Christmas Cake Murder

Hannah Swensen #23

by Joanne Fluke

It’s Christmas many years ago, and topping young Hannah Swensen’s wish list is becoming the go-to baker in Lake Eden, Minnesota. But as Hannah finds out, revisiting holiday memories can be murder . . .
 
With her dream of opening The Cookie Jar taking shape, Hannah’s life matches the hectic December hustle and bustle in Lake Eden—especially when she agrees to help recreate a spectacular Christmas Ball from the past in honor of Essie Granger, an elderly local in hospice care. But instead of poring over decadent dessert recipes for the merry festivities, she instantly becomes enthralled by Essie’s old notebooks and the tale of a woman escaping danger on the streets of New York. Hannah’s surprised by Essie’s secret talent for penning crime fiction. She’s even more surprised when the story turns real. As Hannah prepares to run a bakery and move out of her mother’s house, it’ll be a true miracle if she can prevent another Yuletide disaster by solving a mystery as dense as a Christmas fruitcake . . .

Genres: Mystery, Christmas, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Cozy, Audiobook, Holiday

271 pages, Hardcover

First published September 25, 2018

About the author

Like Hannah Swensen, Joanne Fluke grew up in a small town in rural Minnesota where her neighbors were friendly, the winters were fierce, and the biggest scandal was the spotting of unidentified male undergarments on a young widow's clothesline. She insists that there really are 10,000 lakes and the mosquito is NOT the state bird.

While pursuing her writing career, Joanne has worked as: a public school teacher, a psychologist, a musician, a private detective's assistant, a corporate, legal, and pharmaceutical secretary, a short order cook, a florist's assistant, a caterer and party planner, a computer consultant on a now-defunct operating system, a production assistant on a TV quiz show, half of a screenwriting team with her husband, and a mother, wife, and homemaker.

She now lives in Southern California with her husband, her kids, his kids, their three dogs, one elderly tabby, and several noisy rats in the attic.

Series:
* Hannah Swensen

Reviews

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am finally caught up on the Hannah Swensen cozy mystery series by Joanne Fluke. I finished reading Christmas Cake Murder, the 23rd of 24 books, published in the last year. The next one is in ARC form and I'm hoping to get my hands on it soon as I'd rather not wait until early 2019 when it's formally published. Overall, I'd give it 4 stars as it had a lot of the traditional elements we normally love in these books, but the mystery was very different.

The book takes place before the first one in the series actually took place. It's the beginning tale of how Hannah got started at The Cookie Jar. The story is a reflection on all the major characters we've come to love and shows us what happened when Lars, Hannah's father, passed away. We also see how Delores reacted, what drove Andrea to become a real estate agent, and how Michelle was in high school. It was lots of fun and helped provide us with some wonderful and tender moments about this beautiful family.

It was also a bit repetitive for regular readers as we knew 25% of this content already. I can overlook that tho, as I like the setting and relationships. The other big piece of the book was a different sorta mystery where a local citizen, Essie, has an accident (truly, an accident) and is in the hospital. Hannah finds her journal and reads the book Essie had been writing. Is it about herself? Someone else in Lake Eden? Completely made up? We find out in the last chapter as the entire time we're meandering along, we're clueless, too. Once we find out, it's nice closure for this book but doesn't really connect to all the others in the series in terms of the mystery. Part of me was hoping to learn a fun fact about a new connection among the town's inhabitants. I sadly didn't.

That said, normal recipes look good. Everything else is spot-on. But it's just a re-cap book with a little bit of new content... I judge it on that merit rather than give it a poor rating because it didn't have a mystery. That was never what Fluke intended... and I'm glad I had this chance to read a bit more about Hannah's younger years. It's worth a read but not necessary to read in order. It could even be read first. Okay, off to find an ARC of the latest book. Wow... I completed another series (just about, don't deny me this fact please - LOL)!

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been a fan of the Hannah Swensen series for years. Although there are a lot of culinary cozy series now, this series was one of the first. After 23 books, this series is still one of my favorites, despite some....disappointments....in the last couple of books (not going to say what so I don't spoil things for newer readers but those who have read the entire series know I'm talking about R.) This book is a prequel taking readers back to before Hannah opened her bakery, The Cookie Jar, ....so it circumvents the R debacle. I was so excited when I saw this available for review. A Hannah prequel! Yep -- I'm up for it!

I'm going to delve into what I love about this book first, then get to several problems I see. Always the good first! :)

I love the fact that the plot of this book is a bit different....a bit of a story inside a story. Hannah comes home after college, not sure what to do with the rest of her life. She settles back into life in Lake Eden, helping her mother and sisters after the recent death of her father. An elderly much-loved resident of the little MN town has fallen on hard times and is in the hospital recovering from a fall. Hannah and her mother discover that the woman has been living in squalor in the old theater building in town. They come up with a plan to recreate the annual Christmas Ball, an event that Essie remembers fondly. And, they go to the old building Essie has been living in to pack up some of her belongings to bring to the hospital. While looking for items Essie has requested, they find some old notebooks. Essie was writing a story. Hannah, her sisters and mother all get totally sucked into Essie's story, which turns out might be a real mystery about the past. So...a story within a story. Nice creative touch for a Hannah Swensen Christmas tale!

I liked the fact that this story was completely pre-love triangle. For those new to the series, through most of the series, Hannah was torn between two men in Lake Eden. Things just dragged on too long, and when it finally did resolve, it was disappointing. But, in this prequel tale, Hannah is busy deciding to open her bakery and coffee shop. No love triangle. No male competition. Not even Moishe, Hannah's kitty cat.

Lots of recipes! From pork roast to breakfast burritoes and peach pie to mint cookies, there is a recipe to tempt almost everybody!

There is some nice character development in this prequel. Dolores has just lost her husband and is having difficulty dealing with the loss. Hannah has just finished college and wants to change her life plan of teaching college to something she will actually enjoy -- baking. The story gives some nice insight into Hannah, her sisters and her mother. I'm invested in these characters after years of reading this series. It was nice to read about what things were like for them before Hannah opened The Cookie Jar.

Much as I love, love, love getting a Hannah-fix, I do have to give an honest review.... Some problems evident in the past several books in this series are still a problem with this one.
Clunky, clumsy dialogue. Overuse of characters' names. Over explanation of situations, or characters unnecessarily repeating conversations or situations to other characters. It's just different (and more amateurish) writing than what I'm used to from this series. I went to my library's digital site and downloaded an early book in the series to see if I'm imagining things.....and no, I stand by my analysis. The writing style is completely different, and much less polished than the rest of the series. The last 3 books have been problematic. Ghost writer? Different editor? Something has changed. I'm invested in this series after 23 books and years of reading, but I'm disappointed by the changes in quality of writing and in the characters' behavior.

But.....all in all....I love this series and the characters. This was a nice Christmas story with some new elements that I enjoyed. But I have to be honest and say that the story should have gone through another round of editing to tighten things up, bringing it up to the standard of the first 20 books or so of this series.

I can't wait for my next visit to Lake Eden! Luckily I don't have long to wait! Book 24, Chocolate Creme Pie Murder, will be out in February 2019! And all of us die-hard fans will finally find out the ending of the R debacle! I hope Hannah punches him in the mouth multiple times and kicks him in the .....well somewhere rude. We shall see!

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Kensington via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own. No cookies were baked during the reading of this book, although I was sorely tempted to completely sabotage my diet.**

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m sure anyone looking at my reading list this month must think it contains a lot of Christmas and murder, but really it’s just that I’ve just now discovered cozy mysteries, which are quite fun! This takes us back to the very beginning when Hannah is just leaving college and doesn’t yet run her cookie shop. Her mom needs a project to help keep her busy and so Hannah’s grandmother gets her to organize a Christmas ball with a cake parade in a hotel ballroom. Yum!

There’s also another mystery taking place within the pages of a manuscript which you never know whether to quite believe. This was delightful and cozy between the descriptions of Hanna getting her bakery off the ground, trying out lots of recipes at home, and lots of girl time with her mother and sister. One of my favorite Hanna Swensons so far!

[Kristin Bateman · Rating 1 out of 5]

In a word: AWFUL. This is one of the worst ones in the entire series, but yet, I cannot quit. The "murder" happened in the last 20 pages, there was no mystery to solve, and pages upon pages were pointless descriptions. No lie, there was about half a page of Hannah explaining how to flip a switch to turn on the fireplace. HALF A PAGE ABOUT A LIGHT SWITCH! I swear these have to be ghost-written. Will I read book 24? Likely yes because I want to find out more about the Ross-situation, but man, this one was just AWFUL.

[Joan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Do not read this review if you plan to read the book.

This story goes back to the time when Hannah's father has just passed away, and Hannah, her sisters, and their friends are trying to get Delores out of her depression. After all, it has been all of three weeks, so the widow should be back to normal by now!

To occupy Delores' s mind, they decide to keep her busy by organizing a Christmas Ball in honour of Essie, an elderly woman in hospice, who reminisces about a wonderful such event in the past. It was the highlight of her life, as she constantly reminds everyone. They go through the old lady's things and discover a mystery story which they think she wrote. It is about a young, pregnant woman who flees New York to save her unborn child from the criminals who shot her husband. A kind, old doctor she meets on the train takes her into his home and helps her find a new life in Minnesota. She finds diamonds in her husband's duffle bag, which he has helped pack before her escape. She knew nothing about the diamonds and does not seem to wonder why her husband would have them. ???? Wasn't he supposed to be the good guy??? She also does not sell them, even though she is living in unheated rooms without electricity in Minnesota. Does she still own the hotel? Is she collecting rent from the restaurant on the first floor? The hotel did not generate the revenue they expected before it closed, but surely she should not be living in dire poverty, even if, or especially if, the hotel was sold. There is something really odd about this aspect of the story.

In this book we see how Hannah has left university shortly before completing her PhD, because of a relationship with a professor that went bad. Once her mother starts feeling better, she starts taking Hannah's life in hand. Hannah has always loved to bake, so Delores encourages her to open a bakery/coffee shop. She then takes her to see a condo, with which we become very familiar in later years.

This book is written in a very childish manner, which reminds me of the children's book, "Go Dog Go!"

Do you like my party hat? I do, I like your party hat.

I like these chocolate cookies. Michelle likes these chocolate cookies. We all like these chocolate cookies. Would you like another chocolate cookie?

The story is extremely thin and the truth is obvious to us long before it becomes apparent to Hannah.

Essie suggests that this ball will bring her life full circle. The others think she is talking about dying, although she seems to be recovering well. Then Essie is shot at the Ball. How did the villain find her after so many years? How did he happen to be at the ball? Just dropping in while visiting in the neighbourhood from New York? We are given no clue as to how they found her after so many years.

If I am smart, I will not read any more books in this series, but I hope that one day Hannah will come to her senses and choose the right man for her. To this end, I keep on reading them and shaking my head over every single one. The girl does not seem to come equipped with hormones and her two boyfriends seem entirely happy to be part of a happy and platonic threesome (referring to the other books in this series). This should make the choice easier for her. Choose the one who is kind and thoughtful and treats her (and her cat) like royalty.

[Melodie · Rating 2 out of 5]

First off, thanks to Kensington and NetGalley for approving me to read this one. That said, I really hate the fact that this book was just BAD! I was a big fan of the Hannah Swensen books for many years. I have several recipes that are used often at my house that came from these books. The last book in the series that I read was Red Velvet Cupcake Murder. It finally got on my last nerve with the dreaded "triangle". When I saw that this one was a "prequel" I had hopes that it would be like the earlier books. I was wrong. The writing style is not like I remember for this series. And to say the dialogue was "stilted" is a kindness. I suppose you could say there was a murder in this one, but not like you'd think. There are a couple of recipes in this one that I will probably try, which is why I'm rating this 2-stars. I think this one might be an effort on Ms. Fluke's part to make up to her readers for what has apparently been going on in the last few books regarding Ross. Again, I loved this series for the longest time and do so wish it would return to its glory days. If you are a fan, and have stuck with the series past Red Velvet Cupcake, which is where I got off the train, you will most definitely want to read this one and I do hope you like it.

**Read in exchange for an honest review. #NetGalley

[Kim · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm back again with another review in this series. I know, I can't believe it either. The description of this book had me thinking it would go back to the fun stories at the beginning of the series but I was wrong.

This book does take place when Hannah has just left college (because of drama over a man!) and is now living with her mother Delores who is recently widowed after the death of Hannah's father. In the beginning of the book Delores is much more interested in what she's going to wear and eat rather than the fact that her husband just died.

I'm so very sick of the formal tones in these books. Who talks like this? Every sentence that has Delores addressing Hannah includes the word dear. "All right, dear, but..." "Yes of course dear" and from Hannah to her mother Delores: "All right, Mother..." "Don't worry, Mother" "Of course I will, Mother"
Not to mention Hannah having to remind her Mother that she was in the middle of completing her doctorate in English. Delores didn't know this?

Here's an exchange with Hannah and her younger sister Michelle:
"Tell us about it, "Michelle urged, and Hannah gave her an approving look. Michelle had anticipated the question that she would have asked" Good girl Michelle, you get a cookie!

There is some more dialogue where Hannah explains the crackers on a cheese plate to her mother Delores. Ritz crackers, stone ground wheat crackers, carr's water biscuits. Come on. Then Michelle's friend Lisa pipes up with this zinger "The napkins are paper towels from the roll in the kitchen that I folded into quarters and that's because I couldn't find any cocktail napkins" How very dare you Delores to have people over for a cheese plate and not have cocktail napkins! For shame.

Another thing I'm sick of are the disparaging remarks by the author (or authors as it would seem) about Hannah's red hair and body image. In this book it actually states "wonder of wonders, Bertie at the Cut 'n Curl had actually managed to tame her curly red hair into some semblance of normalcy" I'll have you know ma'm that red hair is not abnormal, and neither is curly hair. There are also some remarks about Hannah having a huge butt and hips and being relieved that she could zipper a tacky dress that Delores wanted to buy her. Not to mention all the remarks from Delores herself about how she's gaining weight from eating too many baked goods. But then we have a scene were Delores takes multiple helpings of dinner, has four kinds of pies or cakes, ice cream, bon bons/truffles, and coffee with whipped cream or something and is surprised she is gaining weight. Poor Delores.

Here is the biggest problem with this book though. The "murder" doesn't actually occur until more than 80% of the way through the book. After that it is obvious what happened but of course our genius sleuth Hannah just can't seem to figure it out on her own. I will say when she DOES figure it out the tackiness levels rise as Hannah shares some very personal information with someone that she has no business sharing.

There is a story within a story contained in this book too which Hannah reads aloud (for some reason) to her captivated audience consisting of Delores, Michelle, and Michelle's friend Lisa who apparently never leaves the Swensen house. The little story is laughably bad and predictable. Not to mention the fact that Hannah basically stole it from another character's bedside while that character is in the hospital and just decides to read it to everyone.

The recipes in these books are getting worse and worse as well. Firstly, who wants to bake 8-10 dozen cookies at a time? Secondly, most of the desserts use some kind of Sandra Lee-esque convenience food like cake mix for a cake "recipe", cool whip for frosting, pushing hersheys kisses into cookies for "flair" I mean really. At least give us some interesting baked goods recipes if nothing else.

In short: skip this unless you need a good laugh.

Note: I actually had to stop reading this partway through because the trashy food descriptions were making me physically ill.

[Readaholic Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite Hannah stories. I love getting Hannah's backstory and I especially love getting Essie's story. It's such a beautiful book.

[Glen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reading the last few books in this series is like watching somebody fall down stairs. Every time you think they stopped themselves, they lose their grip and keep tumbling.

This is an origin story of sorts, about how Hannah came to be in her small town, got her condo, and bakery.

There's no real mystery, or a murder committed in the town. The book is mostly about the rest of the cast of characters fawning over Hannah, and recipes.

Worst book in the series yet. I'm already wondering how the next one will be even worse.

[Kristina Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christmas Cake Murder by Joanne Fluke is the twenty-third novel in A Hannah Swensen Mystery series. It has been three weeks since Hannah’s father, Lars passed away. The three Swensen girls (Hannah, Andrea and Michelle) are worried about their mother, Delores who is spending her days in her room. When the girls run out of ideas, Grandma Knudson and Annie Winters stop by with the perfect project for Delores. Essie Granger who owns the Albion Hotel fell down the steps and broke her hip. Essie used to entertain the children of Lake Eden on Saturday’s at the hotel with her stories. Essie wishes she could go back and revisit the splendor of the first Christmas Ball she attended at the Albion Hotel where she met her deceased husband, Alton. There was also a Christmas Cake Parade at the event. Grandma Knudson and Annie want Delores to recreate the ball for Essie. Delores has the organizational skills plus the needed charm (to coerce donations from local business owners) to pull off the project in two weeks. Delores agrees if Hannah will bake the cakes and desserts. In Essie’s rooms at the hotel, Hannah finds a stack of notebooks that contain an intriguing story. With Essie’s permission, Hannah reads the stories to Delores, Michelle and Lisa about a woman, who is pregnant and on the run, who finds a safe haven in Minnesota. They discover that the story is unfinished. Hannah is on a break from college, but she does not wish to return in January. When the family asks what she would like to do for a living, she tells them about her idea for a cookie and coffee shop. Soon, with the help of her family, Hannah’s dreams are coming true. Come along for a Christmas adventure in Lake Eden with the Swensen family in Christmas Cake Murder.

I found it delightful to go back and see how The Cookie Jar came to fruition. I found the Christmas Cake Murder to be well-written and engaging. It has a steady pace and a conversational writing style that makes for an easy to read story. All our favorite characters are in the book (Delores, Hannah, Michelle, Andrea, and Lisa). It was nice to get to know our main characters a little better. Delores has suffered a devastating loss and must find a way to move forward with her life with her husband, Lars. Hannah is at a crossroads in her life. She is given an opportunity to make her dream come true. We also get to know more about Lisa, Michelle’s friend. There is plenty of cooking and baking (as usual). The recipes for the delectable desserts and meals that Hannah creates for her family are included. I wish the publisher would put them at the end of the book instead of between chapters (it messes with the flow of the story). I liked the story from Essie’s journals. It captured my attention and intrigued me. We get a story inside of a story. It is easy to keep track of the two storylines. The mystery is one that plays out instead of one that readers can solve (just go with the flow). The dialogue is off. I find it awkward at times, but I was enjoying the story and just let it go (it was the middle of the night and I was wide awake). I am giving Christmas Cake Murder 4 out of 5 stars. Christmas Cake Murder is a charming book that reminds me of the earlier novels in A Hannah Swensen Mystery series.

[Fluff Smut & Murder · Rating 2 out of 5]

Are you freaking kidding me? You need to have a dead body to call it the Christmas Cake Murder. Instead this book was I don't even know how many pages of Essie needing to be hospice not because she was dying but that she lived in two rooms with no electricity or no running water (Where the heck was the building inspector for this?) and basically the origins of The Cookie Jar. I'm glad Delores basically picked out everything for Hannah.

I think the most disappointing part of novella was the writing style - I think a middle schooler would have a better chance of writing this with more advanced sentence structure , useless adjectives (stop referring it to as the industrial oven. We all know what it is), and the mentioning of characters that are never to be heard of again (aka Cliff). The worst part was the entire description of Hannah making her first batch of cookies at the Cookie Jar - it was basically the following recipe with some adjectives and adverbs thrown in for good measure...

Please just move to the annual February book and make a decision about the whole Ross debacle please...

[Maria · Rating 2 out of 5]

Joanne Fluke should consider writing a detailed cookbook with a few stories sprinkled in instead of mysteries. Oh, wait, she’s been doing it for a few years now. While it was a cute story, there’s no real mystery. Just a lot of telling each other how awesome they are and having Hannah’s mom control her life.

[Anna · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was, by far, one of the worst books I have ever had the misfortune to read.

Why you might ask, did you decide to read this book?

The answer, as is the answer for many other books I read, is that I read it for my family's bookclub. Our bookclub consists of my mom, sister, grandma, aunts, and a few others. The demographic is largely women of middle age or older, with my sister and I being the youngest of the bunch.
We usually take turns to choose books, and normally we do a serviceable job picking ones that at least most of us will be interested in. My great aunt chose this book to be a fun, light read for Christmas.

I had previously given 1 star to another book club book (The whole town's talking by Fannie Flag), but if that book was 1 star, this book barely earns a half star.

My major complaint regarding this book is that the writing is awful. It comes across as though a fifth grader had a Christmas writing assignment that had a long page requirement and this fifth grader happened to be really hungry for sweets while writing it. The sentence structures are painfully simple, the dialogue horribly cliche, and the story itself without substance. If I still had the book I would insert a quote to show an example of how terrible it was. I even read out loud to my husband the three-page interlude about how to turn on a gas fireplace (yes, you read that right). He thought it was a joke.

Not only was the writing bad - this book lacked any substance or interest for me. It's about a character named Hannah that helps her mom and sisters put on a Christmas feast for the town and an older woman that remembers one from long ago. Everything seems to go right for Hannah, making her a completely uninteresting character. She decides to drop out of school, which her family supports. She then, by the help of her mom (who she always refers to as "mother"), finds a bakery that just happens to be available to start a new business in their small town, gets a new car, and starts renting a new apartment. She encounters no obstacles besides learning how to use an industrial oven.
Hannah's mother, on the other hand, recently had her husband pass away (3 months ago), but lost all symptoms of grief and depression as soon as some church ladies made her get out of bed and start this project. I was so turned off by the first few pages of this book because Hannah and her sisters are very concerned that their mother is still crying herself to sleep after 3 months (!? let the woman grieve! Also why aren't these girls very sad that their dad just died??). The sole purpose of Hannah's mom for the rest of the book appeared to be eating gobs of Hannah's sweets and showering Hannah with gifts.

* spoilers ahead *
One of the reasons I was fine with reading this book was that it had "murder" in the title. I was hoping for a little intrigue and suspense to keep me interested. Alas, I was very wrong with that assumption as the murder actually happens in the past (the characters find out via an old story) and we don't find out about the murder until over halfway through the book!! There is also a "mystery" where readers need to figure out who wrote these stories, and the answer is so painfully obvious that I was embarrassed for the author of this book. In the end, the murderer shows up, apparently still bitter for not killing this lady for the past 50-60 years, and tries to kill a dying woman out of spite, not even going after her treasure.

In no particular order here were some other beefs I had with this book:

1. the end wraps up SO FAST. The old woman and her daughter (Annie?) finally get to talk but we get next to no closure.
2. There were several instances of invasion of privacy here. Hannah and her sisters/mom read this woman's stories without asking for her permission first. A doctor also ignores patient confidentiality to give Hannah some information to solve something the police, not a doctor, should be involved in.
3. Some of the recipes seemed fine but others I had zero interest in or they made no sense. How would 1 lb. of sausage make 24 breakfast burritos? Idk if those were the exact measurements but it did not make sense. Also, does Joanne Fluke get money from Cool Whip or something?
4. The dialogue is so sappy and everyone talks like they are in the worst Hallmark movie ever. All the characters jump up to excitedly set the table, run errands, and serve everyone a third slice of cake. "Of course, mother!" and "I'll set the table, Hannah!" are common phrases. No one talks like this!
5. Despite the fact that we get extremely detailed recipes in the book (full of phrases like "with your impeccably clean hands..."), we also get long, drawn-out sections where Hannah tells the reader how she made certain cookies or cakes. "First she put the stainless steel mixing bowls on the counter. She poured in two cups of flour, followed by the sugar. Hannah read the instructions for the industrial oven and turned it to 350 degrees..." (again not an actual quote but might as well be one).
6. We barely get any of the Christmas party because of the attempted murder.
7. Why would you put cookies into giant cookie jars? The ones at the bottom would get stale if you refilled them when low (unless you never refill them until they are completely empty).

All in all, I will be avoiding any Joanne Fluke books and boycott them if they ever come up at bookclub again. I can't believe this woman has written several books like this and people eat them up (pun intended).

[Melissa · Rating 1 out of 5]

First problem- we don't have orphanages in the US anymore, at least nothing called that. When I was little we used to drive by a large orphanage on the way to the doctor. By the time I was a teenager the buildings belonged to the VA and it was a hospital and nursing home. This was 50 years ago! However the book cover says "it's Christmas many years ago..." Of course if that was true the newspaper would still be using linotype and hospice wouldn't exist. The first hospice in the US was opened in 1974- the same time linotype was virtually extinct. In either case the lady that fell down the stairs wouldn't be in hospice because you can only get into hospice if you have a terminal illness with 6 months or fewer to live. And hospice care usually isn't in the hospital. What she could be in is rehab or a nursing home. Hopefully there won't be any more anachronisms in this book. As I continued to read I found more errors- like the idea that putting a roof over outdoor stairs would keep the snow off. Someone who grew up in Minnesota should know better than that- there's something called wind that will blow snow on those stairs. And one doesn't buy fixtures in apartments. They always come with stove and refrigerator. And the guy who went to a community college did not get his BA there- they are only 2 year colleges giving out the AA degree. Most important- no ethical physician would ever let someone look through another person's medical records, let alone go looking through a hospital's records to find that person's records. The doctor could get fired for doing that. Even before HIPAA made it completely illegal in the US it was always considered unethical- going all the way back to ancient times and Hippocrates. It's basically part of the Hippocratic oath! Heck, before HIPAA specified that a person could get their own medical records many states wouldn't even let you look at your own records.

Now for the story itself. Essie falls down the stairs leading from her rooms in a basically abandoned hotel. The rooms have no water or electricity although the cafe she goes down to has both (another problem here!). Hannah finds a story Essie has written. This story which takes up only a small part of the book is the only mystery here and it was obvious who it was really about almost from the first. And like one of the other two Hannah books I've read there isn't much there to explain the reason for the murders or why the murder(ers) care about the female character in the story. It takes up so little of the book I removed the "mystery" designation as a shelf.

Most of the book is about cooking and eating. If I wanted a book full of recipes and discussions of food I'd get a cook book. My husband used to read lots of cookbooks because many of them have stories about the food. That's what this seemed like. But OMG how much did Fluke get paid for product placement? And how can anyone call themselves a good baker who uses that chemical creation called Cool Whip and insist that one use the original and not the one with real whip cream. My mother the home ec teacher would have been horrified! From Wikipedia: "it does not have the same flavor and texture as whipped cream, and it costs nearly 50 percent more." Not to mention it's full of chemicals, hydrogenated saturated fats and high fructose corn syrup.

[S Vanorse · Rating 1 out of 5]

5 chapters in and I am done, really who edits this crap, Fluke should slow down and do research on what she is saying and less on testing her recipes, which I used to enjoy reading but all sound like a heart attack waiting to happen, the pork recipe has over 6,000mg, of salt before she tells you to add salt to adjust seasonings! Then you have a run down hotel, no water, no electricity, in Minnesota, old lady living there, every one in town knows this, falls down and breaks hip and goes into hospice, hospice is for terminally ill. Then all the talk about orphanages, when was the last time that terminology was used, today we have foster care, group homes, but orphanages, really. I quit so I would not get more annoyed.

[Kate Baxter · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story is not your usual cozy mystery. Oh sure, someone does get killed (as the title would suggest) but not anyone you might have expected. The book's real charm (not that one would consider murder "charming") lies in its story within the story.

This 23rd installment in the Hannah Swensen Holiday Mystery series is actually a flashback to the early days before Hannah opened her bakery café. She's dropped out of school and come home to Lake Eden licking a few wounds of the romantic persuasion. She settles into a routine at her mother's home where baking and cooking are Hannah's new normal. Her mother is a disaster in the kitchen whereas Hannah is a whiz and quite creative.

A dear older friend, Essie, has ended up in the local hospital after an unfortunate altercation with a flight of stairs. While looking in Essie's "home" for a few personal effects to cheer her in the hospital, Hannah comes across some of Essie's writing of what appears to be the start of a book. Hannah's reading aloud of the story is the point at which the mystery truly begins.

Not wanting to give away the plot, just know that baking plays a large role in the story and Hannah is a champ when it comes to trouping out the desserts. It's a sweet story (literally, with all the dessert recipes contained therein). Pour yourself a cup of egg nog, grab 2 cookies and a plate and curl up for a cozy few hours in Lake Eden with Hannah and her family.

I am grateful to author Joanne Fluke, Kensington Publishing Corps and Goodreads First Reads for having provided a free copy of this book. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was a prequel to the series and begins a few weeks after Hannah's father passes away. She has dropped out of graduate school, though her family does not know why, and decides she wants to open a cookie and coffee shop in Lake Eden, Minnesota. An elderly resident, Essie, has had to move into temporary housing due to a fall and Hannah and her family have gathered her belongings to help her move. They decide to read what purports to be a fictional story that Essie wrote long ago, since the paper is now so old. But is it really just a woman's imagination?

For me, this series has been in such a decline, it had to take some kind of twist. But where is it going? Another disappointment for me.

[Lia Marcoux · Rating 1 out of 5]

"Hello fellow human! Did you know that the source of this common idiom is as follows? Ha! Ha! Ha!"
"Ha! Ha! This fills me with merriment, human, and reminds me also of a relative or friend!"
"We humans have all learned something here today!"
Stage note: ALL PLAYERS PUT SOME STUFF IN A BUNDT.

Who am I kidding I'm still gonna read these though.

[Linda Hartlaub · Rating 1 out of 5]

Who is writing these books? Who is (not) proofreading these books? Is the author relying on AI to complete the books? Why do I do this to myself? I keep hoping that Joanne Fluke will take the reins back instead of leaving things up to some mysterious 8 year old. Why do I do this to myself?

I can't believe that a grown person is creating the recent Hannah Swensen books. The conversations are so strained and lack any sophistication. They all go something like this:
"Something something," said Delores.
"Something something," said Hannah.
"Something something," said Delores.
"Something?", asked Michelle.
"Something Something," said Delores.
No one writes like this after they graduate from grade school. It's BORING!

Then we come to the dropped words (usually verbs). Or how about phrases like "belonged her to guest" [sic]?

Proofreaders! Other authors use proofreaders and they're not ashamed to admit it!

Let's take another look at Hannah. The story says that she is one year from completing her Master's Degree. By my calculations, that would make her around 24 years old. So why does she have this conversation? The editor of the newspaper tells her about the shenanigans that went on when designing where the highway would be placed. Originally, it was to go by Lake Eden which would have brought in retail customers and tourists. Hannah asks, "But that didn't happen?" DUH. Look around you , Hannah! Do you see a highway? It's things like this that drive me insane. Either she's smart or she's a dunce. Someone needs to make up their mind about what she is. Stupid is not an asset.

In the book there is a story within the story (which was more interesting than the main story of the book. Notebooks were found that had an intriguing story about a woman who found herself pregnant and her husband was murdered. The inner story was by far better written, with a higher level of character development and much better conversations than the Hannah Swensen story. It was as if Joanne Fluke wrote the story found in the notebooks and farmed out the main story.

Will I read another book in this series? I don't know. I always tell myself that I won't, but I tend to buy it anyway telling myself that at least the recipes are always good. If she starts bailing on the recipes, I'll be done.....

[Elle G. Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Release Date: September 25, 2018
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Actual Rating: 5 stars

This is my absolute favorite cozy mystery series! There's just something about Hannah Swensen and the delicious desserts she dishes up that calls to me! Not only that, the murders that she solves are a whole lot of fun and I simply cannot get enough. This is a bit different than the other books in the series though. It's like a story within a story. Plus, it's a prequel to the entire series! This caused me a lot of excitement because I haven't finished the rest of the books up until this point yet- I'm working on it!

In this one, readers will look at the life of Hannah and her family BEFORE she opens the cookie jar. Don't worry, there is still a mystery to be solved but this one doesn't hit as close to home like the one's in the rest of the series. Instead, Hannah and her mother find what first appears as a diary. When they begin reading it though, they start to see that's it's a book! One that was hand written by a family friend named Essie. During a Christmas ball, shots strike out though, and it's up to Hannah and her family to put the puzzle pieces together of how the story they were reading ties into the shooting.

If you are a fan of cozies then I highly recommend this entire series to you! It's my absolute favorite of all the cozy mysteries out there (and there are TONS).

[Grace Btrs · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 🍪
This was a very quick light read (listen). It is definitely outside of my usual style of books, but I don't think it lives up to the thriller MPG.
It's definitely a culinary domestic read, though.

[Fred · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I started to read, I felt missed/misinterpreted logic with the series flow going back in time....luckily there was one of my Goodread’s “friend” - who wrote the best review for this saying - “This book is a prequel taking readers back to before Hannah opened her bakery, The Cookie Jar”.

This was great showing me the timeline in the series was not chronology kept between books.

The “Cookie Jar” existed before this book started but here they have......
But this book, has Hannah Swenson is coming back to Lake Eden from college & tells others she plans to start “The Cookie Jar”.

Delores, her mother is depressed of their dad, Lars’ death.
Grandma Knutson & Annie Winters convince Hannah to create a “Christmas Ball” that would help both Delores’ & her injured friend, Essie Granger, recovering in the Lake Eden Memorial Hospital.
Hannah & Delores have help from Michelle (sister), Lisa (sister) & Lisa (Michelle’s friend).

Essie’s past Saturday “Storyland” reads for children were well known in town & helps with rereads for everyone.
The “Christmas Ball” & “Storyland” brings joy back to Delores & Essie.

They find a note written by Essie Granger saying she was Annie Winter’s mom. After her first husband (cop), Antony, was killed exposing her cousin’s illegal drug business. She gave Annie up for adoption to protect her.
The note ends with that they found the criminal responsible for murder, how he is being caught & reasons why? And a surprise end with his capture and/or death?

Merry Christmas to all.

[Mark Baker · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is set at the first Christmas since Hannah's father has died. Hannah has dropped out of her graduate program and is home trying to help her mother, Delores, deal with life after her loss, and Hannah is beginning to worry. Fortunately, Grandma Knudson and Annie come up with the perfect project to get Delores's mind off her loss. It seems Essie, a beloved member of the community, has fallen and broken her hip. In an effort to cheer her up, Delores is asked to organize a Christmas ball, with Hannah recruited to bake the cakes for the events. While all this is going on, Hannah begins to share her dreams of opening her own cookie and coffee shop. And a novel that Essie was working on captivates Hannah, Delores, Michelle, and Lisa.

You'll note my teaser doesn't mention the mystery. That's because it isn't until late in the book that it comes into clear focus, although enough bread crumbs have been laid out earlier that we do get a satisfying wrap up. Meanwhile, we get lots of planning for the ball and Hannah getting the things that will become staples of her life as we know it from the rest of the series. It's fun for series fans, although even then I thought the book could have been shorter. Those new to the series definitely shouldn't jump in here since it is so atypical.

Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.

[Delanie · Rating 1 out of 5]

There is no actual murder that takes place in the book. The characters in this book were reading a book which is where the murder takes place. There is a little bit more but that's a spoiler.
Inside the book the characters are reading there is a woman named "Rose", Lisa says "Hey! What if this character Rose is based off of our own friend Rose!" The others respond by saying "NO THIS BOOK TAKES PLACE IN NEW YORK IT CAN'T BE ROSE." Then the book reads something along the lines of, "*gasp* i'm SO SORRY I can't even tell you how much! I won't bring it up again!" Every character was wondering if this book was non-fiction or fiction and she brought up the fact that their friend has the same name and they respond so cruelly?!! and she then answers as if she asked something horrid?!?!

50% is Delores saying "oh, i'll buy this for you dear." The dialogue sounds extremely flat and very odd. I am not a HUGE fan of Hannah Swensen books but I feel like EVERY other H.S. book i've read was better than this particular one. Even Blackberry Pie Murder in which Hannah has a very obvious solution to her mystery and doesn't figure it out until the final couple chapters is an improvement.

[Marie-josee · Rating 1 out of 5]

The worst in the series

[Jammin Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was a little surprised that this book is labeled as Hannah Swensen #23 as the story takes place when Hannah first returns home from college, and Michelle is a junior in high school. I loved the story though and learning more about Hannah's life was great. And it was a story within a story. Hannah and her mom Delores are gathering items for a woman named Essie who was in the hospital after breaking her hip in a bad fall down the stairs. They found some old notebooks and that told a story about a woman who fled from New York to save her baby, after her husband had turned in her cousin to the authorities for some nefarious activities. Let's just say it all turns out well, and Hannah once again solves the mystery of the "attempted" Christmas cake murder. Love this series!!

[Alan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though well into this mystery series, this novel deals with what Hannah Swensen was doing before she started sleuthing.

Entertaining. Enjoyable. Engaging. The characters are charming. And there's plenty of baking.

A fun holiday read.

[Robin Loves Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Revisiting the past can have unexpected results, especially when a mystery enters the picture. Hannah Swenson is on her way to becoming a baker extraordinaire, and her talents and skills have been requested to recreate a Christmas ball from the past. The event is to honor dear Essie Granger, who is currently in hospice care. As Hannah plans on what delectable desserts she will make for Essie’s honor, finding Essie’s old notebooks takes her down a different path.

Is it autobiographical or is it fiction? That is precisely what Hannah wants to know. As the story unfolds, Essie’s story becomes more clear.

Since I’ve devoured this entire series, I wanted to give you a heads up that you won’t have to choose between Team Norman and Team Mike. This book actually starts early in Hannah’s career, before she even has to think about her choice. In fact, even though this is Book 23, it’s actually the perfect prequel for the entire series. Hannah’s relationship with her mom and sisters plays a big part in this story, all while she also explores Essie’s old notebooks.

So, if you are lover of this series as I am, this early look into Hannah’s life was a nice switch. It was nice to see how her family coped with her dad’s passing and to also see her sisters starting out in their lives.

Many thanks to Kensington Books and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

[Anastasia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Christmas Cake Murder by Joanne Fluke is the 23rd book in the Hannah Swensen Mystery series. This book takes us back to before Hannah opened her cookie shop and tells us how it came about. This book was a major disappointment. There is no murder despite the title and no real mystery. There were plenty of recipes but they used ingredients only available in America. I kept waiting for something to happen, but the book just seemed to drag.

[beachbum bookworm · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m so UPSET! This series has been one of my favorites!!!! However the last few books have been bad. This one was AWFUL!
There is no mystery until the very end, and the dialogue is HORRENDOUS!! It is so juvenile!! It feels like an elementary grade read.
Please Joanne…I know you are better than this!!! Please get back to the Lake Eden we LOVE!!