I enjoy the small-town setting and the quirky characters in this one. Trinidad seems to have found her perfect niche in the world and has surrounded herself with wonderful friends. The mystery was well written but seemed to drag in the middle for me, with more details about the town and her friends than the mystery. I figured out the killer early on, which is a problem for me because I don’t really pay attention to details and just read; the solution was one I had seen many times before and seemed obvious, which is why this book got 3 stars instead of 4.

A Sprinkle in Time is the second Shake Shop storefront cozy mystery by Dana Mentink. Released 24th May 2022 by Poisoned Pen Press, it's 360 pages and is available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

I love cozy mysteries, whatever form they take, library, bookmobile, shopfront small town amateur sleuths, professors turned investigators, I'm not picky. Animals are a plus. This one ticks a lot of boxes. The setup is small tourist town shopfront ice cream shop with a once-burned-twice-shy female protagonist in the early stages of a slow-moving romantic relationship with a local man. A much hated local businessman (shades of Snidely Whiplash) turns up dead and Trinidad Jones is determined to see justice done.

Despite being the second book in the series, the plot works perfectly well as a standalone and introduction to the ensemble cast of fun and eccentric characters. There are a number of appealing facets. The author is adept at plotting and the dialogue never felt overly clunky or precious. The story moved along at a good pace and despite the longer-than-average page count for a shopfront cozy, it never dragged or felt overwritten. I like that the main character is intelligent, driven, honest, and kind. She's also a small business owner and apparently a woman of color (but the author doesn't overemphasize the fact).

The language is squeaky clean, nary a damn to be seen. There is no NSFW content and the denouement and resolution are well crafted and satisfying. The author has even included a couple of recipes in the back of the book which look intriguing.

Four stars. Definitely one for the fans of small-town shopfront cozies.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

A great cozy mystery, methinks, filled with murder and jammed with milkshakes such as the Autumn Apple Avalanche shake which sounds scrumptious!. A Sprinkle in Time features thirty-six-year-old Trinidad Jones who runs her Shimmy and Shake Shop. Her Cuban grandad, Papa Luis has set himself up as a taxi service but finding a dead body in the boot of his Buick Chevy alongside the blueberries is a huge shock for him.

Well written and extremely alluring, I thought I had the murderer figured out but doubt kept setting in causing me to guess again. I was surprised by the murderer's identity in the end. I'm looking forward to meeting up with Trinidad and her Labrador dog, Noodles, in the tiny town of Upper Sprocket, Oregon again soon.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

This was a really great mystery! From the unusual circumstances surrounding the finding of the body, to a cold case element (love a cold case!), and a fantastic ending, I loved this one. Super enjoyable read for me.

I received this book from NetGalley and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own.

Once Again, This is the Second Book In A Series And I Did Not Read The First (which I found to be perfectly fine).

Setting: Ice cream shop in the town of “Upper Sprocket” in Oregon
Main character: Owner of ice cream shop, Trinidad Jones, divorcee, perhaps full of trauma
Love interest: A nut farmer????
Bonus: Recipes in the back!
Copaganda: Refreshingly minimal. Cops are involved in PERSONAL DRAMA (chief of police is older sister of Trinidad’s ex) which is ???, so we are Anti Her.
Murder: BODY! in the TRUNK!
Mystery: Twists! Turns! I found the mystery perfectly serviceable.
Rating: Four stars.

Thank you #Netgalley & Poisoned Pen Press for the kindle ARC version of this book.

A current murder that may be connected to a 30 year old missing person case. A boyfriend keeping secrets. Yodeling & ice cream. Definitely a cozy mystery worth the read. Wonderful story telling. Very character heavy. But Not an overwhelming amount of characters to follow. Lots of interactions & history with each other whether a local or a "sister ex-wife". I found this to be a good standalone read even though it's the 2nd book in the series. I do not feel compelled to read the 1st book but I am looking forward to (hopefully) more books in the series. Very entertaining and engaging.

A Sprinkle in Time

By: Dana Mentink

Poisoned Pen Press

Publish Date 24 May 2022

General Fiction (adult)/mystery & Thrillers

100 Book ReviewsProfessional Reader

I would like to first thank both NetGalley and Poison Pen Press for allowing me to read and review this book.

Good Reads Synopsis:

It’s Alpenfest in Upper Sprocket! Yodelers are congregating in the square, tourists flocking to the town, and Trinidad Jones is scooping up some fall flavors at her Shimmy and Shake Shop.

The cherry on the sundae is her upcoming feature in The Scoop magazine. She’s determined to serve up the perfect interview, but it won’t be easy, thanks in part to her meddling Cuban grandfather Papa Luis who has decided to make Sprocket his home for the foreseeable future. Papa Luis has set himself up as a taxi driver in his classic 1951 Buick.

But things take a turn when Papa Luis tells her he’s found a corpse in his trunk. Upon closer investigation, they realize the body has disappeared. With the assistance of Juliette and Bonnie (her sisterhood of exes) and the way too handsome nut farmer Quinn Logan, Trinidad must solve the mystery of the disappearing corpse, before her father is up to his neck in a murderous mess.

Book Review:

I really enjoyed this cozy mystery. I gave it 4 stars. It is the second book in the Shake Shop Mysteries. You don’t really need to read the first book to get to know the characters in the story.

This is about the owner of the fairly new ice cream shop. She just moved to the small town after her divorce and the imprisonment of her ex-husband. Her ex left her this little shop and she is determined to make a go at it. With the weather turning cold she is afraid that her business will be small, and she won’t survive the winter.

During the last festival of the season, she is trying out new recipes and handing out coupons to help get returning customers. During this time a murder happens to a town member whom no one really likes. He always got what he wanted by any means possible.

The body was found in her grandpa’s car trunk. When they went and reported it to the police the body the gone. Where did the body go? Who killed the man? You will have to read the book to find out.

During the search for the body and the murderer you learn more about the characters in the book. This helped me out a lot since I didn’t read the first book.

I love the small-town setting and the characters in the story. I love how they stand by each other and the love they show their little town.

The plus is the recipes in the back of the book.

I enjoyed reading this cozy mystery filled with murder and milkshakes. I found the book to be engaging and well written. Just when I thought I had the murderer figured out, the story would twist and I would doubt my guess. To me, that is what makes a good mystery…the surprise of who the murderer turns out to be.

I was given a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher for my honest opinion and review. All words are my own.

Trinidad Jones finally feels like she’s settling into life in the small East Oregon town of Upper Sprocket, especially now that the ice cream shop that is her pride and joy has been rebuilt and is back in business. It helps that she has the close friendship and support of her ex-husband’s two other ex-wives, the seemingly imperturbable Bonnie and the more go-getting Juliette, both of whom also live in Upper Sprocket. An even bigger support is her grandfather, affectionately called Papa by almost everyone who knows him, whose long-term plans are as yet unknown but who seems perfectly happy to spend months on end with his granddaughter, to the chagrin of Trinidad’s mom back in Florida.

With the onset of Alpenfest, a festival spread throughout Eastern Oregon over the course of two weeks, the townsfolk of Upper Sprocket are busy pitching in to help each other rake in as many tourist dollars as they can. Besides serving the seasonal concoctions she’s dreamed up for her Shimmy and Shake Shop, Trinidad is also busy helping out at Bonnie’s recently finished bed-and-breakfast, with Papa’s occasional assistance. It’s after one such trip that Papa goes to unload the trunk of his classic Chevy Bel Air, only to discover a corpse stashed inside.

After Trinidad ascertains that the person wrapped up in a rug is, indeed, dead, she and Papa call the cops and head into her home for shelter from the now-pouring autumn rain. But when the police arrive, the corpse has mysteriously disappeared. With no leads to go on, Trinidad is happy to chalk up the whole bizarre episode to being no longer her business… until what is presumably the same body floats to the surface of a local lake some days later. Could this strange reappearance have something to do with another disappearance from decades earlier? And what do these unsolved mysteries have to do with Quinn Logan, the handsome nut farmer Trinidad has recently begun spending time with, who seems to know a lot more than he’s letting on about both victims?

Given Trinidad’s past with her cheating, embezzling ex-husband, it’s easy to see how untrusting she can be of romantic partners. Even so, I felt it was a little much of her to be demanding that the guy she wasn’t even seriously dating yet have zero secrets from her. The lack of trust trope is my least favorite when it comes to manufacturing drama. I did find her sisterhood with her ex-husband’s other ex-wives to be really refreshing though, and wish she could have extended some of that grace to Quinn, too. That said, I also appreciated her interactions with Quinn’s special needs younger brother, as well as with Bonnie’s adorable daughter, in the course of solving this challenging mystery.

There were two recipes included here, and while the ice cream recipe sounded simple enough that even I might be able to manage it, I opted to make the other featured dish:

QUOTE
Trinidad’s Browned Butter Apple Bar Recipe

1 ½ cups butter
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 eggs
¼ teaspoon vanilla
3 medium apples (Pink Ladies or Gala work well), peeled, cored, and diced

Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat until light brown, then pour into a large bowl and let it cool for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9- x 13-in baking dish.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl.

In the other bowl, with the cooled melted butter, add the sugars, eggs, and vanilla and beat until smooth.

Beat in the flour mixture until well-combined. Fold in apples and spread onto the baking dish.

Bake for 45 minutes or until cooked through.
END QUOTE

I have a hard time resisting any dish with browned butter, even though the process of browning butter always takes much longer than I think it will. Even after cooking it down, pouring it into another bowl and letting it stand away from my stove for thirty minutes, the browned butter hadn’t cooled down sufficiently, in my opinion, to not cook the eggs when added. I ended up placing the bowl in the fridge for ten minutes to get the contents closer to room temperature.

The rest of the work putting the recipe together proceeded smoothly, and the end result was absolutely worth the extended amount of prep! The browned butter really adds a luscious caramel flavor to the dish, that only seems to deepen with time. Not that this dish lasted for very long in my household! It also impressed at a potluck outdoor reception I was part of, so I heartily recommend this for anyone looking to make something a little more luxe for company without having to worry about frosting.

Next week, we travel to the East Coast to cook up a savory stew while solving the slaying of a statue-seller. Do join me!

Now you see it, now you don't. Papa Luis has set himself up as a taxi service but finding an unidentified body in the trunk of his pristine 1951 Chevy Bel Air alongside the blueberries comes as a shock. A really big shock when it vanishes before the police can confirm his story. Trinidad has been looking forward to her new business, Shimmy and Shake Shop being featured in The Scoop magazine. The disappearing corpse may well put a damper on that. Time to gather the ex wives and solve the puzzle. As usual, the one hitch is their ex husbands' sister who blames them for her baby brother (THE EX) being behind bars. She just happens to be the Chief of police. Life is complicated in Upper Sprocket, OR.
Not only is this a clever mystery set in a very nice small town but the ex-wives are great. Add the hunky Quinn, the nut farmer, her dog Noodles and her grandfather, Papa Luis and I'd like to stay awhile. I'm sure that I would become one of Trinidad's best customers for her super sized luscious shakes.
My thanks to the publisher Poisoned Pen Press and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

A Sprinkle In Time is the second book in the Shake Shop Mystery series, the first book is, Pint of No Return which I have read and loved as well as this one.
We are once again returning to Upper Sprocket this time for the Alpenfest. Tourist are flocking there but ice cream isn't the only thing being served up when the new fall flavors are introduced. Would you like a side of murder with that?
Trinidad Jones has it all planned out she'll serve up the perfect interview for her feature in Scoop magazine. She's not counting on her pesky grandfather Papa Luis deciding Sprocket is his new home away from home and he's going to show off his classic 1951 Buck and even worse become a taxi driver.
Could it possibly get any worse? Yes, there is a body discovered in the trunk that then disappears when the investigating starts.
There were twists and turns and a whole host of characters that had one reason or another to suspect they may have done it. I was kept engrossed as I tried to figure out who did it.
I am really enjoying this series and can't wait to see what the author scoops up next.

Pub Date 24 May 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Trinidad Jones is spending her first fall in her new home, Upper Sprocket, Oregon. Her Shimmy and Shake ice cream shop is back up and running after the unpleasantness that happened over the summer (when a killer tried to destroy the shop), and she’s ready to churn some ice cream and sell some of her monster milkshakes, which she calls Freakshakes.

She is worried about finances, running an ice cream shop over the winter in such a cold environment, but with Alpenfest going on, Trinidad is hoping to make some extra money and to add some new customers who want to eat ice cream all winter long. The tourists who are in town for the Alpenfest activities, like the yodeling contest and the concert, are excited to try out Trinidad’s sweet treats. But will it be enough?

After the unpleasantness, Trinidad’s grandfather had come to stay with her for a while, to help out. Papa Luis had just showed up one day in his signature 1951 Chevy Bel Air, and he’d been staying with Trinidad and her rescue dog Noodles ever since. Papa Luis used his car as a business, transporting people and items for the people of Upper Sprocket. But when he goes to get Trinidad’s blueberries from his trunk, he finds that someone else stashed something in the trunk that he hadn’t known he was transporting.

Papa Luis went in the house to get Trinidad, to show her what’s in the trunk, and even though it’s dark out and raining, she can’t mistake that she sees a hand sticking out from the rug she’d never seen before. They go inside to call for help, and when Chief Cynthia Bigley shows up and pops open the trunk, she finds an even bigger surprise than the body Trinidad and Papa Luis had found. The chief finds . . . nothing. There is no body in the trunk.

The next day, the police impound the car and they do find evidence that someone had been in the trunk. But who would stash a body in Papa Luis’s trunk, then take it back out? And why? And maybe more importantly, who was it?

The police do find the body, when it floats to the surface of a nearby lake, so they figure out that the victim was Forge Emberly. He ran a local excursion business, taking tourists on a 3-hour train trip through the beautiful landscapes of eastern Oregon. He was wanting to set up a second run, but he was having trouble getting access to the land he needed. Or he had been, before Quinn had decided to sell some of his land to him.

Trinidad was shocked to learn that Quinn had sold to Forge. She knew that Quinn was not a fan of Forge and his business, but more than that, he was not a fan of anyone wanting to cut down trees. Trinidad had been spending a lot of time with Quinn and his younger brother David. She thought they’d been forging a relationships. But now, she finds herself questioning how well she knows Quinn.

Add to that the teenage twins who work at the Shimmy and Shake Shop have dug up a story about a local woman who had disappeared 30 years before. They get the idea that Forge’s death is connected somehow to what happened back then, but does that really seem likely? Or is it more likely that he was killed by someone who didn’t want him to destroy their forests to create another excursion?

Since Trinidad helped find the killer earlier in the year, she thinks she may be able to figure out who killed Forge. But she also has to figure out how to keep her shop open during the winter, and to decide what kind of relationship she wants with Quinn. Will she be able to find the answers she needs, or will she come up as empty as Papa Luis’s trunk?

A Sprinkle in Time is the second in Dana Mentink’s Shake Shop Mystery series, and it’s just as delicious as the first one. Trinidad and her family and friends are full of personality, and her magnificent shake creations sound absolutely delicious. Stock your freezer before you read this, as you’ll be wanting ice cream the whole time (or better yet, go out and support your local artisan ice cream shop).

I really enjoyed A Sprinkle in Time. I love these characters, and Mentink’s writing is lovely. Setting the murder against Alpenfest made for a lot of fun and interesting situations, like the alphorn concert. I did find the murder mystery a little easy to solve, but I still had a great time reading it. These books are lots of fun, and in the Venn diagram where cozy mystery fans overlap with ice cream fans, this is the sweet spot.

Egalleys for A Sprinkle in Time were provided by Poisoned Pen Press through NetGalley, with many thanks.

A Sprinkle InTime: A Dessert Cozy Mystery is the second book in the A Shake Shop Mystery series by Dana Menthink.

People and yodelers from all over are heading to Upper Sprocket for an Alpenfest gathering. Trinidad Jones has learned that her therapy drop-out dog Noodles seems to enjoy yodeling, as he frequently joins in with yodeling of his own.

Trinidad goes with her grandfather, Papa Luis’ 1951 Chevy Bel Air, to get a case of blueberries that her friend Bonnie has sent from her diner. But in addition to the blueberries, they find a body wrapped in a rug with only a hand exposed. They return to Trinidad’s house to call the police. About a half-hour later, Chief Cynthia Bigley arrives, and when the trunk is opened, the rug and body are gone. The body will be found in a nearby stream the next day and is identified as Forge Emberly. Forge had had a heated argument with Mayor Hardwick a couple of days ago about expanding his business, Forge Railriders.

With the help of Trinidad’s new friends, Bonnie and Juliette, who are also ex-wives of Trinidad’s ex-husband, set off to learn who the murderer might be. They soon find there is no shortage of suspects. Also, a thirty-year-old cold case of a teenage girl who had gone missing is skillfully written into the story.

The book is well-written and plotted and reads at a nice pace. The book’s characters are well-developed, believable, and enjoyable. I particularly enjoy Diego and Carlos, Trinidad’s teenage employees. There were plenty of twists and turns that I kept guessing until the book.

Delicious sounding recipes are also included in the book.

I will be watching for the next book in this series.

Sprinkle in Time by Dana Mentink met all of my cozy mystery expectations.
The tiny Oregon town of Upper Sprocket is hosting Alpenfest and Trinidad Jones is busy whipping up her mouthwatering milkshakes for the event when a body interrupts the festivities.
In this second book of The Shake Shop Mystery series we are once again treated to complex character relationships intermingled with a charming location and an intriguing mystery.

Noodles the dog continues to steal every scene, but he has some heavy competition from five year old Felice, teenage twins Carlos and Diego, and last but not least the feisty Papa Luis!
I appreciate a cozy mystery that features a cast of characters that are all different ages. It always adds an extra element of fun to see young and old characters interacting. And it naturally brings so much extra humor to a story! This author definitely knows how to bring both the drama and the fun.

I requested a copy of the ARC to review from NetGalley after reading the first in the series Pint of No Return. I wanted to read more about these characters, and it gives me the chance to talk about this fun cozy mystery series. My sincere thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the advance copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Oh, the mind of Dana Mentink. She not only creates a town with a wide variety of characters, but she stirs up chaos and crime there too. The town of Upper Sprocket, Oregon is hosting tourists and vociferous yodelers during the Alpenfest celebrations. Trinidad Jones is hoping business will be picking up at her specialty Shake Shop. There's another murder in town and the body smack dab in her Papa Luis' classic car trunk - until it disappears.
This story is intense in a different way from Dana's well-known Love Inspired books. She has characters joining Trinidad who are here to stay, unless, you know, they get murdered. Trinidad is a tough lady. She has had challenges and she knows how to meet them. She has some mighty quirky neighbors and a very different kind of family, from her Cuban grandfather to the dear ladies who also happen to be ex-wives of the lousy man she was married to.
This was a most enjoyable book. I missed the first one and can tell you that this works as a stand- alone story. It has some intense moments and twists that made me wonder if I was guessing correctly as to who the murderer was. Will you be able to figure it out?
And, she just happens to have a couple recipes at the end of the book.
I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for my advanced reader's copy of the book. It is good for anyone who likes a solid cozy mystery and a challenge to figure things out. I will look forward to the third book in the series. This is my own unsolicited opinion about the book.

This was a fun fall festival until a body was dumped in Papa's car. Trinidad went into full-on sleuth mode without trying to be too conspicuous about it. I loved that her new unlikely friends or sisters as she calls them are none other than her ex's other exes. But that's better than feeling like scratching out their eyes, right? Trini even loves Bonnie's sweet little daughter Felice aka Fee like she's her own niece.

Quinn had a side mystery going on but eventually came clean on it with Trinidad having not even told his brother Doug this particular secret. I like that they're growing closer and realizing they shouldn't have secrets from each other.

The showdown was peaceful yet a nail biter if that makes sense since it was kinda planned. With another successful case solved, everyone gathered at the end for explanations, food and fellowship. Finally Trinidad felt at home!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley, an my opinions are my own.

*A Sprinkle in Time* is book two of the series. I could not read the first one, but the author did a good job making you understand what had happened in the first. Quick, mystery-filled, and entertaining with lovable characters. Recommend this to anyone interested in cozy mysteries. Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read an arc in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

My rating: 3.5/5

Book two in Dana Mentink’s Shake Shop Mystery series is the perfect summer vacation companion. Although A Sprinkle in Time actually takes place in the fall, the ice cream theme might just make the reader feel a bit cooler during the sweltering season.

I personally have not run across a book by this author that I did not enjoy. Her sense of humor shines in this series. Who would not expect a town by the name of Upper Sprocket, a dog called Noodles and a heroine who goes by the name Trinidad Jones to be fun reading? Throw in a murder or two and you have the makings of a great cozy mystery.

I thoroughly enjoyed this tale featuring Trinidad, the other two exes of her former husband, as well as a number of perfectly imperfect characters from Upper Sprocket. The quickly moving plot included a number of twists and surprises along the way. Every time I thought I knew the identity of the murderer, I was soon convinced it was someone else.

If you enjoy cozy mysteries, especially those that contain quirky characters and a large dose of humor, Mentink’s Shake Shop Mystery series is for you. Although A Sprinkle in Time is the second book, it can easily stand on its own merits. But why miss out on a good thing. Be sure and pick up a copy of Pint of No Return for good measure.

Life can be hard. Enter cozies like A Sprinkle in Time by Dana Mentink. Clean, with a sweet romance, whose amateur sleuth runs a delectable shake shop. A dog, a child, precocious twins who work for the shake shop, and lovable Papa Luis. Plus, of course, plenty of suspects. “Murder, mayhem, and milkshakes. Who’d a thunk it?”

Trinidad Jones becomes someone I truly care about in this book. I am amazed at how she and Gabe’s two other former wives forgive each other and actually become friends. Not just friends, but family, as thick as blood. Now there is a small cluster of characters to follow and enjoy in this town of Upper Sprocket. Fun!

I enjoy the inclusion of dogs, children, and special-needs people, and Dana Mentink brings them all to our Shimmy and Shake Shop story. Noodles is old, but what a loyal companion, and, wow, does he have an amazing ability or two! Little Felice adds warmth and vulnerability to the tale. Doug, the special-needs brother of Trinity’s love interest, Quinn, adds reality and complexity to the novel.

Mentink has a good sense of humor and I laughed out loud several times. Just what I want out of a cozy. Mystery, romance, great characters, laughter. A fun occupation that the sleuth actually works at. I am happy to report I made it through the book without indulging in ice cream! But, can you?

I am looking forward to more murder and mayhem in Upper Sprocket! Plus more Freakshakes!

—————————————————————————
I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit and NetGalley. (I also bought my own copy.) No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
————————————————————————-
Notable Quotables:
“He was merely a friend the way a Ming vase was just an old pot.”

“There’s your plan and God’s plan, and your plan…” “Doesn’t count,”

“Maybe it’s one of those weird small-town happenings.” “A body in your trunk isn’t a happening, it’s a horror movie,”

“It wasn’t an easy thing to command the heart to feel what the brain ordered.”

“Rumors carry so much more weight than the truth, sometimes.”

This is a good addition to this fun series: I thoroughly enjoyed it as it's an entertaining and compelling story.
I was happy to catch up with the characters and the solid mystery kept me guessing.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine