Joanne Fluke - Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder

So now for another chick lit crime book but this time it is a new series that I haven't read before now. This came from the recommendations on Goodreads which suggested series such as Jack Daniels Mysteries and Chocoholic Mysteries series as well as this series, Hannah Swensen Mysteries.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder is the very first book of the Hannah Swensen Mystery series from Joanne Fluke; all of the books in this series have recipes in them which makes it different and allows the reader to make some of the original creations that Hannah also makes in the books. Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder was originally written in 2000 but was rereleased in 2011 with even more recipes and other stories included.  

Rating: 7

Recommended To: Chick lit crime buffs; similar to the Stephanie Plum series so those readers might like them

Favourite Characters: Hannah - she's a clever cookie; Andrea - she makes me laugh

Favourite Part: Two dates in one night - not bad at all!  Hannah's frown turned into a grin as she lifted the lid and dropped her very favorite five-year-old pair of Nikes inside. - Page 299

Good Points: The story; the sense of family; the recipes 

Bad Points: Similarities to other chick lit crime books 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder follows cookie baker, Hannah Swensen, who moved back to her hometown years ago to help her family through her father's death and then opened The Cookie Jar, a shop that solely sells cookies to the people of Lake Eden.  Hannah seems to suffer through what every single woman in American novels does; an overbearing mother who tries to marry her off to the nearest eligible bachelor while she works her ass off.  While she is working one day, Ron LaSalle, the town's beloved delivery man from the dairy, is killed in an alley near The Cookie Jar surrounded by Hannah's chocolate chip crunchies.  Hannah tries to solve the case, helping her brother-in-law, Bill, the cop.

The idea behind this story is solid and well thought out in my opinion as it's not predictable and the ending isn't completely random and makes sense straight away, looking back on the events that occurred within the story and the characters within it. I love how Hannah isn't a cop or in a job related to the law (for example a bail bonds agent like Stephanie Plum), and just bakes cookies in her shop (nothing wrong with that); with her being a baker and not being in law enforcement, it makes it more entertaining as she is not trained for investigating murders; because of this lack of formal recognition as a member of law enforcement, Hannah finds out more than her brother in law would because no one would think she is working for the police and tell her more which is interesting.

There's a sense of family in this book, with the interfering mother along with a slightly barmy sister and her family that live in the same town; with them being so close, it can be read that family is important to this book and the series as well as the protagonist.  This sense of family is something I find appealing in a book because my family is important to me so I identify with it and I am able to connect with the protagonist.  Hannah's family also make this book even more amusing as they're constantly trying to fix her up with the local dentist as well as her brother in law's partner; she just goes with the flow, implying she is used to this and just given up on resisting, meaning she cares for them enough to let them interfere on this level.

One thing that stood out for me in this book were the recipes for the cookies Hannah makes (the ones that are mentioned throughout the story from the chocolate chip crunchies etc.); this made the series stand out against the Stephanie Plum series because it allows the reader to recreate Hannah's own creations.  I actually did this with the first recipe in this book, the chocolate chip crunchies, that are said to be Andrea's favourites.  They were really tasty and my family seem to appreciate them too so thank you, Joanne Fluke.  Though I can't share any with you, here is a picture of some of my cookies I made.

Hannah is definitely one of my favourite characters, not just in this series but out of all my books (there are a lot).  She's clever, independent yet welcoming to anyone around her, and cares for her family; these are qualities that are easy to identify with as you can aspire to be like this character or because you are similar to them (not to be cocky or anything).

Andrea is another of favourite characters in this book because she makes me laugh even if she's not trying to be funny, such as when she's getting drunk on Hannah's cheap wine.  She acts all sophisticated but she's really just a normal woman who pretends to be something she's not, making her stand out against her sister, the baker.  She shows growth in this book as well because she starts the book as telling her child to call her "Andrea" not "Mommy" as she doesn't believe in labels and she also feels she's not a good mother.  However, this changes at the end because she appears to have finally embraced being Tracy's mother, allowing her to call her "Mommy".

The only downside of reading this book is that can be compared to the Stephanie Plum series and some similarities appear, much like in any chick lit.  The family interfere, the woman is single but has many prospects with good looking men, their job is their priority, they have a pet they love like a child etc.  It's not an entirely bad thing but it is annoying sometimes because it's repetitive after a while.

Two dates in one night - not bad at all!  Hannah's frown turned into a grin as she lifted the lid and dropped her very favorite five-year-old pair of Nikes inside. - Page 299

This has to be my favourite part as it shows a cocky side to Hannah that isn't shown a lot during the book; I liked how she made a bet with her mum about not getting a date from either of man her family are trying to set her up with right at the end and even bets her favourite shoes.  This cocky side is funny and I can't wait to see how this is going to come out in the next books.

I am willing to wait to read the next book when I have the time but I still want to read it because it was a good book and hope there are more characters in the next one to engage with.

Predictions

1. Hannah's family keep trying to set her up

2. More death

3. More accidental finding of bodies

Other Books by Joanne Fluke
Candy for Christmas - Joanne Fluke (short story in my edition of Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder)