Pink lemonade cake murder /

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Fans of deliciously charming, page-turning whodunits rejoice! Beloved New York Times bestselling author and Queen of the Culinary Mystery Joanne Fluke delivers the twenty-eighth mouthwatering Hannah Swensen Mystery!

The Tri-County Summer Solstice Celebration has come to town, and even among local artisans, athletes, and marching bands, Hannah attracts fans of her own while serving lip-smacking pink lemonade desserts. But the mood sours when a body turns up, leading revelers to wonder if the festivities mark both the longest day of the year and the deadliest . . .

A retired professional MLB player has met a terrifying end-and, considering the rumors swirling about his past, the list of suspects could fill a small stadium. Among them could soon be Delores, Hannah's mother, who publicly held a grunge against the victim after he infamously dunked her in the tank at a previous county fair . . .

Now, with her mother's innocence on the line, a life-changing announcement at The Cookie Jar, and a plethora of desserts to bake, Hannah can't afford to strike out as she begins a dangerous investigation into the ruthless killer who's truly in a league of their own . . .

Features Over a Dozen Cookie and Dessert Recipes from The Cookie Jar!

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Booklist Review

Hannah Swensen, owner of The Cookie Jar, swings into investigative mode when the arrogant retired pitcher Bernie "No-No" Fulton arrives in Lake Eden, Minnesota, to pitch in the Winnetka County All-Star Baseball Tournament and is later found dead by Hannah's mother, Dolores, who had recently threatened him. Other suspects include the angry fathers, grandfathers, and boyfriends of the young women he was toying with as well as another baseball player whose career he ruined. Since Mike, the lead Lake Eden police detective, is on leave, Hannah is asked by the sheriff, her brother-in-law, to sit in on the suspect interviews, and she agrees. Hannah and Norman also investigate on their own, and soon Hannah is put in mortal danger. Series fans will love the familiar sympathetic Lake Eden characters, the baking frame, and the many delicious-sounding food and drink recipes peppered throughout the story, though Hannah being asked to attend suspect interviews held in The Cookie Jar kitchen defies belief. The story concludes with a cliffhanger.

Kirkus Book Review

The Lake Eden, Minnesota, gang plots to keep their favorite detective on the job. Hannah Swensen is just getting the coffee brewing at The Cookie Jar, her bakery and cafe, when her sister Andrea rushes in with a frantic message from her husband, Bill, the local sheriff. Mike Kingston is down at the station filling out his retirement papers, and Bill hopes that Hannah can persuade his ace crime solver to stay on the job. Since Mike remains determined, Hannah calls Stella, Mike's mentor, to intervene. Stella thinks a fishing trip might get Mike to settle down and rethink his decision. While he and Stella angle for bass, Hannah assembles the troops--her mom, Delores; Delores' husband, Doc Knight; her best friend, Norman; and even Grandma Knudson--to plan their strategy. Fortunately, a case soon falls in their lap that's juicy enough to tempt Mike to return. Former major league pitcher Bernie "No-No" Fulton arrives in town and immediately starts pissing people off. He drives his Cadillac down the main drag with a bunch of scantily clad high school girls hanging out the back seat, leaving a crowd of angry parents and boyfriends in his wake. It isn't long before No-No is killed, and Mike wants in on the investigation. Now, however, Hannah and her crew won't hear of it, insisting that they can crack the case on their own. Fluke's study in reverse psychology has its humorous side, but the amateur sleuths wear out so much shoe leather chasing down suspects that readers may well wonder how they're going to get Mike back home if they accidentally solve the murder themselves. Some gentle humor and a staggering number of recipes but not much mystery. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Author notes provided by Syndetics

Joanne Fluke was born in Swanville, Minnesota in 1943. While pursuing her writing career, she worked as a public school teacher, a psychologist, a musician, a private detective's assistant, a secretary, a short order cook, a florist's assistant, a caterer and party planner, a computer consultant, a production assistant on a TV quiz show, and half of a screenwriting team with her husband.

She writes the Hannah Swensen Mystery series which includes original family recipes for baking. Her other works include The Stepchild, Vengeance Is Mine, Video Kill, Dead Giveaway, and Deadly Memories. In 2014, her title's Blackberry Pie Murder and Double Fudge Brownie Murder made The New York Times Best Seller List.

(Bowker Author Biography)