Status
Available
Series
Genres
Collection
Publication
Kensington (2003), Edition: Reprint, 320 pages
Description
Fiction. Mystery. HTML:Bakery owner Hannah Swensen is backand the cookies are crumblingas acclaimed author Joanne Fluke serves readers another helping of murder, mayhem, and mouthwatering mystery. . . Blueberry Muffin Murder Preparations are underway for Lake Eden, Minnesota's annual Winter Carnivaland Hannah Swensen is set to bake up a storm at her popular shop, The Cookie Jar. Too bad the honor of creating the official Winter Carnival cake went to famous lifestyle maven Connie Maca half-baked idea, in Hannah's opinion. She suspects Connie Mac is a lot like the confections she whips up on her cable TV cooking showsweet, light, and scrumptious-looking, but likely to leave a bitter taste in your mouth. Hannah's suspicions are confirmed when Connie Mac's limo rolls into town. Turns out America's "Cooking Sweetheart" is bossy, bad-tempered, and downright domineering. Things finally boil over when Hannah arrives at The Cookie Jar to find the Winter Carnival cake burnt to a crispand Connie Mac lying dead in her pantry, struck down while eating one of Hannah's famous blueberry muffins. Next thing Hannah knows, the police have declared The Cookie Jar's kitchen crime scene off-limits. She's a baker without an ovenand the Carnival is right around the corner. Hannah's only alternative is to cook up a plan to save her businessby finding the killer herself. . . Includes seven original cookie and dessert recipes for you to try! "Delicious food descriptions and recipes, warm and familiar characters who grow into real people. . .a vivid picture of the small lake town and a well-crafted mystery provide the ingredients for yet another tempting feast that should satisfy all fans, old and new."Publishers Weekly.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member pacey1927
This is the thrid Hannah Swenson novel I've read. I have learned to not expect complex characters, or unique plots. The books stay away from sex, unfriendly language, and the murders are never graphic. They remind me in a way of the old Nancy Drew/Hardy boys mysteries, in a sense. They are sweet
Show More
and fairly innocent, but they provide enough of a mystery to keep you reasonably interested in finding out 'whodunit'. Blueberry Muffin Murder was actually the most enjoyable of the three that I've read so far. The 'bakery' mysteries are good for those times when you don't want something to read that takes a lot of effort. The word 'pleasant' keeps coming to mind as a type this. These books are a pleasant way to pass a few hours...just don't expect a big payoff. Show Less
LibraryThing member tututhefirst
They" say hope springs eternal. And when you're talking about Hannah Swenson, owner of the Cookie Jar Bakery in Lake Eden Minnesota, the hope is usually on the part of the reader. Will she choose Mike the cop or Norman the dentist? Will she actually be able to get through a whole volume without
This is actually the third book in this very popular series that has been around since 2001. Blueberry Muffin was originally published in 2002.
If you enjoy lots of sweets with your cozy reading, if you like goodie goodie people with no true villains, if you like being able to read along without engaging very many brain cells, while at the same time, not having to scream about poor sentence structure, unconnected plot elements, or slightly developed characters this series is for you. There are actually about 18 of these sweet-tooth specials, complete with well documented recipes for all the treats mentioned. I read about one every 20-30 months. That's more than enough brain candy for me. They're fun, but a steady diet is not what I can handle.
Show More
being entwined in a murder investigation? Or without becoming a possible murder target herself? Will these books ever change the formula, or ever resolve the slight (very slight) sexual tension between Hannah and her two beaux?This is actually the third book in this very popular series that has been around since 2001. Blueberry Muffin was originally published in 2002.
If you enjoy lots of sweets with your cozy reading, if you like goodie goodie people with no true villains, if you like being able to read along without engaging very many brain cells, while at the same time, not having to scream about poor sentence structure, unconnected plot elements, or slightly developed characters this series is for you. There are actually about 18 of these sweet-tooth specials, complete with well documented recipes for all the treats mentioned. I read about one every 20-30 months. That's more than enough brain candy for me. They're fun, but a steady diet is not what I can handle.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Camethyste
Unexpected ending, likeable characters. I enjoyed the book. I really enjoyed all the recipes, too!
LibraryThing member sunfi
The third in the series about a bakery owner (Hannah Swenson) in a small town that keeps stumbling upon dead bodies. All the clues and her detective skills work out and she's able to solve the crime before the police. The story was entertaining and kept moving quickly, while it is becoming a little
Show More
predictable (you always know that Hannah will solve the crime). A slightly different ending would be nice, but I'll have to read through the rest of the series to see if the pattern changes. Show Less
LibraryThing member prpl_reader_services
This is a cozy story, which would appeal to those readers who enjoy a lighthearted whodunit story with little violence. The characters have ongoing storylines about their families, their careers, and, most of all, their relationships. Along with an enjoyable storyline, this book also provides
I would also recommend to fans of this book, Just Desserts, by Daheim, Sympathy for the Devil, by Jerrilyn Farmer, Murder, with Peacocks, by Donna Andrews, and, of course, any of the other titles in Joanne Fluke’s Hannah Swenson mystery series. - MH
Show More
recipes within each chapter, which further lightens the mood of this culinary caper.I would also recommend to fans of this book, Just Desserts, by Daheim, Sympathy for the Devil, by Jerrilyn Farmer, Murder, with Peacocks, by Donna Andrews, and, of course, any of the other titles in Joanne Fluke’s Hannah Swenson mystery series. - MH
Show Less
LibraryThing member grshppr215
Like other Joanne Fluke mysteries, this was a fun, light read. Although I have to wonder if the main character has a little Jessica Fletcher in her because people always seem to murdered around her.
LibraryThing member dukefan86
This was my first (audio)book in the Hannah Swensen series, and I had a hard time with it, since I'm on a low-carb diet! Seriously! The pastries (and the recipes for them) sounded way too good--I just can't listen to or read any more in this series right now! :/ Maybe I'll pick it back up later.
LibraryThing member Jiraiya
I can see some thought has gone into writing this book. Some of the products of this effort has been accessible to me. There's the elegant tone in the final few pages, which prevented the aftermath of the climax from being monotonous. I could appreciate the irony of Greg's prank with Hannah right
I found the storyline of the two suitors competing for Hannah's affection slightly unoriginal, and from the way things are going I say Mike's the front runner. Parts of the book was predictable soon as the author focused on these lines. I also detected the vibe of competitiveness between the two sisters. What they say. Sometimes they say some pretty mean stuff. Andrea calls her marriage without problems, yet a slight scratch at the surface yields competition between her and her co bread earner of a husband. I was sure the author might be telling us that she's bound to present cookie cutter characters but she's adding depth to her story. But the author might instead just be fine with what she's included and considers her characters pristine.
The mystery is one which could have been solved by the police. It seems to me that the murderer was not very clever or cautious. There's no details of his crimes frankly. For most of the investigation carried out by Hannah a long winding false trail is tread, and the trail is the spine of the journey of the mystery. But the ending is out of the blue. Speaking of blue this book is like those old films where the title doesn't reflect the content. I'm slightly disappointed by the lack of development of Hannah's fortunes. She seems nastier. That may be because Andrea comes up with the most recurring help of the two, even if they were on the wrong track. Despite its many fault I rate this book quite highly. It would be less if there had been yet another energetic burglary plus frantic room search of some elusive artifact. Maybe that will happen next time. Till then and even after, I'll carry on reading this series.
Show More
at the beginning and what happens in the end. My problem is that there's a demand for some unimportant characters to gather into the spotlight. I didn't want to know about Lisa's afflicted dad. I also didn't want more of Tracey. She's got to be the most fake and faked character I've come across. But I suspect people have told the author to put her into her books, which is bad news for me, unless Tracey grows up. Then there's no problem.I found the storyline of the two suitors competing for Hannah's affection slightly unoriginal, and from the way things are going I say Mike's the front runner. Parts of the book was predictable soon as the author focused on these lines. I also detected the vibe of competitiveness between the two sisters. What they say. Sometimes they say some pretty mean stuff. Andrea calls her marriage without problems, yet a slight scratch at the surface yields competition between her and her co bread earner of a husband. I was sure the author might be telling us that she's bound to present cookie cutter characters but she's adding depth to her story. But the author might instead just be fine with what she's included and considers her characters pristine.
The mystery is one which could have been solved by the police. It seems to me that the murderer was not very clever or cautious. There's no details of his crimes frankly. For most of the investigation carried out by Hannah a long winding false trail is tread, and the trail is the spine of the journey of the mystery. But the ending is out of the blue. Speaking of blue this book is like those old films where the title doesn't reflect the content. I'm slightly disappointed by the lack of development of Hannah's fortunes. She seems nastier. That may be because Andrea comes up with the most recurring help of the two, even if they were on the wrong track. Despite its many fault I rate this book quite highly. It would be less if there had been yet another energetic burglary plus frantic room search of some elusive artifact. Maybe that will happen next time. Till then and even after, I'll carry on reading this series.
Show Less
LibraryThing member miamismartgirl09
I picked up the first book (Chocolate Chip Muder Mystery) on a whim. And feel in love.
Joanne's Hanna Swenson mysteries is the only series that I would want to have every single book.
Joanne's Hanna Swenson mysteries is the only series that I would want to have every single book.
LibraryThing member weisser4
I love the quirkiness on the main character, Hannah. It is nice to have a normal, average-looking woman as the heroine.
LibraryThing member book_girl_14
I really enjoyed this one and all of the others before and after it!
LibraryThing member BookConcierge
It's been a while since I'd read a Hannah Swensen mystery. They're fun ... and have great cookie recipes!
LibraryThing member jbarr5
Blueberry muffin murder by Joanne Fluke
Hannah is in charge of the sweets for the winter carnival. Connie is in charge of the cake-she runs a cable TV cooking show.
She bad tempered and wants everyone to do her work and get the credit. She's found dead at the Cookie Jar and Hannah has to investigate
Others are at the top of the list: the disgruntled employees of Connie's.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
Hannah is in charge of the sweets for the winter carnival. Connie is in charge of the cake-she runs a cable TV cooking show.
She bad tempered and wants everyone to do her work and get the credit. She's found dead at the Cookie Jar and Hannah has to investigate
Show More
with help of her family and friends.Others are at the top of the list: the disgruntled employees of Connie's.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
Show Less
LibraryThing member ChazziFrazz
A friend has loaned me her collection of the Hannah Swensen mysteries and I am enjoying reading them in sequence. Something I don't usually do.
In this book Hanna is faced with her shop, The Cookie Jar, being the scene of the murder of America's "Cooking Sweetheart," a misnomer for Connie Mac. Not
While investigating the murder, Hanna also finds that the "Cooking Sweetheart" is a domineering, demanding demon of a person to work with, but she just puts on the sweet act for her public. Her staff are in fear of losing their jobs and are just plain miserable.
Hannah also is finding that she has two interested men in her life, which can be good or not. If only her mother would stop pushing her to settle down and marry!
This cozy series is a fun read, and the recipes are a nice addition. I may have to try my hand at one and see how it turns out. Cookies can always be a good thing to go along with a good read!
In this book Hanna is faced with her shop, The Cookie Jar, being the scene of the murder of America's "Cooking Sweetheart," a misnomer for Connie Mac. Not
Show More
only is Hanna supposed to keep from finding the murderer, she also has to find somewhere else to bake the huge orders of cookies that have been ordered for the Winter Carnival! A quantity that cannot be done in the average kitchen.While investigating the murder, Hanna also finds that the "Cooking Sweetheart" is a domineering, demanding demon of a person to work with, but she just puts on the sweet act for her public. Her staff are in fear of losing their jobs and are just plain miserable.
Hannah also is finding that she has two interested men in her life, which can be good or not. If only her mother would stop pushing her to settle down and marry!
This cozy series is a fun read, and the recipes are a nice addition. I may have to try my hand at one and see how it turns out. Cookies can always be a good thing to go along with a good read!
Show Less
LibraryThing member lkernagh
Another fun installment in this cozy mystery series. We get to see things slowly heating up on the romance front for Hannah (can anyone say “love triangle”) , but the story is still focused on the murder mystery and quaint small town living that drew me into the series in the first place. The
Overall, another delightful, mystery romp filled with tantalizing goodie recipes.
Show More
mystery is a decent one in that I didn’t figure out who the suspect was right away. With a town full of visitors for the local Winter Carnival and a celebrity chef with a reputation for making more enemies than friends, the potential list of suspects (and motives) is high, leading me to make multiple guesses as to the identity of the murderer as clues are revealed. Hannah’s stylish real estate agent sister Andrea is an eager accomplice as Hannah snoops around for clues and yes, their on-going sibling banter adds to the charm this story holds for me. As for Hannah’s poised and polished mother Delores, I love that woman. When she is not trying to angle for a husband for Hannah, she is aghast at Hannah’s love for casual wear, wild hair and her habit of continuing to be the one to discover dead bodies in Lake Eden. Delores doesn’t pull any punches when she makes her opinion known through comments like this one: “Hannah! You've simply got to stop finding bodies. I swear you attract them like a magnet. If you're not careful, everyone's going to get the wrong impression of you." Just the kind of comment I would expect to come out of Delores' mouth, and brings a smile to my face.Overall, another delightful, mystery romp filled with tantalizing goodie recipes.
Show Less
LibraryThing member KarenDuff
I like this series, it is undemanding fluff and sometimes that is just what you need. I really like the recipes.
LibraryThing member rosalita
It's Winter Carnival time in Lake Eden, Minnesota, and Hannah and her business partner, Lisa, are busy baking cookies to sell/serve at the various events. She's not the main attraction, though. A famous celebrity cook is the guest of honor. When the official Carnival cake that she baked meets with
Amateur investigations can't help but verge on the ridiculous in a cozy like this, and either you decide ahead of time to suspend your disbelief or you just stop reading them. I tried to keep my eye-rolling to a minimum and found I didn't mind it as much as I have in other series. A love triangle that lurked in the background in the first two books threatens to burst onto center stage in this one, and if that's what has to happen to resolve it once and for all I say go for it. I'd like to see that particular plot thread wrapped up for good in the next book, because it's fairly tiresome. I enjoyed the rest of it, though, despite the emotional whiplash from sandwiching this cozy between two of the Duffy noir police procedurals. I'll read the fourth if I can find it at the library.
Show More
an accident, she commandeers The Cookie Jar kitchen to whip up another one. Hannah and Lisa leave her to it, and if you've read either of the first two books in this series (or are familiar with cozy mysteries in general) you know what Hannah finds the next morning when she opens up. Despite the presence of a remarkably capable (for such a small town) police force, Hannah once again decides to run her own investigation. She's stymied, though, when it turns out that pretty much everyone who ever met the famous Connie Mac has a reason to want her dead.Amateur investigations can't help but verge on the ridiculous in a cozy like this, and either you decide ahead of time to suspend your disbelief or you just stop reading them. I tried to keep my eye-rolling to a minimum and found I didn't mind it as much as I have in other series. A love triangle that lurked in the background in the first two books threatens to burst onto center stage in this one, and if that's what has to happen to resolve it once and for all I say go for it. I'd like to see that particular plot thread wrapped up for good in the next book, because it's fairly tiresome. I enjoyed the rest of it, though, despite the emotional whiplash from sandwiching this cozy between two of the Duffy noir police procedurals. I'll read the fourth if I can find it at the library.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Robin.D..Green
When I first started this series, I wasn't enjoying it as much as some of the other mystery series I follow. And I started not to continue reading this series. But with this book, I am starting to enjoy them more. I am looking forward to seeing what happens in the other books. I am liking the
Show More
characters more and I am finding myself fully involved in the story before I realize it. Show Less
LibraryThing member gpangel
The Blueberry Muffin Murder by Joanne Fluke is a 2003 Kensington publication.
This is the third installment in the Hannah Swensen series, and I think maybe I’m finally beginning to settle into it.
Gearing up for the Lake Eden Winter Carnival, Hannah is super busy doing her part- but the town is
I’ll admit I knew almost from the beginning who the murderer probably was- but I had no clue what the motive or connection might be- so it was still a mystery and a good one at that. I am starting to warm up to Hannah now that I understand her better and enjoy her little ‘love triangle’ musings, her cat, her sister, and her annoying mother, too- all of which is quite entertaining.
Overall, this was a quick, fun cozy- and I’m starting to enjoy the series more and more as I go!
4 stars
This is the third installment in the Hannah Swensen series, and I think maybe I’m finally beginning to settle into it.
Gearing up for the Lake Eden Winter Carnival, Hannah is super busy doing her part- but the town is
Show More
all abuzz over the celebrity lifestyle guru, Connie Mac, stepping in to bake the Carnival cake. But Hannah thinks the woman is a fake, entitled, uncharitable and difficult. Still, it comes as a big shock when she finds Connie Mac dead in her bakery….I’ll admit I knew almost from the beginning who the murderer probably was- but I had no clue what the motive or connection might be- so it was still a mystery and a good one at that. I am starting to warm up to Hannah now that I understand her better and enjoy her little ‘love triangle’ musings, her cat, her sister, and her annoying mother, too- all of which is quite entertaining.
Overall, this was a quick, fun cozy- and I’m starting to enjoy the series more and more as I go!
4 stars
Show Less
Subjects
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2002
Physical description
320 p.; 4.24 inches
ISBN
0758218583 / 9780758218582