5*****
Fiction, Cozy Mystery, 19th in Series
Blurb: Old Town Virginia’s entertaining guru and occasional sleuth Sophie Winston – a young Martha Stewart in the making – juggles Fourth of July fireworks, a houseful of guests, and homicide in the latest Domestic Diva culinary mystery from New York Times bestselling author Krista Davis. With a big crowd descending on her Northern Virginia home, it’s a good thing event planner Sophie Winston is an expert at entertaining. Whipping up patriotic pastries is as easy as pie for her, though meeting the man her widowed Aunt Melly just impulsively married in Las Vegas is a little more awkward. Especially when Melly’s longtime, now-heartbroken secret admirer is there too, which could lead to some fireworks. But the house party really gets explosive when Sophie’s favorite tour guide falls victim to a killer—and evidence points to Sophie’s own father. Will DNA really incriminate her dad? And what’s the real story with her new uncle-by-marriage and the mysterious pal he’s brought along with him? Some of the secrets Sophie’s discovering are raising flags—and while the police department casts suspicion on her father, she has to declare her independence as a detective to find the real culprit, and serve justice along with her red, white, and blue cupcakes . . .Includes delicious recipes, fabulous decorating tips, and easy entertaining hacks!
THOUGHTS: This is not my first Krista Davis book, but I have not read all of the books in the series. That being said, you don’t need to (though you should!). There is enough information scattered throughout that you know who the characters are and their relationships to each other.
Sophie is a hostess definitely with the “mostest”. She can whip up fantastic food, decorate like nobody’s business (though it is hers), and offer advice “Ann Landers” style to people who write in to her. I love that there are little tidbits like this at the beginning of the chapters. And I love Sophie’s more than her rival’s!
In this story, multiple family members and friends descend on her home for the Fourth of July. Since she lives in the general DC area, various tours are arranged, but when the tour guide ends up dead—and Sophie’s father is accused because of DNA on the body, Sophie goes into sleuth mode. Plus she has to figure out how to help her aunt Melly get rid of a nasty new husband who turns out to be more con man than husband. And I absolutely loved how Melly handles this!
I loved the characters. There’s a lot going on in this story with a lot of people and a lot going on. I did figure out the perp pretty early on, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t love the story.
Recommended.
Thanks to Kensington and Netgalley for this ARC.
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