In the brand-new Vintage Kitchen Mystery from the author of White Colander Crime, someone with an old grudge decides it’s time to bury the hatchet . . . “Smartly written and successfully plotted, the debut of this new cozy series . . . exudes authenticity.” —Library Journal on A Deadly Grind Vintage cookware and cookbook collector Jaymie Leighton has agreed to help her sister clear out the house … agreed to help her sister clear out the house of a deceased older neighbor, and she’s thrilled at the prospect of discovering antique kitchenware and other treasures—until she opens a vintage trunk in the cellar and finds the remains of a teenage girl with a cleaver buried in her skull. When the body of a second girl is found just days later in a nearby river, the clues all indicate that the crimes are connected—and that the culprit’s motives are hidden in the past.
Jaymie just wants to cut and run, but the victims were both high school classmates of her sister when they disappeared, and that makes Jaymie the perfect person to help the local police investigate the killings. As she dredges up old memories and even older rivalries and jealousies, her list of suspects grows. But Jaymie knows she’ll have to whittle it down to just one, and fast, because someone has decided to cut their ties to Jaymie—in the most fatal of ways . . .
Includes a vintage recipe!
Praise for the Vintage Kitchen Mysteries:
“All the right ingredients . . . Small-town setting, kitchen antiques . . . and a bowlful of mystery. A perfect recipe.” —New York Times bestselling author Susan Wittig Albert
“[A] charming new series.” —New York Times bestselling author Sheila Connolly
“A chilling whodunit.” —Richmond Times-Dispatch
“Well-plotted with several unexpected twists and more developed characters.” —The Mystery Reader
“Jaymie is a great character . . . She is inquisitive and full of surprises!” —Debbie’s Book Bag
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Leave It to Cleaver is the 6th book in the ‘Vintage Kitchen Mystery’ series written by Victoria Hamilton. All I can say is… this series keeps on getting better. Jaymie and her sister are cleaning out a friend’s home when they discover a body trapped in a trunk for over 30 years. Who killed the missing teenager? It seems to be one of their friends who fought back in high school with the girl, except a second body turns up days later. That girl disappeared from high school around the same time. Someone was up to no good… what kinda shady characters was Becca hanging out with!?!?
Hamilton’s mystery itself is complex and full of believable suspects. I liked the way Jaymie went back and forth with her suspicion cast upon several people she knew and was close with. As she learns the truth about adoption, abuse, cheating, and hidden tempers, everything comes to a blow. What excelled in this story was the structure and approach. In alternating chapters, we see exactly what happened to different characters thirty years ago, all in third person perspective. We also see Jaymie’s current investigation, and decide for ourselves how the details will play out.
On the personal side, Jaymie is engaged, which we knew from the last book… but her wedding is finally here and it’s a double one with Becca, her sister. We meet more members of Jakob’s family – he’s such a good influence and match for Jaymie. And Grandma Leighton comes for a visit. Another wonderful edition in this series. I’ve already got the next one in my queue to order.
So…I was wrong about the killer twice. It wasn’t for a lack of trying and I did get some of it right so I’m good with that. After all the messed up ness was the most tearfully beautiful wedding. (I always cry at weddings) It will be very interesting to read how Jaymie goes about investigating with a husband and daughter now. Maybe she should become a PI. I can’t wait to find out (if I knew this was going to happen in the series I would have checked out the last couple of books too.)
Love this series.
Very enjoyable book. Believable characters and a mystery that keeps you guessing until the very end.
It’s a fun listen or read. Not too terribly complicated but a good story.
Enjoyed
The writing is a bit juvenile and at times feels like the author gets bog down in unimportant details. I had a difficult time committing to read until the end. Also this book needed to be proof read better. I was surprised to see so many errors.
Excellent story. It kept me reading late into the night. Great writing.
Enjoyed the read.
Good book to relax with. Enough surprises to keep your interest. Characters are realistic. Not everybody plays nicely.
Kept me guessing all the way.
Too many characters and too many details. Wanted to like it, but didnt.
Though part of a series I haven’t read this was a good stand alone. Characters believable though Jayme, the main character has to get in trouble she doesent get there by stupidiy. Interesting in she is helping the police chief dig into decades old murders with links to the present. A novel approach and enjoyable.
“Leave it to Cleaver” earns 5/5 Vintage Pastel Pyrex Bowls!
I am new to Victoria Hamilton’s Vintage Kitchen Mystery series, so making this sixth book my introduction was perfect: High-school memories heralding murder? Who knew a quiet day helping out could throw everyone into a cold, cold case? Although there are references to relationships and previous mysteries, there were no spoilers. I didn’t feel left out of the back story and character connections having not read the other five books, although this book has left me eager to do so. Weaving a series of flashbacks along with the contemporary events, the story kept me engaged as it illustrated teenage angst, uncovered secrets, and provided a new look into motives, opportunity and means. I found Victoria’s characters well developed and relationships entertaining to follow. My favorite is Jaymie, of course, along with exploring the connection with her sister that many can identify with the older/younger sibling dynamic. The entertaining details surrounding Jaymie’s “Vintage Eats” column in the Wolverhampton Howler, vintage kitchenware, the wedding plans with wonderful descriptions of vintage wedding dresses and cakes play out in the background along with an easy to follow recipe mentioned in the book from Jaymie’s grandmother’s 1950s recipe book: Salmon Loaf with Mushroom Cream Sauce. I highly recommend this book!
“Disclosure: A review copy of this book was sent to me by the publisher. All of the above opinions are my own.”
Series: A Vintage Kitchen Mystery Book 6
Publication Date: June 23, 2017
Delightfully entertaining, well-written, and an interesting and exciting plot. What more could you ask for in a mystery? It literally keeps you guessing right to the end.
For me, this is Jaymie’s ‘coming of age’ story. As I was reading through the book, I kept feeling as if the author was saying goodbye and was tying up loose ends. I even wondered if this might be the last book in the series. However, I think that feeling of goodbye is more a goodbye to the youth and immaturity present in the previous books. I can’t wait to see where our more mature and settled Jaymie takes us. (Yes, there will be more books – I asked.)
Jaymie Layton doesn’t have a regular nine-to-five job. She has many jobs and businesses and even manages to fit volunteer work into her busy schedule. She also seems to manage to fit murder investigations into her schedule as well. That is a good thing because it seems she just keeps finding dead bodies.
Living in the same town (and house) where she was born and grew up is perfect for Jaymie who is an introvert and has trouble being the center of attention. She has no desire to live anywhere else. She also has a diverse set of very good friends and a much wider set of close acquaintances, which makes investigating murders much easier.
Those same good friends are also handling the planning for her upcoming marriage to Jakob. Jamie is so in love with him and his little daughter and can hardly believe her good fortune. She’s had a number of love interests in the past, but none of them were right for her – some were actual jerks. Jakob is a definite keeper.
There are so many things going on in Jaymie’s life that she hardly knows whether she’s coming or going. So, when she and her sister, Becca, discover human remains in a trunk in the basement of an old house they are cleaning out, she is absolutely determined she will not become involved. However, as she learns the identity of the deceased and that it was a high school friend of her sister Becca, she becomes more and more curious. Then, the police chief asks her to see what she can find out about it because she is good friends with many of the people who went to high school with the girl.
Then, there is a second body discovered in the river and the remains are identified as a girl who also disappeared on the same day as the first girl. Undoubtedly their disappearances and deaths are related – but – they weren’t friends and didn’t know each other — or did they?
The investigation takes Jaymie back in time to the 1980’s to learn more about her sister’s high school days. The investigation, reading the diaries of many of those involved, and talking to the friends about those times brings Jaymie and Becca even closer. The investigation takes many twists and turns and you’ll be guessing right up to the end.
One of my favorite parts was the wedding. You could just feel the love in the room and I also felt as if I were in attendance. I loved that the little dog was the ring bearer!
I did wish there was more of Jakob in the book and that he was involved in the investigation – at least a little. While the love between he and Jaymie was plain to see, it almost seemed like they were each doing their separate things and never the twain shall meet. Maybe in future books, he’ll be more involved because then they will be living in the same house.
Another thing I thought was odd and unworkable, especially with a young child, was their intention to live part of the year in Jaymie’s house and part of the year in Jakob’s house. I know they both love their homes and neither wants to give theirs up, but the switching all the time would seem to be unworkable to me.
“I requested and received this book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher.”