The Diva Runs Out of Thyme (A Domestic Diva Mystery)

"The Diva Runs Out of Thyme" was much better than I expected. I figured this book would simply be a passable cozy, yet it turned out to be a very interesting read. The plot reminded me a little of Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None" with a family Thanksgiving theme. Basically, there is a crazy cast of characters, some family and some not, who gather for Thanksgiving dinner, and murders ensue. Sophie Winston, the narrator, looks at each guest as if they could be the murderer, and many of them have acted suspiciously. I especially loved the character of Natasha, Sophie's rival from high school, who gets invited to Thanksgivng dinner after a series of unfortunate events. I will most definitely be reading the second book in tihs series.

Event planner Sophie Winston and lifestyle columnist, TV celebrity Natasha Smith have been rivals since childhood. And now Natasha is living with Sophie's ex and coveting Sophie's house, which belonged to her ex's deceased aunt. Sophie has a busy Thanksgiving planned, with her mother, father, sister and sister's fiancé coming to visit. But things get off to a bumpy start from the get-go, when Sophie discovers the dead body of a private investigator in a dumpster. She quickly becomes a suspect when the police find her name and photo inside the dead man's car. Sophie engages in some amateur sleuthing and learns Natasha hired the PI. If that isn't bad enough, dead bodies keep turning up, all with a connection to Sophie and Natasha. On top of which, Sophie is attracted to the detective who seems convinced she's a murderer. The first book in the Domestic Diva series starts the ball rolling with a glorified bang. This cozy mystery delivers a plethora of useful household tips and mouth-watering recipes immersed within a keep-you-guessing plot filled with suspicious-acting characters and twists and turns around every corner. Davis's smart writing style and engaging characters are sure to garner fans anxious to read future books in the series.

I read this book from cover to cover in one sitting - I could not put it down! I wish Krista Davis had more books out for me to read. The characters were a lot of fun! I loved the cat and dog interplay with the humans in this story. While I don't cook, my mouth was watering for some of the delicious foods served up in this mystery! (I'd like to eat at Sophie's house every day!) I really enjoyed this book and hope it's the start of a long series. I would definitely recommend this book to all my mystery-loving friends! In fact, I think my friends may be getting a copy of this book for a Christmas present!

The publisher description for this book was a bit minimal, but I was keen to try a new writer and luckily Harriet K's review inspired me to buy it as I really loved it and can't wait to read the next story dealing with these interesting and realistic characters. Each chapter ended in a way which made you want to read the next one, and the use of the emails to create suspense at the beginning of each chapter was really good. I could not put this book down.

Krista Davis serves up a delightful read with this faced-paced, fun, and scrumptious first mystery. Between eccentric neighbors, quirky relatives, and a hunky cop who thinks she just might be a killer, domestic diva Sophie Winston definitely has her work cut out for her. And if she doesn't figure out who the real killer is soon, she might find herself sporting a decidedly unfashionable prison-orange jump suit! I'm anxiously looking forward to the next book in this mouth-watering series.