Krista Davis, author of The Diva Hosts A Murderer, the latest novel in the Domestic Diva mysteries series, is visiting Ascroft, eh? today.
Welcome, Krista.
Tell us about your novel. Is it part of a series? If so, please tell us about the series too.
THE DIVA HOSTS A KILLER is part of the Domestic Diva Mysteries but it can be read as a standalone. To celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Sophie Winston’s family has come to stay with her in Old Town, Alexandria, Virgina. It’s located just across the Potomac River from Washington, DC. The perfect place for the 4th of July!
Sophie’s Aunt Melly brought her new husband. The family is just getting to know him, but Sophie is already worried. When she was out walking the dog early in the morning, she spied him coming out the fence to someone else’s back yard! And that someone else happens to be a single woman!
When the tour guide Sophie hired is found dead, they are all horrified. But things get worse when the police find the dead man’s DNA on a sweater that belongs to Sophie’s beloved father!
Where did the idea for the mystery that is central to the story come from?
DNA is such an incredible thing. It really changed murder investigations. It can be hard to explain why your DNA is at a murder scene!
Is there a theme or subject that underlies the story? If so, what prompted you to write about it?
The celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence prompted me to do some research. Old Town, Alexandria, was already a busy place at that time. Sophie lives in a house that was built in the 1800s, so it all seemed to mesh.
How do you create your characters? Do you have favourite ones? If so, why are you partial to them?
Oh, gosh. I have characters, like Sophie, who seem so real to me! She has a best friend, Nina Reid Norwood, who hates to cook but loves to eat. She can be a bit of a rascal when it comes to sneaking into places where she shouldn’t go. And even though Sophie is divorced from Mars Winston, he’s a good guy who is still in love with her. Not to mention goofy Bernie, originally British but now also a US citizen, who surprised everyone by starting a restaurant that is a huge success. I love them all!
There are new characters, of course, in each book. They begin to appear to me as I delve into a victim’s life.
How do you bring to life the place you are writing about?
It’s not hard. Old Town, Alexandria often makes lists of places that are worth visiting. They have a strict building code, so the Federal style houses are gorgeous. There are ancient alleys, a couple of cobblestone streets, and brick sidewalks. It’s absolutely charming!
What research do you do to provide background information to help you write the novel?
I do loads of research. This time a lot of it involved the Declaration of Independence. I incorporate a few fun details about the document, but the story is still a mystery set in 2026.
Is there anything else you’d like to tell readers about the book?
Sophie is an event planner who loves to entertain. She’s always cooking something! This book has eleven recipes in it. Some are as easy as freezing watermelon chunks to use when making cocktails! (Who knew, right?) There’s a delicious pasta salad (and I’m very picky about my pasta salads!), and a Blueberry Buckle that is overloaded with blueberries and I can’t stop baking it! There are even instructions for making your own flag cake for the 4th of July!
Thank you for answering my questions, Krista, and good luck with The Diva Hosts A Murderer, the latest book in the Domestic Diva mystery series.
Readers can learn more about Krista Davis by visiting the author’s website and her Facebook, Instagram, Goodreads, Pinterest, BookBub and Delicious Mysteries pages.
The novel is available at the following online retailers:
Amazon Apple Barnes & Noble Books A Million Bookshop Hudson Booksellers Indigo Rakuten Kobo Tantor Audio Target Walmart
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.
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