No Grater Danger

No Grater Danger by Victoria Hamilton is the seventh story in A Vintage Kitchen Mystery series. Jaymie Leighton Muller is enjoying her new life married to Jakob and taking care of her stepdaughter, Jocie. Sybil Thorndike, Jocie’s school principal, asks Jaymie to assist in a new program that involves teaching through objects. They want to use objects from the heritage house for an upcoming spice trade lesson. Mrs. Stubbs suggests Jaymie talk with her cousin, Lois Perry who owns a large collection of nutmeg graters along with other historical objects. Lois Perry is a reclusive woman who lives in the Nutmeg Palace and owns the waterfront property in town. Fergus Baird, a developer, has been badgering Lois to sell off the property. When Jaymie arrives for a meeting with Lois, she finds her at the bottom of the back stairs. Someone set it up for Lois to fall and this was not the first time an attempt has been made on her life. Jaymie sets out to find the person behind these dastardly deeds because the next attempt on Lois’ life could be successful. No Grater Danger contains good writing, a steady pace and smooth transitions. There is a great cast of established characters and I like the addition of Lois Perry (feisty and intelligent woman). I have liked watching Jaymie grow over the course of the series, and I am glad that she has found the right partner for her in Jakob Muller. Queensville, Michigan is a lovely town with quaint shops and I appreciate how they want to preserve their history. There are beautiful descriptions of vintage items in the book including the Savoy by Buccellati Sterling Silver set, various nutmeg graters, and Pyrex. The mystery is well-crafted with a twist that will surprise you. There are red herrings and multiple suspects. Jaymie actively questions suspects and seeks clues to aid her investigation. Armchair sleuths will be able to discern the guilty parties’ identity early in the story. However, it did not hinder my enjoyment of the book. I wanted to keep reading to discover the why and spend more time in Queensville. There are many appealing cozy moments in the story with Jaymie and her new family (hubby and stepdaughter), time with friends, cooking and eating, shopping, and wonderful descriptions of vintage items. I am giving No Grater Danger 4 out of 5 stars. I could have done with less repetition of facts and speculation. I will be eagerly awaiting the next installment in A Vintage Kitchen Mystery series.

This is a fabulous mystery! No Grater Danger is #7 in the Vintage Kitchen Mystery series and surpasses the rest! I love the setting, mostly in Michigan, across the St. Clair River from Canada. I like the continuity of characters; Jaymie and her new family are a delight. The mystery includes local history through various kitchen instruments specifically related to the spice trade to Queensville. When they married, Jaymie and her husband Jakob chose to spend part of the year in Queensville in her family home, and part of the time out of town on a corner of his Christmas tree lot. They first met in his home in the log cabin Jakob had made by hand from a kit when she was escaping from a killer. He, Jaymie, and his daughter, Jocie, are a tight-knit family. Sybil is the principal of Jocie’s school and Jaymie’s friend. A dedicated educator, Sybil talks with Jaymie about Learning through Objects, a concept not yet tried in history classes. Martha (Perry) Stubbs will work with the head of the Heritage committee for permission for Jocie’s class to go through Queensville Historic Manor, learning through artifacts in the House. Jaymie will visit Lois Perry, the elderly cousin of Martha and keeper of all historical items and papers related to the Perry family and their lead in the spice trade. Lois also owns much of the land at the docks, refusing to sell to a developer, who says the best thing that could happen would be for her to die so her niece would inherit everything…and sell it to get the town on its feet again. Lois will loan various items to the Manor, including antique kitchen implements and spice graters. Her great niece, Morgan, is in her 30’s and helps Lois with anything she needs. Lois lives alone, even after a break-in resulting in the loss of an extensive silver set that was purchased (with provenance) at the antique store Jaymie’s sister and brother-in-law own. She is injured in her home by someone putting a trip wire on her stairs, and the body of the man who wanted to buy the Perry land is found dead on her property. Jaymie tries to find a way to help Lois. Jocie is adorable, a scene stealer. Lois is fascinating, knowing the background of the family antiques, documents, and other memorabilia. I love how the characters who feel like old friends have grown and changed over time, particularly Jaymie, who is a happy wife and mother. All characters, including Lois and Morgan, are defined well for their roles. This novel was hard to put down! An authentic touch of Michigan was one of my favorite places to visit near my hometown. Seeing mention of Bronner’s in Frankenmuth brings fond memories of a family member and I spending many hours going through Christmas decorations and crafts from around the world. Jaymie’s primary focus is Jakob and Jocie, and she still makes time for friends, whether old, such as Valetta and Martha, or new, such as Lois Perry. I would enjoy seeing Lois again; she is the source of much of the history. The mystery builds with tantalizing details, suspects, and red herrings. This reader was hard-pressed to figure out who really dunit. The end brings many delights and surprises, and I was very satisfied with the resolution and teasers of what we can look forward to with Jakob and Jaymie’s new ventures. I highly recommend No Grater Danger and this series! From a grateful heart: I won a copy of this cozy mystery from the author through the Killer Characters blog and was not obligated to provide a review.