Pint of No Return

April 1, 2021
Murder offers the heroine a surprisingly fresh start in this charming series kickoff from the prolific Mentink. Trinidad Jones, one of three ex-wives of serial cheater and crook Gabe Bigley, has been second-guessing her decision to move to Upper Sprocket, Oregon, where Gabe's other ex-wives live. She's used every last penny to change the hot dog shop Gabe deeded her to the Shimmy and Shake Shop in hopes of making a living selling her unique treats. With her dog, Noodles, in tow, she rents a tiny home and prepares the shop for a Fourth of July opening. She's put most of her possessions in storage at a unit run by Juliette, another of Gabe's exes. When Trinidad travels to pick up an order of fresh nuts she's splitting with Kevin Heartly, who has a popcorn shop, she meets farmer Quinn Logan and his brother Doug, both of whom she finds congenial. Delivering the nuts, she finds Kevin dead in his popcorn machine. Soon enough, Gabe's sister, Police Chief Cynthia Bigley, arrests Juliette, who had a nasty breakup with Kevin. Determined to help Juliette, Trinidad learns that there are rumors about a hidden treasure among the effects of a rabid collector and that more than one local is searching for it. With help from some of her new friends, she snoops around enough to become a target herself and is glad when her Cuban grandfather arrives from Florida to help out, boost her spirits, matchmake, and keep her alive. Plenty of suspicious-looking new neighbors give spunky Trinidad a chance to add detective to her resume.

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Starred review from May 21, 2021

Given the dire state of her bank account, Trinidad Jones has no choice but to accept her lying, cheating, now-incarcerated ex-husband Gabe Bigley's gift to her: his old hot dog shop. Trinidad plans to bring ice cream and her killer milkshakes to the residents of Upper Sprocket, OR, in the shop, which she's renamed Shimmy and Shake Shop; her plan hits an icy patch when she stumbles across the body of Kevin Heartly, owner of the nearby Popcorn Palace. When Juliette Carpenter, another of Gabe's ex-wives, is charged with Kevin's murder, Trinidad is one of the few people in town who believes Juliette is innocent, so she puts down her ice cream scoop and puts on her detective cap in order to find the real killer. VERDICT The first "Shake Shop Mystery" from Mentink ("Desert Justice" series) delivers all the delectable ingredients cozy mystery fans crave, including an engagingly resourceful protagonist, her too-cute-for-words canine companion Noodles, and a charming small-town setting worthy of the Hallmark Channel. This terrific series debut is certain to tempt the reading palates of fans of Cleo Coyle, Sarah Graves, and the much-missed Diane Mott Davidson.--John Charles, formerly of Scottsdale P.L., AZ

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