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!