Member Reviews
There are series that you can immerse yourself in. You feel as though you are right in the middle going on an adventure with the characters. This is that series! Poppy and Aunt Ginny are always up to something. I laughed, was shocked and didn’t want the story to end. One of my very favorite series!
Poppy helps Amber clear her name all while dealing with Gias wife.
#BeautyExposAreMurder #NetGalley
Book 6 of series can be stand alone read. I have only read 1 other in the series and I was able to follow along.
Poppy is a gluten free baker that somehow finds herself involved in finding murder victims.
Seems to be a good series. While I can follow along I want to go back and read previous books
This book starts out frantic, like drops you in the middle of things and doesn't stop. I found it to be rushed feeling. I did enjoy the ending of the book. I grew to like the characters. #BeautyExposAreMurder #NetGalley
Beauty Expos Are Murder is the sixth installment in the A Poppy McAllister Mystery series set in Cape May, NJ and featuring paleo baker, Poppy McAllister. This book picks right up where #5 ended, and I highly recommend if you haven't read Wine Tastings are Murder you might want to do that first - but, this one can read as a standalone if you chose.
Poppy has made her decision regarding the men in her life and she was looking forward to operating a muffin/paleo booth at the Beauty Expo alongside Gia, owner of La Dolce Vita - that is until a mysterious woman from Gia's past arrives on scene and completely ruins everything. Things only get worse when the plastic surgeon headlining the expo is found dead.
A great addition to the series with so many things happening - Poppy's relationship woes, the death at the Beauty Expo, Poppy's best friend Sawyer is acting very peculiar and obviously hiding something, someone keeps shooting holes in the huge inflatable rabbit that Aunt Ginny has put on the front lawn to celebrate Easter, the Mob may (or may not) be involved, Poppy's cat Figaro has fallen in love, there is something off with the people staying at the B&B, and Poppy has been roped into helping her high school nemesis turned police officer Amber get out of trouble as she's suspected of killing one of her informants. Phew....
You won't want to miss the latest adventures with Poppy and her friends.
I received an advanced copy of Beauty Expos Are Murder from NetGalley via Kensington Publishing. While not required to write a review I am happy to offer my honest opinion.
There seems to be a lot going on in this book. Poppy has her hands full with helping Amber, with a murder at a beauty expo and with Gia's wife. I do think the characters are normally used well, in this book, some of them are a bit nasty. This kind of becomes overblown at times. I did feel that the resolution had way too many coincidences to be believable. But overall it was an entertaining book and kept my attention.
Through NetGalley, I received a free copy of BEAUTY EXPOS ARE MURDER (Book 6 of the Poppy McAllister Mysteries) by Libby Klein in exchange for an honest review. Poppy McAllister made a decision about her romantic life, but, as her frenemy Amber would say, it turned around and bit her on the backside. So, romantic drama has been amplified instead of simplified. Poppy can’t let her romantic woes defeat her; instead, life must go on, and she must fulfill her commitment to sell her Paleo treats at a beauty expo being held in Cape May’s convention center. Trouble at the beauty expo starts with a protest, a rash of thefts, an unexpected competitor, and vandalism. The trouble eventually escalates into, but doesn’t end with, murder. Just in case Poppy had a little free time, Officer Amber has been framed for another murder and expects Poppy to exonerate her. Oh, and, Poppy, don’t forget to manage your new business venture at the B&B and all of the mischief caused by Aunt Ginny and the biddies.
I liked this book and enjoy the series. I recommend it to fans of cozy mysteries featuring murder, theft, vandalism, plastic surgery, beauty products, holidays, food, food restrictions, and humor.
#BeautyExposAreMurder #NetGalley
Poppy McAllister finally made a choice between the two men vying for her affection. Once she made her choice one man turns his back on her and she fInds the other has secrets that could end it all. She still has to work with Gia, and Tim also manages to be front and center at a beauty expo they both have booths at.
Poppy’s hands are full but when a popular plastic surgeon is murdered at the expo and she finds the body, add sleuthing to the mix and she will be lucky to find time to even feed the cat. Seeing all the ugliness behind the scenes of the beauty industry Poppy has to find a killer that knows how to change the way things appear.
Love Cape May and Aunt Ginny. Who wouldn’t love living at the shore year round and baking for a living. Poppy and Figaro are the luckiest two in the B&B and make for a very Cozy read.
Set in Cape May, South Jersey Poppy works as a pastry chef in a restaurant called Maxine’s owned by her high school friend Tim. She’d just recently learned that Gia, a guy she was seeing was married.
Though according to him the marriage was only on paper because his estranged wife Alexandra abandoned her family and ran off with a man two weeks after their son Henry was born.
Four years later she’s back and wants Gia to give her another chance. But where does that leave Poppy? She’s at crossroads because she can’t decide if she wants to fight for Gia or just walk. The latter option might be difficult seeing as Gia’s son Henry has taken to her.
Meanwhile, a spring event is around the corner. The Health and Beauty Expo would be held in Cape May’s Convention Hall. Booths would be set up for locals to showcase their products such as juices, vitamins, etc. Poppy would be selling her paleo muffins and keto cookies as well.
One of the guests that would attend is a famous doctor named Dr. Lance Rubin who would reveal his anti-aging technology at the event.
During the event, Dr. Lance Rubin is found dead in a tent under his UV mask on one of his exam tables. Who killed him and why?
Recipes included are Poppy’s Chicken Salad, Gluten-Free Hot Cross Buns, Gluten-Free Chocolate Loaf, Cherry Mascarpone Filling, Gluten-Free Cream Tea Scones, and Joanne’s Extreme Vanilla and Raspberry Rose Petits Fours.
An interesting mystery. Would recommend.
Thank you to Libby Klein, NetGalley, and Kensington for the ARC of this book.
This is the first book I've read in the series but it was fun and I'm looking forward to reading the previous ones.
Poppy has a complicated work and home life but still finds time to investigate two murders when her frenemy Amber is under suspicion. There are plenty of suspects, fun characters and red herrings to keep you guessing. I look forward to the next one.
I have read all the books in the Poppy McAllister series and this one is by far my favorite. I was so excited to get the ARC I abandoned my TBR pile and had to read it right away. I was not disappointed.
This book follows up from the last one, Wine Tastings are Murder, so if you missed that one there was quite the cliffhanger and I recommend reading that one first (or all of them, in order, you won't be disappointed!). I don't want to give too much of the plot away due to spoilers but suffice it to say Poppy's love life is again in turmoil and now she has to get through a beauty expo where Aunt Ginny discovers THC gummies, a prominent plastic surgeon dies and Poppy's nemesis, police office Amber Fenton, is being framed for murder. Poppy is pulled in multiple directions to solve these crimes and sort out her feelings.
As I said, this one is definitely the best in the series. I laughed multiple times. Libby Klein has a gift for descriptions, I especially loved the one about Amber Fenton's beater car, which I read out loud to my roommate because it was so clever. Poppy is a spunky heroine who has a talent for baking and an equal talent for snark, which makes me love her all the more. I adore this series and it will be one of the few I read over and over. I do hope there will be many more in the Poppy series. I am very excited to get the next one.
Beauty Expos Are Murder
Libby Klein
Poppy McCallister is in love, and just as she’s ready to tell her love how she feels, she discovers a secret he’s been hiding.
This isn’t a little secret, no, this is a huge secret that goes by Alex to her friends. She’s Gia’s ex wife and she’s determined to win back both her husband and her son. As crushed as Poppy is, she has to muster through, as she’s getting ready for the beauty expo that’s in town. Poppy doesn’t think that things could get any worse, but when a dead body is discovered, things suddenly spin out of control.
With the help of her Aunt Ginny and her friend Sawyer, Poppy works hard to find the secrets that everyone else wants to keep locked up.
Poppy is one of the best characters in the cozy mystery world. To me she’s real, she has problems just like the rest of us, and she just lives her life her own way. Her sense of humor is fantastic and this book kept me snorting and laughing from beginning to end.
I’m excited to see what’s next for Poppy and her friends.
#BeautyExposAreMurder #NetGalley