I love Sophie and her friends and I love to hate Natasha. Brunches are all rage this Autumn and Sophie has been roped into an brunch event by Natasha. In the middle of her busy calendar, a local decorator named Mitzi. She asks Sophie to help her, she thinks she has a stalker. Sophie agrees to meet her at an old home she and her partner Denise are decorating. When Sophie gets there she doesn't find Mitzi, but she does find Denise dead. This sends Sophie off to discover who wanted Denise dead and was Mitzi truly being stalked? Mars and the rest of the crew pull together to try to solve the mystery.

I love this series. The characters are fun and quirky. The mystery is entertaining and was quite a few twists. Great cozy!

I love this cozy mystery series! The characters are interesting people with real personalities and have relationships that don’t always pan out perfectly. I love the setting too - I recently visited Alexandria VA and had no trouble placing the fictional characters there.
In this book, Sophie is busy catering brunches when one of her friends insists she’s being followed. The next day, her business partner is found dead and Sophie thinks it might be murder. Of course she agrees to help her friend, and finds herself mixed up in a sticky situation.
I recommend this book and the series, 4 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley, I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Eighteen books in, and Sophie Winston is still at it in Old Town, Virginia. Solving murders, relying on gossip and rumor, and somehow always wearing the perfect seasonal outfit from her magic closet, since she rarely steps inside a boutique.

If you’re new to the series, don’t worry. Davis gives a friendly recap of the usual cast of characters (because who can remember seventeen books' worth of backstory?). That said, this installment throws in a whole batch of new names and you might need to reference a family tree, or at least a nap and a notepad, to keep them straight.

The setup is classic cozy: a historic mansion, a dead interior designer with complicated connections, and a whodunnit that hinges on hearsay and social slipups. With so much in the mix, Sophie is summoned, yet again, because being an amateur sleuth seventeen times gives you lifetime murder-solving privileges. And yes, on occasion, she lets the actual police do their job.

Aunt Faye’s maybe-haunted portrait (this was a plot point in an earlier book) gets a revisit in this book. The light is golden, the frame tilts, but alas, the supernatural subplot from previous books seems to have fizzled into little more than a nod. Still, that detail, plus a twisty discovery of bones from the late 1960s found behind a wall, and Faye’s journal, offers just enough surprise to keep things rolling.

The Diva Poaches a Bad Egg is exactly what you'd expect from Krista Davis: a cozy mystery that’s more about quirky charm and familiar rhythms than heart-pounding suspense. Is this groundbreaking? Nope. But it’s not supposed to be. This is your revisit with fictional friends who get the job done while never missing brunch.

Another installment of the event planner, part time investigator Sophie Winston and all her friends are back. This book centers around interior designers and brunches. As Sophie is approached in a bit of a mysterious way by Mitzi a local interior designer to meet her at the Inger house tomorrow of course Sophie is curious and sets out to meet her the next day. Only Mitzi isn’t there but Denise the owner and also a designer is blocking the door. As Sophie tries desperately to get in and render aid she realizes that she doesn’t have a pulse. Still hopeful that between her administrating CPR and the paramedics that they will save her, unfortunately it didn’t work. Why someone so young could died with no obvious signs was bothering Sophie and when it appears that she might have been murdered by an overdose of insulin her spidy instincts go on high alert. Then Denise family asks her to investigate and Sophie with the help of all her friends start looking for clues. To add more drama another designer is murder and an old skeleton is found in the Inger house.
If you read any other books is this series you know a big part of the story is surrounding food and thankfully many recipes are at the end of the book. This time I did guess one of the mysteries but there is always a twist to keep you guessing. Enjoyable cozy mystery, but really helps if you read a few earlier books to help keep all the characters straight. Thank you NetGalley and Kensington books for this ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

This is hands down my all time favorite cozy mystery series. It is one of the highlights of my year when a new title drops. I enjoy this series so much that I periodically will read the series from start to finish. The author is skilled at introducing new characters in just the right amount so you are never overwhelmed with keeping up with who is who. She also includes a list at the beginning of each book. In addition to a clever mystery, I love the entertaining details included in the book. I look up china, dinnerware and tablecloth patterns as I read the book and can easily imagine Sophie's tablescapes. And, how I wish I could whip up a meal or snack like Sophie does when friends drop in. In Alexandria, people evidently do still drop in without calling ;) I'm an older reader and I love that the characters in this series are mature. I highly recommend the series to Cozy Mystery fans. I do recommend reading the books in order if you can. However, they are enjoyable as a stand alone and I think after reading one, you'll be back for more. Thank you for the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an eArc.

Lifestyle columnist Sophie Winston is the middle of the Washington, D.C. House and Home Expo when interior designer Mitzi Lawson comes to her in a panic and asking to meet at the historical Inger House. Mitzi refuses to explain why, and when Sophie arrives at the house the next day she is shocked to find a body in the middle of the kitchen. While initially relieved that it isn’t Mitzi’s corpse, it turns out that the body is that of Mitzi’s business partner Denise Nofsinger. Even though police are quickly swayed to it being a natural death due to an insulin overdose, Mitzi believes that she is being stalked and begs for Sophie’s help. Sophie has a reputation for getting involved in murder investigations, so despite the police’s complete lack of enthusiasm for her meddling she can’t help but once again get mixed into the case. She’s not going to be alone in the matter though, enlisting the help of her besties Nina Reid Norwood and Bernie Frei, first making a murder board and then unfortunately finding a literal skeleton in the closet. The bones hidden behind a panel in the Inger House disappear before the police arrive, causing them to write off Sophie as having been part of a hoax. It doesn’t take long for the truth to come out though, and the history of the families who lived in the Inger House, and how Sophie’s beloved late Aunt Faye may have been involved, soon come to light and place them all at risk to someone willing to kill to keep these secrets hidden.

It’s a little infuriating that the detectives initially write off Sophie’s reports of bones and stalkers as being pranks, considering just how often the advice blogger has encountered – and solved – over a dozen murders. She at least has the support of her beloved fur babies, not to mention the loyal friends who always support Sophie’s rash endeavors. While chefs notoriously look down upon brunches and brunch food, this tantalizing entry in the Domestic Diva mystery series will have readers drooling as images of eggs benedict, donuts, and sheet pan casseroles float through their heads. Recipes at the end include not just those delectable treats, but additional ones that will please the pickiest cookbook aficionado. The ever-competitive Natasha remains true to herself, putting her desires first and still intent on winning back her ex-boyfriend, who also happens to be Sophie’s ex-husband. The competition is entirely one-sided, as Sophie now has an amicable relationship with Mars and has learned to accept Natasha’s obliviousness and narcissism. A guest appearance by a character from the author’s Paws & Claws series will charm loyal readers, while the abundance of food descriptions, not to mention the banter between the close friends, keep the tone light and the mystery plot moving along to its satisfying end.

If you’re ever in the mood for a mystery with mouthwatering moments, The Diva Poaches a Bad Egg definitely delivers. Krista Davis served up some seriously delicious food scenes throughout this one—I was practically drooling. And the best part? Some of those recipes are included at the back! Definitely bookmarking a few to try out in my own kitchen.

The mystery itself kept me intrigued, though I found it leaned more toward plot than I was hoping for. I really wished we got to see more relationship development between Sophie and her friends—I missed that extra emotional layer. That said, the familiar setting and cozy charm were still there, making it a nice addition to the series if you’re in it for the sleuthing and scrumptious bites.

Sophia is busy with her event planning business when an interior decorator asks for a clandestine meeting at a home she is renovating. This is book 18 in A Domestic Diva series and can be read as a stand alone. I enjoy this series that has some great tips for around the house as well as a good cozy mystery. Someone is out to kill her friend Mitzi and Sophia is trying to keep her alive. A few twist and turns makes this a good cozy to solve.

Krista Davis’ Domestic Diva series never fails to amuse and keep me guessing. Sophie, Nina, Mars, and Bernie are an enjoyable crew to follow. I love their camaraderie.

The backstory and reference back to Mars’ Aunt Faye were a great and welcome addition, but I would have loved for there to be more about Faye and the past.

As always, a quick and fun read. I cannot wait for the next installment!

Thank you to #KensingtonPublishing and #NetGalley for an ARC.

I’ve read a couple of diva mysteries years ago; there’s at least twelve books in the series since then. Though many relationships have ended since then, much is also the same. I did not feel I was at a loss for keeping up.

Sophie is asked to meet at a house a friend is decorating. When she gets there she finds the friend’s business partner on the kitchen floor. The death is quickly ruled an accident. The woman was diabetic and it is believed she accidentally overdosed on insuline by injecting herself in her upperarm twice. This seems strange to me, but not to the characters who knew the vitcim best. <spoiler>I don’t know any diabetics who inject in their upperarm. It’s a cumbersome move and the insuline gets picked up by the body quicker when injected in the stomache.</spoiler>

It was an okay, though a bit of a jerky read. At points it lacked a smooth transition. Also it got to be a bit eye-rolling that Sophie found all the dead bodies, every time, and all other relevant clues (even when in the room with police officers). She even wrote a note to remind Wolf of something he should very well know already. It made the p9lice look rather useless.

I adore this series, and this book did not disappoint. Sophie will be hosting a brunch but find herself tangled up in another mystery. She stumbles over a dead body when she died up to meet someone at a historic home. She and her group of friends are on the case. Tje one body mystery soon turns into multiple bodies . The mystery was strong. My only complaint is that I stayed up too late reading as I could not put the book down.

I loved visiting with Sophie and her wonderful surrounding cast of characters in Old Towne Alexandria. 'The Diva Poaches a Bad Egg' was quick moving and immediately engaging. The mystery was intriguing with the importance of Mars' aunt whose home Sophie lives in. It was all just deliciously complex, and with a satisfying ending. I just keep my fingers crossed that Mars and Sophie will get back together, and I can't wait for more.

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 Poaches an Egg” is the wonderfully done eighteenth book in Krista Davis’s A Domestic Diva Cozy Mystery series. I love everything about this series – starting with main character Sophie, an event planner with a habit of solving mysteries, her “rival” Natasha with her outlandish recipe and design ideas, best friend Nina, ex-husband Mars, friends Bernie and Wolf, the various pets, the advice column tidbit at the top of each chapter, and of course the food described in the book (as always, there are recipes at the end of the book). The mystery is well done, a couple of murders and a disappearance, with plenty of suspects – truthfully I did get confused at times about the characters and how they were related. That aside, it was an enjoyable mystery with just the right amount of sadness, humor, and suspense. I love my visits with Sophie and friends and this book was no exception.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.

It's always fun to return to Old Towne Alexandria and see what trouble Sophie Winston and her group have gotten into thanks to a new murder. #18 in the Diva series did not disappoint with The Diva Poaches a Bad Egg.
What I love most about the Diva series is that advice is offered at the beginning of each chapter about hosting or decorating by Sophie or her rival/friend Natasha. This book’s advice was themed around brunches as Sophie was planning a large brunch. Of course, she had to do it while solving the mystery of the death of local decorator Denise. Denise’s in-laws come to Sophie and ask her and friends to find the murderer.
The Diva series introduced me to the cozy genre of mysteries. I especially love this series as Sophie and friends are like Scoopy Doo for grown-ups. She always has her three best friends in helping solve the crime and even her dog Daisy helps where she can. I have quit reading some cozies at book nine or ten as the characters’ lives have gone stagnant, but Sophie’s life does change with characters and love interests coming and going. Personally, I would like to see her reunited with her ex-husband Mars.
I received a complimentary copy of this book thanks to Kensington Publishers and NetGalley, but all opinions are my own.

Reading a Domestic Diva book is like coming home to friends you love and cannot wait to spend time with again, and this one was no different for me. Spending time with Sophie, Nina, Mars, Bernie, Mochi & Daisy, and yes, even Natasha [squid ink pasta egg casserole anyone? IYKYK] was just what I needed, made me smile, and stretched my brain over this mystery; it also left me wishing I could get another book immediately. ;-)

The story was good [I love when there are interesting side stories along with the main mystery], the mysteries were VERY good [and ultimately, very sad. What people will do...smh], the community that Sophie has built [I LOVED how Mars' Aunt Fay came into play here and some of her history with the main characters was very cool to read] is just so encouraging and fun to spend time with [WHAT is up with Wolf and his wife? Could there be trouble there?], and overall, this was a great way to spend a couple of days! Well done.

Thank you to NetGalley, Krista Davis, and Kensington Publishing/Kensington Cozies for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second book I read in this series and I wasn't a fan of the first one. This one was happy-sleep-deprivation and cannot-stop-reading type of cozy mystery.
A solid story featuring historical house renovation, plenty of suspects, an unusual way to kill, and plenty of twists
I liked the characters: Sophie and Nina are well done and the parts about aunt Faye were moving. Natasha is a sort of comic and over the top character but she can become a bit too much selfish and self-centered.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and can't wait for the next
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Sophie Winston has a busy calender going on right now so when she is approached by local designer Mitzi Lawson for help she really doesn't have the time. Mitzi is worried that she is being followed and wants Sophie to help. When Denise, Mitzi's business partner, suddenly dies she worries that it wasn't from natural causes. Sophie agrees to help but doesn't really dive in until Mitzi disappears. With her attention captured Sophie starts a more in depth investigation. Will she figure out what really happened to Denise? Will she find Mitzi? Jump in and find out where the clues take her!

Happy 18th release in our beloved Diva series. I adore this series. The protagonist is a multi talented event planner and a catering expert. The recipes included are divine. All our favorite characters are here and some new history that adds suspense. I enjoyed that the sleuth had a historical aspect. A very enjoyable next in series.
Thank you to the author and publisher. My review opinion is my own.

Domestic Diva Mystery devotees will delight in this latest series entry. Event planner and caterer Sophie Winston and her friends find themselves drawn into multiple murder investigations as well as a related missing person case. Sophie discovers a local interior designer dead in the landmark Old Town home she is redecorating. The death is quickly determined to be murder and almost immediatley the victim's business partner goes into hiding to safeguard her own life--a wise move considering that in short order another interior designer is also murdered in the house.

The victim's husband's family offers a multitude of suspects but not many obvious motives. As events unfold, Sophie and bestie Nina discover a skeleton, evidence of an earlier murder from decades before, in the same home. As always, it's fun to watch Sophie and her crew decipher clues in short, pithy chapters that all begin with au currant decorating and cooking advice.

Don't go into this series expecting realism or angsty character development but expect a pleasant visit with characters that have become comfortable and familiar as well as a mystery that will challenge you to put the puzzle pieces together before Sophie and her friends.

Full Disclosure--NetGalley and the publisher provided me with a digital ARC of this book. This is my honest review.

Event planner Sophie Winston is browsing the tables of the latest expo she’s helped organize when she's surprised by a covert approach from an acquaintance. Mitzi Lawson is half of one of the best interior design firms in Old Town Alexandria, where both she and Sophie work and live. Using cloak and dagger tactics, she gives Sophie instructions to meet her at a worksite the next morning, but slips away before explaining why.

Bemused by the subterfuge, Sophie shows up at the Inger House as requested, and is shocked to discover Mitzi’s partner, Denise Nofsinger, lying just inside the back entrance. An unconscious Denise looks like she fell while reaching for the door. Sophie immediately calls 911 and begins resuscitation efforts, to no avail.

Mitzi arrives shortly after the paramedics do, and is devastated by Denise’s death. She eventually confides in Sophie that she thinks that someone has been stalking her, and worries that that same person may have murdered Denise. Thing is, she has no idea why either she or Denise would be the target of a stalker and killer.

Sophie is happy to help Mitzi feel safer, but after another body is found, Mitzi does a disappearing act all on her own. Every sinister event that’s occurred recently seems to have something to do with the Inger House and the family who owns it. With paranoia understandably on the rise, will Sophie be able to get to the bottom of the numerous deaths and disappearances before a killer takes yet another life?

This was another winning entry of the Domestic Diva mystery series, as Sophie juggles her sleuthing with work and whatever latest shenanigans her hilarious frenemy Natasha drags her into. In The Diva Poaches A Bad Egg, that means a festive fall brunch where Natasha is determined to push the limits of good taste in more ways than one. Her exasperating antics serve as a madcap counterpoint to the far more serious secrets festering at the heart of Inger House.

As always with this series, there were over a dozen food and drink recipes included for dishes described deliciously in the book. Most, if not all, of these are perfect for brunch (or anytime you like breakfast foods!) I decided to try out this recipe for my family’s dinner the other night:

QUOTE
Sophie's Butternut Squash Sheet Pan Breakfast

1-2 large, lipped baking trays
1 large butternut squash
3 shallots
1 red bell pepper
2 zucchinis
12 ounces kielbasa, sliced
Olive oil, 3-4 tablespoons + extra
drizzle of maple syrup
1 tablespoon thyme
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
6-8 large eggs

Preheat the oven to 425.

Peel the butternut squash with a vegetable peeler until the orange portions show. Cut the large part off. Cut the tubular portion in half, lengthwise, and cut it into ¾-1 inch squares. Scoop out the seeds and do the same with the bottom portion, discarding the hard part at the end. Scatter all the pieces on the baking sheet.

Peel the shallots and cut them into quarters. Add to the baking sheet. Cut the red pepper into small bite-size pieces and add to the baking sheet. Do the same with the zucchinis. Cut the kielbasa into slices and add it to the baking sheet. Drizzle the olive oil over the squash mixture, then the maple syrup. Using your hands, toss until everything is covered with the oil and syrup. Sprinkle the thyme, salt, and black pepper over the baking sheet and toss again to spread. If you have too much for a single layer on one baking sheet, then place part of it on another baking sheet and roast them at the same time. Roast 20 minutes.

Remove the baking sheets from the oven. Make 6-8 wells for the eggs. Crack the eggs individually in the wells. Roast for another 7 to 9 minutes. Serve by placing the veggie and kielbasa mixture on a plate and top it with one of the eggs.
END QUOTE

Weirdly, there were no red bell peppers available on my family’s last grocery run, so we made do with an orange pepper instead. There was a slight difference in sweetness, and certainly in color, but my family had no complaints about the results overall!

I personally adored this dish. Sophie says in the book that she never appreciated butternut squash until she roasted it, and I definitely feel the same way! The roasted squash is a delicious and healthy basis for the rest of the ingredients here, which you can likely experiment with to include other proteins and vegetables, in accordance with personal taste and whatever you might have on hand. Regardless of what you put on the tray though, it’s hard not to appreciate a sheet pan meal for ease of assembly and clean up, especially when the results are as tasty as this was!

Next week, we head to Europe to take a stab at a regional delicacy while running into far too many corpses. Do join me!