What’s Up with Pumpkin Chiffon Pie Murder by Joanne Fluke — Is It Coming or Not?
If you’re a fan of cozy mysteries — especially the beloved Hannah Swensen Mysteries — you’re probably wondering what’s going on with the latest installment: Pumpkin Chiffon Pie Murder. As of now, the book’s status remains uncertain — at best in limbo, at worst seemingly canceled. Here’s a fact-checked, up-to-date breakdown of what we know (and don’t know) right now.
📚 Brief History: Hannah Swensen & Joanne Fluke
Joanne Fluke launched the Hannah Swensen series with Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder (2001), and over more than two decades she built a devoted following with cozy, recipe-infused whodunits.
The books are set in the fictional small town of Lake Eden, Minnesota, where Hannah — owner of the bakery The Cookie Jar — frequently stumbles into murders that need to be solved, usually around a recipe, a holiday, or a community event.
The series has also crossed into screen adaptations: several of the Hannah Swensen mysteries have been adapted into movies for the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries channel, under the “Murder, She Baked” banner.
For decades, fans could count on a fairly regular basis of new releases — making every new book feel like a cozy tradition as reliable as one of Hannah’s pies.
The Promise (and Fall) of Pumpkin Chiffon Pie Murder
On the official author/book-list site, Pumpkin Chiffon Pie Murder is listed among the upcoming entries in the Hannah Swensen series, last in the published-order list.
Meanwhile, several bibliographic and retailer-type sources have historically listed a release date for the book: many cited August 26, 2025. Some editions — hardcover or e-book — reportedly had a projected release in late October 2025 (around Oct 28).
Based on these listings, many fans assumed the book was on its way — or even technically available.
What Went Wrong — Why It Looks Delayed or Canceled
However: when you dig deeper, Pumpkin Chiffon Pie Murder increasingly looks like a release that failed to materialize — at least for now. Here’s why:
On community Q&A sites associated with major book-tracking services, readers report that the book “disappeared” from pre-order listings, and according to one comment — supposedly quoting a publisher — “the book has been cancelled.”
As of late 2025, there has been no clear confirmation from the publisher or from Joanne Fluke’s official channels that the book has actually shipped or will ship — no press release, no announcement, no book tours, no fan update.
Library catalog listings (e.g. one regional library holding record) flag the book as “on order,” with a “Publication Date Delayed to October 2025.”
Some retailer-type sources still list October 2025, but the fact that multiple other sources have removed or postponed the book strongly suggests that the previously scheduled release date was canceled or at least indefinitely delayed.
In short: the evidence suggests that while Pumpkin Chiffon Pie Murder was at one point scheduled for release — perhaps even advertised to readers — it has since been pulled from circulation and no new release date has been publicly confirmed.
What This Means (For Now) — A Status Summary
What We Know (Confirmed or Strongly Supported):
Pumpkin Chiffon Pie Murder was planned as the next Hannah Swensen book after Pink Lemonade Cake Murder.
Several book-tracking and retailer sites listed release dates such as August 26, 2025 or October 28, 2025.
The book appeared in multiple “upcoming books” lists for a time.
Earlier Hannah Swensen titles have been released consistently, showing the series itself was active.
What’s Uncertain or Missing (and Cause for Concern):
No official confirmation from the publisher or Joanne Fluke that the book has been released or is still coming.
Pre-order listings have vanished from major retailers.
Some readers report publisher responses saying the book was canceled.
No updated ISBN, no replacement release date, and no marketing push — all signs of a book placed “on hold” or withdrawn.
Why Fans Should Care — And What to Do
For loyal readers of the Hannah Swensen series, this limbo is frustrating. (How does the love triangle resolved?!) If you were counting on another cozy mystery — a fall-flavored, pumpkin-pie murder in Lake Eden — this pause leaves a big gap.
Here are some suggestions if you still want to stay on top of things:
Check the author’s official website (or official newsletter) periodically — new releases or delays tend to be announced there first.
Watch major retailers (e.g. Amazon, Kensington Books catalog) — sometimes a “delayed” release comes back under a new ISBN or release date.
Engage with community forums/readers — other fans may notice changes sooner and pass along publisher statements.
Explore other cozy mysteries in the meantime — while you wait, try out other similar series or revisit earlier Hannah Swensen books that you might have skipped.
A Bit of Context: Why This Happens
It’s not entirely uncommon for long-running series — even popular ones — to hit bumps. Publishing schedules change; rights issues or internal decisions can lead a book to be delayed indefinitely. Long-running series sometimes hit pauses because of shifting schedules, contract changes, or strategic decisions from the publisher — but personal circumstances on the author’s side can also play a role. Illness, life events, or simply needing more time with a manuscript are all possibilities, especially in a series that has been releasing books at a steady pace for more than twenty years.
Because neither the publisher nor Joanne Fluke has offered a public explanation, it’s impossible to know which factor — or combination of factors — led to Pumpkin Chiffon Pie Murder being delayed or removed from schedules. What we can say is that it’s not unusual for long-running cozy mystery series to experience these pauses, even when both the publisher and the author want to continue. The lack of updates doesn’t necessarily signal an end to the series, but it also means readers should be prepared for uncertainty until an official announcement is made.
For fans, this is a reminder: there’s no guarantee that “next” always means “on the way soon.” In the world of cozy mysteries (and publishing broadly), “next” sometimes means “eventually — if at all.”