Member Reviews
I love books with humor. Libby Klein is probably one of the funniest authors I've found. The seventh book in the Poppy McAllister series. Poppy runs a B&B at the Jersey Shore, so an antique auction is a perfect setting for her latest run-in with murder. The characters are likable and the use of humor to add levity to an otherwise serious situation is accomplished with the skill of a truly talented writer.
As with most series, you can start reading with any book, but once you read this one, you will want to go back to the beginning to see where Poppy got her start. You won't be disappointed. Great beach read, but also a nice way to spend the evening laughing while trying to figure out who done it.
Thank you to Kensington Books and Net Gallery for providing an ARC of this book.
Poppy and her Aunt Ginny are busy at the Beautiful B&B with guests but still find time to go to the Auction House because Poppy is trying to get an armoire for one of the guest rooms. Not sure she'll still want it when a bloody body falls out. Poppy wants to find out what happened to the victim and at the same time she is dealing with a few romance hiccups.
I really love this series with the quirky characters and delightful interactions.
Well done!
I love this series from Libby Klein! I never fail to laugh out loud at least once, whether it’s due to Poppy’s inner dialogue, the antics of Aunt Ginny and the Biddies (Poppy’s very own Golden Girls crew), or the love triangle shenanigans that Poppy finds herself in.
This seventh book is just as fun and cozy as the rest of the series, and at this point, if you like mysteries, you really *need* to be reading these books. Klein is amazing at descriptions and character development, and I always love these.
This novel sees Poppy and Ginny attend an antiques auction to find some new pieces for the B&B and stumble upon a dead body, of course. Hijinks and detective work commence, because no one can make Poppy or the Biddies back down!
This was a five star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read for me, and fans of mysteries and cozies will delight in this new edition to the series.
**Thanks so much to #NetGalley and #KensingtonBooks for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own.**
Antique Actions Are Murder by Libby Klein is the 7th book in A Poppy McAllister Mystery series, and another great addition. I love this series because the books always make me laugh out loud. Nothing lifts my spirit more than a funny cozy mystery. Ms. Klein I love your sense of humor. Not only is this book funny, it a great mystery too. 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 funny cozy mysteries, I strongly recommend this book/series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
This was an entertaining read. Poppy runs a B&B with her Aunt Ginny and silent partner Georgina., who happens to be her mother-in-law. Poppy has a young girl who helps with the maid duties. However, she gets a nasty sunburn and can't do much. So Poppy ropes Georgina, the rich and pampered mother-in-law to help. During this rough patch and nephew of one of Aunt Ginny's friends is murdered. But not before he is accused of stealing an antique vampire hunting kit.
The characters are quirky. Aunt Ginny is a pill, Georgina is a snob, Aunt Ginny's friends are old biddies (as Poppy calls them). There are some twists and turns to the story. Who would want to kill Auggie? His sister who then could inherit everything, the rival antique dealer Grover, Auggie's step-sister or her husband? So many suspects and so little time. Poppy is up for the challenge along with Aunt Ginny and the old biddies.
Such a fun story and made me giggle. It is easy-to-read and very entertaining.
Libby Klein's mysteries are my favorite when it comes to humorous cozy mystery. This is one of the best in this series and I had a lot of fun.
It's a compelling and entertaining story, well plotted and solid.
The mystery is full of twists and turns and kept me guessing.
I was glad to meet again the characters, they're fleshed out and lkeable as usual.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
This is the 7th book in the Poppy McAllister mystery series. I haven’t read the others, but I was able to follow along and enjoy this book’s mystery. I did think this book was a little slow getting going, but once the first third of the book was over and the murder had occurred it moved pretty well. Poppy runs a bed and breakfast on the Jersey shore and I have to say it affirms my decision to have never stayed in a bed and breakfast. H<er customers were crazy and I thought it went from being funny to being a little over the top at times. Poppy is a dead body magnet and so it’s no surprise a body pops up where she is and she is drawn into the mystery with the most dysfunctional family that has ever existed. I liked that the murder weapon was an antique vampire hunting kit because what could be cooler than that? I give it 3.5 rounded up.
Poppy McAllister is enjoying the summer season at the Butterfly House Bed and Breakfast in Cape May, New Jersey. Courtney Whipple and his family of antique dealers return to the area for the annual Cold Spring Village antique show. Courtney’s son, Auggie has a unique item he believes will fetch him a fortune if he can get it authenticated in time. But rival dealer Grover Prickle insists Auggie stole it from his store. Poppy and her Aunt Ginny attend the auction, hoping to bid on an armoire for the B&B. Strangely, they don’t see either Auggie or Grover, or the mysterious item they both claim to own. Then during the auction, a body falls out of the same armoire Poppy was hoping to acquire. Can she figure out how a dead body wound up in the armoire before another body is found?
This is a funny, puzzling and poignant mystery. I love Poppy and Aunt Ginny. Their antics always make me giggle. Several suspects kept me guessing whodunit, and I was surprised at the end. The one thing that annoyed me was the penchant of one of the side characters to denigrate Poppy. It didn’t seem funny to me. I hoped that Poppy would put her in her place, but she never did. The plot was very entertaining, and I liked how Poppy realized more about herself and her relationship with Gia. I received an advanced reader’s copy from NetGalley. This review is my opinion.
ANTIQUE AUCTION’S ARE MURDER, is the seventh book in the Poppy McAllister Mysteries and once again, Libby Klein proves why this series continues to reign as one of my all-time favorites. With humor galore, thanks to one-liner zingers, comical situations, and screwball characters (both human and feline alike), I was thoroughly entertained throughout the entire read. Protagonist, Poppy McAllister, owns the Butterfly House B & B with her Aunt Ginny, a zany senior citizen with a posse of elderly ladies bent on mischief. Resident housecat, Figaro, seems to have his own set of feline groupies fawning over him, and he steals each scene he inhabits. With a clever plot that weaves in boxloads of kohlrabi, a narcoleptic sunburned chambermaid, a vampire hunting kit, a creepy wooden troll talisman, vanishing wine, and a hidden body stuck into the very armoire Poppy wants to purchase, the book kept me turning page after page. Ms. Klein’s descriptive voice—think pun after pun—had me in stitches and had me clearly envisioning each scene.
While there are humorous scenes aplenty, the author doesn’t forget that this is supposed to be a murder mystery. The fast-paced plot of investigating the death of an antique dealer’s son is expertly interwoven into the story with plenty of opportunities for Poppy to suss out clues. Assisting her (or perhaps hindering her) is Aunt Ginny and the gals, along with Poppy’s former high school nemesis turned town cop, Amber. A sharp armchair detective might figure out the culprit but, in all honesty, I just want to sit back and enjoy the entertaining ride without taxing myself. As the reveal came into view, all the clues fell into place with a “of course” moment. As with previous books in this series, I can’t wait to see what’s in store for Poppy and the gang next!
Running a B & B and providing her beau with gluten-free goodies for his coffee shop, Poppy has numerous scrumptious-sounding treats mentioned throughout the book. Ms. Klein offers several gluten-free recipes at the back of the book for the reader to try out.
I had a wonderful time reading this fun, zany, and not to mention dangerous, addition to the Poppy McAllister Mystery series. The twist and turns, and Aunt Ginny and The Biddies, made reading this whodunit an absolute delight. And the mystery kept me guessing until the end.
Highly recommend.
Many thanks to Kensington Cozies and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor or expectation.
Oh my goodness, Aunt Ginny and her band of biddies (yes, they don't mind Poppy thinking of them like that) were in top form in this book. I laughed so many times I lost track of it. The murder of the nephew of one of the ladies, Thelma was the focus of this book. Although it was interesting how the book opened, and how that scene eventually tied back to something in the mystery.
Poppy's old nemesis Joanne who now works for the B&B hasn't lost any of her snark and I can't say or imagine I'll ever warm up to her (part of her charm, right?), but it did surprise me when she and Poppy did a little sleuthing together. They actually could get along for that long, lol. Poppy's always the bigger person letting Joanne's snark slide right off her. After an incident with Victory and a frog, Poppy had some new ammo to use against Joanne if needed. ;) Speaking of snark, Amber was almost pitiable with her tough new partner. The woman wouldn't let her have a moment's peace and was especially interested in how Poppy figured into so many previous murder cases.
I hadn't guessed the killer since that whole family involved was so dysfunctional and weird, you just never knew who'd do what next. I'm glad the showdown was a bit calmer, and even Joanne was able to help by calling 911.
Oh and I have to mention how Georgina's stay at the B&B added so much to the comic factor! Ginny just loved making her the butt of jokes, but Georgina gave plenty of reason for that. Lots of laughs to be had at those scenes! And Victory was, well she's Victory so just imagine her with a sunburn.
While the rest of their world always seemed upside-down during a murder case, at least now Poppy had the stability of knowing Gia was there for her if she needed him. Now if they could only get some alone time! Don't miss out on the most fun you'll ever have reading a murder mystery!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Kensington Cozies via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.
Antique Auctions Are Murder by Libby Klein is the seventh installment in the cozy A Poppy McAllister Mystery series. Each book of this series has a new mystery to be solved by the main character so they can be read and understood as a standalone if choosing to do so. Of course as with any continuing series there is some character development that would be missed if not reading from the beginning.
In this series readers were introduced to Poppy McAllister who is a forty something widow who moved back to her hometown of Cape May, New Jersey after the death of her husband. Poppy returned to be near her elderly Aunt Ginny and has made a living for herself baking gluten-free goodies to sell and running the bed and breakfast they opened after converting Aunt Ginny’s home.
Now Poppy and Aunt Ginny are attending the annual Cold Spring Village antique show where one seller has a item another is claiming was stolen from his shop. Poppy and Aunt Ginny find the feud a little strange and try to stay out of it of the feud. Of course just as the armoire Poppy has her eye on goes up for auction the body of one of the sellers falls out of the armoire having been stabbed with the same item the sellers were arguing over so of course Poppy has to be on the lookout for yet another murderer on the loose.
The A Poppy McAllister Mystery series is another cozy series that I have followed from the beginning and this one is one of the most hilarious I’ve read. Even now at seven books into the series the adventures of the characters have me laughing all through reading. I did notice one of the ongoing jokes in this installment to be recycled from earlier but it still was just as fun this time around leaving this seventh in the series at four and a half stars for me.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
Antique Auctions Are Murder upholds Libby Klein's reputation for outstanding fiction in the cozy genre! Can each book that comes out really be my favorite? Apparently, it can! Aunt Ginny and her friends are as delightfully zany as ever but the focus in a on serious murder for which Poppy or a friend of hers can be blamed so she is hard on the trail of a vicious murder!
Not all the twists, and there are plenty, revolved around murder. Mystery and mayhem abound at the bed and breakfast too.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington for allowing me to read the awesome ARC of Antique Auctions are Murder. I share because that is what I love to do and because the book is great!
#NetGalley #Kensington #AntiqueAuctionsAreMurder #LibbyKlein
Libby Klein has done it again! Antique Auctions are Murder has all the plot twists and Aunt Ginny hijinks as her first book, and she kept me guessing until the end. That's not even mentioning the romantic tension! These books are such a pleasure to read.
This is the 7th installment in the Poppy McAllister Mystery series by Libby Klein. Poppy is a gluten-free baker and also runs a B&B. She is at an antique auction to bid on some items when a body is discovered. Poppy’s life is threatened during her investigation thus creating more of an urgency to figure out whodunnit. The Biddies are back at it again with their antics and a cat love triangle forms ; )
I love this series so much!! Poppy is extremely relatable and the heartbreaks she experiences are things many have dealt with, I wanted to hug her while reading this! This entire series also makes me laugh out loud so much! Libby is such a gifted comedic writer. All the supporting characters are endearing such as the narcoleptic maid, Victory as well as Poppy’s best friend Sawyer, willing to support her on all her adventures.
The book is well paced, with lots of twists and turns! As Meredith from the Currently Reading Podcast would say, “Read these books in order because we’re not animals.” I also enjoy listening to the audiobooks when I’m driving or doing chores. The narrator is not my favorite but she does a decent job.
I’m very grateful to Netgalley and Kensington Books for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Antique Auctions are Murder is the 7th book in the Poppy McAlister Mystery series by Libby Klein. This is a well written, enjoyable humorous mystery. The characters are so much fun, the pace is swift, and the plot is twisted! It will keep you guessing when trying to track the guilty party---which I like because it adds to the challenge of solving the mystery. This book can be read as a stand alone, but starting at the beginning will fix these characters in your heart. This is one of my favorite series.
There are many reasons to love this series. I love the characters, they always make me laugh, and each new mystery is well plotted and keeps me guessing. Poppy has her hands full in this latest book with several guests at the Butterfly B & B that are challenging in different ways. Her Aunt Ginny and the "biddies" always keep things interesting too. This latest book is no exception. I kept changing my mind about how the mystery would be resolved and was guessing until the end. This is a great series and each book can be read as a stand alone, but I would recommend reading them in order because they are so enjoyable.
I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Poppy McAllister, Aunt Ginny, and the “Old Biddies,” as Poppy lovingly refers to them, are up to hijinks again in this seventh book of the series. There is a lot happening in Poppy’s life in this edition which makes it an entertaining read. Poppy has her hands full with some very eccentric guests at the Butterfly B & B and of course there is the murder at the antique auction! Never a dull moment which kept me reading and laughing at all the antics of Aunt Ginny, the biddies, and the B & B guests.
With several suspects, I was constantly changing my mind as to who the killer was and didn’t make the connection until the very end. I love the way Poppy’s character is evolving, transforming into her own “butterfly” as the B & B is appropriately called. This is one of my favorite series. The characters are fun and relatable, they are all actively a part of the story, without taking over the story. There are several mouth-watering recipes included in this book (all the books) which I vow to try! An enjoyable fun murder mystery that I highly recommend. If you have started this series, it’s an absolute must in my opinion. The only disappointment, I read it so fast I now have to wait for the next. Many thanks to Netgalley and Kensington for providing the ARC.
Reading Antique Auctions Are Murder was a lovely treat! A thrilling roller-coaster ride from start to finish I was so pleased to be back with Poppy McAllister, a Bed & Breakfast owner - the Butterfly House Bed & Breakfast - in Cape May, New Jersey, and a baker of glorious gluten-free goodies. Forty-odd-year-old, pastry chef, Poppy, the protagonist, lives with her elderly Aunt Ginny and Figaro, her mischievous cat. Poppy and many of the other characters are very funny and likeable, and Poppy’s Aunt Ginny has become one of my favourite cozy characters. She provides plenty of humour in this book and I love her zaniness, zest for life and mischievous antics.
This story is set in the peak summer season and antique dealer, Courtney Whipple is in town along with members of his family for the annual Cold Spring Village antique show. Courtney’s son Auggie has a piece he believes is worth a fortune but another dealer, Grover Prickle thinks it's an item that was nicked from him. Aunt Ginny and Poppy go to the auction on the hunt for an armoire and get more than they bargained for when a body stabbed with a wooden stake falls out of the piece they want.
The opening chapters drew me into the story and captured my attention immediately. There was never a dull moment with such a lot going on and I loved Poppy and Gia together. The mystery itself was well thought out with plenty of twists and turns as I puzzled over the clues to discover the perpetrator. The book had a natural, steady pace, and I was kept guessing until the reveal. Delightful and entertaining, Antique Auctions Are Murder is a highly recommended, quick, light read for all cozy mystery fans.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Kensington Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
Just when i think these books can't get any more funny, somehow they manage to crack me up even more. This book doesn't disappoint, from Victory and her antics, to Georgina, to Aunt Ginny, to the jewelry box that keeps getting stolen and re-stolen and re-stolen, to Gia's mother's "emergencies". So funny! Great story, so much fun to read!