Murder, She Baked: A Peach Cobbler Mystery

After evaluating her feelings about the two men vying for her affections, Hannah Swensen, the owner/operator of Hannah's Cookie Jar bakery and coffee shop in Eden Lake, Minnesota, believes she is more attracted to Police Detective Mike Kingston, the more exciting one, than she is to dentist, Dr. Norman Rhodes, the safer one. These feelings are despite Norman being more prepared to make a commitment, while widowed Mike is still not ready, having not even talked to her about his marriage to his recently deceased wife, Lydia. Before telling either Mike or Norman of her feelings, Hannah believes she may have made the wrong choice when Melanie Quinn, an old college friend of Mike and Lydia's, moves to Eden Lake on Mike's suggestion. Not only does Hannah think Mike did so as they are mutually attracted to each other, but Melanie decides to open a bakery, the Magnolia Blossom, across the street to be in direct competition to the Cookie Jar. Despite Hannah getting unbiased opinions that the Cookie Jar's food is better, Hannah admits that the Magnolia Blossom is taking away much of her business, as Melanie's backer and financial manager, her sister Vanessa Quinn, is doing some heavy promotion to drum up business. Hannah's relationship with Mike takes an even more unusual twist when passing by the Magnolia Blossom one evening and noticing the lights still on when Melanie should have been gone on a delivery, Hannah walks in to find Melanie shot dead in the kitchen, this the third of three murders Hannah has stumbled upon in Eden Lake. Although he knows that Hannah had nothing to do with the murder, Mike has to stay clear of her to remain impartial in the investigation, circumstantial evidence indeed pointing to Hannah as the murderer, she a person with opportunity and motive. As usual, inquisitive Hannah uses her investigative skills to assist in finding out who really did kill Melanie. As she can't tag onto or feed into Mike's investigation as she usually does, Hannah instead turns to Norman, whose support in the matter may sway her feelings in his favor.—Huggo