The Diva Spices It Up is the thirteenth book in Krista Davis’ A Domestic Diva Mystery series. The storyline is well plotted, the well-developed characters are likable, and the twists and red herrings will keep readers guessing in this steadily paced cozy mystery. The storyline includes an intriguing mystery along with several subplots that the author ties everything together in the end. This is only the second book I’ve read in this series, but the author provides sufficient background information to allow readers to understand the characters’ relationships.

Sophie Winston, an event planner and amateur sleuth, lives in Old Town in Alexandria, Virginia, with her hound mix, Daisy, and her Ocicat, Mochie. As the story opens, Sophie helps an elderly fisherman reel in what he believes to be a huge fish, only to discover it’s a suitcase filled with clothing. Sophie’s looking forward to a break from her busy schedule, but her ex-husband, Mars, convinces her to help his client, Texas Senator Wesley Winthrop’s wife, Tilly Stratford, a former actress, ghostwrite her cookbook because her professional ghostwriter, Abby Bergeron, suddenly abandoned the project. Sophie becomes intrigued when she discovers what she believes are alphanumeric codes on twelve of the recipes. Sophie’s friend, Natasha, discovers through DNA testing that she has a half-sister, Charlene Smith, and plans an elaborate dinner party to meet her and introduce Charlene to her friends, but things don’t go as Natasha hoped. When a body is found stuffed in Abby’s freezer, everyone assumes it’s Abby. Sophie notices a man acting secretively and begins to believe he’s a spy. Sophie and her friends and neighbors have their hands full trying to keep up with everything that’s happening in their small community.

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

Sophie Winston is back and ready for a break after the end of weeks of back to back events she planned, until her ex-husband Mars asks for a favor. This is how Sophie finds herself writing a cookbook with a Congressman’s wife and investigating the sudden departure of the previous ghostwriter. Has Sophie stumbled onto a sinister cover up or is it just a coincidence? As usual, the book is filled with Old Town Alexandria charm and delicious recipes! Unlike other mysteries, the plot kept me guessing until the very end! I love the cozy meals and table settings that Krista Davis winds into this series! Sophie and her friends feel comforting and familiar, while Davis keeps it fresh and new with a cold case and spies!

This series is beginning to lose its appeal. Just your usual straight to the end with no bumps in the road, whereby the middle of the book, the reader had it all figured out, and the espionage which Krista Davis tried to plant was neither a bonus nor important to the storyline.

With Sophie being in-between jobs, her ex-husband Mars offers an interesting proposal - why not take on the job of ghostwriting a cookbook. How hard could it be he asks. He just so happens to know of an up and coming homemaking personality, who just so happens to be the wife of one of his clients. What he didn’t tell her was that the last ghostwriter walked off the job with no notice. Not good. But what they both find out later is even worse.

With a half-written manuscript and odd notes in the margin, Sophie jumps in only to discover there is more going on in Old Towne, Virginia than meets the eye. It also appears spies are running amok, a missing child may have been found, Natasha’s half-sister has made an appearance, and a bathroom falling into disrepair only adds to the stress of a looming deadline. It is now up to Sophie and her band of neighbors and friends to figure out why people are dying and only then will their little community return to its quiet self.

Krista Davis throws some odd things into the book which didn’t add to the story and only appeared as distractions. Multiple storylines are good and can add greatly to the overall narrative, but she went a bit far afield. I wish she would get back to where the books began and even bring back the haunted aspect that was once mentioned in regards to a picture hanging in the house.

Definitely not the first in the series. But can be read as a standalone. It does not sound like I jumped in the middle of a story. So great.
Such a weird group of characters. Kept you wanting to come back and read more.
It is a cozy mystery. It took than half of the book for me to guess some things, except the killer.

This was such an entertaining and enjoyable book! I suspected several different characters throughout the story and was quite surprised by the ending. I had a hard time putting this book down because there was plenty of action, between Sophie's cookbook ghostwriting gig, the suspicious happenings around Old Town Alexandria, and Sophie's everyday life. There are several intriguing mysteries that draw Sophie to investigate and I also love the characters in this series. Sophie is so down-to-Earth and has a great group of friends nearby. The domestic diva advice column letters at the start of each chapter are so fun to read, especially when Sophie's friend-slash-rival Natasha comes up with some outlandish replies. As always, there are some tempting recipes included at the end of the book that I added to my endless recipe collection.

I recommend this book to anyone who likes mysteries or would appreciate recipes and hostess tips. It can easily be read as a standalone, but you might get the most enjoyment out of it by starting this series at the beginning. This is one of my very favorite series and I'm always eager for the next one. The Diva Spices It Up is a lucky #13 for Krista Davis!

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

The Diva Spices It Up by Krista Davis is the thirteenth book in A Domestic Diva Mystery series but can be read as a stand alone.

I have read many books from this seris and I always enjoy getting back to Sophie and her adventures.
This time Mars, her ex-husband is working for a politician whose wife is writting a cookbook but has been stood up by her ghost writer and is facing a dead line so she needs help asap.
Even though Sophie's plan was some time off, her bathroom tiles are falling off and in need of immediate attention. Tilly, former actress is charming and highly likable and can't wrap her head around why her assistant has left her without any warning or notice.
Sophie can't help herself and starts investigating.

There are many old characters making an appearance, and it is so great to see them developing and their lives changing. There is definitely nothing one dimensional about these protagonist. There are also many new faces, each with their own story.
So much is going on, but it all ties nicely at the end. As always lovely animals take an important part of the story.
Intelligent mystery, bursting with secrets, spies and kidnapping yet believable and credible.
This series is always a treat.

This is another great book in the domestic diva series. Sophie is looking forward to a break from event planning and wants nothing more than to spend that time relaxing. That all changes when her ex husband Mars shows up begging her to meet with the wife of one of his clients. The wife is writing a cookbook and her ghostwriter quit so she needs Sophie to take over. Sophie soon learns that the former ghostwriter didn't quit, she disappeared. Sophie finds a body in Abby's house and soon after starts investigating. There were many different mysteries in this book and I loved how they all fit together with the bigger mystery. The characters as always are fantastic. They are really people I would love to meet. I can't wait for the next book.

This is one of the best cozy mystery series out there, and this installment is one of the best in the series. Sophie works on ghostwriting a cook book for a local celebrity, which leads to lots of baking and dropping dishes off with friends. Of course there’s a murder, and suspicious activity going on in town. Each chapter leaves you wanting to go on and I found the book very hard to put down. A perfectly cozy read with good escapism - perfect for this crazy time in the world.

Thank you Kensington for continuing this series and for the ARC.

I'm a longtime fan of Krista Davis and her Diva series and not only did I enjoy "The Diva Spices if Up" , but have to say it's one of the best of the series. And that's saying something.

The Diva Spices It Up is the 13th book following the adventures of Sophie Winston (aka The Domestic Diva) and her friends. Set in Alexandria, VA, it was a great twist to include not only a politician, but also some possible CIA intrigue.

Sophie's asked to do her ex-husband (Mar's) a favor and help a Senator's Wife by helping ghostwrite the cookbook of an up and coming Texas Senator, Sophie stumbles upon a mystery and a dead body. What I really appreciated is that this isn't a cookie cutter cozy. There are several subplots which seem unrelated, yet pull together brilliantly in the end. That - along with the mouthwatering food - keeps me savoring each page.

One of the things I love so much about Davis's writing is, in addition to the twists and intrigue you look for in a mystery, the characters shift and grow. Those who aren't a fan of Natasha (Sophie's Childhood Frenemy) will be amazed at the personal growth Natasha makes in this book especially.

While it may be best to read all the book in order, with the list of characters at the front of the book, you could read this one as a stand alone. This was a perfect companion to keep my mind of the news - and I bet it will be for you, too.

Davis ups the ante with a murder mystery that spans espionage, cold case kidnappings and plenty of down home recipes. I've enjoyed this series for many years, and Davis keeps getting better and better.

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read and review The Diva Spices It Up. Every time I begin to read one of Krista Davis’s Diva books I feel as though I am meeting up with friends I haven’t seen in awhile. One again, this book doesn’t disappoint fans of this series. New characters were introduced that I am sure we are going to get to know better as the series goes on. Maybe we will see a metamorphosis in Natasha now that she has found her sister. I can’t wait for the next book in this series.

Book 13 and the Domestic Diva series continues to feel fresh and entertaining. The usual cast of characters are all present and up to their usual antics, and this one is particularly personal for Sophie as Mars, her ex-husband and close friend, is connected with the victim in her last hours. Sophie's easy casual entertaining style is always so inspiring and she continues to be one of my favorite cozy heroines. All the characters are given a little room to grow in this story, and it's a great example for some other series that even within long series this genre, characters can continue to develop.

A good cozy mystery. Good plot and quirky characters. I received an arc from the publisher and this is my unbiased review.

Like fine wine, this series gets better and better with each book written. Once again, Sophie is thrust into a murder investigation where many factors are in play in this fast-paced and tightly woven mystery. The author did a great job in presenting this exquisite work of art that kept me intrigued from beginning to end where spies, code-breaking and murder took center stage in this visually descriptive narrative that put me in the middle of all the action. There were plenty of clues and a few twists and turns situated between scenes and I enjoyed watching all the pieces come together until there was only one person standing. . .the killer. The author knows how to tell a story that will satisfy your every craving when consuming this delightfully engaging whodunit. As always, the best part for me is the advice column snippets at the beginning of each chapter. The other best part is the camaraderie that exists between the main characters and those that cross their paths in this wonderfully entertaining and endearing series.

When Sophie finds herself in the middle of two murders, an assault on Natasha's step-sister, spies and a ghostwriting a cookbook , she needs all the help she can get from Nina, Mars, Bernie and the rest of the crew!

The Diva Spices It Up, is one of the best books in the series (and I love them all)! Sophie shows her sleuthing skills, kindness and her amazing cooking abilities (the books always make me snack) in the book. I love that Sophie and Mars worked together to solve the case and they remain good friends. Adding the eccentric Francie and next door neighbor Eunice (those ladies are quite a duo) to the mystery made it even more enjoyable. Also the fact that the book took place in early Fall, made me wish for pumpkin lattes and changing leaves.

Sophie is relatable, kind, smart and I'd love to be in her kitchen when she cooks. The author included delicious recipes, so it turns out - the reader can enjoy them as they read the book! I'm already impatiently waiting for the next visit!

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the opinions expressed are my own.

The streets of Old Town Alexandria are filled with spies, politics, long-lost relatives, mystery, and intrigue in Krista Davis' 13th Domestic Diva Mystery, and Sophie Winston is smack dab in the middle of everything! When Sophie agrees to take on a ghostwriting gig for a politician's wife to pay for her crumbling bathroom, little does she know she'll end up deciphering secret codes embedded in recipes and searching for two lost women. The story is incredibly fast paced, and Ms. Davis weaves the story lines together seamlessly - The Diva Spices it Up combines all the ingredients of a perfect cozy mystery together in one delicious package. A+++

What a good read! I thoroughly enjoyed the characters, the story, the place, everything, very well written, fast paced mystery. Sophie, Mars, Bernie, Nina, the elderly ladies, everyone in Old Town, Virginia. FBI, CIA, spies and murders!
I highly recommend! Thank you!
carolintallahassee.com

“The Diva Spices It Up” is the 13th instalment in the Domestic Diva Mystery series by Krista Davis.

She's a young Martha Stewart...in Old Town Virginia!

When a celebrity ghostwriter dies on the job, it's up to Sophie Winston, Old Town, Virginia's favorite entertaining expert and sporadic sleuth, to whip up an impromptu investigation...

Sophie never considered ghostwriting as a side gig, until former actress and aspiring lifestyle guru, Tilly Stratford, trophy wife of Wesley Winthrope, needs someone to write her celebrity cookbook. Sophie agrees, hoping she'll earn enough bread on this assignment to finish her bathroom renovations. But as it turns out, Sophie isn't the first foodie to get a taste for recipe ghostwriting, and if the marginalia are any indication, this project could be a killer...

Wesley claims professional ghostwriter, Abby Bergeron, suddenly abandoned Tilly's cookbook with no warning. But Sophie quickly discovers that Abby may be more ghost than writer now...and her disappearance was no accident. So Sophie cracks open a fresh investigation but sifting the seasoned murderer from this sampling of salty suspects won't be easy. Will Sophie savor another case closed or will the culprit simply melt away?

This is the third book I have read in the domestic diva mystery series by Krista Davis. Even though I haven't read all the earlier books I was able to follow along, so this can be read as a stand alone book.

I really like Sophie, she is relatable, interesting and I love her relationship with her ex Mars as well as several other residents of Old Town. I was drawn into the story right away and couldn't put the book down. It had lots of twists and turns to keep me guessing till the very end.

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

I requested and received an Advanced Readers Copy from Kensington Books and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Diva series introduced me to cozy mysteries which I loved during a busy season in life. I love returning to Old Town, VA with Sophie and her friends. She has a small vacation time between her party planning, but decides to use it to help a congressman's wife finish her cookbook. When a dead lady is found in a freezer, the congressman's family is accused. Sophie and her friends help find the guilty party and along the way we get to catch up on all of them.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.

The Diva Spices It Up by Krista Davis is the 13th book in A Domestic Diva Mystery series, and another great addition. Sophie Winston and the gang are back, Yay, it's like being back with old friends. Sophie agrees to ghost write a cookbook for Tilly Stratford, a former actress and aspiring lifestyle expert after her first ghost writer quit. Sophie's bathroom is falling apart, so she excepts the job. When the former ghost writer just disappears, the mystery begins. I love this series, I love both of Ms. Davis series! I recommend you read the books in order, if you can. My only complaint is I miss the chemistry Sophie had with Wolf...sigh. I strongly recommend this book/series. 
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.