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? 

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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!

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 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 

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Facebook www.facebook.com/KristaDavisAuthor  

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

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Essentials of Death - A Guest Post , Review, & Giveaway

I'm pleased to allow Carissa Carmichael to take over Cozy Up With Kathy today. You can find Carissa on the pages of the Aromatherapy Apothecary Mystery series by Kim Davis. ESSENTIALS OF DEATH is the second book in the series and was released last week.

 

It’s been a few months since I stood over a dead body in my Aromatherapy Apothecary shop, my copper distiller next to the man. I still have nightmares about the violence even with the murderer being caught and serving time in prison. But I’m trying to put it behind me and focus on growing my store in my hometown of Oak Creek Valley in Southern California. With tourists flooding into our town, especially those in the Los Angeles area looking for a close getaway, I’ve had a good amount of business. Nestled between the Topatopa Mountains, our town has much to offer. There are wineries, art galleries, spas, monthly festivals, outdoor adventures, and, frequently, Hollywood studio film shoots. In the meantime, I’m keeping busy with the retail side of running an aromatherapy shop plus distilling essential oils from locally sourced flowers and herbs.

This week, the town is hosting a playwright conference and festival. Hordes are descending on Oak Creek Valley, eager to see a famous personage or even participate in the events. My shop was one of the lucky ones chosen to exhibit at the opening festivities, as was the Jean Luc Patisserie, owned by my maybe special friend, Jasper. What should have been a fun experience turned into one that led to a very public altercation with my high school nemesis, Lacie. She works for Jasper, and when he became ill, she stepped in to run his booth. I don’t understand why she’s always had it in for me, but she did her best to spoil my time at the event, and even humiliated me in front of some clients. And all of this happened after the resident tarot card reader pulled some very scary cards from her deck for my reading. Even she seemed distraught… but given what happened later that night, those cards just might have been prescient.

After finding another murder victim, unfortunately at Jasper’s patisserie this time, my dad, the chief of police, has recused himself. The two detectives brought into town to investigate have my dad doing nothing more than crowd control and keeping an eye out on festival goers. It doesn’t help that one of the detectives is certain I killed Lacie and he’s doing everything he can to prove it. Given my past scandal in San Francisco, where my face was plastered all over the media as I perp walked, handcuffed, to a waiting squad car, I’m terrified no one will believe I’m innocent. My dad is being shut out, so now it’ll be up to me and my friends to find out who, besides me, could have killed my frenemy. If I don’t find the killer, it won’t be long before cold steel handcuffs are slapped on my wrists… again.

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Review

ESSENTIALS OF DEATH by Kim Davis
The Second Aromatherapy Apothecary Mystery 

Although participating in the Oak Creek Valley Playwright Conference and Festival will be hard work, Carissa Carmichael will be providing mini reflexology sessions, she's looking forward to spending time with Jasper, who will be manning the booth next to her. Unfortunately, with Jasper ill Cari is saddled with her nemesis Lacie Simmons in that booth. Lacie wastes no time berating staff, making digs at Cari, and generally being her toxic self. Wanting nothing more than to go home and relax after the event, Cari finds herself offering to help Lacie make baked goods for the following morning. But when she returns she finds Lacie dead-mirroring one of the Tarot cards from Cari's reading that morning. With symbols and veiled threats Cari finds herself being framed for murder and with no choice but to investigate herself.

Lacie Simmons created chaos and drama wherever she went so it's no wonder someone finally killed her, but who? I liked the fact that at first Carissa had no intention of investigating the murder, that is until someone started targeting, then framing her. Ratcheting up the tension was Detective Raaf. It's obvious from the start that he has something against Cari and is deliberately intimidating her, doing everything possible to prove she killed Lacie. What I found odd was that at the start two detectives were working the case, but partway through the story Detective Martin disappeared. He, the allegedly tough but fair detective, was gone leaving the detective with a vendetta, who was introduced as "assisting" in the investigation, to make Cari's life miserable. I question why Martin was ever in the story, or a reason given as to why he left the investigation.

Carissa is made of stern stuff. I like that even though she is scared, she knows to call the police when necessary and waits for her lawyer when being interrogated by the detectives, because Raff is most certainly interrogating and not interviewing!

I enjoyed the aromatherapy touches to the story and was drooling over Jasper's baked goods. I want to make a healing balm and enjoy some lavender shortbread cookies. (It should be noted that the author graciously gives directions for both at he end of the book!) The camaraderie of Cari's friends and co-workers, as well as her protective father makes a good counterpoint to all of the negative and distressing actions.

The mystery was complex, with Cari bearing the brunt of the drama, from her social media being hacked, Tarot cards being left, and a detective intent on proving her guilty. Cari also found herself in the clutches of the killer and narrowly escaped her own murder! And even after the killer was caught she found herself being threatened, with someone vowing to ruin her life.

More than one malevolent character brings on the drama in ESSENTIALS OF DEATH making for a heart pounding suspenseful mystery. 

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 Essentials of Death: An Aromatherapy Apothecary Mystery by Kim Davis

About Essentials of Death

Essentials of Death: An Aromatherapy Apothecary Mystery
Cozy Mystery 2nd in Series
Setting - California
Publisher: ‎ Harbor Lane Books, LLC.
Publication Date: ‎ September 23, 2025
Print Length: ‎ 299 pages

After a scandalous arrest in San Francisco, Carissa Carmichael has moved back to her small Southern California hometown to start over as she opens her Aromatherapy Apothecary shop and reflexology services. A tourist destination, Oak Creek Valley, seems the perfect place to put the past behind her, but it seems no one will let her forget, especially her high school nemesis, Lacie. When Carissa finds her frenemy murdered after having a public altercation at the town's playwright conference and festival, she becomes the primary suspect. It doesn't help that the tarot cards she drew earlier in the day foretold the nature of the murder weapon. Despite her father's position as Oak Creek Valley's chief of police, the detective assigned to the case assumes she's guilty.

When tarot death cards begin turning up to taunt her, Carissa not only has to prove her innocence to keep her freedom, she has to make sure death doesn't come calling for her or those she loves. With the suspects acting as slippery as the essential oils she distills, it's up to Carissa to apply pressure and sniff out the truth before it's too late.

Includes essential oil and reflexology tips.

About Kim Davis

Kim Davis writes the Aromatherapy Apothecary cozy mystery series and the award-winning Cupcake Catering cozy mystery series.

She lives in Southern California with her husband and rambunctious mini Goldendoodle, Missy, who has become an inspiration for several plotlines. When she's not spending time with her granddaughters or chasing Missy around, she can be found either writing on her next book, working on her blog, Cinnamon, Sugar, and a Little Bit of Murder as well as Mystery Lovers' Kitchen, or baking up yummy treats to share.

Kim Davis is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.  

Author Links: 

Website: http://kimdavisauthor.com/  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Kim-Davis-Author-1532277473479031/  

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/kimdavisauthor.bsky.social  

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20202599.Kim_Davis  

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kim-davis-899e51b0-5661-401c-98b1-ec4c2973d58a  

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

Mystery Lovers' Kitchen: https://www.mysteryloverskitchen.com/  

Purchase Links: Amazon Other online book retailers: https://books2read.com/u/38wjka

Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading Essentials of Death by Kim Davis. This is the second book in the Aromatherapy Apothecary Mystery series and was released yesterday!

Although participating in the Oak Creek Valley Playwright Conference and Festival will be hard work, Carissa Carmichael will be providing mini reflexology sessions, she's looking forward to spending time with Jasper, who will be manning the booth next to her. Unfortunately, with Jasper ill Cari is saddled with her nemesis Lacie Simmons in that booth. Lacie wastes no time berating staff, making digs at Cari, and generally being her toxic self. Wanting nothing more than to go home and relax after the event, Cari finds herself offering to help Lacie make baked goods for the following morning. But when she returns she finds Lacie dead-mirroring one of the Tarot cards from Cari's reading that morning. With symbols and veiled threats Cari finds herself being framed for murder and with no choice but to investigate herself.

The Diva Poaches a Bad Egg - A Review & Giveaway

 Review

THE DIVA POACHES A BAD EGG by Krista Davis
The Eighteenth Domestic Diva Mystery

When Mitzi Lawson clandestinely approaches Sophie Winston and tells her that someone is following her and that her life is in danger, Sophie thinks the interior decorator is overreacting. But when she finds a tracker in Mitzi's purse and then finds Mitzi's business partner dead, Sophie isn't so sure. Denise and Mitzi were working on the old family home that Denise and her husband inherited and now the family is asking Sophie to look into Denise's death. With a tight knit family and a decorator in hiding Sophie will have to pull back the curtains to discover what's going on and why.

Sophie once again makes entertaining look easy. In THE DIVA POACHES A BAD EGG it's all about brunch in Old Town Alexandria, well, brunches and murder, of course. Natasha is up to her old tricks, but fortunately Sophie has her number and is able to make the best of things, creating a welcoming home and fantastic food for a televised brunch. I know I'd much rather have a slice of applesauce spice sheet cake with caramel frosting than anything with squid ink! One of my favorite aspects to this series is that every chapter answers domestic questions giving tips from either Sophie or Natasha. Food is described in delectable detail and there are recipes included at the end of the book, including that one for the applesauce spice sheet cake.

Solving a murder while creating a welcoming home is easy as pie for Sophie Winston in this eighteenth Domestic Diva Mystery. Though there was no clear motive at first, and a diabolical method of murder Sophie followed clues and navigated the deep family waters with ease. I enjoyed learning about the past and slowly seeing how that tied into the current situation. Annie is a hoot, as is Agnes, and I love how the family cares for these women and how they care for others. I appreciated learning more about Faye and loved how she actually played a role in the mystery.

Good friends, loyal family, and a fantastic brunch make THE DIVA POACHES A BAD EGG a delicious addition to this long running series.

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 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/  

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X https://x.com/kristadavis  

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