Trinidad Jones is at a crossroads in her life. In only a short time, her ex-husband, Gabe Bigley, left her for another woman, was then convicted of embezzlement, and sent to prison. Left her adrift in Oregon, far away from her close-knit Cuban family in Miami, she has her adopted dog, Noodles, as her only support. However, in a weird twist, Gabe deeded her a small business, the former Gabe’s Hot Dogs, in his old hometown of Upper Sprocket, a quaint, touristy town a couple of hours away from Portland. Upper Sprocket turns out to have all the charm and potential Trinidad could hope for to make a new start, but it, too, has its drawbacks; it is the home of Gabe’s other two ex-wives to whom he also deeded over a working business.

Trinidad decides to turn the hot dog restaurant into an old-fashioned shake shop featuring traditional ice creams and shakes as well as exotic and enticing wonders called ‘freakshakes.’ With the tourist season upon her, she works diligently to be ready for her grand opening in time for the town’s popular Fourth of July festivities. With the help of friendly and welcoming locals, the Shimmy and Shake Shop is headed for a successful debut until she discovers the body of a neighboring merchant, Popcorn Palace’s Kevin Heartly, inside his shop’s big kettle – murdered. But when her new friend and fellow ex-Bigley-wife, Juliette, is arrested for Kevin’s murder, Trinidad finds herself actively searching for the real killer.

PINT OF NO RETURN is the first book in a fun, new foodie cozy mystery series, Shake Shop Mysteries, by author Dana Mentink. The Oregonian setting sounds lovely, quaint, and homey even with its undercurrent of hometown secrets. Mentink has populated the town with a variety of personalities, all with their secrets, that I look forward to uncovering as the series progresses. It has all the hallmarks of what makes a cozy mystery the delightful and comfortable genre it is. But Pint of No Return has several differences that make it stand out from the crowd.

First, the protagonist, although Trinidad Jones is an ex-wife done wrong, she’s the surprise ex-wife in a crowd of three, and none of the three was aware of the others until the ex-husband’s trial. Also, the ex-husband gifts each of the wives with a business in his old hometown. At any moment, the three could run into each other, and you have to wonder whether sparks are going to fly or things are just going to be awkward or whether the three are going to bond over their common misfortune.

Secondly, there is Trinidad’s faithful companion, Noodles, an aging Labrador that washed out of a service dog training program. They’ve only been together for about a year, so she’s still discovering his hidden and surprising talents. Together they live in a rented, tiny house, a 200-square-foot, self-contained marvel. I’ve been reading and looking at tiny homes for years, so I was tickled to see one used in the book.

Next, Trinidad makes friends with a local hazelnut farmer and begins to form an attachment. Quinn Logan is not your average tall, dark, and handsome. He’s a former Afghanistan war veteran with PTSD, and along with working to keep the family business alive, he’s caring for his adult brother, Doug. The latter has his own issues with socialization. Doug is easily agitated with a quiet, sweet soul, but he and Noodles create a touching bond.

Then there is Trinidad’s personal situation of living over 2,000 miles away from her tight-knit Cuban family. She loves them dearly but wants to make it on her own. But when Papa Luis, Trinidad’s grandfather, unexpectedly shows up on her Upper Sprocket doorstep in his 1954 Chevy Bel Air, the charm factor really gets kicked into high gear. I hope Papa Luis stays around for longer than the rest of the summer in Upper Sprocket.

PINT OF NO RETURN is a fun, fast, food-centric story with the requisite small-town setting and quirky characters that make it a comfortable new addition to the cozy mystery scene. However, the author has tweaked the norm with delightful twists and touches that I think will make it a stand out. I recommend this book to cozy mystery readers, especially those who enjoy this deliciously special type of culinary-laden tale.

Book Summary

Read an Excerpt