The Diva Wraps It Up Chapters 1-12

[J]

This latest in The Diva series finds event planner and domestic diva Sophie Winston in attendance at a Christmas party she arranged for Horace Scoggins' real estate company. Sophie seems to be quite fond of the elderly Horace - a man who is described as looking like Santa Claus and always smiling. Suddenly the second-story railing Horace was leaning on gives way and he falls upon a dirk he had been showing around just prior to the incident. Accident or intentional? Sophie has her doubts. While waiting for the ambulance, Horace whispers to Sophie about a letter in his office from someone called "Brown-eyed girl". Horace says his wife must never know and that he "always loved her". Sophie manages to retrieve the letter and sets about trying to discover the identity of "brown-eyed girl".
While Horace remains hospitalized a decorating contest begins and so does a series of more "accidents" - Bradley Babineaux falls through a ladder that appears to have been tampered with and Luis Simon suffers a severe electric shock and an allergic reaction while putting up lights. His wife says he is allergic to soy but no mention is made of him having consumed any. What set it off? Meanwhile, Edith Scroggins, Horace's rude, friendless wife who is given to making scenes, confides in Sophie that she thinks Horace has been trying to get rid of her. Sophie doesn't believe it but suspects someone is gaslighting Edith - but whom and for what reason? Then, in the midst of a cookie swap at Bradley's house, his ex-wife Patty shows up. It had been pre-arranged that Patty was to stay with Sophie - why did she show up at the Babineaux house? She claimed it was to see her children but did she have some other motive? She tells Sophie that Bradley and new wife Gwen deny her access to her children but Bradley readily agreed to the visit - even ordered food for all of them. Later that night, Patty sneaks out of Sophie's house and disappears into the darkness. Is something afoot?

[Mark Pghfan]

I started reading this last night and am enjoying it a lot (through chapter seven at this point.) I think this is the third "Diva" book our group has read and this one stacks up. I love the Alexandria Old Town setting--I've visited there a few times and think it is just wonderful. (Too pricey for my budget to live there, though!) And the murder rate seems unusually high. Interesting characters along with the regulars from previous books.

As J has noted, mysterious things are happening and Sophie is just the one to find out about them. Also loving the Christmas atmosphere, even though it is July.

And boy, Edith is one mean thing!

[Tina]

Starting chptr. seven. Wow, what spirit. Makes me want to start Christmas shopping. lol Anyway, yes, there is mystery aplenty.
Was just as shocked as Sophie when Mrs. Scroggins visited. (I'm about where she leaves).
That nasty but poor women is spooked. Is her curt attitude just a cover for insecurity? Fear? I have a feeling we will find out soon!

[J]

Forging ahead and the action not only continues, it intensifies. LOVE this series!
Let me know when you all are ready to move on.

[Tina]

Is Natasha trying to ditch Mars or is she so caught up in her domestic diva routine that she's not seeing a possible spark 'tween Mars and Sophie? I hope Sophie's date with the new guy works out so she isn't tempted to return to Mars.

It'll be a few days before I'm ready to move on but will note when I am. ;-)

[Tina]

That cookie swap got pretty interesting. lol

Anyone catch how Sophie prepared that steak? Just wondering how I missed that.

Can you imagine losing your children to the new wife? Ouch.

[Mark Pghfan]

Tina, it appeared to be steak au poivre (crusted in crushed peppercorns.) Yes, things are getting interesting, and not just the cookie swap. Now we have three people vying for meanest person on the block: Edith, Gwen and, of course, the usual Natasha. Its hard to imagine what Max sees in her.

I am through this first section and ready to move on when you all are.

And how do you leave a cookie swap without your cookies? Crazy!

[Tina]

That's right, pghfan. I caught the pepper but somehow didn't see it as a rub or crust. Wonder where I was at that moment? lol

As Mars seems more metro-sexual (to me anyway), Natasha would be a magnet for her celebrity, chic-ness for Sophie seems more homespun.

LOL On leaving the swap without cookies. Never would happen here.

I'm ready for next section of chapters.

[Mark Pghfan]

I've already moved into the next section, but I wait for the next thread to start. Momentous things are happening! The thick plottens!

[Tina]

Hmm? Looks like one of my replies went AWOL. Anyway, Mini-spoiler: That find at Natasha's was far-out.

I've moved on to next section as well, pghfan.

If this is the last in the series, I wonder if we find that Natasha is the culprit and goes to jail, never to return.

I'm not sure I like Alex for Sophie but he does seem a better fit considering what Mars did to her. Will be interesting to see how it all shakes out.

Snoops, where art thou? U OK?

[Mark Pghfan]

I have moved on as will, somewhere about chapter 19 or 20.

[Tina]

I'm somewhere about chptr. 21-22. Is Snoops coming back? Have you heard from here? Guess we should just go ahead.

[Mark Pghfan]

I have not heard; let's go ahead. I'll email her outside of this group.

[Tina]

Sounds good.

[J]

Snoops has returned with apologies. Unfortunately had something else going on. I told Mark if you or he ever want to start a new thread, please feel free.