Leave It To Cleaver by Victoria Hamilton is the sixth book in A Vintage Kitchen Mystery series. Jaymie Leighton is thrilled when Jakob Muller proposes to her on Valentine’s Day. Jaymie loves Jakob and adores his little girl, Jocie. Jaymie and her sister, Becca have agreed to clear out the Paget house for Lesley Mackenzie. The perk is getting first pick of the items. They go to the basement where they come across an old truck. Upon opening it, they discover a body clad in a red sweater with a cleaver in the skull (can you imagine what the yarn must be made of to not disintegrate). Back in 1984, Becca knew Delores Paget who owned an identical sweater. Delores supposedly left town that year and was never heard from again (now we know why). A few days later, Jaymie watches while divers pull up old Ford Falcon with a body inside wearing a red sweater identical to the other victim (that is some yarn). The victims are identified as Delores Paget and Rhonda Welch. Becca knew both victims in high school and they disappeared from town at the same time. The common link between the two girls is Brock Nibley. Chief Ledbetter asks Jaymie to listen for any details that will help him with this case. Jaymie considers this the green light to start nosing around and asking questions. The killer is less than thrilled with Jaymie’s inquiries and will not hesitate to strike again. Will Jaymie make it to her own wedding?

Leave It To Cleaver contains good writing and the story has a nice flow/pace. Jaymie Leighton is a great character with her big heart and love of vintage items. The mystery was complicated (thank you Victoria Hamilton) and fun to solve. The best part of a cozy mystery is following the clues and see if I correctly guessed the killer’s identity. I liked finding out more about Becca and what happened after Jaymie was born. The story goes from present day back to 1984 (and then back again). I am not a fan of this technique, but the author pulled it off (it was not confusing or overdone). I give Leave It To Cleaver 4.5 out of 5 stars. The only part of the story I did not like was Heidi. She is planning the wedding, and I found her maddening. Leave It To Cleaver is the sixth book in the series, but it can be read alone. The ending will leave readers with smiles on their faces.

I am so glad that this cozy series has been saved by another publisher. I first picked up this series because of the vintage kitchen theme. This mystery was very complex. I enjoyed Hamilton's amazing writing and the style with which she switches from the present to the past with ease. I enjoyed the ending very much. I think this is the best book of the series so far and look forward to the next one. I also will be making the yummy recipe in the back of the book.

Leave It to Cleaver is the sixth book in the Vintage Kitchen Mystery series, but the first that I have read. It is a truly a gripping and page-turning book that holds your interest right from the beginning to the surprising ending.

Jaymie Leighton and her sister, Becca, are cleaning and clearing out a house to get it ready to sell when they come upon a body in a trunk in the basement with a cleaver imbedded in its skull. Becca knew a girl who used to live in that house and recognized the sweater on the body, and knew it had to be her friend Delores Paget, whom everyone thought was missing because she had run away. When another body is found just days later submerged in a car in a nearby river, and that body turns out to be Rhonda Welch, another girl who was thought to have run away, Jaymie realizes that these two deaths cannot be a coincidence.

The book transitions between 1984 when Becca, who is 15 years older than Jaymie, was in school with Delores and Rhonda, to the present, where Jaymie, who has solved several murders, begins to investigate the crime, and Victoria Hamilton ties it all together beautifully. As she investigates, Jaymie finds there is no shortage of suspects, as she receives many evasive answers and downright lies. All the while, she and Becca are trying to keep their businesses running as well as plan a double wedding with their fiancés Jakob and Kevin.

Victoria Hamilton has written a wonderful mystery with many twists and turns, and kept me guessing until the very end. Although Leave It to Cleaver is the sixth book in the Vintage Kitchen Mystery series, it can definitely stand on its own, and I never felt like I was missing anything from the earlier books. The characters are well-developed, and for the most part, likable, and I especially enjoyed Jaymie and Becca's many friends. I cannot wait to start reading this series at book one, A Deadly Grind. I highly recommend this book and am so glad that I have found this series!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This newest book opens with a very tender scene featuring Jaymie Leighton, her beau Jakob Mueller, and his young daughter, Jocie. It sets the stage for the rest of the book… a well crafted mystery interspersed with sweet, heart-warming interludes. The mystery itself dates back to 1984 and Victoria effectively uses flashbacks, from different points of view, to piece together the story. She expertly weaves the current story with the long ago story so I never felt lost, and in fact, found it to be an exciting variation that grabbed my attention. The author uses strong descriptive language that captured the setting and feel of the 1980’s and had me reliving that time period. It was a blast from the past for me!

Jaymie is a likable protagonist and she is often at odds with her much older sister, Becca. It was enjoyable seeing them work out their differences and the way the murder of Becca’s classmates brought them together. The author provides quite a few viable suspects and the fact that the murders occurred so far in the past, made the puzzle more difficult. Just when I was sure I had figured it out, a twist and turn pulled me in another direction. I am glad that there will be future books coming in this delightful series!

Victoria Hamilton writes in a smooth, cozy style. It's almost like coming home to a neighborhood and a group of people you know well. Even though this was my first read out of a series of six books, it will stand alone.

I am also drawn to her covers and titles. I admit it I am a sucker for a clever pun. I have been known to buy a book just for the cover as have many of my friends.

Although the story starts in the present, the mystery part began many years earlier. Two bodies are found murdered in bizarre ways and the town is shocked. The hunt to track a killer is on..Jaymie can help as these victims were classmates of her Sister. But will this stir up more deaths? How safe is Jaymie?

The Book is written, with chapters fluctuating between the past and present. In some Authors this is confusing but not Victoria Hamilton. She is a clever enough Writer to blend the two well. There are pending marriages between Jaymie and her Sister, which add a nice touch to the mystery. The added charm of vintage cookware and recipes made it that more palatable. This mystery is perfect for anytime reading. The pages turn by themselves.

I am so happy that the Vintage Kitchen Mystery series has found a new publishing home, and LEAVE IT TO CLEAVER is the best installment in the series to date. Full of heartwarming new beginnings, a growing sisterly bond, good friends, and not one, but two cold case murders, this story is definitely going on my “best reads of the year” list.

This time around things are a little different since the murders happened some thirty years ago. Jaymie is always busy with her multiple business endeavors, newspaper column, and writing her vintage recipe cookbook, but her wedding is rapidly approaching, adding to the everyday stresses. When she and her sister Becca discover a body stuffed in a trunk, and then another body is pulled from the river, the last thing she needs is to be drawn into a murder investigation. However, both of these girls, who were presumed to have run away from home in 1984, were Becca’s high school classmates, and Jaymie cannot help but agree to help when the sheriff asks her to look into things since she is friends with most of the people affected by the murders. As she talks to people and reads some long forgotten diaries, she learns so much about her sister and her friends’ adolescent years and long held secrets, uncovering a murderer along the way.

Jaymie and Becca are as different as two sisters can possibly be. Their contrasting personalities and the fifteen year age difference has, at times, caused some friction between the Leighton girls, but I really appreciate this look at a younger Becca. By the end, she and Jaymie seem closer than ever. I think Jaymie has grown a great deal over the course of the series, and LEAVE IT TO CLEAVER feels like her moment to finally blossom. I look forward to seeing how this new stage in her life brings more maturity...and more trouble, too.

Speaking of this new phase of Jaymie’s life, the passage about the wedding conveys so much love and is one of the sweetest scenes I have ever read. Though the idea of letting someone plan your wedding, friends or no, and sharing your big day with your thrice married sister makes my heart beat too fast, it all comes together very nicely.

The mystery moves along at a quick pace, and the alternating time periods do not detract from smooth narrative. I found myself anxiously waiting for the flashback bits so that I could put more pieces of the puzzle together. Trying to figure out how two dissimilar girls, who did not run in the same social circles, could meet such an untimely end kept me guessing for a good portion of the book. Even when I did think I had figured it out, I did realize the motive until right before Jaymie figured it out. Hamilton provides plenty of misdirection, and, of course, I did not want any of Jaymie and Becca’s friends to be guilty.

LEAVE IT TO CLEAVER is delightful cozy reading, and I relished every word. I highly recommend it to any mystery reader. Fingers crossed that there are many more forthcoming murderous puzzles for Jaymie to solve.

Victoria Hamilton makes a smooth transition to her new Publishing home at Beyond The Page with the release of Book 6 in the Vintage Kitchen Mysteries.

Featuring a superb plot with many suspicious characters, Ms. Hamilton expertly handles the intricate details from beginning to end making it nearly impossible to figure out who the murderer is.

Sisters, Jaymie and Becca are planning a double wedding ceremony and are busy with the usual pre-wedding events such as choosing dresses, attending the bridal shower, and having a few jitters. Investigation of a cold case from the 1980's is renewed when Becca and Jaymie make a horrifying discovery in a house they are cleaning for an estate sale. Jaymie agrees to assist the aging police Chief Ledbetter in connecting with people who interacted with the victim in the days before her disappearance. They need a timeline to lead them to a cold hearted killer.

I found this cozy fast paced and compelling. It's hard to put down once you begin reading. All the emotions involved tug at your heart strings. I enjoy all the vintage dishes, antique kitchen tools...anything vintage the author shared in her writing. Tasty recipes are included!

I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy from NetGalley and the publisher.

Leave It to Cleaver is the sixth book in the Vintage Kitchen Mystery series. It is a standalone read. While I’ve only read four out of the six books, Leave It to Cleaver is my favorite.

The story, which is told in third person, finds Jaymie Leighton’s relationship with single father Jakob Muller proceeding quite nicely. The romance girl in me is very, very happy. Jaymie’s life is finally settling down, though she is very busy with her newspaper column, volunteer work, and various business endeavours. But things are about to get even busier on both the personal and murder investigation fronts.

While helping her older sister, Becca, clean out the old Paget house for liquidation, they come across the body of Delores Paget stuffed in a trunk in the basement. Delores was a one time friend of Becca’s who suspectedly left town at the age of 16 in 1984. The whole town of Queensville, Michigan is wondering what happened to Delores and why. But things get even more interesting when the body of a second missing teen thought to have also ran away is found. Police are at a loss as to how to proceed with two decades old murder investigations. The girls don’t seem to have anything in common except having dated the same guy. Both are from different social and economic circles. The girls seem to have disappeared around the same time, but no one is really for sure. Even more interesting, the girls are found wearing the same handmade sweater.

Jaymie gets a request from Chief Ledbetter to help him investigate since she’s friends with so many people who knew the teens. She reluctantly agrees and in the course of investigating, makes some new discoveries about her sister as well as her friends. The story goes back and forth between 1984 and the present. While in the past, you are able to read about various characters and get a feel for their state of mind all those years ago. But of course, the killer is closer than Jaymie or anyone knows. Jaymie’s life gets puts in jeopardy through no fault of her own and a surprise hero arrives to save the day.

Victoria Hamilton has written an incredible mystery that will have you guessing until the big reveal. The misdirects were great. The reason behind the murders were surprising. In the end, I was left with a box of tissue sitting next to me and my heartbreaking. I am so excited this series is continuing and I can’t wait for the next installment.

This is book six of the series. I liked the story and the thirty year old mystery. The back and forth between the 80s and present was pretty neat. With that being said I found the book too slow for me. The pace did not agree with my mind. This book would be great for others but wasn't my style.

Leave It to Cleaver written by Victoria Hamilton is book six in the Vintage Kitchen Mystery series. This is a fun and entertaining read which highlights the very collectible world of vintage kitchen ware. I love to read cozy mysteries and this author is one of my favorites. I believe that this book is the best one in the series!

This book takes place in a small town called Queensville, which is in Michigan. The heroine, Jaymie Leighton, a vintage cookware and cookbook collector returns to help her sister clean out a deceased older neighbor's house. She is thrilled with the idea of finding antique kitchen ware items, that is until she opens an old trunk located in the cellar. Jaymie and her sister, Becca, are shocked to find the remains of a teenage girl with a cleaver buried in her skull.

Several days later, the body of a second girl is found in a nearby river, the clues seem to indicate that the crimes could be connected and the murderer’s motives appear hidden in the past. The victims are also from the same high school and both disappeared on the same day which leads Jaymie to suspect that the crimes are connected. The girls are later identified as Delores Paget and Ronda Welch who attended high school with Jaymie’s sister Rebecca years ago.

She is asked by the local police chef to help investigate the killings. Her hands are full, with the preparations of her upcoming wedding, running her business, writing her newspaper column and other activities, making her feel overwhelmed. Taking on this added task brings up memories, rivalries and jealousies that people are hesitating to talk about. Her list of suspects is growing and she is struggling to find the murderer.

Jaymie and her fiancé’ Jakob, are planning a double wedding with her sister, Becca, and the preparations are getting to them. They are having a hard time finding time to be together and plan their future together with his daughter, Jocie, whom Jaymie adores. The suspense and urgency builds with each page for Jaymie to sort out all the information she has gathered to find the killer before it is too late…..

While this book can be read as a standalone one, the previous books give more depth to the recurring characters. This is a wonderful series and the author has done a great job with this story line which I found unique. The addition of the twist which the author added only adds to the book. I was given a copy of Leave It to Cleaver by the editor via netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

I didn't really like the first book in this series because of the incessant talk about kitchen gadgets. Luckily for me that's toned down. Instead Hamilton uses a technique I'm not fond of: mixing current narrative with past narrative. We read about what's happening in Jaymie's life and her finding a body in the present. We then flip back and forth between life now and Becca's and the murder victims' lives in the past. Their lives were mediocre so the book is a bit sadder than most cozies. Despite my dislike of the technique, I think Hamilton uses it to good effect here.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to Beyond the Page Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed Leave It to Cleaver, and I was so happy to see the return of Jaymie Leighton and the Vintage Kitchen Mysteries. They have been some of my favorite cozy mysteries, and in this book Victoria Hamilton takes Jaymie's maturity to a new level without sacrificing her personality that we all fell in love with in the previous books. She is still an avid collector of vintage kitchen wares, and she' as charming as ever.

Jaymie is getting ready to marry the love of her life, Jakob (and his daughter), in a double wedding with her sister Becca. They are clearing out an old house that belonged to one of Becca's high school friends when they find a dead body that has been there for a long time. Sadly, it belongs to Becca's friend Delores. The next day, another missing girl from the same high school and the same group of friends who disappeared on the same day as Delores turns up dead in the river.

The book goes in flashbacks between the present and the 1980's when the girls were in high school, and Jaymie was still a baby. The police chief asks Jaymie's help with the investigation because he's worked with her before and she knows all the people involved in this case.

Jaymie is overwhelmed with wedding planning and her other responsibilities, but solving these murders is important to her, her sister Becca, and the people in their small town who knew both victims. Solving the mystery involves some twists and turns, and there are surprises in store for Jaymie, but she gets there in the end.

I loved the characters in the book. They are true to life and and fun to read about.

I highly recommend this book and hope there's another one coming in the series!

This has been a favorite series of mine from the very beginning, and I was heartbroken to learn it was one of the victims of it's publishing company's recent purge of cozy mysteries. I couldn't have been more delighted when the author announced that she'd be continuing the series on her own. It's been an agonizing wait for Leave It to Cleaver, but a wait that was well worth it because this is my favorite in the series so far!

I always love with a mystery delves into the past, and the fact that this one took me back to my childhood years of the 1980's made it even more special. The back and forth from modern-day to decades ago is seamless and the story flows at a fast pace. I found myself completely engrossed in the characters' lives, both those I've come to know and love over the course of the series and the new ones we're introduced to, especially the tragic teenage victims. I had my suspicions about the killer before Jaymie did and enjoyed watching the clues stack up that proved I was right.

The other central theme of Leave It to Cleaver is sisters Jaymie and Becca's double wedding which leaves the series wide open to new adventures. I'm not usually a fan of weddings taking place in cozy mysteries but this was different because it was the central characters getting married. It brought happiness and hope to a story of lives taken too soon and so much lost promise. In short, one of the best cozies of 2017.

I was thrilled to hear that the Vintage Kitchen Mysteries had new life breathed into them, and would live on! So many of my (and yours no doubt) favorite cozy mystery series have meant with an untimely end this year. Thank goodness this series will be staying with us.

Another stupendous installment in the Vintage Kitchen Mysteries, book six, LEAVE IT TO CLEAVER is my favorite so far! I know a smidgen of that is because I thought we’d lost this series, but the main reason is that this story was so very well written.

Author Victoria Hamilton takes readers on a journey of a mystery from the past. One that becomes very much part of present for Jaymie Leighton and her sister, Rebecca. Ms. Hamilton did a superb job switching from the present to the past, and then back again. I never felt lost, and the story never felt disjointed. Quite the contrary. I looked forward to each shift in the timeline as it just made the mystery more intense. So very well done.

As well as being a whodunit, LEAVE IT TO CLEAVER was a sweet story of love and family, and fresh beginnings. Beginnings to me that will most certainly enhance what is already a great series.

And don’t close the book before you check out the vintage recipe from Jaymie’s kitchen, and read the excerpt of MUFFIN TO FEAR from Victoria Hamilton’s Merry Muffin Mystery series!

Delightfully entertaining, well-written, and an interesting and exciting plot. What more could you ask for in a mystery? It literally keeps you guessing right to the end.

For me, this is Jaymie’s ‘coming of age’ story. As I was reading through the book, I kept feeling as if the author was saying goodbye and was tying up loose ends. I even wondered if this might be the last book in the series. However, I think that feeling of goodbye is more a goodbye to the youth and immaturity present in the previous books. I can’t wait to see where our more mature and settled Jaymie takes us. (Yes, there will be more books – I asked.)

Jaymie Layton doesn’t have a regular nine-to-five job. She has many jobs and businesses and even manages to fit volunteer work into her busy schedule. She also seems to manage to fit murder investigations into her schedule as well. That is a good thing because it seems she just keeps finding dead bodies.

Living in the same town (and house) where she was born and grew up is perfect for Jaymie who is an introvert and has trouble being the center of attention. She has no desire to live anywhere else. She also has a diverse set of very good friends and a much wider set of close acquaintances, which makes investigating murders much easier.

Those same good friends are also handling the planning for her upcoming marriage to Jakob. Jamie is so in love with him and his little daughter and can hardly believe her good fortune. She’s had a number of love interests in the past, but none of them were right for her – some were actual jerks. Jakob is a definite keeper.

There are so many things going on in Jaymie’s life that she hardly knows whether she’s coming or going. So, when she and her sister, Becca, discover human remains in a trunk in the basement of an old house they are cleaning out, she is absolutely determined she will not become involved. However, as she learns the identity of the deceased and that it was a high school friend of her sister Becca, she becomes more and more curious. Then, the police chief asks her to see what she can find out about it because she is good friends with many of the people who went to high school with the girl.

Then, there is a second body discovered in the river and the remains are identified as a girl who also disappeared on the same day as the first girl. Undoubtedly their disappearances and deaths are related – but – they weren’t friends and didn’t know each other -- or did they?

The investigation takes Jaymie back in time to the 1980’s to learn more about her sister’s high school days. The investigation, reading the diaries of many of those involved, and talking to the friends about those times brings Jaymie and Becca even closer. The investigation takes many twists and turns and you’ll be guessing right up to the end.

One of my favorite parts was the wedding. You could just feel the love in the room and I also felt as if I were in attendance. I loved that the little dog was the ring bearer!

I did wish there was more of Jakob in the book and that he was involved in the investigation – at least a little. While the love between he and Jaymie was plain to see, it almost seemed like they were each doing their separate things and never the twain shall meet. Maybe in future books, he’ll be more involved because then they will be living in the same house.

Another thing I thought was odd and unworkable, especially with a young child, was their intention to live part of the year in Jaymie’s house and part of the year in Jakob’s house. I know they both love their homes and neither wants to give theirs up, but the switching all the time would seem to be unworkable to me.

"I requested and received this book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher."

was very pleased to be asked to read and review Victoria Hamilton's Leave it To Cleaver, a Vintage Kitchen Mystery that is out later this month by Beyond The Page Publishing. This is the first book in the series I have read. Even though Victoria Hamilton is one of my most favorite cozy mystery authors this series I had not read. This one has so much emotion in it. I did not realize what a great sister cozy this would be. The drama and the reflection of the past tied with the present day made for a very full and all encompassing read. I love the cover and the cozy feeling you get at the end of this book. Spoiler Alert! It is a bitter sweet but happy ending as cozies go!

I love this story where the past and present collided in the staging of this well-executed story. The mystery was tightly woven keeping me immersed in all that was happening from the discoveries of the bodies, to the recollection of the past and to the present where a killer lurks in plain sight. I like how this was set up with a slew of suspects and clues that had to be deciphered the more Jaymie dug deeper into the evidence that would eventually lead to the killer’s identity. The author had a way with the narrative bridging the gap between the decades and putting me in the middle of both time periods which felt rather comfortable not losing any steps in this storyline. Boasting a great cast of characters, engaging dialogue with a small-town atmosphere, this is the best book in this fabulous series and I can’t wait to see where we go next with Jaymie and her friends.

Wow just wow. I loved this book ,more actually then all the rest and here's why. Mrs. Hamilton has masterfully and carefully grown her protagonist Jamie in the most beautiful way that I applaud her . This character lacked self confidence in herself, not her cooking or writing but in herself yet she endured and you see that in this book and in her interactions with the secondary characters. The story was written in the past and present and it flowed beautiful throughout the pages. Mrs. Hamilton gave us insight into the series secondary characters and we saw how that young adolescents shaped them into the adults that Jamie knows and loves. The mystery itself was fascinating it's mystery within itself bodies found years later, murders happening years ago and connected in was no one saw or could have imagined. The family that Jamie had built with Jacob and Jocie and the trust they have with each other showed in the school incident, I loved how she handled that encounter it eased her mind going into this already made family that she loves and that loves her back. The best part was being able too see, well read about Becca her sister and how she dealt with having a baby sister in her young adult life it explains the relationship they have and the one she has with her mother. So here is my overall review. This was a masterfully written story ,with well developed characters and a mystery the was woven together like a beautiful quilt that is meant too last a lifetime while bring joy too others.

Leave it to Cleaver is the long awaited and anticipated book in Victoria Hamilton's Vintage Kitchen series. I really liked the cover art. It was attractive and eye catching. Cozy cover art was one of the first things that attracted me to the genre over fourteen years ago.
Leave it to Cleaver has Jaymie on the case of double murders while she's in the midst of double nuptials. I liked the switching back and forth from modern day to 1984. I totally related with much of the music, Tv shows, and sayings from the eighties.
The story flowed well and the pieces of the mystery began to come together as the events occurred. The ending was very satisfactory and revealed a peripheral view of perhaps the next story line in this delightful series. Readers will have to impatiently wait for the next installment.
Thanks to the author and NetGalley for the advance copy.

Part of the Vintage Kitchen, this book continues with Jaymie Leighton's gift for uncovering needed information in the guise of simple conversation. When Jaymie and her sister Becca uncover a corpse with a cleaver stuck in it's scalp while clearing out a deceased neighbor's house, Jaymie might just leave it for the police.
But when she finds out it's one of Becca's childhood friends and another girl classmate pops up within days...she just can't.
Police Chief Ledbetter would love to see the cases cleared before his upcoming retirement and asks for her help....off the record. Asking questions brings much to light as well as additional suspects.
Jaymie just wants it solved before her quickly upcoming wedding. Some people are not happy about her dogged pursuit of answers and that puts her right in the crosshairs of the murderer.
I requested and was thrilled to receive an advance copy to peruse. It absolutely lives up to what I expected. Grab it for an engrossing read.