The Diva Haunts the House

Title: The Diva Haunts the House
Author: Krista Davis
Publisher: Berkley
Publication Date: September 6, 2011
Format: Paperback, 304 pages
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Source: Library
Series: Domestic Diva #5

What happened to snarky Natasha? Now I am a girl that loves a good snarky character, one that seems a bit too full of herself with enough wit and a few raised claws to make you either love her or hate her. Unfortunately, the Natasha that showed up in this book has been so white washed that she came across as more of a “oh yeah, she was there too” instead of one of the central characters that she has always been in the past. I miss the self-assured husband stealing M. Stewart wanna-be.

It is now Halloween in Old Town and Sophie Winston is in charge of the local haunted house. However, it appears that others have their own ideas on how to make this a spooky and unforgettable season. As a Halloween display begins to look too human, Sophie is once again drawn into another murder in her quiet neighborhood. The killer does not have just one victim in mind and if it is possible to use the rumors of a real vampire that used to roam their streets, well, the more the better and Sophie quickly needs to round up the suspects before more costumed revelers are caught up in the killer’s web.

This book did not appeal to me as well as the previous in the Domestic Diva series. I had a hard time keeping a couple of the characters straight, Natasha was almost non-existent, the interaction with the teenagers was a bit old fashioned and the story did not have the flow that the previous books had. The overall feel and storyline was just flat for me.

I enjoy this series and these characters and I am sure that Ms. Davis will get Natasha back to the witch on wheels that I have so appreciated in the past.