Cover Image: Beauty Expos Are Murder

Beauty Expos Are Murder

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Member Reviews

Libby Klein is the author to read when you're in the mood for a madcap, fun mystery. The adventures of Poppy McAllister and especially her Aunt Ginny always bring a smile!

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I appreciate the publisher allowing me to read this book. I really enjoyed this one the plot kept me interested until the end which is not easy, and the characters were engaging and believable. I highly recommend this book.

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This series keeps getting better. I had to start this book as soon as I finished Wine Tastings are Murder because I could not wait to see what happened with the cliffhanger. I am so glad I did; the book's first part focuses on Poppy and her relationships. Usually, I wouldn't say I don't like love triangles, but this series doesn't draw it out too much. Aunt Ginny is in rare form, and I enjoyed seeing Amber in a different light. I am not sure which crime I most wanted to see solved the murder or who keeps shooting Benjamin Bunny; I highly recommend this book and the whole series

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Beauty Expos are Murder, the sixth book in Libby Klein’s Poppy McAllister mystery series, marks another hilarious visit with Poppy and her Aunt Ginny as they navigate not one, but two murder investigations.

When Poppy signs up to help her would-be boyfriend Gia by selling her gluten-free baked goods at his booth at the Beauty Expo, she has no idea that she will encounter the dead body of the Expo’s keynote speaker, Dr. Lance Rubin, a cosmetic surgeon who professes to have discovered a new “anti-aging” method. At the same time, Poppy’s long-time frenemy, Officer Amber, who is being framed for murder of her C.I., turns to Poppy to help her uncover whodunnit and clear her name. With so much on the line, Poppy is pulled between the cases, but soon discovers they may be connected.

There is much to like about the story. Poppy is an endearing character who really garners sympathy. Her aunt Ginny and the “biddies” have a comical subplot involving CBD gummy bears. Gia and his son, Henry, add warmth and charm to the story, while the employees at Poppy’s B & B add character and humor. There is even an intriguing subplot featuring Poppy’s best friend, Sawyer. Both of the mysteries are compelling, with so many clues and red herrings, it is hard to keep up. The suspense mounts as one theory and another is proven wrong, culminating in a very satisfying resolution.

A great deal of time is spent on Poppy’s ongoing relationship with Gia. At the end of the last book, she discovered he was married, and that his wife was back to rekindle the relationship. Acting as other instigating factors are Gia’s mother and family, who, except for Uncle Alfio, are opposed to Poppy and Gia as a couple. An awkward dinner at Gia’s mother’s house leaves Poppy hurting and confused. But ultimately, the resolution of this triangle is heartfelt and rewarding.

Finally, I did choose to listen to Beauty Expos are Murder as an audiobook, and I must say how much the vocal talents of Callie Beaulieu add to the story. With differing voices and inflictions for each of the characters, she is the perfect narrator for this book. I highly recommend the audio version.

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

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I liked the different mystery plot lines. As I mentioned in my review of the last book, the author really packs in a lot of story between the covers. There are multiple mystery plotlines, romance, family and work issues and more.

One of the things that irk me are elements to do with the romance and how poorly Poppy handles everything, both in this book and previous ones. I'm surprised how well I am accepting it, and haven't given up on the series, considering how many times she starts to tear up in this book. In real life, I'd hope she had stock in a tissue or handkerchief company.

Another bothersome item: I understand authors consciously or subconsciously impart their personal world views in their books. I mentioned it occurring in a previous review of another book in this series. In this one, at the 92% mark, the author flat out breaks the 3rd wall to state something that takes one out of the story even though I think it was Poppy who said or thought the opinion. I agree with the character, I have similar view points on the matters the author has brought up in this book and previous ones, but it's one thing to have her character help or sympathize in such situations, but it was a bit too much at the one point in this book. I think she had already made the point more subtly in the storyline. This is a cozy mystery, you can write about social issues, but the whole point about cozies is that they're cozy and not preachy or confrontational. Poppy is hardly the character to be making confrontational statements since she apparently can't stand up for herself in any way, shape or form.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

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I loved Beauty Expos Are Murder by Libby Klein. This is the 6th book in this series and somehow the author keeps everything fresh and the characters keep evolving. Poppy and her aunt Ginny are hilarious, as are most of the recurring characters. This book had more than one .mystery going on, but they were connected to each other. The author did a good job of planting red herrings because the killer wasn't on my radar at all. But once it was revealed, it was easy to connect the dots in retrospect. I'm so glad that Poppy's love life is getting sorted out, but I do hate that the man she turned down completely changed his attitude towards her and became cruel and vindictive. I'd rather his character move away to another town and not show up in future books. I can't wait to read the next book in the series when it's released next month.

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I honestly like Poppy and the quirky characters around her. I read cozy mysteries for the mystery not the romance though. This particular book was too heavy on the romance and drama from all sides. I hope things settle down in the next book.

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Laugh-out-loud funny with interesting characters and a bang-up plot. Looking forward to trying several of the gluten-free recipes in the back of the book.

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Another home run from Libby Klein! These characters are soothing, smart, and so hilarious!

Poppy and crew are my favorite in cozies, and I cannot recommend these books enough.

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Princess Fuzzypants here: In the previous books in the series, Poppy has been ricocheting between the two men who love her and her baking, the sexy Gia or the steadfast Tim, her high school love. She has made her choice but did not imagine the complications that would ensue from both men. She learns Gia is married and Tim is vindictive. What is worse, they both have women egging them on and making Poppy’s life miserable.

Then, Amber, the cop who has made Poppy’s life difficult since high school, asks her to help her prove she did not murder her CI. And if that was not bad enough, the key note speaker at the Beauty Expo, where she must confront them all, is murdered. And guess who found the body? While all this is going on, she still has to juggle running the B & B and keeping her elderly aunt and her buddies from causing more mayhem than normal. Even her cat Figaro is determined to add to her challenges. He has fallen head over paws for a spritely female who is staying with them while she attends a Cat Show. Poor Fig. She plays hard to get even though she spends as much time as possible with him. He is beginning to feel like Poppy- thwarted in love.

Needless to say, it is a lot of fun and you will love the feline romance angle. It is a good mystery with lots of twists and turns. Poppy is a heroine who is hard not to like although she does have a bad habit of not saying “no” when she should. Five purrs and two paws up.

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Poppy McAllister is busier than ever and her love life is causing a totally new set of problems. After telling Tim that she does not want to continue a relationship other than friendship, she is fired from making desserts for his restaurant. Now Poppy is getting ready to sell her gluten free baked goods at the Health and Beauty Expo in a booth with her "boyfriend" Gia. Poppy never expected to find so much drama and danger at a beauty expo but with break ins, vandalism, problems with Tim and Gigi and the Celebrity doctor found dead in his booth, she is constantly on her toes. Then her frenemy, Amber, a local police detective needing he help to find out who killed her police informant, she has more than I have ever seen her have on her plate before.

The Poppy McAllister Mystery series is one that I have read from the beginning and love the humour in this series. Most of the humour comes from the quirky characters, such as Aunt Ginny, Victory and her cat, Figaro. This book had so much going on, that I couldn't stop listening. There were three different plotlines happening, but I was not lost at any time. I did not figure out who the culprits were and I really liked how Libby Klein tied things up at the end. This was my favourite book in the series for a few reasons, but the biggest one is that the love triangle is over, but not without a huge hiccup along the way. I am definitely looking forward to seeing what is up next for Poppy and her family and friends. Once again, Callie Beaulieu narrates this story with her pleasant voice, emotion and expression. I have become very familiar with her performances, and although she does not use voices, her dramatic readings are enjoyable to listen to.

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Beauty Expos Are Murder is the sixth and latest book in the Poppy McAllister series and may just be the best one of the series!

Okay, the love triangle is over! But now we’ve got a whole new complication and Poppy is right in the middle of it again!


We’ve got to figure out the mystery of who killed Dr. Rubin but that’s on top of helping frenemy number one, Deputy Amber, prove her innocence in the murder of an underage informant. As if that’s not enough drama to deal with, why is Gia’s (ex)wife in town and what possible ties could she have with the mafia. The drama and intrigue is high in this one!


We have so many clues dropping from each of these murders and the number of suspects is not at all small. Dr. Rubin managed to attract quite a few haters in his time, not to mention his umm ‘way’ with the ladies. But is his case related to the murder for which Amber is the main suspect? Is Amber even innocent? We’ve got several suspects in that case too. We also have a myriad of of clues and red herrings to wade through. The pacing is once again spot on as readers are pulled from scene to scene. The grand finale is exciting and quite perfect for the way the story was told.


And now on to Poppy’s love life. Oh my wow. I’ve always been Team Gia so I was excited to see what this newest development would bring. Well, let me tell you… soap opera level drama! Some members of his family can only be described as the ‘b’ word, to put it mildly. I think Libby Klein outdid herself when describing Gia’s large and crazy family. I can’t go into too much detail on this lot for fear of giving too much away. However, the family secrets and connections here could be it’s own mystery story! By the way, Aunt Ginny delivers a most beautiful verbal slap down! Possibly my favourite part of the story.


Overall, I love loved loved Beauty Expos Are Murder and can’t wait for the next in the series.

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Poppy McAllister is a gluten-free baker and the proprietor of a bed and breakfast. Her Aunt Ginny and cat, Figaro, live with her. The B&B is full up, between the Pretty Kitty Cat Show and the Health and Beauty Expo. Poppy has a booth at the Beauty Expo, alongside her sweetie, Gia. Unfortunately, a sticky situation has turned up in Gia’s life. Poppy’s life is its usual turmoil times ten, what with a rival trying to ruin her business, vandalism at the booth, a dead body, a loony maid, a secretive BFF, Aunt Ginny downing CBD gummy bears like they’re Tic Tacs, and Figaro in love with a champion Persian show cat.

Just when she’s sure things can’t get any worse, the baking help Ginny hired turns out to be Poppy’s old enemy, Joanne Junk. If it weren’t for her perfect petits fours, Poppy would tell her to take a hike. As the topping on the cake, Amber, who’s arrested Poppy a few times, is now in trouble (dead body number two) and in a turn for the weird, asking for Poppy’s help.

Aunt Ginny and the biddies are enough to drive anybody to drink. With all the pressures Poppy has, it’s a wonder she can walk and form sentences. This time the FBI is involved taking her stress to the next level.

I love this series. No matter what outrageous behavior Ginny and her friends come up with, Poppy takes it in stride—pretty much. This time, with her best friend, Sawyer, acting weird and telling lies, Poppy’s on her own. Who can you count on and who can you trust?

The story isn’t just about a murder but has several subplots as well. There are plenty of suspects, twists you won’t see coming, and a satisfying ending to beat all satisfying endings.

At the back of the book, find the tea party menu and recipes for some of the goodies. Butterfly Wings Bed and Breakfast Afternoon Tea Menu features four kinds of sandwiches, scones with Devonshire cream, jam, or lemon curd, and for the sweet course, fresh fruit, custard tarts, and petits fours in four flavors.

Recipes included are: chicken salad with dried cherries, vanilla and raspberry rose petits fours, and gluten-free baked goods—hot cross buns, chocolate loaf with cherry mascarpone filling, and cream tea scones.

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This has to be my all time favorite series. These books make me laugh out loud! I love and sometimes hate the characters and the location is absolutely beautiful.

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Although this is a series that I enjoy, this one did not grab my attention like the others have. I still enjoy the relationships between the characters and the setting but I am hoping that the next book returns to more it's 'normal' setting. It was good mystery and I did enjoy 'watching' as the mystery was solved.

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Another excellent edition to a wonderful series! Full of twists and turns that leaves you wanting more and enjoying each moment until the end when the killer is caught!

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Poppy makes her choice, Gia is who she loves. She runs into his arms and looks over his shoulder to see his wife!! Gia swears there is an explanation and she decides to give him the space to sort it out. Meanwhile selling her paleo treats at the beauty expo means discovering another body. Who know the beauty industry was such a deadly industry. Her high school nemesis is accused of murder and actually asks for Poppy’s help. With drive by inflatable rabbit shootings, Aunt Ginny and the biddies eating gummies made of thc, and her best friend, Sawyer, lying about what she’s been up to, Poppy has her hands full and gives us another great, funny cozy that is a must read.

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Beauty Expos Are Murder by Libby Klein is book six in the Poopy McAllister Mystery series. I know if I am having a bad day, her books always will give me a laugh.
This time Poppy has guests at her B&B, working the LaDolce Vita Caffe booth at a health and beauty expo in town and helping detective Amber clear her name in a murder of her CI. Then when the main speaker at the expo is found dead at his booth, Poppy adds finding out what happened to her already full plate.
This story has it all, plenty of plot twists and suspects galore! Poppy and her aunt Ginny provide the humor along with Ginny's sidekicks. Friendship and family are also featured in this well wriiten Cozy. Add Poppy's cat, Figero, and you have the perfect book.
There are recipes included.
I was given an ARC by Kensington via NetGalley for an honest review.

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This is a fun, laugh out loud series that gets better with each book. Poppy has really grown over the course of the series and keeps the books interesting along with her Aunt Ginny, who is a riot. In the last book there was a cliff hanger that was resolved at the beginning of this book. The mystery was well thought out and kept me guessing. I also love the recipes that are included at the end for some of the foods that are in the story. I enjoy this series and would highly recommend it.

I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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4.5 Stars

This is the sixth book in the Poppy McAllister mystery series by Libby Klein.

I thought this book was a good representation of how cases are solved in the real world. And the author took her time digging through the mystery to make it not only interesting to the reader but fun to follow too. I completely enjoyed myself. This book was quite a hoot to me. There was definitely a lot going on in this book that was more than just the main mystery. Someone was shooting at the blow up bunny and Sawyer’s strange behavior were two things that stood out to me. Nothing wrong with either of those things. Other reviewers seem to be complaining about similar instances in the plot, but I think such things are perfectly normal. No one is always going to agree with how the investigation is going Things that happen outside the murder will still take people’s attention. Real world stuff always invades so this was a good reflection of real life to me.

I have been keeping up with this series but I had forgotten what had made Poppy want to take a break from relationships at the end of book five. I went and looked it up. Now I remember. The revelation came out that Gia had a wife he never told Poppy about. It just about killed her heart since she was so in love with Gia’s son, Henry. This plot continues in this book and Poppy is dealing with this conniving little blood sucker through most of the book. This Alex chick made me cringe and I was blown away at the fact Gia’s mother was touting her praises. Kinda discombobbled my mind, if I’m honest. I am glad that was completely discussed at the end since I felt so much better about things after that resolution.

There is this fun Agatha Christie-like confrontation at the end that just makes the whole book payoff and all that struggle was deemed worth it. I’ll admit I wanted to strangle that Alex gal myself a time or three. There was a lot of this relationship stuff in this story which is what made the book so much bigger than others. It was a lot to wade through but it was totally worth it for the resolution it gave when the cliffhanger happened at the end of book five.

Great series to follow. Definitely going to dig into it more! So much fun to read!

If you love a cozy mystery, definitely check this one out. Great new must read book great series too!

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title. Opinions are completely my own.

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