Title:	Raspberry Danish Murder
	Author:	Joanne Fluke
	Published:	February 27, 2018, Kensington
	No. of Pages:	304
	Cover Price:	$26.00 Hardcover, $12.99 Kindle

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Believe it or not, Hannah Swenson has starred in 21 previous novels. Raspberry Danish Murder is the 22nd and it, like the ones before it, are full of easy mouthwatering recipes. Hannah lives in Lake Eden, Minnesota, and owns The Cookie Jar, a popular coffee shop. Of course her life is idyllic, and she and her sisters, mother, and friends spend most of their time drinking coffee and eating cookies. Nobody gains an ounce, and nobody ends up with diabetes or has a heart attack. Life seems to go well even though they accomplish close to nothing compared to real life. There is some bad weather, of course (Minnesota), and Hannah always seems to get herself involved in a murder or two.

In this installment, Hannah’s husband, Ross, who disappeared in the previous novel, is still missing. His assistant, P.K., is murdered, and no one is sure if he was the actual target or if it was Ross. Hannah, of course, investigates; she is broken-hearted because Ross isn’t back, and there is a suspicion of foul play. These last two novels have been a bit different than previous ones, in that there have been cliffhangers at the end, forcing those of us who are hooked on this series to wait longer for the next installment that we’d like.

The recipes are written in such a way that they could be prepared by two year olds (a bit too simplistic and an insult to anyone who has done more than heat a can of soup), and the characters interact like they are in a 60s sitcom. So why do we read the books in the series and anticipate all of the subsequent ones? Why read Raspberry Danish Murder? I have no explanation, except that I’m always first in line to pick up the newest installment and actually keep every one of the Hannah Swenson novels on a shelf and prepare the recipes often when I want something new and delicious.

If you are into cozy mysteries, especially culinary cozy mysteries, Raspberry Danish Murder and the previous novels are highly recommended. They are fast reads, the characters are well-developed (albeit in a fantasy world of their own), and the plots are fun. Hannah and the other main characters have evolved throughout the series, and they seem like real friends and acquaintances.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.