Wedding bliss didn't last too long for Hannah Swensen. Her
husband has vanished, but was it deliberate or not. Is Ross
alive or dead? Hannah is teary-eyed, wonders if there is
something wrong with her; but soon she has more worries to
contend with as Ross' assistant P.K. at KCOW TV is murdered, or
was Ross the intended victim? Then puzzling things start
creeping up concerning Ross. Hannah goes on investigating mode
while manning a food stand at Sally's Holiday Gift Convention,
but the case is proving to be unsolvable...
RASPBERRY DANISH MURDER is a really terrific mystery, and
definitely one of the best books in the Hannah Swensen
Mystery series. I had my doubts as to how Hannah
getting
married would affect the series, and to my surprise, it has
given it a second wind; and my mind is spinning at the
possibilities! All the gang is back in fine form, and it was
lovely to see second-grader Tracey -- Hannah's niece -- I
thought
she was cute and genuinely funny. Hannah's cat Moishe seems
under the weather, and this was also wonderfully clever.
The way Hannah handled the murderer at the end was very
dramatic, but how she dealt with the situation had me laughing
out loud at the same time. It was such an ingenious yet
matter-of-fact way of dealing with a murderous villain. I
thought RASPBERRY DANISH MURDER was exceptionally well
structured, the pace never faltered. The clues to the
mysteries alternated nicely with the baking and the eating, and
the very entertaining feline segments. I also like that, in the
course of the story, Joanne Fluke ever so subtly inserts
tidbits of useful advice that could prove helpful, if not
sometimes lifesaving for readers. RASPBERRY DANISH MURDER could
prove hazardous to one's diet, because those recipes nearly
sent me running to the nearest bakery! It was such a fun book,
I already cannot wait for the next installment. Ross
has really shaken things up!
Thanksgiving has a way of thawing the frostiest hearts in
Lake Eden. But that won’t be happening for newlywed Hannah
Swensen Barton—not after her husband suddenly disappears . .
.
Hannah has felt as bitter as November in Minnesota since
Ross vanished without a trace and left their marriage in
limbo. Still, she throws herself into a baking frenzy for
the sake of pumpkin pie and Thanksgiving-themed treats while
endless holiday orders pour into The Cookie Jar. Hannah even
introduces a raspberry Danish pastry to the menu, and P.K.,
her husband’s assistant at KCOW-TV, will be one of the first
to sample it. But instead of taking a bite, P.K., who is
driving Ross’s car and using his desk at work, is murdered.
Was someone plotting against P.K. all along or did Ross
dodge a deadly dose of sweet revenge? Hannah will have to
quickly sift through a cornucopia of clues and suspects to
stop a killer from bringing another murder to the table . . .