Member Reviews

The Diva Cooks up a Storm is the eagerly anticipated 11th book in the Domestic Diva Mystery series and it does not disappoint! Sophie and the gang are back at it, doing what they do best...solving mysteries!
Krista Davis has a talent for creating a fun and engaging setting with quirky yet likable characters (yes, even Natasha will grow on you). The snippets of both Sophie and Natasha's columns at the start of each chapter add a unique element to the series and the well planned mystery contains enough twists and turns to keep you guessing until the very end! I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading more books by this author.

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It was such a great pleasure to be back in Old Town Alexandria with Sophie and her tight, funny crew of friends. Once again, Krista Davis has created a mystery that is intriguing, with enough gentle curves and surprises to keep the story moving, while keeping the tone light and often humorous. The Domestic Diva series is a cozy series that I think works well as an introduction to the genre, as it takes all the classic and expected elements and does them very well. The Diva Cooks Up a Storm is no exception (my one question: where does Sophie find enough storage space for her seemingly endless variety of dishes and serveware? No, seriously, this fellow collector of dishes wants to know!).

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The Diva Cooks up a Storm, the 11th book in author Krista Davis' beloved Domestic Diva cozy mystery series, takes us back to Old Town Alexandria, Virginia where Sophie Winston is preparing to go on a beach vacation with her bestie Nina Reid Norwood until a hurricane forces them to cancel their plans. Neighbors in Sophie's historic area of town come together to help each other out after the storm, that is until someone murders fellow resident Hollis Haberman, and his wife Kelsey turns to Sophie for help to clear her name as the prime suspect. New characters - Humphrey's mother!!! - are introduced, and Sophie must solve this whodunit before someone decides to do her in as well! A cleverly written cozy mystery, and as usual I was smiling at the antics while I attempted to deduce the culprit along with the protagonist. Delicious recipes included! 5 stars!

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The Diva Cooks up a Storm is a delectable cozy set in the south.
Charming and idyllic little town is shattered by the murder of local acclaimed lawyer. His young attractive second wife is suspected of murdering him. She seeks Sophie's help who happens to be a local ameteur sleuth. As more and more secrets are revealed it turns out that nothing and nobody is as is seems and the little town becomes sinister place where you need to look over your shoulder. Your friends become your enemies and there is no one you can trust.
Nicely done mystery. Well presented characters, some of them charming, some charmingly crazy. I especially liked advice columns at the beginning of each chapter about proper etiquette. Beautifully done cover and many delicious dishes are just some of the things to savour in this lovely read.

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Ever since the day I stood in the library spinning the racks and waiting for the books to fall off so I could check them out, I have been grateful to have found the Diva series by Krista Davis. True story I would spin the racks at the library and any book that fell off would come home with me. The first I read in the series was The Diva Haunts The House, and then I could not wait to read the series. Anyone who tells you Libraries don't help sell books is wrong. I bought what I could not get in from the library and then I pre ordered every book Krista Davis put out since. I am grateful that NetGalley has allowed me to read The Diva Cooks Up a Storm in advance of the May 29th release. It felt so great to be back in Old Town and having dinner and a crisis to participate in. Reading the Diva series really does feel like going home or at least going to stay with friends for the week. I loved catching up with the characters and I also loved and was intrigued by the way this mystery unfolded. A secret dinner, a juicy gossip story, a bitter divorce, mysterious death, bees, cupcakes, and so much food! Then there are the love interests, the friends and the situations we simply cannot easily explain. This was such a great read I could not put it down, I had to know who done it! It was not at all who I had pegged either. I also really appreciated the recipes in the book and I feel like I need to write Sophie to ask if it is appropriate to serve her funeral potatoes at our next family dinner? Great story, great series, you will love it!

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I cannot tell you how excited I was to see that Krista Davis was writing another book in the Domestic Diva series. I have loved all of her previous books and have missed Sophie, Mars, Nina, and Natasha. Just with all of her previous books in the Domestic Diva series, this one keeps your guessing. Typically, once as series has so many books, the storylines get old and you are tired of the characters. Not so with The Diva Cooks Up A Storm. The characters are still as engaging and the murders still unique. Sophie is still a super sleuth always inadvertently getting caught in the middle of a murder. In this case, Sophie and Nina had big plans to go away to the beach until bad weather hits and their trip gets canceled. Of course, it is a good thing the weather interfered as there is another murder that Sophie gets involved in. Natasha, as usual, is such a hoot. You just never know what kind of answer she is going to give in one of her columns or what type of crazy idea she is going to have. I enjoyed this book because each murder is different and she gives you lots of suspects who have different motives and you are constantly changing your mind on the "who did it?" until she does the final reveal. I received this book as an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Domestic diva Sophie Winston attends an underground dinner club where her divorced neighbor, Hollis, brings his new wife to the festivities. Some people at the gathering are not amused, including his ex-wife and son. Things go totally awry when he’s found dead the next day from poisoning. Can Sophie find the truth before another body is found?
I love it when a story sweeps you away from your life, and transports you to another place filled with intriguing characters and a plot that keeps you up all night. This cozy mystery was that type of book. Sophie is a great character with major culinary knowledge, and I would love to taste one of her dinners. Another character that I enjoy was Natasha. She is a person who tries to be a domestic star, but winds up looking like a novice. She is annoyingly entertaining. The plot kept me guessing about who the culprit was, and left me surprised at the end. This is the quintessential cozy mystery and I recommend it to anyone who loves the genre. I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily reviewing it.

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This story starts buzzing on page one and is a thrilling flight until you touch down on the final page! Event planners, Sophie Winston (down-to-earth), and her rival, Natasha (rather snobbish); are showcased at their best with their different personalities when a neighbor’s death stirs up trouble and a hurricane knocks out everyone’s electricity. Sophie hosts an impromptu backyard party for everyone to use their cold or frozen food before it spoils. I love the laugh-out-loud moments throughout the story—Natasha is like no other domestic diva in her advice to others on how things should be done while Sophie is more laid back. The recurring characters that make this cozy series a favorite are all re-visited here.

Author Krista Davis dishes up plenty of hints and clues galore, yet still manages to cleverly disguise the murderer’s identity until she’s ready to give it away. Once all the ingredients for the murder are separated out; it becomes clear who did what and why. It’s such a pleasure to read such a well-written cozy mystery. All I have to do is sit back, and relax, and let the words take me on an adventure. The author includes several delicious sounding recipes for food and drinks for readers to try in their own kitchens. I highly recommend this story and the entire Domestic Diva series.

I reviewed a digital ARC provided by NetGalley and Kensington.

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Alexandria, VA seems like such a historic and quaint place to live… well for the exception of all the murder that Sophie the Domestic Diva stumbles upon in her hometown. In this latest installment of the Domestic Diva series, a prominent attorney is the latest victim and his trophy wife is suspected of the crime. Sophie and her kooky friends a Southern Bell Diva, an Undertaker, a Cop, and some nosey neighbors are the perfect recipes to solve the crime in this cozy caper.
Krista Davis’s Domestic Diva series makes each book feel like a reunion of some old eccentric friends that you dearly missed and are reunited with… and feels like you picked up on them just where you left off the last time. I can’t wait to see what Sophie does next.

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The Diva Cooks Up a Storm by Krista Davis catches you right from the start. The book is part of the Domestic Diva series but can be read as a stand-alone book, and it doesn’t disappoint. Krista Davis does an excellent job of creating vivid, descriptive scenes that place you in the middle of the action and storyline. The characters are well developed and interesting as well as believable. The dialogue and humor had me laughing out loud at times. The mystery and pacing of the story were done well and had me second-guessing myself, each character, and everyone’s motives.

Plus there are other storylines occurring in the book, which keep you wondering what will happen next. The story is mixed in with some humor and descriptions of some yummy sounding food.

I am looking forward to reading more of Krista Davis's books.

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I can’t believe this is book 11 in the Domestic Diva Mysteries. Oh, how I have missed Sophie, Natasha, Nina, Mars, and the gang! But they are back and just as delicious as ever.

When Nina and Sophie’s plans for a beach vacation are cancelled when a storm heads to Old Town, they remain in Old Town and it’s like divine intervention since a neighbor dies under mysterious circumstances. EVERYONE seems to think it was the new young wife, well, everyone except for Sophie. As Sophie digs around to clear the young widow, she discovers the ugly truth and helps solve another murder in Old Town.

I just love this series and am thrilled that the wait was well worth it. If you haven’t read one of Krista’s books, this is a great one to start with. You’ll find yourself reading the others in quick succession. Krista Davis is one of my favorite authors and I adore all of her series. Can’t wait for the 12th book!

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With the recent change to some spring like weather I find that my reading mood is shifting. The warmer it gets the more ready I am to pick up some light hearted reads When I saw that there was a new installment in the Domestic Diva series I knew this would be the perfect pick.

Sophia, Nina, Mars, Natasha and crew are once again brought together by a murder mystery - this time with a hurricane force storm brewing. Sophia is, of course, caught in the thick of the investigation trying to solve who really murdered Hollis and why.

The mystery was entertaining and certainly kept the story moving along. However, that isn't what caused me to inhale this book in two days. It was Sophia, her friendships, and her determination to figure out what really happened. I also really liked some of the secondary characters (such as Kelsey) and was rooting for them to have a happy ending.

I really enjoyed reuniting with Sophia and the gang again - it felt like seeing old friends again. The quirky mysteries, Sophia's practical approach to solving them, her ever present cooking and the many friendships have made me a faithful reader of this story and this latest one will definitely keep me coming back for more!

I received an e-arc of this book via Netgalley from Kensington. And while I appreciate the opportunity and thoughts and opinions are my own.

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I was given this book by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

The Domestic Diva series is quite possibly my favorite cozy mystery series. I enjoy Sophie and the returning cast of characters. At this point, I feel like Nina and Francine are my friends, too. I'm not sure I could be as friendly with my ex-husband as she is, but hey! It makes the books interesting.

This book brings in a new batch of character, and, sure enough, there is a murder. Sophie gets roped into trying to solve the mystery with the rest of her Scooby gang.

The story was interesting and moved along quickly. I was a little surprised by the ending, and I liked that she through in a plot twist. I always look forward to this series, and I think she has plenty more to write about.

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I love the Domestic Diva Mystery series! The writing flows and is deliciously descriptive. The characters are well-developed and engaging. The plots are always interesting, absorbing and captivating. I really can’t say enough good things about author Krista Davis! This installment of A Domestic Diva Mystery is no different. Sophie and her best friend Nina secure invitations to a hip gourmet pop-up dinner where death is ultimately on the menu. The book drew me in from page one and kept me guessing until the end. I hope these books keep coming!

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I have loved every single book in the Domestic Diva mystery series, and this is no different. I was so excited to be able to read an ARC from NetGalley, and it did not disappoint.

In this book, Sophie and her best friend, Nina, are preparing to go on vacation. Sadly, their vacation is cancelled due to bad weather, but it’s a good thing because there is a new murder in town to solve! Just hours before, Hollis Haberman comes to Sophie and tells her he thinks he is being poisoned. He asks if she can have a friend test the food for him to verify. The test results aren’t even in, however, before Hollis drops dead in the middle of the street. Everyone is a suspect and Sophie is on the case!

Krista Davis has a way with story-telling. The characters all feel like friends (Ok, maybe Natasha isn’t a FRIEND, per se…), the dialogue and scene-setting doesn’t drag on, and the perpetrator is often a surprise. Generally I ignore “extras” in a book (recipes, knitting patterns, craft projects), but when she was descripting one of Nina’s drinks, I was hoping the recipe would be included at the end and it was! Just a wonderful, wonderful cozy.

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Great book! I love this series. The author makes you feel like you are friends with the characters and makes you want to go visit Old Town.

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I love this series however, in my opinion, this entry was a bit weak. Previously the angst between Sophie and Natasha was wonderful, but the Natasha storyline seems like an afterthought and feels clunky and stilted. And with Natasha and Mars, no longer together, the tension between him and Sophie disappears. The story wasn't bad but I just couldn't get into the plot.

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This series picked up right where it left off and I couldn't be happier! Its like setting foot into a magnificently complex settings with the perfect mix of character personalities. This story, just like the previous installments, flowed seamlessly from chapter to chapter, without skipping a bit. I missed Sophie so much, she is a character after my own heart!

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It was so great to go back to Old Town Alexandria and visit with Sophie, Nina, Mars, Bernie, Natasha, and their friends and neighbors! One of the things I love so much about this series is that it includes fairly equal amounts of sleuthing and real life. Sophie's on vacation from her job in this book, but there are plenty of relationship dynamics, activities around town, get-togethers, and cooking mixed in with the mysteries of the story. There are multiple victims, suspects, and secrets in this book, which kept me guessing until the very end. I love the advice column letters at the beginning of each chapter that show how sensible Sophie is and how ridiculous Natasha can be.

I was so happy to hear that there was going to be a new book in this series, and even more thrilled that I got an advance reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion. I hope there will be many more books in this series to enjoy along with Krista Davis's other great series!

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It is always a pleasure to visit with Sophie and Natasha in Old Town.
An underground dinner turns deadly and when Sophie is asked to help a friend, she soon become involved in a whirlwind of deceit.

Published by
Kensington Mystery & Thrillers
May 29th

#TheDivaCooksUpAStorm #NetGalley

I volunteered to read and review of this book distributed by the publisher using NetGalley. Opinions are my own.

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