Krista Davis

Big Little Spies is such a fun cozy mystery series, and I definitely enjoyed this latest entry. In this one, people are coming for a major event, a charity ball, aptly named the "There's No Place Like Home" event. Gosh, how can you not love an event with a double entendre like that? With a slew of quirky characters, this was a nice, light-hearted mystery to delve into.

I enjoy all the characters in this book and love how the author goes out her way to give them all their own quirks and show more personalities. Holly and Trixie are the main characters, and yes, I know Trixie is a dog, but she is so adorable I can't help thinking of her as a main character. There is actually a lot going on with certain characters and I am happy the author takes the time to develop secondary characters as well as main ones. I also love the fact that Holly's relationship is not the central focus of the book, but just seems to fit in nicely with the story line - no drama, no angst, no other tropes that authors seem to always want to throw into books which can be so annoying. It doesn't mean they don't have disagreements or they don't get annoyed with each other, but they deal with it maturely. Enjoyable to read.

The plot was interesting and it took me a while to figure it out; the fact the author can still do this by the seventh book is impressive. Keeping things fresh and intriguing must be so hard to do, but the author does it so well. There are multiple things going on and the author uses those things as red herrings to throw you off the scent, so to speak, so you really have to pay attention to what is going on.

I have always enjoyed this author's writing style, and really enjoy the witty dialogue. Holly's inner monologue is a lot of fun too, and the sarcasm as she deals with certain people is priceless. She is never mean though, but I did have a few laugh out loud moments when she was dealing with her aunt.

And the animals. It would definitely make me feel better if there were more misbehaved animals in this book as they are all so GOOD. I have two cats and while they are great animals, they tend to do their own thing and would never obey me like the cats in this book. I would get this weird look, then they would turn their back on me to say 'whatever'. I definitely love the idea of this town and how the tourism is marketed to animal lovers though; it's a cool concept.

Big Little Spies definitely kept you guessing which is why I enjoyed it so much. With a host of quirky and fun characters, I enjoyed returning to this town and learning more about them. There are a lot of recipes included at the back of the book, for human and animal and sometimes both. I do think long-time fans of this series will really enjoy this book and while it's always nice to start at the beginning of a series, I do think you could actually read this one without having actually read the previous entries. I am looking forward to the next one when it is released. show less

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Fourth of July in Old Town, Virginia, brings several family members and their friends to event planner Sophie Winston’s home. Her parents, her Aunt Melly, and her new husband, Gus, her sister, Hannah, and family friends, Roscoe O’Brien and Cyril Chevalier, who has been sweet on Melly forever. Gus’s friend, Stan, came to town as well, but is staying elsewhere. Newcomer Gus makes everyone a little uncomfortable. His marriage to Melly was very spur-of-the-moment. show more Sophie rented a tour bus with a driver/guide to keep everyone entertained sightseeing around Washington D.C. Tony Fontana had plenty of stories to share and made sure everyone had a good time.

When Tony’s dead body is found on a neighbor’s lawn, everyone is shocked. Even more shocking, Sophie’s dad, Paul, is hauled in when his DNA is found on Tony’s body. Sophie is not going to stand for that. She is going to start by looking into her new uncle and his friend, and go from there. Determined to remove the police’s target from her dad’s back, she is going to find the true murderer and serve him his just desserts.

Nineteenth book in the series, and these characters are all going strong. I looked forward to each new installment of this series to catch up with Sophie, Mars, Nina, Bernie, Humphrey, and Natasha. There is always trouble brewing in Old Town, but there is plenty of fun along the way, too. The character development feels natural, and the relationships continue to ring true. Each chapter opens with Sophie or Natasha responding to a letter asking for advice, and those exchanges highlight just how different the two women still are, even as they have learned to tolerate each other better. I also liked that Sophie’s house was full of family for the holiday.

Sophie has to look at suspects staying under her roof and those staying elsewhere as she tries to find a connection between her tour guide and others in her sphere. Neighbor, Dollie Peabody, swears she hears and sees things in her house, but by the time the police arrive, they find nothing. Gus is really sketchy. Could he be involved? Someone is leaving gifts for Melly, and it’s not Gus. Hannah is staying out late with no explanation, but Sophie has some ideas. She knows her sister has nothing to do with Tony’s death. When another dead body is found, it shakes up everything. Sophie has a houseful and a handful as she tries to juggle everything going on in and around her house, but her friends are always ready to help. Ms. Davis throws in some wonderful twists and red herrings that keep the mystery moving.

Not to be left out, Natasha throws a holiday party, “the most coveted event of the year,” with the theme of 1826 and proper period attire required. Even then, Sophie has solving the murder on her mind.

Holiday gatherings always come with a little drama, and having family and friends move in for the season only adds to the chaos. Sophie handles it all with remarkable patience. She cooks, cleans, plans sightseeing outings, helps Aunt Melly through a difficult time, shows up for her neighbor when needed, and somehow still manages to track down a murderer. Honestly, we could all use a Sophie in our lives, but they are not easy to find.

The Diva Hosts a Murderer is a sensational addition to this series from New York Times Bestselling Author Krista Davis. Engaging characters with warmth, grace, and wit, a wonderful area rich in history, a terrific whodunit, and some tempting summertime recipes perfect for your 4th of July celebrations, check every cozy mystery box. Whether you are a long-time fan, have just read a few books in the series, or are brand new to The Diva . . . series, you will love these characters. show less

Yet another cozy mystery series I will pass on.

Start with a quaint small hometown to which our heroine returns after a failed romance and several years in the big city. Make her the absolute bestest, smartest, most competent person in the ENTIRE town. Turn her into a better investigator than the investigators. In fact, make her so good that she doesn’t have to follow police protocols, at all and the cops are still thrilled she’s around to help.

Now, give her insane levels of knowledge show more about EVERYTHING, ever. But don’t telegraph any hints with foreshadowing. Just dump all that glorious knowledge on the reader out of the blue. Let our heroine take incredible leaps of logic and make assumptions she has no basis for. It’s okay, ‘cause she’s the smartest person ever.

To prove her awesomeness, she will offer sage advice to people throughout town, including advice on personal matters with which she is unfamiliar. Her advice is on-point and perfect. Every. Single. Time.

Then, spring a killer from the shadows without warning because everyone our heroine has interacted with through the story has been so nice. None of them could possibly kill our victim. Just for giggles, foreshadowing a character as important to a murder mystery as the killer should include more than one line of dialogue and a description of said killer as part of the scenery in our quaint little tourist trap.

The author needs to do more research on poisoning if she wishes to feature poisons or drugs in her story. The drug used to sicken one victim would not have caused the reaction described. It was sloppy and obviously not studied before being used as a plot device.

A cozy mystery is still subject to the same intellectual physics as any other mystery. There’s more to it than a couple of dead bodies, elaborate menus in quaint hotel dining rooms, and cute pets. It would behoove this author to learn what makes a mystery work. show less

The Stupendous Stuffing Shakedown kicked off at a local hotel in Washington, D.C., during the summer and featured 200 contestants. Sophie Winston was now one of the three amateur cooks competing for the win. The stakes were raised when three local celebrities were invited by the sponsors, intensifying Sophie's desire to win—especially since the finals included Natasha Smith, a reminder of their high school rivalry. Although the two women were no longer in direct competition, it was show more frustrating for Sophie to know that her ex-husband, Mars, was living with Natasha.

This cozy mystery is a delightful indulgence on multiple levels! It features intriguing character relationships, engaging crime elements, a featured event, holiday chaos, and, of course, the food. Oh my goodness, the food! Thankfully, I'm a nighttime reader who doesn't snack late, because the pages are filled with vivid, mouthwatering culinary descriptions that make you crave these dishes even when you're not hungry. I couldn't help but wish that Sophie, who conveniently keeps cookie dough in her freezer for unexpected guests, could be a real person. It's hard to resist the idea of warm, freshly baked homemade chocolate chip cookies. Who would ever call ahead?

One aspect that enhanced the cozy vibe for me was the Q&As at the beginning of each chapter. These came from either Natasha's or Sophie's perspective and covered topics like DIY décor, entertaining, hostess tips, and cooking solutions.

Recipes and Cooking Tips for First Murder Bourbon Pecan Pie, Brining Basics, Crusty Country Bread, Bacon, and Herb Stuffing, Chesapeake Cornbread Stuffing, and Cranberry Mushroom Wild Rice Stuffing are available at the end of the cozy mystery.

I'm excited to read more of the series! show less