A spoonful of fun and intrigue with Trinidad

I never imagined I’d be opening an ice cream shop in the tiny town of Upper Sprocket, nestled in the “swiss alps of Oregon.” Come to think of it, I never imagined myself opening any kind of shop anywhere. How did I get here? Good question and to be honest, it’s a blur. I went from city girl stenographer, to the resident of a town where folks spend lazy days fishing at Three Egg Lake, the local coffee shop is owned by a retired English butler, and the winter brings an annual Alpenfest complete with yodelers and a sausage fest. Unbelievable? You’re telling me. Then again, I never conceived of being divorced from my hubby Gabe Bigley, learning about his other two ex-wives, or the embezzling scheme which landed him in prison. And living within a stone’s throw of both of Gabe’s ex-wives and forming a “sisterhood of exes” so to speak? Well that is a whole other dollop of madness. But Gabe deeded me an old storefront in Upper Sprocket before he took up residence in the Big House, and I scooped up every bit of courage I possessed and took the plunge. The Shimmy and Shake Shop was born.

So early morning finds me at the Shimmy and Shake, prepping some incredible Freak Shakes. What’s a freakshake you say? Milkshakes festooned with fantastic edible decorations like donuts, slabs of pie, cookies and candy, the bigger the better. Papa Luis, my darling Cuban grandpa who drove his classic Buick all the way from Miami, joins me sometimes, especially since the whole maniacal episode which resulted in my youngest “ex-wife” sister being accused of murder. Oh, and did I mention that the chief of police in this teeny town happens to be Gabe’s big sister? Uh huh. You heard that right.

I have another faithful sidekick who sticks right by my side, a dog I rescued from the pound after he was dumped there in favor of a younger model. His name is Noodles. He was named by the shelter workers after he swiped an unattended noodle bowl lunch. Noodles is a service dog flunkout. He never made the cut, but he has an arsenal of covert skills, like activating the turn signal on my Pinto, opening the door for visitors, and stockpiling pencils to whip out with a flourish when one is required. He will also bring me a jar of pickles from the fridge at random moments, whether or not I’ve asked for them. He’s the best companion a gal could ask for.

I’ve hired a couple of local Sprocketerians, twin high school brothers, Carlos and Diego. Those two were not surprised at all when I found a body, my first few months in town. They have a myriad of conspiracy theories which I thought were completely fanciful. . .until people started dying and my sleuthing turned me into the target of a killer. And the rumors of a treasure spread faster than melting ice cream. At least Sprocket has brought me into close proximity with Quinn Logan, a local hazelnut farmer who is the sole caretaker for his special needs brother. There’s something about Quinn that makes my heart go thunkety thunk, but after my disastrous track record, I’m in no hurry to be anything more than good friends, at least for now.

My newest creation in honor of Independence Day is the Fourth of July Freakshake, featuring a frosted sundae glass with a swirl of strawberry and vanilla ice cream, crowned with a glorious cloud of bruleed marshmallow, and a sparkling ganache to adhere red, white and blue stars around the rim of the glass. The twins agreed with my suggestion to add a chunky brownie star, enhanced by red, white and blue frosting stripes. It’s been a hot seller so far, along with the Chilly Dog, a canine friendly dessert approved by Noodles.

How am I going to keep the Shimmy going with a killer on the loose, rumors of treasure sidelining my teen helpers, my reputation as “one of the exes” preceding me all over town and people going mad for a purported hidden treasure? Time will tell, but one thing is certain. . . it’s going to be a rocky road!

Pint of No Return, A Shake Shop Mystery #1
Genre: Cozy
Release: May 2021
Purchase Link

The first in new dessert cozy mystery series! A murder in town is bound to shake things up. . .

After her divorce from her thrice-married embezzler husband, Trinidad Jones is finally ready for a fresh start. So when she’s left one of ex’s businesses in Upper Sprocket, Oregon, she decides to pack up her dog, cash in her settlement, and open her dream business: the Shimmy and Shake Shop, introducing the world to her monster milkshakes. And even with a couple sticky situations underway, namely that the other two ex-wives also call Sprocket home, Trinidad’s life seems to be churning along smoothly.

That is, until she discovers her neighbor, the Popcorn King, head down in his giant popcorn kettle. When one of Trinidad’s fellow ex-wives is accused of the murder and Upper Sprocket descends into mayhem, it’s going to take a supersized scoop of courage to flush out the killer.

Meet the Author
Dana Mentink is a two-time American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Award winner, a Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Award and the recipient of a Holt Medallion. She is a Publisher’s Weekly, Amazon and national bestselling author of over forty titles in the suspense and lighthearted romance genres, as well as assorted mystery titles. She is pleased to write for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense, Harvest House, and Poisoned Pen Press. A California native, she enjoys family time with Papa Bear, two adult bear cubs affectionately nicknamed Yogi and Boo Boo, Junie, the nutty terrier, and a chubby box turtle. You can connect with Dana via her website at danamentink.com, on Facebook, YouTube (Author Dana Mentink), and Instagram (@dana_mentink.)

All comments are welcomed.