Spoon to be Dead: A Dessert Cozy Mystery (Shake Shop Mystery, 3)

I was very impressed with all of the intricate details in the murder mystery plot and the humor that was part of most of the character’s personalities. I loved Trinidad and how she talked to herself and her pet Noodles in order to come to conclusions about what was really happening. This book was an engaging and fun read with a moderately fast pace, just fast enough to keep the story going but not so fast that I would miss important clues. There were plenty of red herrings and a few twists along the way to the end. My most favorite parts were the descriptions of the ice cream concoctions that Trinidad and her papa came up with and the puns that were sprinkled throughout the book. The characters were relatable and lovable and the mystery is a fun one to read and relax as I enjoyed the antics of the characters and the flavor of a small town with quirky characters.DisclaimerI own a copy of this book and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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.

Dana Mentink serves up a feel-good, taste-good seasonal cozy in Spoon to be Dead, the conclusion to her Shake Shop Mysteries. I especially enjoyed this one. Maybe it was the characters. Maybe it was the laughter. Maybe it was the chocolate, both hot and cold.Mentink brings plenty of real -life problems to this otherwise cozy world. I liked how the characters, that seemed a little far-fetched to me in the first book, really shone with personality, growth, and a few flaws. It was very interesting to get a closer look at Chief Bigley. The sisterhood is threatened by a secret. And Upper Sprocket gets at least two visitors it could do without.If you love animals or children, this novel should catch your attention. I loved the interactions between Noodles and Scooter. Who wouldn’t love sweet little Felice with her pink fascinators?! And the teenage twins are a hoot in this one, too!I’m pretty sure that the peppermint ice cream, gingerbread ice cream, and chocolate surprises that Trinidad whips up caused me to gain twenty pounds. Mentink describes the delectable desserts so well, I felt like I was right there, tasting them! Fortunately, several of the recipes are simplified and included in the back for us to try!Twists and turns lead to an unexpected ending, which seems plausible. Yay! Time for an ice cream celebration, at least in the book!I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit via NetGalley. I also bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

Dana Mentink's "Spoon to be Dead" is a great addition to her Shake Shop series.This story involves murder, humor, who dun it, and ice cream, all in one scoop. Like any sundae, there is a 🍒 bonus to top it off at the end.

I’ve really enjoyed the first two books in this series, and was excited to return to Upper Sprocket, Oregon to see Trinidad Jones, the Shimmy and Shake Shop, and the quirky crew that makes up her social circle of friends and family. It’s even more of a fun setting because the strange chain of events that brought her to Upper Sprocket led to her making friends with the other two ex-wives of her former husband, and developing a sisterly bond with them. Found family is done so wonderfully in this series.First and foremost, I was heartbroken to discover that this is the last book in the series. It’s become one of my favorite cozy series to seek out, so naturally I’m going to miss the characters, the quirky town, and the stories that have entertained me each year. However, I did notice some changes in this story, compared to the first two, while other things that made this series stand out stayed the same.For the first time, we get to see what the small, unique town of Upper Sprocket is like during the winter. Trinidad is freaking out about how she’s going to keep the shop afloat through the cold months, and it leads to some creative solutions on the part of Trina and the people around her—her sisters, employees, Papa Luis, and some unexpected sources as well. But just in case she didn’t have enough stress on her plate, Bonnie (one of her ‘sisters’) seems to be keeping a secret, and their ex, Gabe, shows up in town talking about being charged with a murder. Trinidad promises herself that she’ll stay out of it, but she winds up getting pulled into being an unwilling amateur investigator once again.Gabe’s presence and Trinidad’s assistance to him causes some friction in her relationship with Quinn, and Bonnie’s secret leads to some distance between she and both Trinidad and Juliette. And Juliette is a whole other story—she’s smart, beautiful, and independent, but I think that she really deserved better in this book than throwing herself at the first handsome guy who shows up in town, and basically becoming arm candy. I was disappointed in how the characters seem to move backwards in their character arcs during the story, although they do end up growing from their experiences.The mystery in the story actually winds up encompassing more than one mini-mystery, and it kept me engaged from early on right up until the end. Mentink does a fantastic job of building a great mystery with plenty of suspects with strong motivation, and multiple red herrings. I thought I had the murderer nailed more than once, and by my third guess, I got it right. But knowing that I knew who the murderer was didn’t detract from how much I enjoyed this story.
Overall, this was a great story. I really loved how it all panned out, even though things wrapped up a bit too neatly at the end—not in respect to the murder, but with respect to the people involved in the story. My favorite character in the story was definitely Noodles, the aging service dog that flunked out of training, yet somehow manages to do the perfect thing when its needed. He always plays such a big role in the books since he spends most of his time with Trinidad, rather than just being a side note in the story, and he even gets a feathered (*somewhat feathered) new friend to love. It was the most wholesome thing in the world. And while I’m super sad there won’t be any more Shake Shop Mysteries (or shake shop recipes either), I am curious to see what else Mentink has in store for her readers.

I loved this book. Once I started reading I could not put it down. The story line kept my attention and was interesting. I loved all the characters especially Trinidad and her papa. If you like mysteries you will love this book, it kept me guessing the entire time. I also liked that recipes for the desserts in the book were included at the end.I received a complimentary copy of this book with no obligation to post a positive review.

Mentink’s twisty turning plot and vast array of … unusual characters … sorry say goodbye. As usual, there were surprises right to the end of the epilogue. Bravo!