This was a fun new book, the first in a new series. The protagonist, Poppy McAllister, recently lost her husband and went on a downward slide. When she get an invitation to a high school class reunion, she gets herself together and goes back to the where she was raised by her aunt in Cape May, NJ. When she arrives, she finds that her Aunt Ginny is being pressured to go into a nursing home by social services. Her old group of friends gets together for the reunion, and they go and confront the mean girl cheerleaders of their past. When Poppy finds one of them dead by her old locker, she's immediately suspected by the police and has to investigate the murder to clear her name. At the same time, she has to save Aunt Ginny from the nursing home and resolve her feelings for her old fiancee.
The main character, Poppy, starts out sad but by the end of the book goes on the Paleo diet and is trying to turn her life around. The writing is funny and the characters are enjoyable and fun to read about.

I enjoyed this book and can recommend it. Thanks to Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

This is a great book with a wonderful story and well developed characters. The story flowed very well and was very enjoyable. This book will keep you reading long into the night and you will not want to put this book down until you finish. This was such a great read and full of surprises. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader’s copy of this book. The free book held no determination on my personal review.

Life isn’t going well for Poppy McAllister. She’s only in her 40’s and already a widow. The only one she talks to is her cat. When she receives an invitation to her twenty-five year class reunion, she has no intentions on attending, but her best friend convinces her that it would be fun. Although Poppy has her doubts, her friend wears her down and she agrees to return to her hometown of Cape May, New Jersey.

Unfortunately, there are old enemies who haven’t changed at all in 25 years. The nasiest of all is Barbie. Barbie used to be a popular cheerleader and really awful to Poppy and her circle of friends. It turns out that Barbie hasn’t changed at all. The same could be said for Barbie’s group of friends. The class reunion turns out to be more than unpleasant especially when Barbie is found dead in front of Poppy’s old locker. Naturally all eyes turn towards Poppy as the prime suspect. It’s up to her to prove her innocence since the cops are doing nothing except blaming Poppy as well.

This book had the feel of chick lit meets cozy mystery. It’s funny, heartwarming, romantic and mysterious. All blended together in one exciting story. A fast-paced book bringing the heroine to the past, which wasn’t a happy time for her. Combine that with her not so happy present, is much more than any one person should have to handle, but Poppy is stronger than she thinks.

A 25 year old class reunion? Yeah, I’m feeling like Poppy - I wouldn’t want to go. The mean girls, weight gain…her feelings of inadequacy are all realistic. The author nailed this portrayal to perfection. She has created a loveable, unique and realistic heroine. She’s a character many readers can identify with. The added touch of humor made it an enjoyable, clever and intriguing story.

I’m adding the next book in the series to my wishlist. I want to re-visit Poppy now!




FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I completely understand the desire to not attend a class reunion. And when you add in the fact that Poppy McAllister has been widowed a mere six months, it's no wonder it takes a lot of smooth talking from her best friend Sawyer to get her to head back to Jersey. In addition to reunion mail, Poppy has also received a personal invite from former nemesis and head cheerleader Barbie, curiosity will win out for Poppy and her friends. Poppy's quirky Aunt Ginny still owns the family home, and Poppy's interactions with her and the side story about Aunt Ginny made for some of the more humorous points in the book. The reunion is marred by the death of Barbie. Naturally, Poppy finds her in front of her old locker. There are lots of suspects--a lot of people came back for the 25th! Plenty of red herrings made this a puzzling read up until near the end. I look forward to more about Poppy, she is a good, mature character that seems very approachable and like someone you would know in real life.

Poppy McAllister is still grieving the loss of her husband. She is still dealing with her mother in law who didn't want Poppy in the family to begin with. When she gets an invite to her high school reunion she swears to her friends she will not be returning. She is a plus size woman who had her fair share of run ins with the mean girls in high school. She has absolutely no urge to revisit that again.

After another run in with her mother in law Poppy decides to go to her reunion, see her friends and visit her elderly Aunt whom she hasn't seen in a while. While there she runs into her ex, discovers her Aunt not be all there upstairs and finds herself as the main suspect in a murder investigation.

This is the first book in the Poppy McAllister series. The characters are wonderful and well written. I love that the main character is plus sized and smart. I can't wait to see what adventures Poppy has ahead of her!

This, the first book in the Poppy McAllister series, was a five star read for me. Maybe even 6. I loved Poppy’s continual inner monologue. I loved the way I could actually relate to her. I loved the way she learned to believe in herself. I loved Fig! It was refreshing to have a cat in a cozy series who was so completely self-absorbed and cat-like.

A well-thought out mystery to top it all off kept me engrossed enough to finish this book in a single sitting. If you enjoy a clever, humorous mystery with a loveable protagonist that you just want good things to happen to, go get yourself a copy of Class Reunions Are Murder. You will not be disappointed.

To say that Class Reunions Are Murder is a great cozy mystery really doesn’t do it justice, for this story is refreshingly different and stands out in its genre. All the key traditional elements – humor, small-town setting, amateur protagonist, ensemble cast, murder investigation – are beautifully blended into something special with the creative genius hand of author Libby Klein.

Best of all is the lead character, Poppy McAllister, who captured my heart immediately and lives on in my mind. Grieving over the death of her husband six months earlier and dealing with a controlling mother-in-law at the same time, Poppy’s coping mechanism was unhealthy food and mindless TV, resulting in an obvious weigh gain – and then comes the unthinkable class reunion invitation, bring back a flood of unpleasant memories. Especially in the beginning pages, I loved how elements of women’s fiction are used to cement the characters and backstory.

Another strong suit of this story is the delightful humor throughout. I’d love to meet the author, for she must be a hoot. I constantly had a smile on my face as I read, often laughing out loud. Poppy’s Aunt Ginny is precious, an eccentric older lady trying to prevent social services from taking control of her life. And then there’s Poppy’s cat, Figaro, one of the funniest fictional kitties I’ve ever seen.

New Jersey’s Cape May setting is vividly conveyed, a place I’d love to visit. If I were writing this story, the murder victim is someone I’d definitely want to kill off. Suspects are plenty and guilt was not obvious to me. Also impressive to me is the depth of character development throughout, more than is usually found in this type of novel.

Class Reunions Are Murder is a wonderful beginning to what I hope becomes a long series. Highly recommended.

I was provided a copy of this book through Great Escapes Tours. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Class Reunions are Murder by Libby Klein is the first installment in A Poppy McAllister Mystery series. Poppy McAllister is a widow of six months. Since her husband passed away, she has stayed cooped up in her home watching cooking shows, overindulging in sweets, talking to her cat (Sir Figaro Newton) and avoiding her overbearing mother-in-law, Georgina. She receives an invitation for her twenty-fifth high school reunion along with a strange note from her high school nemesis, Barbie Pomeroy Clark. The last thing Poppy wishes to do is attend, but her friend Sawyer insists she attend (responds to the invitation for her). It does give Poppy a chance to visit her unique Aunt Ginny and see how she is faring. After purchasing a new (hideous) dress that fits, Poppy is off to the reunion. Barbie has not changed one iota since high school (mean, nasty, bully). Poppy’s friend, Sawyer gets into an altercation with Barbie. When Poppy goes to check on Sawyer, she finds Barbie dead in front of her old locker. Amber, another high school nemesis, is now a police officer and arrests Poppy of the crime. Poppy is soon released (thanks to old high school boyfriend) and she sets out to prove her innocence. The suspects list is quite long since Barbie made enemies on a daily basis. Poppy must also help her Aunt Ginny deal with an aggressive social services worker and cope with her new diet/exercise regimen prescribed by the holistic doctor (to help with her depression). Poppy needs to locate the murderer before she ends up celebrating her 30th reunion behind bars.

Class Reunions are Murder is a debut novel from Libby Klein. The book opens with middle aged Poppy McAllister a hot mess. She is grieving the loss of her husband (understandable) and dealing with a difficult mother-in-law (who objects to Poppy spending any of her inheritance). Poppy has been eating donuts, fudge, cookies, brownies and other sweet (unhealthy but delicious) treats for the last six months (gained 60 pounds). She spends her days in workout/yoga clothes that are ill fitting and stained while watching cooking shows (and talking to Figaro). The last thing she wants to do is return to Cape May, New Jersey for her high school reunion (I do not blame her). Circumstances (and a conversation with an inmate while she was in the local jail) in Cape May force Poppy out of her funk. There is a murder (she is being railroaded by an angry police officer), a social services worker is trying to force Aunt Ginny into an assisted living facility, a holistic doctor puts her on the Paleo diet and suggests Poppy try yoga, and none of her clothes fit her. Aunt Ginny is a lively, eccentric and lonely woman. I believe she has missed having family nearby and that is why her home has been neglected. There are two love interests for Poppy (which I found odd since she is still grieving her husband). The handsome barista, Giampaolo and her old high school boyfriend, Tim. The mystery was interesting with several suspects (her high school class had a number of mean girls). The clues are sprinkled throughout the book to aid readers in identifying the culprit. Poppy does not take to sleuthing right off, but gets better as the story progresses. She is fortunate to have help from her friends and Aunt Ginny. I believe many readers can relate to high school drama with the bullying mean girls, the jocks and good friends. I like the point the author made about perception. Every story has two sides with each person having a different perspective. The various storylines were nicely wrapped up at the end of the book. I did find a repetition of information (a common problem lately in cozy mysteries), and I felt the book was a too long (407 pages). A little editing would have enhanced the story. Class Reunions are Murder is a light, humorous cozy mystery that will have readers chuckling through the whole book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book!

Dammit, this book has so many things I hate, and yet I ended up loving it anyway! For starters, as a plus sized woman myself, it's really depressing when you read a character that not only hasn't accepted their weight, but envies thinner women around them...it wasn't shaming exactly, but Poppy is so lost in the mire of her own self that she fails to see anything else. The good news is that by the end of the book, she really IS trying, and has realized some parts of her life need to change for her own sanity and happiness. She also appears to making friends and not judging so much, so at least there is growth?

The other thing that I normally hate but had to deal with here is; the death that is meant to be investigated in cozy mystery came waaaay too late in the narrative. 28% in on my Kindle, and for a cozy to spend over a quarter of the book without the mystery was a little disappointing. I get that we had to set Poppy and her friends up, give background etc, but it was a long tedious journey.

So I had two massive problems and I STILL rated it five stars? Because I couldn't bloody help it. Despite everything, I related so well to Poppy, I loved reading about her gluten allergy and her two possible romances, I adored Aunt Ginny and Figaro, her friends are awesome, and when we finally did get the mystery it was a good one with multiple suspects. All of the things I hated to begin with ended up with resolution, which I guess proves you can never be sure if you DNF a book early on.

This is only the beginning of Poppy's story, and I look forward to seeing more from this series.

Amazing start to a brand new series. Meet Poppy as she goes through a life crisis following the death of her husband. Dealing with weight issues and depression her best friend pressures her into going to her high school reunion pretty much against her will. Dealing with lots of stuff before hand she makes it only to find the head bully dead and she is the prime suspect. What follows is one stumbling investigation as Poppy tries to clear her name while attempting to put her life back together. The addition of an eclectic aunt and one of the funniest cats ever creates one incredible cozy that I was unable to put down I was laughing so hard. It was absolutely wonderful and I consider it a must read for fans of the genre. I loved every minute so it gets 5/5 stars.

Libby Klein's Class Reunions are Murder is the first book in the Poppy McAllister Mystery series. Poppy heads back to her 25th class reunion with her life having taking a very different path than she intended. She uses the reunion as a chance to catch up with her aunt, Ginny. Poppy receives an odd invitation from the high school bully, Barbie, who made her high school years miserable. When Barbie ends up dead, Poppy is the top suspect. Poppy is an unusual cozy mystery heroine, but I mean that in the best way. Even though everything is going wrong, Poppy sets out to improve her life. The book had a nice sub-plot that leads well into the start for a second book. I am looking forward to more of Poppy and Ginny in book two of this series!

Dollycas’s Thoughts

This was a fresh, fun, and very entertaining read!

Poppy McAllister has been dealing with the grief of her husband’s death. She hardly leaves her house and is in no hurry do so. She and her cat are just fine. Then she receives an invite to her class reunion including a letter from Barbie, one of the popular crowd of which Poppy was never ever part of. She has no desire to attend but her best friend begs her to come.

“Friday afternoon dawned bright and early and my alarm clock let out a loud meow, letting me know I had overslept and his belly was a quart low.”

Poppy really does need to visit her Aunt Ginny so she packs herself and her cat Figaro “Fig” in the car and heads to Cape May. What could go wrong? She arrives at the reunion and Barbie is in rare form, insulting almost everyone she sees. When Poppy finds her dead body and right in front of her old locker she is found guilty by her peers even before the investigation even begins. She can’t leave town, plus she has to help her aunt out of a huge mess, so she might as well work to find the real killer.

I loved this book! Poppy is a great protagonist. I identified with her on so many levels. Her Aunt Ginny is a spitfire too, so I know where Poppy gets it. Both women are dealing with personal crisis’ in addition to trying to catch a killer. I have also fallen hard for Fig. They all cracked me up several times.

The plot really has two mysteries, Barbie’s murder and Aunt Ginny’s fight to remain in her home. They flow nicely side by side and together. The murder has so many suspects, almost anyone at the reunion could have put the cheerleader out of their misery. 🙂 Ginny’s problem is puzzling because someone has decided she is unable to care for herself and Poppy, a murder suspect, is not viewed as a good guardian. Both mysteries are complex, I had a hint as to what was happening to Ginny because something similar happened to someone I know. Barbie’s murder was a doozy to solve and I was completely surprised when the killer was revealed.

I also enjoyed the fact that a high school boyfriend was still sweet on Poppy and a handsome barista was interested in her too. I am looking forward to seeing which of these romances Poppy pursues in the future.

Everything about this book appealed to me. I love it when stories make me laugh out loud and the characters seem like people I would want to be friends with. Ms. Klein has written a superb story and scores my first Paradise Rating, (deserves more than 5 stars) of 2018.

Midnight Snacks Are Murder comes out July 31 and I already have it scheduled on my reading calendar!

What a delightful breath of fresh air this book was! I find that the writing in cozy mysteries can sometimes be lazy, or poorly edited, or just downright boring. But that is not at all the case in this book. The main character, Poppy, has a well-developed personality and a fully-described backstory. The supporting characters, from Poppy's eccentric Aunt Ginny to the handsome (male) barista, Gia, are all wonderfully colorful and easy to keep track of even though there are a lot of them.

The mystery does take a while to get going (as I recall, the dead body doesn't appear until the end of chapter 9), but the details of Poppy's life and the people in it, not to mention all the nostalgic details of high school in the 1980s that come up during the reunion, make the exposition just as fun to read as the rest of the book. The logistics of the murder itself are also totally believable, and I was left guessing who the killer could be right up until the very end.

This is also the first cozy I've read (in the 18 months that I've been reading them regularly) that made me laugh out loud. There are a lot of funny lines in the book, and a good amount of self-deprecating humor. I could have done without all the references to the paleo diet, and, as I always do in books that include them, I skipped over the recipes. (Thankfully, though, they are at the end of the book and not at the start of each chapter - that's always a plus!) Otherwise, though, reading this book was great fun and I am excited for the next volume of the series!

Class Reunions are Murder

by Libby Klein

Welcome to a new series by Libby Klein that starts out with a great cozy mystery Class Reunions are Murder. As we meet the very likable Poppy McAllister, she is eating her way through grief and talking to her quirky, ever-present cat Figaro. Her life changes when she is convinced by her best friend Sawyer to join her in attending their high school reunion; she decides to combine that trip with a long overdue visit with her Aunt Ginny.

Klein does a good job of writing humorous dialogue that includes what Poppy is thinking as well as saying. Poppy is accused of a crime and needs to prove herself innocent while dealing with the deteriorating state of the home she was raised in and possibly of her Aunt Ginny. Although a cozy mystery, the book also deals with serious themes of bullying, aging, and second chances in life. I’m looking forward to reading about the next phase of Poppy’s life.

I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Kensington Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 5/5

Category: Mystery

Notes: Paleo recipes are included at the back of the book.

Publication: January 30, 2018—Kensington Books

Memorable Lines:

I was praying either for a house to fall on Georgina or the Rapture to take place. God’s choice.

I hoped Aunt Ginny didn’t organize another fashion intervention for me. Aunt Ginny means well, but she has all the subtlety of a marching band in a cemetery.

“And I figured I’m getting old so I may as well make the most of the time I have left. So I decided convention be darned. I’m gonna dress however I please and I’m gonna do what I want when I want. At my age I’ve earned the right to do it…”

This is my first book by Libby Klein. I really enjoyed the storyline and meeting all of the eccentric characters in this story. I especially loved Poppy who seemed so genuine in her style, thoughts and life. She was an easy relatable character. Aunt Ginny brings a breath of fresh air to the story with her carefree outlook on life. We meet Sir Figaro who gives us a laugh as a playful cat with his own sense of humor. If you are looking for a light, fast paced, fun cozy style mystery then look no further. I do believe that many people view class reunions in the same sense as Poppy. They just don't want to admit it. I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. The thoughts and review are strictly my own. I look forward to the next book.

Class Reunions are Murder by Libby Klein is the 1st book in A Poppy McAllister Mystery series, and my first book by this author. Poppy McAllister is depressed about losing her husband six months earlier, gaining weight, and her life in general. Poppy ends up going back to Cape May for her 25th class reunion after being pressured by her best friend. At the reunion the head mean girl from high school is found dead in front of her old locker, and Poppy and her friends become suspects. I really love this book, and can't wait to continue Poppy's adventures in the next book. Not only is this book laugh out loud funny, it has a great mystery also. There are twists and turns around every corner. I found this book to be a quick read, with a well developed plot and characters. If you love fun cozy mysteries, I strongly recommend this book.

I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Poppy McAllister revisits her high school with her best friend, Sawyer, to attend their 25th reunion. A recent widow, Poppy didn’t want to attend the reunion as she had gained weight since graduation. Her best friend practically drags her to the event where Poppy finds the dead body of another classmate. As if that’s not bad enough, she becomes the prime suspect. In the meantime, a social worker is trying to place her Aunt into an assisted living, but Poppy just moved in with her. This humorous, fast moving, drama has Poppy trying to solve a murder to save her own bacon as well as her Aunt’s. I especially loved the scene about Senior Citizens dancing a Salsa. Thank you to Net Galley for an advance reader copy.

Class Reunions Are Murder is the first book in the A Poppy McAllister Mystery series.

When Poppy gets an invitation to her 25th class reunion she has no desire to attend and have to see Poppy and Amber, the high school bullies. Poppy has recently lost her husband, John, and is grieving his loss and facing depressions as the pounds keep increasing. She also wants to avoid seeing Tim, who she was engaged to high school and they went their separate ways and she ended up pregnant and married John. But her BFF from their high school days, Sawyer, finally convinces her to come.

When she arrives in Cape May, NJ at her Aunt Ginny’s house, she is shocked to see the house and yard in a state of disrepair. Poppy soon learns that Social Services is trying to get Aunt Ginny in a senior citizen. Community.

Aunt Ginny sets Poppy up with a holistic doctor that is able to get her to think more of herself and how much better it will be when she starts to think positive about herself.

On the evening of reunion, it quickly becomes apparent that Barbie has not changed and was insulting everyone there. Evidently, someone had had enough of her cutting remarks, cause when Poppy went to look for Sawyer after she had an altercation with Barbie, Poppy finds Barbie lying in front of Poppy’s old locker, dead. The first person to arrive after Poppy had screamed was none other than Amber, who is now a police officer and Poppy has bypassed person of interest and went straight to prime suspect and is sure she will be railroaded straight to the “big house”. With the help of Sawyer and her Aunt Ginny, they begin there own investigation into who the killer might be and soon find that there is no shortage of suspects.

This is a good start to an interesting new series, with a well-told story and an interesting cast of characters. I felt that Poppy spent a little too much time talking to her cat, Figaro, and answering for him, but, I guess, it also helped to develop her character in this first book.

There’s also a delicious recipe also included in the book.

After the life with her husband ends, Poppy is so upset, all she does is cuddle with her cat Figaro. While sulking even six months later; Poppy receives an invitation. The late 1980's are calling, and there is a special reason for Poppy to go back to Cape May New Jersey. When I picture Cape May I picture more of the beach like front so it was a good little Segway into how life could really be there. Poppy has to stay with her Aunt Ginny. There was no other option. The Social Worker woman was a great "Twist" at the very end of the book. Aunt Ginny is just a normal older lady and I liked her. The character of Barbie-Well where is Ken? I just knew she would be the one to get whacked. She was horrible. The real question of whether a cop (Amber) Can actually commit murder was on my brain the whole time. I enjoyed the details about the type of characters there were from a man wearing a diaper, to a "Beauty nail tech". I am happy Poppy could connect with Tim, and I think I like him. Though Gia is attractive, I think Poppy needs to give Tim another try. The pacing of the book was quick. The writing was doing well. I did think this book was an easy read. Very light which was good. I give it four solid stars because It needed a little more depth to be considered a "Novel" but it's a great story no matter what.

This book is great all around! This story is why I love cozy mysteries! Poppy is laugh out loud funny! Kudos to Ms Klein, this series is off to a fantastic start! Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read. I’ll be recommending this series to all. This is a great intro to new readers of cozy mysteries!