Review: Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke

Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder (Hannah Swensen #1) by Joanne Fluke
Publisher: Kensington
Publication Date: 09-01-2006
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Source: Personal Collection
Goodreads ~ Barnes and Noble ~ Amazon
Hannah already has her hands full trying to dodge her mother's attempts to marry her off while running The Cookie Jar, Lake Eden's most popular bakery. But once Ron LaSalle, the beloved delivery man from the Cozy Cow Dairy, is found murdered in her bakery with Hannah's famous Chocolate Chip Crunchies scattered around him, her life jut can't get any worse. Determined not to let her cookies get a bad reputation, she sets out to track down a killer. But if she doesn't watch her back, Hannah's sweet life may get burned to a crisp. {Amazon}

I think we all have books that we turn to when life is hectic and we just need a little break. They aren't overly violent or sexual, they're just fun to read. Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder is one of those books. It's what I would have called "comfort reading" until I discovered the name for its genre: cozy mystery!

Cozy mysteries recall the likes of Agatha Christie and show a gentler side of crime fighting. They are the ones you see that involve a group of quilters, or even a cat, solving crimes. In Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder, the main sleuth, Hannah Swensen, is a baker. The book even includes cookie recipes! I'll let you know how they are when I try some out. :)

Hannah Swensen is a wonderfully relate-able character for me. She's in her early 30's, single, takes great pride in her role as Aunt Hannah, and talks to her cat, Moishe, as though he's human. There's some dating (which can be brutal, as any single thirty-something knows) but it isn't the main focus of her life. Hannah's main focus is her business, her family, and solving whatever murder has fallen into her lap.

I love a good mystery. I flew through the Rizzoli and Isles series by Tess Gerrtisen, but more than one of the books had me going to bed with the hall light on. Not so with Joanne Fluke's writing. There was suspense, but nothing that kept me up late at night. The relationships were realistic, the characters were delightful, and the writing was good. The book was absolutely delightful and I can't wait to read the rest of them! I feel like these will be perfect books to read when I'm back in school in the fall. I nice dose of brain candy - something that keeps my interest, has a little intrigue, and gives me a break from the reading I have for class. Perfect!

If you have ever spent any time watching a movie or show on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries channel, then this sounds awfully familiar. It should. The Hannah Swensen book series has also become a move series on Hallmark: the Murder She Baked series. The cozy mystery books are also cozy mystery movies! They are equally delightful and I highly recommend them.

Have you read any cozy mysteries? What are your favorites?