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    Class Reunions Are Murder
    Class Reunions Are Murder
    Class Reunions Are Murder
    Audiobook9 hours

    Class Reunions Are Murder

    Written by Libby Klein

    Narrated by Callie Beaulieu

    4/5

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    About this audiobook

    Newly widowed and stuck in a middle-aged funk, Poppy has been running on cookies, infomercials, and one-sided chats with her cat for months. There's no way on earth she's attending her twenty-five-year class reunion-especially after receiving a very bizarre letter from Barbie, the popular cheerleader who taunted her all through high school. At least, not until Poppy's best friend practically drags her to the event . . .

    Using the dreaded homecoming as an excuse to visit her eccentric Aunt Ginny, Poppy vows to leave Cape May with pride and Spanx intact. Too bad Barbie is still the queen of mean at the reunion. And worse, that her dead body is lying right in front of Poppy's old locker. Singled out as the killer, it's up to Poppy to confront her past and clear her name. But between protecting her aunt from disaster and tackling a gluten-free diet, can Poppy crack the case before she's voted "Most Likely to Die" by the murderer?
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateJan 30, 2018
    ISBN9781541488083
    Author

    Libby Klein

    Libby Klein graduated Lower Cape May Regional High School in the '80s. Her classes revolved mostly around the culinary sciences and theater, with the occasional nap in Chemistry. She has worked as a stay at home mom, climbing the ranks to the coveted position of Grandma. She also dabbles in the position of Vice President of a technology company which mostly involves bossing other people around, making spreadsheets, and taking out the trash. She writes culinary cozy mysteries from her Northern Virginia office while trying to keep her cat Figaro off her keyboard. Most of her hobbies revolve around eating, and travel, and eating while traveling.

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    Reviews for Class Reunions Are Murder

    4/5

    43 ratings8 reviews

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    • 3/5
      The story is a passable cozy mystery. The constant barrage of fatphobic thoughts the protagonist is always aiming at herself for her diet, weight gain, how she looks in clothes is very very annoying. She's the fat girl in the rom com who is constantly eating the ' bad ' foods; it's cliché and also bs. The protagonist is also just generally derogatory to herself in every other way you can think of. She really shouldn't have worried about the class reunion bullies, she does a great job bullying herself the entire book. I really wasn't sure I would make it through this book because of the constant mental deluge of talking bad about herself or worrying that everyone from her aunt to her friends and former loves and bullies would be judging her about all the things she keeps judging herself about. It's one thing to present a character as going through a rough patch in life and having some things they want to work on and even being worried about those things she thinks are wrong being noticed by others but the problem is it never ends in this book. I started rolling my eyes ever time there was ANOTHER negative thought or comment. Anyway it's sad how much that took me out of the story and it really was a lot of extra and unnecessary negativity.
    • 5/5
      Very entertaining ❤️ I loved the humor and the narrator was terrific!! On to book #2!!!
    • 5/5
      This is a wonderful start to a new series. I loved the themes in this book. Besides having a mystery, there is high school bullying, healthy living and naturopathic healing as well as self-esteem, acceptance and second chances. All this is wrapped up in fun with a lot of laughs along the way.

      Poppy McAllister is dreading the 25th reunion of her high school graduating class, in fact, she doesn't even want to go. Her best friend, Sawyer, talked her into attending along with the other two girls, Kim and Colleen, that were her only friends in high school. Since the death of her husband, Poppy's life has been falling apart. She has gained a lot of weight, her mother in law is driving her crazy, and her only companion is Figaro the cat. Her dreams of becoming a pastry chef and a mother have vanished and at this point, she has no desire to spend an evening with all the bullies who made her life miserable, and will probably make her feel even worse about herself and her life. When the reunion plays out the way Poppy expected, it is understandable to see her snap. She finally lets loose on Barbie, the leader of the mean girls followed by a physical altercation between Barbie and Sawyer. When Barbie is found dead in front of Poppy's old locker, by Poppy, she is the main suspect in her death.

      Cape May, New Jersey is a fun town. The characters inhabiting the town, especially the older set, are a hoot. Aunt Ginny is one of the funnest characters I have come across in a long time. I hope I have that much energy and wit when I am in my 70s. Poppy is a smart, sarcastic heroine, who is loyal to her true friends and her family (not her husband's family). She is addicted to food and is a plus-sized woman, which I loved. She ends up with not one, but two males interested in her which is also a nice change, that they do not all go after the skinny women. Even the two women she meets when arrested are wonderfully written and give inspiration to Poppy to make changes to her life. All in all, someone I would love to have as a friend. And of course, the police are out in full force, but with the blinders on so that Poppy has to hand them the evidence to eventually solve the crime. This is a cozy mystery after all. The lead detective is also one of the bullies from high school, so that adds another dimension to the story. I also enjoyed the secondary storyline about the Social Services trying to get Aunt Ginny put in a nursing home because she needed supervision. I did figure out where that plotline was going before the ending and I loved the resolution of it. The story moves quickly and the reveal of the culprit was well done, although not someone I had on my radar. I definitely recommend this book to those who enjoy cozy mysteries, especially those with humour and quirky characters. I am really looking forward to reading the next one in this series. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book to read. The rating, ideas and opinions stated are my own.
    • 4/5
      Widowed and stuck in a middle-aged funk, Poppy has been running on cookies, infomercials, and one-sided chats with her cat for months. The last thing she wants to do is attend her 25th class
      reunion. After receiving a bizarre letter from Barbie, the popular cheerleader who taunted her all through high school, she is positive that the reunion is going to be a horrible experience. Her best
      friend practically drags her to the event only to end in Barbie being murdered.

      Using the dreaded homecoming as an excuse to visit her eccentric Aunt Ginny, Poppy vows to leave Cape May with pride and Spanx intact and as quickly as possible. Too bad Barbie is still the queen of mean at the reunion. Worse yet, her dead body is lying right in front of Poppy’s old locker, where Poppy finds her.

      Singled out as the killer, it’s up to Poppy to confront her past and clear her name. But between protecting her aunt from disaster and tackling a new lifestyle change, Poppy must crack the case before she’s sent to prison for murder or becomes the next victim?
      --

      Series: A Poppy McAllister Mystery
      Author: Libby Klein
      Genre: Cozy Mystery/ Culinary
      Publisher: Kensington

      Class Reunions Are Murder is a thought-provoking and interesting take on class reunions and everything bad that happened to us as students in high school. It shows how the past catches up with everyone, even the bullies we dealt with on the road to adulthood.

      Poppy is a wonderful, well-rounded character with flaws and insecurities on a grand scale. After the death of her husband, she sinks into a routine of watching television infomercials, eating anything sweet and brooding about life. She is older, with half her life gone and has no desire or ambition to change things. But when she returns home and renews her friendships and confronts the past, she realizes that she still has dreams and wants to start over. Her outlook on life is very relatable for any reader who has experienced the heartbreak and devastation of life’s turmoil.

      Aunt Ginny is wonderfully eccentric with an attitude that people half her age envy. She has everything Poppy doesn’t, spunk, motivation and a way of doing things her way regardless of what anyone thinks. She makes readers hope that they are like her when they grow older.

      The supporting cast of characters are interesting and entertaining, some of which such as Bebe and Tawnika should have their own series. They are funny and very likable, even under the circumstance of being behind bars.

      The setting of the story is described in enough detail that the reader wouldn’t mind visiting and spending time discovering. It is the perfect location for this story, and hopes are that the author will flesh it out more in future installments.

      Overall Class Reunions Are Murder is an enjoyable book. However, it isn’t as fast-paced as many would like and is a bit on the long side. There is a lack of real action until the end, and this makes it difficult to keep turning the page. The reader will dislike many of the characters and will have no empathy for those that the writer may have intended to come off as someone you would have compassion for. They might also have trouble figuring out the clues to the killer’s identity. The romantic interests are a bit confusing as the reader is never sure who the main interest is though they will cheer for one over the other.

      This book is recommended to anyone who has the time to sit down and read the story uninterrupted, and with the knowledge that not everything will be easy to figure out. That said, the plot is interesting and the story although a bit complex is fun to read. The recipes in the back are great to try!
    • 4/5
      Poppy McAllister has recently been widowed and she is having a hard time adjusting, spiraling downward in depression, hiding away in her house and eating carbs galore. Her best friend Sawyer convinces her to return to her home town for her 25th class reunion. On her arrival, she realizes that her Aunt Ginny is having some difficulties and taking care of those will need to be a priority while she is visiting. Poppy has received a special message from the girl who made her life miserable in high school - apparently, Barbie wants to make amends, But circumstances don't work in Poppy's favor but before the two can reconcile, Poppy finds Barbie dead in the hallway right by Poppy's old locker.Since Sawyer had been in a fight with Barbie right before the murder, Poppy feels the need to fid the murder and keep herself and Sawyer from landing in jail.My ladies group chose this book for our May read and the author was kind enough to attend our discussion. It was fascinating to hear about the writing process and learn how the entertaining characters came to life. Already have the next book in the series can't wait to see Poppy again.
    • 4/5
      I completely understand the desire to not attend a class reunion. And when you add in the fact that Poppy McAllister has been widowed a mere six months, it's no wonder it takes a lot of smooth talking from her best friend Sawyer to get her to head back to Jersey. In addition to reunion mail, Poppy has also received a personal invite from former nemesis and head cheerleader Barbie, curiosity will win out for Poppy and her friends. Poppy's quirky Aunt Ginny still owns the family home, and Poppy's interactions with her and the side story about Aunt Ginny made for some of the more humorous points in the book. The reunion is marred by the death of Barbie. Naturally, Poppy finds her in front of her old locker. There are lots of suspects--a lot of people came back for the 25th! Plenty of red herrings made this a puzzling read up until near the end. I look forward to more about Poppy, she is a good, mature character that seems very approachable and like someone you would know in real life.
    • 3/5
      Class Reunions are Murder by Libby Klein is the first installment in A Poppy McAllister Mystery series. Poppy McAllister is a widow of six months. Since her husband passed away, she has stayed cooped up in her home watching cooking shows, overindulging in sweets, talking to her cat (Sir Figaro Newton) and avoiding her overbearing mother-in-law, Georgina. She receives an invitation for her twenty-fifth high school reunion along with a strange note from her high school nemesis, Barbie Pomeroy Clark. The last thing Poppy wishes to do is attend, but her friend Sawyer insists she attend (responds to the invitation for her). It does give Poppy a chance to visit her unique Aunt Ginny and see how she is faring. After purchasing a new (hideous) dress that fits, Poppy is off to the reunion. Barbie has not changed one iota since high school (mean, nasty, bully). Poppy’s friend, Sawyer gets into an altercation with Barbie. When Poppy goes to check on Sawyer, she finds Barbie dead in front of her old locker. Amber, another high school nemesis, is now a police officer and arrests Poppy of the crime. Poppy is soon released (thanks to old high school boyfriend) and she sets out to prove her innocence. The suspects list is quite long since Barbie made enemies on a daily basis. Poppy must also help her Aunt Ginny deal with an aggressive social services worker and cope with her new diet/exercise regimen prescribed by the holistic doctor (to help with her depression). Poppy needs to locate the murderer before she ends up celebrating her 30th reunion behind bars.Class Reunions are Murder is a debut novel from Libby Klein. The book opens with middle aged Poppy McAllister a hot mess. She is grieving the loss of her husband (understandable) and dealing with a difficult mother-in-law (who objects to Poppy spending any of her inheritance). Poppy has been eating donuts, fudge, cookies, brownies and other sweet (unhealthy but delicious) treats for the last six months (gained 60 pounds). She spends her days in workout/yoga clothes that are ill fitting and stained while watching cooking shows (and talking to Figaro). The last thing she wants to do is return to Cape May, New Jersey for her high school reunion (I do not blame her). Circumstances (and a conversation with an inmate while she was in the local jail) in Cape May force Poppy out of her funk. There is a murder (she is being railroaded by an angry police officer), a social services worker is trying to force Aunt Ginny into an assisted living facility, a holistic doctor puts her on the Paleo diet and suggests Poppy try yoga, and none of her clothes fit her. Aunt Ginny is a lively, eccentric and lonely woman. I believe she has missed having family nearby and that is why her home has been neglected. There are two love interests for Poppy (which I found odd since she is still grieving her husband). The handsome barista, Giampaolo and her old high school boyfriend, Tim. The mystery was interesting with several suspects (her high school class had a number of mean girls). The clues are sprinkled throughout the book to aid readers in identifying the culprit. Poppy does not take to sleuthing right off, but gets better as the story progresses. She is fortunate to have help from her friends and Aunt Ginny. I believe many readers can relate to high school drama with the bullying mean girls, the jocks and good friends. I like the point the author made about perception. Every story has two sides with each person having a different perspective. The various storylines were nicely wrapped up at the end of the book. I did find a repetition of information (a common problem lately in cozy mysteries), and I felt the book was a too long (407 pages). A little editing would have enhanced the story. Class Reunions are Murder is a light, humorous cozy mystery that will have readers chuckling through the whole book.
    • 5/5
      A wonderful start for a new cozy series! I started the book and was hooked til the end.
      The focus is the heroine so human and so down to the earth. Her problems are the same a lot of women face everyday and it is not hard to recognize in her some of our traits.
      The cast of character is really good and all are lovable, the cat is fantastic and the aunt is really interesting and funny.
      Cannot wait to read the next instalment.
      Many thanks to Kensington Books and Netgalley