Devil’s Food Cake Murder

I am just over half way through the Hannah Swensen cozy mystery series with #14, Devil’s Food Cake Murder, written in 2011 by Joanne Fluke. When I flipped through the Acknowledgments section in the paperback, it noted that Hannah was voted as the most liked non-detective crime solver that year… how interesting! I love the series and think she’s quite fun, but each book seems to get a little lighter on plot and heavier on recipes. I preferred the balance in the earlier novels, yet they are still always a great read… even if I’m now down to about an hour to push through them despite being over 300 pages. When I flip 10 pages to skip the recipe, it breezes by quickly.

cake

In this caper, Hannah finds the dead body of Reverend Bob’s temporary sit-in while he’s on his honeymoon with Claire. Hannah’s mom is watching Claire’s fashion shop all the while trying not to insult the customers when they pick the wrong outfits for their body type. But the biggest change in this Lake Eden puzzle is Hannah’s dating life. She’s waffled between Mike and Norman for 13 books, beginning to see them both wane at her indecision and start seeing other people… well, now there’s a massive decision that will change the events in future books. In one way, I’m glad, as she was stringing them on for far too long. I agree with taking time to play the field, and maybe it’s only been 2 to 3 years in story time, but it feels like a decade!

As for the mystery, nothing extraordinary, and it didn’t really involve many characters we’ve met before except one adorable octogenarian, so it was not my favorite. I still enjoyed all the side interactions in the town, the developing relationships between Hannah and her family, and the set-up for the next book in terms of Hannah’s love life. I’m sticking with it, but I hope there’s more mystery coming soon! 3.5 stars…

Matthew Walters has agreed to take the pulpit of the local church in Lake Eden while Reverend Bob and Claire take their honeymoon. But they’ve just left town when Hannah finds him shot next to a piece of her Devil’s Food Cake. For those who love the characters, they’ll find another fun adventure. Those who are frustrated by the love triangle of think the series is too light will find nothing to change their minds here.

Exciting times in Lake Eden, Minnesota. Hannah is facing competition in her love triangle between dentist Norman and police officer Mike in the form of Norman’s new partner at the dental clinic and Hannah is none too pleased when she is asked to bake a trifle for a surprise birthday party in her competition’s honor.

Hannah’s mother Dolores is also having her book launch and Hannah has been called upon to bake a special orange and lemon-flavored cookie from England which sounded scrumptious. This book centered on a murder of a character who came back to town after a long absence and a murder plot that may have had roots in old town history.

I love this whole series and a bonus is that the recipes inside are usually excellent. I have loved all of the ones that I have tried.

Whoa! What a wild ride it was this time around with Hannah and the gang. I couldn’t seem to stop turning the pages in this one.

What I liked about “Devil’s Food Cake Murder”:
Mysteries upon mysteries – I counted five different mysteries woven into this book. Some big, some small, some resolved, some ongoing. Even though there were so many, the story didn’t get jumbled or over-complicated. There was the featured murder (1), the socks (2), Dr Bev’s real story (3), Norman’s secret that carried over from “Apple Turnover Murder” (4), and Dolores’s behavior (5). For the sake of avoiding spoilers, I will confirm only that the murder was resolved and I was pleased with the way they played this one through.
Holy twist – Pun not intended, but nonetheless amusing to me–given the nature of the featured mystery. (Heh.) I did not see it coming but it was played out perfectly. I didn’t feel as though this mystery was as easily unraveled as many of the others, but it was so satisfying and well-constructed.
Hannah – So many reviews bemoan Hannah’s indecision regarding Mike and Norman. There’s displeasure that she would date two men long term. I actually think it’s one of the more responsible ways to handle dating when you aren’t ready to make a full commitment to one relationship. She isn’t ready to make a decision (although I think she knows what she wants, she’s just afraid to make that leap), so she isn’t yet. And she’s being open and honest with both men; it isn’t as if she’s dating both on the sly. As for Hannah’s jealous reactions? I think they’re a very real human reaction. Just because she set the terms of her relationships doesn’t mean she can’t dislike the very real consequences. She openly acknowledges that her terms leaves them all free to date other people; she just comes to the realization that she doesn’t necessarily like seeing one of them with someone else. I think, deep down, she’s understanding why she’s reacting that way, but isn’t ready to admit it out loud.
Another cliffhanger! – And this one is a doozy.

What I didn’t care for:
Minor annoyances – A couple of tiny inconsistencies and typographical errors. Nothing that ruins the story. Just that they catch my attention.

Overall, I think this has been one of the strongest books so far in this series. A keep-you-on-your-toes whirlwind with plenty to keep you turning pages with both the current case and the ongoing storylines.

Loved it!

A nice cosy mystery

I love all of Joanne Fluke’s books- they are interesting and provide great recipes!