Book Review/Giveaway: White Colander Crime by Victoria Hamilton

From the publisher: 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.

I've been looking forward to a Vintage Kitchen mystery set during Dickens Days since the very first book, and my wish finally came true!!!

In this fifth book in the series, Jaymie is making preparations for the opening of Queensville Historic Manor, where she will be working at the manor's vintage kitchen, which she's been busy restoring. Tragically, at the end of the evening, Shelby Fretter is found badly beaten in the town handyman's workshop, and later dies. The Fretter family makes regular appearances in the police blotter, so there's no lack of suspects, but it's Cody Wainwright, son of Jaymie's editor Nan at the newspaper who is arrested. Jaymie herself had witnessed a violent altercation between the two just days before, and Shelby's journal all but seals his fate. 

Nan asks Jaymie to clear her son, and the investigation ends up discovering that Shelby's life was filled with secrets and lies. She also uncovers evidence that the murder may be related to the disappearance of another local girl, Natalie. Many twists and turns kept me guessing until the very end, wondering how so many loose ends would end up coming together.

The Vintage Kitchen Mystery series has been a favorite of mine from the beginning particularly for the fact that I see so much of myself in Jaymie Leighton. She's an old-fashioned girl living in a modern world, content to live her own life in spite of judgments from others, and dotes on her beloved rescue pets. She's been in a love triangle of sorts with multi-millionaire software computer mogul Daniel and Detective Zach, but they are both out of the picture now and her new love interest is Christmas tree farmer Jakob, who also has an adorable young daughter. Jakob is just perfect for Jaymie and I can't wait to watch this relationship continue to play out.

Giveaway: Leave a comment by noon eastern on Friday, November 27th for your chance to win a copy of White Colander Crime. (US entries only, please.)

Full Disclosure: I was given a copy of this book to review by the publisher free of charge, but all opinions in this review are my own.