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~ WEDNESDAY COZY MYSTERY FEATURE ~
-- 'THE DIVA HOSTS A MURDERER' --
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The Diva Hosts a Murderer (A Domestic Diva Mystery) by Krista Davis
About The Diva Hosts a Murderer
The Diva Hosts a Murderer (A Domestic Diva Mystery)
Cozy Mystery 19th in Series Setting - Old Town, Alexandria, Virginia
Publisher : Kensington Cozies Publication date : May 26, 2026
Print length : 336 pages Hardcover ISBN-10 : 1496743482
ISBN-13 : 978-1496743480 Digital ISBN-13 : 978-1496743503
ASIN : B0FP7LXJ8C Audiobook ASIN B0FVW9XKRW
Old Town Virginia’s entertaining guru and occasional sleuth Sophie Winston – a young Martha Stewart in the making – juggles Fourth of July fireworks, a houseful of guests, and homicide in the latest Domestic Diva culinary mystery from New York Times bestselling author Krista Davis.
With a big crowd descending on her Northern Virginia home, it’s a good thing event planner Sophie Winston is an expert at entertaining. Whipping up patriotic pastries is as easy as pie for her, though meeting the man her widowed Aunt Melly just impulsively married in Las Vegas is a little more awkward. Especially when Melly’s longtime, now-heartbroken secret admirer is there too, which could lead to some fireworks.
But the house party really gets explosive when Sophie’s favorite tour guide falls victim to a killer—and evidence points to Sophie’s own father. Will DNA really incriminate her dad? And what’s the real story with her new uncle-by-marriage and the mysterious pal he’s brought along with him? Some of the secrets Sophie’s discovering are raising flags—and while the police department casts suspicion on her father, she has to declare her independence as a detective to find the real culprit, and serve justice along with her red, white, and blue cupcakes . . .
Includes delicious recipes, fabulous decorating tips, and easy entertaining hacks!
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EXCERPT:
The first worrisome surprise came when I found my front door unlocked in the morning when I left the house. Not only did I check to be sure it was secure every night before I went to bed, but I recalled locking it the night before.
Maybe one of my guests needed something from their car. That thought made me feel better though I wasn’t convinced it was the case. Or maybe my sister, Hannah, had opened the door and failed to lock it. She was coming in very late each night.
I ambled along behind Daisy, my hound mix, as she followed her nose across the street to the home of my best friend, Nina Reid Norwood, who yawned as she waited with Muppet, her little white fluffball of a dog.
“Remind me why we’re up so early,” groused Nina.
“So we can walk the dogs before it gets too hot and so I can buy fresh breakfast breads for my houseguests.”
“Are you sure they’re worth it? You have a toaster. I’m told they sell perfectly good sliced bread at the grocery store.”
“You would be the first to complain if I didn’t serve something special. And the toaster doesn’t walk Daisy.”
At the mention of her name, Daisy stopped and looked back at me.
“You’re a very good girl.”
Assured that all was well, she sniffed a spot that intrigued Muppet.
The first rays of the rising sun glowed in the sky as Daisy and Muppet rounded the corner, passing homes that were decked out in red, white, and blue for the holiday.
We crossed to the next block and Daisy steered us into an alley just in time for us to hear a gate unlatch and see my Aunt Melly’s new husband, Gus, step out of someone’s backyard!
I pulled Nina and Daisy back in a hurry lest Gus spot us. When I peeked around the corner, he was dashing along the alley away from us.
“Was that Gus?” asked Nina.
“Ohh, this is not good.”
“I’ll say! Poor Melly! Do you think he saw us or was he running so he could get back to your house before Melly wakes up and realizes he’s gone?”
We heard the latch snap closed on a dark red gate with a rounded top.
“I hope he didn’t see us. That’s Dollie Peabody’s house. Now exactly what would Gus be doing at Dollie Peabody’s house?”
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MY REVIEW:
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A delightful cozy mystery involving the Diva, Sophie Winston, and her family and friends who have gathered to celebrate the Fourth of July . . .
Sophie has invited her family and friends to celebrate America's 250th birthday with her in the lovely Old Town section of Alexandria which lies across the Potomac River from the nation's capital. There are several special events included.
The author does an excellent job of keeping the story moving at a steady pace from beginning to end, and I was fully-engaged in the story each time I sat down to read. She introduces various characters with their idiosyncrasies, weaknesses, and flaws into the story which kept the story fresh. The author challenges readers with some great villains, creeps, and scoundrels; and she even throws in some red herrings to stir things up a bit.
As a history buff, I especially enjoyed the inclusion of true historical events and facts about the historical figures involved in the founding of the United States of America and some facts about the history of the Declaration of Independence.
This is the third book I have read in this series, and I was glad to find it included the Front Matter – a Cast of Characters – and delicious-sounding Back Matter – several original Recipes from the author.
The story is completely clean in language and content. I received a copy of this book from the author through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours. All of my thoughts and opinions shared here are solely my own.
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About Krista Davis
New York Times bestselling author Krista Davis writes the Domestic Diva Mystery series. Krista lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia with two cats and a brood of dogs. Her friends and family complain about being guinea pigs for her recipes, but she notices they keep coming back.
Author Links:
Website www.KristaDavis.com
Instagram www.instagram.com/kristadavisauthor
Facebook www.facebook.com/KristaDavisAuthor
GoodReads https://www.goodreads.com/authorshow/1555579.Krista_Davis
Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/KristaDavisAuthor/
BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/krista-davis
Delicious Mysteries https://www.facebook.com/groups/1573601592919093
Purchase Links: Amazon Apple Barnes & Noble Books A Million Bookshop
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