Review - No Mallets Intended

Review

No Mallets Intended by Victoria Hamilton
The Fourth Vintage Kitchen Mystery


Jaymie Leighton and the Queensville Heritage Society are restoring Dumpe Manor to serve as a museum and office space for the group. While working on her contribution-turning the kitchen into a Depression era version of itself-Jaymie hears something. She tries to ignore it-but it turns out to be a person, a person who hits Jaymie with a vintage kitchen mallet and knocks her out cold! That's just the start of the problems surrounding Dumpe Manor. An egotistical writer (who appears to be out to smear the Dumpe family in the pamphlet he's writing for the society), a woman scorned, and angry Dumpe descendants combine with the threat that the Manor will be taken from the society lead to murder. The body... a victim of yet another vintage kitchen mallet.

If you've ever looked at vintage kitchen utensils you know they can do some serious damage. Take the kitchen mallet, generally used for pounding meat, but you could certainly pound other things, including people. Someone does just that in No Mallets Intended, the latest Vintage Kitchen Mystery by Victoria Hamilton. First Jaymie is coshed on the head by a kitchen mallet, then an obnoxious author is murdered; the weapon-a meat mallet!

While Jaymie is restoring a Depression era kitchen in Dumpe Manor she also has to deal with the pressure being asserted by her boyfriend, Daniel, to commit more fully to their relationship. But can she deal with his highhanded manner, no matter how well intentioned? Should she have to? After being the victim of an assault she finds yet another dead body. Can she look into the murder without putting herself in danger?

Victoria Hamilton brings us a few puzzles in her fourth Vintage Kitchen mystery. Murder may not be the only criminal activity plaguing Queensville, Michigan. In addition, there are romantic puzzles faced by several characters. A complicated mystery, secrets revealed, and plenty of vintage kitchenalia serve up a great story. No Mallets Intended is a welcome addition to the Vintage Kitchen Mystery series that leaves me anticipating the next adventure.

Recipe included.