by Cynthia Chow

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of the book, and a link to purchase it from Amazon.

Divorcing her husband was the first step for Trinidad Jones as she embarked on a new life of happiness. Now living in the Oregon town of Upper Sprocket along with two of Gabe Bigley’s other ex-wives, Trinidad has taken over the alimony-awarded Shimmy and Shake ice cream shop to create her own unique Freakshake milkshakes. Shaking up the town is the local election race for mayor, with incumbent Ramona Hardwick shadowed by a shady promotional book deal while her rival Forge Emberly plans on buying up land for a new railway line. That one of those selling property at a loss is Trinidad’s boyfriend Quinn Logan is more than a little alarming, as not only didn’t he tell her beforehand, it also goes against all of the environmentalist’s beliefs. So when a body is found in Trinidad’s Papa Luis’s trunk only to disappear again, there are too many possible suspects who are too close to Trinidad’s heart.

Trinidad would prefer to focus on promoting the Shake and Shimmy during the town’s Alpenfest yodeling celebration, when tourists flood into the town for two weekends of parades, dog pageants, a 10K run, and tasting events. So in between the times Trinidad creates apple pie bar Freakshakes and other over-the-top indulgences, she and her ex-wife “sisters” band together to track down the strange going-ons in town. A sleepwalking judge seems troubled by events in the present and from the past, and soon Trinidad’s failed-rescue senior Labrador Noodles isn’t the only one sniffing out trouble.

This second in the Dessert Cozy mystery series continues to showcase the bonds between Trinidad and the women scammed by their ex-husband. The thirty-six year-old Trinidad has unexpectedly found herself very invested in her new business and her new town, and the arrival of Papa Luis only makes it feel more like home. Revelations by Quinn concerning his own troubled family raise complicated issues of forgiveness, trust, and sympathy, and it will be fascinating to see where they go from here. A few recipes for ice cream confections will delight those up to the challenge of creating their own homemade delights, while all readers can enjoy the mouth-watering descriptions of the Shimmy and Shake’s extravagant desserts. The friendships that Trinidad developed in Upper Sprocket are as fun to explore as the town itself, a fictional town that comes alive with its pageants and festivals. Despite her declarations that she is a scooper and not a sleuther, Trinidad continues to prove herself as a determined and rather stealthy investigator.

To enter to win a copy of A Sprinkle in Time, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “sprinkle,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen July 30, 2022. U.S. residents only, and you must be 18 or older to enter. If entering via email please include your mailing address in case you win. It will be deleted after the contest. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. Also listen to our new mystery podcast where mystery short stories and first chapters are read by actors! They are also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify. A new episode went up this week.

The first book in this series was recently featured in an episode of Mysteryrat’s Maze Podcast. You can listen by clicking here or on the player below:

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Cynthia Chow is the branch manager of Kaneohe Public Library on the island of Oahu. She balances a librarian lifestyle of cardigans and hair buns with a passion for motorcycle riding and regrettable tattoos (sorry, Mom).

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.