"Diners, Drive-Ins, and Lies" By Misty Simon: Review/Giveaway

Review by Sarah Erwin

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win an ebook copy of the book and a link to purchase it.

Diners, Drive-Ins, and Lies is book one in the new Sunny Side Up Mysteries by Misty Simon. I wanted to read this the minute I saw the colorful cover depicting a diner and of course, crime scene tape. And I’m here to report that the story inside is just as much fun as the cover!

Jax and her best friend Dani are the new owners and operators of Sunny Side Up Diner in their hometown. When they were growing up, this diner was a favorite of the pair, and they dreamed of taking it over. Their new business venture is booming and while it’s exhausting, Jax and Dani are loving every minute.

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Image Source Gemma Halliday Publishing

They decide to go out one evening to celebrate with a fancy dinner at Jax’s Aunt Hildy’s restaurant. The night, though, is not the celebration they hoped for. Jax stumbles upon a dead body behind the restaurant––strangled using swag from the Sunny Side Up Diner. While the victim isn’t well liked in town, no one in this small community wants a murder and all eyes fall on Jax. Could she be the killer?

Thankfully, Jax’s father is a police officer in town, and he enlists Aunt Hildy’s new cook (and former cop) Eliot Taylor to help Jax clear her name. The two form a strong partnership, and Jax braves some scary situations in order to find the true killer. She might be a bit fearful, but she is brave.

This new series is off to a great start. Misty does an excellent job showing readers all the details of the small town, the diner, and a cast of entertaining characters. (I also love a mystery that has a loveable pet and Jax’s cat is a welcome addition!)

The mystery is creative, and while I had a guess about the why of the murder, I did not guess the true killer. I’d love to visit with Jax and Dani and have breakfast at their diner. There’s a hint of a second book, so I hope that means readers will have another chance to partner with Jax, Dani, and Eliot soon!

To enter to win an ebook copy of Diners, Drive-Ins, and Lies, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line "diners,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen November 2, 2024. US residents only and you must be 18 or older to enter. If entering via email please include your mailing address in case you win. If entering via comment please include your email address so we can contact you. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section in Kings River Life and in our mystery category here on KRL News & Reviews. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. And check out our new mystery podcast which features mystery short stories and first chapters read by local actors!

You can click here to purchase this book.

Sarah Erwin started her career as a children’s librarian, later becoming a public library director and now she’s a stay at home mom. While her career might have changed, her love of reading has been a constant since 4th grade and she reads over 200 books a year. Read along with her on her blog Sarah Can’t Stop Reading or on Instagram. Sarah lives in St. Louis, MO with her two kids, her husband and a family dog and cat.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.