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Pint of No Return: A Dessert Cozy Mystery
Pint of No Return: A Dessert Cozy Mystery
Pint of No Return: A Dessert Cozy Mystery
Ebook324 pages15 hours

Pint of No Return: A Dessert Cozy Mystery

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

4.5/5

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"The first shake shop mystery delivers all the delectable ingredients cozy mystery fans crave. 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."

Library Journal, STARRED Review

The first in new dessert cozy mystery series! A murder in town is bound to shake things up...

After her divorce from her thrice-married embezzler husband, Trinidad Jones is finally ready for a fresh start. So when she's left one of ex's businesses in Upper Sprocket, Oregon, she decides to pack up her dog, cash in her settlement, and open her dream business: the Shimmy and Shake Shop, introducing the world to her monster milkshakes. And even with a couple sticky situations underway, namely that the other two ex-wives also call Sprocket home, Trinidad's life seems to be churning along smoothly.

That is, until she discovers her neighbor, the Popcorn King, head down in his giant popcorn kettle. When one of Trinidad's fellow ex-wives is accused of the murder and Upper Sprocket descends into mayhem, it's going to take a supersized scoop of courage to flush out the killer.

Praise for Pint of No Return, Book 1 of the Shake Shop Mysteries:

"Murder offers the heroine a surprisingly fresh start in this charming series kickoff"—Kirkus Reviews

"A delicious charmer featuring a triple scoop of murder"—Library Journal

LanguageEnglish
PublisherSourcebooks
Release dateMay 25, 2021
ISBN9781728231563
Pint of No Return: A Dessert Cozy Mystery
Author

Dana Mentink

Dana Mentink is a Publisher's Weekly and national bestselling author. She has been honored to win two Carol Awards, a Holt Medallion and a Reviewer's Choice award. She's authored more than thirty five novels to date for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense and Harlequin Heartwarming. Dana loves feedback from her readers. Contact her at www.danamentink.com

Read more from Dana Mentink

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Reviews for Pint of No Return

Rating: 4.395833183333333 out of 5 stars
4.5/5

24 ratings7 reviews

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I an so excited to read a new book from this author. She is one of my favorites and I can always count on her to deliver exciting stories. Her new series is a cozy mystery set in a small town. Opening up a new business for Trinidad is a challenge but I know with her skills she can do it. The new business, The Shimmy and Shake Shop sounds like a wonderful place to enjoy flavors of ice cream that bring a sense of fun and nostalgia. A very intriguing town brings Trinidad face to face with several ex-wives of her ex-husband. I would be a little uncomfortable being around them. Would you want to be friends with them? Sweet Trinidad seems to be genuinely wanting to get to know them better. I loved that everyone seemed to know each other’s business in the town. It didn’t take long for the news to break that a murder has been committed. Poor Kevin the Popcorn King is found dead by none other than Trinidad. Here is where we see the brilliant writing come into play. The author has introduced us to several characters who could easily be suspects. Who wanted Kevin dead and why? Did they not like popcorn and wanted to run Kevin out of town? The cast of characters in the book are funny, quirky and downright a gem to get to know. Trinidad is determined to prove her friend innocent and runs into twists along the way. Now I did try very hard to solve the case, but the author sure has some interesting roadblocks for me. Get ready for a small town mystery with lots of fun and adventure, Noodles is perhaps my favorite character because after all having a cute, cuddly dog in the story brings happiness to everyone. Grab a ice cream cone, get comfy and enjoy the newest book from an author who delivers a first rate mystery. I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    “Sometimes I feel like damaged goods like I have to pay a price forever just because I believed the wrong man.”Unfortunately, not only has Trinidad Jones been married to a cheater and a liar, but life has also now forced her to start her new shake business in the same town where her ex’s other two exes live. Ooh, the gossip this starts. And the connections just get better or worse, depending on who you ask. First, Trinidad’s first friend is an unbelievable person. Then she has barely gotten settled when she finds a dead body. When she investigates with the help of the few friends she makes, the police chief is not a fan.“I am still more than annoyed to find you popping up in this investigation at every turn. You’re like a human-sized whack-a-mole.”I loved Trinidad’s special dog, Noodles. He is such an important part of the novel. And the relationship between brothers Doug and Quinn. What a joy to see that play out. Plus, Papa Luiz. Everyone needs a Papa Luiz in her life. Fortunately for us, we get to see more of Papa Luiz in the next book. Clean, no bad language, cute, prominent dog, quirky characters, special needs character, plus an amateur sleuth who honestly works her yummy business. Get Pint of No Return, #1 Shake Shop Mystery by Dana Mentink, now.I wish to thank the author for a copy of this book via Celebrate Lit. I also purchased my own copy. No positive review was required. All thoughts were left voluntarily, and are solely mine.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    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.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Pint of No Return is the first in a new cozy mystery series by Dana Mentink. This is a clean and entertaining read that kept me guessing until the end.In need of a fresh start, Trinidad Jones moves to Upper Sprocket, Oregon to open an ice cream shop. All seems to be going well until she finds a dead body and her friend is arrested for the murder. Determined to prove her friends innocence, Trinidad puts on her amateur detective hat in order to find the real killer. Trinidad quickly figures out that secrets abound in the lives of the quirky residents of Upper Sprocket. I hope you will join Trinidad and her fabulous canine sidekick, Noodles, to discover whose guilty!I am looking forward to the rest of the series!Thank you to the author and publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Someone is feeling threatened...be careful, very careful.This simply wonderful mystery will keep you guessing all the way through. The author has done a fabulous job of taking the reader to a small town, where everyone knows everything about all their neighbors....or do they? Trinidad Jones has received the deed to a small shop in the heart of Upper Sprocket, Oregon. Ice cream is on the menu. In fact, a signature shake will bring those customers in, starting with the Fourth of July Freakshake!Somehow murder sneaks onto the scene and suddenly her tiny, comfortable world changes. Will the perpetrator be caught before more people die? Accidents, assault and robbery just make it even harder to try to get to the bottom of what is going on in this small town. And then there is Noodles, who is there for everyone. Don’t miss this fabulous beginning to what is sure to be a most enjoyable series!This ARC was received through Poisoned Pen Press and CelebrateLit. These comments and impressions are my own and were in no way solicited.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Pint of No Return by Dana Mentink is the first book in her Ice Cream Shop Mystery series. Trinidad Jones is ready for a fresh start. After receiving a storefront from her ex, Trinidad packs up her dog and moves to Upper Sprocket, Oregon where she opens her dream shop; the Shimmy and Shake Shop. Everything is working out just great until she finds her neighbor, the Popcorn King, dead in his store. Now, she must decide if she is brave enough to try to solve the murder mystery. I enjoyed getting to know the people in the small town of Sprocket. Trinidad was a very likable person. The story-line was great and pretty fast-paced. I ate more ice cream than usual with the story taking place in an ice cream shop! The ice cream flavors sounded awesome and I enjoyed getting a behind-the-scenes look at the making of them. By the end of the book I was wishing that the Shimmy and Shake Shop was actually in my town! I received this book from the author for my honest review.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is the start of a new cozy mystery series and it is a wonderful beginning. I love that Trinidad has moved to the town her ex husband is from to start an ice cream shop. I enjoyed all of the quirky characters that start with at least one of her exes other ex wives. I love the two teenage boys that are helping her to run her shop and help her to learn all the gossip in town. I loved the twists and turns that had me wondering who committed the murder. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series. I received a copy of this book from Celebratelit for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

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Pint of No Return - Dana Mentink

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