Fudge Cupcake Murder (Hannah Swensen Mysteries)
In Fluke’s scrumptious fifth culinary cozy (after 2003’s LemonMeringue Pie Murder), Lake Eden, Minn., bakery owner Hannah Swensendiscovers the fudge-stained corpse of overbearing, unscrupulousSheriff Grant in a trash receptacle near her cooking school. Hannah’sbrother-in-law Bill is the prime suspect in the bludgeoning of hisrival for the upcoming sheriff’s election, so Hannah’sabout-to-deliver pregnant sister, Andrea, frantically begs herinvestigative assistance. And to kick it up a notch, Hannah’s currentred-hot squeeze, the acting sheriff, suspends Bill from the force,causing Hannah to come to a rolling boil. Moishe, Hannah’s engagingcat, gives her more grief than comfort as he adjusts stubbornly to hisdotage. While Hannah tries to identify the essential ingredient of acertain cupcake formula taken to the grave by a deceased localhomemaker, most readers will have figured out who the real killer islong before Hannah does. Mix unsavory small-town scandals, an annoyingmarriage-minded mother and quirky, sweet-toothed locals; add agenerous dollop of humor and romantic foible; sprinkle with intriguingrecipes; and you have a slightly cloying though satisfying firesideread.Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division ofReed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.