Totally fun new series featuring Layla Virtue, a recovering alcoholic and an ex-cop. She's trying to make a go of rock music after her law enforcement career blew up, literally. She's smart sassy and broke with more defenses than The Iron Curtin. Also as the daughter of a legit rock and roll legend, she grown up without any real friends.And then the death of a clown at her gig is the final straw. Original, smart with a real touch of sass. Thanks to netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Fantastic start for a new series! This has Klein’s trademark humor and wonderful charact4ers but this series tackles some more serious issues and is a little darker than her other series (which is still one of my favorites). Layla suffers from PTSD and is trying to make it through the day without falling off the wagon. She is rebuilding her life the right way and is thrust back into the spotlight of her old life when she finds a dead body. The mystery is well-paced and gets equal billing with the world building and foundation of the series. I loved everything about this and can’t wait to read more.

I adore Libby Klein's prior cozy mystery series and was so excited to get to read the first book in her new one. Unfortunately, I was extremely disappointed. Her protagonist in this series is completely unlikeable, poor me poor me instead complaining about being poor and trying to get gigs as a musician. It's hard to feel bad for her since she is the victim of her own situation, which she acknowledges repeatedly, but does nothing about.

Her father, Don, is a likeable character but even he gets tiresome of forgetting things every 30 seconds or so.

There is a glimmer of hope in her hunky neighbor with the funny black lab but even he was not sufficient for me to try and continue to read this book.

In her other series, the regular characters are a delight to feast on, even the mean ones and I look forward to greeting them with each new book. With all the turmoil in the world, I don't want to read about someone that feels sorry for themselves 24/7.

I finally gave up when I realized trying to read this made me angrier than anything else because I had so wanted to like it and with every chapter, I resented it.

Thank you to Kensington and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Loved it. Not sure how Libby Klein did it but she made me smile and shed tears at the same time. So thrilled to see this is the first in a series. I am eager to read the next one. A wonderful, varied group of characters. A clever cozy mystery. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

Layla is a broken character who is working on her sobriety, she is also a budding musician. While playing at a kid's birthday party, the guy playing a clown dies. Layla is also an ex-cop and it turns out the clown was murdered. Layla pushes everyone away in her pain and her dad, former rock star comes to visit. What ensues is a story of relationships, redemption and growth. This is a new series that is surprisingly tender, funny and reflective. Layla and her AA buddies work together to figure out who killed the clown. There are lots of twists and turns to the story and it is well written and enjoyable to read. I look forward to the next adventure!

Layla Virtue was a cop until it all ended explosively with people dead, herself with alcohol dependence, and PTSD. Despite all that, she is climbing out of her personal sewer with a lot of snark, good friends, a remorseful celebrity dad, little money but a lot of pride, and a new bestie who just happens to be the black Lab next door. Of course there is a murder and an investigation that has so many twists and turns that are also as fast paced as can be. Very interesting tale that kept me laughing.
I requested and received a free temporary uncorrected digital galley from Kensington Publishing | Kensington via NetGalley.
##ViceandVirtue by @libbykleinbooks #LaylaVirtueMysteriesBk1 @kensingtonbooks #NetGalley
#cosycrime #cozymystery #crimefiction #suspense @goodreads #*****bookreview @bookbub #thestorygraph #insufferablevictim #excop #secrets #lies #amateursleuth #ptsd #laughyoursoxoff #newseries #blacklab #drama #snarky #alcoholrecovery #offthegrid

I’m a huge fan of Libby Klein and her Poppy McAllister mysteries, so I was thrilled to read the first book in her new series. I wasn’t disappointed.

Layla is a loner, an injured bird learning to trust and love again. The author’s portrayal of Layla’s emotional turmoil was so well-done that you couldn’t help but want to jump into the pages and assist her on her journey. Add in Layla’s father who struggles with his own demons, a sexy neighbor, and a group of entertaining women from her AA group who provide comic relief. The mystery is subtle yet engaging, peppered with moments of sarcasm and humor.

This review is entirely voluntary and reflects my personal opinions.

Libby Klein delivers another delightful and laugh-out-loud mystery in Vice and Virtue. With her signature blend of sharp wit, quirky characters, and heartwarming moments, Klein crafts a cozy mystery that’s impossible to put down.

From the first page, I was hooked by the fast-paced plot and the ever-lovable protagonist. The mystery kept me guessing with just the right amount of twists, and the humor had me grinning throughout. What sets this series apart is how it balances the charm of small-town life with clever sleuthing and genuinely touching moments of friendship and self-discovery.

If you’re a fan of cozy mysteries that are equal parts hilarious and heartwarming — with a heroine you’ll want as your best friend — Vice and Virtue is an absolute must-read. Libby Klein just keeps getting better!

As a huge fan of Libby Klein, I was thrilled to discover the launch of a new series—and it did not disappoint. Layla Virtue, a blue-haired, thirty-something recovering alcoholic and former cop, is doing her best to reinvent herself as a musician. She's intelligent, witty, and incredibly relatable, making her an instantly engaging protagonist.

When Chuckles the Clown drops dead at a children's birthday party, Layla can’t help but put her detective hat back on—especially with her larger-than-life father, a former rock-and-roll superstar, showing up unannounced and complicating things even further.

This fast-paced mystery is full of twists and turns, humor, and heart. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment and can’t wait for the next installment!

#ViceandVirtue #NetGalley

A really interesting story with a unique main character. There is a good mystery/who dun it to the plot, and the character presence and growth was really good.

Absolutely stellar! Protagonist Layla Virtue is a recovering alcoholic and former cop, trying to reinvent herself as a musician while living under the radar at Lake Pinecrest Trailer Park. Staying under the radar happens to be difficult when a fellow performer, Chuckles the Clown, drops dead at a kids birthday party, and nearly impossible when your dad is a former rock-n-roll superstar who shows up unannounced.

This was a well-plotted mystery that left me guessing until the final page. I loved the characters so much!!! With humor and heart, Klein brings to life to life each of their stories in such an authentic and engaging way, readers can't help but root for them. The themes of friendship, addiction, PTSD, aging, and abandonment are all present, adding a depth to the story not often found in cozy mysteries. I highly recommend this book! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

First in new series by Libby Klein, I really enjoyed it and can’t wait for book 2! It was engaging, really well-written, and set in Potomac, Virginia. As most of my friends know I’m a fan girl of Libby’s books and I can see this series becoming another favourite.

Layla Virtue, a blue-haired, 30-something recovering alcoholic and former cop is trying to reinvent herself as a musician—between AA meetings, dodging eccentric neighbors at her trailer park, and reconnecting with her mysterious dad.

I loved the character of Layla with all her faults and insecurities plus her new friends and who can forget Ringo! The mystery had lots of twists and turns with plenty of suspects who wanted the victim dead. I didn’t suspect the killer at all!

I highly recommend this cozy mystery series to all my friends who love a cozy with a strong support system of friends in it.

I requested and received an Advanced Readers Copy from Kensington Books and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

It's been a long time since I didn't want to put my book down cause I wanted just a little more. When I finished this, I immediately wanted to pick up the next book which will probably be a year away.

I liked Layla and the entire cast of characters. Her dad adds humor and a bit of sadness.

The only mild irritation I had, probably because I liked the character so much, was how slowly her back story (and her dad's) is rolled out.

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

Wow! An outstanding mystery debut! The story is fast-paced with plenty of action. Author Libby Klein’s trademark humorous writing eases the way for the serious aspects of the plot including alcohol, PTSD, murder, fraud, and dementia.

I appreciated the flawed characters and their struggles. Many of them, with protagonist Layla Virtue first, and foremost, were fighting battles and staying fierce in their strength. There are many comical misunderstandings between the pages of “Vice & Virtue”, and I laughed quite often.

I fell in love with Layla’s Dad, a former headbanger! Her handsome neighbor and would-be beau, Nick, and his charming dog, Ringo, are awesome characters, also. The characters are who bring the heart to this excellent novel. Bravo, Ms. Klein! Readers, don’t miss this one.

I honestly read and reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Kensington Publishing. All opinions are my own.

I would recommend this book. I really enjoyed this book. It's first in the series so hopefully more books to come. Layla has a job at a children's birthday party and a murder happens. She ends up getting involved in solving the crime.

Vice and Virtue by Libby Klein is the start to a fun new mystery series. Layla Virtue is a recovering alcoholic ,and a a former cop who is trying to start over after a devastating on -the-job incident. Her chosen career path for starting over is being a rock musician. Layla is hampered by the people in her trailer park, the lame gigs she gets--including a child's birthday party-- and her former rocker dad who wants to reconnect. There is never a lull in the action and the characters are are great, even those we love to hate. The mystery portion is twisty.. I can't wait to read the next installment.
I would recommend this read to others who enjoy humor and snark in their heroines.

I was excited to receive an E-arc, (at my request), from #NetGalley #KensingtonPublishing.All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#ViceandVirtue #NetGalley #LibbyKlein

Through NetGalley, I received a free copy of VICE AND VIRTUE (Book 1 of the Layla Virtue mystery series) by Libby Klein in exchange for an honest review. Layla Virtue is a disgraced police officer and recovering alcoholic suffering from severe PTSD. She’s barely feeding herself through her backup career as a singer/musician. Her towering stack of late notices and echoingly empty bank balance wins out over Layla’s desire to retain her last scrap of dignity, so she takes a gig performing at a child’s birthday party. When her co-performing clown dies at the party, Layla gets thrown back into contact with her hostile ex-coworkers. Then, the shenanigans of other AA attendees draw Layla into investigating the death. Layla, used to being numb and self-isolated, is now being forcibly socialized through the efforts of those AA ladies and the sudden appearance and interference of her father. Woo! The stress is enough to drive a girl to drink. Can Layla and her sobriety survive all of the upheaval in her life.

I really, really liked this book. It was an excellent start to a new series. I recommend it to fans of Libby Klein and to fans of cozy murder mysteries featuring a disgraced hero struggling with deserving, much less earning, redemption, friendship, and love.

#ViceandVirtue #NetGalley

The humor, which is a trademark of Libby Klein, immediately grabbed my attention and I could not put this book down, quickly becoming a page-turner. It was a pleasure meeting the main protagonist, Layla Virtue who is vulnerable, flawed and emotionally stunted as she goes about relaunching herself as a musician. Along the way, a murder invades her space as well as her dad’s surprise visit, her neighbor, especially Nick, and a trio of unlikely sources who help in her journey to living. The author did a great job in telling this story with humor and sensibility, especially when it concerns her dad, who is a mystery to us readers. I enjoyed peeking at glimpses of Layla life and how it affected the choices she continues to make. One of the best parts of the book was Ringo who sensed that Layla needed him. Not to be remiss about the mystery, it was nicely executed with a small pool of suspects, and it was the little details uncovered with a few twists and turns that would point to the person responsible. This emotional rollercoaster of dysfunctional family, relationships, and friendship were blended so beautifully to create a delightfully engaging tale that was unputdownable until all was said and done, and yes, a tear or two were shed.

_Vice and Virtue_ by Libby Klein is a cozy mystery filled with humor and sympathetic characters. Layla Virtue is a rock musician and former cop looking for a new start in the Lake Pinecrest Trailer Park. But when a performance at a child’s birthday party turns deadly, Layla is drawn into solving the mystery. A fun read perfect for mystery fans.

VICE AND VIRTUE is the first book in the brand new Layla Virtue Mystery series by Libby Klein. From the very first sentence, the author’s trademark humor is on full display, but ratcheted up a notch or two compared to her cozy mystery series, which makes it a fun, fun, fun read! And the fact that the humor is sustained throughout the book is quite impressive. Protagonist Layla Virtue is a deeply flawed character… but one you want to cheer on and see life improve for her. Ms. Klein doles out Layla’s backstory judiciously, which made me even more invested in finding out what brought her to the trailer park she calls home and playing the Hokey Pokey on her electric guitar at a kid’s birthday party alongside Chuckles the Clown. That is until Chuckles is murdered at the party and Layla must get involved.

The author’s way of creating the characters and her strong humorous descriptive language to give them personality makes each individual quite memorable. I especially loved the inclusion of Layla’s rock-in-roll legend dad, after he turns up unexpectedly on her doorstep. Their relationship has its difficulties, but it feels genuine. I might have had to blink away a tear or two at times during a few sweet scenes, especially involving Layla’s next-door neighbor’s dog (who steals each scene he appears in). The strong emotional themes running throughout the story, like friendship, abandonment, addiction, family, and love, only added to the appeal of the book and made me even more invested in the characters.

The mystery of who killed Chuckles the Clown is top-notch and Layla knows a thing or two about investigating, whether or not she wants to. There are clues to follow and several twists and turns to keep it interesting. With plenty of suspects who might have wanted Chuckles dead (who knew a short, pudgy clown could attract so many female admirers which complicates things!) I was kept guessing to who the culprit was. A jilted lover? An angry spouse out for revenge? A disgruntled party host? Ms. Klein parades the suspects around until the final reveal.

This is one of those books impossible to put down where “just one more chapter” turns into hours of turning pages until you reach the very end. Buckle in, hang on tight, and enjoy this rollicking tale while jamming to 80s rock tunes blasting from the stereo!