I love a good cozy mystery! One that incorporates all of my favorite topics (i.e. genealogy, bookstores, libraries, cooking, painting, inn keeping, animals, etc.), throwing in some action-suspense, a who-done-it, interesting characters, and a plot that keeps me guessing, then you’ve got me hooked. I will say, I am one of those people who like to read a series from the beginning, but I often find you don’t have to… either way I highly recommend reading Mischief Nights Are Murder by Libby Klein.

*I received a complimentary copy of this novel from NetGalley at my request and this review is my own unbiased opinion.*

I've read ALL of the Poppy McAllister Mysteries and I LOVE them.
Poppy is hilarious and always keeps me giggling and I never know what she's going to do.

This is my favorite installment so far. Fall and winter are my favorite seasons so this one was PERFECT!

From pet psychics trying to read Poppy's cat, Figaro, to Gia and Poppy managing his mom, this one had me ROLLING!

I never guessed the culprit in this one, which is always a plus!

I've requested the next installment and I can't wait to read it and review it!

Mischief Nights are Murder

by Libby Klein

Halloween themed Mischief Nights are Murder is a fun cozy mystery. At first glance it might appear to be a paranormal book because it is set in the Halloween season with a large group of inns and restaurants participating in ghost tours to attract tourists. Poppy runs a B & B and to her surprise finds that her 80 year old aunt signed a contract that obligates Poppy to be a part of the events. Poppy, who frequently discovers dead bodies, has been nicknamed the Murder Magnet and the B & B is being publicized as the Murder House. She is expected to make statements like “some have said they heard unusual noises” or “rumors are that someone was killed in this room a hundred years ago” to attract interest without actually saying there are ghosts or not. The B & B attracts several university professors and students who study paranormal activity, a team of 4 participating in the discovery and filming of ghost activity, a duo who don’t seem to quite fit, a tabloid writer, and a pet psychic who wears a colander on his head to enhance his connections and says he can tell what animals are thinking.

Poppy stays busy when a guest is murdered. She has to cooperate with the event planners and the police. She tries to keep peace with a temporary cook who used to bully her in high school and a new male housekeeper with designs on the acting field. Her aunt Ginny and her friends “The Biddies” keep things hopping and the reader laughing. Poppy also has to deal with her handsome Italian boyfriend and his mother who hates her.

My favorite part of the books in this series is the humor. It is woven throughout the book as we see in italics what Poppy is actually thinking and then in quotes what she says. Humor is integral to the text, and it comes in the form of the various characters and Poppy’s responses to them. Her Aunt Ginny and her cat Figaro are two of my favorites. Both are always up to shenanigans in this definitely not paranormal mystery.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Rating: 4/5

Category: Mystery, Humor

Notes: 1. #8 in the Poppy McAllister Mystery Series. It could be read as a standalone especially since there are new characters introduced in this book, but there is a lot of background information in the previous books that could make this book more enjoyable. I certainly recommend the whole series.
2. Poppy can not eat gluten which makes life hard since she is a trained baker. She specializes in gluten-free recipes and the author has included 7 delicious sounding recipes.

Publication: July 25, 2023—Kensington

Memorable Lines:

“You can’t believe anything she says. She’s the worst kind of liar. Lower than a politician.” Aunt Ginny clutched her pearls and gasped. “Good God. A telemarketer?”

The man grinned at his wife, then turned the wattage on me. It was the kind of smile that made you come out of menopause and lower your hair from a tower to be climbed.

“Somehow we need to keep the paranormal people away from Gladys, Gladys away from the pet psychic, and you away from murder victims.” Kenny blew out a breath. “We can do this. It’ll only last a week.” So did Hurricane Katrina.

Poppy McAllister, a gluten-free baker, and her aunt Ginny run a B&B in Cape May. Aunt Ginny signs a contract to participate in the Cape May Haunted Dinners Tour and Poppy is not happy, and the same can be said for some of the guests that are staying with them. They seem to be arguing constantly and when one of them winds up dead everyone is a suspect. Not only are they dealing with a murder, but the B&B is also victim to prank after prank.
This is the eighth book in the A Poppy McAllister Mystery series, but this is the first book I’ve read. I loved the friendships between the main characters. The setting was lovely and made me want to go back to Cape May. This book could stand alone, but now I want to go back and read from book 1.

Mischief Nights are Murder is another great mystery book in a fantastic cozy mystery series. I really liked the paranormal leanings in this particular installment, even though they mostly had logical explanations. I thought the murder mystery was well-written. I honestly was stumped until the big reveal. I'm looking forward to the next book in this series!

Poppy and her Aunt Ginny are up to their usual shenanigans. Poppy finds herself roped into taking part in a haunted tour where ghosts are a requirement thanks to a nosy reporter and a pet psychic. Add in a dead body to complete the chaos. I enjoy the eccentric characters and the setting. The mystery kept me guessing which is a plus. I look forward to the next book in the series.

This 8th Poppy McAllister mystery, this one a Halloween mystery, is a fun, quirky book.

It's my first book read in this series, which I think was a disadvantage, since I had a hard time getting going in it, but once I did, I picked up and I liked it. Lots of humor and loads of fun.

Maybe I'll start at the beginning and read through the entire series.

A lovely, autumnal cozy mystery! It takes place at a B&B which is the perfect cozy mystery location in my opinion. Although number 8 in the series, can absolutely be read as if it were a stand alone, especially if you are just looking for halloween reads. The mystery is well done and pulls you in to the story. As always, Poppy is a great MMC! Highly recommend this series!

It’s a haunted house dinner tour for Poppy’s B&B and the other local establishments in Cape May. As usual she gets the quirkiest guests staying at the inn. From a pet psychic who keeps telling her what her cat wants, to paranormal researchers who are keeping her awake at night with their crazy machines. On the inaugural tour night the first dinner is at her inn. To say it is contentious is being kind. The group all has some history being from the same university. Before the dinner is over one of the guest winds up with his face planted in the desert. Now her house is going to live up to the unfortunate nickname of the murder house. Poppy joins the rest of the tour with the group to try and sniff out clues to who the murderer might be. All while trying to keep Aunt Ginny’s hi jinx to a minimum.

While I eventually started enjoying this book, I had a hard time getting into this book. I hadn't read any of the other Poppy McAllister books before, so I do think that had a hand in it. Even though you could definitely read this as a standalone, I really didn't connect with any of the characters or follow along with their discussions that were probably connected to previous books. I also found many of the main characters (those who seem to be throughout the series) unlikable and annoying. Once we finally got to the murder/mystery part of the book, I started to enjoy it a bit probably because there was no need for any background information to know what was going on.

I don't know if this is a series I would read more of, but if you're already a fan of this series or want to start the series from the beginning, then I would definitely recommend this to you.

Mischief Nights are Murder is the 8th book in the Poppy McAllister series and the first I've read. I was intrigued by the beautiful cover and Halloween setting. Set on an island called Cape May of the East coast of the USA, Poppy and her BnB are pulled into participating in the Cape May Haunted Dinners Tour. Drawing in a pet psychist, paranormal researchers and ghost hunters alike to stay at the inn. This isn't helping Poppy's reputation as a murder magnet. Things get even worse when one of the paranormal experts dies at her dinner event. Everyone there, including the employees at the Inn are suspects and Poppy is coerced by law enforcement to help find information on the killer.
The murder plot can be read as a stand alone, but I found the social interactions between the regular characters a bit difficult to follow haven't not read the other books in the series. There were lots of quirky characters and their their shenanigans, although fun, could come off as too much if you weren't already endeared to them. I could see how a long time reader would have found those interactions funny and charming.
Overall, this was a classic cozy with lots of extra character focus and I would love to visit the world of Cape May again.

I was drawn right in by the beautiful seasonal cover. This is my first Poppy McAllister mystery book. I think the story may have been a bit enhanced for me if I had more of a background for the characters, but it still feels as though it could be read as a standalone story.
Cape May, New Jersey is beautiful this time of year, always nicely preparing for its annual Mischief Night. Poppy McAllister is not pleased when she is wrangled into participating in the Cape May Haunted Dinners Tour during Halloween season. Between annoying and arguing guests that includes a psychists, a paranormal researcher and more who can't seem to stand each other. Then the unthinkable happens and one of them ends up dead. A well-developed story with quirky characters that works well with the story. I enjoyed the mystery with its twists and turns, and I'll be looking for more in the series.

Pub Date 25 Jul 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of the book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Every review I write about this series sounds very similar. It’s absolutely my favorite cozy mystery series in publication today. I enjoy all the characters, their shenanigans, the mysteries. Mischief Nights Are Murder was so much fun and I found myself laughing out loud at times. Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Books for allowing me once again to read and review this series.

This is book 8 in the Poppy McAllister series and I've only read 2 of them. It can be read as a stand alone. Poppy runs a bakery in Cape May, New Jersey and since I lived there for 30 years it was a fun read, recognizing many of the places Libby Klein talked about. It's set in October and the Haunted House tours. I like that most of the characters are a little older. An easy to read cozy.

Book Review: Mischief Nights are Murder by Libby Klein

Rating: 3 stars

First off, let me start by saying that the cover of Mischief Nights are Murder is absolutely fantastic. I’m a sucker for a good holiday-themed cozy book cover, and this one definitely caught my eye. Now, let’s dive into my review of the book.

The story revolves around gluten-free baker Poppy McAllister and her aunt Ginny, who find themselves in the midst of a murder mystery at their B&B during the annual Mischief Night. Poppy’s B&B is coerced into participating in the Cape May Haunted Dinners Tour, which brings along its fair share of quirky guests. As if dealing with squabbling guests wasn’t enough, one of them ends up dead, face-down in a plate of tiramisu. Now, Poppy has to navigate through the chaos to solve the murder.

Unfortunately, I found it quite challenging to get into this book. Perhaps it was because I hadn’t read any prior books in the series, but I felt like I was dropped into an ongoing story without any background information or hints. This made it difficult for me to fully engage with the characters and their relationships, as I lacked the necessary context.

Speaking of the characters, I must say that I found most of them to be rather unlikable and annoying. They were eccentric to the point of being over-the-top, and their behavior felt forced and unnatural. The entire book had a zany quality to it that, personally, was a bit too much for my taste. However, I can see how some readers might enjoy this quirky and whimsical style.

On a positive note, Libby Klein’s writing is undeniably good. Despite my reservations about the characters and plot, I appreciated the author’s ability to create a vivid setting. The Halloween season and the Cape May Haunted Dinners Tour were described in a way that made me feel immersed in the festive atmosphere. This aspect of the book was definitely a highlight for me.

In conclusion, Mischief Nights are Murder is a mixed bag for me. While the writing is solid and the setting is suitably festive, I struggled to connect with the story due to the lack of background information and the unlikable characters. However, if you enjoy zany cozy mysteries and don’t mind jumping into an ongoing series without prior knowledge, this book might be a delightful read for you.

Note: This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary.

The eighth and latest installment of the Poppy McAllister mystery series finds its namesake heroine grumpily going along with hosting a stop on a Cape May Haunted Dinners Tour. Her B&B, Butterfly Wings, already has a reputation for being a murder house despite the fact that no one’s actually died there (yet.) This likely has something to do with Poppy’s own reputation as a murder magnet, as she’s stumbled across a frankly alarming number of freshly murdered corpses.

It doesn’t help that people claiming to have various levels of psychic ability have very publicly hyped up Butterfly Wings as being full of paranormal phenomena. The last thing Poppy needs now is for a skeptical tabloid journalist to check in at the B&B with the intention of proving that she’s a fraud, right before she’s supposed to give a tour group of ghost-hunting aficionados their money’s worth with dinner and a viewing of her allegedly haunted home. The worst part is that none of this was even her idea: her mischievous Aunt Ginny signed them up, and their contract with the tour organizers means that they have no way of backing out without taking a huge financial hit.

At least, that’s what Poppy thought was the worst part until one of her tour diners abruptly falls over dead into his tiramisu. Dr Simon Beck had been a professor of parapsychology at Staunton University. He had signed up for the ghost tour with Brooklyn, his much younger bride. Neither had been much pleased to be joined by other members of Staunton U’s staff and student body, all of whom seem to have strong and mostly negative feelings towards the renowned researcher. Rounding out the tour group are the afore-mentioned skeptical journalist, a pet psychic and a pack of ghost hunters pretending that they’re regular tourists instead of an honest to goodness television crew.

When it turns out that Simon’s death was due to foul play, it becomes clear that one of his fellow diners must have been responsible. Unless, that is, Poppy’s latest hire had something to do with it. Kenny Love has been acting even weirder than usual since Simon walked into Butterfly Wings. Poppy has enough headaches running her B&B without also losing her new housekeeper, so when she’s pressured into helping the police with their investigation by joining the surviving members of the tour group on the rest of the stops, she can’t say no. Will she be able to figure out who wanted the famed parapsychologist dead before she finds herself in mortal peril too?

Every book in this series is so well layered with absorbing and hilarious subplots, and MIschief Nights Are Murder is no different. Whether dealing with murder suspects, fractious employees, her irrepressible aunt or her boyfriend’s hateful mother, Poppy manages it all with a sense of humor and a strong work ethic. There’s so much going on that it’s easy to lose track of who’s who unless you’re a long-time series fan, but there’s no time like the present for getting started on this highly entertaining series.

There were seven recipes included here for dishes featured in the book, and I decided to try out this one:

QUOTE
Pecan Pie Muffins

1 ½ cup packed light brown sugar
¾ cup gluten-free flour
3 cups chopped pecans
1 cup butter, softened
3 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon xanthan gum if not included in your flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease mini or regular muffin cups generously. Grease them well or they will stick. In medium bowl, stir together brown sugar, flour, and pecans. In a separate bowl, beat the butter and eggs together. Add the vanilla. Stir in dry ingredients just until combined.

Spoon batter into muffin cups about ⅔ full. Bake for 15-17 minutes for regular-size muffins. Run a knife around the edge of each muffin and pop it out.
END QUOTE

While all of Libby Klein’s books feature gluten-free recipes, they’re super easy to adapt for those with gluten-full kitchens, like myself. In this case, I just used regular flour and omitted the xanthan gum. These muffins were overall quite easy to put together. The end result is not too sweet, and really does taste like a slice of pecan pie in (the arguably more portable) muffin form. I’m not ordinarily a fan of nuts in baked goods, but this was a really excellent presentation that tastes both delicious and healthy.

Next week, we travel all over the world to check out different and deadly Halloween doings, while baking up another tasty seasonal treat. Do join me!

This is the first book I have read in the Poppy McAllister series. I will probably go back and read earlier books in the series so I can get to know the characters well. They were well developed and the mystery was handled well. There were lots of twists and turns that had me invested in the story. There were some quirky characters that kept things interesting. All-in-all, a light easy read that would be perfect to read as Halloween approaches.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

I LOVED THIS COVER. It absolutely drew me in, and I found myself so excited to read this book and I LOVED it!

Perfect for a fall morning on your porch drinking hot tea or coffee and just being so content in your favorite season.

Mischief nights are murder is the 8th book in the series. I have read from the first all the way to this one the 8th. Libby hasn't let me down yest it's fun and funny and keeps you in suspense What will happen in Poppy's B&B next. keeps you on your toes till the very last page. And this time left me hanging for the next book. Don't want to spoil the last line of the book But I would really like to know what happens. Don't keep us in suspense too long Please!!!!

My first Libby Klein book, but not the last. Poppy and friends run the B & B known for murder. The Halloween haunted tour has picked up Poppy’s B & B, and her first group includes paranormal professors from a university. One is murdered at the table, so Poppy and friends get to mystery solving. My only complaint is that I wasn’t familiar with recurring characters and they weren’t introduced well. However, I will be after reading the others!