Strawberry Shortcake Murder, the second installment of Joanne Fluke’s Hannah Swensen Mystery series centers around the Lake Eden Bake-Off. When one of her fellow judges is murdered and her friend is suspected of killing him, Hannah determines to find the real killer in order to clear her friend’s name.

Hannah is head judge of the Bake-Off. This opportunity comes with its benefits: the Cookie Jar, her bakery, gets free press since she will bake on live TV. She also leads the panel of judges who decide the Bake-Off winner. When one of the judges has to step down, Coach Boyd Watson is chosen to replace him. But after Boyd’s first night as judge, he’s found dead on his garage floor. 

His wife is the prime suspect, but Hannah knows that while Boyd might be a favorite coach, he also beats his wife. It would be reasonable for his wife to have killed him in self-defense, but his wife claims she didn’t. Hannah believes her.

Determined to prove her friend’s innocence, Hannah jumps into the investigation. I really like how loyal Hannah is in this sequel. She is confident in her friend and that drives her to find the truth. But her insistence might mean Boyd isn’t the only one who ends up dead.

I enjoyed Strawberry Shortcake Murder. It was a fitting sequel to the first Hannah Swensen Mystery, Chocolate Chip Murder.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I borrowed this book from the library. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”