From an award-winning author, this is “a wonderful cozy mystery, a great follow-up to the previous installment in Paula Darnell’s DIY Diva series.” (Goodreads reviewer) DIY Diva Laurel McMillan rejoices when her student Jennifer’s peacock pillow wins a design contest; that is, until Jennifer’s husband Matt is smothered with the very same pillow. When the police confiscate her prize-winning … confiscate her prize-winning pillow, Jennifer freaks out, and Laurel fears that Jennifer may be more upset about losing the pillow than about Matt’s death. But the police arrest disgraced nurse Edna Elkins, not Jennifer. Begging Laurel to find the real killer, Edna insists she’s innocent, but Laurel’s not so sure, and when Laurel encounters Jennifer while walking her lovable Labrador retriever, Bear, she’s left with more questions than answers. Should the crafty DIY Diva play DIY Detective or does Edna really belong in jail?
Includes recipes and pillow project instructions.
This is the second book in the DIY Diva Mystery series.
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This well plotted mystery was an enjoyable escape read.
When a second murder is committed in a gated community in Iowa, people are starting to wonder how well they really do know their neighbors and friends.
Lauren McMillian teaches DIY classes to community members also also take part in other activities, such as a book club. While at a book club meeting the totally unexpected occurs – the hostess’s husband dies, or rather is murdered. Does this mean one of the friends is responsible?
With a multitude of suspects and unclear motives, it seems suspect when an arrest is made almost immediately. Is this a matter of convenience or politics?
With characters you grow to like and care about, descriptions of a winter so cold you will pull on a blanket covering even as you read in summer, and enough doubt to keep you guessing until the end, this well plotted mystery was an enjoyable escape read.
While things are wrapped up nicely, there is enough suspense about what the future may bring that I eagerly await further books in this series.
This is the second book in the series, but works well as a stand-alone. I haven’t read the first book in the series, but I wasn’t lost at all. I enjoyed it so much that I have the first book on my wishlist and will eagerly wait for future books in the series. I love the main character, Laurel, but the book is full of well-rounded characters, both pleasant and not. Iowa in winter was the setting, and it was almost a character in itself, as the weather was routinely addressed in descriptive terms. The murder was interesting and the solving of the case fun. I highly recommend this book. I was provided a free copy of this book, but I was under no obligation to leave a positive review. These opinions are my own.
An enjoyable addition to the DIY Diva Mystery series by Paula Darnell. Death by Design takes us back to Hawkeye Haven and the lives of the residents of the guard-gated community. I must say – I found this second book in the series more entertaining than the first, though it may well have been that I am now familiar with the writing of this author.
We begin with Laurel McMillan teaching a DIY Perfect Pillows class to interested residents. What I wouldn’t give to be more creative (I think I am similar to Bud-try hard but a bit of a “craft challenged” individual). Taking the class are a couple of really talented individuals, most notably Jennifer, who is encouraged to enter a couple of local contests – which she won! Shortly thereafter, Jennifer’s husband Matt (who is convalescing at home after surgery) is murdered with the stunning beaded peacock pillow that won the design contest.
There is no shortage of suspects, as the murder happened while a book club meeting was happening in Jennifer’s house and of course Laurel is a member of the book club. Edna is the private nurse hired by Jennifer and Matt to look after Matt and is arrested for the murder. While Edna and Laurel are not close (now that is an understatement), Edna asks Laurel to find the real killer as she is innocent (doesn’t the main suspect always claim innocence?). After listening to Edna, Laurel has doubts and so is yet again in the amateur sleuthing business.
I found the varied number of possible suspects intriguing and kept me guessing until the very end (almost) – just the way I like my cozy mysteries. There are a number of sub-plots that keep it interesting. Some of the characters were definitely “character’s” and kept it interesting.
There is also a continuation of her relationship with Wes, a local detective. Nice to see she is finally moving on from the death of her husband several years prior, nice and slow.
A definite chuckle worthy moment – especially for those of us who live in a snowy climate – a little “diddy” by Bud:
“Oh, the snow, the beautiful snow. Step on the snow and down you go. Damn the beautiful snow.”
I found the story contained, so if you had not read the first book in the series, you were adequately brought up to speed with respect to the characters and how the community operates.
I look forward to the next installment in the DIY Diva Mystery series.
Second book in Paula Darnell’s series, Death by Design, is an engaging cozy mystery that was a lot of fun to read.
Laurel McMillan is a successful DIY Diva. She helps out with Food For Families, has a great relationship with her detective boyfriend and enjoys hanging out with her friends and their book club. When a couple of decorating contests come around she encourages those in her pillow class to enter, but especially Jennifer. So, of course, she’s thrilled with Jennifer wins both. Too bad Jennifer’s husband isn’t as supportive. But that’s not the only thing that he’s not supportive of. His son has made a less than palatable choice in a future wife and his father makes himself very clear on that when they show up late to the FFF gala. When Matt, Jennifer’s husband, is recovering from double knee replacement surgery someone takes advantage and ends his life. Now the question aries…who did it and why? Laurel is quick to learn that more than a couple of people held a grudge against him, but who is the real culprit in the matter? Another mystery is quick to be laid on the table at the reading of Matt’s final will, and the surprises just keep coming.
This is the first book that I have read by Paula Darnell and I thoroughly enjoyed the story and the mysteries that she weaves in this book. The relationships between the characters is engaging and I appreciated how true to life they were throughout. The author literally had me frowning at certain interactions between them and eyeing more than a couple suspiciously. I love figuring out who the culprit is before the end of the story and with a few clues I was able to do exactly that. I liked the red herrings the author throws in there because she does a fantastic job pointing out that more than one person had a motive and opportunity.
There isn’t much that I don’t like about this book. Jennifer shocked me more than a couple of times when it came to her behavior towards Laurel. I was a bit disappointed that I didn’t get to see Laurel more in the role of being the DIY teacher. I wanted to read more of that, but I still found the story enjoyable.
I am rating this book 5 out of 5 stars. There are some twists, surprises, and a well-done “aha!” moment. The story is engaging, fun, and I love the pet interactions as well. Bear brings just the right amount of humor to the story with his antics. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future and will probably go back and read her first book as well. If you enjoy a nice cozy mystery then this is a good pick.
Murder has come again to one of the residents
of the Hawkeye Haven Community.
Lauren McMillian and her chocolate Lab, Bear
live in the community. Laurel teaches crafts at
The Hawkeye Haven Community Center. She is
teaching a class on making pillows. Laurel has
encouraged one of her students to enter two
contests because of her creative ability. The
woman enters and wins both contest. Her
husband does not approve of her venture.
Book club is being held at the winning woman’s
house even though her husband is recuperating
from double knee surgery.
The husband is discovered dead smothered by
the wife’s winning pillow.
A women who was an ex-nurse is accused of the
murder as she was supposed to be watching after
him.
The woman contacts Lauren claiming her innocence.
Will Lauren be able to prove the woman innocent?
An exciting, murder mystery with suspense, thrills
and chills.
The characters are well defined, colorful, creatively
drawn up in a very well plotted mystery with an
array of viable suspects.
This is book # 2 in the DIY Diva Mysteries series.
It can be read as a stand alone.
A Highly Recommended Read!!!
I volunteered to read Death by Design . Thanks to
the Review Crew for the opportunity. My opinion is
voluntary and is my own.
Laurel a DYI expert was busy living a full life, with her love interest Wes, her books and classes on DYI pillows, her friends from her book club and neighbourhood, and her dog, Bear, and of course her charity work. She also solved a crime in the past and enjoys a mystery. During a book club meeting, the hosts husband is killed and the lady arrested begs for her help, claiming she is innocent. So the investigation begins.
This is a delightful cozy mystery, filled with wonderful characters and a great mystery to solve. The characters are very well developed and the narration adds to their background. The descriptions she uses bring the setting to life. The dialogue is cleaver and fits well with the mystery. This story has romance, surprises, betrayals, twists and turns and many potential suspects with viable motives for the murder. The author expertly weaves all these elements into a storyline that is both easy to read and keeps you guessing until the end. It is a bit of an emotional drama with all the events and side stories that are included. This just adds to the enjoyment of the cozy mystery. It’s a great book.
This is the second book in the series but I had no problem following because she backfills the previous action nicely. The plot is twisty and the story interesting, as are all the characters. It kept my interest right up to the end. I’m going to go back and read the first book now.
I received an ARC of this book and am leaving an honest review in exchange.