Christmas Cupcake Murder by Joanne Fluke ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

Hannah Swensen was just taking a pan of German Chocolate Cupcakes out of her industrial oven at The Cookie Jar, when there was a knock on the back kitchen door. Hannah quickly slid the pan of cupcakes on a shelf in the baker's rack, and hurried to answer the door. A man was standing there and he stepped back a few feet from the door, a man Hannah had never seen before. (chp 1)

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

September 2020; Kensington; 978-1496729125
audio, ebook, print (368 pages); cozy mystery

I don't usually like reading Christmas books so early but in the case of Joanne Fluke's new book Christmas Cupcake Murder I'm glad I read it early. There are a number of Christmas recipes that I want to add to my holiday baking list this year. 

I have read most of this series out of order as I get most of the backlist titles from my digital library and they don't have the whole series. It is absolutely possible to read this book without having read other books in the series and it definitely does not have to be read in publication order. Why? Because this story actually takes place earlier in the series. There is a note at the beginning that it is before Delores opens her antique shop and Tracey (Hannah's niece) is still an infant.

I think this may be my favorite in the series. While all the books are light (they are cozy mysteries after all), I thought that this one had the perfect vibe for Christmas. I particularly liked that the mystery isn't a death. Instead, Hannah must discover who the man on her doorstep is. You see, he has amnesia and can't remember who he is or where he comes from. She also must find out if it was an accident or something more sinister led to the amnesia.

The focus on memories is such a Christmasy thing as we all pull out family recipes and decorations from the past. A death at the holidays always adds a bit of sadness to the season, but this mystery of figuring out the man's identity so that he can be reunited with his loved ones for the holidays is a more hopeful story.

There is also plenty of family and friends in this installment with family and friend dinners and decorating the hospital for the season. Mostly it is the usual crowd of characters that make an appearance. It gives the reader the feel of spending the holidays with friends and family.

Whether you are a long-time fan of the Hannah Swensen series or just looking for a light-hearted Christmas story for your holiday reading, you can't go wrong with this book.

Buy Christmas Cupcake Murder at Amazon

Donna Huber is an avid reader and natural encourager. She is the founder of Girl Who Reads and the author of how-to marketing book Secrets to a Successful Blog Tour.

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