As a resident of Michigan, I am fairly particular about how an author presents the state and it's odd corners. Hamilton does a fine job of presenting the residents of Queensville without caricature, yet still clearly presenting their quirks for readers not familiar with a far-northern Michigan community.

Aside from the community, which, as in all good cozies is practically a character itself, Jaymie Leighton's struggle in finding her niche in life is appealing, as is her dilemma of being attracted to two men at once. As an older reader, I sometimes find an author leans too heavily on this type of element to carry a story to the point that I stop identifying with a character as being a bit too young in her outlook for my taste. This is not the case in FREEZER I'LL SHOOT. Yes, main character Jaymie is almost three decades younger than myself, but the core of her character is drawn so that I identify easily with her motivations and dilemmas rather than feeling impatient or bored as has happened in other series.

If you have not yet discovered Victoria Hamilton, either in the two previous books in the Vintage Kitchen Mystery series, or in her new Merry Muffin Mystery you are in for a treat. Victoria Hamilton is the pseudonym for Donna Lea Simpson, bestselling author of romance and historical mysteries.

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