Tag: amateur sleuth
Hairball Hijinks
Publisher: Orange Grove Press
Series: A Bad Hair Day Mystery, 14.5
Release Date: June 12, 2018
Genre: Mystery
Available Formats: eBook
Digital: 9780998531748
Hairstylist Marla Vail agrees to help find a neighbor’s lost cat and discovers a ransacked house where more than the pet is missing.
Savvy hairstylist and super sleuth Marla Vail visits her friend Tally who just got out of the hospital after a serious car accident. Marla has been caring for Tally’s baby and is sad but grateful to return him to his mother. She and Tally reconcile their friendship that had become estranged before the crash. Happy to have her friend back, Marla is about to leave when a knock summons her to the door. It’s a distraught elderly neighbor who claims her cat is missing. Marla, unable to turn down a person in need, accompanies the lady home. But when Marla enters the house, she realizes much more is missing than a lost feline. The place has been ransacked, and when she calls the police, they inform her the neighborhood has been beset by a series of thefts. Can she find the crooks before they cause another cat’astrophe?
This story comes after Hair Brained, #14 in the Bad Hair Day Mysteries.
Bonus One: An interview with Marla
Bonus Two: 5 new recipes!
Bonus Three: A sneak preview of Trimmed to Death
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Reviews
“I’m always happy for a chance to visit with my old friend Marla Vail. This time it’s a short visit, but just as much fun as always. Hairball Hijinks picks up right where Hairbrained (#14 in the Bad Hair Day Mysteries) left off. It’s a fast-paced read with charming characters. It left me with a “feel good” type of feeling. It even includes a nice interview with Marla. It’s a very nice touch and gives the reader even more insight into the character. I loved this book. It has an adorable cat in it, what could be better?” Yvonne at Socrates’ Book Reviews
Excerpt
Extras
Body Wave Audiobook
Are you an #audiobook fan? I’m excited to announce the release of Body Wave Audiobook, #4 in the Bad Hair Day Mysteries! Join my Book Launch Party on Thursday, May 17 from 7:00 – 8:30 pm EDT for Fun & Giveaways at https://www.facebook.com/NewReleaseParty
Narrated by Mary Ann Jacobs. Published May 11, 2018 by Orange Grove Press
Stylist Marla Shore goes undercover in a hair-brained scheme to catch a killer in her latest South Florida adventure. In a story braided with unexpected twists and curls, she takes on a role as nurse’s aide for wealthy Miriam Pearl. While Marla snoops into the elderly matriarch’s affairs, her boyfriend, Detective Dalton Vail, is afraid that the only affair she’ll snag is with her ex-spouse, Stan. Juggling work at her salon, crime solving, and two amorously inclined males, Marla fights a race against time to save Stan before the dashing detective nails him for murder.
Listen to a Sample: https://soundcloud.com/mysterygal/body-wave
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Excerpt from Body Wave
Marla tried to fathom the dynamics of their conversation. Florence seemed to be attacking Kimberly’s values while Stella was defending them. Why was the elderly aunt coming down so hard on the dead girl? Did it have anything to do with Florence having been in love with Kim’s father?
She wheeled Miriam away to a discrete distance, on a slight rise where the driveway curved toward a tree-lined avenue leading to the obscured entrance beyond the woods. It was far enough that she wouldn’t appear to be eavesdropping yet could still hear their faint voices.
“Morons,” Miriam muttered. “The poor thing is gone. Why won’t they let her rest in peace?”
Marla didn’t respond, too intent on listening. Her hands placed lightly on the wheelchair handlebars, she inclined her head.
“I don’t know how I’m going to get those albums if Stanley won’t cooperate,” Stella said, wringing her hands. “I should have gone myself. Maybe he’d have listened to me.”
“You tried at the funeral, and he ignored you,” her sister sneered. “Can you blame him, when you came right out and accused him of murdering his wife?”
“He knew what Kim was planning. You, of all people, should understand how it would cause him to react the way he did.”
“By killing her?” Florence said in an incredulous tone.
“Who else could have done it? You?”
“Don’t be absurd.”
“You always resented my daughter. I know how jealous you were that she wasn’t your child.”
“Stop screaming. I hate it when you get hysterical.”
“Did you do it?”
“Hell, no.” Florence shook her elegant head. “If you want to know, Kimberly was messing in things she didn’t understand. She should have minded her own business.” Leaning forward, she spoke in such a low tone that Marla couldn’t catch what she was saying.
Damn, she needed to be closer. Frustrated, Marla took a few steps forward. Suddenly, she heard a shriek. Whipping around, she let a cry erupt from her lips at the sight that greeted her.
Miriam’s wheelchair coasted down the hill at an increasingly perilous speed.
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“Ms. Cohen’s plot has more twists than a French braid, and Marla is a shear delight.” Joanne Fluke, author of the Hannah Swensen mysteries
“In Nancy J. Cohen’s fourth bubbly Bad Hair Day mystery, Florida hairdresser Marla Shore agrees to help her snake of an ex‑husband, Stan Kaufman, who’s been arrested for the murder of his third wife, Kimberly, find the real killer.” Publishers Weekly
“In Body Wave, Marla faces more shades of guilt and malice than she has colors of nail polish in her salon ‑‑ and exposes herself to a hidden killer who may decide that eliminating Marla is a permanent solution for getting away with murder.” Barnes & Noble Ransom Notes
“You will find it all within the pages of Body Wave: a touch of romance, laugh out loud moments, hilarious characters, and a puzzling mystery.” Romance Readers Connection
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This title is also available in ebook and trade paperback formats. Body Wave was originally published by Kensington. This audiobook and related versions are the revised Author’s Edition. For more details, visit https://nancyjcohen.com/body-wave/
Giveaway
Enter Here for Booklover’s Bench monthly contest to win a $25 Amazon/BN gift card.
Hair Brained Book Release
Today is Release Day for Hair Brained (#14 in the Bad Hair Day Mysteries)!
Digital ISBN 13: 978-0-9970038-7-1
Print ISBN 13: 978-0-9970038-8-8
Published by Orange Grove Press
Book Launch Party tonight at 7:00 – 8:30 pm EDT. Join us at https://www.facebook.com/NewReleaseParty/ Fun and Prizes!
When hairstylist Marla Vail’s best friend is hurt in a suspicious car accident, Marla assumes guardianship of her infant son. No sooner does Marla say, “Baby want a bottle?” than she’s embroiled in another murder investigation. Her husband, Detective Dalton Vail, determines the crash may not have been an accident after all. But then, who would want Tally—or Ken in the car with her—out of the way? As Marla digs deeper into her friends’ lives, she realizes she didn’t know them as well as she’d thought. Nonetheless, it’s her duty as their son’s guardian to ensure his safety, even if it means putting her own life at risk. Can she protect the baby and find the culprit before someone else ends up as roadkill?
Excerpt
Marla crossed the pavement toward her Camry, so deep in thought that she didn’t pay attention to her surroundings. A sudden roar made her lift her head. She gasped as a car barreled straight toward her.
She leapt to the side, crashed against a parked sedan, and slid to the asphalt. With a squeal of tires, the car sped away. She glimpsed a flash of silver and the back end of an SUV.
Shaking from head to foot, she rolled to her knees and managed to stand. It wouldn’t be smart to wait around in case the driver returned to make another pass at her. She had no doubt this had been a deliberate attempt to injure her, or worse.
She brushed off her pants, grabbed her purse from the ground, and hobbled to her car. Safely locked inside, she examined herself for damage. Her wrists throbbed, having taken the brunt of impact. They didn’t appear to be broken, thank goodness. And her hip felt bruised but nothing more. She’d been lucky.
She sat immobile, her heart racing like a squirrel on steroids. Get a grip, Marla. You’re okay. This proves you’re on the right track if you’ve riled someone enough to take a potshot at you.
A Sampling of Praise
“Nancy Cohen does an excellent job of constructing a suspenseful mystery, with thoroughly believable characters and conflict that produces great tension. I raced through the pages…Hair Brained is a compelling read. Don’t miss it!” Stephanie Saxon Levine, Murder on the Beach Mystery Bookstore
“As the body count rises, the tension and danger increases not only for Marla but for Luke as well. This is the 14th in the Bad Hair Day Mystery series – they just keep getting better.” Christa Reads and Writes
“A complicated and intense mystery with strong emotional elements that may make you look closer at your own friendships and personal values.” Laura’s Interests
See more on Goodreads
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Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2sMHaCL
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2uiarpW
Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/2sYRRCF
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Kobo: http://bit.ly/2rFtNRo
Google Play: http://bit.ly/2rV5qmM
Print Edition: http://bit.ly/2eMmAdv
Indie Bound: http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780997003888
Get a Signed Copy: http://murderonthebeach.com
Add to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35491018-hair-brained
Please consider how important reviews are to authors and leave a customer review on any of the sites above!
My Virtual BLOG TOUR starts today. Please honor my tour hosts by visiting each site and leaving a comment. Go Here for my tour schedule including author interviews, guest posts, and giveaways.
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CONTESTS
Enter Here Sept. 11 – 22 to win a Tea Lover’s Basket & a Signed Copy of Facials Can Be Fatal to celebrate the release of Hair Brained.
Booklover’s Bench
Click Here Sept 1 – 18 to enter for a $25 gift card to Amazon/BN in our monthly drawing.
Hair Brained
Facials Can Be Fatal – New Book Release
I’m excited to announce the release of Facials Can Be Fatal (Bad Hair Day Mystery #13) from Five Star Publishing. This cozy mystery title is available in hardcover and digital editions.
Salon owner Marla Vail’s new day spa hits a snag when a client dies during a facial.
“Take a twisty mystery, add a cast of amiable characters, a dash of family drama, and a pinch of South Florida during the holiday season—they all add up to the recipe for a delightful cozy!” —Lucy Burdette, bestselling author of the Key West Food Critic Mysteries.
“Marla and Dalton solve a mystery that includes pirates and shipwrecks off the Florida coast, and readers will be standing in line to get on this series as fast as possible. Marla and Dalton work extremely well together and are a whole lot of fun to read. This is one book in a series but is also a fantastic standalone for anyone who might not have met this couple before.” Reviewed by Mary Lignor for Suspense Magazine.
“Facials Can Be Fatal is a nice, comfy, cozy mystery starring Marla Vail and her new family. Although this is one book in a series, it is a great standalone. I recommend this book to those who are cozy mystery fans and enjoy a sleuth mystery with many twists and turns.” 5 Stars! Reviewed by Susan Sewell for Readers’ Favorite
Note: This story includes excerpts from a true-life travel journal titled Florida Escape written by my father.
Join my Book Launch Party TONIGHT from 6:30 – 8:00 pm EST. Fun and prizes! https://www.facebook.com/NewReleaseParty/
Click Here for Author Appearances and Blog Tour. Coming next is:
Feb. 22: Dru’s Book Musings, “A Day In The Life” Guest Post
Feb. 28, Terry’s Place, Character Interview,
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Order Now at Amazon or BN or get a Signed Copy from Murder on the Beach Mystery Bookstore.
Reviews are always appreciated. Please send me the link if you post a review so I can thank you personally.
CLICK HERE TO TWEET about the new release.
Tropical Treats Giveaway, Feb. 21 – March 14
Enter to win a blue scarf, a blue crystal pendant necklace by Effy, a West Indies cookbook, and a signed hardcover Killer Knots
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On Sale Permed to Death
The Open Road Media ebook edition of Permed to Death (Bad Hair Day Mystery #1) is on sale TODAY ONLY for $1.99. This edition is based on the original version published by Kensington.
If you want my revised Author’s Edition instead, also available in print and audiobook, Go Here.
Booklover’s Bench Anniversary Giveaway, Feb. 1 – 18
Enter Here to win a Galaxy Tablet from Booklover’s Bench in our anniversary contest
Highlights to Heaven Author Edition
I’m pleased to announce the reissue of Highlights to Heaven. This title, #5 in the Bad Hair Day Mysteries, was originally published by Kensington. My new Author’s Edition has been revised and updated with added bonus materials.
Hairstylist and amateur sleuth Marla Shore lands a case close to home when her animal-loving neighbor—a man aptly named Goat—disappears, leaving his pets alone and a dead body in his master bedroom. Even more disturbing is the pattern of highlights Marla notes in the victim’s hair. She recognizes the signature technique of her former mentor, master stylist Cutter Corrigan. Soon she’s untangling clues that link Goat, Cutter, and the unsavory pet fur trade to her own past. Someone at her former beauty school has a hair-raising secret worth killing to keep.
Author Chat with Nancy J. Cohen tonight 7:00 – 8:00 pm EST at https://www.facebook.com/NewReleaseParty/ Two lucky commenters will win an advance reading copy of Facials Can Be Fatal (Bad Hair Day Mystery #13) at tonight’s event.
Story Excerpt:
She opened Goat’s mailbox and retrieved his correspondence. Juggling a large manila envelope in one hand together with the dog’s leash, and a stack of assorted items in the other, she proceeded along the dimly lit sidewalk. Words scribbled on the front of the large envelope jumped out at her as she lengthened the line to let Spooks do his business.
“Articles on Harperites enclosed” read the message.
How strange. Had Goat sent for these? Why was he interested in Martha Matilda Harper’s followers? According to the return address, the sender was a woman, Jenny Stanislaw, from Mount Dora. This case got more curious by the moment.
Goat had been reading up on a famous icon in hairdressing history. He becomes associated with a dead man who might have a connection to Cutter Corrigan, master stylist. Did the past provide some sort of link between the three of them?
She signaled Spooks it was time to move on. They’d only stepped a few paces ahead when something slammed into her shoulder from behind with the force of a deranged flamingo.
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Note: The original edition is still available from Open Road Media in ebook format at all online retail sites.
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Enter Jan. 1–18 to win a $25 Amazon/BN gift card from Booklovers Bench
Leave a comment on Nancy’s Let’s Talk post this week to win an ebook copy of Permed to Death Author’s Edition.
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Facials Can Be Fatal
Permed to Death Author Edition
I am pleased to announce the release of a newly revised and updated Author’s Edition of Permed to Death, #1 in the Bad Hair Day Mysteries. This title is available in print and ebook formats. I’ve tightened the writing, added new back materials, and hopefully improved the story with these changes. Isn’t this cover great? Patty G. Henderson at Boulevard Photografica is a genius.
Join me in celebrating the start of Marla’s adventures at a Book Launch Party Tuesday evening 7:00 – 8:00 pm EDT. Fun and prizes!
The Open Road Media ebook edition is still available if you want to see how my writing has progressed through the years. The original title was published by Kensington.
Since most of the reviews for Permed to Death are based on the original text, I’d appreciate any new customer reviews for my revised edition. This book is especially important to entice readers into reading the entire series, so your kind words would be greatly appreciated!
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Permed to Death
Sassy salon owner Marla Shore is giving grumpy Mrs. Kravitz a perm when her client dies in the shampoo chair. If that isn’t enough to give her a bad hair day, handsome Detective Vail suspects Marla of poisoning the woman’s coffee creamer. Figuring she’d better expose the real killer before the next victim frizzes out, Marla sets on the trail of a wave of wacky suspects. Her theory regarding whodunit gels only after she looks for the culprit closer to home.
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