These mysteries are so popular with Cozy readers for good reasons, which is why the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries channel chose to feature Hannah in their rotating series of mystery movies. Hannah is a classic Cozy Mystery character. Hannah is an (almost) thirty-ish woman who moved back to her hometown, Lake Eden, after her father who had owned the town’s hardware store passed away. Hannah came back to Lake Eden at the request of her younger and more glamorous sister, Andrea, who along with her even younger sister Michelle, could not cope with their mother who was a “basket case” when their father died. Moving back to town was okay with Hannah since she was tired of pursuing her PhD in English (maybe because of at least one failed romance!).
Lake Eden is a small town in Minnesota which borders on Eden Lake. The distinction between Lake Eden and Eden Lake confuses visitors to the town, and there are a lot of visitors because the lake is a vacation draw in the summer. The town swells in the summer months to nearly four times its normal population of 3000.
All of the elements of a great modern Cozy series are here. After Hannah moved back to town, she opened a bakery/coffee shop at the suggestion of her sister, Andrea. Andrea is conveniently married to a police officer (hopefully soon to be a detective), Bill. With her frizzy red hair, ultra casual dressing style, and 20 pounds or so to lose, Hannah considers herself frumpy and unsophisticated next to her glamorous sister (who sells real estate); and yet, the eligible men in Lake Eden seem to circle around Hannah like bees around flowers. To Hannah’s annoyance, her mother frequently interferes in Hannah’s life. Her mother is especially concerned with what her mother considers Hannah’s lack of a love life. And, Hannah has a half-blind 25 pound tomcat, Moishe, who features prominently in her home life.
The Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder is a fun read. Hannah gets involved in solving the murder mystery because she discovers the body (who was eating one of her chocolate chip cookies when he died) and to help her brother-in-law, Bill, who is trying to make detective. Between her coffee shop, the Cookie Jar, and her catering refreshments to every club, group or meeting in Lake Eden, Hannah has ample opportunity to gather information by talking to what seems like nearly everyone in Lake Eden.
The mystery is the type I especially enjoy because it is fair to the reader; all the clues are given to the reader who has an equal chance with Hannah to solve the case. The main characters are interesting and the setting has the charm of a small town. Finally, the icing on the cake (yes, pun intended!) are the many detailed recipes (cookies and candy in the first book) scattered around the books.
The Kindle edition currently includes a Christmas novella, Candy for Christmas, which is a cute little Cozy Mystery that does not include a murder. I guess the novella is really the icing on the icing!
I know we have lots of other Hannah Swensen readers, so if you’d like to add something to this entry, please post a comment. (Please try not to give away too many things from future Hannah Swensen books >>> since some people will be starting the series.) Thanks!
P.S. If you’re interested in other entries about some highly recommended Cozy Mystery series, you can see them on the Most Recommended Cozy Mystery Series page on my site.
Annie says
I’m loving this movie series (and of course enjoy the book series). It’s nice to watch a cozy instead of reading occasionally. It was especially nice that the latest movie in this series came out on my birthday (Sunday)!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Annie, Happy Belated Birthday!
Hanna says
I love the series and read all of them – so far. I have never baked cookies in my life, but I tried and used her recipes many times.
I love books from the 19th century – Anne Perry, Victoria Thompson and Emily Brightwell. Important aspects and clues are based on the facts that servants are like furniture. People reveal their secrets – and provide clues – when they are present. Hannah is using a similar approach. She circulates in her coffee shop, refilling coffees and hearing snips of conversations when the participants completely ignore her.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Hanna, good point. What you said about Hannah being able to get information from sort of being invisible while performing her Cookie Jar duties reminds me of Miss Marple being able to eavesdrop since she sort of blended in so well…
Judy says
The good news is that we can view the British mystery series, “Death in Paradise” on Netflix. The bad news is that Joanna Fluke’s mysteries are not shown where I live (South Dakota). We get reruns of “The Golden Girls.” Any suggestions on how to change this??? Thanks for any ideas. (Would picket the TV studio, but it will be minus 30 here this weekend. Ugh!)
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Judy, the Hannah Swensen mysteries don’t play on the regular Hallmark channel. For some reason, Hallmark has decided to only play them on their sister channel, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries.
CuppaCozy says
I have not read any of the books but I have watched the first two movies (#3 is DVR’d and ready to watch!) Are there a lot of differences between the books and the movies?
Wendy says
Initially I found the found the differences distracting but have since forgotten them as the movies have been distributed and I have developed a fondness of the movie characters.
Here are a few examples of differences: In the movie Hannah has blonde hair and is in no way needing to lose weight. Her cat in the movie is not a red tabby. Her beloved cookie truck is no longer red and instead is a silver minivan.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Wendy, I guess the network thought we’d be happier with a slim, blonde Hannah and a perfect looking (and behaving!) Moishe…
I agree with you about the movie characters. I hadn’t thought of it before, but I guess I’ve become fond of them.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
CuppaCozy, I agree with Wendy. The differences I see are mostly physical. The movies have Hollywood-ized Hannah’s appearance, her cat’s, her delivery truck, Norm, ETC. Once I got used to the physical differences, I was able to enjoy the movies.
Kathey says
One of the other big differences is that they have dropped the third sister who I really liked. So far they haven’t gotten to the books that describe Norman’s secret which is prominent in some of the later books in the series. In addition, Hannah lives upstairs of the nice couple below her in the townhouse, but she appears to live in a much more upscale townhouse on the ground floor. I do find the hair color a problem, so much so, that I believe a nice dye job or wig would be appropriate. Hannah also seems to favor Mike more than Norman when the books seldom show that.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Kathey, I have noticed that Hannah really “favors” Mike in the movies, but it’s been a while since I read the very early books in the series, so I don’t quite remember when this started >>> or if it was that apparent at the beginning of the series…
Sharon B says
I loved the books and now am so enjoying watching the movies on TV. Couldn’t get a better series.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Sharon B, I’m behind in the book series, but am all caught up with the mystery movies. I’m pleased they are making the movies, but it’s difficult to wait between the movie airings >>> that’s how much I’m enjoying them.
Cynthia B. says
I have read every book in this series and have truly enjoyed them. I saw one of the Hallmark shows and it was very good and quite cute too. Look forward to others.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Cynthia B, “quite cute” describes these Hannah Swensen movies very, very well. I look forward to more of them, too.
Kat says
I have to comment about Moishe. Not only is he a she in the movie, in the first movie she was an exotic short hair silver tabby and in the third movie she is a domestic short hair brown tabby. I am going to rewatch the second movie to see when the switch was made! Two of my five cats are male orange tabbies so I am disappointed that Moishe couldn’t remain a male orange tabby since they usually have the disposition of dogs. I would also like to know what people think of the flower shop mystery movie since it appears to be most unlike the books of all the movies I have watched that are based on cozy books.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Kat, I didn’t even notice the different Moishes! I did, however, notice they were pretty docile and their ears were intact.
I haven’t watched the Flower Shop movie, yet. Sunday night I had some conflict on my DVR, so I won’t be taping it until tonight at 6:00. I had forgotten I had to schedule it for a later time than Sunday, so Monday I was all geared up to watch it and was pretty bummed when I couldn’t find it.
renasence says
I really don’t like the way the movies have put Mike in the forefront and made him so nice and thoughtful. In the books (and I’ve read all)
he is a real jerk, untrustworthy, and will see other women at the drop of a hat. The movies (I’ve seen all) have made Norman fairly passive.
But all in all I love both books and movies! I also totally missed the changes in Moishe. Hannah should look more like her book character and she should be in her old townhouse. Maybe they will bring Michelle in sometime.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Reasence, I enjoy both the books and the movies, however, I have sort of disassociated them. As soon as I saw the movie version of Hannah, I knew we were in for lots of other differences. I agree about Mike and Norman being very different than their book counterparts…
Kate says
I was very, very frustrated with this author.
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She spent HOW MANY books making us fall in love with Norman, letting us see how perfect he is for Hannah only to have her marry (spoiler). COME ON!!!
Jennifer says
I totally agree!!! I feel like she led us on. I’m also not enjoying how much recipe conversation is in the more recent books. Before it seemed organic, now it feels forced.
Wendy says
I agree! I’m really disappointed that Hannan did not marry Norman.
Glenna M. says
I really want Hannah to marry Norman. I don’t watch the Hallmark series because of the casting selection. It is like the writers haven’t read the books. Hannah has red, curly hair. Her mother has dark hair and Moishe is a big, yellow tabby. Allison Sweeney is not Hannah Swenson. They have strayed away from the story lines. I have read all of the books in this series. Some of them twice and I have the Lake Eden Cookbook.
Peggy C. says
I’ve read all of the books to date. Is the next one going to resolve what happened to Hannah’s husband (Ross)? Also, is the tv series going to add Michelle to the cast? (Hannah’s youngest sister).
Mary M says
I loved nearly all the books in the series but the last two were a HUGE disappointment. Does anyone know if the author has written the soon to be released book herself or was it again written by someone else and therefore maybe not worth getting excited about.
The tv movies were fun but they really condensed the relationships too much, I’m definitely team Norman. I was annoyed when they had Hannah accept Mike marriage proposal. After that I’d hoped they just wouldn’t make anymore movies, not if I had to watch Norman fade into the background.
Jennifer says
Which books weren’t written by her?
Mary McCormick says
I don’t know for sure, just what I’ve read in reviews. Supposedly at least the last two, maybe three. I can certainly confirm that the last one of the series was really bad and the one before that not much better.
Lois K. says
Raspberry Danish was the most disappointing book I have ever read.
I felt I was led down the primrose path and then dumped in the river. What an unkind ending. Nothing cozy about that. Not sure I want to read any more Fluke.
Judy R. says
Judy R. says, I just received Joanne Fluke’s newest book called, Christmas Cup Cake Murder! I advance ordered it and I just came today! Can’t wait to start reading it! I will let my Mom read it first as she is 83 and reads a lot faster than me, plus I’m busy with other things in life, whereas she isn’t so much. I love all of the Hannah Swenson series and will continue to look for the next new books in the stories about Hannah Swenson. I can really identify with her, regarding family, friends, and outlook on life. I am happily married, 30 years this year, but my husband and I still keep the boyfriend girlfriend feeling. We can be sillier now since we are grandparents and in our 60’s now, but I do talk to my mom every day, at least once, and even if we don’t have any new news to talk about, we just call to talk about anything. Thank You Joanne Fluke for such wonderful stories and characters and especially not having any profanity or sexually explicit yuck in these books. It is a great read and you are one of my favorite authors in the Cozy Mystery genre!
Marla says
I just started reading your books, I love them I also love the TV shows. I have read 25,26. I’m going to ask for more of your books for Christmas.
D Walker says
I love all the books and all the movies. I noticed the physical differences between them but more noticeable to me was the personality of Hannah. Movies show her falling apart at finding dead bodies or danger, which she didn’t in any of the books. She was strong and confident in the books and the movies played her with a more Harlequin books sort of person. I also missed Michelle. Both are good.
Terri Polanski says
I have read all of the books so far and watched the 5 movies that are released. I can never get enough of this series. I am happy that in the movies Hannah favors Mike more, that wS my hope all along. I do wish the third sister would show up
In o e of the movies. Favorite author of all time and so glad that hey have become movies also. I hope the entire series is made into movies
Lucile D. Raines says
I love these books … Hannah hasn’t had much love luck in her love life . I, too, favor the dentist He seems to understand her and their cats are friends …
Diane says
I love the books and the movies, I don’t mind the changes. What bothers me as a baker is that Hannah uses boxed cake mix, boxed pudding and Cool Whip in her recipes. I understand sharing recipes for the general public with these toxic cheats but I would never buy from a bakery that uses them!