Red Velvet Cupcake Murder

3.5 stars is accurate
This is a complete, no thinking required, fluff book that is a light, easy and quick read. Some how no matter where Hannah is, she finds herself in the center of a crime, most often murder. This time she's one of the suspects. Of course, when she's not baking cookies or cupcakes, she strikes out to find the real murderer. This book is sprinkled with recipes for some good sounding cookies, although she really dumbs down the recipes: "1/2 cup (1 stick, 8 ounces, 1/4 pound) salted butter, softened" or "Add the sofened butter, (the butter should be at room temperature, unless, of course, you're working in a drafty kitchen in the middle of a cold Minnesota winter, In that case you'll have to soften it a bit more)" So the show more average recipe goes on for 4 pages. That aside, I find this series fun to read. show less

The Albion Hotel in Lake Eden, MN is hosting a grand re-opening. The hotel has been totally remodeled and anybody who is anybody in Lake Eden is at the ceremony. Hannah Swensen has baked her famous Red Velvet Cupcakes for the occasion. With the arrival of Doctor Bev - a woman that Hannah hates because she tried to hurt her friend, Norman - gossipy whispers start passing from one guest to another. But, the whispers stop when Barbara Donnelly falls from the roof of the hotel. As the Lake Eden Police Department scrambles to find out why Barbara fell from the roof, Doctor Bev falls back into her witchy ways, informing Hannah that she could steal Norman back from her with little effort. Hannah barely has time to stop being angry before she show more finds Doctor Bev's car submerged in Miller's Pond. Ding, Dong with witch is dead. Only it wasn't a Ding Dong that killed Doctor Bev. Local authorities believe it was Hannah who caused Doctor Bev's death by spiking her cupcake. Things don't look good for Hannah. The only way she can prevent her own arrest is to investigate and find out who actually killed the nasty Doctor Bev.

I enjoyed Red Velvet Cupcake Murder, the 16th book in the Hannah Swensen Mystery series. The mystery was a bit more involved this time. There were more suspects (even Hannah herself) and a bit more substance to the investigation. I didn't like the fact that Doctor Bev was the murder victim. Not that I didn't feel the venomous, slutty doctor didn't deserve it....but this is the 4th time this particular plot device has been used in this series. Two prior murder victims were women that dared to date Hannah's other love interest, Mike Kingston. Then a jerk ex-boyfriend of Hannah's was killed. And now, the female dentist who was really horrible to Norman Rhodes is murdered. After awhile, deaths surrounding this on-going love triangle would start to make the authorities a little suspicious. How many boyfriends/girlfriends can drop dead around these people? I rolled my eyes at this one....not that part of me wasn't elated that Doctor Bev wouldn't be coming back in any of the future books.....I think Joanne Fluke needs to start murdering people who have never dated Mike, Norman or Hannah. It's a bit over-used after 4 times.

The recipes in this book all looked yummy. Mostly desserts this time, with one hotdish recipe.

All in all, the story was interesting, well paced, and an enjoyable Hannah Swensen mystery. But, it did nothing to get closer to a solution of the Mike-Norman-Hannah issue. The love triangle has gone on long enough.....and it's getting a bit annoying. The series has 20 books...with #21 coming out at the end of February. I'm trying to catch up with the series so I can find out if the weird love trifecta was ressolved before I accidentally read a spoiler somewhere that gives it away. I guess, even though it is annoying, the plot device of having Hannah indecisive in her love life is working if it has me reading through a 20 book series just to find out if she makes up her mind! The minute I start thinking she has decided on Norman.....Mike pops back up. Then I think maybe she's going to choose Mike...then she's back onto Norman. Maybe she just needs to dump them both and find someone else entirely.

I have to say......I'm finding myself pretty much siding with Team Norman. But, my guess is that most likely a dark horse will appear to steal her heart from both of them. Hopefully I find out soon! I'm tired of reading all the way through a novel and finding her not even one step closer to making any sort of a decision. Frustrating! :)

I receommend this series for anyone who enjoys light, cozy mysteries. There is no cussing, sex, spurting blood or graphic violence. Hannah runs her bakery with her friend Lisa, and seems to have a knack for discovering dead bodies. The supporting characters are fun and quirky. And, the recipes included are definitely yummy! show less

This summer has been warmer than usual in Lake Eden, Minnesota, and Hannah Swensen is trying to beat the heat both in and out of her bakery kitchen. But she's about to find out the hard way that nothing cools off a hot summer day like cold-blooded murder. . .
It's a hot, muggy evening, and the last thing Hannah wants to do is squeeze into a pair of pantyhose for the Grand Opening of the refurbished Albion Hotel. But with Hannah's famous Red Velvet cupcakes being served in the hotel's new Red Velvet lounge, she can't bring herself to back out.
The party starts off with a bang with the unexpected arrival of Doctor Bev, a Lake Eden legend who left town in shame after she two-timed her fiancé one too many times. Bev's splashy appearance on show more the arm of a wealthy investor is the talk of the night. But the gossip comes to a screeching halt when a partygoer takes a mysterious dive off the hotel's rooftop garden.
The victim is the sheriff's secretary, Barbara Donnelly, and she is barely clinging to life. The question is, did she fall--or was she pushed? As the police investigate, the only one who isn't preoccupied with the case is Doctor Bev. She's too busy trying to stir things up with her old flame Norman, who's reunited with Hannah.
Just as Hannah's patience with Bev runs dangerously thin, her rival is found dead at the bottom of Miller's Pond. The only clue the police have is the Red Velvet cupcake Bev ate right before she died--and the tranquilizers someone seems to have baked into it. To everyone's shock, Hannah is now the unlikely target of a murder investigation--and she's feeling the heat in a way she never has before. . . show less

I think this book will be my last Hannah Swenson book. I've been noticing that the story quality is going downhill in the last few books. I used to really like these books and I loved Hannah and her madcap family and friends, but now not so much. Nothing seems to go anywhere in these books. For example Hannah still hasn't made a choice between Norman and Mike. What real grown men would put up with that situation for years and years? And there are quite a few holes in the plot in this book. I don't mind one or two in cozies, but there are more than that. The recipes in the book still look tempting and I still really like a few of the characters, but this is it for me. Hannah has run her course with me.

The despised Doctor Bev, the dentist who tried to guilt Norman Rhodes into marrying her, returns to Eden Lake, this time engaged to the wealthy Roger Dalworth. But it’s not long before she and her fire-engine-red Maserati end up in Miller’s Pond . . . and Hannah becomes the prime suspect in her murder.

And just when everything finally seems settled, Delores makes an unexpected announcement . . . .

The sixteenth outing for the venerable Eden Lake gang weaves several storylines together and, although there are no suspects other than Hannah for the murder, the unfolding of the case is interesting. As with previous books in this series, Hannah finds the body, Hannah inserts herself into the investigation, Hannah figures out the identity show more of the culprit. And, as with the earlier stories in this series, the strength of this quick-read tale lies in Hannah’s interaction with the folks of Eden Lake, folks readers can relate to and care about, no matter what else is happening in town.

And there are all those recipes. show less

I really enjoyed this mystery in the Hannah Swenson series. There’s a new condo building going up in Lake Eden with an over-the-top penthouse suite, complete with a greenhouse, pool, hot tub and garden. A glass dome has to be lifted by crane to protect from the brutal Minnesota winters—and of course the whole town turns out to watch.

Hannah has a few cases to solve in this one—the first a holdover from the previous novel where a tour bus with a musical group crashed on its way into town. There are a few loose ends to tie up. And then at the new condo building, someone is nearly killed. Also, a character we all love to hate shows back up in town, which makes for some interesting scenes! I especially loved this book because in show more addition to the mysteries to be solved, we got to spend lots of time with my favorite Lake Eden characters.

Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader. show less

This latest in the Hannah Swensen series pretty much goes along the usually guidelines - Hannah has Norman and Mike wooing her, she's baking for special events, and she's the one that finds the body. What is different this time around is that Hannah is actually a suspect in the murder because who dies - none other than Norman's former fiancée, Doctor Bev.

The story was a bunch of fun, as usual, and the recipes sounded delicious - yes, the romantic rivalry can be a bit of wanting Hannah to make up her mind, but what woman doesn't want two great guys vying for her attentions.

Looking for the next one in 2014.