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3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
"Pint of No Return" by Dana Mentink was my first foray into the cozy mystery genre. It is a thoroughly enjoyable read with wonderful characters and an exceptional plot that will keep you guessing until the very end. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I’m in love! I can’t wait to continue reading more!!!
Pint of No Return by Dana Mentink has Trinidad Jones moving to Upper Sprocket, Oregon where she is going to open the Shimmy and Shake Shop in a building deeded to her by her louse of an ex-husband. Trinidad is delivering nuts to Kevin Heartly, owner of Popcorn Palace, when she finds him dead inside his giant popcorn kettle. Juliette Carpenter, a new friend of Trinidad’s, is arrested for the crime. Trinidad with help from some of her new friend’s works to clear Juliette’s name. Pint of No Return is the debut of A Shake Shop Mystery series. This is a cute, lighthearted cozy mystery with a good cast of characters. I must admit that my favorite character is Trinidad’s dog, Noodles. He is a compassionate dog with many talents. I also liked Trinidad’s grandfather, Papa Luis. The author took the time to introduce the characters and describe the town. I enjoyed the vivid word images of Upper Sprocket. It sounds like a beautiful area with charming shops and homes. The mystery of who murdered Kevin Heartly, the Popcorn King, had several good suspects who had motive. I liked the tie-in to the auctioned off storage unit. The author did a good job of laying the groundwork from the beginning. The clues are evident, and they will lead readers to the killer’s identity. It is a well thought out whodunit. I just wish it were a little more challenging to solve (I like a good puzzle). There is some romance as well. Trinidad meets Quinn Logan and there is a spark between them. We shall see where it leads. There are mouthwatering descriptions of freakshakes which is what Trinidad is going to serve at her shop. They are over-the-top milkshakes that will have you heading to store to obtain the necessary ingredients to make your own frozen creation. There is a recipe for key lime ice cream at the end. Pint of No Return is a sweet treat with fantasy freakshakes, a departed popcorn king, storage shed disorder, an excess of ex-wives, a set-up suspect, and firm friends.
PINT OF NO RETURN, the first in the brand-new Shake Shop Mystery series by Dana Mentink, has all the ingredients for a temptingly delicious cozy mystery! Protagonist Trinidad Jones, and her adorable flunked-out service dog, Noodles, are newly arrived in Upper Sprocket, Oregon to take control of a commercial building left to her by her in-the-slammer ex. She’s opening the Shimmy and Shake Shop featuring over-the-top milk shakes and I couldn’t help but drool over the descriptions of her frozen concoctions. While Pint of No Return follows the usual formula for cozy mysteries, Ms. Mentink ups the ante with colorful and quirky characters along with glimpses into the Cuban culture and food thanks to Trinidad’s heritage and her charming grandfather, Papa Luis. Trinidad also finds herself in a highly unusual position of living in a small town with not one, but two fellow ex-wives. This creates the opportunity for some interesting scenes, especially when one of the ex-wives is accused of murder and she begs Trinidad to help prove her innocence. With plenty of humor interjected, I was highly entertained throughout the entire story.
The mystery is well-crafted and the included sub-plots dovetail nicely into the story. Between Trinidad trying to prepare the Shimmy and Shake Shop for opening, to settling into a new town and meeting new people, to getting embroiled in a murder, the action never slows down. I found the pacing spot-on and it kept me turning pages until the last word was read. The author makes effective use of Trinidad being a newcomer to town and not knowing anyone. She’s forced to work extra hard to unravel the clues to help out her fellow ex-wife. With plenty of suspects to keep a sharp-eyed reader on their toes, I was surprised by not only the final reveal of the culprit, but also why the crime had been committed. I look forward to reading more in this yummy new series!
As I mentioned before, Trinidad creates lots of yummy frozen concoctions for her new shop’s grand opening. Being a transplant from Miami, she has tropical and citrus-based shakes to offer. I was pleased to find that the author includes the recipe for Trinidad’s Easy Key Lime Ice Cream at the back of the book.
I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The mystery is well-crafted and the included sub-plots dovetail nicely into the story. Between Trinidad trying to prepare the Shimmy and Shake Shop for opening, to settling into a new town and meeting new people, to getting embroiled in a murder, the action never slows down. I found the pacing spot-on and it kept me turning pages until the last word was read. The author makes effective use of Trinidad being a newcomer to town and not knowing anyone. She’s forced to work extra hard to unravel the clues to help out her fellow ex-wife. With plenty of suspects to keep a sharp-eyed reader on their toes, I was surprised by not only the final reveal of the culprit, but also why the crime had been committed. I look forward to reading more in this yummy new series!
As I mentioned before, Trinidad creates lots of yummy frozen concoctions for her new shop’s grand opening. Being a transplant from Miami, she has tropical and citrus-based shakes to offer. I was pleased to find that the author includes the recipe for Trinidad’s Easy Key Lime Ice Cream at the back of the book.
I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
This was such a cute cozy mystery! I absolutely adore the cover and I loved following Trinidad in this book. I loved all the unique characters in Pint Of No Return and this was such a delightful mystery. I definitely recommend picking up this cozy mystery, although be warned that it will leave you craving ice cream and shakes. 🍦
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced