If you’re looking for a fun, light cozy mystery series to read, I highly recommend Joanne Fluke’s books.
Known under other pseudonyms as well, Joanne Fluke is an American writer who gained notoriety for cozy mystery series. Her most famous books revolved around a baker from a small town – Hannah Swensen. The series was so successful that Hallmark Channel had created five movies based on the stories. Whether you are already a fan or you want to discover a bit of adventure, here are some of the best Joanne Fluke books out there.
What Are The Best Joanne Fluke Books?
Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder, by Joanne Fluke – A Hannah Swensen Mystery Book 1 (2011)
This is the first book in the Hannah Swensen series and probably the most exciting one – a brand new adventure, as well as the possibility to become familiar with some of the characters. The book has a bit of everything for everyone. Grab an amateur detective who feels a bit clueless and slightly overwhelmed by every case they deal with.
Then, throw in a few eccentric locals from Minnesota. Count in the suspense, and you have one of the most exciting mystery books out there. The main character? Hannah Swensen, of course, the main baker in town. One day changes everything when a local deliveryman is found dead behind the bakery. Most clues lead to her chocolate chip cookies, but she is determined to save the reputation of her recipe.
Will she manage to point the authorities in the right direction? Can she prove that everything is a setup? Only one way to find out…
Caramel Pecan Roll Murder, by Joanne Fluke – A Hannah Swensen Mystery Book 25 (2022)
Hannah is sought after for assistance with baking pastries at the community restaurant for an ongoing fishing competition, in which prizes are large and huge names are attending. But her generosity is halted after discovering a floating corpse behind the wheel of a boat aboard the event’s celebrity spokesperson.
If you’re in the mood for a great cozy mystery book with an excellent puzzle, then check out one of the latest Joanne Fluke’s books. The characters are well-developed and the plot is intricate without being confusing.
Blueberry Muffin Murder, by Joanne Fluke – A Hannah Swensen Mystery Book 3 (2013)
The third book in the Hannah Swensen series is among the best-rated cozy mystery series. The yearly Winter Festival is almost there. Preparations are intense, and Hannah Swensen plans to surprise everyone with her cookies. Unfortunately, the honor of designing the official cake went to the competition – Connie Mac. Hannah believes Connie Mac is phony and only plays a role.
Her suspicions are well confirmed when Connie Mac’s limo gets into town. It turns out that the apparently sweet owner is quite bossy and has a terrible temper. One day changes everything when Hannah gets to her baking shop one day, only to find Connie Mac dead while having one of her tasty blueberry muffins. The Winter Carnival cake is burnt as well – a disaster!
Her little shop becomes a crime scene. To make it even worse, the carnival is quickly approaching and there is nothing she can do to save it. Unless she starts investigating herself…
Carrot Cake Murder, by Joanne Fluke – A Hannah Swensen Mystery Book 10 (2013)
This is one of the best-rated Joanne Fluke books in the series. The action takes place in the summertime. The Cookie Jar bakery owner is looking forward to those comfy days under the sun, eating ice cream and hanging around with her friends. Her plans become history when a family reunion ends up with a murder.
Hannah Swensen is caught between providing for her customers and trying to find a killer. The mystery is even more intense as her cat seems to have strange behavior. Her partner’s uncle shows up at the family reunion and finds Hannah’s dessert to be extraordinary. But the next day, he is found dead. A few slices of cake are also found next to him.
Determined to find the truth, Hannah must start digging deeper into the victim’s past while paying attention to current clues. Is she going to solve this case?
Fatal Identity, by Joanne Fluke (2015)
If you are after more serious Joanne Fluke books, this one will definitely satisfy your hunger for mystery. The story follows two identical twins who look absolutely stunning – Mercedes and Marcie. Mercedes has a perfect life – a movie star with a great family and a luxurious lifestyle. On the other hand, Marcie teaches art and has a quiet and peaceful lifestyle.
One day, Mercedes is found dead. She is found in her swimming pool. Someone needs to complete the movie she was working on, so Marcie has to step in and get the project complete. She ends up in the role of a lifetime – a gorgeous mansion in Beverly Hills, a new family and a new man in her life. However, there is one part in Mercedes’ life that Marcie is not perfectly ready for and this is when problems start to show up.
There is a psychopath out there who watches every move she makes…
The Dead Girl, by Joanne Fluke (1993)
If you are not so much into cozy mystery series, how about an aggressive thriller? Written along with Jo Gibson, this is the fourth book in the Scream series. Julie and her cousin Vicki can almost pass for twins. There is only one problem – Vicky is no longer alive.
With all these, Julie cannot get over it. Vicky is still part of her life, even after moving to Colorado. Wherever Julie goes, it seems that everyone thinks she is her dead cousin. Her mind plays all sorts of tricks. Late at night, she dreams about her cousin Vicky reaching out from a grave.
With every new day, Julie feels like she is losing her identity. She feels like she is becoming someone else – someone who is dead.
Deadly Memories, by Joanne Fluke (2016)
Maura wakes up one day with no clues about who she was. She lost control of her Mercedes on a freeway around LA and almost got killed in the crash. Luckily, she survived, but she cannot remember anything from the last 20 years of her life.
The good news is that memories are slowly coming back. Missing pieces of her life puzzle are slowly falling in the right places. But as she reveals more and more, she realizes that her crash was not really an accident. Even worse, it looks like people behind her crash are closer to her than she imagined. Will she manage to solve this mystery? More importantly, will she survive this time?
Final Thoughts on the Best Joanne Fluke Books
As a short final conclusion, these are among the best-rated Joanne Fluke books out there. Whether you are into cozy mystery series for all ages or you want some harsh thrillers full of suspense, any of the above-mentioned titles can trigger and stimulate your imagination a little. If you are into mysteries checkout some modern books for New Adult readers.