How is this murder mystery possible? That is the question that continued to pop in my head while reading about a civilian who took it upon herself to practically head a murder investigation. One minute Hanna is just asked to keep an ear out for any relevant news on the mystery, and the next minute Hanna is taking over the whole operation. How is this possible? In reality, it’s not, which is a little disturbing to those of us who want some realism in our fiction.

Hannah even seems to know more about solving crimes than the police officers do. Watching a civilian provide clues and tips on how to handle the murder investigation was a little hard for this reader to swallow. However, putting the unrealistic point aside, the main character and plot of the story are seasoned quite nicely for my own taste.

As a down-to-earth character, Hannah is more interested in coming up with enticing cookie recipes than having her hair or outfit perfectly done. She is comfortable being herself, which is refreshing to observe, keeping Hannah easy to relate to with all of her daily struggles. Though well-intentioned, her family - particularly her mother - never gives Hannah a moment’s piece. Her outspoken nature keeps Hannah imperfect, but realistic. And, her genuine desire to help others is also an admirable trait. Having a love of food and baking doesn’t hurt her character either.

There were numerous scenes of people eating, not to mention drinking a lot of coffee, so I could not help but get a craving and a need to try the recipes provided in the book. The food was detailed in such a way that there is no way around a grumbling stomach. The recipes are simple, with good tips to achieve the perfectly cooked cookie. From my own experimentation, both the Regency Ginger Crisps and the Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies were chewy with a light crispy bottom and buttery flavor.

Though we may not all have an interest in baking, this book made me want to take up the hobby. Keeping with the same cookies mentioned in the story, there are a total of seven recipes in the book; some are common while others are very original. Overall, I found that the book was definitely worth reading, if not for the sole purpose of trying the cookie recipes.

-EZ Read Staffer Amelia