Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder (A Hannah Swensen Mystery) [Paperback]

Joanne Fluke (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2001

Discover the delicious mystery that started it all!

No one cooks up a delectable, suspense-filled mystery quite like Hannah Swensen, Joanne Fluke’s dessert-baking, red-haired heroine whose gingersnaps are as tart as her comebacks, and whose penchant for solving crimes—one delicious clue at a time—has made her a bestselling favorite. And it all began on these pages, with a bakery, a murder, and some suddenly scandalous chocolate-chip crunchies. Featuring a bonus short story and brand new, mouthwatering recipes, this limited edition of the very first Hannah Swensen mystery is sure to have readers coming back for seconds…

Hannah Swenson already has her hands full trying to dodge her mother’s attempts to marry her off while running The Cookie Jar, Lake Eden, Minnesota’s most popular bakery. But once Ron LaSalle, the beloved delivery man from the Cozy Cow Dairy, is found murdered behind her bakery with Hannah’s famous Chocolate Chip Crunchies scattered around him, her life just can’t get any worse. Determined not to let her cookies get a bad reputation, she sets out to track down a killer.

Who would have the sheer audacity—and the motive—to kill the most punctual delivery man Hannah ever had? Topping the list is the high school football coach. What exactly was his wife doing, making the rounds with the milkman? Could Max Turner, owner of Cozy Cow Dairy, have had a secret he didn’t want to share with his top employee? The more Hannah snoops, the more suspects turn up. Why has Lake Eden’s most prominent prodigal son, Benton Woodley, just resurfaced? And what about the mysterious Mr. Harris who seemed interested in buying the property next to the dairy, but then disappeared? This is one murder that’s starting to leave a very bad taste in Hannah’s mouth. And if she doesn’t watch her back, Hannah’s sweet life may get burned to a crisp.

Filled with a healthy sprinkling of humor and a delightful assortment of nuts, CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE MURDER serves up a great new mystery series and introduces a delicious, down-home sleuth that mystery readers will surely savor for years to come.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Independent-minded Hannah Swenson makes her debut in a cleverly plotted cozy, full of appealing characters and delicious cookie recipes. Returning after her father's death to her hometown of Lake Eden, Minn., Hannah opens her own shop, the Cookie Jar, where much of the town's gossip percolates along with the strong coffee. Early one morning, she finds the driver of a delivery truck shot dead in the alley behind her shop. Hannah's brother-in-law, Bill, the county's deputy sheriff, recruits her to help him chase down the culprit. A surprising number of suspects emerges, but due to her cafe business and catering of local social events, Hannah is admirably placed to hear all, see much and investigate a little. Motives ranging from blackmail to extortion abound, as do descriptions of clothing and shopping. Cat fanciers will appreciate knowing how Hannah found her cat, but separating the wheat of the significant from the chaff of the irrelevant can be challenging. Fluke also stretches the imagination when Bill leaves most of the sleuthing to Hannah and when the sheriff's men fail to discover a second body at the dairy where the first victim was employed. But these are minor lapses in a story satisfyingly packed with plot twists and red herrings. The Pecan Chews recipe is especially recommended. (Apr.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Hannah Swensen, amateur sleuth, runs an eat-in cookie establishment in little Lake Eden, MN. When the well-liked milkman is murdered in the alley near her shop, Hannah joins forces with the deputy sheriff, who just happens to be her brother-in-law. While delivering cookies, catering scouting events, and otherwise gadding about the community, Hannah gathers important clues. Family and other connections, concern with finding Hannah a "steady," and several cookie recipes lend this debut series a small-town, rural flavor. This mystery is pleasant and easy to take.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Kensington (February 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0758211457
• ISBN-13: 978-0758211453
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (145 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,324,763 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Joanne Fluke is the New York Times bestselling author of more than 20 novels. Like Hannah Swensen, she was born and raised in a small town in rural Minnesota, but now lives in sunny Southern California. She is currently working on her next Hannah Swensen mystery and readers are welcome to contact her at the following e-mail address, [e-mail], or by visiting her website at www.MurderSheBaked.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

61 of 64 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Complete Delight., March 8, 2001

By 

Mark Baker (Santa Clarita, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder (Hannah Swensen Mysteries) (Hardcover)

Hannah Swenson's life is going well. Her cookie shop is successful, and she's content living a single life with her cat as company. But then she finds her delivery driver from the local dairy murdered behind her story. Assisting her brother-in-law, she starts investigating. But everyone seems to have an alibi and no motive.

This book was a complete delight from start to finish. I loved the small town Minnesota setting. Hannah's relationship with her family had me laughing and feeling for her at the same time. The other characters were enjoyable, too, and Hannah is a very likable heroine. Her cat adds charm to the story. I was hooked on the plot from the very beginning and was as frustrated as Hannah when she hit a dead end. Her cookies sounded absolutely wonderful, and I can't wait to try the recipes. Definitely don't read this book while hungry!

As soon as I can get my hands on the next book, I'm going to start reading it.

48 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder is a RealTreat, April 5, 2000

By 

Nancy Sapir (kingston, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder (Hannah Swensen Mysteries) (Hardcover)

There's nothing more fun for a cozy mystery reader than to discover a new author with a fresh voice whose work one can look forward to for years to come. The reader gets to know the characters quickly and well, so well, in fact, that I found myself thinking, 'Wouldn't it be funny in the next book if Delores.......' Even the publisher's marketing is fun in that the book is a chubby little thing, kind of like the old Orphan Annie books of long ago. Younger readers won't recall these, but they will doscover the charm of the concept when they first see this book. Ther heroine/detective is Hannah Swenson, a well eductaed twenty-something who was called away from her doctoral program to return to Lake Eden, Minnesota to assist her mother after her father's death. Lake Eden is a town of 3,000 where, as one would expect, everyone pretty well knows one another, or can find out about each other through a grapevine that winds its way from kitchens to local clubs to church socials and to "The Cookie Jar", (cookie recipes included) a coffee shop owned by Hannah and operated with the dedicated assistance of a local teenager, Lisa. Hannah is challenged by first one homicide and then another, and she views solving the crimes as a way to help her detective brother-in-law get a promotion. As it happens, Hannah's whole family becomes involved in one way or another and the results are funny. Particularly funny is her mother, Delores, whose abundance of free time allows her to try and find a husband for Hannah who has never been married and lives alone with a fat one-eyed cat named Moishe. Either we are like Hannah or we know someone like her. She wears old sneakers and a sweatshirt. She's blunt, funny and kind, and she doesn't see herself as the object of anyone's great desire, but watch what happens. If you enjoy cozy mysteries, by all means read this one, and then wait impatiently for the next.

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars That's the Way the Cookie Crumbles...., October 13, 2006

By 

Smash B (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder (Hannah Swensen Mysteries) (Hardcover)

Hannah Swenson, the owner of a successful cookie shop called The Cookie Jar, is also a proficient amateur sleuth. When a popular local ex-football player is killed behind her shop, she is determined to find his killer. Will she succeed? Read to find out.

This is truly an outstanding novel. The setting is in the chilly autumn of rural Minnesota. The author does a magnificent job of describing the biting cold and the blowing snow of a prairie autumn.

The characterization is superb. The characters seem to leap right off the page and grow flesh and bones. They could be people in your own home town, friends and acquaintances of yours. Each one is carefully detailed to make them seem real and to draw the reader into their stories.

The plot is thrilling. The author kept me guessing until the last moment to find out the identity of the killer. The plot took several twists and turns leading me to dead end guesses repeatedly thus adding to the fun and building up to the shocking conclusion.

But the real star of this novel is the atmosphere. It's sheer coziness at its very best. One can smell the fresh coffee and taste the warm cookies as one shivers in the Minnesota wind. It's the perfect book to cuddle up with on a chilly autumn day and lose oneself in utter bliss. Also, many recipes are included so you can enjoy baking Hannah's delights as you wind your way through this thrilling mystery.

This book is a must read for any fan of cozy mysteries and just plain good story telling. This is a novel that will stay with you long after you close the pages. Highly recommended.

This collector's edition also contains a short story entitled, Candy for Christmas. This is the story of a young runaway whom Hannah finds in the deep cold of the Minnesota Christmas. Hannah sets out to learn the girl's story and to help her reunite with her family. It is a wonderful story filled with many of the same elements of delights found in the novel. It's inclusion in this edition is a real treat. It too contains many recipes to add to your enjoyment. So after your meal of mystery, don't forget the candy for dessert!

Smash B