Assault and Pepper

by Tamar Myers

Book Overview

A tasty mystery-with a side of killer chili Includes six chili recipes Magdalena Yoder and her Mennonite congregation gather for the annual chili cook-off, only to have beloved Reverend Schrock fall face-first into his bowl. For his widow's sake, Magdalena begins to look into the victim's death, soon discovering that Schrock wasn't all that well liked by his flock.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0451215672
• ISBN13: 9780451215673
• Release Date: January 2006
• Publisher: Signet Book
• Length: 259 Pages
• Weight: 0.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 4.2" x 6.8"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 12 and higher

Customer Reviews

Magdalena Yoder Rules

I've read all of the books in this series and enjoyed everyone of them. If only they would make a TV movie out of this character.

One of Tamar's Best

I found Assault And Pepper even more fun than the other six or seven Tamar Myers PA Dutch Mysteries I've read and laughed out loud more than once. The part where Magdalena thinks she's been "left behind" is a brilliantly written piece of humor. This author is all about fun: She never takes herself too seriously and even better, she makes it clear she doesn't expect the reader to get all bogged down in seriousness either. Tamar's books are categorized as Mysteries with a humorous twist...but for me, the broad and often farcical humor is the reason to read her books--the mystery is there only as a form to wrap the humor around. That being so....If you're looking for a serious mystery with a complicated plot to puzzle over--look elsewhere. If you want a slightly silly (okay ALOT silly), light hearted reading experience, written by a wise and warm hearted woman who so obvoiously has fun writing her books and wants you to have fun reading them--- then this (or any other Tamar Myers) book may be exactly what you're looking for.

Family secrets are revealed

The whole town of Hernia is shocked when the Reverend Schrock dies at a church supper or, as Magdalena Yoder says, "my peppy pastor plotzed in the peppery pot"! Melvin Stolzfus, the chief of police, decides to quit and asks Magdalena to solve the murder. As she interviews those closest to Reverend Schrock, she discovers that he was practicing many of the sins that he preached against. She is shocked and dismayed, and she begins to realize that many people had a grudge against Schrock and were glad to see him dead. Before the madcap bed-and-breakfast owner is through with her investigation, she uncovers many closely-guarded secrets in the tightly-knit Mennonite community, some of which concern those nearest and dearest to Magdalena herself. Fans of this series are in for a surprise when they read this latest in the Pennsylvania Dutch Mystery Series.

A Must Read for this Series

I've read all of the books in this series and enjoyed everyone but of all of them, this is the best! Magdalena Yoder hasn't lost any of her tart personality in this clever turn of direction of the series. In this one she gets away from the inn while trying to find out who killed Reverend Schrock. He died when someone put peanut butter (to which he was allergic) into the chili he was tasting for the annual chili bake off. Many secrets are revealed - some of them very surprising to fans of this series. Magdalena is still Magdalena but the book is fresh and absorbing. A must read if you've read any of the others in this wonderful series.

Full of surprises

Magdalena Yoder looks forward to the Beechy Grove Mennonite Church annual chili supper cook-off but her anticipation turns to horror when her beloved Reverend Schrock dies after sampling one of the dishes. His widow is convinced that he was murdered and that someone put peanut butter, which everyone knows he was allergic to, in one of the dishes. Magdalena doesn't want to believe that someone hated the preacher enough to kill him but she agrees to investigate the case even if she doesn't like the widow. To her surprise, her brother in law Hernia's chief of police "Melvin the Mantis" tells her he's quit his job and he wants her to investigate the case because after testing products, it was found that peanut butter was in one of the chili dishes. After talking to various people she finds that the Reverend Schrock was not the saint she thought he was. His crimes include embezzlement, bigamy, spousal abuse, his refusal to perform a marriage ceremony and much more. When Magdalena gets close to unveiling the perpetrator, he kidnaps her friend and cook and wants to exchange her for one million dollars in getaway money. Readers are going to want to buy ASSAULT AND PEPPER just to find out who the killer is. Nobody will guess the person's identity and it will come as a total shock to fans who have read this charming and delightful cozy series. Tamar Myers has changed the entire direction of the series storyline keeping it fresh and original. This reviewer will definitely want to read the next book in the series to see what direction the author takes her heroine next. Harriet Klausner