There are so many characters thrown in willy nilly that I was a bit lost at first. Also not a fan of multiple characters having names beginning with same letter. Too easy to get mixed. This includes the author sometimes. (not saying it was in this case though) Was hovering between 3 & 4 stars because so many characters but the story hung together and finished up satisfactorily. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Jaymie is enlisted to help feed a cat colony in winter in Michigan. In spite of being very busy, once she sees the cats, she is determined to help out. But the cats are witnesses to some dark doings and when Jaymie discovers the second body within a day nearby, she is drawn into the investigation. Partly she is drawn in by the various locals who may be involved in these deeds but it goes well beyond their little community. Human smuggling, drugs, and all sorts of mayhem and nastiness is underneath and Jaymie is going to be drawn into the middle of it.

She has a good relationship with the local police including one of her best friends. So when she tells them what she has discovered, they listen. She is very careful how she does it until she pokes the bear once too often and things are going to get very dangerous. Good thing there are feline heroes to help out. I loved the way the various kitties in the colony are brought into the story in a very heartwarming way. I also enjoy when there are references to my home town in the book, even if one of them is the propensity for Lake Huron to deposit streamers right on top of us.

I have enjoyed this series but this is my favourite book thus far. Five purrs and two paws up.

Jaymie teases on a volunteer gig to care for homeless cats while their caretakers are both out of town. While she was hoping to find homes for some of the cats, she certainly wasn’t expecting to find a dead body…or two. Is the killer now playing with her like a cat with a ball of yarn? Jaymie just have to stay out of the killer’s web.

I really adore this series. From the vintage cookware to all of the supporting characters and the protagonist, everyone makes it feel like a visit with runs. I can’t wait to see what new recipes are included and what cookware is being collected or used in each and every entry.

An engaging and action-packed cozy mystery. An interesting group of characters, some familiar and some new ones. The English accent was a bit much at times, but did add to the story. Some sweet moments and a terrifying one. Nice conclusion. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

Cozy lovers who are following the popular Vintage Kitchen Mysteries will want to pick up the 12 installment, Cat Got Your Tongs, by bestselling author, Victoria Hamilton. Jaymie agrees to take care of a cat colony of stray cats while her friend George is out of town, and while feeding them at night, discovers a body. Of course, Jaymie gets involved, and when another body is discovered, she puts both herself and friends in danger. New neighbors, an old rocker and his wife have moved in next to the cat colony, and Jaymie suspects they know something, but can’t quite get them to talk. In the meantime, she and her best friend, Val, plan to purchase a vacant building to start a tea and antique gift shop to be called The Kitschy Kitchen.

All the main characters are back in this novel; Jaymie, the protagonist, is married to Jakob and loves her step-daughter, Jocie, who is a smart and delightful little person. Even though they have been well-developed in previous novels, Hamilton gives enough background and necessary information to read this as a standalone novel, although the characters and supporting characters will make most readers want to go back and read the entire series.

Hamilton does an excellent job of telling the story, and the novel is well-written and organized. Even though this is a cozy (no sex, no profanity, no blatant violence), the suspense builds throughout and even though the mystery is lighthearted, there are twists and turns that will keep readers on the edge.

Anyone who hasn’t read this series, and who likes recipes and references to food, will want to pick up this fun novel.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

Cat Got Your Tongs by Victoria Hamilton has a very busy Jayme taking on another task. The local cat colony needs to be fed while their caregiver is away and Jayme cannot say no when asked to fill in. I love the descriptions of the vintage kitchen items. I grew up with surrounded by vintage and antique kitchen items (and I have similar items in my home). I am amazed at the different types of tongs (there are at least ten different types of tongs including ice tongs and pastry tongs). I found Cat Got Your Tongs to be easy to read. I like the author’s friendly writing style. The characters are likeable (well, most of them) especially Jocie, Jayme’s stepdaughter. The story moved at a steady clip. The whodunit was intriguing and fun to solve. The new police chief is unsure of Jayme (she will need to prove herself). I love the idea that Jayme’s best friend, Val came up with for dealing with their excessive amount of vintage kitchen treasures. The cat colony is something that is near and dear to me. I live in a community where people have abandoned their pets and feral cats have resulted. Trap, Neuter, Release (and vaccinate) (aka TNR) is practiced, but not everyone likes having the cats in the neighborhood (just like in the book). I enjoyed reading about people who care enough about the cats that they would go out twice a day in frigid weather to feed them, make sure they had cozy sleeping spots, and that the cats were healthy. Cat Got Your Tongs can be read as a standalone for those new to the series or if you have missed a couple of books. Cat Got Your Tongs is a catastic tale with a colony of cats, late night lights, frosty temperatures, a victim or two, a busy body with binoculars, tons of tongs, and the Kitschy Kitchen.

Cat Got Your Tongs is book #12 in the Vintage Kitchen Mystery series by Victoria Hamilton.

This was another great addition to the series. Jaymie is taking care of a colony of cats while their caretaker is away. She wasn’t expecting to find a body. Are there nefarious activities taking place? I really like the characters and that Jaymie was willing to help the feral cats even with everything else going on in her life. The mystery was well paced and kept me hooked. I appreciated the Cast of Characters at the beginning to refresh my memory.

Thank you to the author, Beyond the Page, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

This is a charming cozy series with a savvy smart protagonist who loves animals. A perfect addition to this well loved cozy series. Jaymie has offered to feed a outdoor colony of feral cats high on a bluff overlooking the city. The weather is terrible and Jaymie wants to make sure the cats are cared for while their caretaker is away. Amid the blizzard and snow drifts a elderly neighbor voices concerns about suspicious activity in the area. When a body is found Jaymie is on the case with her investigative skills.
This series has well loved characters and a fun love of animals theme. Jaymie is a likable protagonist and has her own unique challenge with this mystery to solve. I enjoyed this next in series and read it cover to cover.

I love a good cozy but ones that include cats, cooking, and fun banter... sign me up! I had been partway through this 12 book series but when I saw this book pop up I decided to get caught up! I can attest that all 12 are wonderful and exactly what I want in a cozy.

Cats. Cats, cats, cats, cats!

A feral cat colony, a tea with the Queen upcoming event and oh, a couple of murders. What more could you need? This was a fun little adventure that was for the most part, a delight. I enjoyed almost all the characters, thought they showed a good range, they had their flaws, their highs and I was fully invested in all the plots and subplots.

For a short book, this certainly packed a lot of story, and following the twists and turns of a murder one moment and then plans for a cafe another was enjoyable. The crime was maybe a little obvious but then again I've read a lot of murder mysteries.

This lost a point purely for the British characters. The.... accents. The use of British 'slang'. Yes, those words are British slang but no. Nobody calls the police the 'rozzers' anymore. Or any of the other very stereotypical, cringing terms they use. And to write the words with their accent... Its a shame, because the book otherwise is a lot of fun and I really enjoyed it.

Cat got your Tongs

By: Victoria Hamilton

Book 12 of A Vintage Kitchen Mystery

Publish Date: March 18, 2025

Publisher: Beyond the Page Publishing

Cooking, food and wine/ Mystery and Thriller

#CatGotYourTongs#NetGalley

200 Book ReviewsProfessional Reader

I would like to thank both NetGalley and Beyond the Page Publishing for allowing me to read and review this book.

Book Review:

I gave this book 4 stars. This is the first book I have read from this author, and I enjoyed it. You are able to read these books out of order and get the idea of who is who. I would recommend reading them in order because you do miss a little of the background from some of the characters in the series. With that being said I still got the point of the book and had a great time.

This book takes place in March in Michigan by the Canada border. It is freezing and Jaymie agrees to feed the cat colony while the usual person is gone for a couple of days. One day while feeding them she hears something and goes to check it out. What does find but a frozen body. The noise was his cell phone with an incoming call. He is unknown except for maybe a first which she hears when the caller leaves a voicemail. She is curious about this person and wonders what is doing there and why does he have on the parka from someone she knows. She starts asking around but not too much. A few days later while feeding the cats she another body and she knows this guy. Why are these guys died and who is the killer or killers. People are asking her to investigate and find out what happens. She agrees because she wants to help her friend’s niece and finally figure out what is happening around the river that separates the two countries.

I love the family and friendships in this book and how they standby each other and help each other even when they really don’t want to.

Cat Got Your Tongs is the 12th exciting book in Victoria Hamilton's Vintage Kitchen Mystery.series. The characters are likable and the mystery kept me guessing although I suspected the culprit. Jaymie is married to Jakob and his daughter Jocie is a nice addition to the story. Jaymie is taking care of a group of feral cats to help a friend. It is winter. While feeding the cats, Jaymie finds a dead body but she doesn't recognize the person. Then a 2nd dead body shows up out by the cat colony but she recognizes this person. There are several suspects and some unusual activities going on. There is a new Police Chief which Jaymie is unsure of working with. Jaymie, her friend Val and Val's sister-in-law Violet are starting Kitschy Kitchen, a tea and vintage kitchen shop. Their plans add a little lightness to the story. The ending is exciting! #CatGotYourTongs #VintageKjtchenMystery #NetGalley #BeyondThePage

Although I was sure I'd read some of this series, as I read I realized that I seemed to be mistaken. As it turned out, it didn't matter as it works well as a standalone. While, yes, it did take me a bit to sort out the characters, of which there seemed to be many initially, I quickly found myself caught up in vintage cookware collector Jaymie Muller's life and situation. The idea of a cat colony high on a bluff over a river was intriguing, especially as winter weather set in. We even get to know a few of the cats' quirks and personalities and a possible future solution to lessen the numbers there to be cared for. Jaymie also has a dog, a three-legged Yorkie named Hoppy and daughter Jocie's cat Lilibet. The relationship between Jayme and Jocie is adorable and nice to see. Husband Jakob is in and out of the story but plays a minor role of simply being there when support is needed this go-round. I ultimately enjoyed meeting the cast of characters, even the snoopy ones, and how they came together as a community as needed. Heck, even seemingly cranky Haskell Lockland turns out to have more dimensions than we first imagine.

As for the mystery/murder, it doesn't actually happen until you're nearly 1/3 of the way through the book but there's a growing sense of unease in the lead-up. Part of it comes from the ominous weather, yes, but we get peeks at activities that, well, let's just say seem highly unusual and surely illegal. By the time the first body is found, we're fully immersed in the happenings and, if you're at all like me, already considering whodunit. Jaymie's relationship with the local police force was a definitely plus. Nice to see the police treated with due respect and not somehow shown as being inept. Not only is Jaymie's love of animals obvious, but her sense of caring stands out as the story goes along. I mean, this woman doesn't hesitate to speak out on behalf of her town and friends, not to mention take on a major role in a major event with very little planning time remaining. She also seems to have learned from past mistakes, not always easy. Never poke a bear, indeed. Toss in some curious seniors, aging rock'n'rollers, shady business dealings, unpredictable felines, family emergencies, family ties, and, well, much more, an it makes for an intriguing mystery full of characters you'll like and humor (hope you like puns--grin), and you'll be hooked right up to the scary conclusion. Stick around, though, for the rest and a vintage recipe!

Bottom line, despite coming into this series late, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm a huge fan of character driven plots and this one had unique, well-fleshed out characters that I quickly came to like. While more a dog than cat person, I definitely enjoyed the story's focus on basically animal rescue/care. Reading of a potential option to help at the end made me hope to hear more of it in future books. Yes, I'll definitely be keeping up with this series from now on, not to mention checking the library for back installments. My thanks to #BeyondThePagePublishing for the advance copy that introduced me to Jaymie and her circle of friends, family, and pets. The setting was fascinating and, I might add, nicely introduced to us, and I'm looking forward to my next visit.

Jaymie is talked into helping to feed a cat colony. While she is there she discovers two bodies. British rockers, shady deals and strange boyfriends all play roles in this book. It's a good read and the characters are vividly written. Jaymie and Val are onto a new venture and the annual Queen Victoria tea may be cancelled. Lots of subplots to keep you interested and the main mystery resolves well.
I was given an advanced copy of the book in exchange for a review.

Cat Got Your Tongs is the 12th book in the Vintage Kitchen Mystery series. It takes place in the town of Queensvile, Michigan. Heartbreak Island is an island divided in half, Johnsonville, Canada and the other half Queensville. The story opens with Parker Hellman waiting on the Canadian side to pick-up a man and take him to the Queensville side. The man told him that he was cold so Parker gave him his red winter jacket. Upon getting out of the boat on the beach below Lois's house. Parker left to go back to Canada. The man walked up the path and was attacked by a man and fell back onto the beach. Parker heard the cry and splash but didn't think anything about. it. The next day he heard about the body on the beach. The next day when feeding the cats Jaymie found a bag with gloves, wallet with money in the dry container. She put everything back in the container. While there she heard some singing and went to find out where it was coming from and saw the body on the beach in the red jacket. She thought it was Parker. The phone was making the singing. She ran down and thinking it was Parker turned the body over and found it wasn't him but someone else dead. His head had been bashed in. She called 911. The police came. Later while feeding the cats she found Ethan also dead.

Jaymie Muller is the main character in the story. She lives outside town in a cabin with her husband, Jakob Muller and her stepdaughter, Jacie. She also owns a house in town with her sister, Becca who owns Queensville Fine Antiques. Outside of town is a cat colony that is overseen by George Hellman and Bonnie Smith. They were both going to Florida for a month. They needed someone to feed and oversee the cat colony. Mrs. Stubbs, an elderly woman and friend of Jaymie called and asked her if she could take care of the cats. Jaymie said she would help. Lois Perry owns a large victorian on Winding Woods Lane where you parked to see the cats. Her property overlooks the river and the island. Miss Perry's neighbors Haskell Lockland, President of the Historical Society was not supportive about thr colony being there. George's nephew, Parker Hellman was not reliable to feed the cats. Morgan Perry is Miss Perry's niece was living and dating Ethan Zarcone who is a good friend with Parker.

Jaymie, Jakob and Jacie were going to live in town for a week as Becca was in Canada visiting Grandma eighton for that week. Later Jaymie and Jacie went to the colony to feed the cats but George was there to take care of them before he left for Florida. Jaymie stopped in the see Miss Perry and noticed the tension between her and her niece. Morgan was in a boot. She had jumped out of the car after having a fight with Ethan. She had sprained her ankle. Quinley Gustafson, Morgan's friend was also there.

Haskell took the podium at the Historical Meeting and catching up with the minutes he informed the members that due to lack of volunteers they would be only funding Dicken's Day, a Christmas fundraiser and discontinue the Queen Tea Party. Jaymie was upset with that decision and asked that it be voted on, Mabel Bellwood told Haskell that he had bullied the board members to vote against the tea. Haskell told Jaymie that since she was to head the committee to oversee the tea and she better make money for that fundraiser.

While at the meeting her friend, Val told her that the man talking to Petty, a board member, was Ethan. She had babysat for his family when Ethan was younger. She said he was a small time hood who is looking to make a quick buck. Jaymie and Val went over the talk to Petty and found out that Ethan was looking into buying old and vacant victorian buildings. When Jaymie mentioned Morgan's ankle and after accusing her as a busy body Ethan pretended to get a call and left. Petty had told Ethan to talk to Haskell. Jaymie also saw Haskell talking to a man she didn't recognize. When leaving the meeting Jaymie saw Ethan arguing with the man.

Jaymie went to feed the cats. She parked in Aunt Lois's driveway. (Miss Perry) and was unloading the car she heard shouting and the house next door opened and Ethan came out. An old man, Bog Brewer, followed with water and got into a new black car. The old man came through the cat colony. She introduced herself and asked the man not to come through as the cats were eating. His wife came after him and they introduced themselves. They were renting the house next door to Lois. He said that Ethan had come to talk to them about an investment. He realized it was a sham and was mad that his wife was going to give him some of her money. His wife name was Duckie.

Jaymie noticed one of the cats was not doing well. She was very small and looked like she was hurt. She called the vet, Dakarai Kasimo, who took care of the cats for a small fee or free. He said that the cat needed to be taken care of away from the colony. She called her friend, Heidi Lockland and asked her if she would help and take the cat to care for her. Heidi came and took the cat. When leaving she saw a black BMW arrive at Bog's house. It was the strange man.

Val asked Jaymie if she would have lunch with her. She took her to the old knitting store and over lunch there she told Jaymie about her plans for a tea shop and wanted Jaymie to do it with her. She said the name of the shop would be Kitschy Kitchens and would also sell kitchen stuff. She also said that her sister-in-law wanted to move closer to her and would also be an invester.

With the two deaths I will leave the story to the reader to enjoy. There is so much going on that I can't put it all on paper. The reader will find an exciting story that will take them to an unexpected and exciting ending.

Thank you NetGalley and Beyond the Page Publishing for this ARC.

"Cat Got Your Tongs (Vintage Kitchen Mystery #11)" by Victoria Hamilton revived my interest in this series. I was a bit put off by the book previous to this one in the series but gave this one a shot and really enjoyed it. This one is set in late winter/early spring (it's the upper Midwest they're the same season pretty much). Jaymie is helping care for a colony of cats while trying to manage all her other obligations.

Despite Jaymie's busy schedule she still manages to investigate two mysterious deaths that happen near the cat colony. There was a clear suspect before the big reveal but it really came down to how to prove it all.

Even though I’ve missed several books in this series it was easy to pick right back up. The mystery was well written and fast paced. And I liked that the police weren’t depicted as incompetent the way they are in so many cozies.

This was my first time reading the cozies in this series. After finishing this one, I know I'll be returning!
The mother-daughter relationship between Jaymie and Jocie was so refreshing and entertaining. I could feel the love that Jaymie has for her little daughter. Then, the sense of community with her friends was well done. I'm glad this book focused on certain side characters to be key in the plot, because Jaymie has too many friends.
The mystery was built-up in a timely manner. Clues were sprinkled throughout the story, and I found myself connecting the pieces before the big reveal. There were some nice plot twists.
When it comes to the writing itself, I feel that I even learned more on how to set up and develop a cozy mystery. There were parts with info-dumping, but only two or three; nothing major that made it seem like the author relied on it.

I hadnt read this series but I am very familiar with the author and this cover pulled me in
This was a wonderful cozy and I didn't feel like I was missing out by not reading the others in the series although I will be now that I've read this.
A wonderful cozy to escape to for awhile

This is my first cozy book by this prolific author, so it took me a while to get to know the characters. This is book #12 in the series!

I am sure that if I had started reading this series with book #1, it would have been easier to get into ir. After I was familiar with the protagonist and all the characters, I also discovered that there are 2 intriguing plots in this book.

This book was extremely well written and very tense. I liked the author's style of writing because it kept me engaged. I did figure out whodunnit, but I wanted to find out why the crime had been committed.

It was very satisfying to find out the why, as well as the who.

I look forward to the next book in this series, but in the meantime I will start at the beginning of the series.