Member Reviews
Poppy McAllister is delightful! 'Midnight Snacks are Murder' has surprising family revelations, a seemingly unsolvable romance triangle and the sparkling lesson that all is not always what it seems on the surface. All of this with some laugh out loud moments. I look forward to more!
Midnight Snacks are Murder by Libby Klein is the second installment in A Poppy McAllister Mystery series but can be read as a stand alone.
This is the first book in this series that I have read but had no trouble getting familiar with the characters and previous happening are clearly explained.
Poor Poppy is in the middle of chaotic whirpool, what with bed and breakfast opening its doors for a trial in few days, owen gone missing, unexpected renovations happening and then to top it all her ex mother-in-law shows up to get in the way and make Poppy's life even more stressful.
Since misfortune never comes alone, aunt Ginny is sleepwalking and then the murder happens. And aunt Ginny is accused of being the killer.
Oh, and lets not forget two gorgeous guys fighting, almost literally for her attention.
All I can say is I had so much fun reading it. It is highly enjoyable, the story is intelligent, with a clever plot. I adored some of the characters and some drove me up the wall, but in a good way.
I didn't guess the killer so that's the plus, the story flows naturally and is well paced.
Higly recommended and I am eagerly awaiting next book.
I had a lot of fun in reading the first instalment in this series and had a lot of fun in reading this one.
The cast of characters is lovely as usual, my favourite are the aunt and Figaro. The in-law from hell's really funny.
The mystery is solid, an interesting plot with no hole that keep you guessing till the end.
I hope that the love triangle will be solved because it could become boring in further instalments.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Kensington Books and Netgalley for this ARC
Midnight Snacks are Murder is the sophomore follow-up to Libby Klein’s first Poppy McAllister Mystery, Class Reunions are Murder. Poppy has decided to settle in New Jersey to help Aunt Ginny convert her Victorian home into a Bed & Breakfast. Amid the construction, a neighborhood vandal has cropped up. The thief is breaking into homes in the middle of the night and eating snacks found in the kitchens and then taking a memento from the homes. When it’s discovered that the snack and memento bandit is none other than Aunt Ginny, Poppy has to figure out how to get a handle on things.
The situation goes from bad to worse though, when a local counselor for troubled teens is found dead in the middle of the thief’s latest B & E. Poppy knows that the meds Aunt Ginny has just begun taking are making her a sleepwalker – NOT a killer. So, while planning the remodel, trying to get settled into the new area, dealing with her mother-in-law who is now on premises, and getting a new business started, Poppy has another murder to solve.
Book two is just as wonderful as book one. Midnight Snacks are Murder pulled me in and kept me engaged from the very beginning. The author put a lot of thought and research into this book concerning both Poppy’s life but the life of her Aunt Ginny. Poppy is a wonderful main character. She’s not perfect, not supermodel thin, yet has a personality that is awesome. She’s a very realistic character, kind of a pushover when it comes to her mother-in-law, and funny. This book is full of wit, snark, and humor. Poppy’s Aunt Ginny is a such a quirky character, too. I loved her antics.
The strong character development and world building continues in Midnight Snacks are Murder. The book is written with realism that I could feel. I love how the author continues to develop Poppy. She uprooted herself from where she lived with her husband and took on the caretaker role for Aunt Ginny – who is healthy and spry but needs a little bit of looking after. She changes her diet, meets a new flame and reunites with an old flame, and begins new business ventures. The author takes these themes and combines them into one fantastic book.
This book is fun and a must read for all cozy mystery enthusiasts.
Midnight Snacks are Murder is a quick witted and funny book, just like it's predecessor. I loved the first book in this series so much I was worried the second wouldn't live up to it, but it did! Poppy and her aunt are turning their large house into a B & B, and Poppy has to clear her sleepwalking Aunt Ginny of a murder she's accused of. I loved the characters--Poppy is so relatable--and liked the story as well.
Thank you to NetGalley for a review copy of this book! This was the perfect book to break me out of my reading slump.
This is book 2 of a series. I did not read the first book, but the story worked as a stand alone story.
Poppy McAllister is trying to start over in Cape May, New Jersey, by turning her aunt’s house into a bed and breakfast. Following a string of burglaries in the neighborhood, Poppy McAllister finds herself investigating a murder in order to clear her Aunt’s name.
I’m a big fan of cozy mysteries in general, and this was one of the better ones I have read. I loved that it was set in Cape May, I loved the main character, Poppy. She is very relatable. The story was great and it kept me guessing; I was not able to figure out the murderer until it was revealed at the end of the story. I appreciate the Paleo and Gluten free recipes and I can’t wait to try them.
I look forward to reading more from this series and author! I also think it’s a great read alike for fans of Joanne Fluke’s Hannah Swenson mystery series.
#NetGalley #Midnightsnacksaremurder
This review was posted on Goodreads before I realized there was a button for that.
Warning: Midnight Snacks are Murder may be best read when alone so that your family won’t try to have you committed when your cackling like a lunatic!
Midnight Snacks are Murder is the second installment in Libby Klein’s cozy A Poppy McAllister Mystery series. And having read both books in the series now I’d almost say this one got even funnier than the first so if I could give out more than the standard five stars believe me I would.
In this book Poppy and Aunt Ginny are dealing with all the work around the house as they are preparing to open up their new B&B. But when Aunt Ginny has a bit of an episode Poppy rushes her to the doctor where she’s given a couple of prescriptions that have some rather disturbing consequences.
After a few break ins around the neighborhood and the police getting involved Poppy finds that the real culprit is right under her own roof, Aunt Ginny. Every night since taking her new medication Aunt Ginny has been sleepwalking and eating any snacks she can find in her own home and the neighbors. But after turning herself in and adjusting her meds a new break in occurs that looks just like a case of the “snack bandit” with one exception, a dead body, so now Poppy must find the real killer before her aunt ends up behind bars.
If anyone is a fan of a quirky and fun cozy that is full of laughs then this series is the one you want to pick up. Poppy is a forty something character who has quite the humorous streak herself but get her eccentric aunt around and the laughs just do not stop. Poppy’s also a cat owner and anyone who has ever owned a cat will get a kick out of Figaro’s antics too. All of the characters in here are well done really and I just can’t help but smile from start to finish with this series and through all the light hearted fun there is also a decent mystery to solve too. If it’s not already obvious then yes, I definitely recommend the entire series.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
This is the second book in the series and I couldn't put it down.
Poppy is such a fun character and Aunt Ginny is full of spunk.
Aunt Ginny has gotten herself into a bit of hot water and naturally Poppy needs to help.
The antics in this book will leave you laughing and the mystery will keep you guessing.
This is quickly becoming my favorite series.
I volunteered to read and review a copy of this book provided by the publisher and NetGalley.
Midnight Snacks are Murder is the second 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 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 potential suspects in this well-crafted cozy mystery. I wasn’t able to identify the killer and the reveal surprised me.
Poppy McAllister recently moved back to Cape May, New Jersey, where she and her cat, Figaro, live with her eccentric aunt, Ginny Frankowski, who is in need of supervision. Aunt Ginny’s home is being renovating and they plan to open Butterfly House Bed & Breakfast. Poppy is plus sized, insecure, and recently widowed. Her husband, John, passed away nine months ago and his mother, Georgina, who is domineering, demanding, and critical, is visiting Poppy, and sabotaging the B&B’s opening. Their neighborhood is experiencing a strange crime spree, where sugary treats and knickknacks are disappearing while the owners are sleeping. A sleepwalking Aunt Ginny, who is identified as the culprit, soon finds herself as Officer Amber Fenton’s prime suspect in the murder of Brody Brandt. Amber arrests Aunt Ginny, but rather than keeping the elderly woman in jail, she’s placed under house arrest with an ankle bracelet. Aunt Ginny is a free spirit and is constantly going outside the bracelet’s range. Poppy is determined to prove Aunt Ginny is innocent and identify the murderer. Two men are vying for Poppy’s attention: Tim, her high school sweetheart and ex-fiancé, and Gia, a sexy Italian coffee shop owner/barista who she bakes gluten-free desserts for.
Between Georgina, Smitty, the incompetent general contractor, Aunt Ginny's antics, and Poppy’s thoughts, I found myself laughing my way through most of the book.
I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.
Libby Klein is a genius!! I'm not kidding. I've read one of the two books she has written and she's already on my must-read list. Reading her book was the highlight of my week!! Not only did she write a main character that was totally relatable and believable, she surrounded her with a wonderful combination of supportive characters. I found myself reading parts of it out loud to whomever was around me and they were as amused as I was. Not only that but it is so refreshing to have such a perfectly imperfect heroine as we find in Poppy. We get a new to the dating world grown up woman with a previous 20 years of marriage under her belt. At the end, there are gluten free and paleo friendly recipes that actually look good. The characters are described so well, I could easily cast them in my head (which is great because this totally needs to become a tv series). I cannot think of a single way this book could be improved upon. I read it in one sitting. I could not put it down no matter what.
Thank you so much to Kensington Books, NetGalley, and Libby Klein for the opportunity to read this incredible story and share my honest opinions with others.
I adore this series! In fact, it's one of my top 5 favorite cozy mystery series! Anyone who reads the genre need it!
** Full review to come closer to release **
I did like this story, but I thought there was too much emphasis on Poppy's weight and her aging grandmother (it was like being hit over the head with these two aspects). The mystery was good and I didn't see it going in the direction that it did. The plot moved along at a good pace and the chapters are short. I will read the next one, but I hope that the underlining stories take a better turn.
This is the follow-up book to, Class Reunions Are Murder. It is the second book in the Poppy McAllister Mystery series. Poppy is back in Cape May, NJ after the death of her husband and is busily renovating her Aunt Ginny’s home into a B&B. Poppy’s former mother-in-law arrives to “help out” with renovation ideas, driving everyone a little bit crazy. Poor Aunt Ginny becomes a sleepwalker after being prescribed medication to manage her anxiety during the mayhem. Soon, small items are being taken all over the neighborhood and Aunt Ginny’s sleepwalking is to blame! Before they know it, Aunt Ginny’s sleepwalking implicates her in a murder as well. Midnight Snacks Are Murder is a light, fun and upbeat cozy mystery.
This is the second book in this series and it is even better than the first!
The mystery was 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 continuation 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.
Lots of great reviews here, but I can only go with ok. The humorous aspects fell flat for me. Aunt Ginny's antics were just foolish given her situation. Poppy's poor handling of her mother in law (and several other characters) irritated me and I'm also not a fan of love triangles in mysteries. I had not read the first book which may have helped develop a bond between myself and the characters so I would read the goings on here with more affection than skepticism.
On the plus side, Poppy is an active investigator and the mystery kept you guessing.
I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
This series is fabulous and fun. Poppy is a terrific protagonist. While trying to get their B&B up and running, the neighborhood is being upended by the snack bandit. When it turns out that Aunt Ginny is the sleepwalking culprit, it looks as if life will go back to normal. Until AG is arrested for murder! Great food, characters, and a wonderful story.
I hadn't realised that this took place in Cape May. My family always went to Atlantic City for the summer. Love the characters and they made me laugh. I've bought the first book and am half way through it but this one is so much better. It makes me homesick reading this. I highly recommend this, even though I am a Jersey Girl.
This is an honest review of a book given to me from the publisher.
LOVE LOVE LOVE Poppy McAllister. What a refreshing, vibrant, REAL character that any woman can relate to. Not to mention that the recipes at the back of the book are the yummiest. The story line is progressing nicely and I am not sure which of her two suitors would be my first pick so I will stay team Poppy instead of picking either Gia or Tim. So many different threads in this installment and it kept right on rolling from one suspect to the next. I had no idea until the end which is exactly how a proper cozy should be, a little intrigue, a little humor, and a little romance. Cannot wait for Restaurant Weeks Are Murder to hit NetGalley!
After enjoying the first book of the series, I was excited to read this one. Loveable characters, and a fun story line that kept me entertained.
Poppy McAllister is back, and this time it's her Aunt Ginny who needs her super sleuthing. Poppy is busy transforming her aunt's old Cape May Victorian into a bed and breakfast, and dealing both with the world's worst contractor and a visit from her ex-mother-in-law. Then a strange crime spree breaks out on the block, where the only victims are sugary snacks and kitschy knickknacks. When those break ins are connected with a murder, sleepwalking Aunt Ginny finds herself the target of a murder investigation, head up by a cop who has had it out for Poppy since high school.
This book, like the first in the series, was super fun and a pleasure to read. I did struggle a bit with how willing everyone is to spill their guts to Poppy. She's not a cop, so why is everyone answering her questions? Cape May is still part of Jersey, right? I'm surprised no one has punched her.
Then there's the love triangle. It was the worst part of the first book and it's been dialed up to a million for the sequel. Look, I'm rooting for the hot, sweet Italian. I mean, who isn't? But he's coming on so strong it's *ridiculous.* In the course of the book, he bought her a custom mixer and had an oven installed in his coffee shop just for her. Sorry, but if a guy I've known for a month and am not officially dating does that for me, I'm wondering about the dead bodies he's hiding in the basement because no one is that perfect.
Will I keep reading? Yes. It's still an entertaining series that's well written and with great, complex characters (minus the saintly and hunky Italian). It's by far the best cozy mystery series I've read in a long time. I'm just hoping to see the love triangle resolved sooner rather than later.