The Cultivated Corpse

 

A Cultivated Corpse (A Food Blogger Mystery) by Debra Sennefelder

About A Cultivated Corpse

Cozy Mystery 9th in Series Setting - Connecticut Publisher ‏ : ‎ Beyond the Page Publishing Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 28, 2026 Print length ‏ : ‎ 238 pages Paperback ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1966322577 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1966322573 Digital Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 16, 2026 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1966322566 ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0H2797BZQ

When the local garden club president is killed, food blogger Hope Early will have to dig through the clues to catch a killer . . .

The Jefferson Garden Club’s annual plant sale is just around the corner, but Hope Early and other members of the club are more focused on the garden restoration project at Ambrose House. The gorgeous landscaping promises to help return the stately old house to its former glory, but rumors are surfacing of unexplained delays and exorbitant costs. Then the club’s president is found dead amid signs of foul play, and Hope can’t ignore the uneasy feeling that the victim was silenced for something she knew about the renovations.

Certain that the solution to the murder is tied to the garden project and the club’s recent financial struggles, Hope begins to go through their books and uncovers more than mismatched numbers. A tangle of transactions points to an intricate embezzlement scheme, but before she can weed out who’s behind it, a local reporter chasing the same story is killed. It’s clear now that someone is dead-set on keeping the truth buried, and Hope will have to unearth a vital piece of evidence before the killer decides it’s time to bury her as well . . .

Includes mouthwatering recipes!

What I Thought: 

This is the 9th installment in the Food Blogger Mystery series. I have read a few in this series and they have all been good. I enjoy Ms. Sennefelder's writing style. This story flowed well and was an easy read. The plot kept my attention from the beginning till the end and the reveal of the killer. In this one, Hope has joined the garden club and they are doing a renovation of the garden of an historic home in Jefferson. When financial information for the project starts being questioned, Hope looks at the books. The President of the garden club has a lot of enemies and makes a lot of  people angry. When she is murdered, Hope wonders if it is connected to the garden club and investigates. There were a log of twists and turns in this one. There were a lot of possible suspects as well. The author dropped some hints here and there, but I was kept guessing till the end as even though there were hints, I still was not sure who the killer(s) was. I liked the setting of this book and there are many returning characters that are very likable. I will definitely be reading more in this series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. 

 

Debra Sennefelder lives and writes in Connecticut, where she lives with her family and slightly spoiled Shih Tzu. An avid reader across a range of genres, mystery fiction is her obsession. Her interest in people and relationships is channeled into her novels against a backdrop of crime and mystery. She’s the author of the Food Blogger Mystery series and the Resale Boutique Mystery series. When she’s not writing, she’s either baking or reading. To learn more, visit her on the web at www.debrasennefelder.com

Food Blogger Mysteries

If you love cozy mysteries with a foodie twist, the Food Blogger Mysteries are for you. Follow food blogger Hope Early as she juggles baking, blogging, and uncovering secrets in the charming town of Jefferson, Connecticut. Each book delivers:

• Amateur sleuthing with humor and heart
• Recipes from Hope’s kitchen
• Small-town friendships (and rivalries!)
• Seasonal settings — from Halloween to Christmas

Perfect for fans of Joanne Fluke, Jenn McKinlay, Ellie Alexander, and Peg Cochran, this series combines delicious food with puzzling whodunits.

Author Links Website: https://debrasennefelder.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DebraSennefelderAuthor/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/debrasennefelder/ Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17010346.Debra_Sennefelder Purchase Links – Amazon - B&N - Kobo

The Diva Hosts a Murderer

 

The Diva Hosts a Murderer (A Domestic Diva Mystery) by Krista Davis

About The Diva Hosts a Murderer

The Diva Hosts a Murderer (A Domestic Diva Mystery) Cozy Mystery 19th in Series Setting - Old Town, Alexandria, Virginia Publisher ‏ : ‎ Kensington Cozies Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 26, 2026 Print length ‏ : ‎ 336 pages Hardcover ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1496743482 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1496743480 Digital ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1496743503 ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0FP7LXJ8C Audiobook ASIN B0FVW9XKRW

Old Town Virginia’s entertaining guru and occasional sleuth Sophie Winston – a young Martha Stewart in the making – juggles Fourth of July fireworks, a houseful of guests, and homicide in the latest Domestic Diva culinary mystery from New York Times bestselling author Krista Davis.

With a big crowd descending on her Northern Virginia home, it’s a good thing event planner Sophie Winston is an expert at entertaining. Whipping up patriotic pastries is as easy as pie for her, though meeting the man her widowed Aunt Melly just impulsively married in Las Vegas is a little more awkward. Especially when Melly’s longtime, now-heartbroken secret admirer is there too, which could lead to some fireworks.

But the house party really gets explosive when Sophie’s favorite tour guide falls victim to a killer—and evidence points to Sophie’s own father. Will DNA really incriminate her dad? And what’s the real story with her new uncle-by-marriage and the mysterious pal he’s brought along with him? Some of the secrets Sophie’s discovering are raising flags—and while the police department casts suspicion on her father, she has to declare her independence as a detective to find the real culprit, and serve justice along with her red, white, and blue cupcakes . . .

Includes delicious recipes, fabulous decorating tips, and easy entertaining hacks!

What I Thought:

Krista Davis has done it again with the Diva Series. This is one of my favorite series. I love the characters, the setting, and most things about this series. This is the 19th installment of the series, but this series just keeps on keeping on. It is just as good as when the series was first started. It is the Fourth of July in Old Towne and Sophie's parents, her aunt and her new husband, her sister, and some other friends have come to town for the 4th. Sophie is suspicious of her Aunt's new husband for many reasons. When there is a dead body found in an alley behind a neighbors house, Sophie gets involved. As I said this series does not get old and Krista Davis does very well with coming up with interesting and realistic plots that keep a readers attention. I was invested in this book from the beginning till the end. There was so much going on it kept me turning the pages. I hope the Diva series keeps on for a long time and I look forward to reading more in this series. 

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.

Author Links Website www.KristaDavis.com Instagram www.instagram.com/kristadavisauthor Facebook www.facebook.com/KristaDavisAuthor GoodReads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1555579.Krista_Davis Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/KristaDavisAuthor/ BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/krista-davis Delicious Mysteries https://www.facebook.com/groups/1573601592919093 Purchase Links Amazon Apple Barnes & Noble Books A Million Bookshop Hudson Booksellers Indigo Rakuten Kobo Tantor Audio Target Walmart