I always end up so hungry when I finish one of the books in this series. As usual, this was really enjoyable. the murderer took me by surprise and I was so sure I knew how it was done, only to be wrong about that, too. If I had to change anything about the book, it would be the cake mixes that are used in so many recipes. I find it a little difficult to believe a professional baker would use them, but I understand it does make it easier for the people who would be making the recipes at home.

I have read many of the books in this series, and I have enjoyed every one. While I think a lot of the books in this series work well as standalone, there are some references to previous books in this one that are not fully explained. If you don’t mind being a tiny bit in the dark, you’ll be okay.

I’ve enjoyed all the main characters in this story, although they do come across as overly polite at times. It looks like the two young men who have vied for Hannah’s attention all along, are back at it again; however, they have now formed a close friendship with each other.

There is another mystery to solve in this book, and it’s up to Hannah to put all the pieces together again. The mysteries in this series are always neatly wrapped up with a few clues along the way.

Oh my, I do need to get caught up on this series. The last book I read was #8 and I knew she got married but have no idea how things got so crazy. I am so impressed with how mature Hannah's sister, Michelle, has become.

I enjoyed this book as I liked it was a simple murder but took a bit to figure out. We saw the murder and investigation through Hannah's eyes as well as others. About the same time it dawned on Hannah who the killer was, it did to me as well. That made for great reading for me.

The love triangle still appears to be there but was no way distracting. You just understand that there are two men who really care and love Hannah. I'm not much on love triangles in my stories but I come to expect it in the Hannah Swenson series. My favorite pick is still Norman. Unfortunate name but a great guy. He seems genuine and that is what Hannah needs.

You can read this as a standalone but it will get you thinking about what you have missed. You will find yourself running out and buying the series.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Kensington, through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.

I’ve read all the Hannah Swenson books and this time she is trying to clear her sister’s boyfriend of a murder charge. Since Lonnie is a cop and everyone on the force is too close to the case, it’s up to Hannah to solve the case. These are great reads chocked full of amazing recipes.

After reading the latest books in the series from about 22 on as arcs, I'd started thinking that someone else might have been doing the writing, because it wasn't really up to how it used to be in the earlier Hannah books--the conversations were too simple and they used each other's names way too many times to be natural. But since I just finished book 3 not even a week ago, I felt like it was recent enough to make a good comparison, and honestly this one was almost back to the style of the older books. There was still lots and lots of cookie talk and conversation...but hey this is Lake Eden, a small town that when I started reading these books, I've just learned that we get a lot of the people's personal lives. It might not read like a regular cozy which focuses mostly on the mystery, but it's awfully typical of small towns where there really isn't much to talk about except someone's health, the latest gossip, the weather or yummy food.

Speaking of yummy food, there were tons of great sounding recipes in the book. I have yet to make any of them in the series, but they sure sound good while I'm reading. It's like I'm eating them in my mind and not gaining weight lol. The mystery did seem a little dragged out with how they had nearly half the police force sitting out the case, since it involved one of their own. But I wasn't completely sure about who the killer was until Hannah came up with it. There was no cliffhanger ending to this book and to be completely honest, I hadn't even remembered that there was one. I'm hoping that the future books are taking this path toward being more like the older ones.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley, and my opinions are completely my own.

I love Hannah Swensen and this series! The mysteries are always yummy but so are the recipes sprinkled about. I was drawn in from the first page, as usual, and devoured it in no time. This is one series I always recommend to anyone that wants great writing and a great mystery! I hope Ms Fluke Jesus writing these for some time!

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by NetGalley

The best part about a Hannah Swenson Cookie Jar mystery is that there are RECIPES! Not just two or three but multitudes! The only problem is that I feel the urge to stop reading and start cooking at the end of various chapters where the recipes are printed. Much like Hannah I feel torn. Of course, I'm torn between the mystery and the cooking while she is torn between Norman and Mike the two love interests who have been there since the early days. Personally, I say that there is no competition as I am a big fan of the dentist. But I digress and should be writing about this new release. Nice storyline! I like that so many people have come to recognize how good Hannah's deductive reasoning skills are and that they are only surpassed by her excellent cooking skills. If Hannah was a real person she is definitely someone you would want in your corner after all, how many people would fly back from sunny southern California at a moment's notice to help find a killer and exonerate their baby sister's boyfriend? Of course part of the draw is that Hannah likes the challenge and quite frankly there just weren't enough detectives to properly handle the investigation because one of their own has been made suspect numero uno. While I have been a huge Hannah Swenson fan for a decade and a half and know the backstories and all the shared drama, it isn't necessary information to be able to be drawn into this plot and keep track of who, what, where, when, or how. Each character had a chance to show you a little something about them so that you can really be immersed in the plot and feel like a part of it. I do believe that this is the first Hannah novel where I actually figured out the who, the why, and at least part of the how before the big reveal. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to get busy trying out the mug cake recipe for my afternoon break at work.

I received a free copy of COCONUT LAYER CAKE MURDER (Hannah Swenson Mystery Book 23) by Joanne Fluke in exchange for an honest review. Hannah Swenson is taking a much-needed vacation to sunny California when her sister Michelle calls her home to snowy Minnesota with an urgent plea for help. Michelle’s boyfriend Detective Lonnie Murphy is now the prime suspect in a murder investigation. To make matters worse, none of the regular detectives are allowed to work the case. The only remaining officers available to investigate are a brand-new detective who has never even participated in a homicide investigation and lovable, but somewhat inept, Chief of Police Bill. Since Lonnie was present when the murder occurred but doesn’t remember anything, there’s little information immediately available to springboard the investigation. All they know is that Lonnie and, possibly, the victim were drugged that night and that a coconut layer cake was taken from the scene by the killer.

I enjoy this series and liked the book. I recommend this book to fans of the series. I recommend the series to fans of cozy murder mysteries featuring small towns, snowy weather, bakeries, closely-knit communities, good friends, loving families, and recipes.

#CoconutLayerCakeMurder #NetGalley

Fans of Hannah Swensen can rejoice as their wait for the latest in Joanne Fluke's cozy mystery series is over. If you enjoy the series, then you will love Coconut Layer Cake Murder.

The Hannah Swensen series is light and fluffy, much like the baked goods featured in every book.

Coconut Layer Cake Murder is the 25th book in the series. It isn't absolutely necessary to have read all the books in the series, as I have not. I'm starting to think I should read the series backwards instead of going back to the beginning and reading them in order as I have a few questions. I have read books 1 - 5 and in those, she is dating Norman and Mike is still interested in her. So I'm curious about what happened and how she wound up married to another man. In Coconut Layer Cake Murder, I might have gotten the answer to what happened between Norman and Hannah.

The book has everything that fans of the series have come to know and love. It is chocked full of recipes. I do wish they didn't make 5 or 6 dozen as some of the cookies sound really good. The cakes are more manageable sizes so I might try one of them. Have you ever tried one of the recipes in this series?

Because one of the detectives of the local police force is the main suspect in a murder investigation most of the regular police characters are off the case. So it is up to Hannah to clear Michelle's boyfriend Lonnie of murder. She has Norman and Andrea to help her and Mike is "mentoring" from the background. The cast of characters has grown quite a bit since the start of the series so other characters aren't as prominent in this latest installment, like Lisa and Bill.

The mystery is pretty good as there are a lot of potential suspects, which adds to the expanding cast of characters though little time is spent on character development for them. I thought that the murder was solved a little too abruptly at the end. Hannah wasn't sure who it was and then a character just confesses.

If you are looking for a light read, then Coconut Layer Cake Murder is great for a lazy weekend of reading.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Feb. 27 - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2020/02/coconut-layer-cake-murder-by-joanne.html

Coconut Layer Cake Murder by Joanne Fluke is the twenty-fifth A Hannah Swensen Mystery. I have read all the books in this series and there is a marked difference between Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder and Coconut Layer Cake Murder. The mystery is not the primary focus of the story. It seems that most of the book is devoted to cooking, baking, eating, and chatting. More than half of the book is devoted to recipes. I have stuck with the series this long, and I am not about to quit. After the cliffhanger left in the last book, I wanted to know what was happening with Hannah. I like how close Hannah is to her family and friends. Delores, Michelle, Doc Knight, Andrea, Bill, Norman, Mike, Lonnie and all the regulars are back. Lonnie is accused of murdering an old high school classmate and he needs Hannah’s help if he is to prove he is innocent. Mike is Lonnie’s partner so that bans him from investigating and Lonnie’s brother is also off the case. The lone detective left is Bill, Andrea’s husband, who lacks experience solving murders. This time (believe it or not) Hannah’s nosiness is encouraged. Lonnie’s fuzzy memory, though, causes some problems. Hannah zips around town in her cookie truck asking questions, dispensing cookies, and searching for clues. With help from family and friends, Hannah pieces together the clues and identifies the killer. Readers will have no problem solving this whodunit before the reveal. The story proceeds in a unique manner for cozy mysteries that was a nice change of pace, but I would not want too often. I know that Hannah needs to recover from what happened with Ross, but I believe it is time for her to decide between Mike and Norman (my pick is Mike). When A Hannah Swensen Mystery series ends (it is inevitable), I hope Joanne Fluke starts a new cozy mystery series. Coconut Layer Cake Murder is a light, feel good story firm friends, mouthwatering meals, a vital vacation, scrumptious cookies, and a busy baker.

Coconut Layer Cake Murder by Joanne Fluke is the 25th book in the Hannah Swensen series, and much better than some prior books in the series. Hannah and her mother travel to Las Angeles to help Hannah's friend move back to Minnesota. Hannah needs a break after going through everything with her husband Ross. Unfortunately Hannah gets called back home, because her sister's boyfriend, Detective Lonnie Murphy, is the prime suspect in a murder. Once again Hannah with the help of her friends and family must solve the murder. I really enjoyed the sweet moments between Hannah and Norman. I will always be team Norman, Mike just shows up to eat. I am happy this series has gone back to it's old formula, except I don't like the recipes after the chapters, I much prefer them in the back of the book. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series. I recommended this book and series for cozy book lovers.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

It's another regular installment of the 'We Can't Do Anything Without Hannah' show in Lake Eden, Minnesota. Hannah, who is on the verge of a nervous breakdown after the past few books (and who can blame her?), is prescribed a vacation to sunny California to help settle her nerves. She gets to enjoy it for all of about 3 days before her family calls her back, in need of her snooping prowess to solve yet another murder. This time, Michelle's boyfriend Lonnie is on the hook, and since he's a member of the sheriff's department, most of the deputies are forced to recuse themselves from investigating. Instead of calling in, I don't know, assistance from the state police, the department is left with Bill, the sheriff, and two new deputies, and none of them do the slightest bit of on-screen investigating in the whole book. It's all Hannah. I get that long-running series can get more difficult to write for, especially with a relatively limited cast of characters (especially since everyone new to town gets bumped off within weeks, if not days), but the stories are getting more ludicrous. However, it's worth reading AT LEAST the first few pages for the answer to the cliffhanger left in the last book, Chocolate Cream Pie murder.

I was the happiest clam to read this book in advance! I LOVE the Hannah Swensen series, and have gushed about how much I enjoy these books many times. This was no exception - it was fun, sweet, and had great recipes between chapters. Fluke always uses a formula when she writes these cozy mysteries, where there is a murder, Hannah finds the body, and then she solves the mystery. Fluke also has consistent themes - Hannah's sister isn't the best cook but she makes great whipper snapper cookies using cake mix, the two love interests are always around to help, and her chunky cat, Moishe, loves to jump into her arms when she returns home. But Fluke jazzes it up a bit this time. Hannah travels from her small town of Lake Eden to see the glitz and glamour of LA, and she isn't as closely connected to the murder case as she usually is. I appreciate the new elements that Fluke throws in while keeping tried-and-true standbys. I'm already eagerly awaiting the next in the series! My one suggestion is that Fluke make sure she's using more modern word choices. She consistently used "stewardess" throughout the book, which hasn't really been an accepted term in over a decade.

I first began this series when I came across Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder back in 2017. The setting was what drew me to this story. I am a Minnesota girl living in the heart of Texas, so the glimpse back into my home state was so comforting during a very challenging time in my life. The author mentions little obscure towns that I was familiar with, visited, and even lived near! She even mentions the school I had gone to for a few years. It was a quite a different feeling since my usual reading habits involved fantasy realms. The second thing that drew my attention to this series is the main character and her profession, a cookie baker. Yes, it was exactly what my little heart needed as I followed Hannah Swenson around and tried to piece together the clues to figure out who had done it.

The books were at times frustrating as I would come across redundancies, inaccuracies, and moments that pushed my suspension of disbelief too far. But I kept coming back to them. Hannah and her family and friends had worked their way into my heart and I had to know WHO she was going to choose. Mike, the handsome detective or Norman, the dependable, understanding dentist. And then in book 18 and 19, I gave up on the series for a long time. It was as if the author didn’t want to make a choice between the two men and slipped in another man. Didn’t even weave him in properly, but revealed things after the fact. I don’t know why I keep reading! And then books 21-22-23, and that ending of 24? I had to get my hands on a copy of book 25.

So here we are. Hannah is trying to pick up the pieces of her life again as she solves another murder. Overall I enjoyed the story. It wasn’t as slow as some of the others have been, perhaps because we are hanging on to each scene to see what Hannah will do regarding Mike and Norman. The clues were quite blatant, some red-herrings in the mix, which was neat. Although, due to Lonnie’s account of the events that night, I felt that Hannah would have pursued a certain line of questioning and suspects, which she seemed to ignore. Of course, that would have shortened the story considerably, and we can’t have that. Ha!

Overall, an enjoyable read, and for those who enjoy cozy mysteries, check it out! Except, you’ll want to start with the first book, Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder.

*I received an advanced reader copy through Netgalley, my opinions are my own.*

Another enjoyable entry in Mrs. Fluke’s Lake Eden baking mysteries. Hannah is dealing with the situation from the ending of the previous book (understandable) and, doctor’s and stepfather’s orders, she actually goes on vacation in this book to California (with Delores) to help her friend Lynne pack before her move to Lake Eden. Well, that is, until she gets a panicked call from Michelle, begging her to home and help Lonnie. For once, Hannah didn’t discover the body! But Lonnie did, and he’s suspect numero uno. And I actually found this a more believable motivator for Hannah to be involved in the case. I’m not sure why, but I did. But this is different, too, because we got less inside info on the case because Lonnie (duh), Mike (as Lonnie’s supervisor), and Rick Murphy (as Lonnie’s partner) are all off the case and Bill’s working it with a new hire.

It felt like there was less investigation in this book, which was weird, because Hannah was the only one (we see) investigating. The ending felt a bit tacked on, because I hadn’t figured it out before a certain point in the book that I normally would have by then. And if I just hadn’t figured it out that would be fine. But I couldn’t because of a piece of investigating was not done earlier, when I would have done it if I’d been in charge of the investigation. And I’m glad Lynne is coming because I like her and I’m looking forward to getting to know her better. All in all, a very enjoyable trip to revisit my old friends in Minnesota.

This cozy mystery featured a mysterious plot, intriguing characters and delicious recipes. I liked how the main character is seen moving on with her life and getting over the disastrous marriage from previous books. I liked how she was able to assist the police in their investigation, with their cooperation. There wasn't enough suspense in it for me, and it came at the end of the book. I received an advanced reader's copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

This was a cozy little mystery book that I enjoyed. The story of a baker who also investigates crimes! A close friend who is also a fellow law enforcement was just trying to help out an old classmate when the night all becomes a blur.

With the sweet treats being shared as she investigates the murder the baker is able to find out what really happened.

I loved the recipes given through out the book!

Coconut Layer Cake Murder is the next installment of Joanne Fluke’s long running Hannah Swenson novels. It was nice to be back in Lake Eden and with familiar characters in this cozy mystery.
Hannah is in LA to help get away from stress things in her past and to help a friend prepare for a move, she must cut her vacation short to get back home when her sister, Michelle’s boyfriend, Lonnie is accused of murder. Since Lonnie is part of the Lake Eden police force most of officers are taken off the case as they are close friends with Lonnie. All those close to Lonnie know that Hannah is the only one who can clear him. With some help Hannah sets off to not only solve this murder but to make some yummy treats along the way.
I’ve been a fan of Hannah for a long time now. I can’t believe this is the 25th book in the series. If you are a fan as well but have gotten a bit behind in the series I highly recommend going back 2-3 books to catch up before reading Coconut Layer Cake Murder. I did feel that there were more recipes in this one and they were longer than usual. Overall, it was wonderful cozy mystery!

Coconut Layer Cake Murder is the 25th entry in Joanne Fluke’s long running series featuring baker and amateur detective Hannah Swensen. I have read all the books and, while I always enjoy revisiting Lake Eden and its inhabitants, I felt this was one of the weaker entries. I honestly feel like if all the references to food and recipes were removed, this book would be more of a novella.  Hannah is recalled from a trip to California to aid her sister Michelle’s boyfriend, Lonnie, who is the number one suspect in a murder. Because he is with the Lake Eden Sheriff’s department, the other detectives are unable to investigate. I didn’t think this made a lot of sense because Bill, Hannah’s other sister Andrea’s husband, was allowed to. I also felt that the most pertinent witnesses were the last Hannah interviewed—and surely Bill would have long before Hannah did? All those complaints aside, it was fun to revisit Lake Eden and I enjoyed the resurgence of the relationship between Hannah and Norman, a truly nice man. I am hoping the Ms Fluke will finally put an end to the Norman/Mike/Hannah triangle and give Hannah a happily ever after with Norman in the near future. Throughout the series, Ms Fluke has done a wonderful job building a community of characters that always make the books comforting and enjoyable reads. I would like to stress that this is not a standalone novel. I believe that any reader would be best served by reading not only previous entries in the series, but especially the last two or three. 

I was given a copy of this book by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review. The opinions stated are solely my own.

Coconut Layer Cake Murder is the 25th book in the much loved Hannah Swensen series. Normally I feel that books in a series can be read out of order but in this case, I highly suggest that you don't. The author assumes that you know (or remember!) what happened in the last book. There is no recap as you start and I feel like the reader would be thoroughly confused if this was the start of their journey with Hannah. With that said, regular readers of this series will enjoy seeing Hannah again and wrapping up the cliff hanger from the last story.

The 25th book also returns to the previous writing style of the author. A few books were criticized for being sloppy and disjointed story but Coconut Layer Cake Murder has a tighter, more fluid narrative with a great story. The book has some recipes, some mystery and some just catching up with the characters. I personally have been reading this long because I want to visit the fictional Lake Eden and see how Hannah and her friends and family are doing. And of course to see if she will finally be with NORMAN!! Hearing their stories is like coming home.