It's always nice to hang out with Hannah Swensen. She's the owner of the Cookie Jar cookie shop in the fictional small town of Lake Eden, Minnesota. Though baking is her passion, Hannah has another, less cheerful hobby: she's become the town's number one amateur sleuth. When it comes to murder, no one, not even Lake Eden's police force (with Hannah's brother-in-law Bill in charge) can come close to cooking up solutions like Hannah.

Although I'm a fan of cozy mysteries, the more formulaic series can sometimes drive me slightly crazy. For some reason, that's not been the case here. Although the formula of Joanne Fluke's Hannah Swensen can become quite predictable, somehow I've not yet tired of it. That's why I found myself placing Carrot Cake Murder, the tenth outing in the series, on reserve at our local library, not long after it was published this past March. The fact that a copy finally became available just last week is testament to the fact that I'm not the only person who enjoys spending time with the cookie-baking sleuth of Lake Eden.

It's a summertime mystery this time out, with Hannah helping out her cookie company partner Lisa by doing some cooking and baking for the Herman-Beeseman family reunion. Among the many relatives arriving for the big event is Marge and Patsy Beeseman's long-lost brother Gus, who disappeared decades ago and hasn't been seen since. Tearful hugs soon give way to some recriminations and accusations. Not everyone is happy to see him, and some folks still feel downright hostile. Among other things, Gus owes a lot of people in town money. He claims to have hit it rich in the intervening years, and his fancy cars and clothes seem to back that up. But appearances can be deceiving...

There's no surprise at all when Gus turns out to be this outing's murder victim (the blurb on the inside cover tells all). The setting up of the crime is a very standard part of this series' formula...for instance, the victim is always found near Hannah's latest culinary masterpiece. This time out, that's carrot cake. You'd think the folks in Lake Eden would be a bit edgy by now about buying Hannah's baked goods, but business appears to be booming!

I'll be honest: I don't read these books for the mysteries. Some are better plotted than others, and this time out was fairly suspenseful. I already know going in where the book will start and end, and even some of the ways Fluke will connect the dots. The fun part is watching it all happen and getting to spend time with the series' regular characters. They and the familiar cozy setting of the town are what keep me going back to these books.

Okay, maybe it is starting to drive me a bit batty that Hannah doesn't seem to ever grow emotionally or change in any real way. While not a powerhouse of a writer, Fluke's descriptions and dialog are solid, and I think she's capable of showing growth in her characters. She allows the minor characters, such as Hannah's sisters Andrea and Michelle, or her mother Delores, a little more room to stretch. Heroine Hannah is a likable character who manages to keep my interest despite the fact that her life is one long song made up of the same notes, over and over: her cookie business, her sleuthing, her fondness for her cat Moishe, and her conflicted feelings over the two men she's dating (Mike the police officer and Norman the dentist).

Hannah's life-song is nice, easy to hum, even danceable. But I can't help wishing now and again that author Fluke would throw in a creative riff in a different key. Hannah's emotional back and forth between Mike and Norman is especially grating and is beginning to feel unreal even for a formulaic series. No woman could be this ambivalent when it comes to love! (Added to which, it's crystal clear which suitor Hannah should marry...I think Fluke knows it too, but for some reason won't let her character realize it.) We seemed to get less time with Hannah's family this time out, but more page-time with Norman, which I enjoyed. His sleuthing skills are improving, and the two of them make a good team.

Ah well. Familiar dance tunes aren't all bad. And when it comes to fluffy summer reading of the cozy mystery type, Fluke's Hannah Swensen mysteries remain some of my favorites. Like the rest of the series, Carrot Cake Murder contains a number of new recipes. In addition to cookies, this volume contains a number of small-town summertime picnic dishes like casseroles and jello-molds. I appreciate the comfort foods, but I've been thinking it's time for Hannah to cook up some healthier, natural recipes. Considering the upcoming book (set for publication in 2009) has cream puff in the title, I'm not holding my breath.

~befus, 2008

Carrot Cake Murder: A Hannah Swensen Mystery With Recipes
by Joanne Fluke
Kensington Books, 2008
0758210205

I've also reviewed Fudge Cupcake Murder, the 5th book in the series.

Recommended: Yes