This series debut from seasoned (award-winning) romance author Dana Mentink is a must for the summer TBR stack, perfect for beach reading or one of those rainy afternoons when you're stuck inside the house or cabin. The premise of PINT OF NO RETURN is delightful: Trinidad Jones had no intention of relocating to a small town in Oregon, but her beloved husband (now ex) turned out to be an embezzler with multiple wives ... and the only thing solid he provided her with, on his way to prison, was a storefront. Dipping into her dreams, she's opening the Shimmy and Shake Shop and scooping up ginormous festive shakes with "the works" for her hoped-for clientele.
Ramping the suspense right away is the presence of the other two wives in town! And Trinidad's not exactly an easy fit into Oregon culture ... with her grandfather Papa Luis suggesting, from the other end of the country, that she's way out of her culture and her comfort zone.
Good giggles and guffaws are packed into this cleverly crafted cozy, starting when Trinidad finds the local popcorn store owner murdered and realizes the investigating police chief is the older sister of her ex. No filter here, as she squeaks out, "The sister who stole cars?"
And here's the heart of this heart-warming mystery:
"People change, ma'am," the chief said after a beat. "I don't steal cars anymore. The Army set me on the straight and narrow. They're pretty good at helping a person reconfigure their priorities." She cocked her chin. "I've met Juliette and Bonnie. I didn't plan on getting to know the remaining ex-wife at a murder scene."
Ice cream, romance, an adorable service dog named Noodles ... this charmer has lots to enjoy, and with a seasoned author spilling the dialogue and slipping the scenes into place, it's a pleasure to read. The interactions between Trinidad and the chief also highlight the reality of amateur sleuthing:
[Trinidad] felt a flicker of anger. "I don't think you're exactly on Juliette's side. You sent her to jail."
The chief's eyes were cold. "The evidence sent her to jail, and you shutting me out might have just cost us information that could have cleared her. Did you think of that while you were playing detective?"
Highly recommended. And I'll be watching for more from Dana Mentink, who clearly knows both human nature and how ordinary people pull up their courage and help each other at the toughest of times.
From Poisoned Pen Press, on sale May 25.
PS: Looking for more mystery reviews, from cozy to very dark? Browse the Kingdom Books mysteries review blog here.
No comments:
Post a Comment