Project and content management for Contemporary Authors volumes
WORK TITLE: Midnight Snacks Are Murder
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: https://libbykleinbooks.com/
CITY:
STATE: VA
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY: American
RESEARCHER NOTES:
LC control no.: no2018015165
LCCN Permalink: https://lccn.loc.gov/no2018015165
HEADING: Klein, Libby (Mystery author)
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010 __ |a no2018015165
035 __ |a (OCoLC)oca11182536
040 __ |a MvI |b eng |e rda |c MvI
100 1_ |a Klein, Libby |c (Mystery author)
370 __ |c United States |e Virginia |2 naf
372 __ |a Detective and mystery fiction |2 lcgft
374 __ |a Authors |2 lcsh
375 __ |a Females |2 lcdgt
377 __ |a eng
670 __ |a Class reunions are murder, 2018: |b title page (Libby Klein) page 3 of cover (graduated Lower Cape May Regional High School in the 1980s; writes mysteries; lives in Northern Virginia)
PERSONAL
Female.
EDUCATION:Attended Lower Cape May Regional High School.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Business vice president and author. Worked previously as a stay at home mother.
AVOCATIONS:Traveling, eating, theater, cooking.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Prior to launching her writing career, Libby Klein devoted a portion of her adult years to motherhood and family life. Klein splits her time between serving as vice president for a technology business, writing, and being a grandmother. She released her debut novel, Class Reunions Are Murder in the year 2018.
On the Fangirl Nation website, interviewer Vicki Mejia-Gewe asked Klein what initially led her to pursue writing. “I started writing Class Reunions Are Murder because I found myself daydreaming the same story all the time,” Klein explained. “Sometimes I couldn’t sleep at night because of the stories playing out in my head. Eventually I figured that maybe I should try to write them down, so they’ll leave me alone.” Class Reunions Are Murder and its sequel, Midnight Snacks Are Murder, are the results of Klein’s efforts.
Midnight Snacks Are Murder follows protagonist Poppy McAllister, a baker turned detective who, at the start of the book, hopes to open and run her own bed and breakfast. To do this, she will need a bit of help from her aunt, an elderly woman named Ginny. However, Poppy soon learns that her aunt may be the one truly in need of help. After what should have been a normal night, Ginny discovers she has traveled to the homes of her neighbors. She made off with their desserts and a few other items in the process. The only possible explanation to this occurrence is that Ginny has begun sleepwalking—yet things get even hairier when another neighbor of Ginny’s winds up dead. Poppy must take it upon herself to help her aunt clear her name while also making sure Ginny’s sleepwalking is kept under control.
“Lots of comical characters keep the chuckles coming as the determined Poppy solves a surprisingly difficult puzzle,” wrote a contributor to Kirkus Reviews. On the Carstairs Considers… blog, Mark Baker remarked: “Midnight Snacks are Murder is a light-hearted mystery perfect for a late summer vacation.” A blogger on the Books, Reviews et al by Shalini website concluded: “Poppy and her eccentric team along with her cat Figaro, make this series a rocking cozy mystery!!” A writers on the Bibliophile Reviews website stated: “It had the best who-done-it, I love Poppy and the others in this book.” On the Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book blog, one contributor expressed that “[Klein’s] stories deliver everything I love about cozy mysteries.” They added: “Genuine characters in serious situations, but with a huge dose of humor too.” A reviewer on the dru’s book musings blog called the book “an excellent read.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Kirkus Reviews, June 1, 2018, review of Midnight Snacks Are Murder.
ONLINE
Bibliophile Reviews, https://bibliophile.reviews/ (August 17, 2018), review of Midnight Snacks Are Murder.
Books, Reviews et al by Shalini, https://bookreviewsbyshalini.wordpress.com/ (August 6, 2018), review of Midnight Snacks Are Murder.
Carstairs Considers…, http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/ (July 31, 2018), Mark Baker, review of Midnight Snacks Are Murder.
dru’s book musings, https://drusbookmusing.com/ (August 6, 2018), “My Musing ~ Midnight Snacks Are Murder by Libby Klein,” review of Midnight Snacks Are Murder.
Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book, https://www.escapewithdollycas.com/ (August 7, 2018), review of Midnight Snacks Are Murder.
Fangirl Nation, https://fangirlnation.com/ (July 18, 2018), Vicki Mejia-Gewe, “Interview with an Author: Libby Klein,” author interview.
Libby Klein website, https://libbykleinbooks.com (August 17, 2018), author profile.
Libby Klein graduated Lower Cape May Regional High School sometime 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 ladder up 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 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.
Interview with an Author: Libby KleinNovel/Novella Author Interviews July 18, 2018 Vicki Mejia-Gewe
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Libby Klein Author PhotoLibby Klein graduated Lower Cape May Regional High School sometime in the ’80s. Her classes revolved mostly around the culinary sciences and theater, with the occasional nap in Chemistry. She 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 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.
How did you get started writing fiction and then get published?
I started writing Class Reunions Are Murder because I found myself daydreaming the same story all the time. Sometimes I couldn’t sleep at night because of the stories playing out in my head. Eventually I figured that maybe I should try to write them down, so they’ll leave me alone. I found out right away that I didn’t know what I was doing. So, I found a flyer for a class on creative writing offered locally by a well-known author and writing coach. He taught me how to structure a novel and what goes into every scene. I worked with him for a year and a half learning the tools that every writer needs. When we were finished, I had a complete manuscript. I was lucky enough to get an agent on my second pass of sending query letters, and she sold the manuscript to Kensington Publishing with lightning speed.
In high school you focused on culinary classes and theater. Do you still pursue those interests?
They are both passions of mine. Baking has very much been a part of my life. I’ve catered many events, parties, rehearsal dinners, weddings. I think my largest event was for 300 people. I’ve even catered a dinner at a military academy for teen boys. A lot of people have tried to convince me to open a restaurant. They have no idea how much work and energy that takes. I can barely get dinner on the table for my family 7 nights a week. As far as theater, I was very blessed to be able to write and act in several plays for my church before becoming a novelist. There is something surreal about hearing other people perform lines that you’ve written while the audience laugh at your jokes.
Your book Class Reunions Are Murder is so clever and relatable! In it, Poppy goes to her 25th high school reunion and gets stuck reliving high school, especially being bullied by the same group of people. She gets accused of murder when the worst bully gets killed. And the detective in charge of the case is the second worst bully, only beaten by the one who was killed. This topic fits so many people’s nightmares. What inspired you to write this book? Have you had a bad experience at a reunion?
I didn’t attend my reunion until after I had finished the first two books in the series. My inspiration for Class Reunions comes from my childhood and adolescence. Growing up chunky was very hard. I’ve been mocked, and bullied, and called so many names. When I was in elementary school I had stopped eating lunch. I told the teacher we were too poor to buy food because I didn’t want to eat in front of anyone else. And of course, the high school clique of mean girls was alive and well in the 80s. Obviously, I was not part of the popular crowd. My closest friends were other geeks and weirdos like me. Our parties were not keggers with jocks, they were chips and dip with Trivial Pursuit, or B-Movie marathons. We all bore the scars of being ridiculed and harassed. Class Reunions Are Murder is as much for them as it is for me.
One of my favorite parts of the book is when Poppy is feeling sorry for herself after getting arrested and sitting in jail. It takes a transvestite hooker and a gal busted for possession to inspire her to stand up for herself. What made you choose these two to be the secondary heroes of the book?
I love that you picked up on the fact that Bebe and Tawnika are the heroes of their scene. They give Poppy the wakeup call that she’s been so busy feeling sorry for herself she can’t see how good she’s really got it. Yes, bad things have happened to her and she needs to make better choices, but she has a home and a family and friends. So many little things in life can irritate us that we fail to notice that our neighbor lost their job and their house is in foreclosure. The kids down the street have an alcoholic father and they don’t have any food. I’ve known people like Bebe and Tawnika. They’ve had some rotten hands dealt to them and they still don’t give up. They’re a success story in the prequel stages.
Poppy visits a doctor, only to discover that she has a disorder that can’t tolerate gluten, so she is forced to go on the Paleo diet. You based that part upon your own experiences with a similar disorder. How did writing this book help you with that?
I’m very susceptible to the power of suggestion. And since I love to read cozies, and especially culinary cozies, I find myself wanting to eat everything in the book. I’m a coffee girl – but if the protagonist owns a tea shop – I find myself drinking tea like Queen Victoria is coming to town. I wanted to write something for people who can’t have dairy and gluten so we can try the recipes in the back of the book for a change.
Your second novel, Midnight Snacks Are Murder, comes out July 31. What can we expect for Poppy in this book?
Midnight Snacks is ridiculously funny. Someone is terrorizing the neighborhood and committing Grand Snackery. They’re breaking into houses and stealing knickknacks, leaving a trail of crumbs in their wake. When one of the neighbors is murdered during a break-in, only Poppy believes the police have the wrong suspect and the killer is a copycat. Things will heat up for Poppy in the romance department, and a new nemesis comes to town.
Tell us about your writing process. How do you put together your books?
My writing process is more of an example of what not to do. There is a lot of coffee, followed by some video games. Then anything that can be a distraction will be a distraction. I’ll clean the closet, reorganize my shoes, bake cookies. . . When I finally force myself to sit down and write, I start with what I wrote yesterday. I read through my last chapter and make edits and it gets me right back into the story. The novel is fully outlined before I begin, so I always know where I’m going next. When I have trouble getting into a scene or a character’s head, I use a lot of music for motivation. While writing the Salsa class at the Senior Center in Class Reunions I must have listened to “Hey Mambo” at least a dozen times.
Your website shows us a picture of your secretary at work. Tell us about this secretary and how he helps you.
This was my secretary, Miles Davis.
miles at my desk
He was also my baby. Miles crossed the rainbow bridge shortly after I took this picture. I still miss him every day. But now I have a new secretary in my life.
This is Eliza Doolittle.
She’s a lot naughtier than Miles, and she’s not especially good at taking notes.
I catch her sleeping on the job a lot.
Plus, she can be quite a distraction when I have a deadline.
But they both have given me a lot of material. Just about everything Figaro does has actually happened. I can’t imagine my life without a fluffy secretary to keep me company. Even if she steals my pens.
What books or authors have influenced your own career as a writer?
I have always loved to read, and of course being a mystery writer, Nancy Drew is a huge inspiration. But there is another series that has also been a big influence on my writing. Jasper Fforde’s Thursday Next series is about a parallel reality where people have the ability to travel into books. Thursday Next, a detective on the fiction police force, is on assignment within the books. She interviews the characters when they aren’t on the page. Imagine Miss Havisham taking a smoke break while she waits for her cue to be back in the scene for the reader. It’s a lot like being backstage during a theater production and hearing the actors discussing their day outside of the show. When I write, I often think about what my characters are doing when they aren’t “on stage.”
You can learn more about Libby on the following sites:
www.libbykleinbooks.com
Facebook author page
Twitter: @LibbyKleinBooks
Instagram: @LibbyKleinBooks
Goodreads author page
Pinterest
Summary
Interview with an Author: Libby KleinArticle NameInterview with an Author: Libby Klein
DescriptionLibby Klein has written a best- selling mystery, with a sequel due out July 31. She talks today with us about her life and writing.
AuthorVicki Mejia-Gewe
Publisher NameFangirl Nation
7/26/2018 General OneFile - Saved Articles
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Print Marked Items
Klein, Libby: MIDNIGHT SNACKS ARE
MURDER
Kirkus Reviews.
(June 1, 2018):
COPYRIGHT 2018 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Klein, Libby MIDNIGHT SNACKS ARE MURDER Kensington (Adult Fiction) $7.99 7, 31 ISBN: 978-1-
4967-1305-6
A widow's return to Cape May, New Jersey, has been murder in more ways than one.
Poppy McAllister's already been mistakenly arrested for murder upon her return for a high school reunion
(Class Reunions Are Murder, 2018). Now her eccentric Aunt Ginny is in trouble. Poppy, who'd never
planned to stay around, has invested time and money in a scheme to turn Ginny's Queen Anne Victorian
into a B&B using her considerable baking skills to help finance the project by selling her yummy glutenfree
items at a local coffee shop. Her contractor, Itty Bitty Smitty, whose war cry is "I can fix that," is
behind schedule for their grand opening, and his running battle with Poppy's controlling mother-in-law,
Georgina, who's invested just enough to have a say, frays everyone's nerves. Then suddenly Aunt Ginny,
who's taking some new pills, starts sleepwalking and bringing home odd objects she's pinched from
neighbors' homes while helping herself to desserts. So when Brody Brandt, one of the neighbors, is found
murdered, the police arrest Ginny, aka the "Snack Bandit." Poppy, who's certain that Ginny is innocent, sets
out to find the guilty party while she juggles two boyfriends, her former high school sweetheart Tim, a chef,
and handsome Gia, who owns the coffee shop where she plies her goods. Unhappy with her body image,
she can't convince herself that either really desires her. As she digs into Brandt's background, she discovers
a number of possible motives. Now if she can only keep Ginny out of trouble while she tracks down the real
killer.
Lots of comical characters keep the chuckles coming as the determined Poppy solves a surprisingly difficult
puzzle.
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Klein, Libby: MIDNIGHT SNACKS ARE MURDER." Kirkus Reviews, 1 June 2018. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A540723449/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=6e46be09.
Accessed 26 July 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A540723449
I’ve never experienced anyone who sleep walks, however, years ago, I did spend the weekend with a sleep talker. That was quite interesting. I couldn’t help but think about that experience while reading Midnight Snacks are Murder, our second visit with Poppy McAlister.
It’s been a few months since we last checked in with Poppy and her aunt Ginny. In that time, they’ve almost finished the renovations needed to turn Aunt Ginny’s house into a bed and breakfast despite not having the most competent contractor. Things hit a speed bump when Poppy’s mother-in-law, Georgina, comes to visit and begins causing more havoc as a result.
However, the real news is the rash of break-ins that their neighbors are having in the middle of the night. The culprit takes a nick knack or two and snacks on something in the kitchen. Poppy is horrified to discover that this is the result of Aunt Ginny’s new anti-anxiety medicine. But even worse is the murder that takes place a couple of blocks away that otherwise looks like Aunt Ginny’s handiwork.
The victim is Brody Brandt, a complete stranger to Poppy and Aunt Ginny, but the police quickly zero in on Aunt Ginny as their primes suspect. In an effort to clear her aunt, Poppy begins to dig into Brody’s life. What she learns is that Brody seems to be completely two different people. Who was he really?
Usually in a cozy mystery, the victim was a horrible person, which makes it easy to set up multiple suspects. Sometimes, we do have the nice victim, and we are left to wonder why the person was murdered. I enjoyed the twist here since it wasn’t obvious which Brody we were seeing was the truth, and which one would lead us to the solution. This dichotomy keeps Poppy busy, once the mystery kicks into high gear. I did feel the book started very slowly, with a little too much set up and focus on some sub-plots.
The characters in this book walk a fine line. Some, like Poppy, I really like. In fact, it is easy to root for Poppy to figure out the murder and save the day. Then there’s Georgina, her mother-in-law. I get that she is supposed to be funny, but I wanted to smack her more than laugh at her, and I wanted to yell at Poppy for what she was putting up with. Aunt Ginny could be annoying as well, but then she’d turn around and do something that would truly make me laugh, so the balance was much better here.
And make no mistake, this book is funny. I laughed multiple times as I was reading and smiled plenty of others.
But back to the characters. The majority of the characters are very well drawn, which includes the suspects. I could have easily seen any of them doing it before the final solution was revealed. The love triangle introduced in the first book is still going strong here. I definitely have a guy I’m rooting for, but at this point I’d be okay with either one, as long as it doesn’t drag on too long.
In addition to the bed and breakfast, Poppy is making gluten free and paleo goodies for a local coffee shop. We get several of those recipes at the end of the book, and they sound delicious.
My complaints really were minor, and I had fun reading this book. Midnight Snacks are Murder is a light-hearted mystery perfect for a late summer vacation.
I never thought an author can get better with her next book, but Libby Klein did. This book is cutely enchanting
This book too has Poppy in the forefront, but this time it is Aunt Ginny who is accused of murder, that too hitting a youngish man on the head with a baseball bat in his home at night. An 80-ish year old thin woman doing that is a thought scary!!
Poppy is a strong main character in this book who has 2 men fighting for her love (and her body) and her baked goods. Her aunt’s home, now hers too, is being converted into a B&B, so there is construction supervisor Smitty who practically stays there. She is joined by her former mother-in-law Georgina who has invested in the B&B and who has an opinion about every single tiny detail.
Poppy has to manage all of above along with proving Aunt Ginny’s innocence. The story has Poppy playing her role beautifully, her intelligence shines through in this. Her pastries, cakes, and cookies made me crave for them; she makes gluten-free ones (the author has made them sound deliciously mouth-watering)
This book has many humorous situations and dialogs. The best part is Aunt Ginny trying to break the ankle monitor or trying to break free of the house arrest. The excuses used on the unsuspecting chaperones are fabulous. I wish to be as adventurous when I am 80-ish as Aunt Ginny minus the murder and arrest.
Poppy and her eccentric team along with her cat Figaro, make this series a rocking cozy mystery!!
I can say it wasn’t murder to read this mystery. It was delightful, delicious and so engaging. One thing about this author is the way she creates a scene. It doesn’t just have to be a sleep walking aunt, it is this detailed and cute character that you will think of more than just once. It’s a mystery that keeps you coming back for more. Cover Cover judgment: I wanted to jump into the cover and eat the pie. Plus the kitty is an extra bonus to this cat lover. Setting Cape May was a second home to me for many summers. I loved the beauty and the scent of this charming community. It doesn’t stray to far from the quaint and eccentric moments the characters have in this book. Synoptic This was a hit out of the ball park for me! It had the best who-done-it, I love Poppy and the others in this book. I also really loved the family connection that drove the reason for Poppy to solve this murder! And if that doesn’t all make you want to read the book, the food is so so so yummy. I hope you enjoy!
Poppy has a lot on her plate trying to get the B&B ready to open. There have been many delays but things slow down, even more, when her “silent partner” mother-in-law shows up and does her best to convince Poppy to just sell the place, especially with the rash of crime hitting the neighborhood. The Snack Bandit aka Aunt Ginny has been sneaking into her neighbor’s houses in the middle of the night. As a side effect of one of her new medications, she has been sleepwalking. Then a man is found dead in his home and the police put Ginny under house arrest as their prime suspect. Just what they don’t need is another family scandal. Poppy will clear her aunt’s name, prove the police wrong and get her business off the ground no matter what obstacles are thrown in her way.
Another stellar entry from Ms. Klein. I absolutely love these characters. Poppy is a strong woman, that makes a huge step toward her independence, taking on her mother-in-law in this story. I don’t know how she held out as long as she did but this reader was cheering from the sidelines. Her romantic relationships are moving forward too in a very natural and unhurried pace. So realistic and believable. Aunt Ginny is a hoot and a half. Her antics while under house arrest were fabulously funny. Laughing out loud, you bet I was. Cat, Figaro is an absolute prize. The author’s descriptions of his behavior make him come to life and leap off the pages.
The mystery is quite a puzzler. It was so much fun chasing down clues with Poppy. The victim appears to be very well liked but there were surprisingly several suspects for his murder. Like the first book in this series, Class Reunions Are Murder, I was totally surprised when the killer was revealed. I believe at one time or another I thought each of the suspects was guilty.
Ms. Klein has quickly become one of my favorite authors. Her stories deliver everything I love about cozy mysteries. Genuine characters in serious situations, but with a huge dose of humor too. I can’t wait for book #3, Restaurant Weeks Are Murder, will be released in February 2019.
This book, like the first, deserves more than 5 stars!
This book immediately grabbed my attention and quickly became a page-turner that I could not put down as I had to know what happened next. This well-written whodunit kept me immersed in everything from the the renovation of their home to Georgina visits to Sawyer’s secret to lovable Smitty to Aunt Ginny who I adore and to the other cast of characters who interacted with Poppy. I liked that the suspect pool was small helping me to narrow down the list with the clues that were presented. The author did a great job in keeping me engaged from beginning to the end and I enjoyed the crazy antics of Aunt Ginny who added humor to this fast-paced drama. I also enjoy the internal dialogue that Poppy had. I do hope that the love triangle is resolved in the next book. Again, this was an excellent read and I can’t wait to read the next book in this delightfully entertaining series.