Coconut Layer Cake Murder

In bestseller Fluke’s pleasing 25th Hannah Swensen mystery (after 2019’s Chocolate Cream Pie Murder), bakery shop owner and amateur sleuth Hannah Swensen cuts short her California vacation and rushes home to Lake Eden, Minn., after receiving an emergency call from her sister, Michelle. Darcy Hicks, a high school classmate of Michelle’s police detective boyfriend, Lonnie , has been murdered, and the primary suspect is Lonnie. The night before the murder, Lonnie took Darcy home from a bar and passed out in her house, where he discovered her dead the next morning. Obviously, Lonnie can’t investigate, and neither can his partner on the force, Mike , so Hannah’s detecting skills are needed more than ever. Together with friends and family, including Mike, Hannah sets out to learn the truth, and, as she eliminates one potential killer after another, things begin to look even darker for Lonnie. Mouthwatering recipes and diverting subplots add to the fun. Fluke demonstrates why she’s considered the queen of culinary cozies. Agent: Meg Ruley, Jane Rotrosen Agency. (Mar.)