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Joanne Fischmann (née Gibson,[1] born c. 1943 in Swanville, Minnesota[2]) is an American writer, using the pen name Joanne Fluke.[3] She is best known for her cozy mystery series surrounding a small-town baker, Hannah Swensen.[4] Six movies for the Hallmark Channel have been created based on her Hannah Swensen series.[1] Fluke is also known for making chocolate chip cookies for her readers.[5] Fluke has written under the pseudonyms John Fischer, R.J. Fischer, Jo Gibson, Chris Hunter, Gina Jackson and Kathryn Kirkwood.[6]
Joanne Fischmann | |
|---|---|
| Born | Joanne Gibson Swanville, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Pen name | Joanne Fluke, John Fischer, R.J. Fischer, Jo Gibson, Chris Hunter, Gina Jackson, Kathryn Kirkwood |
| Occupation | Author |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | St. Cloud State University California State University, San Bernardino (BA) |
| Genre | Cozy mystery, horror |
| Notable works | Hannah Swensen mystery series |
Fluke was born to Cliff and Esther Gibson in c. 1943 in Swanville, Minnesota.[2] She graduated from Swanville High School in 1960, attended St. Cloud State University and earned a B.A. in psychology, in 1973, from California State University, San Bernardino.[2][3]
Fluke has been baking since she was a child and comes from a long line of bakers.[1]
According to the author's website, "While pursuing her writing career, Joanne has worked as a public school teacher, a psychologist, a musician, a private detective’s assistant, a corporate, legal, and pharmaceutical secretary, a short-order cook, a florist’s assistant, a caterer and party planner, a computer consultant on a now-defunct operating system, a production assistant on a TV quiz show, half of a screenwriting team with her husband, and a mother, wife, and homemaker."[7]
Fluke is married to television writer Ruel E. Fischmann[2] and lives with her husband, children and stepchildren in southern California.[7]
In the 1980s, Fluke began writing young adult horror stories under the name Jo Gibson.[1]
Fluke began writing her cozy mystery series starring Hannah Swensen, an "amateur sleuth and baker", in 2000.[1] The idea for the series came out of Fluke's desire to create a cookbook, and her editor's suggestion that she write a cozy mystery series.[8] Fluke combined the two ideas by including recipes in the series.[8] Hannah Swensen lives in a small Minnesota town, and Fluke feels that the stories are a welcome escape from reality.[9] Library Journal writes that the depiction of the story in Cinnamon Roll Murder is so natural, it is difficult to remember that the characters are fictional.[10] Booklist praised her plot-twists in Devil's Food Cake Murder.[11] Her book, Wedding Cake Murder, sees Swensen getting married and solving a crime in the same story.[12]
As Joanne Fluke
Hannah Swensen series
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder (2001)[13]
- Strawberry Shortcake Murder (2002)
- Blueberry Muffin Murder (2002)
- Lemon Meringue Pie Murder (2003)
- Fudge Cupcake Murder (2004)
- Sugar Cookie Murder (2004)
- Peach Cobbler Murder (2005)
- Cherry Cheesecake Murder (2006)
- Key Lime Pie Murder (2007)
- Candy Cane Murder (October 2007) (novella)
- Carrot Cake Murder: A Hannah Swensen Mystery (2008)
- Cream Puff Murder (March 2009)
- Plum Pudding Murder (October 2009)
- Apple Turnover Murder (February 2010)
- Gingerbread Cookie Murder (October 2010) (novella)
- Devil's Food Cake Murder (February 2011)
- Cinnamon Roll Murder (February 2012)
- Red Velvet Cupcake Murder (February 2013)
- Joanne Fluke's Lake Eden Cookbook (September 2013) (includes short story and recipes)
- Blackberry Pie Murder (February 2014)
- Double Fudge Brownie Murder (February 2015)
- Wedding Cake Murder (February 2016)
- Christmas Caramel Murder (September 2016)
- Banana Cream Pie Murder (February 2017)
- Raspberry Danish Murder (February 2018)
- Christmas Cake Murder (September 2018)
- Chocolate Cream Pie Murder (February 2019)
- Coconut Layer Cake Murder (February 2020)
- Christmas Cupcake Murder (September 2020)
- Triple Chocolate Cheesecake Murder (February 2021)
- Caramel Pecan Roll Murder (February, 2022)
- Pink Lemonade Cake Murder (July, 2023)
Other works
Source:[14]
- The Stepchild (1980)
- The Other Child (1983; reprinted August 2014)
- Winter Chill (1984; reprinted August 2013)
- Cold Judgment (1985; reprinted October 2014)
- Vengeance is Mine (1986)
- Video Kill (1989; reprinted May 2013)
- Final Appeal (1989)
- Dead Giveaway (1990; reprinted April 2014)
- The Dead Girl (1993)
- Fatal Identity (1993)
- Deadly Memories (1995)
- Eyes (1996; reprinted November 2015)
- Sugar and Spice (2006) (A collaborative with Fern Michaels, Beverly Barton, and Shirley Jump)
- Wicked (2016)
Under pseudonyms
Fluke has been published under several pseudonyms, including Jo Gibson, Chris Hunter, John Fischer, R.J. Fischer, Kathryn Kirkwood and Gina Jackson.[6]
Teen Thrillers (as Jo Gibson)[15]
- "Obsessed" (June 2014): combines "The Crush" (March 1994) and "The Crush II" (September 1994)
- "Twisted" (July 2014): combines "My Bloody Valentine" (January 1995), "The Seance" and "Slay Bells" (December 1994)
- "Afraid" (August 2014): combines "Dance of Death" (December 1996) and "The Dead Girl" (November 1993)
Regency Romances (as Kathryn Kirkwood)
- A Match for Melissa
- A Season for Samantha
- A Husband for Holly
- A Valentine for Vanessa
- A Match for Mother (novella)
- A Townhouse for Tessa
- Winter Kittens (novella)
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