BLACKBERRY PIE MURDER is the latest in this series about three Minnesota sisters who run the Cookie Jar store and coffee shop and stumble over more than their share of murders. Now it looks as though Hannah's an unintentional killer. Previously the ladies' main concern was arranging the wedding of their notoriously picky mother, who keeps changing her mind about menu and flowers. They discuss the police interviews and what the local paper will report. The dead man was not known locally and after the autopsy, Hannah is charged - in public - with vehicular homicide, and locked in jail. How much worse could this get?

Hannah's family and friends rally around to learn who the man was and what he was doing, meanwhile bringing her supplies like food, blankets and a romance manuscript which her mother is sure she'll be delighted to proofread to pass the time. The intrepid investigators ascertain that the dead man had a blackberry stain on his shirt, and they know someone who had a blackberry pie stolen off her windowsill as it cooled. What else can they discover?

Some readers may find certain turns of phrase too cute, such as "Norman was a great kitty-daddy" about a man who keeps a cat. I also thought it was overdoing it to say "After two gruelling days in the cell" when Hannah had been treated with courtesy and allowed family visits and home comforts. Wry humour however is present when a six- year-old not only hears all the local gossip at Bible school, but offers to teach her elders how to send texts. So true! Recipes are written with easy-cook hints, for those who don't bake often. The cream cheese and herb scones sound scrumptious. As for the small ball-shaped cookies with different edible treats in the centre - that's a must for a kids' party!

Joanne Fluke serves up another sweet treat with BLACKBERRY PIE MURDER, which will please fans and new readers alike.

Book Summary