Christmas Caramel Murder (A Hannah Swensen Mystery) Mass Market Paperback – September 26, 2017

This is a disappointing small book. It has no substance. Even the book is small measuring 5 x 7 inches. A substantial portion of the pages are taken up by recipes. Was this advertised as a novella? The series characters are not advanced as this is a look back story. If this was the first book in a new series, no one would buy the second book. The motive for the murder is somewhat farfetched. I have read all the books in this series and this book fails its fans.

If possible, I would have given it a 3.5. The story is interesting and a fast read (Of course it is fast, take out the recipes and it can be read at one sitting. And there is no Ross in it which is a plus. However, the endings are getting to be all the same. Hannah always discovers and then confronts the murderer. You'd think for a moderately smart person she could change this a bit. Guess she's a follower of the old adage "Fools rush in where angels fear to tread." Once Hannah figured out what was going all she had to do was phone Mike (or the police), but did she? No she rushed right in to the detriment of a character. Perhaps the police should either read her the riot act of charge her with obstruction of justice. This is just one of the ways the story doesn't ring true. Hope the next book the author can change the MO slightly or make the characters more believable.

I knew this wasn't a full length novel but I actually laughed when I took the book out of the box. It's smaller in size and reminded me of a children's book. I paid $14.01 and can't believe this was actually listed for $20.00. Had I seen this in the store I would have never paid $14.01 for this book. The little over 200 pages includes index, recipes, etc. This would have fit more in with a combination book that features two or three authors' stories rather than a standalone. Feel a little ripped off.The story isn't bad but felt rushed and filled with unnecessary items. I hate when authors have characters repeat actions they are told to do and we then get a description of the same, i.e., sit down and take off your coat and boots. Then we get a description of "Hannah takes her coat off and sits down and takes off her boots." So redundant. Good editing would catch this.I also didn't like how the author had Ross in the book's first one or two pages in the beginning and then right at the end. Won't give any more details so I don't ruin the story for you. Wasn't cleaver, more like just fitting this story into the current series' timeline (was it previously written and not released?)I know a new novel is coming out early next year and couldn't help feeling like this was something the author needed to quickly get to the editor for release or again was it written to fit into a hardcover book with another author's story as well.

I'm going to go with what others said, this book was a disappointment. First of all it was really short (I feel like I overpaid) secondly, it did not or barely included many of the characters I've grown to like (Norman, Andrea, Delores, Bill, etc) but the biggie is that it did not address Ross at all. The author probably needed more time to come up with a way to fix that fiasco.The story was told as a memory from the past. So to sum it up if you're anxiously awaiting a sequel to Wedding Cake Murder you can skip this one.

I love this series and have read it from the very beginning. I liked this installment. It was a pretty good mystery and nice recipes. The size of the book was a plus for me. It was compact enough to carry anywhere. I love to photocopy the recipes for my recipe folder so I try to get the paper versions of the Hannah books. That being said, I think I liked this one because it was a flashback, so Norman and Mike were still in the picture. I have to say I just don't like or trust Ross. His insertion to the series seems forced to me and he and Hannah just don't seem to have any real chemistry together. Even the way he calls her "Cookie" grates on my nerves. I always hoped Hannah would wind up with Norman because I think he truly and deeply loves her and she seems happiest and at peace when she's with him. I hoped they would marry (after many murderous mishaps of course!) and then the two of them would set their sights on finding the perfect woman for Mike, with this taking many more books to accomplish. I don't need Hannah to be torn between them and would have been happy to see the series evolve. I just don't feel Ross was the way to do it. My only other minor complaint is how Hannah's mother has started calling everyone "Dear" or "Dears". She never did this before and it is jarring and feels like an affectation to me. And please reconsider all the wearing of pantsuits! No fashion conscious woman wears them anymore and certainly not someone Hannah's age. The only woman in America who still wears them is Hillary Clinton and I don't think they will be making a fashion comeback soon.

I love JoAnne's books. It's something I enjoy sharing with my mother. We countdown to when the new ones get here and talked about them after we have both read them. I was disappointed in this book for the first time in any of her books. I might not agree with the direction the love interest are going or what not after reading but this was the first book that I felt was a throw away book. It takes you back to LAST Christmas and retells a story in a Christmas Carol sort of spin. I didn't feel like it was worth the read after I read it. I am not sure if she had pressure to get another book in and this is what we go or what the deal was. But it would be better to treat this one more like a cookbook than a Hannah story in this collection.

Anyone else think Joanne Flukebusnt writing these books anymore? Even on Facebook it is her son writing the updates -This sounds nothing at all like her voice, nor have the last two before this.This is not a book, it is a short story. A badly written rehashed short story.

Very very disappointing. Would have enjoyed a story with her new husband taking part. Story line was weak and seemed to be rather immature. It felt like the story was written earlier in the author's career and resurrected now that her books are doing so well.

ross is barely mentioned and hannah is led to answers by a ghost?? total rubbish that must have been driven by feedback on the last couple of books. but how can anyone seriously want the world's weakest love triangle to limp on? we'll never get conclusion to the allusion that ross might be a bit naughty at this rate. come on ms fluke unleash the harshness we know you have from your non hannah books!

A bit different from the usual Hannah swensen books

Always glad to get the next instalment, although this was a retrospective, so set before the previous book.

Excellent!

Lover her books and this did not disappoint