The fourth book in the Hannah Swensen mystery series, again with mouthwatering recipes inside. I loved it.
Hannah Swensen though she’d finally discovered the recipe for a perfect life. But her sometime beau Norman Rhodes tosses a surprise ingredient into the mix when he phones to tell her he’s just bought a house from local drugstore clerk Rhonda Scharf – which he plans to tear down in order to build the dream home he and Hannah designed. It seems the plan has been cooking for quite some time, and Hannah’s shocked. Especially since her ring finger is still very much bare …
The good news is that the soon-to-be-torn-down house is full of antiques – and Norman has given Hannah and her mother first dibs. They uncover some gorgeous old furniture, a patchwork quilt … and Rhonda Scharf’s dead body. A little more sleuthing turns up the half-eaten remains of a very special dinner fo two – and one of The Cookie Jar’s famous lemon meringue pies. Now it’s up to Hannah to turn the heat – and get busy tracking down clues. Starting in her very own kitchen …
After finding Rhonda’s body Hannah is determined not to get involved this time, she is swamped with work for the fourth of July. But as her mother and Norman both ask her to investigate, she has no choice. And of course, she is curious about Rhonda. No-one much liked her, or knew something about her, though there were rumours she actually had a boyfriend lately.
Even Mike is fine with the fact that she will “help” investigate. He still believes a professional like himself is better at it than an amateur like Hannah, but so far, it was Hannah who cracked the cases!
As usual her sister Andrea helps as much as she can, she even gets the senior citizens and the kindergarten children in her daughters school to help build a float for the Cookie Jar for the parade! So when she has delegated that task, she has all the time she needs to help Hannah solve the mystery.
Thanks to Lisa, Hannah finds out who bought the Lemon Meringue Pie that was Rhonda’s last meal. And she finds out who the secret boyfriend was, but can soon eliminate him. So, no more clues to follow, how will this murder be solved? Was Rhonda just at the wrong place at the wrong time? But then stolen money from an old bankrobbery is being spend in town. Did some one find the stash the bankrobbers hid?
And why did Rhonda lie about going on holiday to Rome for two weeks, when she bought a one way ticket to Zurich? The land of numbered bank accounts?
In the end, the events follow each other rapidly, and just when Hannah has it figured out, the killer finds her, and tries to silence her. But rescue is on its way …
I loved the parts where both Mike and Norman are fussing over Hannah, but neither is ready to commit themselves. Hannah herself is also not sure if she wants to get married if they ever ask her. She is happy with her life, busy with her shop and her catering activities. And when they are both sitting with Hannah, they are talking men-talk with eachother, hmm.
But her mother is hinting more and more, and in the end even straight out asking the men in her life, when Lisa is the one with the engagement ring on her finger from Herb Beeseman. How about a double marriage?
So, lets find out in the next book. Will the dreamhouse be build? And will they both propose? I was planning to read something else in between, but am not so sure anymore. I just want to know what will happen next.
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