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Vintage Kitchen Mystery #1
A Deadly Grind
Listening Length: 9 hours and 33 minutes
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.
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.
288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 1, 2012
144 people are currently reading
2617 people want to read
About the author
Victoria Hamilton
45 books1,041 followersVictoria Hamilton is the bestselling author of several mystery series including the national bestselling Vintage Kitchen Mysteries and Merry Muffin Mysteries. She does, indeed, collect vintage kitchenware and bake muffins. She drinks tea and coffee on writing days, and wine other times. It doesn’t do to confuse days. A solitary being, she can be coaxed out of her writing cave for brownies and cat videos.
She started her writing life as Donna Lea Simpson, bestselling author of Regency Romances, paranormal historicals and historical mysteries, and still has a soft spot for the Regency period.
In fact her latest writing adventure is the new Regency-set historical mystery series - to be published by Midnight Ink - beginning in February 2019 with A Gentlewoman's Guide to Murder, featuring Miss Emmeline St. Germaine, a young lady who dares to defy society. She will fight for her right to live her own life, despite the dangers that presents. She has a dagger, and she's not afraid to use it.
If you Google ‘Victoria Hamilton’, you will find listed first a famous actress who starred as the Queen Mother in the Crown and as Charlotte Brontë in ‘In Search of the Brontës’. That’s not the Victoria who writes mysteries.
No, really, it’s not!
You can find her buried in a good book, (entombed in a good tome?) or online at:
Website: http://www.VictoriaHamiltonMysteries.com (Sign up for her annoyingly infrequent newsletter for all the latest!)
On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorVictor...
On Twitter: https://twitter.com/MysteryVictoria
She started her writing life as Donna Lea Simpson, bestselling author of Regency Romances, paranormal historicals and historical mysteries, and still has a soft spot for the Regency period.
In fact her latest writing adventure is the new Regency-set historical mystery series - to be published by Midnight Ink - beginning in February 2019 with A Gentlewoman's Guide to Murder, featuring Miss Emmeline St. Germaine, a young lady who dares to defy society. She will fight for her right to live her own life, despite the dangers that presents. She has a dagger, and she's not afraid to use it.
If you Google ‘Victoria Hamilton’, you will find listed first a famous actress who starred as the Queen Mother in the Crown and as Charlotte Brontë in ‘In Search of the Brontës’. That’s not the Victoria who writes mysteries.
No, really, it’s not!
You can find her buried in a good book, (entombed in a good tome?) or online at:
Website: http://www.VictoriaHamiltonMysteries.com (Sign up for her annoyingly infrequent newsletter for all the latest!)
On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorVictor...
On Twitter: https://twitter.com/MysteryVictoria
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 399 reviews
July 14, 2017
I hadn't been reading in a while and needed a new series. I was enjoying other cooking type cozy series and decided to give this one a chance. Decent first start, I'll check out the rest. I love kitchen / cooking stories... and antiques... so this kinda fit in. Characters weren't as memorable as I would like them to be tho. Fun part was hearing about all of the vintage tools and devices the main characters uses or sees on her antique trips. The actual murder was interesting, as far as how the victim was killed.
About Me
For those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I read A LOT. I write A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on Goodreads, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at https://thisismytruthnow.com, where you'll also find TV & Film reviews, the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge and lots of blogging about places I've visited all over the world. And you can find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Vote in the poll and ratings. Thanks for stopping by. Note: All written content is my original creation and copyrighted to me, but the graphics and images were linked from other sites and belong to them. Many thanks to their original creators.
About Me
For those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I read A LOT. I write A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on Goodreads, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at https://thisismytruthnow.com, where you'll also find TV & Film reviews, the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge and lots of blogging about places I've visited all over the world. And you can find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Vote in the poll and ratings. Thanks for stopping by. Note: All written content is my original creation and copyrighted to me, but the graphics and images were linked from other sites and belong to them. Many thanks to their original creators.
October 4, 2016
I feel dumber for having read this. I'm ashamed of myself.
Full review to follow.
Original review preserved by popular demand. Onward.
Have you ever read a book that was written almost entirely in question form? Did it make you wish you could grind something of great importance of the author’s in a meat grinder? If you could, what would that be? Did this book also make you hate certain words that you only felt ‘meh’ about before?
I now despise the words ‘button’ and ‘hoosier’, these are added to the ever dreaded ‘tidy’.
Jaymie (that spelling should have been a red flag, right there), has a house in Michigan near Detroit on the shore of a river, the other shore being Canada. She has a summer porch, she likes to buy a bunch of Junk/antiques at auctions, she doesn’t work full time because she likes to have time to ponder the good old days when women didn’t have all those pesky rights and married a man to take care of her so that she could prepare old-timey food on old-fashioned appliances, clean and probably pop out a child or seven.
What Jaymie loves to do more than anything else is to ask herself questions. For example; why did Josh just leave me without a hint of warning? Why is there a dead guy on my summer porch? Who is this dead guy on my porch? Why did Josh leave me? Was the meat grinder, that is original to my hoosier, used as the murder weapon? Why is the sky blue? Why did josh just up and leave me like that? What was the dead guy looking for? Was the dead guy looking for a button? Why, Josh, why?
I can tell you why Josh left. You asked one too many questions.
I picked this book up because I had nothing else to read and it took place in an area that was not very far from me. (Confession: I’ve lived a good chunk of my life within a couple hours drive of Michigan and I went into Michigan for the first time about two years ago.), so I thought it might be interesting.
Was the book interesting? Nope.
The author used the word ‘spinster’ twice and old maid once and I wanted to slap her hard every time she did.
Jaymie had a three legged yorkie-poo named Hoppy, who at one point jumped off the lap of (The) Josh, at which point he brushed hair off his lap. Yorkies don’t shed + Poodles don’t shed = Yorkiepoos doubly don’t shed!
Could you do a little research?
I hated this book so, so very much.
Full review to follow.
Original review preserved by popular demand. Onward.
Have you ever read a book that was written almost entirely in question form? Did it make you wish you could grind something of great importance of the author’s in a meat grinder? If you could, what would that be? Did this book also make you hate certain words that you only felt ‘meh’ about before?
I now despise the words ‘button’ and ‘hoosier’, these are added to the ever dreaded ‘tidy’.
Jaymie (that spelling should have been a red flag, right there), has a house in Michigan near Detroit on the shore of a river, the other shore being Canada. She has a summer porch, she likes to buy a bunch of Junk/antiques at auctions, she doesn’t work full time because she likes to have time to ponder the good old days when women didn’t have all those pesky rights and married a man to take care of her so that she could prepare old-timey food on old-fashioned appliances, clean and probably pop out a child or seven.
What Jaymie loves to do more than anything else is to ask herself questions. For example; why did Josh just leave me without a hint of warning? Why is there a dead guy on my summer porch? Who is this dead guy on my porch? Why did Josh leave me? Was the meat grinder, that is original to my hoosier, used as the murder weapon? Why is the sky blue? Why did josh just up and leave me like that? What was the dead guy looking for? Was the dead guy looking for a button? Why, Josh, why?
I can tell you why Josh left. You asked one too many questions.
I picked this book up because I had nothing else to read and it took place in an area that was not very far from me. (Confession: I’ve lived a good chunk of my life within a couple hours drive of Michigan and I went into Michigan for the first time about two years ago.), so I thought it might be interesting.
Was the book interesting? Nope.
The author used the word ‘spinster’ twice and old maid once and I wanted to slap her hard every time she did.
Jaymie had a three legged yorkie-poo named Hoppy, who at one point jumped off the lap of (The) Josh, at which point he brushed hair off his lap. Yorkies don’t shed + Poodles don’t shed = Yorkiepoos doubly don’t shed!
Could you do a little research?
I hated this book so, so very much.
July 28, 2015
Cozies are really hit or miss. I thought this would be a fun read because of the vintage kitchen/cookbook theme and whatnot but it turned out to be mostly annoying and full of all the stereotypical cozy things that when too obvious make your eyes roll, such as middle aged woman with pets, an ex-boyfriend who broke up with her for no reason, etc.
There were too many descriptions and getting off topic on random things, and the main character seemed like a real idiot. She had evidence that might help find the killer (of a man who was killed on her porch) but kept it in her house for two days despite the fact that someone had also broken in looking for the evidence. And then she's all, hey I should take this to the police, but you know, I really need to do some gardening first. She also spend way too much time thinking and hypothesizing about who was the killer and how they might have done it, when it's like, hello, just give the evidence or information to the police and let the professionals handle it!
By the time I got to the end of the book I didn't even care who the killer was. Also, I hope I never have to read the words "summer porch" and "Hoosier cabinet" again.
There were too many descriptions and getting off topic on random things, and the main character seemed like a real idiot. She had evidence that might help find the killer (of a man who was killed on her porch) but kept it in her house for two days despite the fact that someone had also broken in looking for the evidence. And then she's all, hey I should take this to the police, but you know, I really need to do some gardening first. She also spend way too much time thinking and hypothesizing about who was the killer and how they might have done it, when it's like, hello, just give the evidence or information to the police and let the professionals handle it!
By the time I got to the end of the book I didn't even care who the killer was. Also, I hope I never have to read the words "summer porch" and "Hoosier cabinet" again.
December 6, 2015
If I ever read the words "summer porch" or "Hoosier" again, I will stab myself in the eye. After the first explanation of what a "summer porch" is, the author could have just used the word "porch". Calling it a summer porch several times per page makes it sound much fancier than it is. The "Hoosier" can be referred to as a cupboard, as well. Additionally, explaining what a Hoosier is every time a new character is introduced is boring and repetitive. We get it. It's a cool, old cupboard and you know a lot about vintage kitchen stuff. WE GET IT.
Speaking of repetitive, I got so tired of hearing about that stupid Queen Victoria tea, as it was mentioned just about every other page. Was this a mystery or a town history?
The author also falls victim to a TMI blunder that most authors do when proud of their home state. The author goes on and on about the Michigan/Canada border, with ferry schedules and details Nobody Cares About. Seriously. Nobody cares that taking the Blue Water bridge (and, really, you don't need to explain what the Blue Water is - people can figure it out) versus the ferry is faster this time of day, and why, and how, etc. Just stop. I live in Michigan, and this author made me sick and tired of my own state. We get that Michigan and Canada border each other. Please stop and focus on the plot.
Too many characters. Waaaaaay too many characters.
The run-on sentences, coupled with too many characters, made me want to sell my kingdom for an editor.
I just barely finished this. It took me three days, whereas normally I can finish a book this size in just a few hours. The only reason I finished it was because I wanted to know who the killer was, and by the time I got to the end, I really didn't care.
Also, can we talk about how stupid Jaymie is? You find something in your yard after your dog won't leave it alone, and you don't tell the cops. Then you find Really Huge Evidence and Motive and you don't tell the cops; instead you KEEP IT IN YOUR HOUSE. Oh my god, woman. Seriously. Someone was killed for this, and you keep it in your house and then act surprised when someone breaks in?!? At that point, I almost threw the book across the room.
Cozy mysteries are all about the main character being a real sleuth and solving the mystery, not being a blithering idiot. I'm so disappointed in this book. I was hoping to read the entire series, but I can't take another one of these.
Speaking of repetitive, I got so tired of hearing about that stupid Queen Victoria tea, as it was mentioned just about every other page. Was this a mystery or a town history?
The author also falls victim to a TMI blunder that most authors do when proud of their home state. The author goes on and on about the Michigan/Canada border, with ferry schedules and details Nobody Cares About. Seriously. Nobody cares that taking the Blue Water bridge (and, really, you don't need to explain what the Blue Water is - people can figure it out) versus the ferry is faster this time of day, and why, and how, etc. Just stop. I live in Michigan, and this author made me sick and tired of my own state. We get that Michigan and Canada border each other. Please stop and focus on the plot.
Too many characters. Waaaaaay too many characters.
The run-on sentences, coupled with too many characters, made me want to sell my kingdom for an editor.
I just barely finished this. It took me three days, whereas normally I can finish a book this size in just a few hours. The only reason I finished it was because I wanted to know who the killer was, and by the time I got to the end, I really didn't care.
Also, can we talk about how stupid Jaymie is? You find something in your yard after your dog won't leave it alone, and you don't tell the cops. Then you find Really Huge Evidence and Motive and you don't tell the cops; instead you KEEP IT IN YOUR HOUSE. Oh my god, woman. Seriously. Someone was killed for this, and you keep it in your house and then act surprised when someone breaks in?!? At that point, I almost threw the book across the room.
Cozy mysteries are all about the main character being a real sleuth and solving the mystery, not being a blithering idiot. I'm so disappointed in this book. I was hoping to read the entire series, but I can't take another one of these.
June 23, 2012
I know that cozy mysteries are designed to revolve around the people and the community with the dead body being a secondary image. In my person opinion, I think that Victoria Hamilton has gone too far with the description of the town and their festivities, has too many characters to keep straight and a heroine, if you can call her that, which is neither memorable nor unique.
My first turn off on the book is the cover, the dog’s head is completely out of proportion to the body and when you read the story, you find out that the dog has a missing front leg due to an accident when still a puppy. Yet, the cover shows both front paws. Was this an error by a newbie writer? I do not think so since Victoria Hamilton is a pseudonym for Donna Lea Simpson, a romance writer that is now branching into the cozy market.
Ok, maybe I am being overly fussy, so let us move onto the plot.
Jaymie Leighton loves vintage kitchenware and when an original Hoosier comes up for auction, she is there. Midway through the bidding, a fist-a-cuffs breaks out between to competing bidders and Jaymie walks away with her dream purchase.
As the cabinet sets out on her summer porch overnight, a crash-bang-kapowee is heard and Jaymie stumbles onto the dead body of an intruder. Come to find out, the Hoosier is holding a very important secret and now Jaymie must protect life and home to return this treasure to its rightful owner.
There are so many characters in this book that from time to time it is difficult to keep them straight. Jaymie is a dimwit that does not put “clues” together that leaves the reader scratching their head. Two characters even have the same last name, though not related and Ms Hamilton waited until the book was two-thirds of the way through the book to unravel that coincidence.
This book was not for me due to the overly descriptive surroundings and the long drawn out conclusion to a very simple mystery.
My first turn off on the book is the cover, the dog’s head is completely out of proportion to the body and when you read the story, you find out that the dog has a missing front leg due to an accident when still a puppy. Yet, the cover shows both front paws. Was this an error by a newbie writer? I do not think so since Victoria Hamilton is a pseudonym for Donna Lea Simpson, a romance writer that is now branching into the cozy market.
Ok, maybe I am being overly fussy, so let us move onto the plot.
Jaymie Leighton loves vintage kitchenware and when an original Hoosier comes up for auction, she is there. Midway through the bidding, a fist-a-cuffs breaks out between to competing bidders and Jaymie walks away with her dream purchase.
As the cabinet sets out on her summer porch overnight, a crash-bang-kapowee is heard and Jaymie stumbles onto the dead body of an intruder. Come to find out, the Hoosier is holding a very important secret and now Jaymie must protect life and home to return this treasure to its rightful owner.
There are so many characters in this book that from time to time it is difficult to keep them straight. Jaymie is a dimwit that does not put “clues” together that leaves the reader scratching their head. Two characters even have the same last name, though not related and Ms Hamilton waited until the book was two-thirds of the way through the book to unravel that coincidence.
This book was not for me due to the overly descriptive surroundings and the long drawn out conclusion to a very simple mystery.
June 11, 2012
I am more than half-way through the book and I get so irritated by the procrastination. if one wants the murder on their backporch solved, you just don't procrastinate when you find evidence. this draws me out of the story and causes me to nearly put the book aside and begin a new read. I am going to muddle through this though. Procrastination does not make for a good heroine. The cause and effect of "it" might move the story along but it is the sign of a "grasping" author. If the author is able to write, get published, procrastination is not an acceptable issue.
Despite the idiocy of Jayime the book was fairly good even though the ending was absurb and confusing. But I am not sure about reading the book in the series.
Despite the idiocy of Jayime the book was fairly good even though the ending was absurb and confusing. But I am not sure about reading the book in the series.
September 14, 2017
This book was just OK for me...
For me the draw to a cozy mystery is usually the fantastic characters... The characters in this book weren't bad, they were just unmemorable.. there just needed to be some more quirk in this quirky town.... The most interesting character for me in this book was the Hoosier; gave me a new appreciation for the cabinets in my kitchen... not sure about another book in the series, maybe?
For me the draw to a cozy mystery is usually the fantastic characters... The characters in this book weren't bad, they were just unmemorable.. there just needed to be some more quirk in this quirky town.... The most interesting character for me in this book was the Hoosier; gave me a new appreciation for the cabinets in my kitchen... not sure about another book in the series, maybe?
November 19, 2019
..
A Deadly Grind was the introductory installation in the 'Vintage Kitchen Mystery' Series. This cozy mystery series features Jaymie Leighton, a young woman who is a vintage cookware and cookbook collector. She had been accused of being an old soul in a young body. There is a lot of self-talk with the heroine.
A recent separation meant that she was alone in the home that she and her sister shared ownership of, with the companionship of her three=legged dog. There is a lot of content regarding the vintage cookware, cookbooks, furniture, and the dog in this volume.
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
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.
As is somewhat indicative of the formulism in a cozy mystery, there is semi triangular love interest created for the heroine. One man is a part-time resident who is rich and owns his own company. The other man is the local police detective, with whom Jaime finds her self intertwined during a crime-solving situation.
This book is able to stand on its own, but if you read them in order, you will be more familiar with some of the characters that carry over. Each story does include its own H.E.A., which is always a good way to conclude the adventure the reader invests their time and attention to, ultimately becoming acquainted with the overall storyline in a personal way.
-----------------------------------------
A Deadly Grind
Vintage Kitchen Mystery Series, # 1
Victoria Hamilton, Author
Emily Woo Zeller, Narrator
...
A Deadly Grind was the introductory installation in the 'Vintage Kitchen Mystery' Series. This cozy mystery series features Jaymie Leighton, a young woman who is a vintage cookware and cookbook collector. She had been accused of being an old soul in a young body. There is a lot of self-talk with the heroine.
A recent separation meant that she was alone in the home that she and her sister shared ownership of, with the companionship of her three=legged dog. There is a lot of content regarding the vintage cookware, cookbooks, furniture, and the dog in this volume.
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
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.
As is somewhat indicative of the formulism in a cozy mystery, there is semi triangular love interest created for the heroine. One man is a part-time resident who is rich and owns his own company. The other man is the local police detective, with whom Jaime finds her self intertwined during a crime-solving situation.
This book is able to stand on its own, but if you read them in order, you will be more familiar with some of the characters that carry over. Each story does include its own H.E.A., which is always a good way to conclude the adventure the reader invests their time and attention to, ultimately becoming acquainted with the overall storyline in a personal way.
-----------------------------------------
A Deadly Grind
Vintage Kitchen Mystery Series, # 1
Victoria Hamilton, Author
Emily Woo Zeller, Narrator
...
January 16, 2016
Jaymie Leighton lives in her parents nineteenth century yellow brick home. They have retired to a warmer climate and just visit during the summer. Her sister Rebecca visits on the weekends from London, Ontario, and together they hit the auctions and estate sales. They are both collectors. Jaymie collects vintage cookware and cookbooks. Rebecca china, tea cups and saucers. Rebecca is fifteen years older than Jaymie and sometimes seems like a second mother. She still thinks she knows what is best for Jaymie, but at 32 years of age Jaymie can make her own decisions.
Jayme decides to bid on Hoosier cabinet that made be a little worse for wear but she knows with a little elbow grease she will have a treasure. She outbids the other buyers and is thrilled to get her purchase home. Her sister, not so much. She thinks the house is full enough of Jaymie's clutter. They get it home and leave it on the summer porch. They are exhausted from the day and enjoying their purchases can wait until morning.
But someone else had other ideas. Becca and Jaymie are woken up in the middle of night by noise downstairs. They are beside themselves when the find a dead body on the summer porch. They don't recognize the man and even the police have a hard time identifying him. Why their house? Who is this guy? Jaymie needs to know. She starts to do just a little investigating. She had better be careful or she may be the one "who ends up going, going,...gone".
Dollycas's Thoughts
I can identify this sibling relationship clearly. My sister is 12 years older than me and she too was like a second mom. We are close today but there have been times when she has made me so mad, thinking she knows best.
Before my accident I loved to attend auctions and estate sales. I was just like Jaymie. I would have killed, not literally, for a Hoosier like the one in this story. Our home has been cluttered over the years with my "finds". This story hit home for me, really struck my heart.
Jaymie and I could be friends, we would be hitting the sales. Becca would probably be friends with my sister :)
The setting of these mysteries is really brilliant. Fictional Heartbreak Island between Michigan and Ontario where both American and Canadian tourists arrive for a variety of celebrations is the perfect backdrop. In this installment, a "Tea With The Queen" fundraiser gives the tourists, residents, and suspects a place to gather.
The author has laid the great foundation for more books in this series, setting us up for many return visits to Heartbreak Island. I hope not too many hearts are broken but with cozy mysteries you never know who the next victim or suspect may be. I just know this author is going to give us a wonderful who-dun-it that will find us Bowled Over!!
Jayme decides to bid on Hoosier cabinet that made be a little worse for wear but she knows with a little elbow grease she will have a treasure. She outbids the other buyers and is thrilled to get her purchase home. Her sister, not so much. She thinks the house is full enough of Jaymie's clutter. They get it home and leave it on the summer porch. They are exhausted from the day and enjoying their purchases can wait until morning.
But someone else had other ideas. Becca and Jaymie are woken up in the middle of night by noise downstairs. They are beside themselves when the find a dead body on the summer porch. They don't recognize the man and even the police have a hard time identifying him. Why their house? Who is this guy? Jaymie needs to know. She starts to do just a little investigating. She had better be careful or she may be the one "who ends up going, going,...gone".
Dollycas's Thoughts
I can identify this sibling relationship clearly. My sister is 12 years older than me and she too was like a second mom. We are close today but there have been times when she has made me so mad, thinking she knows best.
Before my accident I loved to attend auctions and estate sales. I was just like Jaymie. I would have killed, not literally, for a Hoosier like the one in this story. Our home has been cluttered over the years with my "finds". This story hit home for me, really struck my heart.
Jaymie and I could be friends, we would be hitting the sales. Becca would probably be friends with my sister :)
The setting of these mysteries is really brilliant. Fictional Heartbreak Island between Michigan and Ontario where both American and Canadian tourists arrive for a variety of celebrations is the perfect backdrop. In this installment, a "Tea With The Queen" fundraiser gives the tourists, residents, and suspects a place to gather.
The author has laid the great foundation for more books in this series, setting us up for many return visits to Heartbreak Island. I hope not too many hearts are broken but with cozy mysteries you never know who the next victim or suspect may be. I just know this author is going to give us a wonderful who-dun-it that will find us Bowled Over!!
June 10, 2015
This is my first encounter with this author in this form. Apparently, it's her nom de plume for this new series. The vintage cooking theme interested me since I love cooking, baking and all the gadgets--old and new.
Sadly, this disappoints. It includes the usual dog, almost always a rescue dog of some kind and the overbearing sibling. We are treated to the usual recovering from a broken heart heroine, Jaymie (note that we get another cute name spelling, an overused device) who suddenly finds two men showing interest in her which brings the ex-boyfriend slightly back in her orbit.
The heroine seems a little dim and it's hard to believe she could solve a case. Since this is a first book it requires a great deal of exposition to set the stage of books to come. Unfortunately, Hamilton doesn't have the gift for exposition that some authors have like Mary Balogh (who is referenced several times which is one of the few things that saves this from a 1 star rating). Her endless setting up of life on the U.S.-Canadian border just goes on and on. It's dry and dreary.
It's more deadly dull than a deadly grind.
Sadly, this disappoints. It includes the usual dog, almost always a rescue dog of some kind and the overbearing sibling. We are treated to the usual recovering from a broken heart heroine, Jaymie (note that we get another cute name spelling, an overused device) who suddenly finds two men showing interest in her which brings the ex-boyfriend slightly back in her orbit.
The heroine seems a little dim and it's hard to believe she could solve a case. Since this is a first book it requires a great deal of exposition to set the stage of books to come. Unfortunately, Hamilton doesn't have the gift for exposition that some authors have like Mary Balogh (who is referenced several times which is one of the few things that saves this from a 1 star rating). Her endless setting up of life on the U.S.-Canadian border just goes on and on. It's dry and dreary.
It's more deadly dull than a deadly grind.
December 8, 2018
The vintage kitchen gear was an interesting background for the mystery.
What I enjoyed:
* Jaymie is pretty interesting, collecting vintage kitchen gear as well as writing cookbooks based on vintage recipes. I liked how she didn't want to be scared out of her house after the murder. She is a bit selfless as she helps lots of people with different things.
* a good mystery
* interesting characters in the small town
* the background of the Hoosier kitchen cabinet
What could have been better:
* Looks to be heading towards a love triangle, I took a star away from the rating for that alone.
* Not sure how Jaymie makes a living. She mentions a bunch of part time jobs, but everything she does seems to be on a volunteer basis.
What I enjoyed:
* Jaymie is pretty interesting, collecting vintage kitchen gear as well as writing cookbooks based on vintage recipes. I liked how she didn't want to be scared out of her house after the murder. She is a bit selfless as she helps lots of people with different things.
* a good mystery
* interesting characters in the small town
* the background of the Hoosier kitchen cabinet
What could have been better:
* Looks to be heading towards a love triangle, I took a star away from the rating for that alone.
* Not sure how Jaymie makes a living. She mentions a bunch of part time jobs, but everything she does seems to be on a volunteer basis.
July 9, 2017
It's been a while since I've encountered an unbelievably stupid cozy heroine. Well, Jaymie Leighton is it. I don't think any other cozy mystery heroine comes across an object worth millions, the same object being responsible for a death, and then decides to take it to the police, but decides midway that she finds the detective too sexy and it's better to garden instead. (With detailed description of her trip to the garden center, the kind of flowers she buys and the tools she'd need to plant them). I mean really. This happens. She really should have died ten times over, but she doesn't. Go figure.
It's also a very very boring mystery, which consists of Jaymie thinking the same questions over and over again with no solution. Or if a clue actually presents itself, Jaymie dismissing it with a shake of her head. There's also a really boring event Jaymie works as a server for, and the hoosier cabinet/summer porch - I'd be dead if I'd made a drinking game out of that. Everything is explained, no detail is left untouched, which is fine if I really wanted to read a book about vintage kitchens or about Michigan or about Canada or about the royal family. I didn't. I just wanted her to get on with the solving of it. It took about 2 hours worth of explaining every aspect of the plot, long before which I stopped caring for who the killer was. I'm removing the rest of this series from my TBR.
It's also a very very boring mystery, which consists of Jaymie thinking the same questions over and over again with no solution. Or if a clue actually presents itself, Jaymie dismissing it with a shake of her head. There's also a really boring event Jaymie works as a server for, and the hoosier cabinet/summer porch - I'd be dead if I'd made a drinking game out of that. Everything is explained, no detail is left untouched, which is fine if I really wanted to read a book about vintage kitchens or about Michigan or about Canada or about the royal family. I didn't. I just wanted her to get on with the solving of it. It took about 2 hours worth of explaining every aspect of the plot, long before which I stopped caring for who the killer was. I'm removing the rest of this series from my TBR.
December 20, 2017
Don't think that when you read lighter fare such as “cozy mysteries,” that you will abandon all information. In addition to enjoying a good mystery with this book, I learned something about antique kitchen ware. I often go to the Internet to search terms or things that are new to me. So I learned about Hoosier brand kitchen cabinets. But I also came to know and like Jaymie who is an old-cookbook collector (as is my niece). When someone is murdered by the meat grinder part of the Hoosier, Jaymie is afraid someone is after her or something in the old house where she lives. I thought this a cleverly conceived mystery. There is a promising romance, too which rounds out a fun read. I want to follow this series by Victoria Hamilton
September 23, 2024
Really more 2.5
July 6, 2012
Rating: 3½ Stars
It’s hard for me to resist the “First in a New Series” logo on a cozy mystery, and Victoria Hamilton’s A Vintage Kitchen Mystery series is off to a solid start. The protagonist Jaymie Leighton is a young, single woman with old-fashioned taste, and I enjoyed her character. She’s a vintage kitchenware and cookbook enthusiast with dreams of publishing her own cookbook someday. Jaymie ends up the winning bidder of a fabulous Hoosier cabinet at an estate auction. These free standing cupboards were popular in the early 20th century when most kitchens did not have built-in cabinetry. And even though Jaymie’s kitchen is packed with antique gadgets and such, she had to have the Hoosier too. Someone (or several someones) won’t accept that Jaymie is its new owner, because that same night a man is murdered on her porch where the cabinet is being stored. It appeared that before he died, he was searching the Hoosier for something. What he was looking for is a mystery, but Jaymie is determined to find the answer.
I thought that the mystery in this book was well-constructed and not easy to solve. There were several plot twists to keep me on my toes. I particularly loved the thing that made Jaymie’s Hoosier such a coveted item and the story behind it – very unique! There was one thing that niggled at me about the story. Jaymie was bad about withholding evidence or information from the police (more than once), thinking something must not be important when it obviously was. Other than that, I thought the police’s investigation and Jaymie’s own amateur one were handled realistically.
A DEADLY GRIND was a fun cozy mystery. Jaymie Leighton was a down-to-earth, likable character, someone who appreciated the way life used to be. I love the quaint setting of Queensville, Michigan, a small town just across the water from Johnsonville, Ontario. There was mention of a place called Heartbreak Island close to Queensville where Jaymie owns a rental cottage. I’m curious to see if one of the future books in the series ends up there, because with a name like Heartbreak Island, I have a feeling it has its own story to tell.
It’s hard for me to resist the “First in a New Series” logo on a cozy mystery, and Victoria Hamilton’s A Vintage Kitchen Mystery series is off to a solid start. The protagonist Jaymie Leighton is a young, single woman with old-fashioned taste, and I enjoyed her character. She’s a vintage kitchenware and cookbook enthusiast with dreams of publishing her own cookbook someday. Jaymie ends up the winning bidder of a fabulous Hoosier cabinet at an estate auction. These free standing cupboards were popular in the early 20th century when most kitchens did not have built-in cabinetry. And even though Jaymie’s kitchen is packed with antique gadgets and such, she had to have the Hoosier too. Someone (or several someones) won’t accept that Jaymie is its new owner, because that same night a man is murdered on her porch where the cabinet is being stored. It appeared that before he died, he was searching the Hoosier for something. What he was looking for is a mystery, but Jaymie is determined to find the answer.
I thought that the mystery in this book was well-constructed and not easy to solve. There were several plot twists to keep me on my toes. I particularly loved the thing that made Jaymie’s Hoosier such a coveted item and the story behind it – very unique! There was one thing that niggled at me about the story. Jaymie was bad about withholding evidence or information from the police (more than once), thinking something must not be important when it obviously was. Other than that, I thought the police’s investigation and Jaymie’s own amateur one were handled realistically.
A DEADLY GRIND was a fun cozy mystery. Jaymie Leighton was a down-to-earth, likable character, someone who appreciated the way life used to be. I love the quaint setting of Queensville, Michigan, a small town just across the water from Johnsonville, Ontario. There was mention of a place called Heartbreak Island close to Queensville where Jaymie owns a rental cottage. I’m curious to see if one of the future books in the series ends up there, because with a name like Heartbreak Island, I have a feeling it has its own story to tell.
May 11, 2019
2.5**
From the book jacket: 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, Rebecca, that the nineteenth-century house they share is already too cluttered with Jaymie’s junk, she successfully outbids the other buyers and takes home her Hoosier. But that night on the summer porch where she’s 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.
My reactions
True confession, I picked this up solely because I needed a cover image of “something broken” and this fit the bill.
I liked the basic premise of this new cozy series, including the small-town setting, the interplay between the sisters, and the cast of (potentially) recurring colorful characters. I even like her little three-legged dog, Hopalong. But Jaymie herself just irritated me. They way she went about doing her own investigation and the obviously ill-advised choices she made and dangerous chances she took just had me shaking my head.
Still, it was a fast, entertaining read, and I’d be willing to read another in the series.
From the book jacket: 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, Rebecca, that the nineteenth-century house they share is already too cluttered with Jaymie’s junk, she successfully outbids the other buyers and takes home her Hoosier. But that night on the summer porch where she’s 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.
My reactions
True confession, I picked this up solely because I needed a cover image of “something broken” and this fit the bill.
I liked the basic premise of this new cozy series, including the small-town setting, the interplay between the sisters, and the cast of (potentially) recurring colorful characters. I even like her little three-legged dog, Hopalong. But Jaymie herself just irritated me. They way she went about doing her own investigation and the obviously ill-advised choices she made and dangerous chances she took just had me shaking my head.
Still, it was a fast, entertaining read, and I’d be willing to read another in the series.
January 31, 2015
Very enjoyable, one of the better cozy mysteries I've read. I found all the information thrown at you in the beginning (both about the people and the town, as well as all of the historical facts) overwhelming, but I grew to appreciate it the further I read. As it takes place on the U.S./Canada border, I appreciated the mentions of Canada sprinkled about. Already ordered the sequel from the library =)
March 24, 2013
A fairly good cozy mystery with added vintage kitchen info, heroine is a bit of a "blonde" for 32 years old. Some phrasing very repetitive; the old boyfriend dumping her and her beloved house...Will probably pick up the next one in the series though.
August 27, 2014
While there are sentences that are melodic, there are too many repetitions. The star of the story procrastinates when she finds a clue and combined with the repetitions, bogs the story down. I did finish, probably waiting for more lovely sentences.
Read
November 5, 2021A fun cozy mystery. First that I've read by this author, and I would definitely read more. Some good twists and reversals at the end.
I thought that "deadly grind" would be about coffee grinds, but it is not! Read on to find more.
I thought that "deadly grind" would be about coffee grinds, but it is not! Read on to find more.
July 24, 2022
I started this series with book two for a book club and loved it so I went back and read book 1. I enjoyed catching up on what some of the characters were doing prior to book 2. Another sleuthing female main character. I love hearing her self talk and can so relate to how she thinks about the world. The book left me guessing until the end who the murder is and left some red herrings to through you off course. Great cozy series so far!
April 26, 2012
"A Deadly Grind" is a cozy mystery. It's the first novel in a series. I found the characters engaging and realistic, and they reacted in realistic ways. There was a nice level of detail about the settling and Jaymie's activities. There was some suspense caused by relationship tensions and not knowing how things would turn out.
One main plot was Jaymie coming to terms with how her last boyfriend had hurt her so badly and her starting to realize what she did and didn't want in a man based on that relationship. By the end, she was ready to risk hurt by starting to date again, and she had a better idea of what's worth-while in a man (as in, not just looks). I liked watching this process, and I found her reactions realistic and believable. I also liked how Jaymie realistically reacted to a man being murderer on her porch, though she wasn't going to let her fear and upset run her out of her house.
The mystery started out well as everyone tried to identify who the dead man was and why he was murdered on Jaymie's porch. There were enough clues to know who was involved but not whodunit. Near the end, though, suddenly Jaymie did something stupid. One moment she's, "Gee, I know everyone is after this and someone is willing to kill for it, and the cops will want to know about it, but it's too late to call them (which it wasn't) and I'll reject a sensible offer to get it out of the house and somewhere safe." The next morning, she's "Oh, I kept this so long the police will think I'm withholding evidence, so I'll go plant a garden and keep risking getting it stolen until sometime late this afternoon!" I felt like it was done just so some more exciting events would happen, though the author might have made it believable for me if she'd made Jayme's motives for acting this way more clear at the time she was making these decisions.
The ending also reminded me of Clue (the movie)--it might have happened this way...or this way...but it really happened this way. Though we're given a long explanation of exactly what everyone did and way, I honestly don't remember it clearly since the previous explanation fit the clues better and made more sense to me. I wasn't really satisfied with the whodunit explanation, though it still neatly tied everything up.
There was no explicit sex. There was some explicit bad language and some fake bad language. Overall, I'd recommend the novel for the characters and the fact that the mystery was intriguing.
One main plot was Jaymie coming to terms with how her last boyfriend had hurt her so badly and her starting to realize what she did and didn't want in a man based on that relationship. By the end, she was ready to risk hurt by starting to date again, and she had a better idea of what's worth-while in a man (as in, not just looks). I liked watching this process, and I found her reactions realistic and believable. I also liked how Jaymie realistically reacted to a man being murderer on her porch, though she wasn't going to let her fear and upset run her out of her house.
The mystery started out well as everyone tried to identify who the dead man was and why he was murdered on Jaymie's porch. There were enough clues to know who was involved but not whodunit. Near the end, though, suddenly Jaymie did something stupid. One moment she's, "Gee, I know everyone is after this and someone is willing to kill for it, and the cops will want to know about it, but it's too late to call them (which it wasn't) and I'll reject a sensible offer to get it out of the house and somewhere safe." The next morning, she's "Oh, I kept this so long the police will think I'm withholding evidence, so I'll go plant a garden and keep risking getting it stolen until sometime late this afternoon!" I felt like it was done just so some more exciting events would happen, though the author might have made it believable for me if she'd made Jayme's motives for acting this way more clear at the time she was making these decisions.
The ending also reminded me of Clue (the movie)--it might have happened this way...or this way...but it really happened this way. Though we're given a long explanation of exactly what everyone did and way, I honestly don't remember it clearly since the previous explanation fit the clues better and made more sense to me. I wasn't really satisfied with the whodunit explanation, though it still neatly tied everything up.
There was no explicit sex. There was some explicit bad language and some fake bad language. Overall, I'd recommend the novel for the characters and the fact that the mystery was intriguing.
May 18, 2012
As a debut book in a new mystery series I was pleasantly entertained. The new series is known as "A Vintage Kitchen Mystery," and I was happy to have this fact presented throughout the book. It ties in so nicely.
Our newest sleuth, Jaymie Leighton is a vintage cookware and cookbook enthusiast. Jaymie has amassed a large collection of usable Pyrex bowls etc. from times past. She is also a new writer of a compilation and modernization recipe book. To my delight Jaymie shared one of her main recipes involved in the story with us readers at the end, plus adding the history of the food. Outstanding idea.
The mystery was quite a mystery. Very physical (Jaymie and her new Vintage Hoosier gets attacked,) and also very cerebral as we join her in trying to figure out what the crooks are after and then share in the awe of finding the object. As to the culprits...oh I'm not even going to give you the slightest hint. It is a romp through a tourist mecca that you will remember.
I look forward to many more adventures with Jaymie and family and friends of Queensville, Michigan.
Our newest sleuth, Jaymie Leighton is a vintage cookware and cookbook enthusiast. Jaymie has amassed a large collection of usable Pyrex bowls etc. from times past. She is also a new writer of a compilation and modernization recipe book. To my delight Jaymie shared one of her main recipes involved in the story with us readers at the end, plus adding the history of the food. Outstanding idea.
The mystery was quite a mystery. Very physical (Jaymie and her new Vintage Hoosier gets attacked,) and also very cerebral as we join her in trying to figure out what the crooks are after and then share in the awe of finding the object. As to the culprits...oh I'm not even going to give you the slightest hint. It is a romp through a tourist mecca that you will remember.
I look forward to many more adventures with Jaymie and family and friends of Queensville, Michigan.
April 28, 2014
A vintage Hoosier kitchen cabinet proves to be more than an interesting antique for Jamie Leighton. Against her sister's better judgment, Jamie really wanted that 1920's Hoosier to go along with all her old kitchen gadgets that she has collected in their old 19th century yellow brick house in Michigan, that she and her sister have inherited. She won the auction but she ended up getting a dead body on her back porch as well. Now she wants to find out what she has that others want before they kill her first.
The background story of the ownership connection between Canada and Michigan makes this story especially interesting. The Queen's Tea Celebration is fascinating, along with the description and history of the Hoosier Cabinet itself. The mystery starts out as purely a murder investigation and develops into a much more complicated quest for more parts of American history. A great start to this Vintage Kitchen Mystery Series.
The background story of the ownership connection between Canada and Michigan makes this story especially interesting. The Queen's Tea Celebration is fascinating, along with the description and history of the Hoosier Cabinet itself. The mystery starts out as purely a murder investigation and develops into a much more complicated quest for more parts of American history. A great start to this Vintage Kitchen Mystery Series.
June 21, 2016
Lots of twists to keep you guessing and a plucky heroine. A good depiction of what its like to live in a small town. I liked the fact that it took place in Michigan but as a life long resident I am suspicious of the weather she describes. I did enjoy her dilemma of how to fit another large piece in an already overstuffed room.
May 7, 2012
What a terrific new series!!! The setting is charming-makes me want to visit. The main character is strong, independent and realistic in her thought process. I love all the vintage kitchen knick-knacks and recipe talk. I can't wait for the next book.
May 6, 2012
Fantastic first book in a new series. Will write a short review in a day or so.
December 26, 2015
I would give this one 3.5. Good character development, good plot line, lots of twists. Will definitely read the next one in the series
March 3, 2020
I had a lot of fun with this cozy mystery. You have to remember while reading these to not take the story or the characters too seriously. They aren't supposed to be the next great American classic. They are meant to be fast, fun, entertaining reads. There are a few minor sticking points, as there always seem to be with these- Jaymie isn't the smartest main character, she second guesses herself, asks way too many questions and hides important information from police. That being said, she's also quite brave, independent, stands up for what she wants and believes in, and is always quick to help out her neighbors and friends. She's also strong and resilient in getting over her boyfriend, Joel walking out on her.
The other reason I hesitate to rate this cozy a 5 star is it seems to lack editing. There's way too many mentions of the names 'summer porch' and 'Hoosier' and the fact that Canada is a ferry ride away. We get it, Hamilton. You only need to say those things a few times, not every other page. That aside, I loved all of the mention of vintage kitchen implements and recipes. My mother had a huge collection of these things while I was growing up, so I was familiar with everything Jaymie mentioned in the book. It was like a warm hug from the past.
The mystery was engaging and interesting, and I didn't have it figured out until the reveal. I don't like the fact that it seems that Jaymie is headed for a love triangle- so perhaps I won't be reading the next one in this series.
All in all, it was satisfying and fun.
The other reason I hesitate to rate this cozy a 5 star is it seems to lack editing. There's way too many mentions of the names 'summer porch' and 'Hoosier' and the fact that Canada is a ferry ride away. We get it, Hamilton. You only need to say those things a few times, not every other page. That aside, I loved all of the mention of vintage kitchen implements and recipes. My mother had a huge collection of these things while I was growing up, so I was familiar with everything Jaymie mentioned in the book. It was like a warm hug from the past.
The mystery was engaging and interesting, and I didn't have it figured out until the reveal. I don't like the fact that it seems that Jaymie is headed for a love triangle- so perhaps I won't be reading the next one in this series.
All in all, it was satisfying and fun.
August 30, 2019
This is a solid first entry in a new series set in Michigan. There is added interest for fans of vintage or antique cookware and recipes, because the mystery centers around an old Hoosier cabinet, access for which people are willing to commit murder. The main character is Jaymie Leighton, who has various jobs, but who buys the cabinet at an auction, only to find a murdered man on her back porch the next morning. There are lots of intriguing situations, and eventually Jaymie must figure out the murder and the motive before she herself becomes a victim.
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