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Vintage Kitchen Mystery #5
White Colander Crime
In the new Vintage Kitchen Mystery from the author of No Mallets Intended, the Heritage Society is re-creating a perfect Victorian Christmas—until good tidings go bad...
Queensville has great expectations for their Dickens Days festival. A tourist-trade boon boom means a big turnout for the opening of Queensville Historic Manor and for Jaymie Leighton, food columnist and vintage cookware collector, a chance to promote the manor and give away homemade goodies. At the end of a long day of festival fun, Jaymie discovers the battered body of local woman Shelby Fretter.
Shelby predicted her own murder in journal entries—and all clues point to Cody Wainwright, the troubled son of Jaymie’s beleaguered newspaper editor. But considering the entire Fretter family had its share of dirty secrets, Jaymie’s not convinced by the case against Cody. With twists all over, she’s going to have to work like the Dickens to wrap up this investigation before Christmas—especially with the real killer ready to kill again.
INCLUDES RECIPES!
Queensville has great expectations for their Dickens Days festival. A tourist-trade boon boom means a big turnout for the opening of Queensville Historic Manor and for Jaymie Leighton, food columnist and vintage cookware collector, a chance to promote the manor and give away homemade goodies. At the end of a long day of festival fun, Jaymie discovers the battered body of local woman Shelby Fretter.
Shelby predicted her own murder in journal entries—and all clues point to Cody Wainwright, the troubled son of Jaymie’s beleaguered newspaper editor. But considering the entire Fretter family had its share of dirty secrets, Jaymie’s not convinced by the case against Cody. With twists all over, she’s going to have to work like the Dickens to wrap up this investigation before Christmas—especially with the real killer ready to kill again.
INCLUDES RECIPES!
295 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 3, 2015
About the author
Victoria Hamilton
36 books932 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 98 reviews
October 16, 2019
White Colander Crime is the 5th book in the Vintage Kitchen Mystery series written by Victoria Hamilton. This is the second series I'm reading by the author, but it's taking longer to grow attached to the characters. Jaymie is a solid investigator and lead, but she doesn't have a lot of anchors in her life which makes her a little distant for me. Each book is helping improve that connection, but I wish she were closer with her family or had a lengthier relationship (or none at all). Over the five books, she's dated four different guys, but at least the current one is the best one. I only bring it up because it's hard to build a relationship with her when hers keep changing, and she hardly ever talks about or visits her family to show a strong level of intimacy. That said, it's really my only concern in the series. The rest is smooth sailing.
The book takes place in a small tourist town on the border of Michigan and Canada. Jaymie writes for the local newspaper, clerks in a market, and works with vintage kitchen tools... sometimes helping a museum authenticate an exhibit, and at others, refurbishing tools and gadgets so they can be resold at an auction. Through her editor, Jaymie meets a group of young twenty-somethings who are involved in complex dating situation. The editor's son might be abusive, but it's hard to be certain whether he's actually hit a girl or she's faking it for another reason (we do find out the truth). Jaymie's new boyfriend gives the kid a chance and lets him work on the farm. Soon, the girl is beaten to death. Was it the editor's son? One of her many other boyfriends (we learn she was dating a few guys all who had a similar experience with her). It's a confusing plot, as I couldn't tell what was going on regarding the abuse, i.e. was she unable to stop it, or was she trying to catch bad guys in the act? We find out the whole story, and it's full of layers that keep us guessing. Physical abuse all happens off-screen, but it does occur a few times in case any reader has triggers.
At the end, I really enjoyed the diversity of the characters in this one. It wasn't just the normal townspeople, but most of the new folks had solid connections to the place or other characters. The plot was strong, but the culprit was fairly easy to pick out. The setting and descriptions are always enjoyable. I recommend the series for someone who wants neither a funny cozy nor a serious one... something in between more focused on the setting, a quaint town, and some interesting relationships among the citizens. It's not a typical family-based series, nor is it is a 'which guy will she choose' arc.
Next up... the sixth book in the series, probably toward the end of this month.
The book takes place in a small tourist town on the border of Michigan and Canada. Jaymie writes for the local newspaper, clerks in a market, and works with vintage kitchen tools... sometimes helping a museum authenticate an exhibit, and at others, refurbishing tools and gadgets so they can be resold at an auction. Through her editor, Jaymie meets a group of young twenty-somethings who are involved in complex dating situation. The editor's son might be abusive, but it's hard to be certain whether he's actually hit a girl or she's faking it for another reason (we do find out the truth). Jaymie's new boyfriend gives the kid a chance and lets him work on the farm. Soon, the girl is beaten to death. Was it the editor's son? One of her many other boyfriends (we learn she was dating a few guys all who had a similar experience with her). It's a confusing plot, as I couldn't tell what was going on regarding the abuse, i.e. was she unable to stop it, or was she trying to catch bad guys in the act? We find out the whole story, and it's full of layers that keep us guessing. Physical abuse all happens off-screen, but it does occur a few times in case any reader has triggers.
At the end, I really enjoyed the diversity of the characters in this one. It wasn't just the normal townspeople, but most of the new folks had solid connections to the place or other characters. The plot was strong, but the culprit was fairly easy to pick out. The setting and descriptions are always enjoyable. I recommend the series for someone who wants neither a funny cozy nor a serious one... something in between more focused on the setting, a quaint town, and some interesting relationships among the citizens. It's not a typical family-based series, nor is it is a 'which guy will she choose' arc.
Next up... the sixth book in the series, probably toward the end of this month.
March 25, 2020
Let me start with saying I rate my cozy mysteries different than all other genres of books I read. I still use a five star rating system (or with cozies I like to think instead of stars how many cups of coffee/tea.….which is my idea of cozy). The following is how I rate my cozies:
1 cup of coffee- did not finish or will not continue on in series.
2 cups of coffee- this book has potential, but on the fence whether I will read the next book.
3 cups of coffee- good- will definitely continue series, but did have some issues
4 cups of coffee- great- will definitely continue series- minor issues
5 cups of coffee-EXCEPTIONAL!
What I think about when I give my ratings:
1.) There called cozies for a reason, and that being said I know they are not for everybody. I love them!! Therefore the first thing I think about is how cozy are they? The more cheese the better for me…lol. The horrible puns in the titles…LOVE THEM. Yes…if you’re wondering I am the person who loves laffy taffy jokes.
2.) Characters/ and relationships with secondary characters
3.) Setting/theme
4.) The mystery
I know I should never read a series out of order. This is my first book in the series, and I
definitely felt a little lost. It felt like Jaymie was a little all over the place with her life. She writes a food column, but I never made the connection with the series title "vintage Kitchen". Again I am aware maybe this is my issue and not the books/series.
The title is alright...not very punny. The cover of the book is amazing! It really does make me feel/think cozy. I also really loved the idea of Dickens days during the Christmas season. I wish the book would of painted a better picture of the festival.
In fairness to Jaymie and Victoria Hamilton I will be checking out book one in this series.
Check out my blog at: http://beachbumbookworm.com/
1 cup of coffee- did not finish or will not continue on in series.
2 cups of coffee- this book has potential, but on the fence whether I will read the next book.
3 cups of coffee- good- will definitely continue series, but did have some issues
4 cups of coffee- great- will definitely continue series- minor issues
5 cups of coffee-EXCEPTIONAL!
What I think about when I give my ratings:
1.) There called cozies for a reason, and that being said I know they are not for everybody. I love them!! Therefore the first thing I think about is how cozy are they? The more cheese the better for me…lol. The horrible puns in the titles…LOVE THEM. Yes…if you’re wondering I am the person who loves laffy taffy jokes.
2.) Characters/ and relationships with secondary characters
3.) Setting/theme
4.) The mystery
I know I should never read a series out of order. This is my first book in the series, and I
definitely felt a little lost. It felt like Jaymie was a little all over the place with her life. She writes a food column, but I never made the connection with the series title "vintage Kitchen". Again I am aware maybe this is my issue and not the books/series.
The title is alright...not very punny. The cover of the book is amazing! It really does make me feel/think cozy. I also really loved the idea of Dickens days during the Christmas season. I wish the book would of painted a better picture of the festival.
In fairness to Jaymie and Victoria Hamilton I will be checking out book one in this series.
Check out my blog at: http://beachbumbookworm.com/
January 22, 2020
I've not picked up a Vintage Kitchen cozy in quite a while so it was nice to reconnect with Jaymie. I do enjoy all the vintage lore and appreciation for the older things in life. Also nice for her to have a new love interest that is a decent sort. I can't say as much for the mystery plotting-way too many threads and way too long to wrap it up- found myself skimming some of "sleuthing".
October 27, 2015
Author Victoria Hamilton write wonderful series both under this name and Amanda Cooper. While I love each and every one of them, the Vintage Kitchen Mystery series is my very favorite. And WHITE COLANDER CRIME is a perfect example of why.
I connected with character Jamie Leighton in the first book of this series, A DEADLY GRIND. I liked her immediately from page one of that book, and my fondness for her and her vintage way just continues to grow.
WHITE COLANDER CRIME is a delightful addition to this wonderful collection of books. This story showcases Ms. Hamilton’s talent as an author and her inspiring skill of creating a story that draws the reader in and holds them transfixed until the last page is turned. I know I for one could not put this book down until the exciting reveal and the heartwarming ending.
Do yourself a favor and add WHITE COLANDER CRIME to your TBR list. If you haven’t read this series, you can start with this one and not feel too lost, but don’t cheat yourself out of reading the entire series to date. You’re going to love it!
Make sure to check out the back of the book for a traditional Christmas recipe!
I connected with character Jamie Leighton in the first book of this series, A DEADLY GRIND. I liked her immediately from page one of that book, and my fondness for her and her vintage way just continues to grow.
WHITE COLANDER CRIME is a delightful addition to this wonderful collection of books. This story showcases Ms. Hamilton’s talent as an author and her inspiring skill of creating a story that draws the reader in and holds them transfixed until the last page is turned. I know I for one could not put this book down until the exciting reveal and the heartwarming ending.
Do yourself a favor and add WHITE COLANDER CRIME to your TBR list. If you haven’t read this series, you can start with this one and not feel too lost, but don’t cheat yourself out of reading the entire series to date. You’re going to love it!
Make sure to check out the back of the book for a traditional Christmas recipe!
November 1, 2015
Even though this is Victoria Hamilton's fifth book in the Vintage Kitchen Mystery series, WHITE COLANDER CRIME, this is the first book I've read...and I found I've been missing out! Set during the Christmas season (my favorite holiday!) in Queensville, Michigan, Jaymie Leighton is preparing for Christmas with her family. In addition to writing a food column for the local paper, Jaymie is also helping with the town's grand-opening of its Historic Manor during their Dicken's Day Festival.
Jaymie is excited to finally be able to use the manor's vintage kitchen, which she has meticulously restored, and plans on baking cookies to hand out to the visitors as they tour the manor. After a very long day of promoting the grand-opening she finds Shelby Fretter badly beaten in the closed workshop of the town's handyman. After the young woman is taken to the hospital, and subsequently dies, Jaymie is very disturbed because she witnessed Cody, son of the local paper's editor and her boss, striking Shelby during a heated argument just a few days before. The police have every reason to believe Cody is the murderer too, and it isn't long before he is arrested for the crime. Jaymie's boss begs her to "look into it" and find the real killer.
Though WHITE COLANDER CRIME is a mystery, there's a sweetness to the author's story. Jaymie is thoroughly likable and her new love interest, Jakob, has an adorable daughter that draws the reader in, making you hope the new relationship is all that Jaymie wants it to be. This charming book has enough twists and turns to keep you guessing while providing great characters that make you feel a part of Queensville.
I received an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Jaymie is excited to finally be able to use the manor's vintage kitchen, which she has meticulously restored, and plans on baking cookies to hand out to the visitors as they tour the manor. After a very long day of promoting the grand-opening she finds Shelby Fretter badly beaten in the closed workshop of the town's handyman. After the young woman is taken to the hospital, and subsequently dies, Jaymie is very disturbed because she witnessed Cody, son of the local paper's editor and her boss, striking Shelby during a heated argument just a few days before. The police have every reason to believe Cody is the murderer too, and it isn't long before he is arrested for the crime. Jaymie's boss begs her to "look into it" and find the real killer.
Though WHITE COLANDER CRIME is a mystery, there's a sweetness to the author's story. Jaymie is thoroughly likable and her new love interest, Jakob, has an adorable daughter that draws the reader in, making you hope the new relationship is all that Jaymie wants it to be. This charming book has enough twists and turns to keep you guessing while providing great characters that make you feel a part of Queensville.
I received an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 4, 2015
Wow!! What a good read. This is the first Victoria Hamilton
book that I have read.
This is the fifth book in the Vintage Kitchen Mystery series,
I will definitely be reading from the series from the start.
Get ready to attend the Dicken’s Day Festival in Queensville,
Michigan. Jaymie Leighton is helping get ready for opening
day at the Queensville Historic Manor.
Jaymie writes a column for the local newspaper about food.
Jaymie is planning to cook in the vintage kitchen at the
opening. Everyone in Queensville is excited about the Festival.
Then Jaymie discovers a badly beaten girl in the town
handyman’s workshop.
Who could have beaten this girl so badly?
The author’s description used is deftly woven into the story
so the reader feels they are right there right along side of each
character. The characters are artfully drawn and engaging.
Some are quirky and fun but each one adds his/her own flavor
to the story.
The author addressed many social issues tastefully such as
dysfunctional family life, deceit, rejection, fear, bodily abuse,
loss and grieving, betrayal, viciousness, greed, wrongful
accusal but also filled the story with faith, friendship, trust
and loyalty.
Intrigue, mystery, well plotted with humor, edge and a bit
of romance make a perfect recipe for a captivating read.
Recipe from the story at the end of book.
Thanks to the author via Facebook’s Cozy Mystery Review for
the book. My opinion is my own.
book that I have read.
This is the fifth book in the Vintage Kitchen Mystery series,
I will definitely be reading from the series from the start.
Get ready to attend the Dicken’s Day Festival in Queensville,
Michigan. Jaymie Leighton is helping get ready for opening
day at the Queensville Historic Manor.
Jaymie writes a column for the local newspaper about food.
Jaymie is planning to cook in the vintage kitchen at the
opening. Everyone in Queensville is excited about the Festival.
Then Jaymie discovers a badly beaten girl in the town
handyman’s workshop.
Who could have beaten this girl so badly?
The author’s description used is deftly woven into the story
so the reader feels they are right there right along side of each
character. The characters are artfully drawn and engaging.
Some are quirky and fun but each one adds his/her own flavor
to the story.
The author addressed many social issues tastefully such as
dysfunctional family life, deceit, rejection, fear, bodily abuse,
loss and grieving, betrayal, viciousness, greed, wrongful
accusal but also filled the story with faith, friendship, trust
and loyalty.
Intrigue, mystery, well plotted with humor, edge and a bit
of romance make a perfect recipe for a captivating read.
Recipe from the story at the end of book.
Thanks to the author via Facebook’s Cozy Mystery Review for
the book. My opinion is my own.
October 26, 2015
Another great book in the series! I've enjoyed this series since the first book and this one did not disappoint. Jaymie and her family are a hoot and it's nice to see her finally really connect with someone.
It's Christmastime in Queensville and they have a special celebration planned. With the Queensville Historic Manor opening, the Dickens Days festival and all of the fun in re-creating the perfect Victorian Christmas, what could go wrong? It gives Jaymie a wonderful chance to promote the manor and give away some goodies. Plus, she's looking forward to spending time with her new man and his daughter. But then things rarely go as planned.
Jaymie discovers the battered body of Shelby Fretter and gets wrapped up in the investigation. Looks like Cody Wainwright, the son of her editor, may be the killer. Even though Jaymie isn't fond of Cody, that doesn't mean he did it and she sets out to prove it.
I received an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
It's Christmastime in Queensville and they have a special celebration planned. With the Queensville Historic Manor opening, the Dickens Days festival and all of the fun in re-creating the perfect Victorian Christmas, what could go wrong? It gives Jaymie a wonderful chance to promote the manor and give away some goodies. Plus, she's looking forward to spending time with her new man and his daughter. But then things rarely go as planned.
Jaymie discovers the battered body of Shelby Fretter and gets wrapped up in the investigation. Looks like Cody Wainwright, the son of her editor, may be the killer. Even though Jaymie isn't fond of Cody, that doesn't mean he did it and she sets out to prove it.
I received an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
September 23, 2016
I love this wonderful series featuring the vintage loving protagonist, Jaymie Leighton.
In this story, Christmas is right around the corner, and Jaymie is working hard to keep up with her busy schedule. During 'Dickens Days" Jaymie is horrified that she has found another body.
She has no intentions of investigating, until her boss at the newspaper begs her too, it seems her son is a top suspect in the young girl's murder.
Jaymie doesn't want to investigate,she has seen Cody, her bosses son, slap the victim, and she fears that he may have committed the crime.
Jaymie gives in and agrees to look into things, and soon enough, Jaymie and her friend, Valetta discover some unsavory things.
I love that Jaymie has a new love interest. Jakob is a wonderful character and I would love to see Jaymie finally discover her true love, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
This is a great series and I appreciate Jaymie's love for all things vintage. I can't wait to read the next book.
In this story, Christmas is right around the corner, and Jaymie is working hard to keep up with her busy schedule. During 'Dickens Days" Jaymie is horrified that she has found another body.
She has no intentions of investigating, until her boss at the newspaper begs her too, it seems her son is a top suspect in the young girl's murder.
Jaymie doesn't want to investigate,she has seen Cody, her bosses son, slap the victim, and she fears that he may have committed the crime.
Jaymie gives in and agrees to look into things, and soon enough, Jaymie and her friend, Valetta discover some unsavory things.
I love that Jaymie has a new love interest. Jakob is a wonderful character and I would love to see Jaymie finally discover her true love, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
This is a great series and I appreciate Jaymie's love for all things vintage. I can't wait to read the next book.
November 9, 2015
This was my first time reading this series and I loved it! The characters are very amusing, the storyline was good and it kept my interest all through. I love how Ms. Hamilton refers to other authors and the different styles of writing in the book. I also liked the romance element and how chaste they were without it being a big deal that they weren't jumping right into bed together. I'm not a prude by any means but this was refreshing. Will definitely be reading the beginning of this series and looking forward to the next installment. I received an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 3, 2015
White Colander Crime is the fifth book in the A Vintage Kitchen Mystery series.
Everyone in Queensville is looking forward to their annual Dickens Days festival. In addition, Jaymie Leighton is also looking forward to the opening of the newly renovated Queensville Manor.
As Jaymie is about to enter her editor's office to pick pamphlets the paper had printed for Dickens Days, she hears a heated argument between Nan, her editor and her son, Cody. The argument was over the girl, that Cody was dating, Shelby Fetter. When the body of Shelby is found dead and severely beaten, suspicion falls on Cody, as they had a physical, at times, relationship. When Cody is arrested, Nan tells Jaymie to cover the story and at the same time to try and learn if her son did kill her. The more Jaymie learns, the more it looks like Cody has been set up to take the blame for Shelby's murder. Jaymie learns that there has been a scam being run in Queensville and if she can find out who is behind it, she feels sure she will have the murderer in her sights.
On the romance side, Zach has moved to Detroit and has a new girlfriend and Daniel has found someone else and has gotten married. But Jaymie hasn't given up hope of finding her true love and feels confident that Jakob Muller is just the man that she wants to be with and she loves his little daughter.
Recipe also included.
Looking forward to the next book in this enjoyable series.
Everyone in Queensville is looking forward to their annual Dickens Days festival. In addition, Jaymie Leighton is also looking forward to the opening of the newly renovated Queensville Manor.
As Jaymie is about to enter her editor's office to pick pamphlets the paper had printed for Dickens Days, she hears a heated argument between Nan, her editor and her son, Cody. The argument was over the girl, that Cody was dating, Shelby Fetter. When the body of Shelby is found dead and severely beaten, suspicion falls on Cody, as they had a physical, at times, relationship. When Cody is arrested, Nan tells Jaymie to cover the story and at the same time to try and learn if her son did kill her. The more Jaymie learns, the more it looks like Cody has been set up to take the blame for Shelby's murder. Jaymie learns that there has been a scam being run in Queensville and if she can find out who is behind it, she feels sure she will have the murderer in her sights.
On the romance side, Zach has moved to Detroit and has a new girlfriend and Daniel has found someone else and has gotten married. But Jaymie hasn't given up hope of finding her true love and feels confident that Jakob Muller is just the man that she wants to be with and she loves his little daughter.
Recipe also included.
Looking forward to the next book in this enjoyable series.
May 28, 2016
White Colander Crime by Victoria Hamilton is book 5 in the A Vintage Kitchen Mystery series. This book in the series is set at Christmas time, so there is a holiday theme to it. The secondary storyline involves Jakob and Jaymie’s romance that develops nicely building on the previous book. The murder plot begins when Jaymie stumbles upon the body and her boss’s son is accused. Attempting to clear his name leads to exposing other crimes putting Jaymie and Valetta in danger. There was a lot going on in White Colander Crime, between the holiday theme, the romance and the intertwined crimes. so the focus was not on the Vintage Kitchen theme as much as it had been in earlier books. Definitely a bit darker than the earlier books in the series as well. A well done mystery that shows growth and development that should occur with a series over time.
January 4, 2016
Much better on the personal front than the last, but a little light on vintage, decent mystery. The House is opening for Dickens Days and Christmas is fast approaching, leaving Jaymie frazzled and refreshed by her new beau all at the same time. Editor's Nan's son is causing her concern as she saw him hit his girlfriend and suspects he lashed out at his mother. When selfsame girlfriend is found half dead, he is prime suspect and the editor asks Jaymie to help see what is going on. Crazy shenanigans is what. Multiple boyfriends, a missing girl, prostitution rings, shady business owners, not the normal stuff for this series of cozy mysteries. Not my favorite but the personal series long stuff made it bump up to a four.
November 4, 2015
I love this series. The characters are complex and interesting. Jaymie is a great main character, she once again stumbles upon a body and must find the killer from a variety of suspects.
Jaymie is also involved in some romance and this is very heartwarming.
Jaymie is also involved in some romance and this is very heartwarming.
October 15, 2022
Definitely liked this better than book 4. The ending was somewhat confusing when they were revealing the killer. But otherwise I thought it was a good read. I appreciate Jaymies integrity as a character. I really like her new boyfriend too.
November 2, 2015
Jaymie Leighton has her hands full this Christmas season. In addition to her budding romance with Christmas tree farmer Jakob, her picnic basket service, filling in at the local emporium when needed, and writing her Vintage Eats column for the local paper, her hometown of Queensville, Michigan, has high hopes that their first ever Dickens Days will be a tourist windfall and shine a light on the town’s new star, the Queensville Historic Manor. Jaymie is a part of the historical committee that resurrected the manor, and she has meticulously restored the kitchen to its vintage glory days. The first weekend of the festival appears to be going well until Jaymie comes across the badly beaten Shelby Fretter. When Shelby later dies in the hospital, all signs point to her (ex)boyfriend Cody, but Jaymie thinks it all seems a bit too convenient. When her newspaper editor Nan, who happens to be Cody’s mother, asks Jaymie to “look into it”, she cannot help but comply. She may not like Cody very much, but she does want the police to bring the correct person to justice.
Though pretty, Shelby had a chip on her shoulder about her meager childhood and family’s frequent appearances on the police blotter. The more Jaymie talks to the people in Shelby’s life, the more secrets and lies she uncovers. Shelby’s boss, a second boyfriend, a “true” friend, and her twin brother all have something to hide. In addition, there are indications that Shelby’s death may be connected to the disappearance of another local girl Natalie. Things begin to come together when Shelby’s journal surfaces.
I truly enjoy the Vintage Kitchen Mysteries, and White Colander Crime is a satisfying entry in this fine series. Jaymie loves all things vintage, and her personality and actions reflect a sense of old-fashioned values, but she is not out of touch with the twenty-first century. Ms. Hamilton does a fantastic job of highlighting the vintage kitchen items and recipes encouraging the reader to love them as much as Jaymie. Jaymie is smart and does not put herself in harm’s way unnecessarily, and it is not farfetched for her to investigate. All of the supporting characters are well drawn and equally interesting. I did miss Jaymie’s sister Becca in this installment and hope she is featured more in the future. I cannot wait to get to know Jakob and his daughter Jocie better. Jakob and Jaymie’s romance reinforces the old-fashioned feel of the books, slow and chaste at this point, but I look forward to seeing how their relationship blossoms. Thank you, Ms. Hamilton, for avoiding the love triangle here.
The mystery itself was twisty enough to keep me guessing through most of the book. I was taken aback by some the suspects’ secrets but impressed how they all fit together in the end. The perpetrator’s ultimate motivations caught me by surprise.
Ms. Hamilton has created the epitome of a cozy mystery in White Colander Crime with its likable characters, charming holiday setting, and heartwarming feel. I highly recommend it to fans of the author and the genre.
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. The opinions are my own and not influenced in any way.
Though pretty, Shelby had a chip on her shoulder about her meager childhood and family’s frequent appearances on the police blotter. The more Jaymie talks to the people in Shelby’s life, the more secrets and lies she uncovers. Shelby’s boss, a second boyfriend, a “true” friend, and her twin brother all have something to hide. In addition, there are indications that Shelby’s death may be connected to the disappearance of another local girl Natalie. Things begin to come together when Shelby’s journal surfaces.
I truly enjoy the Vintage Kitchen Mysteries, and White Colander Crime is a satisfying entry in this fine series. Jaymie loves all things vintage, and her personality and actions reflect a sense of old-fashioned values, but she is not out of touch with the twenty-first century. Ms. Hamilton does a fantastic job of highlighting the vintage kitchen items and recipes encouraging the reader to love them as much as Jaymie. Jaymie is smart and does not put herself in harm’s way unnecessarily, and it is not farfetched for her to investigate. All of the supporting characters are well drawn and equally interesting. I did miss Jaymie’s sister Becca in this installment and hope she is featured more in the future. I cannot wait to get to know Jakob and his daughter Jocie better. Jakob and Jaymie’s romance reinforces the old-fashioned feel of the books, slow and chaste at this point, but I look forward to seeing how their relationship blossoms. Thank you, Ms. Hamilton, for avoiding the love triangle here.
The mystery itself was twisty enough to keep me guessing through most of the book. I was taken aback by some the suspects’ secrets but impressed how they all fit together in the end. The perpetrator’s ultimate motivations caught me by surprise.
Ms. Hamilton has created the epitome of a cozy mystery in White Colander Crime with its likable characters, charming holiday setting, and heartwarming feel. I highly recommend it to fans of the author and the genre.
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. The opinions are my own and not influenced in any way.
November 2, 2015
White Colander Crime
By Victoria Hamilton
Berkley Prime Crime
978-0-425-27140-7
Reviewed by Caryn St.Clair
White Colander Crime picks up where the previous book, No Mallets Intended ended. In No Mallets Intended the kitchen in the Historic Manor was redone in a vintage style by our protagonist Jaymie Leighton. The Queensville Historic Manor’s renovation is complete and the house is ready to be the showcase of the coming Dickens Days. Jaymie is planning to use the kitchen to bake cookies to hand out to the visitors.
However, not everyone in Queensville is in the holiday spirit. Jaymie finds a woman badly beaten in a shed. The woman is part of a rather notorious family in town and her mother works at the Historic Manor . Worse, Jaymie had recently witnessed an ugly scene between the woman and her boss’s son.
When not renovating kitchens, Jaymie writes a food column for the local paper. Even though her role at the paper is as a food columnist not a crime reporter, her boss asks her to get involved in a police investigation when her son is arrested after a girl who was beaten dies. This puts Jaymie in an awkward position since she has specifically been asked by the sheriff to not interfere. However, her boss (and friend) did ask and so Jaymie does start snooping around. What Jaymie finds are a number of long buried secrets about several people in the town that involve quite a bit more than a young woman being manhandled by her boyfriend.
There are two things that make this series so desirable. Jaymie is a wonderful and quite likeable protagonist. She does have a tendency to get herself into tight spots, but it seems as though she has the best of intentions for getting involved. The second thing about this series is the basic premise behind it-vintage kitchens. This element appeals to me as a reader, a cook and a lover of history. While this particular book didn’t have much to do with “vintage” anything aside from the manor opening, the series as a whole does.
This is the fifth book in the series.
I was sent a copy of the book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
By Victoria Hamilton
Berkley Prime Crime
978-0-425-27140-7
Reviewed by Caryn St.Clair
White Colander Crime picks up where the previous book, No Mallets Intended ended. In No Mallets Intended the kitchen in the Historic Manor was redone in a vintage style by our protagonist Jaymie Leighton. The Queensville Historic Manor’s renovation is complete and the house is ready to be the showcase of the coming Dickens Days. Jaymie is planning to use the kitchen to bake cookies to hand out to the visitors.
However, not everyone in Queensville is in the holiday spirit. Jaymie finds a woman badly beaten in a shed. The woman is part of a rather notorious family in town and her mother works at the Historic Manor . Worse, Jaymie had recently witnessed an ugly scene between the woman and her boss’s son.
When not renovating kitchens, Jaymie writes a food column for the local paper. Even though her role at the paper is as a food columnist not a crime reporter, her boss asks her to get involved in a police investigation when her son is arrested after a girl who was beaten dies. This puts Jaymie in an awkward position since she has specifically been asked by the sheriff to not interfere. However, her boss (and friend) did ask and so Jaymie does start snooping around. What Jaymie finds are a number of long buried secrets about several people in the town that involve quite a bit more than a young woman being manhandled by her boyfriend.
There are two things that make this series so desirable. Jaymie is a wonderful and quite likeable protagonist. She does have a tendency to get herself into tight spots, but it seems as though she has the best of intentions for getting involved. The second thing about this series is the basic premise behind it-vintage kitchens. This element appeals to me as a reader, a cook and a lover of history. While this particular book didn’t have much to do with “vintage” anything aside from the manor opening, the series as a whole does.
This is the fifth book in the series.
I was sent a copy of the book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
November 10, 2015
*Received ARC from author giveaway on Facebook in exchange for a fair and honest review*
It's Christmas-time in Queensville, and our heroine Jaymie is busy getting ready for Dickens Days, the town's Victorian Christmas celebration. Other than bumping heads with cleaner Lori Wozny (a real cranky shrew of a woman) at the historic manor, Jaymie's professional life is on track as well as her personal life, especially when it comes to her possibly-blooming relationship with Jakob and his daughter Jocie. Unfortunately, Jaymie stumbles onto another dead body--local woman Shelby Fretter. With Nan's son accused of the murder, it's not long before Jaymie is pulled into the investigation by her newspaper editor.
This book was reasonably paced and full of good descriptive details, especially of the Manor and the No-Bake Fruitcake experiment. Having not been a fan of Zack, I'm glad to see Jaymie find a potential kindred-spirit in Jakob; granted, their relationship seemed to be at a slow burn for most of the book and then ramp up to 80 MPH by the end. Overall, this is another solid addition to the series, and it would be great to re-read around Christmas time.
Note: This is Book 5 in the Vintage Kitchen Mystery series. Starting at the beginning of the series will help give readers a fuller sense of the characters' personalities and personal histories; however, readers new to the series will not be completely in the dark as the author does a good job of providing snippets of backstory and context when referring to events past.
It's Christmas-time in Queensville, and our heroine Jaymie is busy getting ready for Dickens Days, the town's Victorian Christmas celebration. Other than bumping heads with cleaner Lori Wozny (a real cranky shrew of a woman) at the historic manor, Jaymie's professional life is on track as well as her personal life, especially when it comes to her possibly-blooming relationship with Jakob and his daughter Jocie. Unfortunately, Jaymie stumbles onto another dead body--local woman Shelby Fretter. With Nan's son accused of the murder, it's not long before Jaymie is pulled into the investigation by her newspaper editor.
This book was reasonably paced and full of good descriptive details, especially of the Manor and the No-Bake Fruitcake experiment. Having not been a fan of Zack, I'm glad to see Jaymie find a potential kindred-spirit in Jakob; granted, their relationship seemed to be at a slow burn for most of the book and then ramp up to 80 MPH by the end. Overall, this is another solid addition to the series, and it would be great to re-read around Christmas time.
Note: This is Book 5 in the Vintage Kitchen Mystery series. Starting at the beginning of the series will help give readers a fuller sense of the characters' personalities and personal histories; however, readers new to the series will not be completely in the dark as the author does a good job of providing snippets of backstory and context when referring to events past.
July 2, 2018
I read and listened to this book and I was not happy with some of the sections of the audio where the narrator was trying to sound shocked or surprised. It sounded harsh and startling and I was flinching at the sound.
On the whole, the story, set at Christmas time in Queensville, MI, was pretty interesting. It was a later book in the series and could be read out of order (since that is what I did). The town is opening an old house for tourists to see how things were in historic times and having Dickinsonian Festival. A young woman who was hunting for a missing woman thinks she is a better detective than Jamie and tells her so. She also wrote in a diary and pushes the man she wants to cause trouble by saying things that upset him, causing him to lash out physically. Jamie is pushed into doing her own investigation for the paper she works for because the editor of the paper knows that her son did not murder the young woman and she wants Jamie to prove it. Also, Jamie is dating a man with a child and she is feeling that relationship along. This was more romance than I really get into.
I have another by this author that I will read and listen to and just giving it another chance.
On the whole, the story, set at Christmas time in Queensville, MI, was pretty interesting. It was a later book in the series and could be read out of order (since that is what I did). The town is opening an old house for tourists to see how things were in historic times and having Dickinsonian Festival. A young woman who was hunting for a missing woman thinks she is a better detective than Jamie and tells her so. She also wrote in a diary and pushes the man she wants to cause trouble by saying things that upset him, causing him to lash out physically. Jamie is pushed into doing her own investigation for the paper she works for because the editor of the paper knows that her son did not murder the young woman and she wants Jamie to prove it. Also, Jamie is dating a man with a child and she is feeling that relationship along. This was more romance than I really get into.
I have another by this author that I will read and listen to and just giving it another chance.
November 4, 2015
The fifth Vintage Kitchen mystery is a great addition to the series. Jaymie is preparing for Christmas and Queensville's annual Dickens Days when she stumbles upon the body of a woman. The cops quickly arrest someone for the murder, but as a favor for her boss, Jaymie investigates to make sure the right man is behind bars. She has to act quickly, or she won't be having a merry Christmas after all.
The story is fast paced and kept me guessing. With all the twists and turns, I couldn't guess the murderer. The atmosphere is amazing. The festive atmosphere full of holiday cheer and snow has me ready to put up a tree and hang my stocking even though it isn't even Thanksgiving yet. History lovers will appreciate the use of all the vintage elements. It adds another layer to the story and connects all the generations in the story. This is one of my favorite cozy series, and I can'r wait for the next one.
I received a copy of this book from the author, via Facebook, in exchange for a fair and honest review.
The story is fast paced and kept me guessing. With all the twists and turns, I couldn't guess the murderer. The atmosphere is amazing. The festive atmosphere full of holiday cheer and snow has me ready to put up a tree and hang my stocking even though it isn't even Thanksgiving yet. History lovers will appreciate the use of all the vintage elements. It adds another layer to the story and connects all the generations in the story. This is one of my favorite cozy series, and I can'r wait for the next one.
I received a copy of this book from the author, via Facebook, in exchange for a fair and honest review.
November 4, 2015
What a great cozy! Victoria Hamilton's 5th installment of her Vintage Kitchen Mysteries is drop-dead AWESOME (pun intended :) ).
Jaymie Leighton is excited to promote Queensville Manor during the Dickens Days festival... The Manor restored, treats baked, flyers ordered and a routine all ready to display the vintage findings in the kitchen is pulled to a screeching halt by the discovery of a murder! Poor Jaymie is up to her Bakelite knobs in mystery & intrigue. Clues are popping up everywhere & she is just the person to sort them all out.
I adore the bright & descriptive visuals Ms. Hamilton uses. Just the right amount of spice and delectable tid-bits throughout the story had me second guessing what the main course was! The characters were scrumptious and the setting was delish. I am really looking forward to the other books in this series- my appetite has not been whetted yet! A total bonus for all are the recipes included in the book!
I received this book for free from the author in return for my honest, unbiased review.
Jaymie Leighton is excited to promote Queensville Manor during the Dickens Days festival... The Manor restored, treats baked, flyers ordered and a routine all ready to display the vintage findings in the kitchen is pulled to a screeching halt by the discovery of a murder! Poor Jaymie is up to her Bakelite knobs in mystery & intrigue. Clues are popping up everywhere & she is just the person to sort them all out.
I adore the bright & descriptive visuals Ms. Hamilton uses. Just the right amount of spice and delectable tid-bits throughout the story had me second guessing what the main course was! The characters were scrumptious and the setting was delish. I am really looking forward to the other books in this series- my appetite has not been whetted yet! A total bonus for all are the recipes included in the book!
I received this book for free from the author in return for my honest, unbiased review.
November 8, 2017
White Colander Crime weaves some interesting mystery elements--abuse, a missing girl, revenge--and sets them against a holiday background. Many of the holiday elements work, but the novel never quite manages to make the disparate threads of the mystery gel. Instead, the conclusion is a mess, featuring two lackluster climaxes, which is followed by a needless conclusion to the protagonist's milk-toast romance. Jaymie is an interesting lead character when the novel focuses on her insecurities and restless desire to find purpose; her naiveté successfully expresses that uncertainty. However, such naiveté becomes cloying with the romantic narrative in this novel, in part because her love interest lacks strong characteristics. He also seems childlike, and their romance comes off as adolescent and unconvincing for two alleged world-weary adults in their 30s. Hamilton may have written herself into a corner here; if Jaymie has weathered so many unexpected mysteries around death and deception, isn't it time for her to grow up?
November 4, 2015
This is a great mystery with family drama, small town dynamics, and just a touch of old fashioned romance. I enjoy spending time with Jaymie, Valetta and the residents in and around Queensville, Michigan. I love Jaymie's new relationship with Jakob and his sweet daughter. The bonus recipe of no-bake fruit cake is perfect for this time of year. I highly recommend this captivating story and look forward to book 6 in the Vintage Kitchen Mysteries.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 14, 2015
Good installment
This installment of Vintage Kitchen Mysteries didn't resonate with me the way that previous ones did. I don't know what was missing or different but Jaymie felt flat. I'm happy with where her love life is going, her overall story arc... Some of the dialog, her investigation, and even her reflection on her life seemed a bit overwrought. It felt like the author was aiming to make a point or some dramatic statement but the rest of the book was so ho-hum that it felt forced and off. Will read more but this is definitely not my favorite.
This installment of Vintage Kitchen Mysteries didn't resonate with me the way that previous ones did. I don't know what was missing or different but Jaymie felt flat. I'm happy with where her love life is going, her overall story arc... Some of the dialog, her investigation, and even her reflection on her life seemed a bit overwrought. It felt like the author was aiming to make a point or some dramatic statement but the rest of the book was so ho-hum that it felt forced and off. Will read more but this is definitely not my favorite.
July 25, 2016
While preparing for Christmas and Dickens Days festival, Jaymie Leighton stumbles upon a dead body, a missing girl, several scams and plenty of suspects. Jaymie’s boss; Nan Goodenough, who runs the local paper that Jaymie writes for, pushes her to help solve the murder(s) – as her son is one the main suspects.
Will Jaymie solve the murder(s), prevent additional murders, get her Christmas shopping done, prepare for her family to descend upon her and escalate her relationship with Jakob Muller.
Who says the holidays aren’t overwhelming? Great read!!!
Will Jaymie solve the murder(s), prevent additional murders, get her Christmas shopping done, prepare for her family to descend upon her and escalate her relationship with Jakob Muller.
Who says the holidays aren’t overwhelming? Great read!!!
July 16, 2017
I'm not into anything vintage so this book really wasn't my thing. I picked it up because of a challenge where I needed a book with a set table on the cover. This one fit the bill perfectly.
The mystery was engaging and the villain was a surprise. However all the "historical vintage" stuff was lost on me as I simply had no interest.
If this is your kind of thing, you should enjoy this book as it is well-written.
The mystery was engaging and the villain was a surprise. However all the "historical vintage" stuff was lost on me as I simply had no interest.
If this is your kind of thing, you should enjoy this book as it is well-written.
November 3, 2015
This is the best in the series so far! I love the Victorian Christmas in the historic Great Lakes area. The multi-talented Jaymie is a sleuth like none other, and the potential for a wonderful romance is a joy to watch. The mystery is multi-layered, and peeling the onion layers to find the truth seems nearly impossible...I loved this novel; it is a keeper!
April 30, 2017
Loved this book. Jaymie does a much better job this book on being a private eye!
December 5, 2022
This Vintage Kitchen Mystery has a holiday setting. Queensville has something called Dickens Days and the Queensville Historic Manor will be ready to receive visitors. Jaymie is working hard to let people know about it and learning how to cook in the vintage stove in the manor kitchen.
Jaymie has also just met Jakob and his daughter, and broken up with Daniel. There's a lot going on and of course Jaymie becomes involved in another mystery with several suspects. She gets more involved in sleuthing in this one, trespassing at one point to try to get information. She brings Valetta along which surprised me that she went since she might be risking her professional career by breaking the law. That aside, the story moved back and forth between suspects and which one actually did it was not clear until the end. Which was good.
This is a fun series with good characters and an interesting mystery.
Jaymie has also just met Jakob and his daughter, and broken up with Daniel. There's a lot going on and of course Jaymie becomes involved in another mystery with several suspects. She gets more involved in sleuthing in this one, trespassing at one point to try to get information. She brings Valetta along which surprised me that she went since she might be risking her professional career by breaking the law. That aside, the story moved back and forth between suspects and which one actually did it was not clear until the end. Which was good.
This is a fun series with good characters and an interesting mystery.
May 1, 2024
I love this series. This mystery had me by surprise.
May 7, 2020
This Vintage Kitchen series features Jaymie Leighton as a vintage cookbook, kitchen tools, and all-things-vintage-kitchen collector who has also stumbled into sleuthing out murderers in her small town of Queensville, Michigan, on the Canadian border. Having grown up in small town/rural Iowa in the 50’s, I have found this series enjoyable because of the familiarity with small town life and because gramas and great aunts still used a number of the antiques Jaymie loves to find and learn about. That being said, there are several things that really irritate me about the series. Why doesn’t Jaymie EVER pay serious attention to warning behaviors of her dog and cat? Her backyard neighbor, Trip, does. Jaymie notices, but blunders right on. WHY does she continually ignore her ‘spidey senses’ that something is a very bad idea and let people she suspects to be criminals and killers into her house? And I don’t care HOW much you love simpler times and ‘unplugged’ lifestyles, it’s just stupid not to carry your cell phone with you when you’re sniffing into murders! For me, this keeps Jaymie relegated to ‘lucky blundering snoop’ rather than ‘clever amateur sleuth’. (Especially when she has stated in almost every book so far that the police weren’t very far behind her in solving the murder.) I will probably continue to read the series, but will have little hope that these lame plot devices will ever change much.
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