Peach Cobbler Murder is a Treat

Our library had a large display of mystery books in the lobby. Now, I'm not entirely sure that for me this was a good thing --- all it did was convince me that I don't have enough time to read all that I want to read. I limited myself to picking up one new book off the display. That took some discipline.

The book I selected was "Peach Cobbler Murder" by Joanne Fluke. This is the seventh in a series featuring bakery shop owner Hannah Swenson of Lake Eden, Minnesota. I like Hannah. She is a somewhat plump woman with frizzy red hair. It would have been frustrating to me to have a skinny woman running a bakery. She has a penchant for correct grammar (how could I not like that?!). She has two love interests who are strikingly different ---- one a handsome cop, the other a dependable dentist. Hannah's sister, mother and niece figure prominently in her escapades. And Hannah also has the obligatory overweight cat.

My only complaint about the book was that it seemed to take too long to get to the murder, and it wasn't that complicated at all to figure out. The murder victim in this book is Shawna Lee, the Georgia flirt who opens up a competing bakery almost directly across the street. I hadn't figured out the entire thing, but I was completely on target for who the murderer was.

The author intersperses some recipes for various treats throughout the book which is nice. I may have to try some of those!

This book is reminiscient of Monica Ferris' series for needlework. She has a new book coming out this year, and I can't wait to read that one. It is also similar to Laura Childs' Tea Shop Mystery series featuring amateur sleuth Theodosia Browning. I don't think I've written much about them in this blog, but I've read all the Ferris books and most of the Childs books. I love them.

I am not sure when I'll pick up another of the Hannah Swenson mysteries, but it is a nice, light read. Quite a nice break from those grueling, rather ominous Victorian tales.

Until next time, may your reading be both pleasurable and profitable.

Face of a Stranger

I picked up the first book of Anne Perry's other Victorian mystery series entitled "The Face of a Stranger." This book shows a bit more maturity in writing, and it is a bit more introspective in that we get to know the main character William Monk in a more personal and intimate way than we do Inspector Pitt in "Cater Street Hangman."

The story begins with Monk waking in a hospital suffering from a head injury. This sounds trite, but Perry really pulls it off. We get to watch Monk go through the process of recovering his memory while attempting to hide it from his superiors and his other associates. We watch Monk struggle to find out what kind of man he was/is, and not liking what he discerns and learns. We also cheer when his intuition and abilities surface, as he instinctively navigates through the maze of Victorian culture.

This story is replete with plot twists and great characters. I really enjoyed reading it, and I'm looking forward to see what else Monk does in the future. The ending was satisfying, but there are plenty of loose ends to make future developments quite interesting.

All in all, this one is another winner!

Until next time, may your reading be both pleasurable and profitable.