Books by Joanne Fluke
Hannah Swensen Mysteries
CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE MURDER
STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE MURDER
BLUEBERRY MUFFIN MURDER
LEMON MERINGUE PIE MURDER
FUDGE CUPCAKE MURDER
SUGAR COOKIE MURDER
PEACH COBBLER MURDER
CHERRY CHEESECAKE MURDER
KEY LIME PIE MURDER
CANDY CANE MURDER
CARROT CAKE MURDER
CREAM PUFF MURDER
PLUM PUDDING MURDER
APPLE TURNOVER MURDER
DEVIL’S FOOD CAKE MURDER
GINGERBREAD COOKIE MURDER
CINNAMON ROLL MURDER
RED VELVET CUPCAKE MURDER
BLACKBERRY PIE MURDER
JOANNE FLUKE’S LAKE EDEN COOKBOOK
Suspense Novels
VIDEO KILL
WINTER CHILL
Published by Kensington Publishing Corporation
BLACKBERRY PIE MURDER
JOANNE FLUKE
KENSINGTON BOOKS
http://www.kensingtonbooks.com
All copyrighted material within is Attributor Protected.
Table of Contents
Books by Joanne Fluke
Title Page
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-one
Chapter Twenty-two
Chapter Twenty-three
Chapter Twenty-four
Chapter Twenty-five
Chapter Twenty-six
Chapter Twenty-seven
Chapter Twenty-eight
BLACKBERRY PIE MURDER RECIPE INDEX
Baking Conversion Chart
A Letter From Joanne Fluke
Copyright Page
This book is for Ruel,
for my God-Daughter Amanda Joanne,
and for my friend Arlene Gorman.
I will never forget you.
Acknowledgments
Big hugs to the kids and the grandkids who know that the most important ingredient in home-baked cookies is love.
Thank you to my friends and neighbors: Mel & Kurt, Lyn & Bill, Lu, Gina, Adrienne, Jay, Bob, Laura Levine & Mark, Judy Q., Richard Jordan, Dr. Bob & Sue, Richard & Krista, Dan Grimm, Mark B., Angelique, Dan Arnold at Claim Jumper, Paige at Maggiano’s, Mark & Mandy at Faux Library, Rosemary at the Elks Club, Gene at SDSA, Daryl and her staff at Groves Accountancy, and everyone at Boston Private Bank.
Thank you to my Minnesota friends: Lois & Neal, Bev & Jim, Lois & Jack, Val, Ruthann, Lowell, Dorothy & Sister Sue, Mary & Jim, and Tim Hedges.
Special thanks to my supremely talented and incredibly patient Editor-in-Chief and friend, John Scognamiglio.
Hugs all around to Steve, Laurie, Doug, Helen, Adam, Vida, Karen, Robin, Lesleigh, Alex, Darla, Peter, and all the other good folks at Kensington Publishing who keep Hannah sleuthing and baking up a storm.
Thanks to John at Placed4Success.com for Hannah’s movie and TV spots, the recipe for the Blackberry Pie Martini, and for spearheading Hannah’s social media.
Thanks to Meg Ruley at the Jane Rotrosen Agency for her constant support and her wise advice.
Thanks to Hiro Kimura, my superb cover artist. Every time I see that blackberry pie on the cover, I want to cut a big piece, top it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and ditch my diet for as long as it takes to gobble it up!
And thank you to Lou Malcangi at Kensington, for designing all of Hannah’s delicious covers in hardcover and in paperback, and the remarkable covers for the Joanne Fluke Suspense Thrillers.
Thanks to Rudy at Z’Kana Studios in Richmond, Virginia for the amazing brag reel of my televised interviews and baking segments.
Thanks to Kathy Allen for the final testing of Hannah’s recipes.
It’s an incredible ego trip to have someone bake for me for a change!
Hugs to my friend Trudi Nash for going with me on book tours, taking great photos, and for convincing me that she loves doing it.
Thanks to Nancy and her fabulous cookie recipes.
Thank you to JoAnn Hecht for making Hannah’s recipes look beautiful and taste great at launch parties.
Hugs to Fern and Leah for all their work on the Joanne Fluke Facebook page and the I Love Joanne Fluke Facebook page. And thank you to all of the Hannah Fanatics and fans of Team Swensen.
Thank you to Dr. Rahhal, Dr. and Cathy Line, Dr. Wallen, Dr. Niemeyer, and Rita & Dr. Lack for helping with my pesky book-related medical and dental questions.
Special thanks to Vida Engstrand at Kensington for planning and booking my appearances and media interviews for book tours and conventions.
Thanks to Tracy at Suzi Davis Travel for making great travel arrangements for Trudi, John, and me.
Last, but certainly not least, a big hug to all of the Hannah fans who send in their favorite family recipes for Hannah to try. I’m going to remind her to stock up on extra butter, sugar, and chocolate before the next blizzard hits Lake Eden, Minnesota!
Chapter One
“And you actually believed Mother?!” Hannah Swensen stared at her sister in complete amazement.
“Well . . . yes.” Andrea shifted slightly on her stool at the stainless steel work island in Hannah’s industrial kitchen at The Cookie Jar.
“Let me get this straight.” Hannah’s youngest sister, Michelle, looked every bit as astounded as Hannah did. “You trusted Mother when she promised not to interfere with the plans we’re making for her wedding?”
“Yes. I know it sounds stupid of me, but Mother said it in front of everyone at the table. And she seemed completely sincere.”
“I’m sure she was sincere . . . at the time,” Hannah agreed. “But sincerity isn’t the issue here. Personality is. Mother’s a buttinski. That’s the way she is and she can’t help it.”
Michelle nodded. “All you have to do is look at her track record. Did you really believe she’d let us arrange everything and just show up for the ceremony?”
“Well . . . no. Not when you put it that way. But she said she wanted a fall wedding and I chose fall colors for the flowers. I had beautiful bronze asters and yellow and orange chrysanthemums. Mother loves chrysanthemums. She told me they were her favorite flower just last week!”
Hannah gave a little snort. “Maybe they were . . . last week. But this is this week. Why don’t you try her out on roses? They come in all sorts of designer colors.”
“Do you think she’ll go for it?” Andrea asked, but neither of her sisters replied. Instead, they simply stared at her in utter disbelief. Then, almost in tandem, they shook their heads. It took a moment, but Andrea started to laugh. “You’re right. Mother won’t approve of any flowers I choose, at least not today. I’ll suggest the roses and let her reject them.”
“Makes sense to me,” Hannah said, exchanging smiles with Michelle. Hannah’s youngest sister was on a summer break from college and she was in town for two weeks before she had to go back to start the fall semester. She’d spent the previous night with her frien
d, Carly Richardson, who was undergoing a big change in her family dynamics.
“I didn’t get a chance to ask you when I came in,” Andrea addressed Michelle. “How’s Jennifer Richardson doing?”
“She’s doing a lot better than I expected. She’s fitting right in, almost as if she never left. And I could tell that Loretta’s really happy she’s home. Carly told me she really likes Jennifer, but I know it’s a big adjustment for her. For most of her life, Carly was like an only child.”
“How old was Carly when Jennifer ran away?”
“She was four. There’s almost ten years between them, and Jennifer ran away right after her fourteenth birthday.”
“Then Loretta is handling it all right?” Hannah asked.
“Oh, yes. Carly says it was a big shock when her mother got that call from Jennifer, but she always believed that Jennifer would come back home someday.”
All three Swensen daughters were silent for a moment, thinking about the troubles that the Richardson family had endured. It had started when Jennifer had run away from home, and it had reached a crescendo of hurt when Loretta’s husband and Carly’s father, Wes Richardson, had fatally shot himself in the hayloft of the barn six months to the day after Jennifer had run away. Somehow, through it all, Loretta had carried on, raising Carly and supporting them both by using the life insurance money that Wes had left her to become a full partner at Trudi’s Fabrics.
“Will you tell Carly to call me if there’s anything I can do for them?” Andrea asked Michelle.
“Sure. I’ll tell Carly.”
“The same goes for me,” Hannah said. Michelle, Carly and Tricia Barthel had been fast friends in school, and Hannah had always been fond of Carly. “Now let’s get back to the wedding plans before Mother gets here,” she said, bringing them back to the subject at hand. “How are you coming along with the bridesmaid dresses, Michelle?”
“I’m not. Mother says she wants our dresses to match the flowers so I have to wait until she makes up her mind about them. The only thing is, Claire says it’ll be a special order if we want three dresses exactly the same, and special orders take at least three weeks.”
“No flowers and no dresses.” Andrea was clearly frustrated as she ticked them off on her fingers. “If Mother doesn’t start cooperating with us, this wedding isn’t going to happen.”
“At least she finally approved the menu for the reception,” Michelle said, obviously trying to look on the bright side. But then she noticed Hannah’s exasperated expression. “The menu’s not set?”
“Not anymore. Mother called me yesterday and said she didn’t want the standing rib roast. So far, she’s rejected beef, pork, lamb, and poultry including Doc’s favorite, Rock Cornish Game Hens.”
“Then the only thing left is fish,” Andrea pointed out.
“I know. I’m going to try to talk her into poached salmon with champagne sauce. Sally says she can do that for a large crowd.”
“I think Mother likes salmon,” Michelle said, but she didn’t look convinced. “Do you think she’ll go for it?”
“We’ll find out in a couple of min . . .” Hannah stopped in mid-sentence when there was a sharp knock at the back door. “That must be Mother now. Andrea? Will you please get the door? And if you’ll pour her coffee, Michelle, I’ll dish up some Chocolate-Covered Cherry Cookies. Maybe a couple of her favorite cookies will make her more cooperative.”
Hannah had just finished plating the cookies when the kitchen door opened and she heard Andrea greet their mother.
“I’ve never been so embarrassed in my life!” Delores Swensen swept into the kitchen with the force of a hurricane. “This is absolutely ridiculous!”
“Sit down, Mother.” Andrea gestured toward a stool at the work island.
“I poured your coffee, Mother,” Michelle said, setting the mug in front of her mother.
“And I baked your favorite cookies,” Hannah added, setting the plate directly in front of her mother.
“I’m far too upset to eat. Or sit. Or even drink coffee, for that matter.”
All three sisters exchanged puzzled glances. Their mother was obviously agitated. Delores Swensen was always perfectly dressed and coiffed when she left her house, but this morning the scarf at her neck was crooked, her blouse wasn’t tucked in all the way, and even more alarming, she wasn’t wearing any makeup!
“You’re not wearing makeup,” Hannah said, commenting on her mother’s less-than-perfect appearance.
“I didn’t have time to put it on. I just rushed right over here to show you. Have you girls seen this atrocity?”
Hannah looked up at the paper Delores was waving over her head like a saber. “Is that the Lake Eden Journal?” she hazarded a guess.
“Yes! And I’m never going to speak to Rod Metcalf again!” Delores named the editor and owner of the town newspaper. “He’s nothing but a . . . a snake in the grass!”
Hannah didn’t want to ask, but her younger sisters were silent and someone had to find out what was wrong. “I’m not sure what you’re talking about, Mother. What did Rod do?”
“He wrote this!” Delores slammed the paper down on the stainless steel surface in front of Hannah. “Just read it and you’ll see what I mean!”
Hannah glanced at the headline. “Jordan High Gulls Win Three Games in a Row?” she asked, reading it aloud.
“Not that one!”
“Loretta Richardson Never Lost Hope That Her Daughter Would Come Home?”
“Not that one, either! Read the article below it. I’ve never been so mortified in my entire life!”
“When Is the Next One? No Body Nose!” Hannah read the heading on the article halfway down the page.
“Yes! That awful man ridiculed us! I don’t know what you girls are going to do about this, but I plan to pull the curtains closed and never leave my house again! I don’t appreciate being the object of public mockery!”
Hannah’s sisters were regarding her curiously and Hannah began reading the article aloud. “It’s been over four months since a member of the Swensen family has sniffed out the body of a murder victim,” she began, but Delores held up a hand to stop her.
“Reading it once was quite enough for me. I don’t want to hear it again!”
“I understand,” Hannah said, even though she was secretly amused at Rod’s heading No Body Nose and his reference to sniffing out murder victims. Although it took a great deal of restraint on her part, she kept a solemn expression on her face as she pushed the cookie plate a bit closer to her mother. “I baked these just for you, Mother.”
“All right, dear. I’ll have one. I wouldn’t want to hurt your feelings.”
Hannah breathed a sigh of relief as her mother reached for a cookie. Perhaps the endorphins in the chocolate would have a calming effect. Then she spread out the newspaper in the center of the worktable and motioned for her sisters to crowd around her so that all three of them could read it silently.
The article continued in the same vein, pointing out that with the exception of Coach Watson, every other Lake Eden homicide victim had been discovered by someone in the Swensen family. There was even a tally sheet, arranged like a baseball box score, showing Hannah with the most “hits,” followed by Delores and Andrea. Michelle was in last place with nothing but strikeouts. Under the score box was a quote from Andrea’s husband, Bill Todd, the Winnetka County Sheriff, who said that the drop in the murder rate had made it possible for his deputies to take care of routine matters like serving warrants for smaller crimes and tracking down citizens who had failed to show up for jury duty. Then Rod quoted one of Hannah’s boyfriends, Deputy Mike Kingston, who said his homicide detectives were almost caught up on paperwork. The article ended with another quote from Mike that had Hannah wincing slightly because he speculated that perhaps Hannah’s uncanny ability to find murder victims, an attribute he called her “slaydar,” was on the blink.
There was an awkward moment of silence as they all finished reading and
then Hannah spoke. “We really shouldn’t be that upset over this,” she said, attempting to put the best spin on what she’d just read. “Rod didn’t have enough real news so he put this in as one of his little jokes.”
“It’s not funny!” Delores said, and her tone was icy. “It’s cruel. And after Doc reads it, he’ll be just as embarrassed as I am. I wouldn’t blame him a bit if he called off the wedding!”
“Doc would never do that,” Hannah told her. “He loves you. You know that. And Doc knows Rod well enough to realize that this is just another one of his spoofs. Nobody’s going to take it seriously, Mother.” Hannah turned to her sisters. “Right, girls?”
“Right!” Michelle agreed quickly.
“Everybody in Lake Eden knows that Rod has a strange sense of humor,” Andrea said. “Remember when he ran that awful picture of Bill right after he was elected sheriff?”
“The one that said Law Enforcement at Its Finest?” Hannah asked, unable to keep the grin off her face as she remembered the photo of her brother-in-law dressed in the bank robber outfit he’d worn when he took Tracey and her friends out to Trick or Treat for Halloween.
Blackberry Pie Murder (A Hannah Swensen Mystery) Page 1