Mischief Nights Are Murder
A Poppy McAllister
Libby Klein
5 Stars

Synopsis:

Poppy McAllister discovers that gluten-free Halloweens can scare up another case of murder in latest installment of this delightful culinary B&B mystery series!

Poppy is none too pleased when her B&B is coerced into participating in the Cape May Haunted Dinners Tour during Halloween season. Though her knack for finding dead bodies has given the place a spooky reputation, the Murder House is a completely undeserved nickname. At least it used to be . . .

While Poppy wrangles with some guests who can’t stop squabbling with each other—including a paranormal researcher, a very quirky pet psychic who freaks out her portly Persian, and an undercover tabloid reporter eager to catch her staff in a lie—one of them winds up facedown in a plate of tiramisu. And now she has bigger worries than getting her house TP’d . . .

Includes Recipes from Poppy’s Kitchen!

“A cast of wacky characters, plenty of humor, and the antiques and B&B frame provide the appeal.”
—Booklist on Antique Auctions are Murder (Amazon)

Review:

The characters are well rounded and well developed. This book has a lot of funny parts in it and Figaro steals the show again. Poppy and her friends and family have become a stop on the Haunted Dinners Tour. They have a bunch of people who do not get along staying at their B&B. Someone is killed and Poppy will have to figure out who the culprit is and why.

The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and these descriptions pulled me into the story from the very beginning and took me on a fantastic ride. The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The mystery is well plotted and not easily solved. There are quite a few people that are suspects and it will be hard to figure out who the culprit is.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. Poppy and Aunt Ginny are a real hoot.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Kensington Books, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.

Mischief Nights are Murder is another wonderful, fun enjoyable cozy mystery set in Cape May, New Jersey. Poppy McAllister and her aunt Ginny own and operate a B&B and are going through some staff changes. Poppy has become known as a Murder Magnet, having discovered several murdered victims in the previous stories. She has been coerced to be part of Cape May Haunted Dinners Tour during Halloween season, showing off the "Murder House". As usual Aunt Ginny gets her into more situations when she agrees to have a ghost hunting team filming at the B&B and they are required to tell ghost stories about the B&B as well as serve a gourmet dinner. Things are hilarious when they have a pet psychic show up with all his paraphernalia along with the ghost hunters. There is another dog that sets off Poppy's cat and she is dealing with her luscious boyfriend's family who don't like her much. When one of the guests drops dead at the table, all meals are off, and Poppy is on the case.

This is one of the most humorous cozy mystery series I have ever read and I absolutely enjoy every minute of them. Aunt Ginny is such a hoot and you never know what is going to come out of her mouth or what antics she will get up to. Throw in her friends "the biddies" and her boyfriends with alzheimers and you know there will be laughs. Most of the regulars are back and they are all wonderful. They are funny, yet serious when need be. They help Poppy sort out the clues when she is investigating, but not always on purpose. This mystery is a good one with lots of red herrings and more than a few suspects. I didn't guess the killer, but it all made sense and I loved how Poppy figured it all out. If you don't read the whole series, you can still enjoy the book, but you will miss some of the character development and relationships. If you are looking for a fun read, I recommend you pick up Mischief Nights are Murder. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Callie Beaulieu. She narrated a lot of cozy mysteries and I am accustomed to her voice and enjoy her performances.

I absolutely adore this series! Mischief Nights are Murder, like the preceding seven books in Libby Klein’s Poppy McAllister series, combines a suspenseful, layered mystery; a gutsy and lovable protagonist; and a spark of humor to create a novel that is not only entertaining, but is downright delightful.

It’s Halloween season, and Poppy McAllister has agreed to cater dinner for the Cape May Haunted Homes Tour. She is dismayed to discover that her Bed & Breakfast is being marketed as “The Murder House,” even though no murders actually took place there . . . yet. But with a pet psychic fixated on revealing her cat Figaro’s thoughts, paranormal researchers, and the production crew of a paranormal television show all interested in the goings on at the Butterfly Wings B&B, Poppy has her hands full. Add to that a reporter who is bound and determined to reveal Poppy and her B&B as a fraud. Poppy must walk a fine line between allowing the guests to believe that the house may be haunted and representing that it is. But when one of the tour guests dies in the middle of Poppy’s dinner, all bets are off. Poppy teams up with Amber to get the down-low on the suspect guests and solve the murder.

Mischief Nights are Murder is extremely well-written. Its scenes run the gamut from poignant to humorous, and the subplots sparkle, especially those featuring Aunt Ginny and Gia (and his family restaurant, Mia Famiglia). The mystery is, as always in this series, top notch, with a large suspect pool and so many clues and red herrings it is hard to keep track. The epilogue ends with a tantalizing cliffhanger. I can’t wait to see what is next.

Not to be left out are two features that I have really come to appreciate. The gluten free recipes at the end of each book always sound intriguing, but this book’s “Lemon Earl Grey Tiramisu” sounds so fantastic that I plan to make it myself. And the narration by Callie Beaulieu is, as usual, excellent, giving the perfect amount of pep and humor to the story.

Can this book be read as a standalone? I think it can, but to get the full effect, you should start with the first installment. If you like humorous cozies, Mischief Nights are Murder (and the entire Poppy McAllister series) is a must read.

Note: I received an ARC of Mischief Nights are Murder from NetGalley and Kensington Books. The above is my honest review.

So this is the first book I have read in this series and I didn't love it. I felt there was a lot going on, and some may say that if I had read the rest of the series this would have been more enjoyable. However, I feel with some series books (cozies and romance) that if the author did a good job you should be able to jump in at any point. I may go back and try the first book.

This is my first Poppy McAllister mystery , but I had no problem reading out of series order . This can be a stand alone novel .

It’s Halloween and Poppy is not happy that her B and B is participating in The Haunted Dinner Tour . I found the story an easy and entertaining read . The zany characters added to the light humor ( Aunt Ginny ) an often provided humorous scenes . I especially enjoyed the part with the pet psychic and Poppy’s cat .

I am going to read the other naively in this series , so thank you NetGalley for providing me with a new series to read .

I just reviewed Mischief Nights Are Murder by Libby Klein. #MischiefNightsAreMurder #NetGalley

I really enjoyed this! The characters were fun and their dynamic was interesting and kept me "flipping" pages. I am excited to read more of this series!


I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

Mischief Nights Are Murder by Libby Klein was my first foray into this series, and I loved it. Some may see it as questionable to jump into a series 8 books in, but to me, the sign of a truly good cozy is when you can do just that! As a mood reader, sometimes I just need some Halloween fun and don't have the patience to wait until I get there. I also think most writers grow over time, and sometimes the first book going to give the rest of the series the best chance of me continuing. However, I loved this book so much, I am definitely going back to read the rest!

We meet (or rejoin) our quirky cast of characters at an Inn in Cape May, distraught over the fact that they're now seen as "haunted" and part of a haunted inn tour. It doesn't help that our main character, Poppy, keeps finding dead bodies. While I went in for the Halloween vibes (and was not disappointed), it was the characters that really drew me into the story. They are rich, well rounded, and fun. I could visualize them all and hear them speak. For me, one of the biggest turn-offs when I'm reading a cozy is when the characters are so entirely unlikeable, or it feels like the author's bad opinions are seeping through and coming out the characters' mouths-- but there was none of that here! Everyone was a unique, full character, and so much fun! There were moments of physical comedy sprinkled in that had me in tears. Aunt Ginny is everything I aspire to be when I grow up. Even the smaller characters in 1-2 scenes or the ones clearly only in the series for this specific book were delightful and felt so realistic. I loved the time spent playing with them and can't wait to come back for more.

As for the mystery itself, I couldn't. begin to guess it, but it immediately made sense when revealed-- the mark of a really good mystery, in my opinion.

As mischief night approaches, Poppy and her Aunt Ginny are waiting for the pranks to start. However, being part of the Haunted Dinner Tour, was not in Poppy's plan. Will she be able to solve the mystery when one of her guest is found dead?
This was my first Poppy McAllister mystery. I do plan to read the rest. I did not feel like I had missed things as I read it considering this is number 8 in the series. I love how the is a cozy mystery. A halloween setting is one of my favorite times of the year. Quirky scenes and fun characters make this a must read. I received a copy through Netgalley. A review was not required.

I'm pretty much obsessed with the world that Libby Klein has created in her Poppy McAllister series. The story may take place in the real town of Cape May, New Jersey but the characters and the drama surrounding them are all wildly made up, and in a wonderful way.

In this book Poppy is trying to prepare for the Cape May Haunted Dinners tour that her bed and breakfast has gotten roped into participating in. It's not exactly ideal timing because she has a lot going on, but with the help of her staff they may be able to get through the Halloween season unscathed.

But when someone turns up dead at her first night's dinner, the police are called in and all of the B&B's guests are acting peculiar. Now to be fair, some of them are just peculiar on a normal day. But others may be hiding secrets, including one person's motive for killing a seemingly prestigious guest.

When I say this book had me laughing out loud, I am not exaggerating. I loved how as the guests starting filling up the bed and breakfast, Poppy just grew more and more exasperated by the odd characters that kept popping up. And the fact that her supposed tech company that she booked was not what it seemed had me rolling.

Some of the best scenes were the different conversations going on between characters. I loved the love/hate relationship going on between Poppy and the cop Amber. And when it came to Poppy dealing with a testy employee named Joanne, it was more of a hate/hate relationship. But all of the dialogue was so funny and clever.

My only critique is that while it was a very good mystery and very well thought out, there were a lot of characters to keep track of. There were the regular characters, all of the bed and breakfast guests, as well as everyone involved with the ghost tour at the different inns and hotels around Cape May. I had to keep a mental tally of who was who.

But although it could be tricky at time, that's part of what made the murder interesting to solve.

This was a really fun book to read and now I'm in the mood for some Halloween candy! But I'm very similar to Aunt Ginny in that I can devour a bag of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups within the blink of an eye, so I guess I'll wait a few months before I stock up on the goodies for trick or treat.

If you're in the mood for a good Halloween cozy, look no further! I found Mischief Nights are Murder to be a really fun and cozy read.

There is a charm about Poppy McAllister that while appealing is also juvenile at times. Her difficulty in dealing with life's problems and the unbelievable unkindness of others is a little much for me. The characters of Gia's mother and older sister, as well as her co-worker/employee Joanne are so over-the-top and I would have no patience with that kind of bullying. Overall it is just off-putting and hard to find joy in the book. That being said I will stick with the gang in Cape May and see if there can be some progress and growth.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my won.

Per usual, this new installment of the Poppy McAllister series is an entertaining adventure. Libby Klein brings these characters alive (both the humans and their pets!), and her writing never fails to keep me engaged and laughing.
Mischief Nights Are Murder takes place in Autumn, with Poppy somehow being wrangled into participating in the local B&B ghost tours. Yes, ”somehow” means Aunt Ginny 🤣. It’s such a fun adventure, with a great mystery and a few side mysteries for good measure. Highly recommend grabbing this one off the shelf. If you haven’t read the previous installments, pick them all up! You’re in for a treat.
Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for permitting access to a digital ARC.

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Mischief Nights Are Murder is a great cozy mystery set during Halloween. Poppy and her aunt Ginny's B&B is part of a haunted house tour. When someone is murdered at the B&B, Poppy starts investigating. Poppy is a great main character, and Aunt Ginny is eccentric and funny. Even minor characters add something to the atmosphere and storyline. Mischief Nights Are Murder is a fun read, perfect to get into a Halloween mood. Although it could be read as a standalone, I really recommend reading the series in order, as it makes the reading experience more enjoyable.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

The book tells the story of Poppy who is a baker and her aunt who enjoy pranks and games at their B&B but this games suddenly come to a halt when a dead body is discovered, This is a delightful cozy mystery with a quirky psychic in the mix, a reporter and of course Halloween vibes. This is perfect for fans of cozy mysteries with a tad bit of scary and foodie . I recommend it.

Mischief Nights Are Murder is book #8 in the Poppy McAllister Mystery series by Libby Klein.

I love the Halloween theme. I’m ready for fall. This is a fun read if you need a break from reality. I like mystery with humor and this delivered. I couldn’t put it down. I plan to try out some of the recipes included in the back.

Thank you to the author, Kensington Books, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Mischief Nights are Murder brings exactly what I have come to expect from Libby Klein, an intriguing mystery, wonderful relationships, and tons of laughs. This 8th book in the Poppy McAllister Mystery series continues the sweet romance between Poppy and Gia, and we mustn't forget Henry, but her relationship with Gia's mother takes a new turn when the older woman is sidelined with an injury. This situation offers an opportunity for Poppy when her B&B kitchen is closed down after a guest dies from drinking her iced tea, but it also offers a lot of stress since Italian queen of the kitchen doesn't know that the queen of gluten-free cooking is working in her restaurant.
A Haunted House tour that her grandmother signed them up for becomes a much bigger deal that either realized. So on top of the murder at their B&B, too many demands. and worry are wearing Poppy out, and it doesn't feel that any of the stress is going away soon.
Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Cozies for allowing me the opportunity to read and review and ARC of this delightful cozy mystery. It was wonderful.

"Mischief Nights Are Murder" the 8th instalment in the Poppy McAllister Mystery series by Libby Klein. I love this series and I think this was best one yet! It’s spooky season, and gluten-free baker Poppy McAllister and her aunt Ginny are preparing some pranks for Cape May, New Jersey’s annual Mischief Night at their B&B. But jokes and games are pushed aside when a killer strikes…

I love visiting the Jersey Shore and Poppy, Gia, the adorable Henry, Aunt Ginny, and the "Biddies"! Plus we cant forget about her mischievous cat, Figuro! This time around Poppy has been roped into hosting an Haunted House Dinner event for a week and Poppy really wishes she wasn’t as she already had a lot on her plate!

We have a new addition to the household Kenny Love , who I picture looking like carrot-top the comedian. I’m looking forward to knowing more about him in the coming books.

From a houseful of quirky paranormal enthusiasts, disappearing items and mysterious Halloween mischief on the front lawn Poppy has her work cut out for her. Enter her arch nemesis Joanne who ends up helping her along the way…. Is there hope for them yet.

I found the mystery was well written and paced with lots of twists and turns. It kept me guessing to the end. I can’t wait till the next instalment comes out and finding out what Poppy does next!

I recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends.

I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Kensington Books and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A nice addition to the series, this book is filled with plenty of seasonal touches and a mystery that will keep you guessing until the end.

If you like reading cozy mysteries that make you wonder, who did it, gives you great characters, along with a Halloween theme this is just the right book for you to get to read.
Poppy owns a Bed and Breakfast and this year things gets the part of the Haunted House Tour because a previous guest thinks the house is haunted.
This is the best of the series for me so far and I am positive that each one will get better as they come.
Libby Klein has a knack for writing a cozy mystery that gives you so much fun.
Thank you NetGalley, Libby Klein and Kensington Books for the copy of Mischief Nights Are Murder. This is my personal review.

Libby Klein's mysteries are my go-to read when I want to laugh and enjoyed a solid mystery. Figaro is a plus and I love him.
This is an excellent story that I thoroughly enjoyed and kept me guessing.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Are you ready to ditch the hot temperatures, and settle into Fall, with a side of spooky Halloween vibes? Then you NEED to read the latest mystery in the Poppy McAllister Mysteries by Libby Klein.

Poppy and her Aunt Ginny are back for more shenanigans in Mischief Nights are Murder. This time Aunt Ginny has roped Poppy into a Haunted House Tour. The only problem is their B&B isn't haunted! Before they know it they have a pet psychic, a paranormal researcher and a undercover tabloid reporter staying with them, all hoping for a piece of the paranormal action. When one of them dinner guests turns up dead, it is up to Poppy to do the impossible and find the killer!

I love visiting with Poppy, her boyfriend Gia [fictional crush alert!] and Aunt Ginny! Ginny is always causing strife. Right from the first book she's been making Poppy's life more interesting, but also full of murder and trouble! Mischief Nights are Murder is no different. This time Aunt Ginny has roped Poppy into hosting a week of Haunted House Tours and Dinners! Naturally with Poppy's bad luck of finding dead bodies, she strikes again with a cheating professor!

The mystery itself was intriguing, and I wasn't able to solve it before Poppy, despite trying to pick up clues along the way! However, I come back to this series again and again for the relationships. Not just Poppy and Gia's, but the shenanigans that Aunt Ginny and her biddies get up to! And of course Gia's family... especially his mama!

If you love a Halloween-centric mystery, you can't miss this one! It's simply delightful and perfect to curl up with and imagine we are in the cooler climates!