Review by Tracy Condie
Details at the end of this post on how to win an ebook copy of the book and a link to purchase it.
Misty Simon creates the most relatable and interesting characters. This is my first time reading a Sunny Side Up mystery, but it will not be my last. In fact, I have added the two previous books to my TBR list not because I need to know what happened before A Pinch of Assault to be able to follow the story but because I want to know how Jax Tapman and her bff Dani were able to realize their dream of owning and operating the diner where they waitressed as kids. I also want to learn how she and Eliot Taylor became a super sweet and supportive couple. He is a former detective turned classically trained chef who works at Jax’s Aunt Hildy’s swanky restaurant but, in a pinch, also enjoys making swoon worthy pancakes at the Diner.
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| Image Source Gemma Halliday |
So of course, that is where the victim is found, and the group must work through the clues to solve the crime. Each character is so unique and different. I was drawn into the story by the sweet and sassy Jax, the smart and supportive Eliot, the ride-and-not-die Dani, and last but by no means least, the organizational guru, Dot.
Dani has quite the clue gathering and organizing system, starting with the spy spindle but wait until you read about Dot’s tackle box. Dot was not a police officer like her son, but she did spend 40 years as a front desk worker who excelled at triaging incidents calls.
As with all cozy mysteries, there is always more than one puzzle to be solved and more than one suspect including Maureen, who has known Eliot since they were kids. Normally, Jax would be able to get great intel from the police chief––he is her dad, after all, and respects her sleuthing abilities––but her parents are on a cruise, so contact is a little limited. Does this get in the way of this gang of crime solvers? Absolutely not! Jax even finds a way to cover a shift at the diner by having Eliot stand in at the grill. Rumor has it that he makes some amazing pancakes using his great grandmother’s recipe.
I really enjoyed the positivity of the story and the interactions between the characters. The clues were well placed, and the plot flowed with the turn of each page. I could not put the book down and I also couldn’t stop chuckling. I was able to figure out who the killer was but only towards the end of this thoroughly delightful story.
To enter to win an ebook copy of A Pinch of Assault, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line "pinch,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen October 17, 2026. US residents only and you must be 18 or older to enter. 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.
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.Tracy Condie is a paralegal by day and cozy armchair sleuth by night. When she is not working or reading, she enjoys preparing the recipes found in culinary cozies or researching recipes of meal items described therein and sharing reviews of both books and food on Instagram and on KRL. She lives in Corona, California with her husband and dog Zoolie, and looks forward to visiting with their grown sons when their time permits.
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