Bottomless Beverages and Lard Floats: Hannah’s Having a Fat Attack!!!
Written: Jan 12 '09 (Updated May 29 '09)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Cozy, good murder, good conclusion
Cons: Static characters, sappy, unrealistic, too much trivia and too little action
The Bottom Line: Overall, while it wasn’t anywhere near perfect, Key Lime Pie Murder was a satisfying read and promised a better future for the series.
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| countess_eva's Full Review: Joanne Fluke - Key Lime Pie Murder |
Death. Betrayal. Caloric Intake. The homicidal hotbed of Lake Eden has it all. Frowzy, frumpy, and frizzy, Hannah Swenson, baker extraordinaire, is in for yet another jolt when, wondering through the abandoned fairgrounds one night, she witnesses the murder of her new friend by the hands of a shadowy stranger. The inept police department of Lake Eden is no match for such a dangerous mind, and Hannah is once again on the trail of a wanton killer. But, has she bitten off more than she can chew?
Meanwhile, back in cozy civilian life, Hannah’s G-rated ménage et tois with Mike, the dashing dim witted deputy, and Norman, the delicious dentist, is going nowhere and while she feels affection for them both . . . can her life really go on like this? Will her heart forever be torn between two men? Can she really have her cake and eat it too? Sometimes having it all isn’t such a good thing.
And while the murderous machinations continue, let’s not forget the endless clack of domestic trivia that fills the first 100 pages and then interjects frequently once the adrenaline gets pumping. Oh, Hannah . . .you almost redeemed yourself. After Cherry Cheesecake Murder, the eighth edition to the Hannah Swenson Series, ended with a fizzle earning itself a much deserved one-star rating and a rant, Key Lime Pie Murder picked up in the same vein, pumping endless rounds of sappy trivia at an already disenchanted reader. Gobs of glucose, lashings of lameness, and triads of trivia assaulted the reader on every page growing ever more sugar coated as the dialogue-only-plot floundered. Fans of the Hannah Swenson Series will recall that this proclivity to dwell on uninteresting dialogue and unrelated circumstances has often been a detractor to the series in general since book one, but the problem has only grown as the series continues culminating into a down right irritating tendency. It must be stamped out.
The series noticeably went down around book five, Fudge Cupcake Murder, and since then several key problems have become clearly evident and further exacerbated by each progressive edition. Joanna Fluke didn’t jump a shark she jumped an entire school of sharks. Yes, that’s right folks its time to dial 1-800-REALITY again. There are several fatal flaws in the reality fabric of Lake Eden some of which can easily be forgiven and ignored in the name of fiction and a child like embrace of imagination where amateur sleuths can solve complex crimes and little towns can have an exaggerated murder rate and yet, the denizens are oblivious, happy, and react to every murder as though it is a totally unheard of phenomenon. However, there are some dalliances with the realm of reality that verge on science fiction. Shall we examine them:
(1.) Happy Peppy Prozac People:
Since Fudge Cupcake Murder, the characterization has stalled taking developing personalities such as Hannah, Norman, Mike, Andrea, Delores, and others and slamming them into the forced venue of the dismally stereotypical. Hannah is the chubby, frizzy, frump whom every man wants. She can treat them with disdain, disregard, and maintain a completely platonic relationship, yet they just keep coming back. In each progressive book she flounders with her situation, considering the merits of each potential mate and yet, as always, in the end she decides that men are like potato chips: you can’t just have one. While more than one suitor is every woman’s secret dream, and we sure as hell love to hear it in the novels, all right already! For God’s sake marry one of them! Stop these endless stalemates! We get it already . . . . . . . . .um, not that I have an opinion or anything.
Norman is the delightful dentist who, although he is not attractive, is such a sensitive, sweet soul that he would willingly sever his own head if Hannah so desired it. Sweet, inhumanely considerate, perfect, and that Harlequin dream version of an oh-so-male man whose soul purpose in life is to cater to an ice queen’s every whim is a character that the reader loves yet doesn’t entirely believe in. Yes, woman want a guy like this but come on everyone is human. No one could possibly be as perfectly understanding all the time as the gentle souled Norman. Norman, please, please, please act somewhat human every now and again!
Mike, the rough and tumble deputy who displays a raw, chauvinistic opposite of Norman is an insensitive brute with muscles that Hannah just can’t resist. Mike has the typical meat-with-eyes appeal and, in this novel, rarely appears. Yet, Hannah still loves him because he makes her go starry eyed and weak in the knees. Someone give me a bucket to catch the sap please.
Lisa is still running the Cookie Jar while Hannah flops around like a landed guppy. Lisa is perfect and peppy, always willing to do all the hard work for crap wages, taking time away from the new hubby to bake and scrape at The Cookie Jar while Hannah unearths bodies and considers the merits of building her own all male harem.
Michelle and Andrea are equally as goofy as always. Andrea is still dim witted, yet stylish and beautiful, if not excessively vain. Michelle is the little sis that could, doting on Hannah. Delores is still just as pushy and obnoxious as usual and has degraded in intellect even further developing a child like whine.
In other words, everything’s the same as it has always been. None of the characters have grown rather they have regressed retreating from semi-realistic figures that the reader rooted for and becoming once again obviously fictional characters in an obviously fictional world in an obviously fictional plot in an obviously fictional series. Strike one.
Criminal Catching for Dummies:
While the series has always had a fantastical aura, Key Lime Pie Murder totally ignores previously established patterns taking the plot and breaking it down into several contrived, overtly obvious instances in which the information was simply handed to Hannah. After 100 pages of mind numbing trivia, the murder occurs and Hannah’s usual investigation sort of begins. There are a few investigative attempts, but overall persons with knowledge or suspicions seek Hannah out at convenient moments or plot lulls, divulging everything they know. Yet, they never even seem to consider going to the police with this information. Of course, this might be just as well since The Winnetka County Police Department seems to have totally given over to ineptitude, sitting back and consuming Chocolate Delights or some such sugar laden concoction until their brains have atrophied making the way conveniently clear for our frizzy heroine. Hmmm, how opportune.
Hannah’s antagonistic boyfriend, the over protective deputy who forbids Hannah to dally with the world of sleuthing, has suddenly switched mid gear and is now ready to come onstage, spew everything the police department has learned, do nothing with the information, and then conveniently disappear. This desire to hand Hannah the information instead of allowing her to hypothesize and struggle for the answer was excessively annoying and unrealistic. Only one word: 1-800-REALITY. Get real.
Insulin Shock: Get Ready for your Cheerful Glucose Cozy
Gobs of fermenting fat, loads of lard, towers of sweets, vats of Swedish Plasma, heaps of chocolate . . . all right already!!! The Hannah Swenson Series has always had a sweet tooth, combining murder and food in an oddly cozy combo, but as the series goes on the binge eating has begun to get out of hand. Key Lime Pie Murder was enough to send anyone into instant diabetic shock as Hannah mows her way through piles of food in a manner that would make King Fhaud proud. While judging a baked good contest, therefore tasting hundreds of varying desserts, cooking and consuming her own cookies, and downing vats of sugar laden coffee (yet never needing a loo), Hannah still has a roving eye for the desserts. Sinful Pleasures, the deep fried candy booth bar, beckons Hannah throughout the novel and as she describes her visceral desire for candy, the reader begins to imagine Hannah being pushed around in an extra large wheel barrow greedily grasping over the edges at sweets as they rush by. Come on, no one eats this much! While candy and cola has a cozy homey feel of overindulgence in front of the family fireplace, there really is such a concept as “too much of a good thing” and Hannah has definitely reached this stage.
The 15 second Shower: Dynamics of the Real World
Okay, this has been bugging me since the first installment and I just have to say it. Hannah can wake up, have ten cups of Swedish Plasma, jump in the tub, get dressed, and dry her hair in under five minutes. Either she is bionic woman, or our plump red head is a stinky red head too. And, one other thing, how come she can drink coffee all day and never need the bathroom? There, I’ve finally said it. That’s been bugging me for nine books now.
But, it’s not all bad. The Good, the Mediocre, and the Lard Laden
Having dealt with the faux pas, Key Lime Pie Murder, despite the mountain of above stated errors, did have a redeeming side making the reader have hopes that perhaps the rest of the series is on the upturn. Firstly, when the murder finally occurred it was an incredible, edge-of-the-seat, adrenalin pumping moment - - - one of the best murders in the entire series. And, for a nice change, instead of just finding a body later Hannah witnessed the murder and was in imminent peril herself. Good show old bean, or should I say old cupcake?
Likewise, when Mike wasn’t giving Hannah information there were a few chapters of actual sleuthing that divulged some exciting and shocking details about the victim enabling the reader to start formulating hypotheses and picking out perps. The victim’s previous life was awash in crime and betrayal and, although all sleuthing leads to Rome, there were several false starts including one that was nearly fatal to our little red head that could.
Near the conclusion, when Hannah was trapped with the killer, the tension was first class, the danger real and exciting, and the circumstances were vastly different from pervious installments in the series. In this instant, the reader was more than willing to forgive the unrealistic elements of the novel and became one with Hannah, stranded with a wanton killer. The stakes were high, the reader was on the edge of his or her seat, and the finale was truly incredible.
And, most important of all, Key Lime Pie Murder, once the actual murder began, regained that old Hannah Swenson feel making the reader want to cuddle by the fireplace with kitty and family and read the machinations over a cup of steaming coca. While Cherry Cheesecake Murder had lost that certain sense of coziness, Key Lime Pie Murder regained some of the magic making a lot of the errors more than forgivable. Once again, the quaint Minnesota town comes alive drawing the reader into a world filled with warm fuzzys. Overall, while it wasn’t anywhere near perfect, Key Lime Pie Murder was a satisfying read and promised a better future for the series. Three stars for effort and trying to recapture the former glory. But please Hannah, eat some vegetables. Recommended.
Countess_Eva
The Hannah Swenson Series:
The Hannah Swenson Series:
(1.) Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder
(2.) Strawberry Shortcake Murder
(3.) Blueberry Muffin Murder
(4.) Lemon Meringue Pie Murder
(5.) Fudge Cupcake Murder
(6.) Sugar Cookie Murder
(7.) Peach Cobbler Murder
(8.) Cherry Cheesecake Murder
(9.) Key Lime Pie Murder
(10.) Carrot Cake Murder
(11.) Cream Puff Murder
Hannah Swenson short stories are also included in Sugar and Spice and Candy Cane Murder
Recommended:
Yes
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countess_eva
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Member: Frances Carden
Location: Washington DC
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