A romantic seven-day cruise is the perfect start to bakery owner Hannah Swensen’s marriage. However, with a murder mystery heating up in Lake Eden, Minnesota, it seems the newlywed’s homecoming won’t be as sweet as anticipated . . . After an extravagant honeymoon, Hannah’s eager to settle down in Lake Eden and turn domestic daydreams into reality. But when her mother’s neighbor is discovered … neighbor is discovered murdered in the condo downstairs, reality becomes a nightmarish investigation. Victoria Bascomb, once a renowned stage actress, was active in the theater community during her brief appearance in town . . . and made throngs of enemies along the way. Did a random intruder murder the woman as police claim, or was a deadlier scheme at play? As Hannah peels through countless suspects and some new troubles of her own, solving this crime—and living to tell about it—might prove trickier than mixing up the ultimate banana cream pie . . .
Features Over a Dozen Cookie and Dessert Recipes from The Cookie Jar!
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I’m starting to get a little sad… this book, Banana Cream Pie Murder, is the 21st of 24 cozy mystery novels written in the Hannah Swensen series by Joanne Fluke. I’ve only got three more left! I was awarded the next two via NetGalley, and I’ll need to buy the last one when it’s released this fall… then I’ll have to wait months. Oh no! I’ve managed not to read any spoilers on what’s happened in the next three books, nor share anything too big in my reviews to ruin it for others, but based on the way this one ended, with the first major cliffhanger ever, I’m worried! Is it all a sham? Oh no!
In this caper, Hannah’s newly married after finally choosing one of her three suitors throughout the series. She picked the least likely one, and something tells me that there’s a reason for it in the future books. As she settles into married life, she asks the basic questions: Do I have to cook dinner for him? Should we tell each other everything? Will he put me first always? Interesting ideas… I mean, I get she comes from a town where many of the women look at it as their responsibility to cook their husband’s dinner, so I don’t take any offense to it (nor should others as this is representing something ‘traditional’ from the past — not necessarily correct or something to promote as good, but still… it fits with the series and character type. On the flip side, she also says “I’ll do what I want with my own time, I’m not tied to the hip with him.” At least she stood up for herself there!
That said… the mystery was good up until the finish. Talk about a dark horse coming in to be the killer in the last 2 chapters. The process of elimination for other suspects was clever and good as usual, but I did feel a tad bit gipped in the end. Hmm… why is GR telling me gipped isn’t a word? Oh well… back to the review. I’d have liked to see something a little stronger, but the rest of the book was hilarious and fun to watch all the character development. Delores found the body this time. Michelle is turning out to be the best sister ever. The mayor is the scapegoat for everything. And wow… where is this police force? Always missing until Hannah’s caught the killer. Ha!
Can’t wait for more… it’s my self-indulging silly and entertaining fun! 🙂
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Hannah and Ross are back from their honeymoon cruise just in the nick of time. Her mother is caught up in a murder investigation when she finds her downstairs neighbor dead after hearing a ruckus below. Victoria Bascomb had been very active in the local theater community after her own acting career fizzled. The problem was that she really wasn’t well-liked in Lake Eden and may have had some other enemies before arriving in town. The police believe her death was a random act but Hannah nor her mother believe that is not the case. With a little help from her friends and family, Hannah starts to peel away at the clues and suspects but she may slip up and this could be the last we hear from Hannah Swenson.
I am still adjusting to Hannah choosing Ross over Mike or Norman. The decision has really changed the Hannah I have come to love over the course of this series. The relationship just doesn’t feel comfortable and seems to have zapped a lot of her confidence. At times, she just doesn’t seem happy. She also appears to have become technologically inept. Please, Hannah is a smart woman and would know how to use a smart phone. There are a few other instances where Hannah just comes off as a shell of the woman I have come to love. I hope we get the old Hannah back in future books.
I did like that Hannah’s sister Michelle is back in town. In fact, she is the one that does most of the baking in this book. Dishing up new ideas for breakfast for Hannah and Ross. She is their houseguest while she is visiting. Mike and Norman are also thankfully still around, dropping by to eat mostly but Norman does spend a little sleuthing time with the sisters. Dolores and Doc redecorated most of Ross and Hannah’s home while they were away on their honeymoon cruise. Another thing I don’t think the old Hannah would have been on board with. Dolores finding the body this time allowed her to be in the limelight for a lot of the book.
The mystery itself didn’t take shape until way past the halfway point and for me, it was an easy solve even with the variety of suspects. Hannah did find herself in some dicey situations, and the reveal was very entertaining. The ending of the book was the biggest surprise. A surprise that sets up a cliffhanger. A surprise that may be an answer to my prayers. The next book, Raspberry Danish Murder, is on my To-Be-Read Shelf and I hope to be reading it soon.
Banana Cream Pie is one of my favorites. I can wait to try Hannah’s recipe. There are also about 20 more recipes to try. The recipes are interspersed throughout the book, so my taste buds were tempted the entire way.
Banana Cream Pie Murder was a fun, lighthearted read with plenty of humor. I do enjoy catching up with these characters and am looking forward to another trip to Lake Eden.
And yes I made some of the recipies. Yum
Love this series, also like the recipes.
Fun and entertaining
Tasty recipes, female amateur sleuth.
Mini Review: This series never gets stale for me. I think the fact that I don’t read them back to back helps me love it even more. Hannah is such a wonderful character and I always look forward to “catching up” with her and the gang. I think my only dislike about this one though is the ending. I guess we’ll see what happens in the next one!
Love thiese characters in this book and all of hers in this series.
Only a select few who might read this review will know this going in, but I was predisposed to expectations of disliking this book before I even opened it because BANANAS. (Ew.) Despite the fact that the very title of this book makes me grimace in disgust, I plunged in and hoped for the best.
What I liked about “Banana Cream Pie Murder”:
Someone else happened upon the scene of the crime – Yes, of course, Hannah was still involved. And that’s fine. She’s the center of the series. But it changes things up a bit when it isn’t just her stumbling upon the deceased.
Hannah actually experienced some frustration – Sometimes it feels like the clues just fall into her lap. This time, they eluded her a bit and it felt somewhat more realistic (even though it always feels like a Hallmark movie)(which I am ok with as I know what I’ve signed up for with this series by Book 21). Watching Hannah try to work through the fog was a nice element to change things up as well.
I actually zeroed in on the culprit as soon as they were formally introduced – That’s rare for me, but there was just enough of a clue given to catch my attention and then I was able to see the evidence stack up…even if Hannah and Mike took a bit longer to catch the scent.
The ending – The cliffhanger was well constructed…and I smugly like what it implies. I’ll leave it at that to avoid any spoilers.
What I didn’t care for:
BANANAS – This is likely not going to affect anyone else’s enjoyment of this book but I cannot stress how much bananas turn my stomach. The thought of that contest made me feel positively green.
Some minor inconsistency – How it is possible that Hannah (as this book stated) says “daylight in the swamps” to Moishe every morning if I have no recollection of it 21 books and four novellas into the series? Does my brain truly refuse to retain this information and yet still remember that Hannah is a stickler for grammar, a fount of useless trivia, and prone to making puns?
The dangling thread – There was one individual who had a connection with the victim whose involvement was never really resolved. We went through all the trouble of discovering their identity and then just…radio silence.
The timeline seems off to me – Something felt off-balance to me between Book 20 and 21, although it is possible that the flashback of 20 is throwing me off. But if 19 is a certain event…and 21 picked up only a week later…where did 20 fit in with the non-flashback portion of its content?! (Yes, I am being vague to avoid spoilers, but if you’ve read this far, you should know what I am referring to…)
Despite all those points under “didn’t care for,” the parts I enjoyed were more heavily weighted and so it gets four stars instead of three. Yes, this series is a bit saccharin and a little too “everyone is so perfect.” But as I’ve stated, it’s the nature of this series and I enjoy it for what it is. However, I also appreciate that, over the most recent installments, some character depth has begun to emerge. We’re not in a stalemate (even if I am not a fan of the reason WHY we aren’t) and that’s allowing me to get a little more “relationship” with Hannah and our recurring cast of family and friends.
This series by Joanne Flukes is always a winner
Poor Hannah, her life is changing and she’s not sure if she likes it. Married life isn’t what she thought it would be like and solving a murder isn’t as easy as it was before either. When the killer is finally caught Hannah wants to celebrate with her husband but he’s MIA. Not a good way to start her marriage. Secretly I am on cloud nine that Ross is gone!!!!
Fluke is wonderful as always, coming up with a story that is familiar yet markedly different. I have loved following Hannah Swenson from the beginning and this book did not disappoint.
First, let me say I DESPISE cliffhangers. 100%
It was odd having the book start out with Delores instead of Hannah, but with Hannah on her honeymoon, it made sense. And it was a decent opening.
The honeymoon on the other hand, was very eye-rolling. Is Hannah REALLY that selfish? Apparently, that answer is yes. I think I sprained my eyes in just the first 6 chapters alone.
I knew who the murderer was based on one thing that is supposed to be under the radar and I figured out why, so that was very anticlimactic for me; what I DID NOT see coming was the end and the bloody cliffhanger. I was really ready to let this be the last Hannah Swensen book I was going to read, because truly the last few ones [the current one included] have been so meh and below average, that I have been ready to give up on the series. I WAS hoping that now she was married she would be less annoying, but nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo. Sigh. And now I may just have to read the next one to see what happens. It isn’t released until February, so I have time to think about it.
Really disappointed in how this series has declined.
Great book and recipes are wonderful as well!
Just good fun. Well-written.
Enjoyable summer reading. “Cozy mystery” style.
Fun book series, but Hannah’s love life got too complicated.
Love all her books!
As always, love the recipes and love the characters. This one has some kind of unfinished ending. Next book here I come.
I love this series. Light reading and lovable characters.