Class Reunions Are Murder
A Poppy McAllister Mystery, Book #1
Libby Klein
5+ Stars

Synopsis:

For fortysomething Poppy McAllister, taking a stroll down memory lane in Cape May, New Jersey, isn’t just awkward—it’s deadly.

Newly widowed and stuck in a middle-aged funk, Poppy has been running on cookies, infomercials, and one-sided chats with her cat for months. There’s no way on earth she’s attending her twenty-five-year class reunion—especially after receiving a very bizarre letter from Barbie, the popular cheerleader who taunted her all through high school. At least, not until Poppy’s best friend practically drags her to the event . . .

Using the dreaded homecoming as an excuse to visit her eccentric Aunt Ginny, Poppy vows to leave Cape May with pride and Spanx intact. Too bad Barbie is still the queen of mean at the reunion. And worse, that her dead body is lying right in front of Poppy’s old locker. Singled out as the killer, it’s up to Poppy to confront her past and clear her name. But between protecting her aunt from disaster and tackling a gluten-free diet, can Poppy crack the case before she’s voted “Most Likely to Die” by the murderer?

Includes Seven Recipes from Poppy’s Kitchen! (Goodreads)

Review:

To me this was the perfect cozy mystery. I liked the characters, I liked the humor , I liked the setting and I liked the mystery. There was nothing about this book that I did not like and nothing I would change.

The characters are well rounded and well developed. I really enjoyed the fact that Poppy is an middle-aged woman and not thirty-something like most of the cozies that I read. I also really enjoyed the fact that Poppy was not a physically fit thin woman. She is overweight and struggles with many of the same issues that a lot of us have. To me that made her seem much more real. I enjoyed getting to know Poppy’s friends and I liked the fact that they stuck together and had each other backs. And who would not love Aunt Ginny, with her quirkiness and eccentricities. And Figaro, the cat, is one of my favorite felines ever.

I thought this book was so funny and I enjoyed Poppy’s sarcastic self monologues. One of these was when Poppy thought to herself, “I would love to have two children. Instead I have two chins and a cat”. There was so much of this type of humor throughout the book and I was laughing out loud through much of the book.

The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. I think the author addressed some more serious issues in this book. High school and the need to fit in, the popular people being mean to the less popular and self image issues were some of the things that she write about. I thought that made this book even more special.

The mystery was well plotted and there were enough suspects to consider and clues to sift through. I eventually figured out the killer before it was revealed but I did make some wrong guesses first.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well written cozy that was a little different than the normal cozy. It was different in a very good way. I cannot wait to read the next book in this series. I think this author was a real winner on her hands.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. I would like to thank NetGalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read and review this fantastic book.

I really enjoyed this quick read. Recently widowed middle aged woman goes back to her high school reunion at the request of her friends and all hell breaks out. I also liked the gluten free recipes that the author included at the end of the book. Some very colorful characters. A great way to spend a winter day.

This is the first in a new cozy mystery series. I enjoyed the plot and characters. I think the mystery could have moved along a little faster and with the storyline about Poppy's grandmother tossed in, it did get to be a little much at times. Everything came together very well by the end of the book and I'm looking forward to the next one in the series.

I really enjoyed the first installment of this new series.

Poppy just lost her husband and is busy wallowing in self-pity; she is dreading going to her high school reunion, but her best friend convinces her to come, so she makes the trip home with her furry friend, Figaro. She is overweight and embarrassed about her appearance, but she grudgingly goes to the reunion anyway. The most popular girl in high school is there and still as mean as ever and picks a fight with Poppy and her friends. Then...she ends up murdered in front of Poppy's locker. Poppy is being framed for the murder and the local police are not helping her out at all by thinking she is guilty. Add a good group of friends, her cat, Figaro, her crazy Aunt Ginny, her ex from high school, and a gorgeous coffee shop owner, this has all the trappings of a great cast of characters to further this series along.

This book was a little different from cozies that I am used to reading - it really delved into body issues and bullying (before social media). I was able to take away some positive thoughts about myself from reading this book and I hope that others will too. I hope that Libby Klein continues with Poppy's struggles and hopefully her overcoming of them.

I will post this review on Amazon once the book is published and released.

Class Reunions are Murder is the debut book in the Poppy McAllister Mystery series. What an enjoyable book! It’s full of humor, nostalgia and sass! What I enjoyed most about this book is how relatable the characters are written. Poppy isn’t perfect, but she is perfectly likable. As the book begins Poppy is stuck in a middle-age funk, but all that is about to change once she sets off for her hometown to attend a class reunion and catch up with her eccentric Aunt Ginny. Poppy’s high school arch-nemesis also shows up at the reunion….but she doesn’t make it out alive. Poppy becomes a prime suspect and she has no choice but to go about clearing her name all while looking out for her quirky aunt. This book is interesting. It’s light, it’s novel, it’s engaging and it’s a refreshing read! I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy provided to me by the publisher through NetGalley. This did not affect my rating. I have provided an unbiased and honest review.

Transphobic elements. Did not read past that.

Great start to a new series! We've all had that person from high school that pushed our buttons but to see karma hit back? Well needless to say this story was captivating with characters who quickly feel like friends and a story that flows.
A must read for cozy lovers, I find myself eagerly awaiting the next one in the series.

Class Reunions Are Murder is the first book in Libby Klein’s Poppy McAllister Mystery series. The characters are well developed and the mystery well plotted. The main character is a realistically portrayed plus sized woman who struggles with weight and depression issues and the cast of supporting characters are interesting and entertaining in this steadily paced book. The author’s writing style is descriptive, but not repetitive, and contains laugh out loud humor mainly revolving around the main character and her conversations with herself. There are lots of red herrings, twists and turns, and no shortage of suspects in this well-crafted cozy mystery.

Poppy McAllister Browne, who lives in Waterford, Virginia, is overweight, depressed, and recently widowed. Poppy’s husband, John, passed away from cancer six months ago and his mother, Georgina, is domineering, demanding, and critical. Poppy’s best friend since the fifth grade, Sawyer Montgomery, wants her to return to Cape May, New Jersey and attend their twenty-fifth high school reunion. Poppy reluctantly agrees and she and her cat, Figaro, plan to spend the weekend with her eccentric aunt, Ginny Frankowski, and then quickly return to Waterford. Poppy learns that Rosalind Carson, an adult social service worker, is trying to remove Aunt Ginny from her family home and place her in an assisted living facility. During the reunion, Sawyer gets in a fight with the queen of the mean girls, Barbie Pomeroy Clark, Poppy steps in to separate them, and has a heated verbal exchange with Barbie. Shortly after this exchange, Poppy discovers Barbie’s body in the hall in front of her locker. Poppy doesn’t know why, but Officer Amber Fenton, another of the mean girls, has it in for her. After Amber arrests Poppy, Tim Maxwell, her ex-fiancé, bails her out and Poppy finds herself trying to find the killer and clear her name, make major lifestyle changes, and protect her aunt from adult social services.

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

This is the first book in the series and it was a great start. The characters are likable. There were so many suspects and so many motives. There is misunderstandings. This was written to entertain! I loved the humor as well. I love how the passive cat just flops over on its side, the evening gown outfit to make breakfast in and the yoga trial!

This is the first book in a brand new series and it is a winner!
This book has a great premise with a murder at a class reunion. Suspects abound and the mystery is well written and paced.
The characters are fun, but realistic, and I enjoyed reading about them.
All in all, this book was a delight to read and a great start to this new series.
I highly recommend this book and look forward to reading the next in the series.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

Poppy McAllister is a plus size woman coming to terms with herself. In this fun and well written cozy mystery, author Libby Klein has struck gold.
From the moment I read the first page in Class Reunions are Murder, I knew I found a new favorite protagonist who I could relate to.
Newly widowed and stuck in a middle-aged funk, Poppy has been running on cookies, infomercials, and one-sided chats with her cat for months. There is no way she would ever attend her class reunion! When her best friend convinces her to go to the reunion, Poppy sees it as an opportunity to visit her Aunt Ginny and sets off for an exciting adventure.
Facing her arch nemesis Barbie is the one down side to her trip to Cape May, New Jersey. Barbie bullied and humiliated Poppy all through high school and when Poppy sees that Barbie is just as nasty as an adult as a teenager, it comes as no surprise when she discovers her dead body.

Trying to save herself from becoming the top suspect in Barbie's murder is hard enough, but when someone begins spreading nasty rumors about her aunt's mental state of mind, Poppy pulls up her plus sized panties and begins to seek out the truth!

This is brilliant start to a new series and I have become a loyal fan of Poppy! Her Aunt Ginny is a gem and I cannot wait to see what this quirky duo gets into next.

I voluntarily read an ARC of this book provided by the Publisher and NetGalley.
#ClassReunionsAreMurder #NetGalley

Absolutely adored this wonderful cozy mystery. The characters are outstanding, the basic plot hilariously entertaining, and the, "who done it", not so easy to figure out 'til the end. A twentyfifth class reunion, a depressed, overweight widow, her eccentric, elderly aunt, the mean girls from high school that are still mean, a little romance, a whole lot of comedy, and a great murder, and you've got yourself a very, very, entertaining book. Can't wait to read the next one. Thanks NetGalley and Kensington for an advanced dad. Easy 5 stars for this one.

Class Reunions are Murder is a fantastic start to a new mystery series. The main character, Poppy McCallister, is completely likeable and relatable. And her great aunt Ginny is hilarious. I really enjoyed the murder mystery and was completely surprised by its resolution. I can't wait to read the next book in the series to see what happens to Poppy and Aunt Ginny next.

Note: I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest review.

Very enjoyable to have a main character who isn't a size 6 and has weight and depression issues. Very relatable characters. Funny story...was literally laughing out loud at several points. Really fun read! Looking forward to more adventures with Poppy and Aunt Ginny.

Wohoo!!! I loved, loved, LOVED, this book! Class Reunions are Murder is the first book in the Poppy McAllister cozy mystery series and I know it is going to be a HUGE HIT among fans of this genre. It's got everything I wanted in a cozy mystery and more! Gosh, the only thing that disappoints me is that I have to wait until July 2018 for the next installment!! This is a must read if you're a fan of cozy mysteries. If you haven't read much in the genre and want to try, this is a great place to start!

MORE ABOUT THE STORY
Poppy McAllister has hit an all time low in her life. Her beloved husband died six months ago and the only thing she can successfully go is eat a little debbie snack. Feeling like her life is in shambles she has no intention of going to her high school reunion. I mean, why would she suject herself to the torture of allowing all the bullies who once tormented her about her weight do it again 25 years later?

But when her friend, Sawyer forces her to go, she has no choice because she has run out of excuses. So Poppy ventures off to Jersey with her cat, Figaro in tow to stay with her eccentric aunt in the home she grew up in.

Fast forward a little later when Poppy and her group of friends attend the reunion. Thinking it's only going to bring back some fond memories of her and her friends, Poppy starts to enjoy being out of the house. But that soon goes down hill when a vicious and ugly old classmate bullies her and her friends AGAIN and then is found murdered right in front of Poppy's locker... Poppy being the prime suspect is thrust into the investigation in hopes of clearing her name and finding out who really killed Barbie before she spends the rest of her time in the slammer...

OVERALL THOUGHTS
I LOVED this cozy mystery and I have every intention of continuing the series as the books are released. The author realistically portrayed the hell a hefty person goes through in both her head in in real life. She also adds laugh out loud humor into the story making readers just like me laugh until they cry. Honestly, you just cannot go wrong with this book and I can't wait till the next one is released.

WHAT I SPECIFICALLY LIKED ABOUT THE BOOK

- The brutal honesty in the authors description about how it feels to be a heavier woman. OMG I loved the inner monologue when it came to Poppy and her weight. It's so realistic and really makes me think back to how I felt when I gained weight.

- The humor: It's not too often where you can fund a cozy mystery that is more humorous than serious. I think authors TRY to be a little too serious with these books and it ultimately lets down a reader who is looking for some lighthearted fun. Thankfully, this had a more humorous edge to it.

- Poppy and her Grandmother: What a dynamic duo these two are! It kind of reminds me of Stephanie Plum and Grandma Mazur (don't worry though, they are noting like those characters, I mean in a close and funny way). It's also been a while since I have connected with a set of characters like these ones and I'm so glad they changed this for me.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE ABOUT THE STORY

- Honestly, I loved everything about this book. The only downside is that I have to wait till July to get the next one! It's well worth the wait though as I feel the series if going to be that good,

While eating her way into a slow death Poppy was encouraged to attend their school reunion, she was so into her woe is me route six months after her husband had passed. On the very night of the school reunion, things fell apart and it took some hard talk from fellow inmates in prison when she was held as a murder suspect, to get her into a fighting mood and from there she started her rebirth. Now I was sure that this story only warrants a three star but as usual, I read my way to the end, cause I always wanted to know the outcome, and this author convinced me this book is much more than three. Although it started a bit gloomy with so much woe is me, it changed course with a determined front, oh and I love the timely romance but now we wonder who she would end up with, for me I like the Italian, Tim is cool and all that, but, anyway the storyline is great and the characters are good really good. I especially like the second half of this book, it’s full of surprises.

I have been in a bit of a reading slump. Thanksgiving came and went. We started getting ready for Christmas. My youngest had an ear infection and then four out of five people in my house got a pretty nasty stomach flu (that I'm currently getting over). I haven't felt up to reading much even though I had tried to read a couple different books (even a book by an author I absolutely love) and nothing seemed to work. I had pre-ordered this book a while ago and still asked for and received a copy of this book from netgalley. I'm glad that I did. It seems to have been what I needed to get back into the swing of things (both reading and my reviews).

This story introduces us to Poppy McAllister Browne and her cat Fig(aro) Newton. Poppy recently lost her husband and has been coping with pitchmen, cookies and toaster pastries. Her incredulous mother-in-law has been of no help and now she has received a mysterious envelope from snobby former high school bully, Barbie. The timing coincides with Poppy's class reunion--which she does not plan on attending. Poppy is hesitant to open the letter. After all, what could this woman, a woman who made making Poppy and her friends miserable into an art form, possibly have to say. Sawyer, Poppy's best friend, also received a letter as did a couple of their other friends. Barbie asked for a meeting. Why? What could she possibly want or have to say? Sawyer believes they should hear her out and Poppy disagrees. What good could come from that? What could she have to say after 25 years?

After returning to her old stomping grounds, Poppy is taken aback by the condition of her former home. She's pleased to see her aunt again. Poppy meets up with her friends and they discuss the good old days. They catch up on life and then part ways until the reunion the next night. The reunion is a tribute to high school in the 80s. Poppy hasn't seen many of the people in 25 years so most of them have changed. Barbie, however, the queen of mean herself is exactly the same. Poppy and her friends are picked on again after all of these years but stand up for themselves. They are no longer scared teenage girls longing to fit in and be liked. They are grown women who aren't going to take it, no they aren't going to take it (yea, i know not my best lol but I couldn't pass it up). A spectacle surely to appear on the world wide web sooner rather than later ensues and the women need a breather. Walking the halls of her high school Poppy comes across Barbie. Dead. In front of her old locker. The police believe Poppy and possibly her friends  were involved. Worried she will be railroaded for a crime she didn't commit, with the help of Aunt Ginny and Sawyer Poppy sets out to clear her name.

Poppy did come across as a little pretentious when speaking to Tawnika and Bebe. Although I truly enjoyed that scene. I would have liked to see more of their characters. I didn't appreciate the almost stereotypical portrayal of the black female character (or the way her speech was depicted not every black person says dis or dat or offica---come on) or that everyone else was given a typical name (Kim, Connie, Kelly, Joanne) and the black character was given a decidedly "black" name when there are black women named michelle, simone, ashley, and jennifer. Another character that felt stereotypically portrayed was Pearl (even though I didn't like her or her unsanitary/unhealthy methods). Again with the language (she couldn't have said you haven't had a mani in a while did it have to be "long time" and the likening her to someone from the Vietnam War because she's Asian just didn't sit well with me. I didn't like her expecting Tim to fight for her or pine for her after SHE cheated on him. She tends to come off as wanting pity for cheating on her boyfriend (her choice), making her husband feel bad about being married (her choice), her mom leaving, being bullied, etc and for some of those I truly felt like she was the underdog (her mom abandoned her, her husband died, she was really picked on in school all of those had me on her side) but fails to realize she was more than a little mean to others (treatment of her Aunt Ginny and her grandmother, Tim, her husband, laughing at people at the reunion--laughing at others to make yourself feel better isn't ok--and the fact that Joanne was pretty much told that exact thing while Poppy ignored it is not lost on me standing up for yourself is one thing but that wasn't the case every time Poppy was mean). At times she does seem to feel bad but she comes across so selfish at times it can be a bit off-putting. I like that she is forced to confront her treatment of others towards the end of the book so I feel like the author did address the issue but it still made Poppy seem a little out of touch at times, but as long as she's actively trying to better herself (which it did appear that was the case) I will root for her. Some of the pop culture references felt a little forced for a woman that age (come at me bro, you're killing me smalls? felt like it was trying to hard and didn't seem natural). I wish we could have seen the zoo scene. I loved Henry. A Paleo Diet is a diet it's not kind of like a food allergy. You know what's kind of like a food allergy? A FOOD ALLERGY. That annoyed me more than a little bit because she was over exaggerating when she could have simply said she's trying to eat healthier or on a diet or anything. Don't liken it to an actual medical condition. I don't have a food allergy but many people do and they are often very serious.

All that being said I still really enjoyed the book and I do look forward to the next in the series. I think Libby Klein is a good writer and I would recommend to others looking for a fun read. The book is a little long for a "first in a series". I began chapter 24 and was only halfway through the book. Luckily it's a good read, so I kept reading. It is slow moving, but with first in a series books by new authors I tend to let that go as long as the story stays interesting and progresses. I figured out who I thought did it fairly early on but I started second guessing myself towards the end, but I was right. I did enjoy the misdirection though. I like the details given in the book it wasn't tedious or repetitive. It was just descriptive enough. I prefer writers who can go into detail and not bore me to tears and this author does that. I loved April. The character was done so well. I enjoyed Aunt Ginny's neighbors and the people we meet around town. Most of the characters in the book I really enjoyed. I felt like the author did a great job overall. There were several times I found myself laughing. I like the humor in the book it didn't feel forced. I feel like as long as the series continues the author will without a doubt master her craft and make waiting a year in between books seem like a lifetime.

At first this story made me feel really old with my own 25th reunion coming up in a couple of years and boy did it bring back some memories and had me laughing quite a bit. Loved Poppy as the main character and seeing her come into her own, and also loved her quirky Aunt and how they turned the tables on the social worker. Very entertaining and well written, I hope to see a lot more from this series.

I absolutely loved this book with its humor, compelling plot and great moral about how the popular mean girls in high school turn out to have reached their peak as teenagers but the nerds have their best years ahead of them. Poppy McAllister Browne is sitting in her house mourning the death of her husband John by eating her way through boxes of cookies when she is contacted by her best high school friend, Sawyer, who insists that Poppy join her at their 25th high school reunion, Poppy returns home to find her beloved Aunt Ginny, who raised her, facing a Social Services case worker determined to put her into assisted living, and at the reunion has a confrontation with high school prom queen Barbie who was her old nemisis. When Poppy goes to find Sawyer she finds Barbie's dead body and Poppy is seem by her classmates standing over the body and accused of the crime. There is a delightful scene of Poppy in jail with Bebe and Tawnika during which she finds the courage to face down all of the things that have been happening to her, and her old high school love, Tim, bails her out of jail Poppy finds the determination to solve the crime with the help of Aunt Ginny and Sawyer. This book is entertaining, funny, with a touch of romance and it kept my interest from the first page to the last. I highly recommend it.