For fortysomething Poppy McAllister, taking a stroll down memory lane in Cape May, New Jersey, isn’t just awkward—it’s deadly.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?
Includes Seven Recipes from Poppy’s Kitchen! (Summary via Goodreads)
If you graduated from high school in the late 80's like me, you will really appreciate a lot of things that Class Reunions are Murder has to offer. Libby Klein takes the reader on a nice journey down memory lane.....and there are TWO mysteries !!
Class Reunions are Murder starts with you getting to know Poppy who is dealing with the death of her husband. All she wants to do is stay in her pj's, eat, sleep, and hang with her cat Figaro. Unfortunately her best friend Sawyer persuades her to go back home to attend their 25th year class reunion. As much as she doesn't want to go, she also doesn't want to let her friend down. Plus she will be going back to her childhood home and seeing her Aunt Ginny.
As in a lot of schools, Poppy and Sawyer and their friends dealt with "bullying" and the head of the "bullying club" was Barbie and Barbie hasn't changed at all. So when Barbie is found dead with a pompom stuffed in her mouth at the reunion people aren't overly shocked. Unfortunately she was found in front of Poppy's locker by Poppy !!
Even though the list of suspects is long, their old classmate, Amber, who is on the police force now only has eyes for Poppy.
While Poppy tries to stay out of jail for a murder she did not commit, Aunt Ginny has a huge problem also. Aunt Ginny is trying to stay out of the nursing home !! An employee from the Department of Youth & Family Services has been coming around saying that they have received numerous complaints that Aunt Ginny is unfit to live alone. Aunt Ginny make be a number of things, but unfit is not one of them.
Even though there is a lot going on in Class Reunions are Murder, Klein has the ability to keep the reader completely focused and so engrossed in the story that you feel like you are right there in New Jersey. You will instantly fall in love with Poppy and appreciate her strength and determination.
I had an extremely hard time putting the book down and when I got to the end and both mysteries were solved, it was mind blowing..... But nothing could have prepared me for the way Klein ended the book....an ending with a HUGE opening.... I cannot wait until I get my hands on the next book in this series, Midnight Snacks are Murder, to see where things are heading for Poppy and Aunt Ginny..
Review by Missi S.
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