Gingerbread Cookie Murder

This book consists of three stories by three authors - Joanne Fluke, Laura Levine and Leslie Meier. I am a huge Joanne Fluke fan so I couldn't wait to read this book (if you haven't noticed I have gotten a little bored with juvenile books). Last time I got one of these sorts of books with Joanne Fluke I just read her story and returned the book to the library. However, what I have waiting for me is juvenile literature so I thought I would read the remaining 2 stories. They were wonderful.
Joanne Fluke writes the Hannah Swenson cookie books. All the mysteries center around Hannah's Cookie shop in small town Minnesota. I love the character and the included recipes are always a happy bonus. Hannah is a woman after my own heart. She spends her day surrounded by cookies (and a few kookys), believes that chocolate can solve anything and is courted by 2 of the most eligible bachelors in town. They are great guys who appreciate Hannah for who she is and they even deal with each other. She's a real character. Her family is a fun addition to the stories. In this story, Hannah has a neighbor who bought his condo after winning the lottery. He is found murdered in his apartment when the police come to get him to turn down his Christmas music and laser light display. I won't say this was my favorite story because it was so short. As a fan of the books, I felt there was something missing but that was due to the length of the story not that it wasn't well written.
The second story by Laura Levine followed Jaine Austen who was visiting her parents in a retirement community in Florida. I really enjoyed this introduction to Jaine and her life. Laura Levine was amusing and engaging. This was a nice compliment to Joanne Fluke's story.
But before we could die from tooth decay because the stories are so sweet Leslie Meier sweeps us into a slightly darker Christmas tale of a boy who is kidnapped. Where the other stories remind us that families are quirky, this story reminds us that family is important. This somber tale was quite enjoyable and really left me feeling more sentimental than the other two.
I really look forward to reading more by Laura Levine and Leslie Meier and now have to wait for Joanne Fluke to put out another book (why can't authors write faster - really).