After Hannah finds out that Craig was married before but neglected to tell her, she calls the wedding off. When Craig’s ex-wife is found hanging from the neighbor’s pergola and Craig becomes a favorite suspect, Hannah becomes very protective of her fiancé. More unexpected and unwanted guests begin to arrive, including Hannah’s second ex-Tucker, Craig’s estranged father, uncle and cousin, all of whom are keeping a close eye on Craig and who seem very anxious that Hannah find her engagement ring that she flung off in despair. 

Sophie’s natural curiosity takes over and as it does, things start not adding up, but the only common thread everyone seems to have is their relationship to Craig. Sophie, against the advice of Detective Wolf, with whom Sophie is on the verge of beginning a relationship, begins to probe deeper and deeper into a family full of secrets, hoping not only to uncover a murderer, but to save her sister years of heartbreak and the cost of a good divorce lawyer.

 The second in a series, The Diva Takes the Cake is a fun, fast-paced mystery with a dash of good living thrown in. Sophie tries not to meddle in her sister’s business and be overbearing, unlike neighbor and rival Natasha, who has also managed to win the heart of Sophie’s ex-husband, Marshall. Natasha has a larger lifestyle empire than Sophie and has managed to convince Hannah the small, understated wedding she and Sophie planned should be taken up a notch or two and the theme completely changed. 

Sophie grits her teeth, goes along with it and hopes Hannah will come to her senses soon enough. It is pretty obvious from the beginning that Craig is up to no good, but as the truth starts to emerge, the plot picks up in interest and in complications. Turns out an ex-wife is not the only secret Craig has been keeping. 

Sophie also takes it upon herself to figure out why Tucker has suddenly appeared and what his angle is, as well as deal with Natasha and Marshall moving across the street and deciding whether or not she wants to proceed with a relationship with Detective Wolf or keep it at the flirtation level for the time being. 

Anyone who has ever planned a wedding will smile at the different neuroses each participant brings to the table, and mystery lovers will enjoy the twists and turns in the plot. As an added bonus, recipes are included.                                                              

--Jennifer Monahan Winberry