Sophie Winston, the Domestic Diva, has been hired to cater a dinner for the employees of the Cheesecake Queen, Bobbie Sue Bodoin, to celebrate their business successes. Bobbie Sue's husband, Tate, fails to appear not just at the dinner but for the children's events. When Tate hasn't shown up by the next morning, Bobbie Sue is frantic and Sophie tries to help find him. She does, dead in the shop basement. Why would someone kill Tate? A rival? Do the police really believe that Sophie's friend Bernie could be the killer?

This was great mystery where all the minor characters take front and center helping to clear Bernie, protect Sophie and solve the mystery. ( )

One of the things I really like about this long running series is the small sense of community in the Old Town area of Alexandria that outlines the friendships and businesses in Sophie Winston's life. I couldn't have read this at a better time. It is midsummer in the book, and a local festival, complete with a performance of Shakespeare's play, are on tap. Sophie is hired by a local entrepreneur, Bobbie Sue (aka the Cheesecake Queen) to organize and dinner and dessert buffet for her. When her husband is a no show, it's maddening, but it's not until the next morning that murder comes into play. There are plenty of suspects and all of the usual cast get prominent roles, plus new characters that fit right in. I can't believe how many there are in this series now, but they remain really good reads. ( )

When Sophie Winston, cook extraordinaire, is asked to cater a dinner for Bobbie Sue Bodoin's employees, she's more than happy to do so. The meal goes off splendidly, except for the fact that Bobbie Sue is upset with her husband Tate, who promised to be there to see their son Spencer run a race, and watch his daughter Jo in a ballet routine. At first Bobbie Sue is irritated, but the next morning she's frantic because Tate hasn't come home. She asks Sophie's help in finding him, and Sophie agrees. But what she doesn't agree to is finding Tate's body in the basement of his restaurant -- dead. Now the primary suspect is is rival in business, Sophie's good friend Bernie.

While Sophie knows Bernie couldn't be a killer, the evidence is climbing toward him killing Tate. But she, along with all Bernie's friends, are determined to find the true killer. When Sophie is attacked, she knows the killer is out there, even if the police still think it's Bernie. Sophie needs to use all of her wits to evade a killer who might be nearer than anyone knows...

This is the fifteenth book in the series, and I have to say that I enjoyed it immensely. This series just seems to keep on getting better with each book. I like the fact that Sophie isn't bending over backward to please Natasha, and even talks back to her when Natasha thinks she's making a 'helpful' remark. Natasha is still as annoying as always, allowing her mouth to speak before her brain can process...or maybe she's just wired differently.

Bernie's friends rally 'round him loyally, and this book is as much a mystery as it is showing what true friendship looks like. I loved the warmth between the friends and the fact that they are so comfortable and caring with each other. I especially liked the scenes where Nina was trying to figure out what was going on with her husband. They were definitely humorous.

I knew who the killer was the moment that person stepped on the page, but it's the why and how that I wanted to see Sophie figure out. It was indeed worth reading the entire book to come to the climax of that moment in time. When the killer is discovered and the reason discerned, it shows you can never understand the reasoning of other people. So sad.

In the end, it all came together in a nice package, with the story being long on friendship, a few subplots thrown in that were all interesting (poor Natasha can't get a break), and the ending being both satisfying and worth it all. There are also quite a few yummy recipes thrown in at the back if you want to try them (I know I am going to). Highly recommended.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review. ( )