"Cat Got Your Tongs" By Victoria Hamilton: Review/Giveaway

Review by Sarah Erwin

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win an Amazon gift card, and a link to purchase the book.

Cat Got Your Tongs is book 12 in Victoria Hamilton’s Vintage Kitchen Mystery series, and a treat for mystery and cat lovers.

Despite her busy schedule, vintage cookware collector Jaymie Müller agrees to look after a colony of cats while their main caretakers are away. The colony is located on a high bluff overlooking the St. Clair River. It’s late winter, early spring, in the area, so Jaymie still has to bundle up.

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Image Source ‎ Beyond the Page Publishing

One night, an elderly neighbor of the colony and friend of Jaymie calls to tell her that there seems to be suspicious goings-on at the river. Jaymie tells the friend to contact the police and doesn’t think much more about it. Jaymie, though, remembers the call when she discovers a dead body near the colony. And readers of the series won’t be surprised to learn that Jaymie starts investigating.

During her investigation, Jaymie learns that the river has long been used for illicit smuggling. She soon begins discovering clues at the cat colony and then another murder victim is found. Jaymie must uncover the truth before she finds herself in a dangerous situation with no way out.

I was pulled into this story immediately, and found myself so taken by the descriptions that I felt as though I was chilled from the cold early spring days. I had an idea as to the true culprit as I neared the end, but I wondered how Jaymie would put the pieces of the puzzle together to prove the guilt. I very much enjoyed tagging along with her as she did.

Each entry into this series is a solid mystery, and this entry is no different. As a busy mom myself, I enjoy seeing how Jaymie balances it all (although I’m certainly in no hurry to add amateur sleuth to my tasks!). 

The characters are wonderful, and it’s nice to see Jaymie so supported by friends and family. There’s also a little romance between Jaymie and her kind and supportive husband Jakob.

As always, I love the description of the vintage items, as well as the small town. It’s a true cozy escape. Readers new to the series could jump in with book 12 and  go back and pick up the rest of the series, many of which I’ve enjoyed as audiobooks.

To enter to win a $20 Amazon gift card (open worldwide), simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line "tongs,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen April 19, 2025. Must be 18 or older to enter. If entering via email please include your mailing address in case you win. If entering via comment please include your email address so we can contact you. 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!

You can click here to purchase this book.

Sarah Erwin started her career as a children’s librarian, later becoming a public library director and now she’s a stay at home mom. While her career might have changed, her love of reading has been a constant since 4th grade and she reads over 200 books a year. Read along with her on her blog Sarah Can’t Stop Reading or on Instagram. Sarah lives in St. Louis, MO with her two kids, her husband and a family dog and cat.

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.