If this is your first Diva book, it can be read as a standalone.
Sophie Winston is invited to an engagement party for Orson Chatsworth and Wanda Smith, the mother of Sophie's frenemy, Natasha. The party is catered by Orson's daughter Stella St, James who has a charcuterie board business. During the party, Orson asked Sophie to meet with him the next day to discuss a private matter. Shortly after Orson collapsed in pain. He later died and it appeared to be poison. Sophie is asked to the will reading and is shocked to find Orson has left her his antique business. She finds a secret room with pictures of several local young women and thinks that is what Orson wanted to talk about. As she learns more about Orson's past life and the pasts of others in his life, she finally is able to fulfill his last wish and solve his murder as well as prevent the murder of one of the accomplices.
This is a particularly enjoyable addition to a great series. I love Sophie's family and friends and how they are all (with the exception of Natasha) willing to pitch in whatever needs doing from hosting a meal or solving a murder. I keep hoping that poor Natasha will finally realize that she is sooooo self-centered and try to make at least a small effort to consider others, especially her mom, Wanda. I know she acts ugly, but she must really hate herself to have to be Miss Perfect and High and Mighty all the time.

The Diva Goes Overboard is a cozy mystery that takes place in Old Town, Alexandria, VA. Natasha's mother is getting married to the town's successful antique shop owner, and Natasha is determined to make sure it's a wedding to never forget. Unfortunately, during the engagement party, the groom is murdered. Then, to add even more intrigue to the mystery, Orson has rewritten his will and left his store to Sophie. Now, even Sophie is a suspect in this murder.

This series has a huge cast of characters, and I found it a bit difficult to remember who everyone was and how they were all related. The relationships between some of the characters are also a bit confusing. Who are enemies, who are friends, who are frenemies, who are lovers, who used to be lovers, etc? I didn't find the overall mystery to be that gripping. In my opinion, while it was a major plot point, Orson's family drama/storyline simply did not add to the story. It actually made it more unbelievable. This is simply not a cozy series for me. I did love ALL of the recipes at the end! And it was fun to read about all the various boards.

Event planner Sophie Winston remains one of my favorite amateur sleuths. She's smart, likable, and genuinely seems to care about her friends and family. She's strong and independent but not foolish. She does an excellent job of having backup when she's going into potentially dangerous or volatile situations. Let's face it, all cozy mystery amateur sleuths aren't that far sighted. While Nina and ex-husband Mars seem to be her usual sidekicks, her circle of friends is there for her, just as she is for them. So, a smart, relatable cast of characters headed by a hard-working woman who isn't afraid to ask the tough questions but does it in a reasonable safe manner. Now, true, that doesn't mean she doesn't occasionally run into trouble, that's expected, but she's not TSTL, ie "too stupid to live". You're also going to learn a great deal about charcuterie boards of all kinds.

As for the mystery, it's really two mysteries that mesh into one as the book goes along. Who killed antiques dealer Orson Chatsworth and, hmm, what secrets from the past might be hiding in a hidden room. Yep, a hidden room. It holds some answers for Sophie but also creates just as many questions. I don't want to give away too much as it's delicious fun (you'll see why I use the word delicious as you read) stumbling across the clues as they slowly but surely emerge. Is Jordan as arrogantly entitled as he seems? Why do so many think they're entitled to money from Orson's estate? Family squabbles? Greed? Jealousy? All those and maybe more?

What will happen to Orson's beloved dog Rosebud? And, speaking of dogs, I definitely liked that the author made a point of mentioning how Sophie harnessed, then clicked her dog Daisy into the seat-belt. A minor thing, yes, but a nice reveal of Sophie's attention to not just detail but her focus on safety. But, as for the murder investigation, lots of suspects, albeit Sophie is reluctant to suspect some, and many red herrings throughout with a real surprise twist at the end. Nope, not telling. You'll just have to read it. Thanks #NetGalley and #KensingtonBooks - #KensingtonCozies for inviting me to Old Town Alexandria again. I love how the end of each chapter leaves us wanting to hurry to the next, although I am inclined to think that with all the food talk and yummy recipes we may cheat a bit and use those brief moments as an excuse to grab something tasty. I definitely never read this series without at least a snack nearby.

As always an excellent cozy. This is my ultimate favorite series and it always feels like coming home when I read a new book in the series

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review this

Sophie inherits an antique store and the family of the previous owner is NOT happy about it. But Sophie knows there’s a reason he left it to her and she vows to figure it out, along with solving his murder.

As Sophie finds out more about the murdered man she called a friend, she begins to realize he may not have been the man she thought he was. Are her gut feelings right or is she way off base? Hopefully solving the murder will help solve the other questions she has about Orson. Or maybe she’ll just get too close for the killer’s comfort and be the next victim?

I love Olde Town Alexandria and can see the setting as I read. It’s the next best thing to being back in my old stomping grounds. Sophie, Nina, Mars and Bernie are the Four Musketeers that always have a hand in solving each mystery and it wouldn’t be a visit to Olde Town without them. Be sure to check out the recipes as well, they’re scrumptious!

𝐈 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝐛𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐈 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐦𝐲 𝐥𝐮𝐜𝐤 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠.

The 17th installment in this fun cozy series finds Natasha's mother set to walk down the aisle to antiques dealer Orson Chatsworth. Natasha is more than a little miffed since she herself has yet to make that walk herself, but she reluctantly pitches in to make her mother's day special by planning the engagement party.

When the groom collapses at the party, everyone suspects a heart attack. But when he dies and the cause of death was revealed to be poison, Sophie is once again on the case, especially when she finds out that she's inherited Orson's elaborate store. To get his angry family off her back, she has to find the culprit and figure out why Orson would want her to have his beloved store.

I hope this series continues for a long time as I love all the characters, and the charm of Old Town is so beautifully written. Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the early copy. This book will publish May 21, 2024.

Book #17 in this series - I find it amazing that after all these books the series keeps on getting better. I love this author so I was excited to read this new installment. Sophie Winston was invited to the engagement party for Natasha's mother Wanda and Orson. Orson asks Sophie to meet him the next day at his antique shop. As he's giving the toast, he collapses and dies at the hospital. Much to her surprise, Sophie is requested to be at his will reading and she is named the new owner of his antique shop. Sophie starts investigating why Orson left her the shop and finds a letter which shows that Orson believes he was murdered and wants Sophie to find the truth. A fun cozy mystery filled with red herrings, fun characters and a solid plotline that keeps you guessing.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

What could be better than a visit to Old Town Alexandria with Sophie Winston and her friends? Seventeen books and the mysteries are still fresh and interesting, the characters are people who grow and change just like in real-life, and the small town setting is cozy and appealing. It isn't any wonder that this is one of my favorite series.

Sophie is helping at the engagement party that Natasha Smith has organized for her mother. Wanda is getting married and couldn't be happier---though the groom is not popular with everyone. As bad luck would have it,
her groom-to-be dies at the party. Chaos ensues when Sophie is dragged into the middle of things after a surprise inheritance. The twisty path of finding the killer is is as crooked as it gets. There are several suspects and just when you think you know who it is---bam!---it isn't.

#TheDivaGoesOverboard #NetGalley is an enjoyable mystery that I would recommend to readers who enjoy light mysteries with wonderful characters.

I am thankful to #NetGalley #KensingtonBooks #KensingtonCozies for sending the e-ARC that I requested. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

It is always fun to return to Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, and see what entertaining guru and event planner, Sophie Winston, and her friends are doing. With the past titles in this series always pertaining to food, I wondered what 'overboard' tied into. This time, it's all about boards and what you can serve on them (think charcuterie or butter, or desserts)! Ms. Davis continues to weave fun cozies with interesting storylines. This is another great time to spent with Sophie and her friends.

A murdered antique dealer and groom-to-be, Natasha planning a wedding celebration and a surprise inheritance for Sophie set the stage for an entertaining mystery! The question is, will Sophie survive to see her windfall?

I look forward to each Sophie Winston mystery and this one didn't disappoint. Natasha's mother is marrying a wealthy antiques dealer who is murdered at the engagement party and Sophie finds herself putting on her sleuthing persona once again. The mystery has "twists and turns" and "red herrings" galore. Sophie is her usual down-to-earth self and her friends are their wonderful selves. I think I like Sophie because she's relatable, smart and I love the descriptions of her home and her neighborhood in Old Towne. Of course, there are delicious recipes included. I always have a snack handy when I read this series since I know I'll be hungry!

I'm ready for the next "Diva" mystery!

I received an ARC from NetGal and the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Krista Davis is a master at weaving cozy mysteries, and she did it again with this book.

The Diva Goes Overboard had me guessing until the very end.

I have to say, I read this book in one sitting! LOVED IT.

Sophie Winston has been invited to an engagement party for Natasha's mother Wanda and Orson. Orson pulls Sophie aside and requests a meeting the next day at his antiques shop. As he is giving a toast he collapses and 911 is called. He dies at the hospital. Sophie is requested to be at his will reading. Sophie is named as the new owner of the antiques shop. Everyone including Sophie is shocked. As Sophie is trying to figure out why Orson left her the shop, she discovers a letter. Orson believes he was murdered and wants Sophie to investigate.

I loved following the clues with Sophie. The mystery was so good and I love when a cold case is included. I'm a big fan of this author and this series. The book made me so hungry. Sophie the Diva does it again.

THE DIVA GOES OVERBOARD is the seventeenth book in the Domestic Diva Mysteries by Krista Davis. This character-driven series has become one of my favorites and I couldn’t wait to dive in and immerse myself in Sophie Winston’s world in Old Town Alexandria! Ms. Davis did not disappoint and spun a tantalizing tale with twists and turns that made me read the pages faster and faster. I also eagerly looked forward to each chapter’s beginning, which offers reader column advice (on food or style) from Sophie and her frenemy, Natasha. In this newest release, I was happy to see Natasha’s mother, Wanda, celebrating her engagement to a wealthy man. Wanda hasn’t had an easy life, so I was thrilled to see her find someone who loved her. Natasha, having been abandoned by her father, finally seems to have found a father-figure, which you can’t help but cheer for. The author does an amazing job making you care for the characters and brings each scene to life through vivid imagery on the pages. Sophie and her friends are definitely people I would enjoy hanging out with, especially during their food and drink get-togethers.

Unfortunately, as happens in mysteries, not everyone gets a happy ending. In this case, things turn deadly at the party when Wanda’s intended collapses and dies. He’d been eating from a variety of food boards, prepared by his adult daughter, when he collapsed. (The description of the charcuterie and butter boards are drool-worthy!) Was it something he ate or drank? Was his daughter or her soon-to-be-ex after his fortune? With so many guests at the party, Sophie has her hands full, narrowing down the suspects, along with help from her friends. Things heat up when Sophie finds herself as one of the major beneficiaries of the deceased, and fingers point at her being a suspect. There were so many unexpected twists that made gasp and just when I thought it had been solved, something else happened to keep me on the edge of my seat. The Diva Goes Overboard is a worthy addition to a delightful series and I eagerly await each new book!

Be prepared to be hungry while reading. Sophie and her friends frequently socialize and strategize their investigations over delectable dishes. Thankfully, Ms. Davis includes several recipes at the back of the book for the home cook to try.

As I’ve gotten older I’ve largely moved away from cozy mystery series to those more hardboiled and gritty, perhaps because, with age, I’ve become a bit hardboiled and gritty myself. But there are exceptions to every rule and, for me, the delightful “Diva” series by Krista Davis is that exception. Her latest, The Diva Goes Overboard, scheduled for publication in May, is the seventeenth in the series, but no less delightful than any that precede.

In this book we find our heroine, Sophie Winston, in shock as she’s found that she has inherited the successful antiques shop that once belonged to bombastic antiques dealer Orson Chatsworth, the late fiancé of rival Natasha Smith’s mother, the free-spirited Wanda, poisoned during his and Wanda’s engagement party.

As is the case in all “Diva” books, food plays a major role with charcuterie boards of all types as well as butter boards taking center stage. Was one of these colorful and delicious boards the murder weapon? Leave it to Sophie to find out.

In addition to being a good mystery this series is beautifully atmospheric. The detailed and colorful descriptions of Old Town Alexandria make me feel as though I am there, right alongside Sophie, fellow sleuth and neighbor, Nina, as well as ex-husband Mars and the rest of the gang. As is the case with all of the books in this series, recipes for dishes mentioned throughout are included at the end, in this case, a baker’s dozen (13). Clearly, Davis has done it again with yet another well-crafted mystery in this popular series.

Recommended..

Disclaimer: Many thanks to the publisher, Kensington Cozies, as well as NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a review.

Sophie, Nina, Wolf, Francie, Mars, and Bernie are invested in solving the murder of a neighbor’s fiancé, Orson. Sophie is shocked to learn that Orson left her his antiques store, as she really didn’t know him. Upon her first visit to the store she discovers a secret room and a letter addressed to her. I love the charcuterie theme and tying it to a murder. My only complaint? Natasha wasn’t as prominent in this story. Can’t wait for the next Diva mystery!
Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington for the ARC.

Thank you, NetGalley and Kensignton books for this ARC.

I was so excited to receive approval for this ARC and I wasn't disappointed! I would've finished this in one day because I couldn't put it down, but I had to work and sleep,

I was really stumped on who the murderer was. There were so many suspects and each with their own motives. I kept going back and forth on who did it. I have to admit that the murder was a surprise so was the twist at the end of the book.

I really enjoyed that there was more Nina in the book this time and Natasha as always is still a character. I do wish that Sophie would get back with Wolf. I know he is married, but I loved when they were a couple. I also enjoyed that he had more of a presence in this book. I just wish that Wanda had gotten her happy ending and that she didn't lose the groom before the wedding.

There is so much more I can say but I don't want to give anything away. can't wait for the next one in this series.

Loved reading this book and series. If you haven't read it yet. I highly recommend her and this series.

THE DIVA GOES OVERBOARD
by Krista Davis.
(Book 17)

Sophia finds herself entangled in another murder investigation when wealthy antiques dealer Orson Chatsworth is poisoned and dies during his engagement party to Natalie's mother Wanda. His daughter Stella is a suspect as she created the food for the party. Another murder follows and Stella is again the main suspect and begs Sophia to help clear her name. In his will Orson leaves his antiques business to Sophia. Sophia finds a secret room in his store and a letter from Orson addressed to her, in which he states that if he is dead, he was murdered. Sophia and friends follow the clues suggesting his murder may be tied to something in his past. This was a well written fast paced book that kept me on the edge of my seat until the last page! I loved the ending. Thank you to Krista Davis, NetGalley and Kensington Books – for the arc of this book.

Well written mystery with plenty of plot twists and turns to keep you from guessing the ending. Would recommend

Thank you to Krista Davis, NetGalley and Kensington Books – Kensington Cozies for the arc of this book.

n the 17th installment of the popular Domestic Diva Mystery series by Krista Davis, The Diva Goes Overboard, Sophie finds herself at an engagement party for Natasha’s mother, Wanda, who is going to marry a rich antique dealer, Orson Chatsworth. Unfortunately, Orson is poisoned at the party. Sophie is surprised to be invited to the reading of Orson’s will and even more surprised to find that he has left her his antique store. Sophie is searching for the reason, since she wasn’t close to him, and while sleuthing, starts to uncover some suspicious past events. Orson leaves her a letter in a hidden room and that’s when the suspense starts to build and suspects seems to come out of the woodwork.

All of the beloved (and not so beloved) characters are back in this fun novel. They are well-developed, and readers who have read the previous books, will look at them as old friends. Davis has a way of telling the story that makes it hard to put down. The setting, Old Town, Virginia, rings true, and Sophie, et al, are happy in their own small world while murders seem to happen around them. Sophie, who is an event planner knows lots of people and is a bit pushy when asking questions and finding murderers, so she’s perfect for a protagonist who is an amateur sleuth.

All told, this is a fun series; most who follow Sophie and her friends read them as soon as they come out. This one, as the previous ones, includes good recipes, fashion and decorating tips, and fun scenarios.


All told, this is a fun novel, and will inspire readers to get on the bandwagon and entertain with charcuterie boards as well as butter boards, dessert boards, etc.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.