Book Review: Cream Puff Murder

Author: Joanne Fluke
Title: Cream Puff Murder
Publisher: Kensington Books
Publish Date: March 1, 2009
Buy: Amazon
Book Blurb: Bakery owner Hannah Swensen has a dress to fit into and a date with her sister, Andrea, at Lake Eden's new health club, Heavenly Bodies. Dragging herself out of bed on a frigid Minnesota morning for exercise, of all things, is bad enough. Discovering the body of man-eating bombshell Ronni Ward floating in the gym's jacuzzi? Okay, that's worse. Nor does it help that there's a plate of The Cookie Jar's very own cream puffs garnishing the murder scene. Trying to narrow the list of Ronni's enemies down to fewer than half the town's female population, Hannah has her plate full. Trouble is, when it comes to cookies - and to murder - there's always room for one more...

Review: I have to admit, I love this series. It is a very light on the mystery and heavy on the small town comings and goings and on the recipes.

Oh yeah, I will admit I read these for the recipes. Joanna Fluke delivers great cookie recipes. Move over Mrs Fields, cos Joanna's cookies are 100 times better.

And I know because I've made quite a few.

This book deals with the murder of fitness instructor and sexpot, Ronni Ward. She's one character you're happy to see dead. She's just not nice to other women and she's trying to steal everyone else's men, including part of Hannah's love triangle, Mike.

Thanks to Ronni's sluttish nature, Hannah has a free hand at trying to solve this murder, because every detective is off the case.

WTF! Including Andrea's husband Bill!

Yikes!

To make things interesting Hannah needs to lose weight to fit in the regency dress her mother ordered for her for her book launch party.

I'm not sure how she lost all the weight in 2 weeks, but kudos to her, for staying away from all her yummy cookies.

Why I love about this series is how homey they feel. I don't read a Hannah Swensen novel looking to be wowed but a great mystery. I read them because I love the characters in Lake Eden. I love Hannah's family and friends.

I look at this series as something like Debbie Macomber's Blossom Street series, only with a murder in each book (and some awesome cookie recipes)

I really enjoyed the mystery in Cream Puff Murder, because the victim was so nasty. I also liked the switcheroo Joanne pulled when it came to whodunit. Just when you thought you knew who it was, you find out your wrong.

Some might complain that things are predictable and not so realistic, but I don't care. These books are fun and I love them!

Now onto a recipe.

Blueberry Crunch Cookies


Ingredients 
1 C melted butter
2 C sugar
2 t vanilla
½ t salt
1½ baking soda
2 large beaten eggs
2½ C flour 1 C dried sweetened blueberries
2 C ground dry oatmeal (measure before grinding)

Directions 

350 oven
Melt butter.
Add sugar and mix.
Add vanilla, salt, baking soda—mix well.
When cooled to room temp., add eggs.
Add flour slowly.
Mix in dried fruit.
Place oatmeal in food processor and process till it is the consistency of course sand. Add oatmeal to bowl. Dough will be quite thick.
Roll into walnut size balls.
Put on greased cookie sheet.
If too sticky, refrigerate for 1/2 hour.
Squish balls down a bit with spatula.
Bake for 10-12 minutes. These freeze well.

I made a half a batch and I made one change to the recipe. Dried blueberries are super expensive and I'm on a budget, so I bought a bag of mixed berries. The bag had dried cranberries, blueberries and cherries  but at a reduced cost.

The cookies are delicious and the ground oatmeal gives them the perfect crunch. The other thing I've noticed about Joanna's recipes is the use of melted butter. I think this really adds something to the cookie

I can't wait to try another recipe from the book.

Rating: 4 flowers