A Hoosier to die for?

When vintage cookware and cookbook collector Jaymie Leighton spies an original 1920s Hoosier brand kitchen cabinet at an estate auction, it’s love at first sight. Despite the protests of her sister that the 19th-century yellow-brick house they share in Michigan is already too cluttered with Jaymie’s “junk,” she successfully outbids the other buyers and triumphantly takes home her Hoosier.

But that night on the summer porch where they’ve left the Hoosier to be cleaned up, a man is murdered, struck on the head with  the steel meat grinder that is part of the cabinet. Who is this stranger—and what was he doing on their porch? Does his death have anything to do with the Hoosier?

As the police struggle to determine the man’s identity, Jaymie can’t help doing a little digging on her own, accompanied by her three-legged Yorkie Poo, Hopalong. But in her bid to uncover the truth about the hidden secrets of the Hoosier, Jaymie may be the one who ends up going, going…gone.

Series: A Vintage Kitchen Mystery (Book 1)

Review

Jaymie Layton is thrilled to be the highest bidder at a local auction on a vintage kitchen cabinet dating back to the 1920s. Jaymie is so happy about winning the “Hoosier” cabinet, she isn’t about to let her older sister Rebecca’s complaints about an already over-crowded kitchen dampen her excitement. However, it seems there are others visiting their quaint Michigan town that seem to be a little too interested in Jaymie’s treasure. Jaymie is shocked to discover a dead body on the porch where she is temporarily storing the cabinet. The police easily determine it is murder, but nobody knows who the victim is. There are plenty of people in town acting suspiciously, including Jaymie’s attractive new neighbor Daniel Collins.

A Deadly Grind is a fun debut in the new Vintage Kitchen mystery series. I especially like the main character, Jaymie. Jaymie enjoys her peaceful life, working part-time jobs, collecting vintage cookware and cookbooks, and working on a cookbook of her own that she dreams of getting published. Jaymie doesn’t want to trade her life for a stressful, high-profile career for anything and I immediately related to her character. It took a bit longer for me to click with her older sister Becca, but I do grow to like her, too. As the book gets going, Becca proves she isn’t just a bossy older sister, but that will always be there when Jaymie needs her.

There is a slow build to the mystery. Jaymie doesn’t do much investigating until the latter part of the book, but she does find important clues that the handsome police officer, Detective Zachary Christian overlooks. However, it’s frustrating that she shares information with him throughout the story, but then she ends up putting herself in danger by withholding the most important clue of all! There are several suspects for the murder and this keeps the book interesting. Unfortunately, as things go on, it gets a little silly when all of the strangers in town seem to have a motive, but everything is explained at the end.

In addition to the mystery, there is a promise of romance in the future. Jaymie is getting over being dumped by her boyfriend Joel but there are two other men who seem interested in her now that she is a “free woman”. It fits her character and what she went through with Joel that Jaymie is enjoying the male attention, but taking it slow. Jaymie is learning to move on and she takes a big step by reciprocating some of Joel’s new, younger girlfriend’s overtures of friendship. Subsequent books could get even more interesting if Jaymie and Heidi become better friends and if Jaymie starts dating again.

The book isn’t perfect. The ending is a bit drawn out and Jaymie makes some poor choices in how she handles the investigation. However, I like her down-to-earth personality and the way she is the first to come to the aid of her friends, which makes her a well-liked member of the town. In addition, the way she is willing to take time and really listen to people, especially the elderly, gives Jaymie an edge on learning important information related to the case. The book’s setting on the Canadian border is interesting, and I would love to attend the “Tea with the Queen” event celebrating Canada’s Victoria Day that is the focus of the book. Fans of Joanne Fluke or of Virginia Lowell’s Cookie Cutter Shop mysteries will feel right at home in Queenstown.

Reviewed by Christine K.

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