Hannah Swensen's life is seldom sedate in spite of appearances. Eden Lake Minnesota's talented baker and amateur sleuth extraordinaire is awaiting her trial for vehicular homicide, but in the meantime her mother is getting remarried, in Las Vegas, of all places. While the wedding goes surprisingly enough without a hitch, Hannah reconnects with a blast from the past. Back in Eden Lake, Hannah was asked to see the presiding judge in his chambers. She was waiting to be shown in when she heard a noise inside the room. True to her reputation as a nosey person, Hannah cannot help but have a look inside and things start to go downhill from there.

DOUBLE FUDGE BROWNIE MURDER is the latest in the enduring Hannah Swensen series, and whether it is to catch up with old friends or meeting new ones, Ms. Fluke knows how to make her reader happy. The author writes beautifully, in a light, easy-flowing style that is very deceptive because as we drool over all the delicious food and have fun following Hannah's antics, we almost forget there's a mystery to be solved until some shocking event happens. I really enjoy the somewhat conversational tone of the narration, the ever present humorous touches, as well as the descriptions which make Eden Lake and its residents completely real to me.

DOUBLE FUDGE BROWNIE MURDER features two mysteries, one light and quite entertaining, the other more serious. Naturally, as any fan knows, "There's food involved", and never have victuals appeared so mouth-watering, not to mention all those yummy recipes which appear at the end of each chapter, written from Hannah herself, naturally.

I think DOUBLE FUDGE BROWNIE MURDER is definitely one of the best books in this series, and the wonderful ending left me hoping Joanne Fluke writes very quickly because I'm already dying to read the next book!

Book Summary

Life in tiny Lake Eden, Minnesota, is usually pleasantly uneventful. Lately, though, it seems everyone has more than their fair share of drama - especially the Swensen family. With so much on her plate, Hannah Swensen can hardly find the time to think about her bakery - let alone the town's most recent murder...

Hannah is nervous about the upcoming trial for her involvement in a tragic accident. She's eager to clear her name once and for all, but her troubles only double when she finds the judge bludgeoned to death with his own gavel - and Hannah is the number one suspect. Now on trial in the court of public opinion, she sets out in search of the culprit and discovers that the judge made more than a few enemies during his career. With time running out, Hannah will have to whip up her most clever recipe yet to find a killer more elusive than the perfect brownie...

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