Lemon Meringue Pie Murder

January 13, 2003
A lemon meringue pie, two pieces cut and only one eaten (an important clue or an insult to her cooking?), an empty bottle of wine and only one of two take-out dinners consumed—these bits of evidence set Hannah Swenson, amateur sleuth and owner of the Cookie Jar Bakery in Lake Eden, Minn., on the trail of a murderer in Fluke's fourth fun, frothy cozy (after 2002's Blueberry Muffin Murder). Who could have killed voluptuous Rhonda Scharf, whose half-buried body Hannah's interfering mother discovers in the basement of an old house one of Hannah's swains has just purchased? The investigation proceeds unhurriedly, with plenty of time for cookies, coffee and small-town gossip. Enticing recipes for cookies and other treats, presented with helpful procedural hints, are an extra bonus.

Hannah Swensen, master baker and proprietor of the Cookie Jar bakeshop in Lake Eden, Minnesota, finds herself investigating yet another murder--that of Rhonda Scarf, whose body she finds in the house Rhonda has just sold to Hannah's boyfriend, Norm. Since one of Hannah's lemon pies happens to be on the table in the kitchen, she just has to get involved. The relationships of small-town life are entertainingly explored, and the cookie recipes make this cozy even more fun. Suzanne Toren's warm tones are perfectly suited to Fluke's story. She adds a melodious quality to Hannah's voice, which matches her personality, brings strength to her other boyfriend, Mike, and gives an appropriate innocence to the voice of a local man with developmental disabilities. Toren's grace and ease in telling the story complement the narrative, making for a most enjoyable time. M.A.M. (c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine