I was so pleased to see this book really went back to the great stories and writing of past books. I wasn't a fan of her last book. This was a fun read. A pie contest, a snarky judge, and a dead judge. Mars, Natasha, Sophia, and Nina are back with a vengeance.

This is the first book I have read in the domestic diva mystery series, but not the first book by Krista Davis as I love her Paws and Claws series. Even though I hadn't read the earlier books I was able to follow along, so this can be read as a stand alone book.

Nothing heats up Old Town quite like the annual Pie Festival, and this year is no exception, especially since Sophie’s professional rival, Natasha Smith, is barred from participating. Sophie, meanwhile, has been asked to oversee the pie eating contest. But the drama really rolls out when celebrity judge, Patsy Lee Presley, host of television’s most popular cooking show, bites the crust during the competition, and Sophie’s friends are suspected of the crime.

I was drawn into the story right away and couldn't put the book down. It had lots of twist and turns, plenty of red herrings to keep me guessing till the very end. I liked the characters and how they were there for each other. I can't wait to read the other 11 Domestic Diva mysteries !

I highly recommend this book to all my cozy mystery loving friends.


I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

THE DIVA SWEETENS THE PIE, the twelfth book in the Domestic Diva Mystery series, is a sweet, satisfying cozy mystery! I love how the author starts each chapter off with a pie advice column question. You can always count on the protagonist, Sophie Winston, to provide a great answer while her nemesis, Natasha (who claims to be top Diva) provides advice that is best not followed. Sophie is one of those sweet, caring women who anyone would love to call a friend. Natasha, on the other hand, is abrasive and self-absorbed. However, I’ll have to admit over the course of the series, she’s grown on me and made me more likely to overlook her faults. Ms. Davis has created several memorable characters which have made this such an endearing and enduring series to her fans!

With the annual Pie Festival in full swing, Sophie finds herself involved in yet another murder when the celebrity chef falls face first into a butterscotch cream pie. Her good friend, the organizer of the festival, wants the crime solved so that the show can go on. Ms. Davis weaves a tight tale of long ago slights, an old murder, a young girl who begs Sophie to free her mother from prison, and pies galore. The author draws the reader in and keeps you turning pages with well-sprinkled clues and suspects to keep you guessing. A suspenseful conclusion wrapped up the threads of the story with a satisfying and sweet ending!

If you’re a “people of the pie vs. clan of the cake” like I am, then this book is for you! Filled with mouthwatering descriptions of all sorts of pies, the author satisfies the reader’s cravings with several pie recipes at the back of the book, both dessert pies and savory pies.

I really enjoy the Domestic Diva series and this is a nice addition to the series. The story is well-paced and easy to read. There are two cases happening here and one of them seemingly comes out of nowhere, but it all makes sense as the story progresses. There is a certain development in Sophie's life that is interesting, but it made me appreciate the character for how she handled it. I will say I wish Natasha wasn't around as she gets on my nerves, but she seemed toned down in this one which I appreciated.

If you are a fan of cozy mysteries or have read any of the previous books, I definitely recommend this. This is my favorite one so far.

This is only the second book I have read in the A Domestic Diva Mystery series but already Sophie and her surrounding cast of characters are like dear friends. The mystery surrounding a Pie Contest in Old Town was expert as it was woven with a murder from the past, a current murder and an attempted murder. I didn't guess the person responsible as I bought into the many twists and turns with much anxiety. I can't wait until a new one comes along as I really need to see what is up next with Sophie and her life.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Another enjoyable entry in this series by Krista Davis. Ms . Davis builds on the relationships and characters we have come to enjoy without giving away any spoilers that would ruin earlier books in the series if you haven't read them yet ( a pet peeve of mine). Having said that, the books are more enjoyable read in order, so you can see relationships change and grow.
All the action this time centers around a pie festival, where a celebrity judge is murdered. The mystery is pretty good, but I just love the characters. We see more of Bernie, Sophie's romantic relationship is tested, and we once again wonder if Nina's husband really exists or if her secret murder of him will be the next book.
Everyone constantly hangs out at Sophie's house at all hours and expects to be fed gourmet meals(just like at Monica's on Friends)! I wish she was my neighbor!
I was provided a review copy of this book by the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

I have enjoyed reading this entire series to date, and this entry was no exception! Krista Davis is a great cozy mystery writer and knows how to balance the mystery with fun anecdotes to make the story entertaining to read. This book involves an older murder with a newer murder and an attempted murder, and the reader is left to wonder if everything is actually going to come together at the end or not. There was one particular part of the ending that was a little disappointing to me, but other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I would highly recommend it, but I would caution readers that it is book number 12 in a series, so one may want to start at the beginning of the series. Thank you for the opportunity to read this book!

Trouble returns to Old Town amidst a pie festival. A renowned celebrity keels over at the festival and Sophie and compmay are searching for the killer while consuming a lot of pie. Except Alex, Sophie's love interest, is severely beaten and his office torched and Sophie is accused of the heinous act. She has to act fast to clear her name. I love this series. I really Nina since she's a card and always nosy for news. My one complaint is there were a lot of characters to keep track of and try to keep straight.

Krista Davis is one of the authors who helped me fall in love with the cozy genre. Sophie Winston and her eclectic group of friends fine themselves in the craziest of mysteries. There is no one better to solve the mystery and teach you how to make the perfect pie crust.

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for allowing me to read and review The Diva Sweetens the Pie. I have read every book in this series and this one happens to be one of the best ones so far. I was so proud of Sophie for standing up for what she believed in, even though she suffered a loss by doing it. A great cast of characters that kept you guessing to the end. I am looking forward to the next book in this series.

This is such a wonderful, enjoyable book! The Diva Sweetens the Pie is set around Old Town Alexandria's Pie Festival, with all its delicious events. There are three intriguing mysteries within this mystery, and protagonist Sophie gets drawn into all three, for very different reasons. The cast of characters is a perfect mix of recurring and new, creating just the right amount of suspects and also keeping the everyday life themes in their neighborhood. There were plenty of twists to keep me guessing and I didn't solve any of the mysteries until they were revealed.

Aside from the well-written mysteries, what I like most about this series is the close friendships of Sophie and her neighbors. I would love to live in her neighborhood and pop in for a barbecue or dessert with the whole gang. I love how the group of friendly neighbors support each other and provide a sense of family and grounding for one another. You can certainly read this book as a stand-alone, but I always recommend starting at the beginning, to get the rich backgrounds of the characters and how they've evolved over the course of the series.

As always, Krista Davis mentions a variety of yummy foods and drinks in this book, largely pies. As one of the People of the Pie, I fully appreciated a book dedicated to my favorite dessert! The end of the book includes recipes for some of the tasty treats in the story, most of which I am adding to my to-try recipe list.

Now I'm off to see if the Old Town Pie Festival actually exists... and if so (fingers crossed!), add the next one to my calendar.

I received an advance copy of this book. This review contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

The Diva Sweetens the Pie is the twelfth book in Krista Davis’ A Domestic Diva Mystery series. This isn’t the first book I’ve read by this author, but it is the first one in this series. Ms. Davis provides sufficient background information that I didn’t feel lost jumping in this far into the series. The characters are likable, and the plot is well written. The red herrings, and twists and turns kept me turning the pages in this well written cozy mystery.

Sophie Winston, an event planner and amateur sleuth, lives in Old Town in Alexandria, Virginia with her hound mix dog, Daisy, and her Ocicat, Mochie. Everyone is looking forward to the Old Town Pie Festival and the arrival of celebrity pastry chef and previous Old Town resident, Patsy Lee Presley, who will be one of the pie baking contest judges. When Patsy Lee collapses and dies right after her introduction, her death is ruled a homicide. Meanwhile, a young girl, Aly Stokes, asks Sophie to prove her incarcerated mother, Nellie, isn’t guilty of murdering Grainger Gibbard five years ago. She explained that she isn’t a professional, but had helped solve some murders in the past, and would look into the matter and do what she could. When Sophie’s boyfriend, Alex German, is brutally beaten and his law office is set on fire, she worries that her looking into Grainger’s murder after he warned her not to might be the reason. Since someone attacked Alex only days after Patsy Lee’s murder and at the same time she started poking around in Grainger’s murder, Sophie is hopeful she can narrow down the suspects in the two murders and hopefully discover who attacked Alex. Sophie’s friends, Nina Reid Norwood and Bernie Frei, along with her ex-husband, Mars Winston, help her.

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

The town is having a pie festival. When one of the judges suddenly dies, Sophie starts looking into the judges death. She also looks into a murder case where a woman was convicted but thinks she was wrongfully imprisoned.

The domestic diva series is always a fun series for me to read. The characters are very relatable and feel like family. I look forward to more in this series.

I received this book from net galley in exchange for review.

It’s time for the annual Pie Festival, and this year Sophie is preparing and working extra hard on her pies as professional rival, Natasha Smith, is barred from participating. The drama really begins when celebrity and host of one of the most popular cooking shows, Patsy Lee Presley, takes a deadly bite of the crust during the competition, and dies on the spot. All fingers immediately point to Sophie’s friends. With the festival falling apart, friends in danger of being thrown to jail for a murder, Sophie must find the real killer before he poisons another pie.

I probably should have read the first couple of books in the series so I could have a better understanding of the characters and maybe even get used to the author’s writing style. However, I have not read any of the books in this series or any books written by the author for that matter. Because of that I felt like this book just did not appeal to me as much as it did to others.

And its my fault- I should've checked and done my research on this book before requesting it on NetGalley. I just got drawn in by the cute, fluffy cover and pressed the request button straight away.

One of the things that I did enjoy in this book is the characters. I felt like they were all well-written and had their own voice. No character was the same and they all severed a propose in the development of the plot. On the other hand, the mystery was a little underwhelming- nothing really happened that made me want to finish the entire book in one sitting (it actually took me four days of on-and-off reading time which isn't really s good sign when reading mysteries)

I can see why people might enjoy the series, so there are some really good, likeable elements in this book . I wouldn't abandon this entire series or the author all together. Who knows maybe in the future I might read the first couple of book and reread this one to see if my opinions change.

I’m leaving the door open.

2 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me with an advance reader’s copy of ‘The Diva Sweetens the Pie’ by Krista Davis.

My sincere appreciation goes to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of The Diva Sweetens the Pie in exchange for my honest review.

AAs a longtime fan of this series, I have been anxiously awaiting a new book featuring event planner Sophie Winston and the rest of the Oldtown crew. it was wonderful to read the latest caper Sophie is ensnared in. It was like being reunited with old friends after a too long absence. There are plenty of red herrings to keep the reader guessing, as well as just enough sub-plots to add lots of mineable clues. I especially liked getting better acquainted with some of the minor characters, like Officer Wong. Can't wait to see what pops up next in Sophie's life!

Another great book to my favorite cozy mystery series. All the pie talk made me hungry for pie, and I don't even like pie.

Sophie once again finds herself in the middle of all the action in Old Town- she's busy helping with the Pie Festival, as well as entertaining and running her business- when the celebrity judge of the contest dies mid-introduction. Sophie naturally starts sleuthing- into Patsy Lee's death, and by special request, into the imprisonment of a woman whose family believes is innocent of the murder that's put her behind bars for five years. Unfortunately, the danger in this story comes really close to home to Sophie and affects her loved ones.
I really enjoy this series- it has charm and great characters who are well established now that we're up to book 12- and found this to be another well told cozy. Sophie is also just a great lead for the series- she's not overly quirky, she has an interesting job, and I always look forward to the descriptions of her entertaining her friends (unsure where she stores what seems to be a never ending supply of linens and dishes, but that might be jealousy talking). She's a confident, successful woman who focuses on the things and people she loves- even if it means getting too involved in the police investigations. As always, I'm already eager for the next one.

I enjoyed this story. I think it's better than the last one. I liked how the old murder and the new one turned out to be committed by the same person. I really enjoyed Aly's character. So glad to see her mom out of jail. The recipes in the bad look really good. #TheDivaSweetensThePie #NetGalley

Sophie and the gang are back and things are hotter than ever in Old a Town Alexandria, Virginia with the annual pie festival. While Natasha is banned from participating this year and. Ina is a judge, Sophie is just planning to enjoy the event as a spectator. At least until the celebrity pastry chef who is headlining the event dies and Sophie finds herself not only investigating what turns out to be a murder, but an old murder that seems to have convicted an innocent young pastry chef.

As Sophie, Nina, Bernie and Mars dig further, it seems the murderer wants to shut Sophie’s investigation down and goes right after her heart, by attacking her boyfriend Alex. But Sophie can’t stop now, she’s not only seeking to correct a miscarriage if justice, but soon has to defend herself when she is framed for the attack on Alex.

If you are a fan of Krista Davis, you won’t want to miss he latest entry in the Domestic Diva series. If you haven’t been properly introduced to Krista Davis yet, consider this your introduction and get all 12 books in this amazing series! Also check out her other series, you won’t be sorry

This is a truly delightful series. I am behind in it but earnestly playing catch up.
This book involves a pie festival, murders and secrets, what’s not to love?!
The whodunit was well written and the characters were a treat to read about.
I highly recommend this book and series.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.