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Review
Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder
Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by
Joanne Fluke

Kensington Press
310 pages, 2000
ISBN 1575665247
Reviewed by PJ Nunn

Read our author interview


It's a rare thing when a murder mystery makes the mouth water in anticipation, but this one does. Hannah Swenson owns a bakery called The Cookie Jar in the tiny town of Lake Eden. She's single, much to her mother's dismay, a great cook, a good friend and an all-around nice person. She's also insatiably curious when there's a puzzle to solve.

When a regularly scheduled delivery fails to arrive on time, Hannah wonders what's wrong. She passed Ron's truck on the way to work and knows how meticulous he is about being on time. Half an hour later, she discovers his body in the alley behind the shop. He's dead, which is bad enough, but did he have to die with one of her cookies in his hand? Things like this don't happen in Lake Eden and Hannah is immediately in the middle of it, helping brother-in-law Bill - the Sheriff's detective - any way she can. In line for a promotion, Bill's glad to have Hannah's help. Anyone in town will talk to her. But sometimes Hannah doesn't know when to quit. She's relentless in pursuing every possible lead, and if she's not careful, she'll soon be Lake Eden's next homicide victim.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder is a charming mystery with all the right ingredients. Fluke provides likable, well-developed characters, an unusual and enticing setting and a list of suspects that keep readers guessing right to the end. It's as tempting a fare as the title suggests, along with the recipes interspersed throughout the book.


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