Synopsis

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!

**This book releases January 30th, 2018**

Review

A new series and what a trip down memory lane….high school reunions, graduating in the 1980’s and the fashion of that time, and humor galore made this a very enjoyable book.

Poppy is a woman I can identify with – plus size, loves to cook and eat but has a heart of gold when it comes to friends and family (even if they are a bit nuts). I was enthralled with Poppy’s backstory and how she arrived at that point in her life. There were happy and sad moments in that regard, but it made Poppy a stronger character. I especially liked when she decided to take charge of her life and not let everyone walk all over her good nature.

The mystery was very well written and the killer popped into my head, not for any clues that were blatantly left behind in the story….maybe because this character was the only one left that fit? It was quite the surprise and as with all cozies, Poppy puts herself into danger many times but manages to come out unscathed.

And what would this book be without a love triangle? There is Tim, Poppy’s high school sweetheart, and Gia, the owner of a local coffee shop that encourages Poppy’s love of baking and providing gluten-free items for him to sell. It could be a tough choice on who to choose so it will be fun to see how this plays out in future books.

We give it 5 paws up!