25. The only drawbacks to this book would be the frequent mention of trying new recipes (which are all deemed to be amazing) and the too-detailed descriptions of what happens when Hannah's cat and her friend Norman's cat get together. These are typical and prevalent in this series, but shouldn't be too much to turn you away.

There are plenty of recipes with helpful tips, several of which I'm eager to try, including frozen grapes and pub soup.

I think this book could be read as a stand-alone, but you'd have a better understanding of the story if you've been following Hannah's life through the last several books, at least.

I received an advance copy of this book. The thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

I started this series toward the end of last year, and I've been sailing through them. The past few books have been more intriguing, and made me less angry at the main characters, so I was really excited to get to read the newest in the series. It did not disappoint. It is among the best in the series to date. I enjoy the recipes, and occasionally take the time to try one out. I did not do so with this book, but perhaps I will at a later date!

Wonderful book.joanne fluke did it again. I’ve read her whole series and was never upset with one of her books. If you haven’t read them I highly suggest you do. Another 5 star read

After learning about her "husband" Hannah has decided it's time to fill the town on Ross and what he did to Hannah and move on with her life. As she tries to move on the one thing she didn't count on was Ross to rear his ugly head again. He's determined to get money he gave to Hannah back but he's turned a nasty streak and playing multiple roles as a bad guy and intimidating Hannah into doing things she doesn't want to do. Will Hannah ever be free of Ross or will he continue to haunt her forever?

I liked this book as it went back to earlier formats although it took a long time for a crime to be committed. More than half the book to be precise. The mystery itself felt very rushed and wasn't with Hannah doing her normal snooping. Things seem to fall to easily into Hannah's lap and that made it seem too easy.

Can't wait to see what Hannah will do next and of course to see what continues at the end of this story it's enough to make you wonder what Joanne will do with our beloved heroin

Love this series! Each book gets better and better , this go around Hannah has a personal crisis and the whole town show the love and support to help her through it especially when the Crisis hits close to home and her heart! plus some amazing recipes , I cant wait to try !

One of the first few cozy mysteries I began reading almost fifteen years ago was the Hannah Swensen series by Joanne Fluke. For years, I adored the series, but then I switched to something else to try and experience a wider variety. About two years ago, I jumped back into its safety and caught up to the latest one... that is, until Chocolate Cream Pie Murder was published (or will be in the coming weeks). I won it via NetGalley and had to devour it today. How exciting to catch up in Hannah's life especially after the new about Ross! If you haven't read the last few books, stop reading here. If you have, it's okay to continue...

I loved Ross in the beginning. I wanted Hannah to choose him. I loved Norman more than Mike, but they'd gotten old after 20 books. I needed something fresh, and it appeared Hannah did too, since she wouldn't accept either's marriage proposal for years. It wasn't that she didn't want to get married. She did. Just couldn't decide who. On a whim tho, she said yes to Ross. And her troubles began. For weeks, he was a perfect husband. Then he disappeared. Then it turned out he was already married. LOUSE! Fluke ruined a perfectly good character. I'll have a hard time forgiving her, but that's life... and it made for good drama.

I enjoyed this book. We see the aftermath of Ross's craziness. We see Hannah's recovery. I love revisiting all the characters in these books because I want to live in Lake Eden, Minnesota, blizzards and all. Can I move there please? Okay... that might be going a tad far, but this book showed signs of getting back to the norm before we took a downward turn in the late teens of the series. That said, it's not completely good news on all fronts. At the sacrifice of family and friends we adore, the supporting characters in this book are some newer ones and some we hadn't known too well. I miss the old gang, but they'll be back soon, I'm sure.

The mystery was okay. It was a weird setup. No one died until 80% into the book. We knew who would die, but along the way, the suspects hadn't built up. Or so we thought. Ultimately, I didn't like the structure in this one, but I did like the story itself. Fluke will always have a fan in me. I hope this means Norman gets his chance now... as Mike already had a wife. I suppose Norman did too, but she was murdered. Eh, what am I saying, I can't decide. I'm the male version of Hannah!

Just wait til the end... I knew the cliffhanger was coming. It had to happen. Fluke's as bad as me with ending our books in such a manner. But I'm pretty certain it will mean something else when we get to the next one. I HOPE SO AT LEAST!

After Hannah married Ross, many readers gave a sigh of relief that the tension of choosing between Norman and Mike was over. And no matter which team you were on, team Norman or team Mike, now you were firmly on team Ross because Hannah was happy. But as we know, that was short lived happiness and this book brings that story to it's stunning conclusion.

Written by a master storyteller, the story unfolds with Hannah telling the congregation of her church about what happened with Ross. The feeling of relief of having the story out in the open is short lived when Ross contacts Hannah and her life begins to spin out of control.

Famous for including Hannah's recipes within the book, author Joanne Fluke has out done herself in this volume. So many wonderful sounding recipes competed with the actual story, making this reader hungry and longing to stop and try a recipe along the way.

From start to finish this book held my attention as I pushed my reading time a little longer so I could find out how it ended. It wasn't until the very last few chapters , when it all was revealed, that I was able to relax.

I want to thank Net Galley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read and review Chocolate Cream Pie Murder, the 24th book in the series.

This is the 24th book in the Hannah Swensen series. Hannah is still trying to get over what Ross has put her through, when Ross suddenly shows up on Hannah's doorstep, demanding the money he left in Hannah's care. When he threatens her, Hannah's friends and family all gather to support her. There are twists and turns in this book, not to mention the mouthwatering recipes that are sure to sate the appetite of any reader.
Overall, a fun read and I'm looking forward to reading more in this series.

Thank you to Joanne Fluke, Kensington Books and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Chocolate Cream Pie Murder is the latest in the Hannah Swensen series by Joanne Fluke. There have been a *lot* of changes for Hannah in the last few books, so I was anxious to see how some things worked out for her. (Some minor spoilers may lie ahead - more so if you're not caught up on the series - but I won't give away anything major for the new book!)

As the book opens, we find Hannah faced with the difficult task of telling her fellow Lake Edenites that not only is Ross gone, but that it appears she was never legally married to him at all... because he was already married and had returned to his wife. Mike and the sheriff’s department (with assistance from Norman and others) have been looking for Ross, and everyone wants to see some kind of justice for the man who not only hurt Hannah, but outright betrayed and deceived her.

Eventually Ross turns up, nastier than ever, wanting money that he’d set aside. After Ross threatens Hannah, she ends up under constant watch by Norman, Mike, and others. To top it all off, the town is trying to plan a TV special about movies filmed in the area (bringing some other old friends to town), one of Hannah’s neighbors is attacked, and finally, a murder victim is found *in* Hannah’s condo!

As the saying goes, it takes a village, and in this case, it takes Hannah and many of her loved ones to set this mess to rights!



I’m delighted to say that I really liked this book. Fans hadn't been thrilled with the developments of the last few books. In addition to hating Ross, many readers felt that the writing and dialogue in the past few books hadn’t been up to the standard of earlier titles. Plus, most of us longed for the spunky, independent Hannah of old.

And readers, we got her!

This book was a definite step back toward the series we all know and love. Not only did Hannah seem to be herself again, the book was also a much smoother read than the last few. Sure, there were still a couple of over-explained conversations (and I personally found there to be one too many episodes of the cat racing game), but nothing like the previous few titles... and overall, I was *invested* in the writing and the results!

It was refreshing that after years of the love triangle, and the ill-fated relationship with Ross, romance didn’t play a big role in this book. I feel confident it will return, but while you could see that both Mike and Norman still care very much for Hannah (and she for them), it was nice to see Hannah come back to herself.

In the end, Hannah finds some closure on her doomed marriage and the whole mess with Ross, solves the murder case, and still manages to come up with some new cookie and candy recipes for Valentine’s Day!

Speaking of the recipes, I usually just skim over them… but some of them really caught my attention this time. If you read cozies partly for the food ideas and discussion, I think you’ll really want to check out some of the offerings in this book!

All in all, this is a welcome addition to the series, and I’m giving it a solid four stars. And… based on Hannah’s last words in this book (I did suspect that might be coming, based on a few hints sprinkled throughout), I will be anxiously looking forward to the next installment. Now I only have to wait a year for it. Sigh.

Many thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for a complimentary digital review copy of this title!

Yes - this is the book that all of Hannah Swenson's fans have been asking for - almost! One of these days she will just need to suck it up and marry Norman because its kind of obvious that Mike is still hung up on his dead wife. (which is totally fine!). I swear that these characters get simpler as each new books comes out - life can be fixed for all of them with some sort of baked good. How are they all not 500 lbs? As for the cliffhanger at the end - it was kind of obvious but I think it will be interesting to see how things shake out for Hannah..

Chocolate Cream Pie Murder is the 24th installment in Joanne Fluke’s Hannah Swensen series. The characters are well developed, and the storyline is well plotted. The book flows at a steady pace, and even though the murder didn’t occur until close to the end, it kept me guessing until the surprising reveal.

Hannah Swensen is the owner of The Cookie Jar, a bakery and coffee shop, in Lake Eden, Minnesota. She’s still reeling from the disappearance of the man she thought was her husband, and his lies and deception. Hannah decides it’s time to let everyone in her tightly knit community know the truth that Ross Barton was already married when he proposed to her, so they weren’t legally married, that he’d gone back to his wife, and offers to return all their wedding gifts. Everyone is shocked and angry with Ross, and many vow to give him what he deserves if they ever lay eyes on him again. KCOW announces that the Minnesota Movie Festival will be held in Lake Eden and that they plan to rerun all the movies and invite all the movie producers, including Ross. Hannah’s friend and Winnetka County Sheriff Department’s lead detective contacts Ross in his official capacity, and tells him to stay away from Lake Eden because he won’t be able to guarantee his safety. Despite Mike’s warning, Ross shows up at The Cookie Jar early one morning, claiming he loves her, is divorcing his wife and wants to remarry her. He claims he needs to give his wife a large sum of money for the divorce and wants Hannah to give him the money he left in his safe deposit box. When Hannah tells him she doesn’t want anything to do with him, and that she deposited the money in his bank account and he can get it himself, his demeanor changes, and he threatens her. He finally tells her that he’s in big trouble and needs his money and the key that was under it in the safe deposit box. Mike and Norman step up to protect Hannah from Ross. When Ross is murdered in the condo they shared, Hannah is determined to find out the truth.

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

I have loved this series from book one and this story does not disappoint in the least. In fact, it actually restored my faith in the series because at one point the author took what I and many other fans felt was a wrong turn. I won't go into it because it would create spoilers for this story but suffice it to say I wasn't entirely certain I would continue with the series. I am so glad I did! Like all her stories the author builds a really clever mystery around a murder. Or two. All the characters are credible and feel like old friends at this point. And the added bonus of getting recipes adds to the enjoyment. If you are a fan of the previous books in the series but had turned away, come back and read her again. It's worth it! Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy for review.

This is the "24th" Hannah Swenson Mystery and as a fan of the authors work I have read all 24. These books have been a family favorite of ours and they are always a enjoyable fun read with a great sleuth in Hannah.. I highly recommend this mystery series for all who are foodies and enjoy great storytelling. The receipes are divine and in this new release the receipes are fabulous . The author has gone to a extraordinary amount of effort to include outstanding receipes here for her readers. What a delight they are and I look forward to trying them out.
Thank you for the ARC to the publisher and to Net Galley. My opinion is my own.
Our beloved Hannah is still dealing with the fall out publicly from her failed non marriage. She as always is up front and honest so she begins by telling a church full of locals that her marriage was never legal ! This is is the synopsis we readers and fans have been waiting for .. But wait, that is far from the end of the this story ! Hannah is contacted by her nerfious ex (UN) husband who is demanding money.. When he becomes threatening and his story becomes clear , Mike and Norman step up to protect Hannah from any harm . A million dollars is at stake and her ex continues to threaten her and even shows up at her business with threats. As the book progresses Hannah and her crew are trying out numerable receipes amid the stress and all sound heaven sent.. These are receipes you will enjoy making at home with your family. From breakfast casseroles, to cakes and cookies Ms. Fluke has truly outdone herself with this book. I only wish my Mom were alive to once again cook Ms. Fluke's wonderful receipes with me and enjoy them together. This is a amazing grouping of receipes that is deserving of having each reader cooking.
When the nefarious ex is found dead in Hannah's home in a brutal murder, the mystery deepens and Hannah is determined to both recover and find out the truth. Norman is assigned as her bodyguard and their sweet relationship is growing here with hints for the future. The murder does not occur until later in the book so the story has time to develop here and I enjoyed that aspect of the book. It was great to read about our old Hannah moving on from this marriage and back to her old self baking and running her business . The ending was a complete surprise as was the suspect. The twist at the end was a jaw dropper that will surprise all readers. This was a wonderful addition to the series and I cannot wait until the next release. I highly recommend this book. As a fan of the series I was happy to read that Ross is dead and Hannah will get her happy every after with Norman soon we are all hoping for. from the acceleration of their friendship and Hannah finally recognizing he is in love with her. A fun exciting addition to the series that is my favorite book of 2019 to date.

Once again Joanne Fluke has written a wonderful book to savor on the couch on a snowy day. I enjoyed the mystery, but I never came close to figuring out who the killer was. I have to admit the surprise ending really wasn't a surprise to me, maybe just too many clues or maybe I'm just too suspicious. Either way I still had a good time reading the book.

This book was full of twists and turns and finally some answers. I really did enjoy this book, easy to follow and very engaging. The biggest thing that bothered me was how some aspects were almost unrealistic. When super chaos and conflict happen, it isn't likely that you are always going to be starving as soon as you smell something. How everyone seems to only worry about food, and not the circumstances around them is kind of sloppy. I did like how finally we had resolution with Hannahs husband not husband, but it seemed rushed. If you are looking for just a fun mystery, and dont worry about focusing on details or things being realistic, this book is for you.

Thank you Net Galley for my ARC. I always enjoy a Hannah Swenson book! This one was a bit different of a story but I loved it. Last book had left us with the question of where Ross, Hannah's new husband, was and what was going on. This book quickly answered that question and reminded us that you can never really know a person. I was glad to see Hannah's old flames were here to keep her safe and help her solve a murder of someone close to her.

This is so unlike the regular Hannah Swensen stories you have read in the past. This is the perfect combination of recipes and honest to goodness story telling. The murder does not happen until 2/3 of the way through the book. The reader gets a better sense of the emotions that Hannah is going through with Ross, and more information is given as to what he has been doing while away. The ending - wow - I cannot wait to see where this leads!! This was great story telling which makes it a wonderful read.

Joanne Fluke always delivers an interesting, food-filled mystery, and this book is no exception. A newlywed goes from wedded bliss to disaster overnight, and finds herself in quite a pudding!

This is the 24th book in the Hannah Swenson series. Hannah is still dealing with her failed non marriage to Ross. So the last thing she wants is to see or hear from him again. But Ross is a jerk and comes to see Hannah to get the money he had left . Hannah tells him she put it back in his account so if he wants it so badly he can go and get it. Ross wants Hannah to get it for him since he doesn't want to be seen since the entire town hates him for what he did to Hannah. So we he is murdered towards the end of the book there are numerous suspects.

I really enjoyed this book. It was better than the last few books and I'm glad some of the plot points have been resolved from previous books, even though we were left with a huge cliffhanger. I will anxiously be waiting for the next book which seems so far away now,

I received this book from net galley in exchange for an honest review.

The newest instalment of Joanne Fluke's "Murder, She Baked" series was a quick and fun read. I know of this series from the movies on Hallmark, and I even own a few of the first title. After listening to "Christmas Cake Murder" I knew I needed to try out actually reading the series. "Chocolate Cream Pie Murder" starts with Hannah reeling from the disappearance of her husband and his sudden contact with her. Threats are made. I have not read the earlier books and had heard Hannah did not end of with either of the suiters the fans loved. Image my joy and surprise when Mike and Norman both came to Hannah's rescue.

"Chocolate Cream Pie Murder" kept me guessing to the end and was so enjoyable. Hannah's inner thoughts did bog down my reading in the last few chapters, but this did not distract from my enjoyment. I recommend this book to cozy mystery lovers everywhere!

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