Book Review: Candy Cane Murder

I have been bemoaning the dearth of clean reads in audio form. Then I remembered Joanne Fluke's Hannah Swensen series - although formulaic and growing tiresome (why I stopped with the series before), always a clean option. In looking to see if my library had the next book in the series available in audio form, I discovered this small novelette I missed in the line-up. The last book I read in the series was book 10 - Carrot Cake Murder - and I read that almost two years ago.

At only 148 pages, I should have known Candy Cane Murder would be "murder light." As the book opens, Hannah is attempting to squeeze into an elf costume to accompany Wayne Bergstrom, in his Santa outfit, to entertain the children. By the end of the evening, following a trail of candy canes that have supposedly fallen from a hole in his pocket, Hannah finds his corpse in the snow. True to form (or formula), Hannah and her sisters investigate, and Hannah solves the case before the police, putting herself in harm's way with the killer. This book left out the whole issue of Hannah's decision between two suitors (the only draw keeping my waning interest engaged).

Joanne Fluke released the 24th book in the series in February of this year (not sure how she's managed to sell two dozen repeat story lines with a condescending and out-of-touch sleuth). If cozy mysteries are your thing and you can put up with the formula, then Hannah Swensen is your girl. If you are dying to find new recipes while you read, Fluke offers plenty of items to bake (this novelette offered a dozen recipes). Or if you hail from Minnesota, you might recognize your trials and tribulations within the pages. You are certain to find a wholesome read with a light-hearted case of murder. I can access books 11 through 13 in audio form at a nearby library, so I will continue the series, even though I know the upcoming books will not solve the mystery of which man Hannah will choose. I'm not ravenously interested, but will persist nonetheless.