by Joanne Fluke
Part of Hannah Swensen, book 1
First published 2004
Hannah Swensen runs The Cookie Jar bakery in the small town of Lake Eden, Minnesota. When she delivers her famous chocolate chip cookies to a local event, she discovers more than she bargained for. A dead body turns up, and Hannah finds herself drawn into the investigation. The local sheriff happens to be someone from her past, complicating matters as she tries to clear her name and protect her business. Hannah uses her knowledge of the tight-knit community to piece together clues that others miss. She navigates small-town gossip, family expectations, and romantic complications while pursuing the truth. The investigation takes her through Lake Eden's secrets and rivalries. Hannah must balance running her bakery with amateur detective work, all while staying one step ahead of a killer who may strike again.
Genres: mystery, contemporary-romance, cozy-mystery, amateur-sleuth
Vibes: cozy, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, family-secrets, small-town
Setting: Lake Eden, Minnesota
Period: 21st-century
391 pages · Hardcover · Recorded Books