Currently Reading...

I just started reading A Necessary Death by Terri Karsten. This book is the first in the Tucker’s Crossing Mystery series and was released last fall.

With changeable weather traveling in the spring of 1763 is unpleasant at the best of times and these were definitely not the best of times. After the death of her seafaring husband Penelope Corbitt lost everything, including her lovely house in Philadelphia, to his heretofore unknown gambling debts. Now she and her children, sixteen year old Nebby and nine year old Nathaniel, are forced to move to Boston to live with the sister she hasn't seen in a decade. Not only that, her boorish brother-in-law is escorting them. When the storm worsens the rain soaked road proves too much and their coach overturns. While the coachman works to get the carriage upright Penelope and her family walk to the nearest inn. Penelope's first thought is to use the necessary, but when she opens the privy door she discovers a man inside...a dead man.

The Diva Hosts a Murderer - A Guest Post, Review, & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Cyril Chevalier to Cozy Up With Kathy today. You can find Cyril on the pages of THE DIVA HOSTS A MURDERER by Krista Davis. This book is the nineteenth in the Domestic Diva Mystery series and was released last week.

Cyril Chevalier: 

You might know Sophie Winston. She was kind enough to include me when she invited her family to stay with her over the Fourth of July. I’m honored to be thought of as a member of the family.

I went to high school with her dad, Paul, his sister Melly, and Sophie’s mom, Inga. We had a grand time growing up together! We went our separate ways in our college years. I became a professor of engineering, a job to which I was married. I took it very seriously and was always there for my students. I was all in when it came to special events on campus. I was the dependable go-to guy whenever anyone needed help.

But now that I’m retired, I’m really sorry that I didn’t think about a social life outside of my job. So many of my friends, like Paul and Inga, have each other now. Someone to share fun times with, to travel with, even just to sit on the porch and rock with on a warm summer evening.

I told Sophie that I feel like the song On Top Of Old Smoky was written about me because I courted too slow. Or, in my case, not at all. Now, I don’t want you thinking I never met the right woman. I did! But she married someone else.

I wonder sometimes if it’s wrong to tell an engaged woman that you’re in love with her. I backed away and watched as she married and went on with her life. But what if I hadn’t? What if I had told her the truth about how I felt? It would have been her choice then. Him or me? Maybe she would have chosen him, but at least I would have tried. I would have known that she didn’t feel the same way about me.

So, I went about my life for decades, seeking someone else. But she held my heart the whole time. It wasn’t easy watching her with her husband. But that was my lot. And it was all my fault because I never let her know how I felt.

Her husband passed away about a year or so ago. I was in a quandary because I knew she needed time to heal. Time to come to grips with the loss of her husband. I certainly didn’t want to make a move too fast. That would have been most distasteful! So, once again, I carried on, waiting, waiting, waiting for the right time to ask her out on a date.

But wouldn’t you just know that she went on a vacation to Las Vegas with a man who was new to town, and they came back married! Once again, I missed the timing. And now I’m back to watching her with another man.

I have a bad feeling that he’s a worm. But I can’t just walk up to her and say that! Can I? 

****************************************************************************

Review

THE DIVA HOSTS A MURDERER by Krista Davis
The Nineteenth Domestic Diva Mystery 

Sophie Winston is planning a big Fourth of July celebration and has opened her home to a variety of family and friends. Although she's happy to spend time with her parents and Aunt Melly, she not quite sure about Melly's new husband, Gus. In the days before the holiday Sophie has arranged plenty of tours for the group. For the most part everyone seems to be having a good time, but it all changes when the tour guide is found dead and Sophie's dad becomes the prime suspect. In addition to being a superlative hostess, Sophie will have to revisit her role as a cunning detective in order to keep her family safe and find a killer!

With the nineteenth Domestic Diva Mystery I find myself once again envying Sophie's casual style and ease of entertaining, effortlessly whipping up scrumptious dishes while putting everyone at ease. That being said, she can keep her houseload of guests! One of the things I enjoy most about the Domestic Diva Mystery series is how the author seamlessly weaves together great food, household tips and crime solving with ordinary daily life. All while having an active social life and working! In addition this book also provides a warning for women, especially older women.

I enjoyed the variety of characters in THE DIVA HOSTS A MURDERER. The majority have secrets, but just which secrets are dangerous? I really liked Dollie and hope we see more of her in future books. Natasha is her usual obnoxious self and I'm glad she was primarily just brief comic relief in this outing. I love how Sophie and her core crew work together and I really appreciated the two final surprises...ok, three final surprises.

This Independence Day fireworks are exploding all over Old Town Alexandria in THE DIVA HOSTS A MURDERER with volatile relationships, suspicious behavior, and murder!

*****************************************************************************

 The Diva Hosts a Murderer (A Domestic Diva Mystery) by Krista Davis

About The Diva Hosts a Murderer

The Diva Hosts a Murderer (A Domestic Diva Mystery)
Cozy Mystery 19th in Series
Setting - Old Town, Alexandria, Virginia
Publisher: ‎ Kensington Cozies
Publication Date: ‎ May 26, 2026
Print Length: ‎ 336 pages

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!

About Krista Davis

New York Times bestselling author Krista Davis writes the Domestic Diva Mystery series. Krista lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia with two cats and a brood of dogs. Her friends and family complain about being guinea pigs for her recipes, but she notices they keep coming back.

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  

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

Purchase Links Amazon Apple Barnes & Noble Books A Million Bookshop Hudson Booksellers Indigo Rakuten Kobo Tantor Audio Target Walmart

The Corpse by the Creek - A Review & Giveaway

 Review

THE CORPSE BY THE CREEK by Iris March
The Third Succulent Sleuth Mystery

An eco enthusiast Molly Green and her husband, Scott, are always looking for ways to become involved. Recently volunteering with a local stream restoration group,the couple are learning to take water samples off the Buckeye Trail. The day is going wonderfully, being with nature and actually helping the environment when they see a man in a business suit on the ground just off the trail. The murdered man turns out to be Upton North, a developer who's been buying up property around town and making plenty of people angry. But who was angry enough to kill him? It looks like another job for the Succulent Sleuths.

I love how environmental care is at the forefront of THE CORPSE BY THE CREEK, indeed the whole series. Subtly encouraging people to volunteer and do little things to be green while providing an entertaining mystery is wonderful. While I'm unable to hike and one of my cats make having houseplants an impossibility, I'm once again encouraged to get my garden in shape. And play board games.

I enjoyed the mystery, I always find grim satisfaction when developers bite the dust. They do make good victims as there are always lots of suspects with good motives. It was fun seeing the Succulent Sleuths investigate, although the actual confrontation with the killer was unplanned and terrifying! I was sympathetic to the killer until they threatened the unthinkable. But, all worked out in the end. 

A quick read, THE CORPSE BY THE CREEK promotes gardening, hiking, and green living while entertaining readers with a delightful mystery.

*************************************************************************** 

 The Corpse by the Creek: A Succulent Sleuth Cozy Mystery by Iris March

About The Corpse by the Creek

The Corpse by the Creek: A Succulent Sleuth Cozy Mystery
Cozy Mystery 3rd in Series (plus 2 short stories)
Setting - Ohio
Publisher: ‎ Wandering Gingko Press
Publication Date: ‎ June 2, 2026
Number of Pages ~200 pages

Volunteer water sampling. Development deals. A dead businessman in the woods.

While volunteering with a local stream restoration group, Molly and her husband, Scott, expect to end the day with nothing more to show for it than muddy hiking shoes and water samples. Instead, they stumble upon a dead body left in the woods behind the Buckeye Trail. The victim turns out to be Upton North—an unpopular developer with business ties to half the town and enemies to match.

As Molly starts asking questions, she uncovers a web of grudges involving tenants, activists, and business owners. She’ll have to follow clues from forest trails to forgotten basements—and confront just how far greed and intimidation pushed the wrong person too far.

With a busy garden center to manage, and a beloved black and white cat occasionally underfoot, Molly digs into another Succulent Sleuth case where the roots of the crime run deep.

About Iris March

Iris March has a reputation for killing house plants, and now she’s killing people off in books? Coincidence? Perhaps not. Iris has spent two decades working in the sustainability field and is usually either reading a book or on a trail. She lives in Ohio with her husband, son, and three cats.

Author Links: 

Blue Sky https://bsky.app/profile/irismarchbooks.bsky.social 

 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/irismarchbooks/  

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/irismarchbooks/  

Website www.irismarchbooks.com  

Purchase Links- Amazon - Books 2 Read

The Well-Placed Lie - A Review

 Review

THE WELL-PLACED LIE by Kari Lee Townsend
The Fourth Wishville Mystery 

Winter has arrived in Wishville, Vermont and with it Winter WishFest. Lanterns glow, cozy scents of cinnamon and pine fill the air, and fresh fallen snow makes a delightful picture, but something is off. Opening night turns tragic when lead caroler Violet Snowe suddenly collapses. If a heart attack during WishFest wasn't bad enough, it turns out that Violet was actually murdered. Did the killer truly mean to kill Violet or was Festival Chair Lyra Wells the intended victim? Multiple vendors are also reporting missing money. Is there a thief and a murderer? Are the crimes related? Lyra must uncover secrets and lies and trust in her friends to keep Wishville safe.

The fourth Wishville Mystery is a lot more serious than previous books in the series with a dark undertone that pervades it. While there is some humor, there's a fragile quality, a tenseness that exists. Lyra and Thorn's date night, Vex's snarky comments, enjoying festival events, all cozy activities showing warmth and friendship, but there's an unnerving sense of danger and the feeling that something could go irrevocably wrong. 

In THE WELL-PLACED LIE people are not who they seem. Some act out of desperation, some out of greed. Some are cunning and patient, others feel they've waited too long. Some, Lyra, Lulu, and even Calderis included, can act rashly. Family, friendship, and love all play pivotal roles. I was anxious for, not only Lyra, but Holden, Calderis, and Lulu. I was grateful for Vex and Fenrin and pleased to watch the Wellies in action. I really appreciate the calculated plotting of the series arc. There are some stunning surprises! 

THE WELL-PLACED LIE will have your heart in your throat as dark danger surrounds the Winter WishFest. 

Dungeons and Danger - A Review

 Review

DUNGEONS AND DANGER by Elizabeth Penney
The Second Ravensea Castle Mystery 

The chill October winds bring a lot of activity to Ravensea Castle. A team of ghost hunters is staying at the castle to find proof of the Ravensea ghosts and get their television series aired. Also staying at the castle is Professor Tweedy who believes a treasure is located somewhere on the property. Nora Asquith, herbalist and innkeeper, well, castlekeeper, has to keep on her toes. The ghost hunters and the professor have a history, and it's not pleasant. Plus, everyone seems to know about the possible treasure. Keeping an eye on her guests becomes a priority to prevent either ghost or treasure hunter from injuring themselves or each other on the property. In addition, Ravensea is hosting a Viking Festival. Led by her brother Will, over five hundred people will descend on the property in Viking costumes to enjoy food, festivities, and Will's mead. With her father providing  the historical details for both groups, her sister helping out with the guests, and the ghosts playing their part surely everything will work out. Won't it? 

There's a lot to love about the second Ravensea Castle Mystery. The Asquith family are now a united front. While Will still runs his meadery, he's more involved with the castle, creating a Viking Festival to hold on the grounds. Similarly, Tamsyn is a working actor, but is now more than willing to help with the B&B aspect of the castle...as well as helping her sister with some sleuthing. Their father also is paying more attention to the goings on of the castle. Along with Janet and Guy, as well as the resident ghosts, they are a big happy family. Nora and Detective Inspector Finlay Cole have become an established couple and each of these characters contributes to a warm cozy feeling that permeated the book, despite the autumnal temperatures, suspicious guest behavior, and ultimately murder.

I enjoyed the ghost hunter and treasure hunting aspects of the book as well as seeing Nora's herbal work. I know I'd love to try some of her sloe cough syrup (and yes, I immediately think of a sloe gin fizz whenever these berries are mentioned). I also really want to attend a Viking festival! The mystery was intriguing with lots of suspicious behavior going on before the murder. There were a few twists to the mystery and an ending with more than one surprise.

A Viking festival, helpful ghosts, and a castle full of  treacherous guests make DUNGEONS AND DANGER a delightful mystery.

Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading Dungeons and Danger by Elizabeth Penney. This is the second book in the Ravensea Castle Mystery series and was released yesterday! 

The chill October winds bring a lot of activity to Ravensea Castle. A team of ghost hunters is staying at the castle to find proof of the Ravensea ghosts get their television series aired. Also staying at the castle is Professor Tweedy who believes a treasure is located somewhere on the property. Nora Asquith, herbalist and innkeeper, well, castlekeeper, has to keep on her toes. The ghost hunters and the professor have a history, and it's not pleasant. Plus, everyone seems to know about the possible treasure. Keeping an eye on her guests becomes a priority to prevent either ghost or treasure hunter from injuring themselves or each other on the property. In addition, Ravensea is hosting a Viking Festival. Led by her brother Will, over five hundred people will descend on the property in Viking costumes to enjoy food, festivities, and Will's mead. With her father providing  the historical details for both groups, her sister helping out with the guests, and the ghosts playing their part surely everything will work out. Won't it? 

Gossiping about Grimoires - A Review

 Review

GOSSIPING ABOUT GRIMOIRES by Mildred Abbott
The First Whispering Witch Mystery 

Maeve Hawthorn has led a very sheltered life. Even writing a bestselling book series hasn't changed that. Accepting an all expense paid trip to New Orleans for a book signing is the most exciting thing she's ever done. The book signing turns into a disaster after which Maeve and her corgi, Mischief, are kidnapped. It turns out that magic is real and magical people of New Orleans are none too happy with her. While trying to prove that she didn't deliberately tell magical secrets to the world a powerful witch is killed. Both thrilled and terrified that magic is real Maeve must leave her comfort zone and try to solve the murder before she's silenced...or worse.

Secrets. allies, and familiars add to the excitement of magic in New Orleans. GOSSIPING ABOUT GRIMOIRES is a wonderful introduction to a magical world while also being a love letter to the city of New Orleans. Maeve is a unique protagonist, naive and self-admittedly a bit weird, her only friend is her corgi. Seeing her stretch her wings while trying to make new friends is heartwarming. My favorite characters are the various familiars, especially Hurricane and Tabitha. I love the joy they each have and the ease in which they accept each other and play. Of course, the special relationship between Maeve and Mischief is  wonderful to see.

I love the details about the city of New Orleans itself. Although it's been decades since I visited, the street names and various locations brought back wonderful memories. I felt as if I was back there, exploring the French Quarter along with Maeve and Mischief. New Orleans is a wonderful setting, especially for a magical series and I can't wait to return, if only via the next Whispering Witch Mystery. 

Both a coming of age and buddy novel GOSSIPING ABOUT GRIMOIRES is an exciting mystery combining puzzles to solve and a new world to explore.

************************************************************************* 

 The Whispering Witch Mysteries by Mildred Abbott

About The Whispering Witch Mystery Series

Start the Whispering Witch series today—a paranormal mystery where magic has consequences, trust is dangerous, and even a corgi might not make everything okay.

Gossiping About Grimoires (Whispering Witch Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery/Urban Paranormal 1st in Series
Setting - New Orleans, Mostly French Quarter
Publisher: ‎ Independently Published
Publication Date: ‎ March 1, 2026
Print Length: ‎ 400 pages

Maeve Hawthorn writes about witches for a living. They want her to stop.

When a book signing ends in her abduction, Maeve’s only priority is escaping with her corgi, Mischief, alive. That urgency deepens when she learns her captors are real witches, furious that Maeve has been exposing their secrets to the world.

Before Maeve can make sense of how her fiction has become reality, she’s caught in the middle of a murder that leaves her marked by magic she doesn’t understand. When a dying witch’s power floods into her, Maeve becomes the prime suspect in a crime she didn’t commit—and a target for every supernatural being certain she knows too much.

Turns out, magic isn’t a gift. It’s a liability. And clearing her name may cost Maeve far more than her safety.

With danger closing in and no clear allies other than Mischief, Maeve must navigate a hidden supernatural world that wants her silenced… or dead.

For readers who enjoy witchy mysteries with a little more at stake than a traditional cozy, Gossiping About Grimoires will appeal to fans of Danielle Garrett, Erin Johnson, and Juliet Blackwell.

(Includes the Shroom Boom recipe from Ayu Bakehouse, a beloved New Orleans bakery.)

Verifying About Vampires (Whispering Witch Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery/Urban Paranormal 2nd in Series
Setting - New Orleans, Mostly French Quarter
Publisher: ‎ Independently Published
Publication Date: ‎ April 30, 2026
Print Length: ‎ 400 pages

Maeve Hawthorn didn’t mean to get involved with vampires. They insisted. When a prominent member of New Orleans’ vampire community is accused of murder, Maeve is pulled into an investigation that could unravel the fragile balance between magical factions. Clearing their name isn’t just about justice — it may be the only way to prevent something far more dangerous. As Maeve follows a trail of secrets through candlelit courtyards and hidden supernatural circles, she discovers that truth in this world is layered, political, and rarely convenient. Meanwhile, living with her roommates and their familiars begins to feel like home. The witches who were once strangers are becoming allies. Maybe even family. But solving one mystery has a way of exposing others. And in a city built on power and old allegiances, someone is always watching. For readers who enjoy witchy mysteries with a little more at stake than a traditional cozy, Verifying About Vampires will appeal to fans of Danielle Garrett, Erin Johnson, and Juliet Blackwell. Continue the Whispering Witch series — a paranormal mystery where magic has consequences, loyalty is complicated, and even a corgi doesn't know all the answers. (Includes Butterscotch Pecan Scone recipe from Bywater Bakery, a favorite New Orleans bakery.)

Snitching About Spirits (Whispering Witch Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery/Urban Paranormal 3rd in Series
Setting - New Orleans, Mostly French Quarter
Publisher: ‎ Independently Published
Publication Date: ‎ June 30, 2026
Print Length: ‎ 400 pages 

Maeve Hawthorn started chatting with ghosts. They made demands.

When a murder victim refuses to stay silent and buried secrets start coming to light, Maeve is pulled deeper into the hidden power struggles shaping New Orleans’ magical world. What started as a single investigation is unraveling something much older—and far more dangerous.

As Maeve follows the trail through enchanted courtyards, secret alliances, and the fragile peace between supernatural factions, she begins to realize the truth may not be what anyone wants revealed. Meanwhile, living with her roommates and their familiars is starting to feel less like survival… and more like family.

But some secrets were buried for a reason.

And when the past finally surfaces, it may threaten far more than one witch’s life.

For readers who enjoy witchy mysteries with a little more at stake than a traditional cozy, Snitching About Spirits will appeal to fans of Danielle Garrett, Erin Johnson, and Juliet Blackwell.

Continue the Whispering Witch series — a paranormal mystery where magic carries a price, loyalties are tested, and even a corgi can't sniff out every secret.

(Includes a bewitching S’mores Cheesecake recipe from Deuxbelle, an award-winning New Orleans bakery.)

About Mildred Abbott

Mildred Abbott writes twisty cozy mysteries filled with humorous and complex characters. Whether brimming with magic or simply an above-average dose of curiosity, Mildred's amateur sleuths solve murders with the cutest sidekicks ever. Fifteen years as a special education teacher and a lifetime of loving rescue dogs results in creating adventures with a ton of heart and the need for lint rollers.

Author Links: 

Newsletter sign up: http://www.mildredabbott.com/contact-mildred.html  

Website: http://www.mildredabbott.com  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MildredAbbottAuthor/  

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17347095.Mildred_Abbott 

  Instagram: @mildredabbott TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mildredabbottauthor  

Purchase Links - Amazon - Gossiping About Grimoires Verifying About Vampires Snitching About Spirits