Pink Lemonade Cake Murder: A Delightful & Irresistible Culinary Cozy Mystery with Recipes (A Hannah Swensen Mystery)

Pink Lemonade Cake Murder by Joanne Fluke takes us bake to Lake Eden, Minnesota. I have read this series from the beginning which is why I read each new installment (I keep hoping the books will return to how they were in the beginning). The series has changed since Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder. The last several books do not feel like they are being written by the same person who authored the earlier books in the series. I found the story to be easy to read. I like the characters (Hannah, Norman, Mike, Lisa, Doc, Delores, Andrea, etc.) and the setting. However, there is too much repetition. The ingredients for a stew Hannah was making must have been repeated a minimum of four times. I can tell the author researched several types of sausages from her descriptions. The names of the characters along with recipe names are repeated often. It feels like the writer is padding the story to make it longer. Some of the dialogue is clunky. More time is devoted to baking and eating than to the mystery. Every person who comes to the back door of The Cookie Jar gets to come inside and sample Hannah's latest creation (which we get told about each time a new person enters the kitchen). I know it is a culinary mystery, but the culinary part does not need to supersede the mystery portion. Mike is away on a forced vacation (some tough love) since he is feeling burnout (is anyone buying this). The mystery was simple. Hannah does some investigating (she asks questions). Hannah's mother is a prime suspect but not really. Of course, Delores wants to be the prime suspect and begs the police to put her in this position (I think the author has decided to try her hand at fantasy fiction). It was odd that Bill would take direction from Hannah. Her insights are welcomed (did Hannah put some magic mushrooms in her cookies). There is the expected reveal. I am curious as to why Hannah is still living with Norman. I understand why she does not want to return to her condo (who could blame her or Moishe). I do not understand why Hannah does not sell her condo. I could see Hannah living in a cute house (with a picked fence) or in an apartment over The Cookie Shop (short commute). Character development is not happening. The book had an odd ending. Several issues were left up in the air. Pink Lemonade Cake Murder is the twenty-ninth A Hannah Swensen Mystery. I do not suggest that new readers start with this book. This is a book for those who have been reading the series since the beginning (those die-hard fans). It is a shame that the writing has gone downhill. It is time for Hannah to decide between Mike and Norman (and we all know that Norman is not the right choice—he is nice, but boring). Pink Lemonade Cake Murder is a cookie centric cozy with a battered baseball player, feline ladybug stalkers, scrumptious cake, a curious cat carrier, a town intervention, and a disconcerting call.