The Diva Delivers on a Promise (A Domestic Diva Mystery #16), by Krista Davis

Publication May 23,2023

Don't start this one on an empty stomach. Trust me, you will soon find yourself hungry. Lots of food and food talk, not to mention recipes at the end. I'd never heard the term ghost kitchen before, so that added an interesting aspect. And, no, Sophie isn't catering to ghosts. Ghost kitchens are delivery only. No physical restaurant to go in, sit down, and stuff one's face. Order blanks/menus are available. Fill one out and, tah-dah, your food is delivered to your door. Much like many food places offer delivery nowadays but without the requirement of maintaining a kitchen and dining area. Just the food. You'll be intrigued to find out where it comes from.

While I found the complicated family ties and murder within intriguing, I must admit that the plot seemed to move along slower than I've grown accustomed. I'm honestly not sure if that was deliberate, ie to reflect the perhaps slower pace of life in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, or it was simply slow to unfold. In any case, the usual cast of characters that surround Sophie, Nina, Wolf, and Wang were there, plus assorted others. And, oh, I can't forget Sophie's furry-friends, Daisy the dog and Mochie the cat. There's a lot happening in this book, lots of players aside from the main cast, and it took me a bit to sort it all out. I loved how well Sophie dealt with all, including helping young Penelope Stansfield. Sophie is down-to-earth and caring, that's for sure.

So, who killed Russ? Why in Gerrie's kitchen? Uh-oh, why are things not where they should be in the house? Why does Gerrie trust Colleen more than her own son? As she investigates, what secrets begin to emerge about Gerrie's family and business? Why was everyone convinced Sophie had been seriously injured? Will Sophie's personal/love life ever improve? And, whoa, what is Wong's connection to all this? Who stole....oh, enough teasers. Lots going on, that's for sure, including probably illegal attempted yard sales.

Bottom line, despite the slower pace, I found the mystery interesting and, as always, was drawn to the well fleshed-out characters. While I certainly pondered who killed Russ in Gerrie's house, the side stories and how they tend to come together at the end worked well for me. Thanks #NetGalley and#KensingtonBooks - #KensingtonCozies for letting me spend a bit more time in lovely, intriguing Old Town Alexandria.