"Why am I always surrounded by chaos?"
Given the characters, and I do mean characters, who surround her, it's no wonder main character Poppy McAllister wonders this to herself at one point. Between her family, friends, and the eccentric bunch of guests that seem to show up at her B & B, she seems caught in the middle of chaos and confusion. Something is always going on, whether work related, like the mysterious middle of the night fire alarm or disappearing goodies for the guests, or with her employee looking like something of an Egyptian mummy due to a bad sunburn, or her boyfriend's mother's mysterious quest to keep them apart. Given the author's ability to make the chaos about Poppy come to life in our minds, I gave up trying to make sense of it all initially and just enjoyed the plot's ride.
The plot is relatively simple. Who killed Auggie and crammed his body into the armoire that Poppy had put a bid in on at the auction? The fact he's stabbed with a supposed vampire hunter's wooden stake somehow isn't the half of it. Poppy does have a way of being around when murders occur. What is surprising is that amidst all the confusion, twists and turns, and red herrings, not to mention the seance at the B & B, the reappearing troll doll, and the stuffed body left in the yard, is that Poppy manages to not just keep the B & B functioning but find time for both her boyfriend and investigation as well as her snark and sanity.
If you like your mysteries fast paced, quirky, and full of humor, this one is for you. One plot thread even adds a wisp of serious sadness to the book as we learn more about Poppy's own past. And, oh, yes. The cats. There's a feline love triangle of sorts that will have you chuckling. Give it a read.
Thank you #NetGalley and #KensingtonBooks for allowing me to catch up on Poppy's adventures.
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