Red Velvet Cupcake Murder by Joanne Fluke ~ review

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Kensington (February 26, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0758280343
• ISBN-13: 978-0758280343

This book is also available as an e-book.

Release date: February 26, 2013 | Series: Hannah Swensen Mysteries

It's a hot summer evening in Lake Eden, Minnesota - and the Grand Opening of the refurbished Albion Hotel. Hannah Swensen's famous Red Velvet cupcakes are being served in the new Red Velvet lounge. The party starts off with a bang with the arrival of Doctor Bev, who left town in shame after she two-timed her fiance. But the gossip comes to a screeching halt when another partygoer takes a dive off the hotel's rooftop garden. As the police investigate, the only one who isn't preoccupied with the case is Doctor Bev. She's too busy trying to stir things up with her old flame Norman, who's reunited with Hannah. Just as Hannah's patience with Bev runs thin, her rival is found dead at the bottom of Miller's Pond. To everyone's shock, Hannah is now the target of a murder investigation - and she's feeling the heat in a way she never has before...

My take on this book:

Hannah Swenson's coffee shop/bakery has been hired to cater the desserts for the grand reopening of the Albion Hotel which has recently undergone renovation. The celebration quickly turns to disaster when someone falls from the roof and lands in the rose garden. Fortunately the person wasn't killed, but is insisting that it was no accident, and that someone was trying to kill her. Meanwhile Doctor Bev comes back to town trying to reconnect with her old beau Norman who just happens to be dating Hannah. When Dr. Bev is found dead Hannah becomes one of the prime suspects. What's going on in the tiny town of Lake Eden, are the crimes connected, and can Hannah figure out who-done- it before it's too late?

"Red Velvet Cupcake Murder" is set in the tiny town of Lake Eden, MN,I found  the author's descriptive writing easily lent an authentic small town feel to the book. I immediately connected with the main character of Hannah, a woman who runs a bakery, owns a twenty-three lb. cat named Moishe, is caught in a love triangle and just happens to solve mysteries, thing is she is also a suspect! The author provided several plot twists along with some well placed clues making for a page turning mystery. I found the secondary story of Hannah and her love triangle added another layer to the story. 

I always enjoy a good cozy mystery and this one fit the bill. While I hadn't  read any of the other books in this series the author provides enough background information that I was able to connect with the characters, and understand most of what was going on in the story. A smoothly written plot, with interesting characters,a smidgen of romance, a murder mystery along with a small town setting made this one quick easy read.The mouth watering recipes, along with the baking tips, as well as the inclusion of a few laughs, and several pets were an added bonus for me. 

reviewed for Readersfavorite.com