Thank you to Netgalley, Dana Mentink and Poisoned Pen Press/Sourcebooks for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I had the pleasure of reading the first book last year in the Shake Shop Mysteries series, so I was super excited when I was approved for this book. Overall, I enjoyed the story. The characters that I really liked from A Pint of No Return were back, and we were introduced to some new characters. I also loved returning to Upper Sprocket. However, this book fell a little flatter than the first in the plot department. The first half of the book was a bit slow- I found myself having a hard time sticking with the story. Once it picked up though, it was great! I also found this one to be pretty predictable- I knew about halfway through whodunit, so it was more of finding out how Trinidad connected the dots to get there. It made for a less exciting read, unfortunately.

With that being said, I feel like this is overall an enjoyable second addition to a cozy mystery series. Especially with the summer season coming up, this would make a perfect beach read

I enjoyed this second trip to Upper Sprocket, Oregon for a visit with Trinidad as she continues getting her Shimmy and Shake Shop up and running. I think it would be fun to try out some of her ice cream creations. She is loving her new town with her Papa Luis and her pup, Noodles. It is great to see how she and the other exes are developing a close sister type friendship. She is happy that she and Quinn are seeing quite a bit of each other. Things are looking up if she can find a way to stay afloat during the winter.
It is Alpenfest time with lots of yodelers in town for the festivities, including good eats, dancing, and much more. But then a body is found in the trunk of Papa Luis' prized Chevy Bel Air. Then it disappeared! This is a good mystery to unravel and find answers to his murder, but it also might be connected to a cold case from thirty years ago. Lots of suspects to consider. This is a series that is filled with quirky and interesting characters that you expect to find in a small town all set in a lovely setting. This is a great cozy mystery series, and I am looking forward to what might happen in the next book.
I received a complimentary ARC from Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine only

This is the second book in the Shake Shop mystery series and my first. Even though I haven't read the first book, yet. I was able to understand who was who and understand their back stories. I enjoyed figuring out who the killer was and was surprised at the end. I'm excited to see what happens next.

Trinidad owns the Shimmy and Shake shop. She's so excited because she is about to be interviewed for Scoop magazine. If only she could distract her nosy interfering grandpa and keep him from ruining it. It seems as if he has done it anyway because he told her there is a body in his trunk. The characters are quirky and I enjoy that. It keeps things interesting. The plot twists were dynamite and it was fun to try to guess who did it before the chapters do. It was definitely entertaining.

I really enjoyed A Sprinkle in Time by Dana Mentink! And just like the first book in the Shake Shop Mysteries, Pint of No Return, Mentink really shines with her characters. I love that she has a diverse group. Twin teens who help her run the ice cream shop, her spunky grandfather who makes friends with everyone, her nut farming boyfriend, and his brother who is on the spectrum, and Noodles, the main character’s retired service dog, make for a fabulous cast of characters… along with the main character, Trinidad, of course.

Besides her fantastic characters that feel like friends, her descriptions of the town and the amazing ice cream creations called Freakshakes, are a joy to read about. Combine that with a mystery that has lots of red herrings and an interesting twist towards the end, and A Sprinkle in Time is sure to be another hit with the cozy mystery crowd.

Trinidad moved all the way from Florida to Upper Sprocket, Oregon along with her grandfather Luis and her dog Noodles. She's opened an ice cream shop and made friends with the ex-es of her ex- Bonnie and Juliette. She's worried enough about selling ice cream when Luis announces that there's a body in his trunk! But it's gone! The Chief of Police, Cynthia Quigley, is her ex-sister in law and she believes Trinidad, especially when the body turns up in a pond. Small towns hide lots of issues between their residents and that's what happened here in this classic cozy. I liked the alliance between the women. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. I missed the first book so I know I missed some nuance but it was still a good read.

I really liked the first book in the series and was thankful to receive the second. I liked it OK but not quite as much as the first book.

It is fall and Alpenfest has landed in the tiny town of Upper Sprocket, OR. Trinidad Jones has gotten her ice cream shop back on track after a deranged killer tried to kill her business. She is delighted with the influx of tourists but worrying about how she is going to stay afloat during the winter months. When a cantankerous man who wants to take down trees winds up dead and Trindad's love interest is the #1 person of interest, she tries to find out more.

Unfortunately for this book, the whodunit was fairly obvious for me far before the book ended. I just missed the intrigue I got with the first one. I enjoyed the descriptions of the Shimmy and it's offerings as well as the latest Freakshake creations. While Trindad has a niggling sensation she is missing something throughout the mystery, again the obviousness of what it was if the reader pays attention kind of ruined the suspense. I liked the book but as I said, it was not as good as the first. I would definitely read another in the series though.

Tourists are coming to Upper Sprocket to take in Alpenfest, an annual fall tradition. While Noodles (the dog) tries to harmonize with the yodelers, Trinidad is preparing for an interview that will feature her new shop in The Scoop magazine, and Papa Luis has apparently decided to stay in Oregon, where he's set up shop as a taxi driver in his classic Buick. When Papa Luis finds a body in the trunk of his prized car, they call the police. But when the police show up, the body is gone. Trinidad and her friends must figure out what's going on before Papa Luis is carted off to jail.

I took a chance on the first book in this series last year, when its cover caught my eye while browsing through NetGalley's shelves, and I'm glad I did -- and glad I read this follow-up book as well. The author describes the setting so well it's easy to paint a visual picture while reading. I like Trinidad and (most of) the other recurring characters, but I'll admit that my favorites are Noodles (the golden retriever who flunked out of therapy dog training) and Papa Luis. It's been fun watching the characters settle into their roles in this series, and watching the various relationships grow and change as the books progress.

The mystery in this book was good, with quite a few potential suspects to keep the reader guessing. The actual guilty party was the person at the top of my list for a change, but I couldn't quite figure out the motive. I look forward to reading the next book in this series.

A sprinkle in Time
by Dana Mentink
3 stars

After having a hard time Trinidad has reopened her shimmy and shake shop, time to serve up some fall flavors and start to get festive. Trinidad's time to have a little fun and have a good festive time falls short when her papa tells her he saw a corpse in his trunk. Trinidad slowly pieces together the clues while trying to hang with the hunky nut farmer.

This read wasn't so much for me a didn't feel any connection and didn't want to finish but I did. This book just wasn't for me I couldn't get into it as I do with most of my reads. If you like cozy mystery and ice cream give this read a try.

Thank you, Net Galley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC for an honest review.

Rounded to 4.5 stars.

Ever since reading Pint of No Return, I fell in love with this series. And this is one of those rare series where I actually enjoyed the second book more than the first. Maybe it’s because I’m already attached to the characters and the setting, but there’s just something about this adorable, fluffy series that I can’t resist.

I want to start out by saying that I was absolutely ravenous while reading this book. I get that it’s about the owner of an ice cream parlor, and thought I was prepared, but let me tell you … I was not prepared. There are so many amazing-sounding foods throughout the book, not just the ice cream. Since it takes place during Alpenfest, I was drooling over way more than just ice cream. The best part of this series is that at the end, the author includes awesome recipes—including one for homemade ice cream that doesn’t involve any specialized equipment.

Although Trinidad moved to the quaint little town of Upper Sprocket after an ugly divorce nursing a broken heart and shattered trust, she’s built up quite a little group of friends and found family in this quirky place. In this book, she’s developed a closer relationship with Bonnie and Juliette, her ex-husband’s other ex-wives, and they each view each other as sisters. I loved seeing her blossom and set down roots across the country from Miami, where she’s from. One of the exes has a child, and she calls them all “auntie,” which I found incredibly sweet.

The other characters are all so endearing … well, most of them, at least. Trinidad’s energetic and friendly grandfather, Papa Luis, has made Upper Sprocket his home for now as well, and his character is the perfect kind of grandfather: warm, outgoing, supportive, and sweet. Quinn has a bit more depth added to his character in this book, and I loved the connection between Quinn and Doug, his brother with autism. One of my favorite aspects was how the little group has all worked to meet Doug’s needs without making it into a big thing. And my favorite character in the series would have to be Noodles, Trinidad’s aging dog who flunked out of service dog training. Some of the behaviors have stuck, and he’s incredibly sensitive and helpful to the entire cast of characters, especially Doug. He’s a fun addition to the crew, and has great personality of his own.

As for the plot, I loved it. I kept trying to figure out who was behind the murder, and while I was close to working it out, I didn’t quite get it fully until the big reveal. In addition, the story has a few other subplots simmering in the background—a mystery in the town’s history, financial concerns, and questions about what is really going on between Trinidad and Quinn. I was quickly pulled into the story and couldn’t stop reading, finishing most of this book in a day. I’m ready for the next book in the series, even though this one hasn’t even been released yet. But if you’re looking for a fun, engaging, and intriguing book, this is the series for you!

The second book in the Shake Shop Mysteries-a new murder in town has Trinidad Jones thrown for a scoop!

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.

This book does not disappoint! Through the whole story I was completely aware of who I thought was the killer with each turn the story took me to different levels of mystery and I was shocked with each new turn. Trinidad is one smart milkshake but she also keeps the killer on there toes. The disappearance of the corpse takes a whole new twist in this story and here I thought I was brilliant all that credit goes to Trinidad the way she solves the mystery still has me in shock. I can truly not wait for book three.

A SPRINKLE IN TIME, the second book in the Shake Shop Mysteries, by Dana Mentink, is another fantastic read in an entertaining series! With characters who practically beg to become your friend, the story kept me captivated from the very first. The author has created quirky characters and developed unique relationships between them, which gives the cozy mystery book a fresh twist. Trinidad Jones, newly moved to Upper Sprocket, Oregon thanks to a cheating ex-husband, has finally gotten her ice cream shop, Shimmy and Shake Shop, up and running. I adore that her Cuban grandfather, Papa Luis has left Miami and moved in with her for the foreseeable future. He’s become a bit of a sidekick along with her elderly failed service-dog rescue, Noodles. The pair add moments of humor to lighten the story. The author’s descriptive voice lends to the overall enjoyment and I couldn’t help but chuckle over her description of Noodles trying to take part in the Yodel fest event.

When Papa Luis discovers a body in the trunk of his beloved 1951 Buick, it disappears before the police arrive. Ms. Mentink sets up several sub-mysteries within the mystery as Trinidad tries to determine if the body was even dead, and the identity of the body, and who might have put the body in the trunk in the first place. As she tries to investigate—something she is loath to do—her two friends, Bonnie and Juliette, who also happen to be ex-wives of her ex-husband, help. I adore the development of the friendship between the three women and am glad to see the reader gets to know more about them. As the identity of the body becomes known, it becomes apparent that many people had reasons to hate him. And with a thirty-year-old cold case involving a missing local young woman thrown in, the twists just keep coming. Ms. Mentink does an admirable job keeping the book on pace and the subplot threads straight without it becoming confusing. As all was revealed, it all came together in a satisfying, cohesive story.

With the backdrop of the setting featuring the Shimmy and Shake Shop, Trinidad’s massive Freakshake creations lends plenty of opportunities to make the reader crave ice cream desserts. The multitude of yummy descriptions had me drooling. The author has included a couple recipes at the back of the book

I really enjoyed reading the book even though I didn't read the first book very nice cozy at times Trinidad Jones is a very good character and she tries hard even though her exes are nearby she is going on with life and appreciating everything around her and hopes to make her Ice cream shop work now that summer is over. Looking forward to seeing if there will be the next book. and will read the first book. I didn't know what rail riders were, but I slowly figured it out by googling what it is. A great and exciting read. Thank You

Thank you to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this book.

This is the 2nd book in the Shake Shop series. It took me awhile to get into this book, but Trinidad and the other characters drew me in. They are the reason that I didn't give up on the book. I wouldn't say it was an easy read, but I was able to breeze though this book and still enjoy it.

Thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read and review this title. The second book in the Shake Shop series does not disappoint.

Trinidad is settling into life in Upper Sprocket, connecting with the residents and getting into the rhythm of running the shop. All is going well, until she and Papa Luis discover a body in his trunk. Who is it? Where did the body go? How deep does the mystery go?

The relationships between characters develops a lot. The mystery is intriguing, though I kind of figured it out partway through the book. The ride to get there was enjoyable. I like these characters and will definitely keep coming back to Upper Sprocket.

I gave A Sprinkle in Time by Dana Mentink 5 stars.

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. 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.

This is the second book in the Shake Shop Mystery series. This book was better than the first one and I liked that Trinidad Jones had made friends and now was part of Upper Sprocket.

I actually figured out the mystery pretty early into the book but that didn't make me lose interest. There was always something going on with Trinidad's Shake Shop, Quinn's secret or a mysterious journalist to name a few things. I could not put the book down!

I gave both this book and the first one 5 stars, so I can now say that this series will be an automatic buy for me in the future as well.

This book comes out May 24.

Thank you Net Galley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4629446229

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cc5vZDEruyC/

I received an advance copy via NetGalley.

<i>A Sprinkle in Time</i> is the second book in the Shake Shop Mystery series; I didn't read the first, but had no difficulty getting into the groove of this mystery set in a fictional eastern Washington small-town with a quirky cast of characters. Trinidad Jones runs a new shake shop, and is ready for a busy week as Upper Sprocket's fall Alpenfest kicks off. Then things take a nasty turn--a body is found in the trunk of her father's car. Then the body vanishes. Then clues emerge that hint (without subtlety) that this crime may be connected to a woman who vanished decades ago. With her father a suspect and her kinda-almost-boyfriend keeping some secrets related to the incidents, Trinidad can't help but start snooping.

This book is a cute, breezy read. I enjoyed the characters and the charming setting of eastern Washington. The mystery, however, relied on a LOT of convenient reveals that took away from the agency of the characters, and one of the major red herrings in the book resolved with an unsatisfying explanation. I would still give other books in the series a chance, though, as there is a lot to enjoy here.

This is the first book I've read from Dana Mentink and I started this series with this book which is the second in the series. I love Cozy Mysteries and if they come with recipes, all the better. I like Cozy Mysteries because they are just that - cozy. I don't really expect unexpected twists and turns and usually about halfway through, I'd figured out who the culprit was. This did not disappoint. The characters were likable (even the culprit). It took awhile to completely draw me in but then it sped up and I enjoyed the ride.

The trope of amateur sleuthing is pretty popular in my opinion as I've read similar books before. I felt the character were pretty okay, but with more emphasis on the plot itself, they didn't really stand out to me. More like a modification of something I read earlier.

A Sprinkle in Time by Dana Mentink is the second book in her Shake Shop cozy mystery series. Trinidad Jones is the owner of the Shimmy and Shake Shop in the small town of Upper Sprocket. Somehow she has once again become involved in a murder investigation. After all a body was dumped in the trunk of her Papa Luis' classic 1951 Buick. But then it disappeared before the police arrived to investigate. Thankfully Papa wasn't considered a suspect.

I like the characters in this series. They appear to be regular people, maybe like your neighbors. But they sure find themselves involved in all kinds of trouble with murders and disappearances. I especially like the complexity of the storyline. It kept me turning the pages until the end. And I love Trinidad's dog Noodles. I can't wait for the next book in the series.