Community Corner
San Ramon Resident, Former Teacher Launches New Mystery Series
National and Publishers Weekly bestselling author Dana Mentink's "Pint of No Return" is out now.
Press release from Dana Mentink:
June 25, 2021
National and Publishers Weekly bestselling author Dana Mentink is scooping up a sweet mystery series. The first of a three book series entitled Pint of No Return released from Poisoned Pen Press on May 25th. Readers can match wits with ice cream store owner Trinidad Jones as she opens her dream business, The Shimmy and Shake Shop, showcasing her signature “freakshakes.” Mentink's book has received early praise from Kirkus Reviews for a “charming series kickoff.”
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Library Journal issued Pint of No Return a starred review. “Pint of No Return (Poisoned Pen, May), by Dana Mentink, is a delicious charmer featuring Trinidad Jones, whose new shake shop in Oregon comes with a triple scoop of murder.”
A long time resident and a graduate of San Ramon Valley Unified School District schools, Mentink has written professionally for twenty-three years, penning more than 50 published novels. The new mystery series is special for a personal reason. “My sleuth, Trinidad Jones, has a very important sidekick, her Cuban grandfather, Papa Luis. He is inspired by my own grandfather who was born in Guantanamo and my father who spent his formative years in Cuba. It was so special to peek into our family history while researching for this book.”
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Mentink has recently retired from teaching elementary school in the district. She enjoyed writing the Street Smarts storybooks, which local school children illustrated to enhance the traffic safety message. “I’ve written many books, but the Streetsmarts storybooks were some of my favorites because I got to partner with so many amazing students.”
Mentink’s Pint of No Return will kick off a three book series, releasing each May until 2023. She also writes suspense novels for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense, garnering a Holt Medallion, and a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award. She is both a Publisher’s Weekly and an Amazon bestselling author. “It’s been thrilling to have one foot in the suspense world and the other in mystery, but my heart has always been with mystery. I grew up with Nancy Drew, Jessica Fletcher and Miss Marple, so I’m all about the savvy female sleuth!”
This press release was produced by Dana Mentink. The views expressed here are the author's own.