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The Diva Goes Overboard (A Domestic Diva Mystery)
by Krista Davis
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About 'The Diva Goes Overboard'
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For once, event planner Sophie Winston finds herself a guest at a lavish engagement party, but things go horrifyingly awry when the groom-to-be is fatally poisoned . . .
In Old Town Alexandria’s unlikeliest match, Natasha Smith’s free-spirited mother, Wanda, is engaged to notoriously pompous antiques dealer, Orson Chatsworth—leaving Natasha to plan the entire wedding, beginning with an elaborate engagement party. For the extravagant affair, Natasha splurges on trendy food boards created by rising social media star, Stella St. James. The sumptuous boards go way beyond basic cheese and crackers, as Stella dazzles guests with picture-worthy butter boards, dessert boards, and even doughnut boards. Just as Natasha planned, the food is to die for—until someone actually does.
When the groom collapses, it seems as if a heart attack is to blame. Then guests discover Orson was poisoned, and suddenly Stella’s bespoke boards look a lot less appealing. But with an event this big, the spread of suspects is sure to be impressive. Could Orson’s killer be a jilted ex-lover? A money hungry relative? A bitter former business partner? When even Sophie is not above suspicion, she knows it’s time to get on board and scrape together an investigation of her own . . . before murder becomes the town’s next trend.
Includes delicious recipes, fabulous decorating tips, and easy entertaining hacks!
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EXCERPT:
Dear Sophie, My seventy-five-year-old father is getting married! The bride and groom have been married before to other people and have adult children and grandchildren. They’re planning a huge wedding and the bride will wear white. I think this is in poor taste and they should quietly tie the knot at the courthouse in a civil ceremony by themselves. What do you think? Tied in Knots in Loveland, Ohio
Dear Tied in Knots, A wedding is one of life’s biggest and most lovely events. If the bride and groom want a big wedding with all the traditions that accompany nuptials, I think they should do it and celebrate in any way that makes them happy. There are no age limits on joy. Sophie
On Sunday evening, when other people were settling in and getting ready to start a new workweek, I walked my mixed breed hound, Daisy, to relax after finishing up a busy week. An unpleasant waft of smoke reached me. Most likely from a fire pit in someone’s backyard, I supposed. As an event planner, I often worked when others didn’t. I had just finished a major convention for the Federation of Pharmacists. They had been lovely to work with and their exhibits had been fascinating. It had been a major convention and I was ready for some downtime. The sun had set in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, but the temperature was perfect for sleeveless attire. The balmy air made me feel summery and carefree. Porch lights and front door lights gleamed on Federal style homes, many of which had been built in the 1800s. Now and then I caught a glimpse of lights strung over a backyard and the sound of laughter. We had no destination in mind. Mostly, I needed to stretch and relax, and Daisy needed to get outside and sniff the world. We ambled along until I saw a blaze. In the seconds that it took me to realize that it arose inside a car, it quadrupled in size. I reached for my phone and called 911. “A car is on fire!” I gave the operator the name of the street and the closest cross street. “Hurry! The flames have moved from the front seat to the back.” I felt completely helpless. There wasn’t a thing I could do about it. Although we were a good distance away, Daisy leaned against my legs as if it scared her, too. Sirens sounded louder than normal in the quiet night. They passed us and clanged to a stop. In minutes, firefighters had the fire under control. One of the firemen recognized me and strode over. “I hear you called in the fire?” “Yes. It was small and then whoosh, it grew so fast!” He nodded. “Yeah, car fires will do that. Did you see anyone get out of the car?” “No!” His question worried me. “I hope there wasn’t anyone inside.” “We don’t think so. We’ll open the trunk and have a look as soon as it cools off.” I shuddered to even imagine that possibility. I thanked him for responding so quickly and said good night.
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MY REVIEW:
A solidly-constructed, well-written mystery story written by a skilled author . . .
The author has created a strong and varied cast of characters led by an experienced amateur sleuth, Sophie Winston. The way in which Sophie navigates the many murders in her town is organized and effective. An entertaining group of Sophie's close friends assist her in solving crimes. I enjoyed the addition of the many canine and feline friends included in the story.
The methods of death used in this story are clever and unique which contribute to making this story unique and engaging. As a fan of cozy mysteries, I enjoy stories filled with many twists, turns, and dead ends. This book has all of those and so much more! Despicable characters, secrets from the past, no shortage of villains . . . Add in some red herrings and loads of surprises, and fans of this genre will be satisfied in this latest installment of Davis's 'Domestic Diva Mystery' series.
As someone who enjoys cooking and baking, I enjoyed 'seeing' Sophie in the kitchen. The collection of recipes included at the end of the story is an added bonus for readers. This is the first book I've read by this 'new-to-me' author, but it definitely won't be the last!
This book is completely clean in language and content. I received a copy of the book from the publisher through Great Escapes Virtual Book tours. All of my opinions and thoughts shared here are solely my own.
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About Krista Davis
New York Times Bestselling author Krista Davis writes the Domestic Diva Mysteries, the Paws & Claws Mysteries, and The Pen & Ink Mysteries. Krista lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia with two dogs, two cats, and a hidden stash of chocolate. When she’s not writing, she loves to entertain her family and friends who complain when she tests her recipes on them. But she notices that they keep coming back for more.
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I liked the review an excerpt.
ReplyDeleteyay! So glad you loved this one!
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