Silent Nights Are Murder

by Libby Klein

For once, Poppy McAllister is not the one to find the dead body, but that doesn’t mean she won’t be dragged into a murder investigation. Her cop friend Amber convinces Poppy to go undercover at her ex-boyfriend’s restaurant because the body was discovered in Tim’s walk-in freezer. In a previous book in the Poppy McAllister Mystery Series, Poppy decided to drop Tim in favor of a relationship with the handsome barista Gia who thinks she is gorgeous. Now as Poppy tries to help, she discovers that Tim’s new work and personal partner Gigi is pregnant with a due date set 9 months after Tim and Poppy broke up!

It is hard for Poppy to gain the trust of the restaurant staff and sort out the lies they tell. Most of them seem to be hiding some secrets. As Poppy explains to a frustrated Tim, “a killer will lie about their alibi.” Someone seems to have been messing with the books and the inventory also.
There are so many plots going on all at once. When Poppy was almost nine, her mother dropped her off with promises to return for her. She does—thirty-five years later—and checks into the Butterfly Wings B & B. Poppy and her Aunt Ginny, who helped raise her, spend time trying to figure out what Iris wants and how to get rid of her. Meanwhile, Figaro, Poppy’s cat, does battle with Christmas ornaments that appear to be birds, complete with feathers (until Figaro get ahold of them). Guests at the B&B enjoy a decoration daily murder scene villa setup by an unknown person at the inn.

Aunt Ginny’s friends, the Biddies, add hilarious fun as there might be a wedding coming up and they want to be a part of it. Aunt Ginny, as usual, has some wack-a-doodle plans. In this case, the Christmas season calls for some competition. Aunt Ginny is determined to have both the prize winning recipe and the house with the most Christmasy ambiance (think National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, but on steroids).

Gia’s son Henry is adorable and refuses to tell anyone what he is asking Santa for. As you read Silent Nights Are Murder, I think you’ll know what he wants for Christmas, but will Santa be able to deliver?

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

Rating: 5/5

Category: Mystery

Notes: 1. #9 in the Poppy McAllister Mystery series. It could be read as a standalone, but would be enjoyed more if some of the earlier books were read first.
2. seven gluten free recipes for Christmas goodies

Publication: September 24, 2024—Kensington

Memorable Lines:

There were three seasons to obsess about the weather. Tourist season—when guests considered it a personal failure on my part if it rained during their vacation. Hurricane season—because my creditors don’t care about safety cancellations, they just want to be paid. And Christmas season—because I was delusional enough to want snow like I was living in a Bing Crosby movie. Irving Berlin had set sixty percent of the country up for annual disappointment.

Flashing police-car lights blazed through the night, and the men tried to look like three normal guys waiting for a table. They looked as normal as a trio of gorillas in hoop skirts.

He ran his hands through his hair and looked like he was about to fry up a conniption and serve it with a big side of meltdown.

SILENT NIGHTS ARE MURDER is the ninth installment in the Poppy McAllister Mystery series. I started this series last year when there were seven books out, and I read every one available back-to-back. I’ve loved these books – with long suffering Poppy, charming Gia, off-the-wall Aunt Ginny, and all their quirky guests, friends and employees – and it’s no leap to say it’s become one of my favourite cozy series..

This festive edition keeps the Christmas themes to the B-plot, with decorating chaos at the B&B. and Ginny’s underhanded scheme to steal a baking competition win. Meanwhile, Poppy’s got personal problems of her own, all made worse when a body turns up, literally with her name on it. For once actually asked by the police to assist, she ends up undercover – working at her ex's seafood restaurant.

I loved this installment. It’s a big, ensemble piece that uses the holiday season to full advantage. I've no idea if the series is planned to continue after this one – I know I'd personally read far more stories from Poppy and the gang – but SILENT NIGHTS ARE MURDER does have a certain ‘wrap up’ feel to it. If it is the last, it's a good one, with a really good, rounded out ending.

I've loved my journey with the Poppy McAllister Mysteries – there's so much variety in the individual books' themes, I think there's one for everyone be you a baking cozy person, an antiques cozy person, a theater cozy person etc.– and I'm definitely going to reread them all from scratch as soon as I get a chance.

This book was pretty good. Super quick read. Will read more by her!! A must read for the holidays. Will read more in this series soon!

“Silent Nights are Murder” is the wickedly funny ninth book in Libby Klein’s Poppy McAllister mystery series – I spent most of my time laughing out loud while reading this. There’s a lot going on in this book and to try to summarize any of it would ruin much of the storyline – I will say that in this book Poppy’s past, present, and future collide to create much mayhem (mixed in with the humor are some moments of sadness – this combination is well done by Klein). I do think that this series should be read in order – newcomers to this book may feel lost about some of the characters in it. The mystery was well done with just the right amount of suspects – I figured out a few things but not who the killer was (that particular plotline was extremely well done). Finally, while the entire book is very humorous, the ending had me smiling – it was perfect!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.

Book 9, Silent Nights Are Murder is exactly what I expected - A WINNER!

I love Poppy's character, as well as, her aunt. There's something about holiday themed stories that catch my attention. Knowing this was written by such a great author made it even better.

Highly recommend this book for anyone looking to read a brilliant cozy mystery.

Book Review: Silent Nights are Murder by Libby Klein

Rating: 4 Stars

I recently dove into Silent Nights are Murder by Libby Klein, and let me tell you, it was a delightful mix of holiday cheer and suspense! As a fan of cozy mysteries, this book did not disappoint.

In this ninth installment of the Poppy McAllister Mystery series, we find our favorite gluten-free baker, Poppy, caught up in yet another whirlwind of chaos—this time during the festive season. The story kicks off with an engagement ring mysteriously left behind after Thanksgiving, setting the stage for a puzzling adventure. Just when Poppy thinks she’s got it all figured out, a shocking twist occurs: a frozen body of a fish supplier is discovered in her ex's restaurant kitchen, and it’s got a note pinned to it that reads "Get Poppy." Talk about a Christmas surprise!

What I really enjoyed was how the author managed to weave in elements of humor and warmth amidst the murder mystery. All the beloved characters are back, and I found myself chuckling at Aunt Ginny and her friends' antics. Seriously, who could resist giggling when Aunt Ginny and her crew create their own brand of chaotic charm? Not to mention the sweet interactions between Poppy and her friends, especially when Gia speaks Italian—it’s moments like these that really tug at your heartstrings.

The pacing of the mystery was spot-on, with plenty of twists and turns that kept me guessing right up to the end. I was pleasantly surprised by how well-constructed the plot was; it felt like a well-decorated Christmas tree—full of surprises and delightful ornaments! And while the laughs kept coming, the book also offered glimpses into Poppy’s past that added depth to the story.

Klein's writing style is so vivid that I could practically see the twinkling Christmas lights while I read. It truly immersed me in the holiday spirit! The ending wrapped everything up beautifully, filled with happiness and laughter—what more could one ask for during the holiday season?

Overall, Silent Nights are Murder deserves a solid four stars from me! I can’t wait to see what kind of zany adventures Poppy gets herself into next. If you’re looking for a cozy mystery that captures the essence of Christmas with a side of murder, this book should definitely be on your reading list!

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

Poppy is caught up in the mystery of who dropped an engagement ring at her Thanksgiving dinner? Her Aunt Ginny and Ginny's "biddies" as Poppy calls them all think their man is going to propose. They set out a plan to catch the romeo and get him to confess and pop the question. Her Aunt and friends concoct a plan. While Poppy tries to keep everyone in line, murder happens at her ex-boyfriends eating establishment. His butcher has been killed at stuck in the freezer. All finger's point to her ex, Tim and his very pregnant girlfriend Gigi. Poppy has helped the police before, and "Call Poppy" was found on the victim.

It was very entertaining. Aunt Ginny and her posse are crazy and Gigi hates Poppy with a passion since she now has Tim. Poppy is caught in the middle of trying to help Tim, even if he and Gigi won't tell her the truth and keeping Aunt Ginny and her biddies in line. The book is easy-to-read and made me chuckle. I liked the characters and the story was great. Lots of twists and suspects.

This was a great holiday book for this series. These books are probably best when read from the beginning as you get to know the characters which are the best part, IMO. I always enjoy Poppy. She is snarky and funny and tells it like she sees it. Her Aunt Ginny of course gets carried away again. I understand that the gluten-free baking is part of the series basis, but I was glad that it was not as repeated to death in this book. It was a throughly enjoyable read.

First book I have read in the Poppy McAllister series. To be honest I found the characters who lived and worked in the b&b very confusing. Maybe this was because I hadn’t read the previous books. The murder was quite interesting as was the murder suspects. A decent enough book but very long winded.

Can we talk about how much fun it is to dive into a holiday-themed mystery during this time of year? I recently picked up SILENT NIGHTS ARE MURDER by Libby Klein and let me tell you, it did not disappoint!

The quirky characters, the weird mystery, and all the holiday cheer just made for such an enjoyable read. I found myself completely absorbed in the story, trying to piece together the clues alongside the characters. And let me tell you, there were plenty of laugh-out-loud moments that had me totally relating to our protagonist, Poppy.

Speaking of Poppy, I really appreciated that she’s a gluten-free baker. As someone who also follows a gluten-free diet, it was great to see this represented in a cozy mystery. It’s not always easy navigating food options, especially during the holidays, so I could definitely relate.

Now, I will say that as a first-time reader of the Poppy McAllister series, I did feel a bit lost at times with some of the personal storylines. But ultimately, the holiday mystery at the heart of the book was thoroughly entertaining and definitely kept me guessing.

Overall, SILENT NIGHTS ARE MURDER is a delightful holiday romp that’s sure to put you in the Christmas spirit. If you’re a fan of cozy mysteries, this one is a great choice!

The only mystery that baker Poppy McAllister is interested in solving this holiday season is the one regarding the engagement ring in a velvet box that was left at her Butterfly Wings bed and breakfast over Thanksgiving. None of the men in the lives of herself or her nearest and dearest have owned up to losing it, so she, her Aunt Ginny, her mother-in-law Georgina and her best friend Sawyer are hatching a plan to figure out who it belongs to, and who’ll be getting proposed to in due time. It’s the best kind of sleuthing, even if the widowed Poppy is taken aback to discover that her own feelings about tying the knot with her boyfriend Gia are not entirely what she expected.

Alas for Poppy, a police detective comes calling soon enough, bearing news of a corpse. Worse, the dead man has a note saying “Get Poppy” taped to him. As if that weren’t bad enough, the body and note were found in the walk-in freezer of her ex’s restaurant, Maxine’s. To Poppy’s further surprise, it’s not just the police who want her to go undercover there. Her ex Tim wants her involved so that she can help clear his name, too.

Tim and Poppy had not parted on the best of terms. Gigi – his new girlfriend and her former rival for his affections – is hardly thrilled that she’s back either, especially since Gigi has closed her own restaurant in order to merge her business with Tim’s. It becomes quickly obvious to Poppy that Tim and Gigi don’t have the best relationship, especially when Gigi uses every opportunity she can to take out her frustrations on Poppy. While Poppy really wants to help both the police and Tim, she’s honestly not sure how much of Gigi’s abuse she can take.

But Poppy’s always been a people pleaser. Between this, the mystery of the engagement ring, an old family diary she’s still trying to decipher and running the B&B, she has a whole lot on her plate. What will she do, though, when an unexpected guest shows up at the inn to turn her entire world upside down?

There is a lot going on in this ninth Poppy McAllister mystery! If you’re new to the series, you can absolutely dive in here, but I really do recommend going back and starting from the very beginning with Class Reunions Are Murder. Each of these books is always much denser than the usual culinary cozy, packing a ton of plot, emotion and humor into the proceedings. Being familiar with who everyone is and how they’re connected makes for a much richer reading experience of an already terrific novel.

Libby Klein also includes a wealth of gluten-free recipes in each book, with seven yummy treats in this one. I decided to try out the following:

QUOTE
Chocolate-Orange Scones
Yield: 12 scones

Ingredients
3 cups gluten-free flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
½ cup sugar
Zest of 1 orange
8 Tbsp of cold butter
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
1 ¼ cups of heavy whipping cream
6 oz dark chocolate, roughly chopped

For the orange glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
Juice from ½ of the orange

Instructions
Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.

Into a food processor bowl, combine gluten-free flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and orange zest. Pulse until well combined.

Add cold butter by the tablespoon, and pulse until combined.

Add the vanilla extract to the heavy cream. Pour in a little at a time while pulsing. Add in ¾ of the chopped chocolate pieces. I like to reserve the smaller pieces to add after the dough is made.

You should form a lovely cohesive dough–not sticky, but no flour left in the bottom of the bowl either. LIghtly dust your counter with gluten-free flour. Turn the dough out, and let it rest for a minute.

Form the dough into a ball, and flatten it with your hands. Press it into the remaining ¼ of chopped chocolate pieces. Roll out to a thickness of about ¾-inch thick. Cut into rounds with a biscuit cutter.

Place rounds on prepared baking sheet close together, but not touching. As they rise, they will help each other rise.

Brush the tops with heavy cream.

Bake for 15 minutes and check for doneness. If they need a little more time, put the pan back in the oven for 5 minutes. If the tops are getting too brown, turn the oven down to 350°F for the last 5 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool. Make your glaze by putting the powdered sugar in a small mixing bowl. Add the orange juice a little at a time and stir, until you have a thick paste that will still run off a spoon. Drizzle the glaze over the top of the cool scones.
END QUOTE

This is one of the best scone recipes I’ve ever tried, and I have tried a lot of scone recipes, as this column can attest to! I can ordinarily take or leave the combination of orange and chocolate, but it’s so perfectly balanced in this recipe as to make these baked goods eminently craveable. The richness of the dark chocolate meets its match in the fresh orange flavor, with the texture of the scones themselves adding a wonderful fluffiness to the mix.

I also really appreciated that I could put the dough together in a food processor. Another bonus is that you don’t have to use gluten-free flour, if you don’t have any handy. In continuation of my lazy ways, I used dark chocolate chips, which worked beautifully in this easy recipe, instead of chopping up a chocolate bar.

Next week, we travel into space to mix up a few beverages while solving a murder that threatens to ruin a honeymoon. Do join me!

Cape May home of Poppy and her aunt Ginny are wanting a nice quiet holiday season but murder rears its head. Klein's books are always filled with fun, exciting characters and solid mysteries. The relationship between characters is excellent. You'll be guessing until the end. Thanks#Netgalley and #Kensington for the eARC in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are mine.

Excellent addition to Klein's Poppy McAllister cozy mystery series. It's fun and interesting, there's a mystery or two to solve, definitely romance in the air, enough outdoor Christmas decorations to be seen from space, an unrepentant Figaro picking all the birds from Poppy's tree, and an engagement ring no one is claiming. Plus there's never a dull minute when Aunt Ginny and her ladies are around.
I'm always guaranteed a good time when I read this series.

Many thanks to Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor or expectation.

With the Holidays and two mysteries going on at the same time, Poppy, Aunt Ginny and The Biddies are quite busy. First when an engagement ring is found at the B&B after a party, everyone is a Twitter asked you which one of the men is planning to propose to his beau. Then, a body is found with Poppy’s name on it. and at her ex’s restaurant no less.

With a plan in place to figure it out who wants to put a ring on it, that leaves Poppy to finger a killer. Can Poppy solve the mystery, or will she never know who that was for?

I love the dynamics between, Aunt Ginny, and the whole gang. Having grown up in New Jersey, it visit to Cape May brings back so many memories. I’m going to the shore in my childhood. And then characters bring back memories of my own family and dear Aunts and their friends. For me, this series is not only awesome, but it’s also also a means of bringing back memories from long ago. An awesome and well written mystery in each and every entry.

Not much is silent in the ninth installment in Klein's Poppy McAllister series. Filled with delightful characters and decorations that would rival the Griswold's display, this is a perfect story to get readers ready for the holiday season. It's fun to sleuth along with Poppy, and there are ample twists to keep readers engaged. While part of a series, this could be read as a standalone novel.

There's very little silence in the ninth Poppy McAllister mystery, "Silent Nights are Murder," and that's a very good thing. Poppy has to contend with the reappearance of her long-lost mother, her great-aunt Ginny's over-the-top holiday decorations, and being sent undercover to her ex-boyfriend's restaurant to help find a killer. On top of this, she's trying to resolve a generations-old feud between families and who the engagement ring found in the last book actually belongs to. Not to mention, she has an inn to run. Her plate's overfull.

But Poppy somehow manages all this with her typical humor and grace. Poppy should be irritating, because she has so few boundaries, and the ones she does, she allows people to walk all over. As Gia points out, though, he loves her because of her big heart and her generosity to others, and I think that's what makes this all work.

The various mysteries are juggled very well, and none of the plotlines detracts from the others. Poppy's chosen family loves her as much as she loves them, and that support is a big help when she has to come to terms with her mother's neglect. I was so proud of Poppy by the end of this book!

I'm not a visual person, but even I would love to see the holiday display on the inn's front lawn. I suspect it can be seen from space, just by the description.

Why you should read this book: You should not only read this one, you should read the other eight, too. This series is so well-written, with such wonderful characters and great relationships, that you might want to move "down the shore."

Why you might not want to read this book: If you've been frustrated by Poppy allowing pretty much everyone to walk all over her, you won't find any relief until close to the end of the book, and even then, it's limited.

I received an advance copy from Kensington via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 out of 5 stars. Highly recommended.

Silent Nights are Murder by Libby Klein is the first book that I have read in A Poppy McAllister Mysteries (it is the ninth A Poppy McAllister Mystery). I had trouble getting into the story and figuring out the characters. I believe it would have been better if I had read Class Reunions are Murder first which would have oriented me with the characters and setting. After I began the first chapter, I wondered if I was reading a romance novel instead of a cozy mystery. It appears all the ladies have a beau, and they are curious as to who lost an engagement ring at the bed and breakfast (and they are determined to find out). The whodunit begins in the next chapter which I thought was a little early. Poppy, of course, spots clues that the police officers on the scene missed. The mystery is one where you need to suspend your disbelief a few times (I rolled my eyes more than once). The whodunit took a backseat to the other storylines. There is a lot going on in Silent Nights are Murder (enough for two books. There is one item that did not make sense nor was it fully explained. I liked the Christmas feel including the over-the-top decorations (I bet the lights could be seen from the International Space Station). Figaro is quite a character, but I would never let him near my Christmas tree or decorations with feathers. Silents Nights are Murder had a cheerful and satisfying conclusion that will please fans of the series.

I always enjoy returning to this charming series featuring protagnist Poppy McAllister. This is the ninth in series and a exciting Christmas addition to the series.

Poppy is busy planning the Christmas season and decorating the tree with her Aunt Ginny. They are trying to solve a mystery of a engagement ring left at the B&B with no note. Her aunt has asked her to investigate a old diary and find out what the hidden meanings are in the diary. Poppy is content to run her business, study the diary and plan Christmas without another murder occuring. Poppy is a savvy investigator alway finding clues but she is tired of finding bodies. She hopes for a peaceful Christmas season.
When her ex finds a body at his restaurant the corpse comes with a note to Poppy. She is drawn into the murder by the police and soon has to go undercover to find clues and possible suspects. Her adorable cat Figaro is mischievous throughout and stealing ornaments off the tree adding humor. The sleuth was fun and I did not guess the outcome.
This is a fun addition to the series and a pleasing Christmas theme read. Thank you to the publisher, Net Galley and the author for the opportunity for review.
My review opinions are my own.

Silent Nights Are Murder is the 9th book in the A Poppy McAllister Mystery series. Poppy has a way of being involved whenever a dead body is found. This time there is a note on the body that says Get Poppy on it.
But before the dead body being found Poppy and her friends find an engagement ring in a box at Thanksgiving with no way of knowing who it is for!
But now the dead body needs to be solved as to what happened and that will answer why Poppy’s name was on the body. I enjoy the twists and turns Libby Klein tosses into the story.
This is a very good cozy mystery series that I will recommend to other readers.
Thank you NetGalley, Libby Klein and Kensington Publishing for the copy of Silent Nights Are Murder. This is my personal review.

Silent Nights Are Murder is book #9 in the Poppy McAllister Mystery series by Libby Klein.

The holidays are not a time of rest for Poppy McAllister. She is drawn into a murder investigation and a mystery from her Aunt Ginny regarding an old diary. This was full of likable (mostly) characters and a great locale. There were plenty of twists to keep me guessing until the end. I enjoyed the humor and I recommend this book.

Thank you to the author, Kensington Books, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.