Chocolate Cream Pie Murder

By: Joanne Fluke

Narrated by: Suzanne Toren

Length: 9 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's summary

Not even Lake Eden’s nosiest residents suspected Hannah Swensen would go from idealistic newlywed to betrayed wife in a matter of weeks. But as a deadly mystery unfolds in town, the proof is in the pudding....

When The Cookie Jar becomes the setting of a star-studded TV special about movies filmed in Minnesota, Hannah hopes to shine the spotlight on her bakery - not the unsavory scandal swirling around her personal life. But that’s practically impossible with a disturbing visit from the shifty character she once believed was her one and only love, a group of bodyguards following her every move, and a murder victim in her bedroom.

Now, swapping the crime scene in her condo for her mother Delores’ penthouse, Hannah and an old flame team up to solve a case that’s messier than an upended chocolate cream pie.

As suspects emerge and secrets hit close to home, Hannah must serve a hefty helping of justice to an unnamed killer prowling around Lake Eden...before someone takes a slice out of her!

©2019 H.L. Swensen, Inc. (P)2019 Recorded Books

The continuing story of Hannah Louise Swenson

Struggled a bit because just like in the book, there are recipes at the end of each chapter. Audiobooks that are cozy murder mysteries with recipes really should move all the recipes to an end chapter. I pretty much didn't get most of the recipes because it would mean going back (and figuring out where since I usually am driving or have full hands and can't bookmark).

Whoooo....

I had the murderer identified but not the reason....but the other plot twist....hold on to your steering wheel!

Broken consistency, need to work on recipe

Love the recipes, like the story itself, didn’t like the inconsistencies across the series as a whole. In this book, someone who was killed in a previous book is alive again, names were switched around, and several memories in this book don’t parallel the series. This is true with other books in the series, but not as blatant as this particular volume.
Suzanne Toren does a wonderful job reading this series.
Order the book for recipes and story, and I hope Joanne Fluke can fix these inconsistencies in future editions, the next book, and beyond.

To many recipe interruptions

I have enjoyed the entire series, but this one had entirely to many recipe interruptions. In the book you can jump reading them until you want to make one, but listening was distracting. I suggest the recipes for the audible books be moved to the end of the book, so that the flow of the story can continue.

More murder in Lake Eden

It's always fun to see who Hannah will find murdered next. Well narrated and intetesting story. The recipes come at the end of each chapter, so it's easy to jump to the next chapter if you don't care to hear them.

Suspence,Love and betrail

This was one of the best books, Hannah is by far the most intelligent, caring and quick thinking woman ever. Her friends and family are supportive and are excepting of her heroing adventures.

Continuity Mistakes From Previous Books

First of all, I actually love this series, and have read every book. This book is worth reading (listening to) just as all the others are, but I want to discuss some of the plot mistakes that make no sense.

I realize many authors turn to others to write their series as the books go along. I am not sure if that is happening here, but I would hope if it is, Joanne would be reading them with a critical eye for continuity mistakes--or at least hire a top notch editor that actually knows the series.

1. The first glaring mistake is that a character that was previously killed off in Cherry Cheesecake Murder (Dean Lawrence) is said to be alive and well and living in London, and unable to return for a film festival. If this had been a very minor character that would be one thing, but it is another for the author of Chocolate Cream Pie Murder not to know that Dean Lawrence was a major murder victim that drove an entire story and now say he is alive. It is a sloppy mistake that should have been caught by someone.

2. In a snow storm Hannah amuses herself by making a strawberry bundt cake. This would be fine, but Hannah said quite emphatically in Strawberry Shortcake Murder that she is only allergic to one thing, and that is strawberries. If that is true, why is she making this cake and anticipating eating it during a blizzard?

3. At one point in the story, Hannah jokes with Norman and others saying "after all, Norman is a magician!". The problem is that he is not. Whoever wrote this story confused this fact with another character who is the amateur magician, Herb (Lisa's husband).

There were many other sloppy details like this that should have been fixed in the first read through by either the author or editor. Also, I am glad, like many others, that Ross is now history. The issue is that I feel like his character was taken from one extreme to another too quickly, and none of the details from the previous book where included. For example, Ross's family was Russian and that was brought up a great deal. Something could have been made of that, or the fact that he lived next door to a senator. Why include these facts and not weave them into his downfall, rather than having something totally unrelated come out? If Lynn Larchmont (his old girlfriend and Hannah's friend) knew that he had been violent with her before, she should have mentioned it to Hannah when she and Ross were dating in Cherry Cheese Cake Murder. Lynn would have likely known he was married before as well, as they were business associates. Also, the woman that he was married to should have made an appearance, and maybe weave that part of the story into Ross's down fall as well. Why would he marry Hannah and go on a honeymoon cruise while he was already married? Why did he transfer all of his money and his car to Hannah when he left, only to demand it back like a super villain a few months later? Wouldn't his wife have crept back into the story prior to that? So many holes in this story, and it was crafted in a very amateur way.

I would hope if they continue on to make these books, they hire a top notch editor and good writer to watch over continuity.

cliffhanger

Can't wait for the next book. So many unanswered questions to the murder and for Hannah's future.

Way too many recipes and not enough storyline!!!!

It felt like there were more recipes and not enough storyline in this one. I was anxiously awaiting this book and the conclusion to the "Ross disappearance" and disappointed to find myself wading through excessive recipes this time. I love having the recipes and the baking tips but this book felt like it was unfinished and someone rushed to publish by filling it in with recipes and leaving the storyline less meaty if you'll pardon the pun. I have read most of Joanna Flukes books and I did enjoy this one but felt that the characters and plot were more bare bones this time and the recipes used as filler.

23 murders and she hasn’t learned anything

After being involved in solving 23 murders one would think Hannah would have developed some common sense and a backbone, alas she has not.

Every time the narrator makes that awful cat noise I want to throw my phone across the room. I am not sure which is worse, the time wasted reading recipes or the cat noise.

Only listening because they are free.