"Pint of No Return" By Dana Mentink: Review/Giveaway

 Review by Cynthia Chow 

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of the book and links to purchase it.

At the age of 36, Trinidad Jones never expected to find herself starting over in a new town and taking on a new career. But eighteen months ago her (now) ex-husband Gabe Bigley went into prison for an assortment of embezzlement and fraud crimes, and unable to afford rent in Portland Trinidad had come to his former hometown to take over Gabe’s abandoned Hot Dog store. Trinidad has dreams of transforming it into the Shimmy and Shake Shop, where she would serve up extravagant, specialty milkshakes. The town of Upper Sprocket, Oregon, also contains the two ex-wives Gabe neglected to mention existed, although Juliette Carpenter is the younger replacement model who followed Trinidad as a bride. Trinidad only has a chance to meet her once before Juliette is arrested for the murder of Kevin Heartly, the owner of the Popcorn Palace and Juliette’s estranged boyfriend.

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Image Source Poisoned Pen Press

After forming a bond over both having been deceived by Gabe, Trinidad feels compelled to help prove Juliette’s innocence. That need to help is further propelled when Sheriff Cynthia Bigley also happens to be Gabe’s older sister and does not look kindly upon any of the three exes who blame him for upending their lives. It’s not long before the sheriff arrests Juliette, to the satisfaction of vengeful Tanya Grant, Kevin’s newest motorcycle seat inhabitant. With the investigation closed, it’s up to Trinidad and her new friends to continue the investigation. Quinn Logan, of Logan’s Nut Farm where she buys tasty topping for her shakes, provides a surfeit of local knowledge and connections. He becomes even more helpful when someone takes offense at Trinidad’s involvement in Kevin’s death, damaging the shake shop before it’s barely had a chance to serve its first frosty confection. 

This is the start of a mouth-watering and extremely unique new mystery series. The senior Labrador Noodles Trinidad recently adopted is instrumental providing not just much needed emotional support but consultation on pup-friendly creamy shakes. Unexpected help comes from her spunky and adorable grandfather Papa Luis, visiting from Miami while Trinidad’s mother is off on another cruise. He brings a sense of Cuban comfort to Trinidad as she builds a new life among the Sprockerians, who have made lives based around their town’s seasonal extremes. Trinidad has to survive the summer with Fourth of July brownie Freakshakes before she has to figure out how to run a Shake Shop during the freezing winter, so thinking that far ahead is not a priority. Delicious shake recipes are, of course, included at the end, hurtling readers along in a mystery that is full of charm, treasure hunts, and a very determined heroine.  

To enter to win a copy of Pint of No Return, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line "pint,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen July 3, 2021. US residents only and you must be 18 or older to enter. If entering via email please include your mailing address in case you win. BE AWARE THAT DUE TO THE CURRENT CRISIS THERE MAY BE A DELAY IN SHIPPING THE WINNING BOOK. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section in Kings River Life and in our mystery category here on KRL News & Reviews. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. And check out our new mystery podcast which features mystery short stories and first chapters read by local actors! A new episode went up last week.

You can use these links to purchase the book. If you have adblocker on you may not be able to see the Amazon link:

Pint of No Return

Cynthia Chow is the branch manager of Kaneohe Public Library on the island of Oahu. She balances a librarian lifestyle of cardigans and hair buns with a passion for motorcycle riding and regrettable tattoos (sorry, Mom).

 Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.