It’s Christmas many years ago, and topping young Hannah Swensen’s wish list is becoming the go-to baker in Lake Eden, Minnesota. But as Hannah finds out, revisiting holiday memories can be murder . . . With her dream of opening The Cookie Jar taking shape, Hannah’s life matches the hectic December hustle and bustle in Lake Eden—especially when she agrees to help recreate a spectacular Christmas … Eden—especially when she agrees to help recreate a spectacular Christmas Ball from the past in honor of Essie Granger, an elderly local in hospice care. But instead of poring over decadent dessert recipes for the merry festivities, she instantly becomes enthralled by Essie’s old notebooks—and the tale of a woman escaping danger on the streets of New York . . .
Hannah’s surprised by Essie’s secret talent for penning crime fiction. She’s even more surprised when the story turns real. As Hannah prepares to run a bakery and move out of her mother’s house, it’ll be a true miracle if she can prevent another Yuletide disaster by solving a mystery as dense as a Christmas fruitcake . . .
Features Over a Dozen Cookie and Dessert Recipes from The Cookie Jar!
“Series fans will enjoy learning how the Cookie Jar bakery came to be.”
—Publishers Weekly
more
The Hannah Swensen series is a favorite of mine. The characters seem like friends because I have read so many. The recipes that follow each chapter are interesting, too.
Pretty light weight reading. Okay but feels underdeveloped.
I love the Joanne Fluke books. I have read and or own all of them so far.
Prequel to the series. Explains how Hannah started the Cookie Jar.
The recipies were the best part of this book
Prequel to the Hannah Swenson books. Very predictable, which is unlike the other Hannah Swenson books. Joanne Fluke did not have her groove on when she wrote this book.
Always enjoy these books on Hannah. They are good stories and plots that keep your interest.
Loved this book! I’ve read all of Joanne Flukes books on Hannah Swensen and Adore them. Very engaging and delicious recipes too!
I read this book as a holiday “treat”. I have been enjoying the adventures of Lake Eden for quite some time. This is book 23 in the series and it takes place when Hannah was in college!!!! I believe it started out that she was telling the story but then it never doubled back to current day! It starts with her mother in the throes of mourning the loss of her husband (Hannah’s dad) and the town gets her involved in planning a Christmas Ball. They find old journals from the person they honoring with the Christmas Ball. The journals are the basis for the “murder” which really doesn’t make sense until the end. It’s not “Christmas-y”, nor is it worthy of this murder mystery series! It’s filled with background information and recipes. Definitely NOT the caliber of the series. The dialogue seems childish. If I had read this book first I would have never given the series a chance. And I do enjoy the Hannah Swenson Mysteries!
I have read many books about Hanna but this one took me back to the beginning. It was great.
I like all her books, they are fun to read and I like the recepies
I loved the way she added some of the recipes in the book. I plan to try them
Easy to read. Fun!
Any one reading the series “Cookie Jar” really needs to read this book. It tells the very beginning of Hannah and her start as a bakery owner. Loved the book.
It is a fun read like the other Hannah Swenson books! Just the thing if your in the mood for some light reading!
Hannah has come home from college after the death of her father and has no intentions to go back after a disastrous ending to her love affair with a professor. As Hannah tries to keep the house running for her youngest sister, she sees her mother declining more and more into depression. No projects the daughters think of can pull their mom back into the land of the living that is until two church ladies tell Hannah and her family about Essie. Essie is the elderly owner of the Albion Hotel who lives above it with no water or electricity. Essie is to proud to accept help even though all the townsfolk love Essie. Unfortunately Essie has fallen and broken her hip. Essie wants to revisit the Christmas Ball with its Christmas Cake parade one more time before dying. Hannah and her family are determined to make that happen for Essie. While gathering info for the Christmas Ball, Hannah and her mom run across several notebooks that Essie said are the beginnings of a novel she has written. Can Hannah make Essie’s dreams come true of the Christmas Ball or will a story of fiction become all to real?
This book can be read out of sync from the rest of the series since it takes place before Hannah opened The Cookie Jar. I found this book delightful. Yes, it does read differently from the other books in to series as Hannah is not solving a murder mystery but she does have a mystery to solve. I liked seeing Hannah’s mother on a more real, down to earth basis than her usual snooty self at times.
If you are looking for a quick Christmas themed read during a cold, dreary day then this is the book for you. I read it in one day. My only complaint is I didn’t leave any for today. If I could I would be a regular customer at The Cookie Jar. Lots of yummy recipes included.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Kensington through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.
The author has a wonderful sense of humor
If you like murder mysteries entwined with holiday recipes surrounded by amazing characters you cannot get enough of then this is for you.
Not as good as the other books in the series. It is a prequel.
Great escape.