Christmas Caramel Murder

Written by Joanne Fluke

Narrated by Suzanne Toren

Christmas normally descends on Lake Eden, Minnesota, as gently as reindeer alighting on a rooftop-but this yuletide season the only thing coming down Hannah Swensen's chimney is a case of murder. The holidays have arrived, and Hannah and her good pal Lisa have agreed to provide all the goodies for the town's annual production of A Christmas Carol. But before anyone can say "Bah, humbug!" a Santa-sized sackful of trouble ensues. Like the fact that Lisa's husband will be playing Mr. Claus to his ex-girlfriend Phyllis Bates' Mrs. Claus. Or that before the curtains even go up Phyllis is found dead in the snow-wearing a costume that the real Mrs. Claus would put on the naughty list. Soon after the suspects pile up faster than snowdrifts in a blizzard, while a merry murderer remains on the loose. With clues even harder to find, it might take a visit from ghosts of Christmas past to wrap up this mystery in time for the holidays.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Sep 27, 2016
• ISBN: 9781501930508

Joanne Fluke

JOANNE FLUKE is the New York Times bestselling author of the Hannah Swensen mysteries, which include Chocolate Cream Pie Murder, Raspberry Danish Murder, Cinnamon Roll Murder, and the book that started it all, Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder. That first installment in the series premiered as Murder, She Baked: A Chocolate Chip Cookie Mystery on the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Channel. Like Hannah Swensen, Joanne Fluke was born and raised in a small town in rural Minnesota, but now lives in Southern California. Please visit her online at www.JoanneFluke.com.

Reviews for Christmas Caramel Murder

[Diane · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Another great story and recipes from Joanne Fluke! very good

[Ann Boyd · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I am a reasonably smart person who enjoys dumb mysteries, but this one was really pretty bad. The story and writing itself were not great, and the reader made it all even worse. I also found it annoying to listen to the recipes read aloud (and I skipped past several of them). The few recipes I did listen to sounded really subpar with lots of pre-packaged ingredients that I do not find appealing (can of cherry pie filling?). I don’t think I’ll ever read another Joanne Fluke book again. My recommendation: skip this and go for Diane Mott Davidson.

[lbswiener · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Banana Cream Pie Murder is just like Ms. Fluke's other books. Like R.L. Stine and his Goosebumps series, Ms. Fluke has chosen a formula on how to write a mystery and sticks to it. She peppers her books with absolutely awful dessert recipes that allegedly the only bakery in town carries. That poor little town. It's too bad that the police department is so dependent upon the baker to solve their crimes. This book is given a good solid one star.

[Brandi Huffer · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The book was pretty good. I may purchase it for the Recipies. However, the person reading the audiobook could have been a little better and having a recipie in every chapter interrupted the story to often.

[kevn57-163679 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

A really disappointing flashback novella. Hannah's smartphone texting and sending pictures, I'm pretty sure the flashback is set before she got rid of her flip phone.

[chazzifrazz · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It's Christmas and one of the most busiest times for Hanna Swensen and her cookie shop. This year they are providing all the goodies for the annual "A Christmas Carol" play. A tall order that is made even bigger when Lisa, Hannah's partner, volunteers the shop to also make all the candy for the event, since the candy company from last year has closed.A fly in the ointment for Lisa is when Mayor Bascomb decided that Phyllis Bates will play Mrs. Claus to Lisa's husband's Mr. Claus. What is so bad is that Phyllis is Herb's old high school flame who has returned to Lake Eden. At the dress rehearsal Phyllis shows up dressed more for a men's club performance than for a performance for families! Definitely not a PG rated costume.When Phyllis is found dead in a snow drift in her 'costume' things get busier. Hannah is on the hunt for the killer and the reason, and is intent on solving the case before the event takes place in just a few days.This is an event that happened the Christmas before Ross entered Hannah's life, and she is the one telling it to Ross. I liked this much better than the previous book as it is the determined and self reliant Hannah.I read it in just a few hours!

[cyderry · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

What fun to have Hannah recount to her new husband the story of the Christmas Caramel disaster! We see Hannah still in the midst of her romantic dilemmas and as successful as ever at figuring out who killed the latest victim.And the recipes! I will never get back to a Size 10 if she keeps give us such scrumptious recipes!

[maydacat_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This story is really a flashback – Hannah is regaling Ross, her husband, with a tale of yet another time when she stumbled across a body. If you don’t pay attention to the first couple of pages, it may be confusing. Ross, of course, makes no appearance until the very end when Hannah finishes her tale, and for those readers who wished she had married either Norman or Mike, well, it is just a case hoping for the impossible. (Could it be that the author wishes Hannah hadn’t committed to Ross, too? Are the stories more interesting to write and to read when Hannah was single?) The murder itself is only mildly interesting – the solution almost takes a back seat to the Christmas festivities and cookie recipes! But still, for readers of the series and for those who just love any tale of Christmas, it is a quick read worth the time.

[drapple_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is first novel I have read in this series. I really enjoyed it. The murderer was a surprise. Hannah's "slaydar" kicks and she discovers the body of the local hussy. SHe creates her traditional list of suspects, but this time, her business partner, Lisa is on the list. I look forward to reading more of this series.

[lhaines56 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Not bad. Kept you guessing until the end. Too many recipes and not enough book content.

[ecataldi-1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I was looking for a cozy Christmas mystery and although I got what I asked for I hated it. This was almost too cozy. This is the twentieth Hannah Swensen book and by god, does someone die every month in this small town? Is Hannah always the one tripping over bodies? Why do the police let her run her own parallel investigations when she clearly has no formal training? Why is she such a goody goody meddler? There is no tension or real intrigue in this mystery. Readers are spoon fed a watered down Christmas time murder. Of course it happens in a small charming town, where everyone is in everyone else's business. This mystery is lukewarm at best. Also, included are recipes that sound interesting, but I will never attempt. Very meh.

[nicolewbrown · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In this latest book by Joanne Fluke, Hannah Swensen is recounting to her new husband Ross the tale of a murder that took place last year at Christmastime before he came back to Lake Eden. Lisa's husband Herb is working late and she is worried that something may be going on with the woman he is now working with, Phyllis Bates, his old high school girlfriend. To make matters worse, the mayor announces that Phyllis, and not Lisa will be Mrs. Claus to Herb's Santa.The high school is putting on their annual A Christmas Carol and at the end, Santa and Mrs. Claus come on stage and the kids come and sit on Santa's lap and tell him what they want. At the rehearsal Phyllis shows up not in the outfit she is supposed to be wearing but in an outfit perfect for a stripper. And when the director decides to not end the production with Santa and Mrs. Claus hugging but with a stage kiss, Phyllis kisses Herb for real. And Lisa is there to see the whole thing as she and Hannah agreed to make the candy to sell for the concession stand and they were there to find out how much they sold last year so they could determine how much to make. Later that night after eating dinner, Hannah and Lisa are walking back to their cars at the Corner Tavern when they see what looks like a mitten in a snow bank. So Hannah goes to get it and of course finds the dead body of Phyllis Bates. Lisa is naturally a suspect especially since she has no alibi for part of the time the murder could have taken place as she was alone at her house feeding her dogs and taking them out before meeting up with Hannah at the restaurant. But there are others who had it in for Phyllis, including the mayor's wife who just found out that Phyllis demanded that the mayor, with whom she was having an affair with, put her up in a condo.At night, Hannah is visited by her dead father who shows her a scene from the recent past on one night and a scene from the present that she will be doing that day on another night all to help her solve the murder. The last one, a scene from the future will be a personal one. This is a sweet way to do a twist on the Christmas Carol story. I really enjoyed that aspect of it. And for those who are interested in the recipes, they include gingerbread pancakes, chocolate-covered mint cookies, red raspberry muffins, butterscotch crunch candy, cashew candy rolls, and more.

[ethel55_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The cute red cover and glittery candy on the front sure make an appealing package for this little Christmas novella. Hannah and Lisa become involved in yet another murder in crime ridden Lake Eden, and this time, high school jealousies may make suspects out of old schoolmates. The best part are some of the recipes, sprinkled throughout the story. The Cashew Nut rolls look especially good, as do the gingerbread pancakes. It was a quick read, easy to enjoy.

[jbarr5 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Christmas Caramel Murder by Joanne FlukeLove the authors work and treasure recipes throughout each book.This one starts out with Hannah and Ross-her new husband and after having a meal at the Inn he asks her about last Christmas event where the caramel candy didn't quite work out well.She then explains to him over the course of the rest of the night what happened. Started out with Lisa and Hannah and Lisa has agreed they will need to make more as the candy company is out of business.As Lisa informs Hannah of her spouses late night work she worries his new assistant who he had dated in high school was going to be Mrs. Santa Claus this year as Herb was Santa himself. They catch a rehearsal as they are in the neighborhood and just as she feared Gloria is up to her old tricks.They buckle down and discuss it while they experiment and make treats only to find out later that Phyllis is now dead...The characters in the book that are always in the books are present here: Norman, Mike, Herb, Lisa and her sisters and mother. Even a guest appearance from her father as a ghost of Christmas helps solve this one.Recipes are to die for!I received this book from The Kensington Books in exchange for my honest review