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The Diva Runs Out of Thyme by Krista Davis

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


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Today I finished reading my extra/spare book: The Diva Runs Out of Thyme by Krista Davis. It’s the first in the author’s “Domestic Diva” cozy mystery series. The main character is Sophie Winston.

Divorced event planner Sophie is determined to beat Natasha Smith in the local Stupendous Stuffing Shakedown competition. Sophie and Natasha have been rivals since school, and while Natasha now has her own business and Sophie’s ex-husband, Sophie is confident she can win. Her careful planning is thrown for a loop, however, when she discovers a dead man in a dumpster behind the grocery store. When the police find Sophie’s photo and contact information in the dead man’s car, she becomes a person of interest. Sophie is determined to put the incident behind her and get ready, not only for the competition, but also for a house full of Thanksgiving guests. After one disaster after another befalls not only Sophie, but several people in her orbit, she ends up hosting her ex, Mars, along with his mother, his brother and sister-in-law, Natasha, and Bernie, Mars’ friend. Not only is Sophie up to the challenge, but she’s also determined to figure out who’s behind all the misfortune.

Wow, there was a metric sh*t ton of things going on in this book: murder, attempted murder, house fire, breaking and entering, a stalker, and a peeping tom. It was almost too much. However, the author kept it together, and the individual threads wove into a neat finish. Characters were portrayed well. I liked that Sophie and Mars did not have a contentious relationship (they even shared custody of their dog!). Sophie’s friend/neighbor, Nina, was amazing. The author introduced a minor hint of the paranormal, which I enjoyed. What I didn’t enjoy was the meddling Sophie’s mother did in an effort to get Sophie and Mars back together.

Favorite line: A killer was on the loose and these two were playing matchmaker?

An engrossing read—four stars.

( Trope Test )

Big Little Spies by Krista Davis

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I was a responsible adult and cleaned my house this morning before I finished my most recent book. It was Big Little Spies by Krista Davis, and it's the 7th part of her "Paws and Claws" mystery series, starring main character Holly Miller.

The town of Wagtail is preparing to host a pet adoption charity ball, with the assistance of a group of women known as the Wagtail Animal Guardians (WAG for short). All of the WAG ladies and their pets are staying at the inn owned by Holly and her Oma, and Holly is enjoying the activity. Not everything is rosy in town, however. A dog owned by retired judge Grant Barlow has gone missing, and when his housekeeper hires a pet detective to track down Fritz, it soon becomes apparent that each of the WAG ladies has a connection to him. It's not a complete surprise when the detective, Seth, is murdered, but with so many suspects, Holly and her crime-sniffing dog, Trixie, will have their hands and paws full trying to track down a killer.

This story had more twists and turns than a dog agility course! The narrative flowed smoothly, however. Characterizations were outstanding, and it was interesting to learn more about Seth's character after his death. The older women who were vying for the judge's attention added some humor to the story, and I enjoyed the budding romance for Officer Dave.

Favorite lines:
♦ "I thought it prudent to call you so someone would know about it when I'm attacked by the wolf."
♦ "Dogs are fine for some people, but there's nothing like the love of a cat."
♦ "Maybe she's lonely because she has fifteen hundred cats in her house."
That will be me in another 20 years! :D

Very good story with many suspects and red herrings to keep me guessing. Five stars.