Gluten-free baker Poppy McAllister and her aunt Ginny are looking forward to a quiet, homey Christmas at their B&B in Cape May, but unfortunately, death isn’t taking a holiday this year . . .

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Ever since Thanksgiving, when an engagement ring in a velvet box—and no gift tag—was left behind, Poppy and her pals have been left with an unsolved mystery. But at least this mystery isn’t the kind that involves murder. That all changes when the body of a fish supplier is discovered in the kitchen of her ex’s restaurant—and he’s frozen, not fresh.

For once, it’s not Poppy who tripped over the corpse, yet she can’t escape being drawn in since the victim has a note taped to him reading Get Poppy. Figures—an engagement ring isn’t labeled, but the dead guy is addressed to her. Now, while Aunt Ginny plans a tree-trimming party and pressures Poppy to decode a mysterious old diary, the amateur sleuth is asked to “unofficially” go undercover at the restaurant to help the police. Until then, the only crime Poppy had been dealing with was the cat Figaro’s repeated thefts of bird ornaments from the tree; now it looks like it’s going to be a murder-y Christmas after all . . .

* from Goodreads

Hott Review:

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!

More…

Author: Libby Klein
Source: NetGalley
Publisher & Date: September 24, 2024 by Kensington
Genre: Cozy Mystery
ISBN: 9781496744425 (ISBN10: 149674442X)
Pages: 448
Grade: B+
Ages: 16+
Steam: Adult
Setting: Cape May, NJ
Series: A Poppy McAllister Mystery #9

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