Dana Mentink’s A Sprinkle in Time is a charming cozy mystery that blends small-town warmth with a touch of intrigue. While it offers an enjoyable escape into its quaint setting and engaging characters, it ultimately falls into some predictable patterns that may leave readers wanting more.

The novel is set in the cozy town of Willow Creek, where bakery owner and amateur sleuth, Tessa, finds herself entangled in a new mystery. Mentink does a commendable job of creating a delightful small-town atmosphere, complete with a colorful cast of characters and a bakery that feels like the heart of the community. Tessa, with her endearing qualities and strong sense of justice, is a relatable protagonist who adds a personal touch to the narrative.

Mentink’s writing style is approachable and easy to follow, making the book a pleasant read. The mystery plot itself is engaging, with enough twists and turns to keep readers intrigued. However, the story occasionally relies on familiar tropes and predictable developments, which might dampen the sense of suspense for some readers. The resolution, while satisfying, does not offer many surprises, following a well-trodden path in the genre.

One of the book’s strengths is its ability to convey the charm and camaraderie of its setting, which helps to offset the more formulaic elements of the plot. The interactions between characters are often heartwarming, and the community spirit is palpable throughout the novel.

In summary, A Sprinkle in Time is a delightful cozy mystery with a lot of heart and a charming setting. It succeeds in providing a pleasant reading experience but may not stand out in the crowded field of cozy mysteries due to its predictable plot elements. It’s an enjoyable read for fans of the genre who appreciate a well-constructed small-town mystery but might leave others wishing for a bit more originality.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic copy to read in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second in a series. I have not read the first but it was pretty easy to pick up the gist of what happened. I'm sure reading it would add more background information, especially for the main characters. However I was able to read this one on ita own and I wasn't lost at all. The mystery was pretty good and I like how there were multiple possible suspects. Definitely an entertaining read.

This is the 2nd installment in the Shake Shop series. Trinidad Jones is trying to get as much business as she can out of the last hurrah of fall and the annual Alpenfest is in full swing. Trinidad is at Bonnie’s (another of Gabe’s ex-wives) who has started a B&B and is hosting a kickoff event for Alpenfest and her cute dog Noodles is entertaining by yodeling along with the group of yodelers staying at Bonnie’s. Trinidad has truly made friends with Bonnie and her daughter Felice as well as Juliette and she stays behind with Papa Luis (her Cuban Grandfather) to help Bonnie clean up. As they are getting ready to go, Papa Luis finds a dead body in the trunk of his prized vehicle and by the time the police arrive the body has disappeared. The body is later recovered and is Forge who is running for Mayor against Ramona and had a huge fight with her at the event as well as Quinn who recently sold some prized land to Forge for less than face value. Trinidad is shocked by Quinn and is thinking his keeping secrets and begins to question if she cannot pick honest men. Trinidad along with her friends do their best to find the killer and when the twins that work for her bring up the disappearance of another woman Cherry Lighter 30 years before, Trinidad begins to wonder if they are connected. There was a lot going on in this story and it was a very good mystery. Trinidad and her friends are keepers and I am looking forward to the next installment.

Dollycas's Thoughts

The yodelers have come to Upper Sprocket for Alpenfest along with the tourists and Trinidad Jones is ready to scoop up some new autumn flavors at her Shimmy and Shake Shop. She is also excited about her upcoming feature in The Scoop magazine.

Papa Luis had decided to stick around and has become a taxi driver using his Classic 1951 Buick. He was enjoying himself until he found a dead body in his trunk. Then by the time the police arrived the body had disappeared leaving everyone pretty confused. Trinidad, Bonnie, and Juliette (the sisterhood of exes) team up with a certain hunky nut farmer to try to find the body and the killer before Papa Luis is scooped up and tossed in jail.

______

Trinidad has an interesting life in Upper Sprocket. She and her friends Juliette and Bonnie all managed to marry and divorce the same man and then became best friends, a sisterhood of exes. Trinidad is trying to build a new life for herself with her Shimmy and Shake Shop and serving her special "freak shakes". Her Papa Luis has moved to town and moved in to keep an eye on her. She also has a lovable dog named Noodles with some extraordinary skills. Yodeling is not really one of those skills but he gives it a good shot. She is not sure if she is ready to open her heart to another romance but local nut farmer Quinn is definitely interested. I can't forget Chief of Police Cynthia Bigley, who just happens to be the sister of Trinidad, Juliette, and Bonnie's ex.  All the characters Ms. Mentick has created feel very true to life but the connections they have are very unique.

There are all kinds of events going on with Alpenfest but finding a dead body and then losing it definitely was on the calendar. The mystery to solve is very complicated.  When the body is found and identified it is clear the person had made their share of enemies.  It doesn't take long for people to think the death is tied to an old cold case and some new proposed changes to the Upper Sprocket area.  The author serves up some nice twists and turns but I did hone in on the culprit before all the clues fell into place for Trinidad. I did really like the way the reveal and the showdown played out.

There was a mini-mystery involving Quinn and his brother Doug that really caught me by surprise. The subplot was very important and I appreciated the way the author handled it. I am interested to see how and if it continues in future books.

I do love the whole ice cream theme and the freak shakes sound huge and amazing. There are two recipes that follow the story. Trinidad's Browned Butter Apple Bar Recipe and Cheery Cherry "Do It Yourself" Pickle Jar Ice Cream.  The first I have already copied to try as soon as possible and the second sounds like fun to try with my grandchildren.

A Sprinkle in Time is full of a delightfully quirky cast of core characters all wrapped up in an entertaining mystery. I really enjoyed my second visit to Upper Sprocket, Oregon, and can't wait to return soon for Spoon to be Dead set to be released on October 31. It isn't a Halloween mystery though, it will be winter in Upper Sprocket.

Another hit in a good cozy mystery. Never thought an ice creamer maker would be a good mystery sleuth, but it works well here. Lots of red herrings and adventure while the reader follows along with the clues. Good read and one I highly recommend.

I really enjoyed the story line. I felt it was a quick read! I can’t wait to read more from this author!

I really loved this book in a new to my series and author. I can't wait to read the next one. The characters and location really add to the plot. This book keeps you guessing until the end

Book wasn't meant for me. Hopefully someone else will enjoy it. I will look into renting it in the future

A Sprinkle in Time continues Dana Mentink's Shake Shop Mystery series with the citizens of Upper Sprocket, Oregon celebrating Alpenfest and Trinidad Jones stressing about how she is going to make it through the winter without losing her Shimmy and Shake shop during the slow season. When her grandfather, Papa Luis, discovers a body in his trunk that disappears between the time that it is discovered and the time that the police arrive. Once the body is discovered and identified as a man that has made numerous enemies in town, Trinidad jumps in to investigate to try to prevent her grandfather and her close friends from becoming the focus of the police investigation.

With this series, the author has created a unique group of characters with intertwined relationships and the resulting dynamics make for a very interesting read and lay the groundwork for a wide variety of potential future stories in the series. Within this individual book, the author has created a variety of quite believable motives and twists related to a number of the characters leading to a very unique final revelation that not only draws this story to a close but also resolves a longtime mystery.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press and am leaving this review voluntarily.

I really enjoyed this book. It pulled me in right from the beginning and kept me hooked. The characters are well-written, and the relationships between the ex-wives are interesting. The story was well-paced and held my interest from beginning to end. I look forward to the next book!

This was perfectly fine, but I feel like the synopsis was more exciting than the actual plot. There were a lot of characters but I got used to that. Noodles the dog was the star of the book. Trinidad Jones is a very likable protagonist. I will definitely continue with the series.

Just like the young Felice collects odds and ends in her Treasure jar, this cozy mystery series collects interesting characters like they’re treasures. The unique trio of “sisterhood of exes” is a different take on how people can come together in friendship. Although it’s only the second book of the series, the bond between Trinidad, Juliette and Bonnie is easy to believe and makes a lot of sense.

As Felice (Bonnie’s daughter) continually finds things to add to her eclectic collection (stones, feathers, etc) I like how she found “treasures” in everyday items – it’s a perfect look at how imaginative children are. I also knew that her compulsive collecting would come into play with the mystery solving.

One thing about this series is the variety of relationships illustrated throughout. There are links between mother-daughter, grandfather-granddaughter, the three women who shared a common ex-husband, 2 brothers, and now 2 brothers and their estranged mother. While the story is lighthearted, it shows that relationships can be complex and not always straightforward.

As for the main character, Trinidad is definitely growing as a character. When we first met her in Book 1 (Pint of No Return – you can read my review here) she was just opening up her new Shake Shop and was finding her place in Upper Sprocket. Now, she’s more comfortable with her place in town and is coming to realise that she is able to depend on her newfound friends. I like that Trinidad doesn’t take on too much and isn’t too much of a risk-taker.

The “murder” shows up pretty early in the story in the form of a corpse that Papa Luis finds in the trunk of his beloved car. When he and Trinidad call the police and go to show them the body, it’s gone! And thus begins the mystery (and assumed murder).

It’s a fun, twisty mystery that wasn’t too complicated. I found that the murder mystery plotline almost took a backseat to some of the other things that were happening in the story (including Quinn’s estranged mother making a sudden, and unannounced, reappearance.

I enjoyed the book immensely, not just because the ice cream and milkshake descriptions constantly had me drooling and reaching for some frozen treats myself. While I highly recommend this series, I do not recommend reading this book if you don’t have any ice cream on hand!

*** Thank you to the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

Upper Sprockett is taking part in the Alpenfest and the town is filled with tourists. Trinidad Jone, owner of the Shimmy and Shake Shop, is doing great business. She is thrilled when a travel writer comes in and wants to do a story for a magazine. This free publicity is welcome.
Papa Luis, Trinidad’s grandfather, has taken up residence in town and works as a taxi driver. Things get crazy when Papa finds a dead body in the trunk of his beloved 1951 Buick. Before the police arrive the body disappears.
This is the second book in the Shake Shop Mystery series. I did not read the first book, but this book can stand alone. The storyline is interesting and unique, but the plot moved a little slowly for me. . The characters are somewhat flat and not engaging. Overall it was an average book. I probably will not go back and read the first book.

I love icecream, milkshakes, and cozy mysteries. This book series combines all my favorites, so I decided to give this series a try. The protagonist of this book is Trinidad Jones, owner of the Shimmy and Shake Shop. When her father is a suspect of a murder, Trinidad puts on her detective cap to clear her father's name.

I found this book fun and casual to read.
My thanks to Poisoned Pen Press for a digital copy of this book for my review!

4/5 stars

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

The small town of Sprocket is bustling thanks to Alpenfest. Trinidad and the other residents are doing their best to promote their businesses to the tourists. Things take a turn for the worse when Forge Emberley ends up dead. He wasn't the most popular person in town, so narrowing down the suspect list proves difficult. The case gets even more complicated when a possible missing person from the past gets brought up. Trinidad thought her sleuthing days were over, but considering the body was found in her grandfather's car, she has good reason to investigate.

I really enjoyed this! I love the fictional town of Sprocket as well as Trinidad's misadventures! This book picks up shortly after the first one with an event being held in a neighboring town. Trinidad is determined for her business to do well, especially with the winter months coming up. Everything is going great until Papa Luis comes home with a corpse in the trunk of his precious car.

Trinidad is a little overwhelmed in this book—she runs an ice cream business and a harsh winter is approaching, her grandfather found a corpse, the person she's interested in is a murder suspect, and her amateur sleuthing might be putting her in danger. It's a lot of fun trying to guess who the murderer is and what everyone else is hiding! You also can't help but end up rooting for Trinidad. I hope she gets a happy ending in this series!

My favorite part of these books is the characters. Trinidad, Noodles, Papa Luis, the sisterhood of exes, Quinn and Doug, and even Chief Bigley are what make these books so enjoyable! Even the other citizens who don't stand out as much are interesting.

It was a pleasure to follow along with Trinidad and the others! I look forward to more books in this series! I'd recommend this to anyone who likes a small-town cozy mystery with a dash of romance!

Content: clean! The murder is non-graphic, and there's no sexual content or swearing.

A Sprinkle in Time is a great follow-up to A Pint of No Return, book one in the series. I just love Trinidad because she is shake shop owner by day coming up with some yummy concoctions and a sleuth by night. What makes the story is the whole menagerie of quirky characters in Sprocket. Readers met most of them in book one, but they were all still new to each other as Trinidad had just arrived. In this story, there was much more of a sisterhood among the ex wives. I also just totally adored Papa Luis and I am always a sucker for a canine sidekick like Noodles. This was a fun cozy mystery that kept me guessing until the end. I am looking forward to more adventures with Trinidad and the rest of the crew of Sprocket.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for a copy of this book. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

In short: Papa Luis finds a dead body in the trunk of his car but it disappears before the cops turn up to investigate.

What I liked:
🍦The setting of Upper Sprocket, Oregon. I love this little fictional Eastern Oregon town and getting to know the characters and their relationships better.
🍦 Our main character Trinidad. She’s finally feeling more at home in town & things are going great at the Shimmy & Shake Shop. The relationship with her grandfather Papa Luis is so special & I hope things continue to develop with Quinn.
🍦The mystery; everything from where did the body go to why was he murdered. There was a lot to unravel and even tied in to a cold case.

My final thoughts: I am really enjoying this series, all the ice cream freak shakes and the characters.

A Sprinkle in Time: A Shake Shop Mystery
By Dana Mentink
Poisoned Pen Press
May 2022

Review by Cynthia Chow

Divorcing her husband was the first step for Trinidad Jones as she embarked on a new life of happiness. Now living in the Oregon town of Upper Sprocket along with two of Gabe Bigley’s other ex-wives, Trinidad has taken over the alimony-awarded Shimmy and Shake ice cream shop to create her own unique Freakshake milkshakes. Shaking up the town is the local election race for mayor, with incumbent Ramona Hardwick shadowed by a shady promotional book deal while her rival Forge Emberly plans on buying up land for a new railway line. That one of those selling property at a loss is Trinidad’s boyfriend Quinn Logan is more than a little alarming, as not only didn’t tell her beforehand, it also goes against all of the environmentalist’s beliefs. So when a body is found in Trinidad’s Papa Luis’s trunk only to disappear again, there are too many possible suspects who are too close to Trinidad’s heart.

Trinidad would prefer to focus on promoting the Shake and Shimmy during the town’s Alpenfest yodeling celebration, when tourists flood into the town for two weekends of parades, dog pageants, a 10K run, and tasting events. So in between the times Trinidad creates apple pie bar Freakshakes and other over-the-top indulgences, she and her ex-wife “sisters” band together to track down the strange going-ons in town. A sleep-walking judge seems troubled by events in the present and from the past, and soon Trinidad’s failed-rescue senior Labrador Noodles isn’t the only one sniffing out trouble.

This second in the Dessert Cozy mystery series continues to showcase the bonds between Trinidad and the women scammed by their ex-husband. The thirty-six year-old Trinidad has unexpectedly found herself very invested in her new business and her new town, and the arrival of Papa Luis only makes it feel more like home. Revelations by Quinn concerning his own troubled family raise complicated issues of forgiveness, trust, and sympathy, and it will be fascinating to see where they go from here. A few recipes for ice cream confections will delight those up to the challenge of creating their own homemade delights, while all readers can enjoy the mouth-watering descriptions of the Shimmy and Shake’s extravagant desserts. The friendships that Trinidad developed in Upper Sprocket are as fun to explore as the town itself, a fictional town that comes alive with its pageants and festivals. Despite her declarations that she is a scooper and not a sleuther, Trinidad continues to prove herself as a determined and rather stealthy investigator.

Another fantastic book in this series! I loved getting back to these characters. They are really well done and a pleasure to read. I thought the mystery in the one was really well done and it was a bit more intense than a lot of cozies and I appreciated that. I really enjoyed this one and look forward to book 3!

A Sprinkle in Time is part of the Shake Shop mystery series that is written by the amazing Dana Mentink. I have read both books, but they can be read as stand alones also. However, these are such amazing stories you will want to read them all.



We see Trinidad again and we see the fun Shimmy and Shake Shop. She is preparing for her upcoming feature in Go West Magazine. Then her Cuban grandfather, Papa Luis shows up and all things go haywire. He decides to be a taxi driver and they find a corpse in the trunk of his car.



Trinidad had said she wasn’t going to get involved in another murder investigation but since it involves Papa Luis she finds herself caught. The body disappears before they can get police there. What in the world is going on??



The author throws you through twists and turns and peppers in her humor throughout this story. The characters are well written. I always love everything that the author writes. The Shake Shop mysteries have been some of my favorite cozy mysteries I’ve read.



Thank you to the author, publisher and Celebrate Lit for allowing me to read a copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.