Minnesota Books

This book was a good addition to the series. It had me hooked from the start and my interest never waned. The unraveling of a series of what may be constructed as senseless murders is the premise of the story. How this story unravels is believable and logical, and the characters are true to life. I also like the love interest in the plot.

The book was also easy to read with short chapters and easy to interpret dialogue.

Arguably the best entry among the first five books in this series (though I still have a soft spot for the extreme creepiness and dramatic revelations of "Eyes of Prey"), Mr. Sandford's "Winter Prey" is nevertheless a bracing, knock-out read and inarguably at least the second best among the first five books. Though series protagonist Lucas Davenport is here in all his glory, this one is less concerned with what is going on in Lucas' often troubled life and just wants to give us a moody, bang-up thriller plot. And there's also a slight change in this installment's flavor and tone, which makes for some welcome variety: instead of urban tension, here we get snowstorms, icy temperatures, snowmobiles, and coyotes. But don't worry, you still get one of those nicely written Lucas Davenport romantic sublots, this time involving a tough yet fetching surgeon. And yes, you also get a memorable killer. Laced with intelligent details yet extremely fast paced, "Winter Prey" will not disappoint.

WINTER PREY, the fifth entry in the Lucas Davenport series, is the best of the seven Prey novels that I have read so far.

The plot is straightforward. Lucas Davenport is lured out of retirement to assist in a homicide investigation in a small Wisconsin town. A serial killer is a work, and Davenport has to find him before he strikes again. In the meantime, he develops a serious romantic relationship with a local doctor.

WINTER PREY is suspenseful and exciting. Unlike many of the Prey novels, the identity of the killer is concealed from the reader. So this novel is not just a thriller, but a whodunit (which increases the suspense). All the supporting characters are interesting and likable. I also enjoyed the romantic relationship in this book, which is very well developed.

This book is relatively graphic, and contains a high level of sex and violence. If you're easily disturbed by such content, you should skip this novel. Otherwise, I think you're in for a treat; WINTER PREY is a really entertaining book and I heartily recommend it.

Lucas finds himself at loose ends after being run out of the Minneapolis PD and is taking solace in the cold north woods of Wisconsin when he is called to assist the sheriff's department of Objibway county when a suspicious fire leads to murder and the discovery of a ring of perverts that had been operating in the county for some time. Facing off against a man who calls himself the Iceman, Lucas has to try to find out who is responsible before any more bodies pile up. And pile up they do in this fast-paced 5th book in the "Prey" series. We also are introduced to Weather Karkinnen, a surgeon who immediately steals Davenport's heart.

The Iceman is a pure sociopath - reading this book is often like a train wreck. You don't want to, but you are compelled to keep going as he continues to kill person after person for the most twisted reasons, where if he had left things alone . . . well, you just need to read the book. I love the "Prey" series - this is my second time reading through them. For any who enjoy a good thriller/police procedural/mystery/suspense novel - you can't miss with these.

I'm a fan of the Prey series and unfortunately I have in the past read them here and there, but not in any order. I recently started at the beginning and wish I had started there from the start. Doing that enables the reader to better follow the character development of Davenport. Having read some of the later books, it is in Winter Prey that we are first introduced to Weather. Their relationship in later books makes more sense now.

Winter Prey gives us the villain of "The Iceman." The crimes, chases and evidence collection is made difficult by the voluminous amounts of snow and harsh temperatures. The temperatures are 30 below zero, thus making it physically dangerous to be exposed to the elements for any length of time. Lucas is free lancing in the small, rural area of Northern Wisconsin. The local sheriff rightfully realizes he is in over his head after a family of three is murdered and their house is burned, and requests Davenport's help.

The identity of the villain kept me guessing. There were clues throughout, for example the killer knew intimate details of the police investigation, yet the possible people it could be were eliminated throughout the book as the story progressed. I found myself suspecting someone, then they were accounted for when the next murder happened. I enjoyed the book, the characters and couldn't put it down.

Three words, READ THIS BOOK!!!!! Trust me you won't regret it. I couldn't put this book down at all. It is an awesome book. I read it in a day. I loved it.READ IT!!!!!

wow! this was one of the books that i read and i couldnt put it down...i baught saturday and todays sunday and im half way through it! but thats my oppinion you would have to read it yourself to see if its good or not.

I bought this book mainly because it promised the insight and pain of a teenage girl. The bookstore realated the book to Go Ask Alice, and with that promise, i felt extremely compelled to read it. Words cannot describe how disappointed i was. The main character/author was horribly indesciptive. You never heard when the book took place, and none of the stories even related to each other. It was just a corny, unconnected story about an overly dramatic teenager whose life experiences don't even seem realistic.
So for all those girls who thought this book was fabulous, rent a brain and find your own real-life experiences!!!

If you are depressed and looking for the light well read "The Me Nobody Knew", it is about a girl who hates her parent,hates her body hates her life,hates every thing. she slowly finds out the world is not all as bad as she thought and uncovers the peace and love in the world she never knew about. even though she was sexually assulted,critsized by her friends and nearly starved her self to death she still lives on to be the best out there..

i LOVED this book.. mainly because it was exactly like me. I can relate to every word. As it said in the book " i was in 8th grade when i had realized i had been depressed for a year now." In 8th grade i realized i had been depressed for a long time as well. I had exspiranced things that had changed my life forever. I had always been upset a lot. Like when my mom got cancer and when i found out my kid brother was barried on the same day as my brithday. I had always been an unhappy child... not as much as i am now. I had a twin who had died and my kid brother died and i was scared about my mother leaving too. Then when my sister died and came back to life and was in a coma and i had witnessed it allmy whole life had changed forever. i then started to starve myself. After my sister came hoem from the hospital and i had been taking antidepressants i become more upset because they weren't working for me (atleast i didn't think they were) all i ever wanted was to be happy.. so i took 100mg instead of 10mg a day for a week and i ended up in the hospital.. and in the psyh ward and they took me off the meds... and about a week after that i started to starve myself again... and my friend gave me this book and i read it and i was like " wow!" the book was like based on me or something it was crazy!!!! i LOVED this book it's my favorite and i deffinatly recommend the book to any girl

This story is very well written. It has a lot of twists in it, which I like to read about. It is a little fantasy and a lot of adventure. The book is very good but there are parts that I do not like. There are parts that are letters to Andie( a girl that Jack likes). There are also health reports on Jack because he goes to war and his own friend injures him and knocks him out until doctors find him and bring him to the hospital. The reports are on him for how well he has got in the time of the treatments. I don't like this part because it doesn't really have anything to do about the story.
It is still fun to read about how he has gotten better and what weird things that they make him do in the hospital. But when the real adventure starts is when he is in his real time and his grandpa dies when trying to kill him. So he dies and they have to go find his house and sell it but when Jack Lund is looking around the house he finds a door, which leads to the third floor, but it is locked. So he picks the lock and sees what is inside and he finds a closest that he dreamed about and goes in it and finds a door but doesn't know where he goes.
The author Pete Hautman is very smart and knows what he is writing. He got this story from himself because he lived in a big house and dreamed about doors like Jack does. There is a lot of very good twists in the story so I would definitely suggest you to read this b

I am an avid reader of all kinds of time travel books and found this one to be one of the better ones of the genre. The story unfolds well and the plot keeps you reading on. However, I found the characters a bit shallow, you never really get into their depth, but the plot makes up for this deficiency. Some ideas were interesting, like not being able to see yourself when traveling in time and having an encounter with yourself. Overall a good read.

I picked this and some other young adult books up at my library for the class I am taking...to be a young adult librarian. I just kept reading and reading...until the book was over. It was probably the best YA book I have read in the last 5 years. AMAZING. All of Hautman's novels are great, but this one just grabs you and will not let go.

I First read MR WAS in while I was in high school. I was surprised by the story line taking twist and turns in directions you couldn't even imagine. Unlike most stories with a theme of time travel MR. WAS connects the end to the beginning so everything adds up in an absolutely fabulous way. I actually enjoyed the book so much I took it upon my self to liberate it from the school library after which I loaned it to several of my friends the last friend I recommended it to lifted it from me.

mr was was about a boy that was scent back in time wen hes grandfather and mather died. wen he hard hes mather yelling at his father he grabd a bat and ran down sters wen his father saw hem and ran after hem he dropd the bat and ran. his mather trid to stop hes father from harting hem and wen she did his fother pikd up the bat and swog it at her hade.wen he saw hes mather lieing of the floower did he ran out of the corner he was in and ran into a room that he had never been in wer he found his self in the pass.

A chronicle of the financial luck of Minnestor women narrated by Sophia (with a long i), one of the daughters. Hartwick uses extremely short chapters with very little character development. Hot issues from the 80s- homosexuality, HIV, divorce, domestic violence, Reagan- are woven into the story without much thought. Instead of spanning nearly a decade, Hartwick would have been better off focusing on two or three years. Some characters were extremely promising: Skye, Carter, Deb, Sophia. I could really relate to Skye's character in the beginning. Deb had her moments, but I felt like I didn't really know her. Sophia's character shares her life with us in the middle of the story. (In the beginning, she's simply a stressed out law student witnessing her mother's ladies club.) Profanity thrown into the dialogue seemed forced- as though Hartwick felt she had to include something vulgar in her PG story.

I became bored with story at the introduction of PMT company. The ladies went from middle-class nobodies to wealthy do-gooder- a bit contrived. I was annoyed.

Three stars because there is hope for Ladies With Options as a series. Hartwick should release a novel for each, 1983- 1991. I'd be most interested in the early years, as that's when the story and its characters are believable and likeable.

Hartwick tells a great story with loveable characters. This is a feel-good book with few villians. She does a great job with technology and economic history, too. Plus, her knowledge of business, legal matters and yummy desserts is spot on. The women in this book run the gamut from homemaker to lawyer to battered wife to punk computer nerd. Plus, there are a few good men thrown in for good measure.

Despite its rampant wholesomeness, this book holds stays interesting with a good plot. It's an excellent not-quite-rags to riches story and isn't it refreshing when ladies do it for themselves? You'll find inspiration as well as some pretty good advice for your own businesses!

Ladies with Options is not your typical romance or even typical chic lit. It crosses the boundaries and makes great company on cold winter nights.

In the small town of Larksdale, Minnesota, eight mostly middle-age women form a club which met on Saturday mornings (Magazine Club in Pulaski always met on Saturday afternoons.) at the Mostly Methodist Church. They were bored with their husbands' devotion and preoccupation with Sunday t.v. sports -- and would not be moved, come hell or high water.

A new, younger member, Skye, comes up with a big, bright idea. Instead of gossip and exchanging recipies (why couldn't they read books and review them?), they use her knowledge to get into the investment game. The pink-haired rebel suggested that their first 'go' should be Microsoft run by a youngish man named Bill Gates.

They changed the name of their club to Larksdale Ladies Investment Club and, as their financial future improves, they find that they have more control over thier lives and involvement in community affairs. No one pays attention to you when you're poor, especially in a small town, particularly in my hometown. In Knoxville, we have a white-hair woman on City Council who now runs the whole town. She makes all the motions and the men all bow to her 'knowledge' on each and every issue which comes before them. She has wound up making all the decisions as she eats at all the restaurants which sell beer and stronger drinks and recommends them before the beer board. She won't ever shut up, having opinions on everything -- and they let her hold full reign. It has come to the breaking point. She has been in that position for only five years, winning by only a few votes. Yes, she is wealthy.

In Larksdale, they come to each other's aid during family striff which helps they cope with their "scoundrel" mates. The richer they get, the wiser they appear; and, soon, find themselves stepping in "high cotton." According to this writer, the wealthy are more "fulfilled."

I just thought they ate better, as they can afford to buy their hearts' desires and imbibe with the rest of the world. Yes, the wealthy will rule us, at least, they will die trying. She has also written LADIES WITH PROSPECTS. Now, that sounds racy.

Ladies With Options is a winner.
The Mostly Methodist Club, in Larksdale, Minnesota, 1983, is a delightful group of
endearing and unique characters.
If any of you enjoyed financial success during the dot.com era (I did, albeit briefly) you'll enjoy (and know) this may be written as fiction, but it did happen to many.
This feel good story about a group of women who choose to take charge of their own lives and those around them, had me hooked from the first page.
Funny, smart, and witty, Ladies With Options (all but two of them of them approaching retirement age) shakes the theory that only men in suits were making it big with IBM and Microsoft. These women become smart, business savvy risk-takers, saving the town's economy by dealing with the Wall Street big shots.
Our lady's marriages, friendships, and careers have to be adjusted (sometimes with a rude awakening) but you'll remember this era and can't help but ponder our ever-changing world and wonder what's next?
Looking forward to the next installment.

This was a most enjoyable book, if you like the Miss Julia series you will love this one about a group of ladies that decide to invest a little money, starting with $1500.00 each and investing in things they find interesting and they are willing to go out and buy the product and feel others will. This book tells of the changes in their lives for the better, and the growth of their friendships. A positive book as is the 2nd book in the series, read both and enjoy!!!

I am so excited that I found this series! Joanne is a great writer and I have really enjoyed her wit and her recipes. The characters are and their interactions are believeable and enjoyable. I wish we could take a weekend jaunt to Lake Eden. This book was just as good as the first one!
As a teacher, I know my peers will enjoy sampling the recipes listed in her books.

This is such a cute and fun mystery series and the recipes sound really yummy as well. This is the second book in the Hannah Swenson series following Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder which was also a wonderful read.

Book two of the series, and it's as good as the first - maybe even a little better. The character development is as good as before, and the mystery is a little more well-constructed. Hannah's person life and the relationships with those around her are portrayed well, giving you a real sense of the setting and personalities involved in this small, sleepy tourist town.

In the second book of the Hannah Swensen Mystery series, a company called Hartland Flour chooses to host their first annual bake-off in Lake Eden. Lots of people come to Lake Eden to compete in the contest and hone their culinary skills. Because of the increase in Lake Eden's population, the local businesses are booming, including Hannah's bakery. Everything seems to be going great until Boyd Watson, the basketball coach of Jordan High, is murdered.

What I liked about 'Strawberry Shortcake Murder':
I liked all the recipes that were included in the book. I also liked the fact that there is somewhat of a romance going on between Hannah and Norman and also Hannah and Mike but it's not overdone. Joanne Fluke did a good job of including the romance without having it override the mystery plot of the book.

What I didn't like:
As I read through the book, I almost felt like I was re-reading 'Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder'. The storyline was very, very similar. First you have the murder victim, second, there's the authority figure telling Hannah not to get involved in the investigation but Hannah of course doesn't pay attention and gets involved anyway. Then there's the breaking and entering into a possible suspects house who just happens to be out of town at the time. After the breaking and entering is done Hannah and Andrea continue to investigate this possible suspect but later on in the book, the possible suspect's car is found in their garage and their dead body is found not too far away and they die from a gunshot to the head. The possible suspect then just becomes a second murder victim. Finally, within the last 10-15 pages of the book, it's made clear who the murderer is and the murderer then threatens Hannah with a gun and describes how they plan on killing her. Hannah then thinks of a way to save herself and someone comes to her rescue.

I just felt that the second book was too similar to the first book. The events of both the first and second books were alike and sequenced in pretty much the same order. The murder victims died in the same way (the only difference is that Boyd was hit over the head with a hammer) and the second murder victims in both books were in similar situations (expected to leave town but found murdered before they got the chance to leave).

I understand that this series is a murder mystery series but it seems like Joanne Fluke followed some sort of 'recipe' (pun intended) for a mystery book where the events that are to occur in the book are arranged in a template and sequenced in a specific order and she fills in the blanks with the names of different characters for each book. Joanne Fluke could have changed the order of events or made the situations different from the first book.
She could have maybe changed the way some of the murders were carried out. Instead of someone being killed by being shot in the head, maybe they could be decapitated instead? Something!
I'm not saying that the books should be overly gory but I think the shot-to-the-head murder scene gets a little boring and there needs to be more variety.

The characters also need more variety! I still feel like all of the characters have somewhat of the same kind of personality, everyone is very polite and friendly. There's no one different. Lucy was the only character that was different and she was only in the book for a short period of time.

I have only read the first two books so maybe the series gets better. I really do hope the next book is different/better than the first two books.

After the treat of Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder (Hannah Swenson Mysteries), I decided to plunge ahead with number two in the Hannah Swensen series.
The first annual Hartland Dessert Bake-off is being held in Lake Eden with Hannah Swensen, the owner of The Cookie Jar, acting as head judge. But the initial round is barely over before one of the judges, Coach Boyd Watson, is found in his garage bludgeoned to death. The first suspect is his wife, Danielle, whom he had been abusing for years. But Hannah does not believe that her friend could possibly have killed her abusive husband and starts an investigation to find out who killed Coach Watson.

Good:
In the last book, Hannah investigates a murder because her brother-in-law, a "good" detective, asks her for help (because Hannah heard a lot of gossip? Please). That was a terribly poor reason to investigate, and Joanne Fluke must have realized that because she gives Hannah a much more plausible reason for investigating this murder. Having Hannah investigate to clear her friend's name is much more logical and requires less suspension of imagination (which isn't bad, but if overused...).
The mystery is a good one and has plenty of twists and turns. Just when you think Hannah has the identity all figured out, a new obstacle is placed in her way. We see how Hannah uses deductive logic (some of which I don't agree with, but them I am quite skeptical) and photography to unearth clues of the killer's identity. The killer is certainly not the first one you might suspect.
It was pleasant to see Hannah and Andrea work together in this mystery to find the killer. The two sisters have a good relationship and rapport with each other and seeing them interact so well is very "cozy".
Other fun characters are Lisa and Norman. Lisa is a sweet character that you just can't help but like. While her boss is investigating the crime, Lisa is willing to come in early, work late and go the extra mile for her boss. And it is always interesting to learn more about the townsfolk of Lake Eden. Norman is a good humored dentist with a pleasant personality. Definitely a good friend for Hannah!
Although brief, I enjoyed how Hannah taught Craig English Literature. She made it so interesting that I was intrigued (and I have no aptitude or interest in English Lit!).
And one of the most important reasons to buy this book is for the seven delicious recipes. I enjoyed how Joanne integrated each one into the plot and am definitely making plans to try them out (but be warned as you read--you will be hungry!).

Bad:
I don't know if there was any one thing that made this book worse than the last, but, somehow, I found it less pleasant than Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder (Hannah Swenson Mysteries). The things that bugged me about this entry were multiple little quibbles:
1. Four year old Tracey talks like she is about ten.
2. Lucy is such an unlikeable bad character that you have to look at the front cover to make sure it doesn't say "Nancy Drew" on the front.
3. Mike, the sexy hunk, that just happens to be dating Hannah, the average woman, is aggravatingly arrogant and caustic and certainly not appealing to this woman at all.
4. Hannah is not beyond stealing, breaking and entering into someone's home, lying, and pretty much anything all to solve a crime. And all she gets is maybe a slap on the wrist while the cops, Bill and Mike, look the other way and snatch up her tainted evidence. Definitely would not happen in the real world.
5. When a certain woman does not make a dental appointment, it takes almost 100 pages before people think that something might be wrong (i.e. the woman is dead). The moment Norman called saying the woman did not make her appointment, I thought, "She's dead". It seems ludicrous that Hannah and Andrea took almost a whole day to come to the same conclusion.
6. I started noticing what other reviewers had mentioned about how Joanne Fluke includes a characters name in a dialog very frequently ("Andrea, what did you do with the sugar?" "I don't remember, Hannah" "Could you look again, Andrea?" "Of course, Hannah"). Some of it makes sense, but others sound clunky.
7. Instead of describing something in a narrative, Joanne will have characters describe in dialogue what they are seeing/doing.
8. It's amazing how much time Hannah and Andrea can take off from their respective workplaces to solve a murder. Wish I had that flexibility at my workplace.
9. I don't know how Andrea could eat a huge lunch of Stroganoff and then down three fattening Pecan Chews and still be oh, so slender (a size 5 or something from what I recall). When you get down to it, Andrea should be the size of a blimp with the number of cookies that she downs in a day. In fact, I don't see how most people in Lake Eden aren't the size of Betty (aka a size 26, a disparaging comment that is mentioned each time that she is) in this book with the number of cookies that Hannah passes out.
10. The ending is reminiscent of something from a children's mystery story (the stereotypical face-off and learning all the missing details of the mystery--been there, grew out of that).

Dialogue/Sexual Situations/Violence:
Occasional use of da** and he**. Hannah chides Andrea for toning down her language.
Several double entendres pass between Mike and Hannah. Two characters are having an affair. Brief comments about Hannah's prior relationship to a man in college.
A woman is shot in the back of her head (no details fortunately). Coach Watson is murdered by a blow to the head with a ball peen hammer (and if you've ever seen one, you can just about imagine--as I did--how this hammer damaged the coach's head). Danielle has bruises from her abuse.

Overall:
The first book in a series is usually the best, but it will often have "first-time" author flaws. The second book in a series is not usually as good, but the writing is often much better. This is probably the best way to categorize my feelings toward "Strawberry Shortcake Murder". On one hand, the writing is clearer (although still far from perfect) and the story tighter, but the cute character flaws from Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder (Hannah Swenson Mysteries), Hannah's illegal solving antics, and the conclusion reminiscent of a child's book have now begun to get annoying. Perhaps, I should have let my stomach settle before going for seconds.

This is a specacular first novel. Many of my friends have read it and loved it as well. Disclaimer: The novel takes place in Northern Minnesota, which is where I spend my summers; it is always fun to read about places one is familiar with.

This is first in the Corcoran O'Connor series. Since I've read some of the books out of order, I was a little confused or bewildered about how things are different in Cork's life. A good read, good character twists, a little predictable at times which kept it from getting more stars. If you like Hillerman mysteries, you should like this series also.

I love discovering a new series that I have somehow missed hearing about. So now I've discovered this great writer and a series that has 7 or 8 books in it! This is the first in the series. His writing reminds me of Steve Hamilton and Craig Johnson although I think I prefer Krueger over those guys now. Definitely worth checking out.

William Kent Kruger writes some of the best mystery novels I've ever read. This book rekindled my interest in the genre. I highly recommend this book and all of the others that follow in the Cork O Connor Series.

This is definitely one of the best mysteries I have ever read. Krueger is a marvelous writer. From start to finish, I loved being in the cold, atmospheric town of Aurora, Minnesota. The plot is well paced and captivating. However, the characters in this mystery are what make it an excellent story. Ex-sheriff Cork O'Connor doggedly pursues the mysterious death of a prominent judge and the disappearance of a young newspaper boy while trying to put his marriage back together. He also must deal with his ex-status and the events that led to his current state. Furthermore, I loved the myths of the Anishinaabe Indians, which tied nicely into the plot. Readers will also adore the loveable Father Griffin, or as the Anishinaabe affectionately call him, St. Kawasaki, after his beloved, aged snowmobile. Whether it's the setting, the characters, the myths, or the way it's all written, there is plenty to enjoy in this wonderful mystery.

Unlike most books which receive five stars on Amazon.com, Iron Lake definitely deserves it. Highly Recommended!

The book was nice, but nothing fantastic. The story book that the patterns are based on was great and the story was apporiate for a small child. You could find similar patterns in most any beginner quilt book.

I'm using this book for a quilt making class that I'm taking. My classmates and I all really enjoy the book, but by the second day of class, every single one of our books was falling apart, pages coming right out of the bindings.

If you're serious about using this book, consider taking it to Kinko's and getting it spiral bound. Otherwise, you'll be missing half of the pages within hours of opening the book for the first time.

Wonderful edition to the "Quiltmaker's Gift", You can make the quilts that are made in the book.

This is one of the best quilting books I have in my collection. I have been quilting for over 10 years now and I find myself going back to these books. They have variations on each pattern, wonderful illustrations that show step by step how to make each cut and seam. Wonderful books for beginners as well as experienced quilters! A must have for anyone who loves to sew.

This is truly a 'drool and dream' book! Oh, I wish I had the experience and talent to make every quilt in this book. A must have companion book to the book "The Quiltmaker's Gift".

When I started with the Hannah Swensen Series I was just looking for a new author I started with cherry cheesecake Murder and then found the ordeer of books and am currently on key lime pie. I think this series is one of the most amusing I have read in a long time. I love the mystery I love the humor it is the best of both worlds. On top of that my husband loves the cookies. I hope Joanne continues to write Hannah novels and I hope Hannah marries Norman.

I complained in my review of the previous Fluke novel, "Sugar Cookie Murder" because the mystery was far too short and the recipes too numerous. I said I wasn't going to say the series was plummeting for me until I read the next one. Well now I have, and I can honestly say this is the one I have enjoyed most in the series to this point. This was a relatively well padded volume. The murder didn't happen until over a hundred pages in but I still enjoyed reading about Hannah, her friends, her cat, and Lisa's wedding. Again, sinking into a Hannah Swensen book is like re-visiting old friends. The murder never truly became the sole hightlight of the story though. Hannah seemed more intent on the mystery of Mike's nightly routines than she did on proving who was a murderer. But it worked, I flew through the book and immediately ordered the next one. Also, as I approach the 'current' end of the series in just a couple of short books, I lement on the fact that my visits with Hannah are soon to be limited to once a year when a new book is released. Four stars for a fun book that is among the best (if not THE best) of the series.

Hannah is really getting on my nerves. I can see this series going down the same road as the Diane Mott Davidson series, where the main character becomes so annoying I won't be able to read the book. Basically, the main character (Hannah) is dating two men. They all know about it and they are both trying to win her over - quite civilly. In this book, Hannah's becoming increasingly sure the one of her men (Mike) is seeing an old friend of his - for more than just a friendly chat. Which throws her into fits, and all of her friends side with her - if he's seeing someone else, she should dump him because that's not right. But it's perfectly okay for her to go on seeing Norman, sure! There's one thing I hate more than stupidity, and that's hypocrisy. Sadly, that is one of the central points to this story. The recipes are good, but I don't think I'll be able to stomach any more of the books - even though the mysteries aren't half bad.

I think this will be the last Cookie Jar murder I read. I have found that since about the second book I have either been able to figure out quite easily who the killer was because there is a very clear pattern to the writing. Ms. Fluke usually makes a brief mention of a new character or a minor event that usually gives it away. I find myself reading quickly to get to the end of the book to see that I am right every time. I am never surprised, and I don't find that interesting or fun. I'm also weary of the Mike/Norman situation. Seriously, who can get to know two men well enough to receive proposals from both of them. It's too silly to enjoy. Hannah would get SO jealous when Mike spent time with Shawna Lee, yet it's ok for her to blatantly have two boyfriends. Ridiculous. I'm moving on to another series....

This is a wonderful series, and Ms. Fluke just keeps getting better. I really enjoy Hannah and her friends, and they get up to a lot of things in this book. They recipes keep getting better too. The book is set in early February in Lake Eden, and it's cold and snowy. Lisa is getting married, and Hannah is busy with preparations for that. It's a good thing that she has that because her business is not doing well because Hananah's nemesis Shawna Lee has opened a bakery right across the street. This enterprise is being financed by Shawna Lee's sister Vanessa who seems to have unlimited funds. When one of these Southern sisters gets murdered, Hannah is on the trail of another killer. The ending is truly surprising, and the mystery is a good one, but it is Hannah and her friends that keep me coming back.

When I saw a new Garrison Kiellor novel on the shelves I lunged for it in case someone else had spied it! I anxiously awaited the quirky characters of Lake Woebegone, brought to life in his inimitable style. But what I found were quirky characters that I couldn't get connected to at all. All the elements were there but it never connected for me. I left the ending unread. And I'm not usually doing that.

Sorry, Garrison, this one didn't reach me. I will still be interested in the next, though, one dull novel does not a bad bookshelf make!

One of Garrison's best! This novel would make a great movie. Funny and quite in the Lake Wobegon tradition

I love Lake Wobegon. And Garrison Keillor is a master of the tragi-comic. His great strength is to have little events unfold, in a seemingly tranquil setting and then build them up to a grand finale of organized chaos. The tranquil setting certainly exists in Pontoon but the little events / grand finale scaling is off. To be fair, the story of full of colorful characters and all their escapades, and therefore not entirely devoid of charm. Bottom line: Pontoon is not Keillor at his best.

Classic Keillor--humor always framed in gentle humanity; insightful but never disrespectful--a real pleasure to read. There are times I laughed out loud, and others, when I was introspective of his characters' frailities and saw my own. Thank you, Mr. Keillor, for moving Hannibal north to Minnesota. Joy Brewer

Lake Wobegon has three events scheduled on a Saturday afternoon: Evelyn wants her ashes interred in her bowling ball and her grandson decides to paraglide them into place; no one remembers the invitations to a "commitment ceremony" with a hot air balloon, oversized decoys and a pontoon boat; and 24 visiting Danish Lutheran ministers do penance with a trip to the Midwest. All week the details pile up, disintegrate, regroup; a lover (and Elvis) appear as the champagne and shrimp chill. This shaggy dog story (as in Bruno the fishing dog) ends in the waters, reeds and briars. This is Keillor's funniest effort in some time and the dénouement left me laughing out loud. It's good to have the recent sentimentality removed.

I am a mystery buff and devour the likes of James Patterson, Tami Hoag and many more. This author was recommended on one of the websites and I found her totally enjoyable and will buy all of her publications. There is no blood and gore and an additional benefit are terrific recipes in every book.

I started with the 1st book of the Hannah Swensen mysteries, and now after reading the 3rd one I am totally taken. Like another reviewer said, I feel like a resident of Lake Eden when I read these books and encounter familiar characters from the last one. Small town charm comes through in these books, and even if you are a city person like me, you will find the pace of life described in the book a breath of fresh air.
Another thing that keeps me reading is wondering who will Hannah end up with in the end...Mike or Norman. Another review mentioned this particular book shows more in reference to Hannah dating both of these men. Right now I dont have a favorite...although Mike is very appealing.
I cannot say that I have ever tried any of the recipes in these books, but I enjoy reading the ingredients and how to go about making. For those collecting recipes, the ones included in the book are written in a way that seems simple to understand.
A definite find for cozy mystery lovers....this is why I love them, not so much gore and a comical element added. Also, for those who are dessert lovers and bakers a must read!

Book three in the series, and I liked it for a different reason than the first two. The mystery was less intriguing, but the relationships between the characters really got my attention. Hannah is now dating both Norman and Mike (though she is rather old-fashioned, it doesn't go beyond kissing!) and can't decide between them. It's the classic conundrum - every woman wants the dashing, exciting, handsome hero type (Mike) on occasion, but at the end of the day, it really is nice to curl up with the comfortable, familiar, easy-going type that can just make you laugh (Norman). She finds Mike very physically attractive, but he really irritates her with his chauvinist attitude. And Norman just makes her feel good, and his pudgy balding appearance is starting to grow on her... So which will she go for, a life of adventure and sparks, or a comfortable, happy (though perhaps less exciting) life? It's got me interested enough to go out and buy some more books in the series. Still haven't tried the recipes, though!

Imagine opening a book and finding yourself in a snow covered, chilly town of Lake Eden where the cookies are freshly baked, winter carnivals supply all the hot chocolate needed to melt of the winter chill and a detective who bakes those cookies is on the run to solve the next cozy murder mystery. Not only is this mystery actually very interesting and complex but it develops our relationship with it's inhabitants, the neighbors and family members, coworkers and tourists all add a fun touch as we get familiar with their habits and manners. I recommend reading this series starting with the first book because they only get better and better - knowing all the facts only enriches the entire storyline. Andrea has a big part in this book and I find her endearing, Norman and Mike are battling it out for Hannah's feelings and things are starting to pick up in the romance department and the new characters add a whole other layer to the all ready charming town.

Hannah and her sister Andrea have new trouble on their busy minds. When the famous television host to the best watched cooking show decides to make an appearance at the Winter Carnival, everyone is thrilled and enamored with the idea of meeting Connie Mac, the star of the show. She arrives and makes herself known all right, by pushing everyone's buttons and making their lives miserable. From ridiculous demands to her sugar coated viper spiked requests to change everything into her way, she ends up meeting her own doom. Found in Hannah's bakery munching on blueberry muffins she meets the maker and turns the Cookie Jar into an investigation site, closing Hannah out. Desperate to save her shop and still make the cookies for the carnival, she decides to snoop on her own and find out who killed Connie Mac. The funny part is that everyone who is usually mellow and calm has deep resentment to Connie and finding out the only guilty person who actually committed the crime was quite the formidable task that required a lot of work and sugar to keep up Hannah's energy. In the end the mystery is solved and the reader is left hungrier for more of these fun books.

This book was wonderful and Hannah was wittier than ever, I always felt the connection to the story and as a bonus it was full of great cookie recipes and cooking tips. I am all ready planning on making some of them, and I have tried her recipes in the past, they work perfectly. The mystery was always the most important part and the story never fizzled, it reached the ending with flying colors.

Fun, enjoyable and breezy read, highly recommended for fans of cozy books.

- Kasia S.

After finding a total of five dead bodies over the past few months, and solving two crimes that left even the local police force stumped, flame-haired cookie queen, Hannah Swensen is determined to act like a normal business owner for once, and throw herself headfirst into the work that she loves - running Lake Eden, Minnesota's booming shop, The Cookie Jar. First up, supplying an array of tasty treats for the annual Winter Carnival. But in the world of Hannah, where there are cookies, there's murder, and before she knows it, she's at it again.

Since returning to Lake Eden, Minnesota, Hannah Swensen has discovered that she truly adores the small town way of life. The fact that she knows each and every one of her neighbor's is a pleasant discovery, and she can't help but feel as if all of the customers who stop in at The Cookie Jar are like family to her. Except for world-renowned cooking sweetheart, Connie Mac. When the lifestyle maven agrees to bake the cake for Lake Eden, Minnesota's annual Winter Carnival, the Lake Eden residents are up in arms with excitement - except for Hannah. Connie Mac may seem like a lovely person on screen, but in reality she's a demanding, conniving, unkind individual - at least to the people who work for her. To everyone else she's an underhanded, manipulative mastermind who can get just about anyone to do her bidding. Except for Hannah. As much as Hannah dislikes the TV host, she certainly doesn't want to see her dead; but that's exactly how she finds her. When Hannah arrives at The Cookie Jar to start the days work, she is shocked to discover the burnt to a crisp Winter Carnival cake, along with the lifeless body of Connie Mac lying in her pantry, surrounded by Hannah's special Blue Blueberry Muffins. Hannah has seen people go wild for her muffins, but this is the first time someone has literally gone belly up. The victim of a skull-bashing, Connie Mac has managed to cause just as much turmoil in her death, as she did during her living days - especially for Hannah. Due to the fact that Connie Mac was murdered in The Cookie Jar, Hannah's booming business has been marked a crime scene, and is completely off-limits. With the Winter Carnival looming just around the corner, Hannah knows that she can't possibly get her work done without a slew of commercial ovens by her side, so she resolves to do something to save her business - solve the murder herself. But as people begin dropping like flies, Hannah will have to keep her head in an attempt to catch the killer - before she finds herself next on the chopping block!

I don't know how she does it, but with each addition to the Hannah Swensen series, Joanne Fluke manages to make the reader feel more and more like a resident of Lake Eden, Minnesota. Hannah is such a delightful character whose no-frills demeanor, firecracker personality, sarcastic slings, and passion for baked goods makes her lovable from beginning to end. Her fast-talking ways are quick-witted and creative; and her recipes are absolutely to-die-for (no pun intended!) treats. The only person who almost manages to overshadow Hannah would have to be her precocious four-year-old niece, Tracey, who comes off as sweet as Hannah's original concoctions. Once more, Fluke has proven that Hannah Swensen is a character who is here to stay - and her next adventure will be just as mouthwatering as the last three. Third times the charm!

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer