Class Reunions Are Murder (A Poppy McAllister Mystery Book 1)

This was such a fun book to read! I found myself laughing on a regular basis at some of the scenes. I think this series is definitely off to a great start and I can't wait to find out what the next book brings.Poppy McAllister let herself be talked into going to her 25th high school reunion by her best friend, Sawyer. She was widowed, depressed and quite a bit overweight, so she had no desire to be seen by anyone, except her cat Figaro that she lived with in her and her husband's big house. Poppy stayed with her Aunt Ginny, her mother's sister, who lived in a big Victorian in Cape May, NJ. Not more than once, Poppy longed to be home in Virginia, especially when at the reunion she discovered the very dead body of the so-called class sweetheart and Prom Queen, Barbie Pomeroy Clark. Lots of secrets were hidden by the various characters in this story and there was a really good side mystery involving Aunt Ginny and a social worker who was trying to force her out of her home and into assisted living, claiming that Ginny's eccentric and sometimes flamboyant personality was senility.There were some really great characters in this book, but I think my favorite, aside from Poppy herself, was her Aunt Ginny. She was sharp as a tack and faithful to her niece. She was not going to let her niece go to jail for a crime she didn't commit, but the local police officer, Amber Fenton, who just happened to be a classmate, seemed determined to arrest Poppy for the murder. Poppy had to work twice as hard to gather evidence, because Amber said it was just a matter of time before the lab report would come back and Poppy would be arrested for real this time.I can honestly believe there are people like this, mean girls who simply got older but are still mean, flirts who have never stopped going after the opposite sex and people who unmercifully make fun of overweight people, even if they are in the same shape themselves. I was really proud that Poppy finally took her life into her hands and worked on her whole self, not just her weight. The cute coffee shop owner apparently thought she was pretty enough to want to date, as did her ex-boyfriend Tim, whom she'd almost married. She had a really good epiphany towards the end and it turned her life around. Now she had two handsome guys interested in her, wonderful friends who stuck by her through the whole ordeal as well as an awesome aunt who even put up with her cat that got into crazy destructive moods.The showdown was great! I had a suspicion who the killer was but I had no idea why, and I did waver back and forth. The scene with the social worker who was trying to get Ginny into assisted living was epic! You'll just have to read it and find out, it's just too good to spoil. I can't wait to read the next book. Things are definitely looking up for Poppy McAllister!

This little Cozy Mystery was a fun read! I fell for Poppy like a ton of bricks. The setting at Poppy’s childhood home and her eccentric Aunt had me at “hello”. I loved the reunion theme and the mystery was intriguing. I am a new Cozy fan and I’m so happy that @korinamossauthor turned me on to this series.

It seems to me, that there are different types of murder mysteries! I have read what I call the heavy, dark ones, that keep you on the edge of your seat, biting your nails. And every once in a while, I still like to be frightened out of my wits reading one. I prefer, what I call the light hearted mystery novel, where the main character is sometimes quirky in their choice of life style; and the mystery itself is not full of graphic, awful descriptions, and I am fearful waiting to find out what happens!The main character goes about their daily life; someone in their life gets whacked because they are greedy, misinformed or whatever; and the main character, who is not an official of any kind in detective work, just happens to be skilled at solving the mystery of who and why someone was murdered!Poppy, the main character, in this light-hearted mystery is coming to the rescue of her beloved Aunt, who, is being framed for a murder because she was in the wrong place at the wrong time prior to the murder. Poppy, is pretty sure she knows her Aunt didn't commit the crime. All this,in the midst of Poppy, trying to convert her Aunt's home to a bed and breakfast, where Poppy will bake her delicious baked goods and run the B and B. Throw in Poppy's love life and you have an all around novel of mystery that keeps you reading just to find out how everyone resolves their own issues! I loved this mystery and intend to purchase more of Poppy's page turning mystery stories!

It is easy to see why Class Reunions Are Murder has gotten so many great reviews! An excellent cozy mystery, this book has a big dollop of chick lit ruled by a dynamic main characters who is a drama queen in her own head but who understands that real life doesn't bend for anyone. After six months of wallowing in the loss of her beloved husband, that reality almost kicks her in the teeth when she is accused of murder. Just try wallowing in a jail cell and see how for it gets you. For Poppy, the experience opens her eyes to the fact that she has handed her life over to others and pouted. Now she sees that she can either take full control or give up and go to prison.I was enchanted from the first page and loved every minute of the book. It is an great cozy mystery but it is so much more; even readers who are not fans of cozy mysteries will fall for Poppy and her aunt.I read this book in 2018 but failed to post here!!!

I💟 cozy mysteries but finding a REALLY good one can be a challenge. This one, nailed it!Great characters, an engaging and realistic story and plenty of laughs; what's not to like?I toyed with going to my own class reunion years ago but "chickened" out. Thanks to Poppy and pals, I'm living through the experience vicariously.Would definitely look for more books from this author.Well done and a pat pat to kitty, Figaro too.🐱Geraldine Helen Hartman, author of, Laughing at the Grim Reaper! Gems of Wisdom for Aging Well.Helpful votes are always appreciated!😂