Book no. 13 is out today!
You know those nights when you can’t sleep? Maybe you wake up in the middle of the night and can’t go back to sleep. Or perhaps you can’t shut your mind off to go to sleep in the first place.
The solution for me is to lose myself in the world inside a book. By visiting a different place and wrapping myself in the lives of characters who feel like friends, I am able to escape the troubles and fears of my own life long enough to relax and believe everything will be okay.
And my number one author of choice is cozy mystery writer Krista Davis.
One warning: Her books can cause one-more-chapter syndrome! The phenomenon where you'll stop reading after one more chapter.
If you’re a fan of food, friendship, and mystery, then Davis’s Domestic Diva series needs to be on your list. Her latest edition, Diva Spices It Up, was released today, but I was lucky enough to win an advanced copy through a drawing on her Facebook page.
The book didn’t disappoint. In fact, I think it may be the best one in the series! The two recipes I made from it didn’t disappoint, either.
In this book, Sophie Winston, event planner and food advice columnist, takes on ghostwriting a cookbook for a former actress when the previous writer disappears. Is the missing ghostwriter in hiding, or was she murdered? And what about all of the suspicious spy activity Sophie keeps witnessing in her Washington D.C. suburb?
I devoured this story like a fudgy piece of chocolate cake! The plot was intriguing, and the solution was not what I expected.
This was my favorite Davis book to date!
Plus, it was a joy to spend time in Sophie’s world for a while. I like Sophie. Her friends, including an ex-husband, love to gather in her kitchen to solve murders and enjoy good food. Sophie never thinks twice about whipping up a tasty meal or snack for whoever shows up. That skill connects with my own enjoyment of feeding good food to the people I love.
Like all of Davis’s books, there are recipes from the story included at the end. I tried out:
Cornbread with a Corny Twist, which was so good I ate three pieces in spite of each one being 11 points on my WW purple plan!
Roasted Parmesan Chicken Breast, which was crispy and perfect alongside some whole-grain linguini primavera. This photo doesn't do the recipe justice, but I was in a hurry to start eating! (7 points on WW purple)
Both recipes will make regular menu appearances.
To learn more about Davis, visit her website here. She also has a Paws and Claws series that is perfect for animal lovers, and a Pen and Ink series for the artist in all of us.
You don’t have to read the Domestic Diva series in order, but if that’s your style, the first one is The Diva Runs Out of Thyme.
Trust me, you’re going to love it!
Already a Diva fan? What's your favorite book? Character? Who should Sophie choose for a love interest?