The DIVA Poaches a Bad Egg by Krista DavisKris coz

 The Diva Poaches a Bad Egg (A Domestic Diva Mystery) by Krista Davis

 

About The Diva Poaches a Bad Egg

 

The Diva Poaches a Bad Egg (A Domestic Diva Mystery) 

Cozy Mystery 18th in Series 

Setting - Virginia 

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Kensington Cozies (May 27, 2025) 

Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 320 pages 

Northern Virginia’s own Martha Stewart returns in a brand-new mystery as an interior designer clashes with a killer . . .

Stylish brunches are all the rage this autumn in Old Town Alexandria, and everyone’s posting their parties on social media. But while Domestic Diva Sophie Winston juggles her event-filled calendar, she’s approached by local designer Mitzi Lawson—who is afraid someone is following her. The very next day Mitzi loses her best friend and business partner, Denise. The two were renovating a generations-old house where Denise died unexpectedly, and Mitzi fears that it wasn’t a medical condition to blame, but murder.

It could just be the shock talking, but Sophie agrees to help Mitzi involve the police. Then she receives a panicked phone call from Mitzi, and when she rushes to the old house, Mitzi is nowhere to be found. Now Sophie’s appetite for investigation is piqued even more than her appetite for eggs Benedict and mimosas.

Could Denise’s death be connected to her viper’s nest of in-laws or the house she was working on which her husband just inherited? What of the self-proclaimed etiquette expert with some improper secrets, or the scheming mistress? Or does the old house harbor secrets of its own? There’s a generous buffet of suspects to keep the Diva scrambling for an answer . . .

Includes delicious recipes and fabulous DIY decorating tips!

About Krista Davis

 

New York Times Bestselling author Krista Davis writes the Domestic Diva Mysteries, the Paws & Claws Mysteries, and The Pen & Ink Mysteries. Krista lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia with a black Labrador mix, an English cream golden retriever, and two very inquisitive cats, all rescues. Her friends and family complain about being guinea pigs for her recipes, but she notices they keep coming back for more.

Author Links

Website www.KristaDavis.com 

Instagram www.instagram.com/kristadavisauthor 

Facebook www.facebook.com/KristaDavisAuthor

GoodReads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1555579.Krista_Davis

Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/KristaDavisAuthor/

BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/krista-davis

X https://x.com/kristadavis

Delicious Mysteries https://www.facebook.com/groups/1573601592919093

My Thoughts

The Diva Poaches a Bad Egg by Krista Davis Is the eighteenth A Domestic Diva Mystery. It can be read as a standalone for those new to the series or who may have missed a book (or two) along the way. Each chapter begins with a letter from a reader asking either Natasha or Sophie for advice regarding various household dilemmas (how many throw pillows is the right amount for example).  As you would expect, Sophie offers helpful, friendly advice while Natasha’s reveals her character.  I like all but one of the characters in this series (Natasha grates on my nerves after a while). 

I enjoyed catching up Sophie, Bernie, Nina, Mars, and the rest of the gang as well as the darling fur babies.  I like the setting of Old Town Alexandria, Virginia.  I can envision the area thanks to the author’s vivid descriptions.  The mystery had several suspects, some twists and turns, and a red herring or two. The story had a slow start, but the pacing picks up as the story progresses.  I was delighted with Holly Miller’s cameo appearance (from A Paws & Claws Mysteries).  It was nice to learn more about Faye, Mars’ deceased aunt, who used to own Sophie’s home (I’m glad Sophie got the home in the divorce).  There are delectable food descriptions throughout the story (recipes at the end of the book).  The Diva Poaches a Bad Egg is a charming cozy with scrumptious brunch recipes, a possible stalker, a dead decorator, shared canine custody, a fearsome Mitzi, odd occurrences, and a historic house.

The Diva Poaches a Bad Egg is available from Amazon, Apple, BAM, B&N, Bookshop.org, Hudson Booksellers, Indigo, Powell’s, Rakuten Kobo, Tantor, Target, and Walmart.  You can find the other A Domestic Diva Mysteries here.  You should check out Krista Davis' other cozy mysteries especially A Paws & Claws Mysteries (I love visiting Wagtail).  Don't forget to enter the giveaway for a chance to win a print copy of The Diva Poaches a Bad Egg.  You can enter via the Rafflecopter form below or click here.  Good Luck!  Thank you for joining me today.  Tomorrow I am a stop on the Celebrate Lit Tour for Capture the Moment by Suzanne Woods Fisher.  I hope you will stop by.  I am off to persaude my mother to go to her rescheduled appointment (she cancelled it last week as I predicted).  I hope you have a cheerful day.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

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Tour Participants

May 20 – Sarah Can't Stop Reading Books – REVIEW*

May 20 – Frugal Freelancer – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

May 21 – Jody's Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT

May 21 – Boys' Mom Reads! – RECIPE

May 22 – Christy's Cozy Corners – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

May 22 – Maureen's Musings – SPOTLIGHT

May 23 – Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic – REVIEW*

May 23 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT

May 24 – Baroness Book Trove – REVIEW

May 24 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

May 25 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW

May 26 – Ruff Drafts – RECIPE

May 26 – Infinite House of Books – SPOTLIGHT

May 26 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW

May 27 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW* 

May 28 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

May 28 – Sapphyria's Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

May 29 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

May 29 – Melina's Book Blog – REVIEW*

May 29 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT

*I voluntarily read an advanced copy of this book.  I am not required to leave a review.  The comments and opinions expressed are strictly my own.

The Diva Serves Forbidden Fruit by Krista Davis

  The Diva Serves Forbidden Fruit

 Book Summary

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

New York Times bestselling author Krista Davis delights with the 14th in her enormously popular and completely charming Domestic Diva Mystery series, as entertaining maven Sophie Winston must cut to the core of another murder investigation when members of an international tour group begin dropping like flies all over Old Town, Virginia...

With Old Town's DIY Home Decorating Festival in full swing, Sophie's swamped, juggling a bumper crop of artisans, antique dealers, and decorators for the busy street fair. Still, when her best friend Nina suddenly needs a ride from the airport, Sophie is happy to help...until she sees Nina disembarking in a state of disarray. It's obvious the trip to Portugal soured somewhere along the way. But after one of Nina's traveling companions turns up murdered the following day, Sophie knows something is truly rotten...

Though the crime scene is staged to look like an accident, Sophie isn't fooled and peels off to conduct her own investigation. Her only clue is a strange image the victim scratched into the soil before dying. Could it point to a cryptic killer in Old Town? A bitter travel adversary? Or a cursed artifact smuggled back from the trip? As the mystery grows, so does the body count, and if Sophie doesn't pluck the murderer soon, her best friend may be the next to fall.

 My Thoughts

The Diva Serves Forbidden Fruit by Krista Davis is the 14^th A Domestic Diva Mystery.  This cozy can be read as a standalone if you are new to this entertaining series.  Sophie Winston is organizing Old Town Alexandria’s DIY Home Decorating Festival.  When Paisley needs Sophie to locate her mother for help with her rowdy brood of boys, she is happy to help.  Unfortunately, Lark is found dead in her back garden and is not from natural causes.  Lark left them a cryptic clue to help.  When another woman is found dead in a similar manner, Sophie wonders if something happened on their recent trip to Portugal.  Sophie must gather the clues and sift through them so she can identify the guilty party. 

 I thought The Diva Serves Forbidden Fruit was well-written with developed characters.  Sophie Winston is a friendly and relatable character.   I like how various characters are still friendly despite previous relationships and residents of the community are there for each other in times of need.  I love the setting of this book.  The author provided beautiful descriptions of Old Town with its beautiful old homes.  The DIY Home Decorating Festival was fun.  There were some great items being sold along with some interesting demonstrations (I want a festival like that in my town).  I especially loved the word images of Paisley’s hand painted furniture.  The whodunit was a delight.  I enjoy a good mystery that is thought out and complex.  I had a good time solving this mystery.  It was fun following Sophie as she asked questions and collected clues.  I appreciated that Officer Wong and Detective Wolf are friendly.  Detective Wolf does not discount Sophie   There was a lot going on in The Diva Serves Forbidden Fruit. Besides the whodunit and the festival, Sophie has houseguests, Paisley’s rowdy children (I do not know how she does it) plus her irritating husband (she needs to get a divorce), Natasha carrying on about her house, and the dashing new medical examiner Dr. Chryssos who takes an interest in Sophie.  There are mouthwatering food descriptions (made me hungry).  There are recipes at the end of the book.  I enjoyed reading The Diva Serves Forbidden Fruit and did not want it to end.  Cozy mysteries like this one are rare.  The Diva Serves Forbidden Fruit is a diverting tale with cute canines, a fun festival, tasty treats, a clever clue, boisterous boys, a dashing doctor, and an astute amateur sleuth.  

The Diva Serves Forbidden Fruit can be purchased from Amazon*.  You can find the other A Domestic Diva Mysteries here.  Krista Davis also writes A Paws & Claws Mystery series.  It is a delightful series set in Wagtail. She also writes A Pen & Ink Mystery series which is fabulous.  Each paperback and hardcover has a colorable cover.  Thank you for joining me today.  Tomorrow I am featuring The Seeds of Change by Lauraine Snelling.  It is the first book in Leah's Garden series.  I hope that you have heavenly day.  Take care, be kind, and Happy Reading

Kris

The Avid Reader 

*This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The Diva Spices It Up by Krista Davis

Happy Sunday!  I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe. An Amish Mother's Secret Past by Jo Ann Brown will be out on June 16 along with The Woman in the Green Dress by Tea Cooper and Running Out of Time by Cindi Myers.  Summer is the perfect time to stay inside in the nice cool air conditioning and read since it is too hot to go outside (it has been in the low 90s in my area).  I am returning to my normal Sunday activity of featuring a book that I was unable to when it was released.  The Diva Spices It Up by Krista Davis is one I wish I had read sooner. 

The Diva Spices It Up by Krista Davis has Sophie Winston looking forward to relaxing after four weeks of catering back to back conventions.  Then Mars Winston, Sophie’s ex-husband, asks if she would be willing to be a ghostwriter for a cookbook.  Tilly Stratford, wife of Congressman Wesley Winthrope, lost her last ghostwriter suddenly and the gig pays well.  Sophie agrees to the job after her shower begins falling apart while she is in it.  Sophie is going through the stack of recipes for the cookbook and finds some odd notations made by Abby Bergeron, Tilly’s former ghostwriter.  Sophie decides to visit Abby’s house with her best friend, Nina to ask her about the notes.  She also wants to check up on her since no one has seen or heard from Abby since the previous Friday.  The back door is open, and a body is discovered stuffed into the basement freezer.  Abby’s neighbor, Eunice Crenshaw asks Sophie to investigate (like she would not on her own).  It turns out that Abby is not the only woman to have gone missing recently and she also had a connection to Tilly.  Something sinister is happening in Old Town Alexandria and Sophie intends to get to the bottom of it.

The Diva Spices It Up by Krista Davis is an engaging cozy with mystery, mayhem, and murder.  It is the 13^th A Domestic Diva Mystery and I believe that it can be read as a standalone.  I have only read one book many years ago, and I had no trouble following along.  Krista Davis never disappoints with her developed characters and wonderful settings.  Sophie Winston is a freelance event planner who is wore out after handling four conventions in four weeks.  She is looking forward to some downtime with her cat, Mochie and dog, Daisy.  Unfortunately, Mars Winston needs Sophie to do him a favor.  His client’s wife, Tilly Stratford’s cookbook ghostwriter quit without notice and the cookbook is due to the publisher in just a few weeks.  Sophie’s bathroom needs a remodel (tiles fall off while she is in the shower), so the generous salary would come in handy.  Sophie did not count on getting drawn into a mystery.  There is quite a bit happening in this twisty whodunit.  A welfare check finds a body in the freezer of the ghostwriter’s home, a suitcase pulled out of the river by a fisherman, two missing women, mysterious code, and another lady is beaten badly.  There are subplots going on at the same time.  Sophie spies a man doing some odd things about town.  She wonders what he is up to and is it related to the main case.  Tilly’s husband, Congressman Wesley WInthrope has had his email hacked and the contents are being bandied about social media causing an uproar.  The mysterious code was intriguing (what mystery reader does not love a cipher).  I had just watched a movie that helped me figure out that part.  The author did a wonderful job plotting out this knotty mystery.  I like how everything came together at the end.  I had a good time following the clues and arriving at a solution.  I could not wait to see if I had landed on the correct resolution. There are delectable items cooked up in between sleuthing sessions.  Sophie is a whiz in the kitchen (she should be on television, not Natasha).  There are recipes at the end including one for macaroni and cheese.  I like how well Mars and Sophie get along even though they are divorced.   I enjoyed the secondary characters like Eunice, Frannie and Nina along with the cute animals.  The Diva Spices It Up is a pleasing and puzzling cozy mystery with a missing mother, curious code, located luggage, a confusing cat collar, a stiff in the freezer, and a horrible hacker. 

The Diva Spices It Up is available from Amazon* along with other major booksellers (Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Google, etc.).  You can find the other novels in A Domestic Diva Mystery series here.  Krista Davis also writes A Pen & Ink Mystery series as well as A Paws & Claws Mystery series (I love visiting Wagtail). The author's next A Pen & Ink Mystery is Murder Outside the Lines which is out (sigh) on October 26, 2021.  The next A Paws & Claws Mystery is Big Little Spies and it will release on February 23, 2021.  Thank you for visiting today.  I will return tomorrow with The Way of Love by Tracie Peterson.  It is the 2nd novel in the Willamette Brides series.  I hope you have a spirited day.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

*This post contains affiliate links.