Book 4 of 2023
A Summary
This is book two in the Hannah Swansen murder mystery series. Hannah is a baker and owner of, “The Cookie Jar,” in Lake Eden, Minnesota. In this instalment of the series murder is afoot and Hannah is caught right in the thick of it. (Or, caught right in the icing.) With her unique perspective and unwavering determination Hannah quickly gets wrapped up in the murder situation once again. (Much to the dismay of her mother.) This book is both humerous, cozy, and entertaining. A great addition to what is soon becoming (for me) a delightful series. The recipes are a perfect bonus to tempt the taste buds and imagination (as each inevitably shows up in the story.) Will this be the time that murder catches up to Hannah? Or will she triumph over the killer with quick thinking and just in time intervention?
Thoughts and Review
First time reading the novel:
I enjoyed this book at the beginning… but it was just a bunch of little things that bring the story down for me. Hannah is fun and delightful but still limits the way she perceives other characters especially women. I was also very put off by the end… when there is an option to discuss someone’s abuse against women but yet it will not be revealed because people respected the man. At this point I don’t know if I will read more the series.
Second time reading the novel:
Before starting to listen to this book I knew the issues I had with it the first time I read it. I went into reading thinking with an open mind with the idea of getting into the shoes of the characters. At the time I was also looking for something fun to entertain my mind through stressful days. Hannah hit the spot. The mystery was cute like I remembered (although yes, I am still put off by the ending and the lack of action relating to the domestic abuse but this time I attempted to understand the motivation behind the lack of action from their point of view.) I laughed out loud as I listened and enjoyed the narrator a lot. (This time I listened to the audiobook by MacMillian books.) While listening to the book I was entertained by Hannah’s antics and getting wrapped up in the story with the help of the narrator. Suzanne Toren was a real joy to listen to as the narrator. As she reads it sounds as if she too is a part of the story; creating the atmosphere with her voice and the different characters she is embodying. If you are looking for a great read to listen to as you go about your tasks or go for walks this was a great listen.
Recommendation
I would recommend this book (and series) for anyone looking for an entertaining cozy murder mystery read. The characters and their antics are entertaining. Any one of them can quickly become that admirable book friend – a character that you would add to your friends circle if you met them in real life.