Pint of No Return by Dana Mentink is the first Shake Shop mystery.
This is my first book by this author but it certainly won’t be my last!

Trinidad Jones, (I love her name!) is starting over in small town Oregon, opening a milkshake/ ice cream shop. She received the property from her ex-husband. Frankly, it also seems like she inherited his other Two ex-wives as well! Yes I really do like that part.(lol)
Being the first book in a new series the author takes great care to build both the characters and the town. I loved the mystery, which I totally didn’t solve! I also enjoyed the variety of characters and suspect’s. By the end of this book not only was I ready for the next (no release date available), but the town seemed like one I’d enjoy taking a real life trip to visit. Hopefully book two will be announced soon as it already has a place on my must read list!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for my ARC.

Poisoned Pen Press is one of my favorite publishers of mysteries. This time, the title is a cozy as can be guessed from the cover. The story is about Trinidad who dreams of opening a milkshake shop (sounds good). She has left her conniving husband after having been his third spouse. Trinidad lands in the place where the other ex-wives reside. Of course, a murder occurs. Who is responsible?

Fans of small town mysteries that are meant to be fun will want to take a look. It is the first in a series.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

A good start for a new cozy series: it's entertaining, engrossing and had a lot of fun.
The mystery part is well developed, full of twists and turns, and kept me guessing.
The characters are likable and fleshed.
I think this is going to be an excellent series.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Pint of No Return is an entertaining first book in the new cozy mystery series, Shake Shop Mysteries. I loved the premise of this book: woman falls in love, man turns out to be a crook with 2 other ex-wives, ex leaves wife one of his businesses, both other exes live in the same small town.....and so it goes. Trinidad Jones just happens to be that woman, and she just happens to have a dream of opening an ice cream parlor. What better opportunity than to do it now? What could possibly go wrong? Well, you know how these cozy mystery books go...a lot can and usually does go wrong!

I really enjoyed getting to know the various characters, many of which I'm sure will return in more books in the Shake Shop Mysteries. We only meet one of the exes in Pint of No Return, but since she's good friends with the other ex, I'm sure we'll meet her soon! I love the teens that work for Trinidad as well as several of the other characters. I won't spoil this for you, so I can't really say much about the other characters I loved. Trust me; you'll adore them.

Be prepared to crave freak shakes while reading Pint of No Return. Haven't heard of them? They're huge, over-the-top milkshakes in glasses rimmed with sweets, topped with sweets...not just whipped cream and sprinkles....sweets like cookies, brownies, donuts, whole candy bars....you get the picture!

I thought the murder mystery in Pint of No Return was well-plotted with enough clues for us to solve the mystery, and enough red herrings for us to not solve it too quickly! I'm looking forward to more of the series, mainly for the wonderful characters it includes.

This is a Cozy Mystery, and this is the first book in the Ice Cream Shop Mystery series. I have to say the cover of this book totally made me get this book, and I think the cover is so very cute. In this book we follow Trinidad after her divorce to no good ex-husband. She moves to Sprocket which sounds like the cuteness small town ever, but her ex-husband's other two ex-wives lives in Sprocket. I think my favorite character is Noodles which is Trinidad's dog, and this dog just takes the spot light several times during this book. I love Noodles so much. I have to say the mystery was ok, and I really love learning this town and these characters. This is a funny and cute book with a little mystery. I will be picking up the second book in this book series. I can see great things coming for this series. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Poisoned Pen Press) or author (Dana Mentink) via NetGalley, so I can give honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

Pint Of No Return is the first book in the A Shake Shop Mystery series by Dana Mentink.

Trinidad Jones has moved to Upper Sprockett, Oregon, to open her dream business, Shimmy and Shakes, a milkshake shop in a storefront that her ex has deeded over to her. Her convicted husband has also deeded over businesses to his two other exes in Sprocket.

Trinidad is about ready to open her shop and runs out to see Quinn Logan, who runs Logan’s Nut Farm, to purchase some hazelnuts that she will use in some of the shakes. As Trinidad is about to leave, Quinn asks if she would mind delivering some nuts to Kevin at his Popcorn Palace next to her shop. When Trinidad stops at the Popcorn Palace, she notices the front door ajar. Trinidad calls out and knocks on the door; she enters the store when she gets no response. Trinidad soon finds Kevin stuffed in a giant popcorn kettle.

The police’s investigation soon points to another ex-wife of Trinidad’s ex, Juliette. Juliette will ask Trinidad to help clear her name. Even though they don’t know each other well, Trinidad agrees, but soon the police feel they have enough evidence and arrest Juliette. Trinidad and Quinn set out, along with some others, to learn the killer’s identity. They will soon find there will be many suspects to sort through.

I found the book to be well-written and plotted. There were many twists and turns, and I was kept guessing until the end of the book. The book provides the reader with an interesting and well-developed cast of characters. I particularly enjoyed Trinidad’s grandfather and his sense of humor. Another interesting character is Doug, Quinn’s mentally challenged brother. He proved to be helpful with the investigation. I also enjoyed Doug’s interaction with Trinidad’s Labrador, Noodles.

There are also delicious-sounding recipes included in the book.

I will be watching for the next book in this delicious series.

When her ex-husband signs over a building in his hometown to her, Trinidad decides to move there and open an ice cream and shake shop. The shop hasn't even opened when Trinidad finds the owner of the popcorn shop murdered in his business. The prime suspect is Juliette, Trinidad's ex-husband's third wife. To complicate matters, the chief of police is the sister of the ex-husband. There is a lot going on with the world building in this book so the story doesn't really get going until midway through the story. Looking forward to the next book and hopefully the introduction of the first ex-wife.

I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher and/or author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Not sure what to think.

Trinidad decides to move to Sprocket - a small town, but a popular tourist destination - to open a shake shop: specialty freak shakes. About a week before the opening of her shop, she finds her neighbour in his popcorn kettle. Soon after, Juliette who had been dating the man is arrested for murder.

The case seems pretty slim: Juliette’s finger prints were on the murder weapon, but that can be explained in another way; Juliette has no alibi, but it’s up to the DA/police to prove she was at the crime scene, there are no witness to that either; and Juliette made threats to man. For the police it’s enough to arrest her, for the judge enough to deny her bail.

Trinidad believes the woman to be innocent and starts to ask around questions. In between preparations to open up her shop, that is. She’s helped by local farmer Quinn.

The clues are there to figure out the murderer, so that’s good. Still, I couldn’t really engage with the story. Most people seemed to talk too much. Of the “I don’t own you an explanation, but here it is” variety. The sort of talkativeness that works better with someone you have an established relationship with, not with the newcomer in town.

4.5/5 stars (rounded up to 5)

I received an ARC of this book, and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

Trinidad Jones is ready for a fresh start. After a divorce from her cheating, embezzling husband, Trinidad moves to the small town of Upper Sprocket with a dream of opening her own ice cream shop. However, the town is home to her ex-husband’s other two ex-wives which is a little awkward. But nothing could have prepared Trinidad for what happens next: she discovers the body of one of the other residents. When one of the other ex-wives is arrested for the murder, Trinidad begins to search for the real killer to save her friend. With monster milkshakes to make, a shop to open, and a murderer to catch, Trinidad’s fresh start has gotten rather chaotic.

Cozy mystery is not a genre I tend to read, but I was really curious about this book! And it did not disappoint. Trinidad is such a likeable main character! She isn’t some crazy-smart protagonist with a plan; she’s just trying to save a friend. Noodles, her dog, is one of the best characters! He flunked out of being a service dog but his former training is still evident in his behavior. Quinn and Doug are also amazing characters—they really added to the story and were very well-written! There’s another character who I loved as well, but I won’t mention them because it might be considered a spoiler. The mystery itself was also good! Following Trinidad’s search for the motive and the murderer had me on the edge of my seat! Last but not least, the descriptions of the ice cream had me drooling! I would love to try one of those Freakshakes!

Ultimately, this book was very enjoyable! It was clean and the murder wasn’t graphic or gory. I would highly recommend reading this, and I would also suggest treating yourself to some ice cream to eat as you read (because those descriptions will definitely leave you wanting some!)

I received this book for free for an honest review from netgalley #netgalley

OMG this book is the best cozy I've read this year. The setting is top notch,!

After Trinidad’s divorce from her embezzler ex-husband she’s ready for a fresh start. But because he has given her a shop in his home-town that fresh start is going to happen where his other 2 ex-wives also live. Despite all of that, things seem to be going okay for Trinidad. She’s settling in to Upper Sprocket, Oregon, getting used to small town life, and her ice cream shop it about to open. But then, she discovers her neighbor, the owner of the local popcorn shop, murdered. When her friend and fellow ex-wife is accused, Trinidad is determined to prove Juliette’s innocence and find the killer herself.

I’ve said it before and I will say it again. I love cozy mysteries so much, and with all of the food, this one was so fun! It was an easy read, and while it was fairly predictable, I adored all of the characters in this quaint town. Papa Luis and Noodles the dog made this story. This book is the first in a series and I’m looking forward to reading the others!

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

I'm pretty sure this is going to be another favorite series for me. It got off to a nice strong start with some very likable characters. The twin teen boys who worked for Trinidad were really nice but cool kids, and I just loved her dog Noodles. I enjoyed the storyline that Quinn, a guy I hope Trinidad will be seeing as more than a friend one day, has some PTSD going on that's mostly under control. It was awesome to see him caring for his challenged brother Doug who took great comfort in Noodles.

I was pretty shocked at who the killer was and honestly hadn't seen it coming. It was great how the police chief did actually listen to Trinidad and helped her with the showdown. I was glad the ending wasn't just cut off, and we got to spend a little more time with the characters once the case was solved. I'm definitely interested in reading the next book. I think the three exes of Gabe could be fairly good friends. It definitely seemed like Trinidad and Juliette were off to a good start.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

When Trinidad's ex-husband leaves her one of his businesses, she decides to make a fresh start. She opens her dream business, the Shimmy and Shake Shop. Things are going well until she finds the body of her neighbor, and is the primary suspect in his death.

This is the first book of a new series, so I wasn't sure what to expect. Fortunately, the story was better than most first-in-a-series books I've read lately. I enjoyed getting to know the residents of Sprocket, Oregon, and found them to be an interesting mix of personalities. Noodles, the dog, stole the show several times, and provided a few moments of comic relief. The mystery was a good one, and I wasn't able to identify the culprit until it was revealed in the book. I look forward to reading the next book in this series and learning more about the people and businesses of this community.

Meet Trinidad Jones the head strong paralegal who’s found her self in her ex husbands home town along with his other 2 ex wives turning a forgotten business into her dream,The Shimmy and Shake Shop.. The small town of Upper Sprocket ,Oregon is about to get a tastebud shake up and a Murder wake up as Trinidad finds the body of a local shop owner and finds herself in sleuth mode with her canine companion Noodles to help clear her new friend of the murder charges. This delightful cozy has a cast of town characters a few who will instantly make your suspect list and others who warmed my heart. A great start to this new series. Looking forward to more of Trinidad’s sleuthing adventures!

This is the start of a fun new series with Trinidad Jones starting a new life in Upper Sprocket, Oregon, where she is working on opening an ice cream shop, the Shimmy and Shake Shop, for the coming up 4th of July. She is in a unique place with two other ex-wives that made the mistake of trusting and loving Gabe Bigley. He left each of the wives a business in Sprocket before he went to prison. Trinidad is using old recipes from her Cuban born Papa Luis who is back at home in Miami with her mother and brother. There are some yummy sounding flavors using mango and key lime. She has a funny dog companion, Noodles, who failed military training school. He is like another character in the story. He senses her feelings of despair or frustration and takes her a jar of pickles from the fridge or something else he can find. Funny pup! Her life takes a turn when she stumbles upon Kevin, her neighbor store owner's body, and one of the other exes, Juliette, is blamed for the murder after being overheard arguing with Kevin over his infidelity. Juliette is kind to Trinidad so she feels led to help find out who really killed Kevin. Trinidad unites with a couple more business owners she has befriended to try to get Juliette freed, including a local nut farmer, Quinn and his brother, and local coffee shop owner and lawyer, Stan. The police chief happens to be Gabe's sister. Things keep getting stranger. This is a story with quirky and interesting characters in a small town setting where everyone knows each other and gossip travels quicker than a wildfire. The mystery was one that kept me guessing and I was definitely super surprised by the killer. I am looking forward to reading more of Trinidad's adventures.
I received a complimentary ARC from Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine only.

With the temperatures climbing, it’s the perfect time to dive into the new Shake Shop Mystery series. While readers will sample Dana Mentink’s Pint of No Return, we’ll probably return for the residents of Upper Sprocket, Oregon.

Trinidad (Trina) Jones isn’t sure she’s welcome in Upper Sprocket. She’s one of three ex-wives of Gabe Bigley, who went to prison for embezzlement and other financial crimes. His first wife, Bonnie, has his only child. He signed a downtown shop over to Trinidad, and she’s turning it into the Shimmy and Shake Shop. His third wife, Juliette, received a storage business. Since they’re all in Sprocket, the residents call them the ex-wives.

The shop’s opening is just a week away, and everything is going smoothly with the help of two fifteen-year-old twins. Everything is going smoothly until she tries to deliver nuts to Kevin Heartly, the third generation Popcorn King, and finds Kevin’s body in his large kettle. That’s when she meets Police Chief Cynthia Bigley, her ex-husband’s older sister. But, she’s in shock when Chief Bigley arrests Trinidad’s new friend, Gabe’s ex, Juliette. Trinidad isn’t a detective. She’s a former court stenographer, but she doesn’t believe Juliette is guilty. And, she has an unusual viewpoint for a fellow ex. Juliette’s past was her past too, her reputation in the town that lumps them all together. Juliette is a friend to defend, and to help.

I like the direction mysteries are taking nowadays. Trinidad’s beloved grandfather, Papa Luis, a Cuban-American, drives in from Miami, and immediately befriends the entire town, unlike his granddaughter who is “socially awkward, plain, shy, and clumsy”. Trinidad befriends Quinn and Doug Logan, brothers who are nut farmers. Quinn is a veteran of Afghanistan who returned home with PTSD. His brother, Doug, was able to help him get through it because he’s quiet, on the spectrum. Then, there’s Trinidad’s dog, Noodles. Noodles is an older dog that flunked out of school to be a therapy dog, but has some unusual talents, from opening the refrigerator and retrieving jars to understanding Doug’s needs.

As Trinidad bumbles through, looking for clues to help Juliette, she sometimes feels out of place, as if she doesn’t belong in Sprocket. Anyone who reads the entire book, though, will discover that Trinidad is right where she belongs. The best cozy mysteries are those that invite the reader back to a community where people support each other. Trinidad, and readers, will discover that community in Pint of No Return.

4.5 stars

This is the first book in the Ice Cream Shop mystery series by Dana Mentink.

Trinidad Jones owns an ice cream shop and is out getting nuts for a friend when she stumbles upon his body stuffed inside a large kettle. This is where he made his famous caramel popcorn.

They know someone is out to keep Trinidad from discovering the truth when her friend, Quinn is attacked and the photos he picked up that belonged to the dead guy were stolen. There is a lot going on in this book which is fine since the author is is world-building and establishing her universe, so to speak. The last half of the book was much better in my opinion since it felt like the author finally had a good grasp on her world and was successfully playing in it.

The mystery was complex and the constant attacks made me wonder who in the heck could be doing this. The suspect list wasn’t that big. I wonder if Trinidad’s dad will become a recurring character or main cast member. He sure did put his mark on the story in a big way. I am s curious about the possibilities and look forward to future books by this author.

Highly recommended. If you love a good cozy mystery, definitely check this one out!

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title. Opinions are completely my own.

I thoroughly enjoyed the Pint of No Return, by author Dana Mentink. It's a fantastic start to a new dessert-themed cozy mystery series.

I loved Trinidad and Noodles! Plus, the small town setting of Upper Sprocket is a great backdrop for the mystery. The setting is so important to cozy series and this one is a great example of the community environment I enjoy in this genre. It made me want to travel there! Plus the descriptions of the yummy desserts made the themes in this story really stand out. I found the mystery to have a good number of twist and turns (no spoilers here) and I enjoyed following the clues along with Trinidad.

Thoroughly enjoyed this story and looking forward to reading more in the series.

Pint of No Return by Dana Mentink

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
______________________________________________________________________
Story Notes

Cute story of finding a new lease on life and solving an unexpected murder by the inventive Dana Mentink

Recently divorced and now shop owner, Trinidad Jones is taking her life back and is determined to open a gourmet shake shop. Upper Sprockett may not be a thriving metropolis but as she's the only game in town, Trinidad is fairly certain she can make a go of it. She's even managed to make a few friends and a business partner. That is, until said business partner is found dead in his popcorn shop kettle and one of Trinidad's new friends (and fellow ex-wife) is the main suspect. Now she's got to add solving the crime to her list of to-dos since she's not about to let anyone railroad her friend into confessing to a crime she couldn't have committed. But investigating in a small town is harder than one might think and it seems more than one person has secrets they'd like to keep. What is really going on and what does it have to do with the recently deceased Edward Lupin? The answer to that and everything else will mean danger to Trinidad and her friends so they'll have to figure things out fast if they want to keep anyone else from getting hurt. This was a fun little story with a nice plot and some delightful characters. I loved how everyone had a distinct voice and personality. I also enjoyed watching Trinidad find her way to being brave and strong again. She found her groove and was determined to help her friend out. The mystery was good too and although not the most difficult to solve, it still gave some good depth to the story. I'm looking forward to where Ms. Mentink will be going next with this series and the characters she's created. I will certainly recommend it as a fun and clean read that I'm sure others will enjoy.

I received this temporary complimentary E-book from Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley in order to provide a fair and honest review. I will receive no fiscal compensation for this review and the opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.

Trinidad has had a rough time lately. Her husband, now ex-husband, is in jail and she found out he had two other wives she didn't know. But one thing he did right was deed her an old business in a small town of Sprocket. With no other job prospects , Trin decides to move to the small town and turn her building into an ice cream shop. What she didn't expect was to find the body of the owner of the popcorn store, which is next to hers. Along with her new friends, Trin is determined to figure out the truth behind Kevin's death. But in a small town, everyone knows what everyone is up to, and soon the killer is onto her sleuthing. When things keep going wrong, will Trin give everything up and move back home?
Enjoyed this new cozy mystery. Characters were great, loved Papa and Noodles! Looking forward to the next book!
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.