Joanne Fluke’s Books Are the Pastry-Themed Murder Mysteries You Need | Eater
"A cozy small-town bakery and coffee shop run by Hannah Swensen that serves as the communal hub of the series, where locals gather and gossip while baked goods take center stage. Nearly every installment includes multiple recipes—from molasses crackles and cream puffs with vanilla custard to fruit pastries and even Ruby’s Deep-Fried Candy Bars—and character-specific recipe notes (for example, Lisa experimenting with pineapple jam because Herb favors pineapple) that deepen the fictional world. The food is the emotional core of the stories, presented with homespun, food-centric similes and lighthearted puns; the tone is non-gory and comforting, and the bakery’s quirks (including Hannah’s giant orange cat, Moishe) reinforce the series’ cozy, escapist appeal. Many recipes are drawn from the author’s own experiments, family cookbooks, and fans, and they have a strong digital presence on literary food blogs and Pinterest." - Brittany Ross
