Sunday, June 22, 2025

Spotlight on VICE AND VIRTUE by @LibbyKlein Plus a #Giveaway #SpotlightSunday

Spotlight on Vice and Virtue 



Layla Virtue

This year we say hello to a new kind of hero. Layla Virtue's career as a cop hit rock bottom in one incendiary moment that will forever live in Potomac County Police infamy. Now she finds herself living in the Lake 
Pinecrest Mobile Home Park trying to launch her backup career as a rock star about twenty years too late. 

Lake Pinecrest

She's competing against high school kids with garage bands who still live in their parent's basements and will work for tacos, while she's trying to pay the lot fees on her run down single wide.

Garage Band

At least she's alone and that's how she likes it. Far away from whispers of judgment and looks of pity. Until three women from her AA group decide to make her their fourth. She tries to shake them, but they are hanging on like Layla is bound to be their new bestie. Then there's this guy who keeps showing up on her front porch out of the blue.

Ringo

Layla's dead broke so she can't afford to say no to any gig. That's how she gets stuck playing guitar for an eight-year old's birthday party surrounded by screaming kids who only want to hear Baby Shark.


Birthday Party

 When the birthday party clown dies on stage, Layla knows she has to get out of there fast. This is her old precinct. She knows what's coming next.

the clown dies


She's too slow to escape the harsh scrutiny of her former colleagues, and before she knows it she's caught up in the world of trophy wives and trust fund kids where everyone has a secret, and a luxurious walk-in closet full of skeletons, trying to find out who killed the clown, and why?

Trophy Wives

 Layla's broken, but strong. Fragile, but fierce. She'll need a lot of help to make it in this life. If only she'd stop shutting everyone out. 

Libbykleinbooks.com


Vice and Virtue is full of humor and my love of Classic Rock, pulling from my life growing up with a musician for a father. 
My Life is Murder meets Mom meets Gilmore Girls meets Spinal Tap

Don't just take my word for it. Here are some reviews by people you might just recognize.

Cleo Coyle

Dru's Book Musings

Laura Levine

Lynn Cahoon

Escape with Dollycas



Read along to the Vice and Virtue playlist on Spotify.

Buy links  including Audiobook



Giveaway



I'll give a copy of Vice and Virtue to a lucky reader who can tell me their favorite classic rock song in the comments below. 


Vice and VirtueLayla Virtue, a blue-haired, 30-something recovering alcoholic and former cop is trying to reinvent herself as a musician—between AA meetings, dodging eccentric neighbors at her trailer park, and reconnecting with her mysterious dad—in this ​unforgettable new mystery brimming with hilarity and heart.


Layla is taking her new life one day at a time from the Lake Pinecrest Trailer Park she now calls home. Being alone is how she likes it. Simple. Uncomplicated. Though try telling that to the group of local ladies who are in relentless pursuit of Layla as their new BFF, determined to make her join them for coffee and donuts.

After her first career ended in a literal explosion, Layla’s trying to eke out a living as a rock musician. It’s not easy competing against garage bands who work for tacos and create their music on a computer, while all she has is an electric guitar and leather-ish pants. But Layla isn’t in a position to turn down any gig. Which is why she’s at an 8-year-old’s birthday party, watching as Chuckles the Clown takes a bow under the balloon animals. No one expects it will be his last . . .

Who would want to kill a clown—and why? Layla and her unshakable posse are suddenly embroiled in the seedy underbelly of the upper-class world of second wives and trust fund kids, determined to uncover what magnetic hold a pudgy, balding clown had over women who seem to have everything they could ever want. Then again, Layla knows full well that people are rarely quite what they seem—herself included . . .

Silly Libby
Libby Klein writes ridiculously funny murder mysteries from her Northern Virginia office with a very naughty calico Persian named Miss Eliza Doolittle, and a sweet black Lab named Vader. She can name that tune for 70s and 80s rock in the first few notes, and she's translated her love of classic rock into her Layla Virtue Mysteries. Libby was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease that prevents her from eating gluten without exploding. Because bread is one of her love languages, she includes the recipes for gluten free goodies in her Cape May based Poppy McAllister series. Most of her hobbies revolve around travel, and eating, and eating while traveling. She insists she can find her way to any coffee shop anywhere in the world, even while blindfolded. Follow all of her nonsense on her website www.LibbyKleinBooks.com/Newsletter/



















24 comments:

  1. My Sweet Lord. Thank you for the chance to win, this would be a new series for me. madamhawk at gmail dot com

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  2. What an interesting concept for a new series! Can't wait to read this one Libby!

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  3. Stairway to Heaven is an oldie but goodie. Deborah deborahortega229@yahoo.com

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  4. Stairway to Heaven. I cannot wait to read this book! I am almost finished your Poppy McCallister series.

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  5. I just adored Vice and Virtue! Congrats on your new series... I'm anxiously awaiting the next book!

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  6. Pat Dupuy: that’s my music! One of my favorites is Light My Fire by the Doors. patdupuy@yahoo.com

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  7. Don’t Stop Believin’. Love the cover. Can’t wait to read it!

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  8. I love Zombie and Black Hole Sun . Can't wait to read this book. What a great idea for a new series. Angelagillooley@gmail.com

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  9. Vice and Virtue sounds like a fun read. I like American Pie.

    Nancy
    allibrary (at) aol (dot) com

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  10. Crying by Roy Orbison. Vice and Virtue is unique and special. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

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  11. “Come Sail Away” by styx!!! Love the book, the characters, could not put it down!!! Can’t wait for the next one!!!

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  12. Led Zeppelin, Kashmir. Vice and Virtue sounds like a great book! Thank you for the chance!

    jarjm1980(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  13. Libby, this sounds like so much fun. Congrats on the new series.

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  14. Vice and Virtue is a stellar read, Libby. You made me laugh and melted my heart. I just loved it, and I can't wait to see what's next for Layla. As for classic rock, I have more favorites than I can count, but a few that I'll never turn off when they come up on the radio: "Won't Get Fooled Again" by the Who; "Jump" & "Love Walks In" by Van Halen; "American Pie" by Don McLean; "Free Bird" by Lynyrd Skynyrd; "We are the Champions" & "Somebody to Love" by Queen; "She's Leaving Home" & "The Long and Winding Road" & "Let it Be" by the Beatles. Okay, I'll stop now. xoxo

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  15. Libby, this sounds fantastic and is sure to be a big hit! I read the playlist on Spotify and found myself humming the songs as I read the titles. A trip down memory lane!

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  16. Oh my, Layla Virtue is destined to be a classic much like Eric Clapton's Layla. Oh and let me not forget the great Bohemian Rhapsody. Congrats on the new series!

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  17. This sounds like such an interesting read! I love "In the Air Tonight" by Phil Collins. I will always remember sitting in the car with my Dad as he played the song over a cassette tape. He would play air drums with the hard beat of the drum solo! To this day, as the song builds to the drum solo, I really crank it up!

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  18. Too many to name, but here are a few of my favs: "Please Please Me" (Beatles); "All Along the Watchtower" (Hendrix); "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" (C,S&N); "You Really Got Me" (Kinks); "Born to Run" (Springsteen); "Angels Wanna Wear My Red Shoes" (Elvis Costello); "Space Oddity" (Bowie).

    I loved "Vice and Virtue," Libby! Looking forward to reading more about Layla in book two!

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  19. Anything from Fleetwood Mac & Elton John...would love to start a new series with yours !

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  21. Vice and Virtue sounds like a fabulous story. It is already on my TBR list and can't wait to dive into it. Thank you for the fabulous chance to win a copy!

    For me, it's Kiss You All Over by Exile. Loved the song then and still love it!
    2clowns at arkansas dot net

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  22. You Shook Me All Night Long by AC/DC

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  23. Almost anything by Pat Benatar.
    libbydodd at comcast dot net

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  24. I have so many classic rock favorites, it's hard to pick just one. "Unchained Melody" by the Righteous Brothers has always been one of my favorites. There are lots of great classic hits. Looking forward to reading the book.
    diannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com

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