This book was wonderful! Right from the start I could tell that I would enjoy this book which is always a good thing. I loved the writer's style and everything was described in detail. The characters were well developed and interesting as well as lively and believable. The story was lot of fun and I loved the setting. The pie contest was perfect in this town where it seemed they walked easily everywhere. I loved how Sophie not only was married and still friends with her ex husband, but Wolf as well whom she had dated. Her support system was great and they really worked well together and I think that is really important in this story. It was well written and thought out, I loved how you eventually learn all the things that took place and solves not only the present murder, but several other things as well. It was a great book all around, well developed characters, interesting story, well written and full of excitement. Not to mention the fantastic recipes, I am going crazy waiting to try strawberry bourbon lemonade!

Great book with a beautiful story ( Now I want to eat some pie). I loved the theme and the characters. Everything fits perfect, with a unexpected punch line.

Great read!
Love the way the story is put together, with an interesting cast of characters and a plot filled with unexpected twists till the very end.
Each chapter contains pie-baking tips and wonderful recipes at the end.

It's hard to believe this is book 12 in the Domestic Diva series. You can read them as stand alone. The annual Pie Festival has arrived at Old Town and the new celebrity judge is face down in pie before the competition can begin. It seems there are several in town that have reason to see her dead and it's up to Sophie and her friends to figure out who did it. Some yummy recipes included and a good mystery to solve. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Pies. Pies. Pies. Your favorite is probably in this book. Even my favorite cake made an appearance. Yes, there is a murder or two. Some exciting moments. Good friends and past relationships make for many twists. A delightful addition to a terrific series. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley.

Krista Davis and the Domestic Diva are a favorite and I was anxiously awaiting being able to read this and it didn't disappoint! I loved this book because the characters were really interesting and the plot solid and entertaining. The characters were a very likeable bunch of friends and I enjoyed how they cared and supported one other. The twists and turns kept me invested.

This was not my favorite Diva book. It started off kind of slow for me at the beginning. Then it picked up and added a couple elements I really liked. The mystery was pretty good from that point on. However in the resolution of the mystery there were a couple of elements I had a real issue with-much like Sophie did in the book. That drops my rating and overall enjoyment of this installment. So elements I liked versus elements I hated, average out to 3 star rating for me. Still I have enjoyed this series so I will continue on with it.

I received this book from NetGalley and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars, I really liked it.

Book 12 in the series.

I've read a few Domestic Diva books here and there, but not all of them. This one absolutely stands on its own. I requested this one on a whim from NetGalley and I am glad I did.

I didn't want to put it down and read it in one go on a day off when the rest of the family was busy with other things. Sophie gets herself caught up in not one, but two murders, one of which already has a potentially innocent person in prison.

I love Sophie (Natasha, not so much, but that's the point), Mochie and Daisy, along with most of their friends.

Both mysteries were well plotted and interesting and both had satisfying resolutions. I am so glad I decided to request this book. I'm now going to go back and read the series from the beginning. I'm looking forward to more fun with the Domestic Divas.

"The Diva Sweetens the Pie" by Krista Davis is book twelve in the 'Domestic Diva Mystery Series' and was a great read! With plenty of pie and friends and also a generous portion of pets and murder this was a thoroughly enjoyable page-turner. I loved this book because the characters were really interesting and the plot solid and entertaining. The characters were a very likeable bunch of friends and I enjoyed how they cared and supported one other.

The writing style of Krista Davis was very appealing and I was perfectly comfortable reading this cozy as a standalone novel. The surprising twists and turns kept me invested in the story until it's thrilling conclusion.

Overall, a delightful read that I highly recommend. Rating: 5 Stars

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my own request, from Kensington Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

This is the 12th Domestic Diva mystery. I've read them all, and they're all very good. In this book Sophie, Natasha and the rest of the characters are back and Sophie is asked to judge a pie contest. One of the judges dies during the competition and Sophie starts investigating.

I love these books because the characters are interesting to read about and the plots are solidly written and entertaining. The writing is well done and each one is different enough that I think they could read as standalone books. I highly recommend this book and the others in the series.

Thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Krista Davis Interview by E. B. Davis

Maybe I wouldn’t be able to spring Nellie. Maybe Nellie had committed the crime. But
I knew two things—I couldn’t let Aly down, and I couldn’t bear to live my life, having fun,
even just waking up in the morning and seeing the sun shine, with the knowledge that
Nellie might have been wrongly incarcerated and that I hadn’t bothered to try to help.
Krista Davis, The Diva Sweetens the Pie, Kindle Loc. 1117

In New York Times bestselling author Krista Davis’s new Domestic Diva mystery, Old Town’s annual Pie Festival crumbles into chaos after a celebrity judge is murdered, leaving it up to entertaining maven and sometime-sleuth Sophie Winston to dole out justice . . .

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.

As the folks of Old Town dish, the tough truth about Patsy’s meteoric rise to domestic stardom begins to leak. It turns out that Patsy’s sweet exterior hid a secret sour side, which alienated many of her closest allies, including a jilted ex-husband, a bitter ex-mentor, and a jaded ex-best friend. With the festival falling apart, and her friends in danger of being boxed up for murder, Sophie must cobble together the clues and stop a flakey fiend from serving up any more deadly desserts.
Amazon.com

While reading Krista Davis’s twelfth Diva mystery, The Diva Sweetens the Pie, I wondered—is it possible to gain weight just reading about pies? But the way Krista Davis writes food—the ingredients, the techniques, the texture, smell, and taste—the virtual pies slipped into my mouth and onto my hips. I’m blaming Krista!

Nevertheless, I always feel like I’m coming home to Sophie, her posse of friends, and Old Town Alexandria when I pick up a Diva book. It’s something about the warmth of friendships gathered around the brick fireplace in Sophie’s kitchen or the outdoor cooking area with hearth where the neighborhood gathers to commune.

But the other factor is the caring—enough to solve murders of those acquaintances nearby—and protect all that’s right with the close-knit community of friends and families—a significant factor in this book. You’ll have to pick up your copy to find out why.

Please welcome Krista Davis back to WWK. E. B. Davis
My pie dough recipe calls for vinegar, but vodka is the secret ingredient revealed by a pastry chef in your book. Would vinegar and vodka have the same nature in the dough?

It’s all about gluten. I’m not a scientist, but my understanding is that both vinegar and vodka will make the dough flakier because they don’t contribute to the formation of gluten. You can try other liquors as well!

Nina has a unique palate compared to most people, which may explain why she loves Sophie’s baking and cooking. How many people have this ability?

If you watch cooking contests, you’ve probably seen contestants do blind tastings. It can be fun to see how wrong they are. Scientifically speaking, about 25 % of us are super-tasters because we have more papillae (little bumps) on our tongues. One of my friends, (Norwood, one of the people after whom Nina Reid Norwood is named) has this ability. The example of garlic on a cutting board actually happened. I used a cutting board to mince garlic. It was washed and dried that evening. The same cutting board was used to cut fruit in the morning. Norwood could taste garlic on the fruit! One person present couldn’t taste the garlic at all and didn’t understand what Norwood was talking about. I could pick up on it, but not like she did!

Why was Natasha banned from entering this year’s pie contest? Would she be considered a professional or amateur?

I’m quite certain that Natasha would be offended by the mere suggestion that she might be an amateur. I don’t want to give anything away but the previous year, her entry sent the judges to the hospital . . .

In what ways is Natasha not like Martha Stewart? What’s the charcoal trend?

Natasha doesn’t have Martha’s dedication. Instead of focusing, Natasha jumps from one trend to the next, hoping it will be the thing that catapults her to stardom. But you have to give her credit. She keeps trying!

Charcoal is thought to have some health benefits and is being used in everything from toothpaste to facial masks, as well as food. It’s supposed to impart a smoky flavor.

What drinks do Moos & Brews serve? Is it based on any place real?

It is not based on a real place. Moos & Brews serves coffee-based drinks and takeout food.

I’ve never heard of caffeine powder. Can anyone buy it?

Caffeine powder is highly concentrated caffeine. A teaspoon is equivalent to over 20 cups of coffee. Imagine drinking that much all at once! The FDA has issued warning letters and advisories, but I see it readily available online.

Even though Patsy Lee, a cooking-show celebrity and a pie judge, started out in Old Town, I didn’t like her. Who announces themselves in third-person? Do show-biz types have separate personas?

I suspect that a lot of public figures present themselves in ways that suit their images. They’re always telling us to be true to our brand. If I hear that, I can imagine that a big celebrity must hear it all the time. This is Patsy Lee’s style.

Even though I hate eating contests, when Alex enters and wins the pie eating contest I was surprised, but Sophie was surprised, too. How long have Sophie and Alex dated? Do they know each other well?

Sophie and Alex have dated for years. He’s a fairly private person and his eating contest talents had never come up!

What are parmesan tuiles?

Parmesan tuiles are rounds of grated Parmesan heated in the oven. When they are still warm, they can be formed into rounded shapes and will cool that way.

What looks like one murder, morphs into two murders, started by blackmail and then a near-fatal beating when Sophie connects all the pastry chefs to Apex Pie, a place where all the chefs worked years ago. But the first murder, precipitated by blackmail happened years before and one of the chefs was convicted. What makes Sophie think they all might be connected?

They all seem to involve the same group of people. When everything comes back to the same group of friends or former friends, one has to think there could be a connection.

I didn’t understand the directions for the S’mores Pie (yes, one Sophie developed after helping at the pie contest!). Does the chocolate mixture firm up when cooled or does it thicken as it cooks? Do the marshmallows lining the pie crust float and melt?

This is so ridiculously good that I could barely keep it in the house long enough to put the top layer of marshmallows on it! The chocolate melts as it cooks. When it’s poured over the marshmallows in the pan, it thickens as it cools around them. And it’s yummy just like that! The top layer isn’t even really necessary!

Patsy Lee and her then husband Peter launched her career as a TV cooking-show hostess by stealing recipes, starting rumors about other chefs, and using their personal history as their own. Have you researched TV chefs? I always thought that perhaps at that level there would be at least some professionalism, such as Alton Brown appears to be, is that not the case?

I, too, would like to imagine that everyone is strictly professional and well behaved. However, I’ve read accounts that there is some backstabbing and squabbling. “Accidents” happen, people sneak ingredients away from others, and some portions of the shows land on the cutting room floor. Let’s face it, people will be people and that means they do the unexpected.

What’s next for Sophie and the gang?

I’m just working on The Diva Spices It Up. Sophie is going to help ghostwrite a cookbook!

Here are a few of the foods Sophie and her friends eat in The Diva Sweetens the Pie. Just warning everyone!

Potato pancake topped with sour cream, sliced salmon, and garnished with caviar.
Crab ravioli with Hollandaise sauce.
Sliced duck breast with bourbon-laced peach sauce, roasted asparagus, and creamy Parmesan duchess potatoes.
Ice-cream pie with chocolate sauce.
Grilled Cheese BLT
Pancetta and Gruyere Croissants
Ham and Asiago Panini

Recipes Included:
Piled High Strawberry Pie
Quick and Easy Blueberry Cobbler
S’mores Pie
Salted Caramel Apple Pie
Ice Cream Pie
TiJuana Odum’s Easy Chicken Pot Pie
Grilled Cheese BLT
Strawberry Bourbon Lemonade
S’mores Cocktail

This series gets better with each yummy addition. I’m not sure what I enjoy more, the mystery, the baking/cooking tips or recipes. I’m now in the mood to bake pies especially a strawberry pie.

I enjoy how Davis does not let romance overshadow her mysteries. There is just enough to make it interesting and real. I still think her and Mars make a great couple.

If you are looking for a delicious, sweet read this is the book for you.

I received a complimentary copy from Kensington through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.

Sophie has her hands full when a celebrity judge is murdered at the Old Town’s annual Pie Festival. With its charming setting and even more charming characters, I think this is a good series for someone who is just starting out with Cozy Mysteries.

Krista Davis’ straightforward style of writing makes it easy to follow. I never had a problem with getting in tune with Sophie or the other characters. However, I’m not sure that this was one of my favorites in the series. While it is still enjoyable, it doesn’t have the same punch as some of the other books. However, I think that might just be the subject that I’m not crazy about. I’ve read plenty of other Cozies that feature pie and have not fully committed to the story. I sense that could be the reason why I feel this way. Nevertheless, I do think the book is worth the read, especially is you’re a loyal fan of the series.

I've read Krista Davis earlier, so I knew I was in for a treat with The Diva Sweetenes the Pie and I wasn't disappointed. Sophie and her friends are a loveable bunch and the book had me guessing until the end due to the red herrings.

This was another fun entry in the Domestic Diva Mystery series by Krista Davis. Regular readers of the series have come to love Sophie and her friends. This time there is a pie baking contest happening in her historic neighborhood in Virginia. Hometown girl who made it big, Patsy Lee, has returned for the contest but brings a mystery along with her that Sophie must solve.

This is a new series for me so now I have to start with the first book. I love this cast of characters! There is friendship, mystery, and FOOD. I am very happy to have discovered this series and I highly recommend it.
Many thanks to Kensington Books and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was an excellent mystery novel that definitely made me stop and think, with some red herrings thrown in along the way. Absolutely loved it!

The Diva Sweetens the Pie: A Domestic Diva Mystery
By Krista Davis
Kensington Books
May 2019

Review by Cynthia Chow

It’s all about the pastries as Old Town, Virginia hosts their annual Old Town Pie Festival of PiePalooza baking classes and cooking competitions. While Domestic Diva advice columnist Sophie Winston is more interested in learning the nuances of pie-making than in competing, her frenemy and rival columnist Natasha’s banishment - ghost peppers were involved – means that the imperious true diva is determined to force her way into stardom. Television cooking host and cookbook author Patsy Lee Presley is in town to be one of the celebrity judges, but before even tasting one of the entries she collapses face-first into a pie. The show must go on though, and until the police declare a cause of death amateur and professional cooks continue to present their masterpieces. Sophie Winston does her best to stay focused on helping her best friend Nina judge a variety of pies, but her history of investigation leads young Aly Stokes to her doorstep. Aly’s mother Nellie was convicted of killing the son of one of the town’s most renown restaurant owners, and coincidentally enough many of those closest to both the victim and the convicted murdered are back in Old Town for the festival.

Sophie is unable to resist the lure of a mystery, not to mention the pleas from a young girl, so despite the warnings from her attorney boyfriend she begins to look into the closed case. When someone close to her is viciously attacked and nearly burnt up by an arsonist, Sophie and her friends are determined to investigate chef rivalries, romantic entanglement, and plagiarized recipes. By eliminating alibies and following a trail of tasty clues, Sophie makes a startling conclusion and is forced to confront a Machiavellian villain.

Advice from both Sophie’s and Natasha’s columns begin every chapter, and while definitely contrasting in style (Natasha’s always favor appearance over practicality) they are both genuinely helpful. A reader’s tolerance may vary on Natasha’s overbearing personality and condescending attitude, as just when she displays a smidgeon of kindness her self-interest and selfish attitude prevail. While Sophie tends to give Natasha the benefit of the doubt and accepts her insults as being delusional but well-intended, readers will derive far more pleasure seeing the snobby life-style coach fail spectacularly. Sophie’s interactions with her ex-husband Mars and ex-boyfriend Detective Wolf Fleishman are awkwardly entertaining, but her adherence to justice and moral principles have her facing difficult decisions in her newest relationship. Humor, entertaining advice, and of course delicious pie recipes are the perfect filling for this complicated and rewarding novel. If the US Pet Expo is truly on its way to Old Town, then Sophie and readers have even more to look forward to in the future.

I may have said in the past that Krista Davis is one of my VERY favorite cozy authors. This offering does nothing to disprove that fact! All my favorite characters are back and, once again, Sophie gets pulled into an investigation. Actually, more than one, including a case that's supposedly been solved and tried. All the talk about pie in this one had me pulling out my recipe box and making a couple of my own. Sophie's caught up in the murder of a famous TV chef and then gets roped into looking into another murder, one that might have seen the wrong person convicted. The investigations have long reaching fingers that touch those close to her. I was pretty sure who done it partway into the book, but that didn't take away anything from the story. Another great mystery and some really tasty sounding recipes to boot! RECOMMEND!

This series never fails to leave me with a warm, fuzzy feeling when I turn the book’s final page. Even though Sophie is a work of fiction, I am always impressed with her ability to throw together a dinner to entertain her friends with little notice. The characters feel real and genuine and like people you would want to be friends with in real life. The mystery sucked me in from the beginning and kept me hooked until the end.