Let me start with that I am sad I will not be reading about Noodles (the dog) anymore. This is the last book of the series (only 3 books) and I want to thank net galley for introducing me to the Dana Mentink and to Trinidad and her "sisters". For those that have read the first two books, this does offer closure for the series and it is definitely cozy.

I found the story to be suspenseful and surprising. Letting us meet the ex-husband, the reason they all know each other, was perfect for this final chapter. As much as we want to not like the guy that broke all the hearts, we come to learn how the 3 women fell for the "hooligan" who is definitely not good at being bad. I highly recommend the series.

I had not read the previous books, but I enjoyed this one. The characters worked well together, and the mystery kept me guessing.

I'm sad to see this series come to an end, but glad it wrapped nicely in this final volume. I loved seeing Trinidad grow as a character and enjoyed getting to know all the side-characters in her life. I was close to knowing some of the secrets in this one, but I was just off enough that I liked the not knowing parts. Good ending to a fun mystery series.

After reading Pint of No Return and A Sprinkle in Time from the Shake Shop Mystery series by Dana Mentink, I was eagerly awaiting the third installment, Spoon to be Dead. Oh my goodness, this one is by far my favorite of the series. I found this one a fun and delightful little mystery that gave me a few giggles. I loved every single page of it and had no issue reading the whole book in one sitting.

I am giving Spoon to be Dead five stars. I highly recommend it for readers and lovers of clean cozy mysteries. I am hoping there will be more books to come from the Shake Shop Mystery series to see what other adventures happen to the characters.

I received a paperback copy of Dana Mentink’s Spoon to be Dead from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.

I am very surprised this is the last book in the series I missed the second book. Will go back and read it. It was a very enjoyable read. Trinidad and her dog Noodles is her service dog is amazing together. How on the pages the book comes to life, and you get a feel for this caring dog it's amazing. Will miss these characters? It is a cozy mystery. Thank You Net galley.

Spoon to be Dead was just as cute as the first two books in the series. I love Trinidad and the cast of characters that surround her in each story. Her family and friends are loving and helpful in solving the murders she really doesn't want to get involved with. Plus, all the ice cream!! I'm hoping there are more books to come in this series!

This was a fantastic cozy mystery. I liked the plot and the characters were a lot of fun. Very much recommend this book.

I love the Shake Shack mysteries by Dana Metink! This is the third book in the series and I’d recommend reading them in order as that will make the most sense.

This story is funny and had me laughing out loud at times. Noodles, the support animal who failed his training, cracks me up. The story is about Trinidad Jones and her Shake Shop, the Shimmy and Shake. Trinidad has not yet been in business a year and is worried about how her business will do selling ice cream in the winter. She has the opportunity to do some catering for special events, which seems to be an answered prayer. But then, Trinidad is pulled into a murder investigation by her ex-husband Gabe who is the primary suspect.

I highly recommend this series because it is fun to read.

A great addition to the shake Shop Mystery Series .

The characters are likable and the plot had me guessing until the very end .

Beware you may want to hand a pint of ice cream on hand when reading this novel .

I just reviewed Spoon to be Dead by Dana Mentink. #NetGalley

Okay, so this one really had me guessing. There’s definitely no shortage of suspects and possible motives and I really wasn’t sure how everything was going to play out. This has been a fun and enjoyable cozy series for me and I’m sorry to see it end. Fun reads!

I received this book for free for an honest unbiased review from Netgalley.

I wish more books were this well written. Characters were witty and the setting fantastic.

Spoon to be Dead is the 3rd book in The Shake Shop Mystery series by Dana Mentink, BUT it can be read as a stand-alone. I have not read the others in this series and had no issues following along with this book. (Now I plan to read the others!) 🍦

Trinidad and her two “sisters” may not share blood, but they DO share an ex-husband. The three women seem extremely close and I loved seeing how their relationship worked throughout this book. They each had fairly different personalities and it was easy to keep track of who was who! This book had plenty of unexpected twists and turns to keep me guessing.

I recommend this book to anyone who loves a cozy mystery—Mentink’s writing is phenomenal! In addition, I don’t recall anything that would make this book inappropriate for a young adult, it was pretty tame! 🤗

Thank you so much for a copy of this ARC to review!!

I enjoyed this next installment in the Shake Shop Mysteries. There were a lot of things that happened that I really didn't expect at all, which made it a lot of fun. Looking forward to the next one!

Huge fan of the series (and all the creations Trinidad comes up with) and hate to see it end. I love the characters, especially Trinidad’s grandfather, Papa Luis. The setting itself is also idyllic and the shake shop just adds to the mystique of the town. The mystery is well-paced and kept me guessing until the end. There were none of my pet peeves – love triangles, TSTL moments, MC who doesn’t go to work - an all-around good read. This is perfect for a rainy day or any time you can read uninterrupted; you won’t want to put it down.

I think these are such fun! They certainly will have you drooling over the sweet treats for sure and certain.
I loved guessing in who done it. So many suspects and lots of twists and turns to keep you turning the pages.
Trinidad is a delightful sleuth and I'm glad she's back with another mystery! Yay!
I finished this book in an hour and loved every minute of it.
The parrot and the service dog was an added treat too. I loved them both.
I highly recommend these delightful mysteries! They're such fun.
My favorite part was the setting. I love the idea of having a party on a steamboat!
Poor Gabe. His entrance in this fun novel was definitely interesting.
5 stars for keeping me entertained and turning the pages.
Mentik is certainly a gifted storyteller.
I.want more of these please. I hated tonsay goodbye to Trinidad it's always a pleasure to come back to her world once more and I hope to return.
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

If you’re new to the series, it does take a while to get used to the unique relationships that our main character, Trinidad, and her friends have. Three ex-wives – Trinidad, Juliette, and Bonnie – who have formed a “sisterhood” and are as close as family, not to mention their real families and friends. For that reason, it makes it a lot easier to read this series in order, rather as standalones.

I felt that this book zoomed along at a fairly quick pace. The death happens quite quickly and almost immediately EVERYONE is pulled into the mystery because there is a lot at stake. There are a lot of people to keep track of, both old and new characters, so you do have to pay attention to the details when reading this one.

I felt that the mystery angle was really well done because, while at first it seemed a fairly straightforward case, there were a lot of red herrings and suspects to keep the mystery going without being too confusing. Honestly, this one really didn’t turn out the way that I thought it would!

Gabe (Trinidad, Juliette, and Bonnie’s ex-husband) is back in town and his return stirs up A LOT of feelings – both good and bad (mostly bad). He has obviously hurt a lot of people and there is a lot of mistrust from all sides. Trinidad is really feeling torn because while the evidence points to Gabe being a killer, and even though she knows she can’t trust him, deep down she doesn’t really believe that he could be a murderer. It makes for an interesting balance of doing what’s right for Trinidad.

I felt that there was A LOT of character development in this story – so many of the characters found new relationships, both platonic and romantic. I did feel that it was a bit odd that so much happened over the course of this book, but then a reader’s note from the author at the end of the book sounded like this was the final book in the series, so that may be why so many loose ends were tied up neatly. If this is the end, I’m sad to see the series go, but it has been a real sweet ride while it lasted.

*** Thank you to the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press, for providing me with an e-copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

SPOON TO BE DEAD is the third book in the Shake Shop Mysteries by Dana Mentink. I’m saddened to think that this will be the last book to be written in this delightful series (given the author’s note at the back of the book), but if it is, then she’s ended it with a bang! From the very beginning, a topsy-turvy twist sets the scene for a page-turning cozy mystery that kept me glued to the story until I’d read the last word. The characters, protagonist Trinidad Jones, owner of the Shimmy and Shake Shop, her grandfather, Papa Luis, and her best friends and former husband’s two ex-wives, Juliette and Bonnie, all come together to make the book memorable. But the two characters who really steal each scene they appear in are Noodles, her flunked-out-of-service-training dog, and Scooter, a neurotic parrot. Their interaction and unlikely friendship provide heartwarming moments. Ms. Mentink’s attention to detail brings the characters and small Oregon town setting to life. With some humor thrown in… just how do you convince customers to buy ice cream shakes during freezing cold winter? And with the appearance of the three women’s ex-husband who’s accused of murder, the plot takes off at a rapid pace.

Ex-husband Gabe seems to have killed someone with his car, then fled the scene on foot, only to show up at the Shimmy and Shake Shop. Except, he doesn’t remember hitting the person and doesn’t recall the time leading up to the accident. He begs Trinidad to help him. She doesn’t really want to, but it’s the season of holiday cheer, and he’s hiding something which doesn’t help her trust issues. With the help of the ex-wives, they come together to hunt down clues and suspects. The clues are well-plotted and plenty of suspects were uncovered once they delved into the victim’s life. I guessed wrong, several times, but at the final reveal, it all came together. I appreciated how the author answered all the questions I had and provided a warm and happy feeling by the conclusion!

An entertaining and compelling mystery that kept me guessing and having fun.
Well plotted, solid mystery and likeable characters
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Dollycas's Thoughts

Shimmy and Shake Shop owner Trinidad Jones is worried about how much business she will have going into her first Oregon winter. In an effort to be sure her dream is a year-round business, she has branched into catering. Her first event is on a steamboat for a famous person, new in town.

Then, her, Bonnie's, and Juliette's ex, Gabe Bigley, "serial cheater, felon, liar, and embezzler" crashes through the shop door, informs them he is out on parole and that he is "ninety-eight percent or so" sure that he just killed someone. It doesn't take long for clues to start to stack up against him but none of his ex-wives believe he is guilty. They just need to get the scoop on the situation and shake out some alternate suspects before Gabe is sent back to the big house to cool his heels.

_____

Ms. Mentink has created such wonderful characters. Trinidad is a fun protagonist and her friendship with the other wives of her ex is unique and amazingly strong. They have really formed a sisterhood to support one another in any way they can. Only one of them is not surprised that their ex has shown up in Upper Sprocket. Trinidad's Papa Luis lives with her and she has a wonderful dog named Noodles. She and Quinn continue to grow closer. His brother Doug, has some emotional and social issues but is very comfortable with everyone in their group, especially with Bonnie's daughter Felice. I loved that Noodles made a new and unusual friend for a dog. The interactions were just so sweet.

There are several mysteries in this story all delightfully tangled together. There are twists, turns, secrets, multiple suspects, an old flame, and another body, all with the holiday events in the background. With all the action the story has a brisk pace. Had I not needed to sleep I would have read the entire thing in one sitting. The ending served up several surprises including the reveal of the killer. I followed all the author's tricks of misdirection and discounted the guilty party much earlier. The showdown was scary. My heart rate definitely increased as Trinidad fought for her life.

Trinidad and Papa Luis came up with some special treats for the party on the steamboat. Shortcut Hot Cocoa Ice Cream, Hot Cocoa Bombs, and Lactose-Free Gingerbread Ice Cream. All the recipes are included in the book. The Hot Cocoa Bombs would be hard to make at home so the recipe in the book is adjusted to make it less work and fun for kids to make too. I hope to try them with my grandchildren over the holidays.

There was one thing I didn't like about this book. We find out at the end as all the loose ends get tied up that this is the final book in the series. The author leaves all the characters in a good place which I am thankful for, I just wasn't ready to say goodbye to Trinidad, Bonnie, and Juliette.

Spoon to be Dead is another excellent story from Dana Mentink. All 3 books in this series were Perfect Escapes for me. Wonderful characters, twisty mysteries, and ice cream including “freak shakes” and Hot Cocoa bombs make them all must-read cozy mysteries!

This was definitely the adventure to end all since it did officially end this series of three books. There’s a really nice note from the author at the end of the book. Even if it wasn’t the last, I believe it’d still be my favorite. Secrets came out, but new friends were made as were apologies and new chances were given to those who might be needing them.

The showdown was really something and if you love dogs and how they can be heroes, you’ll have happy leaky eyeballs for a little bit while reading about sweet Noodles and his heroic act—and the cuddles he got afterward too. I really enjoyed this series a lot and while it’s bittersweet for it to end, it ended in the best possible way with some characters making amends where they were needed as well as some characters enjoying their happily ever after.

I voluntarily read and reviewed and ARC of this book provided by Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.