Carrot Cake Murder by Joanne Fluke

(Photo courtesy Joyofbaking.com)

This is approximately the 10th book - I think - in the Hannah Swensen series written by author Joanne Fluke. I've read all of them and have enjoyed them a lot. I especially like the relationship Hannah has with her sisters (hmm, wouldn't that make a good movie title?)

Some background on this series:

Hannah is the co-owner of The Cookie Jar, a small bakery that specializes in cookies. She is single and lives with her cat Moishe in a condo in Lake Eden, Minnesota. She is a pretty good female-sleuth and has built up a reputation for finding dead bodies and solving the murder.

She is dating the town dentist, Norman Rhodes and the police chief, Mike Kingston. Mike is the good looking heart-throb who makes Hannah go weak in the knees, while Norman is the all-around good guy who makes her laugh. They have both asked her to marry them and she's turned both of them down saying she just can't choose between them!

I personally think she should choose Norman since I like guys with a sense of humor!

In this book, Lisa (the other owner of The Cookie Jar) is getting ready for a big family reunion. Her long-lost Uncle Gus shows up after many years and is promptly murdered. So Hannah and her sisters and even her mother are getting in on the unofficial investigation.

At first just Hannah was the sleuth, then her sisters Andrea and Michelle got involved, and now their mother Delores has a hand in solving the murder too. I personally would rather see Hannah do most of the sleuthing herself.

Up until now Hannah has been one of my favorite female-sleuths but this one didn't quite click with me. I suppose after writing so many books it is hard to keep a series fresh and exciting.

I should go back to the beginning of the series and re-read those books. I should also try out some of the recipes - they sound delicious!

You can buy the book here:

Please Vote!

I've added two polls today, so please vote!

In the Hannah Swenson series, Hannah has two love interests - handsome Mike Kingston and sweet Norman Rhodes.

In the Stephanie Plum series, Stephanie has two love interests - cocky Joe Morelli and mysterious Ranger.

In your opinion, which guy should the female-sleuths choose? Or should they ditch them and find someone else?





(My choices are Norman for Hannah and Ranger for Stephanie).

On Hiatus

I will be taking a break from blogging for awhile. I'm not sure when I will return.

In the meantime, happy reading to all!

Done with “Murder on the Rocks" by Karen MacInerney

I enjoyed this book. Author Karen MacInerney’s descriptions of the coast of Maine made me feel like I was there. I could almost hear the sounds of the ocean waves and the songs of the ocean birds. It was just like looking at a cover of an L.L. Bean catalog.

Her female-sleuth Natalie Barnes is a likeable, sensible and down-to-earth gal. She clears her name with the police and uncovers the murderer at great peril to herself.

I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

You can buy the book here:

Terns, Goats and Murder

Re: Murder on the Rocks by Karen MacInerney




Cranberry Island is home to a large tern population as the birds nest in the cliffs along the shore. Natalie belongs to a local conservation group called “Save Our Terns”. The group consists of just two other members: Charlene, who is Natalie’s best friend, and Claudette.

Claudette is seen by her fellow Cranberry Islanders as being pretty eccentric. She keeps goats, and she knits sweaters and hats from their wool. Her goats manage to escape her yard quite often. They can be found munching on other people’s gardens and even their laundry, which does nothing to endear Claudette or her goats to her neighbors.

As for the terns - they will be endangered if Bernard Katz is successful in developing his resort. Unfortunately the Cranberry Island Board of Selectmen has decided to approve his plans. Natalie is of course against the resort.

To clear her mind on the day after the Selectmen’s decision, Natalie decides to take a walk along the cliff overlooking the terns’ nesting area. She accidentally takes a tumble down the cliff part-way and in doing so, sees the body of Bernard Katz lying on the rocks further down. He appears to be dead.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Here's a pun for you to enjoy (or not) from my classic-punster husband:

Hear about the new knife that can cut through a lot of bread at one time?
It's a four-loaf cleaver.

Murder on the Rocks by Karen MacInerney

I just started reading this book. It's the first in the "Gray Whale Inn" bed & breakfast mystery series.

The female-sleuth is Natalie Barnes and she has mortgaged her future to relocate from Austin Texas to the coast of Maine when an opportunity to purchase the quaint bed and breakfast inn presented itself. The Gray Whale Inn is a 150-year old former sea captain's house located Cranberry Island, which is accessible only by boat.

Her college-aged niece Gwen has come to stay with Natalie for the summer to clean rooms and help with other chores.

One of Natalie's guests, developer Bernard Katz, has come to convince the town planning commission (the Cranberry Island Board of Selectmen) to approve his latest development called the Cranberry Island Premier Resort. Mr. Katz tells Natalie that his resort will bring in a lot of business for her. She is opposed to the resort and doesn't buy his argument, especially after niece Gwen finds a blueprint tucked away in Katz' room. It shows the Gray Whale Inn being replaced by a parking lot!

What would Joni Mitchell think?



(photo courtesy freefoto.com)

Done with “Cha Cha Cha” by Jane Heller

This was an interesting book with a good and suspenseful ending. I would say it was more of a romance novel with some humor and a murder mystery thrown in for good measure.

Alison manages to exonerate herself while figuring out who the killer was and leading that person to the police.

She even gets a chemistry professor to help her by promising him she’d help him get his book published!

You can buy the book here:


Now what should I read next?