Join my virtual book tour on March 11 – 18 to celebrate the new release of EASTER HAIR HUNT, #16 in the Bad Hair Day cozy mystery series. Please leave comments to support my hosts.
Hare today, dead tomorrow… Can a stylish sleuth pull a rabbit out of her hat to solve an Easter murder in this to-dye-for cozy mystery?
When hairstylist Marla Vail attends an Easter egg hunt at historic Tremayne Manor, she’s only there to fix hair for a client, Bonnie “Blinky” Morris. But when she’s asked to comb the grounds for leftover goodies, Marla discovers more than just a few dyed eggs. The dead body in the bunny costume is definitely not having a good hare day. And Blinky seems to have disappeared down a rabbit hole.
When trying to solve a murder, everyone needs a friend who’s all ears. For Marla, that’s her husband, homicide detective Dalton Vail. They make an eggcellent team. Dalton isn’t the kind to leap to conclusions, but with his wife seven months pregnant, and knowing Marla finds crime-solving to be irresistible, he worries about her running off on another hare-raising adventure.
Marla’s peeps are hoping for a happy ending, but she may have found a basketful of trouble this time. Can she crack the case before Blinky becomes the next victim?
Recipes Included!
“Marla is drawn into an investigation that involves a missing friend who is possibly a victim and a stolen Fabergé egg… As Marla and husband Dalton proceed, she finds her family life and pregnancy challenged in more ways than one, with everything overshadowed by Easter and a mystery steeped in South Florida history and culture. Nancy Cohen excels at capturing this atmosphere, injecting it into Marla’s life and choices with a series of seasonal egg-related revelations and surprises that keep readers immersed in both town affairs, personalities and politics and an Easter egg hunt like no other.” Diane Donovan, Midwest Book Review
Release Date: March 10, 2020
Ebook: ISBN 978-0-9997932-6-8, Orange Grove Press, $4.99
Print: ISBN 978-0-9997932-7-5, Orange Grove Press, $14.99
Publisher: Orange Grove Press
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Print Pages: 302
I am excited to announce the Large Print release of Trimmed to Death from Wheeler Publishing (Gale/Cengage).
Savvy hairstylist and amateur sleuth Marla Vail enters a charity bake-off contest at a fall festival sponsored by a local farm. While she waits to see if her coconut fudge pie is a winner, Marla joins a scavenger hunt where people playing character roles are the targets. Instead of scoring points with a live person, she finds a dead body planted face-down in the strawberry field. Who would want to cut short the life of food magazine publisher and fellow bake-off contestant Francine Dodger? As she investigates, Marla learns there’s no shortage of suspects. Can she unmask the killer before someone else gets trimmed from life? Recipes Included!
*Also available in trade paperback and digital formats at most online bookstores.
“From fundraiser activity, culinary insights, and probes into Marla’s logic to recipes and romance which pepper the story line and embellish its twists and turns, readers who want a cozy mystery filled with atmosphere, intrigue, and adventure should settle a chair by the fire for a good evening’s read.” Midwest Book Review
“The dialogue is sharp, the eye for detail is masterful, and the narrative pacing is just right. Plenty of suspicious-seeming characters raise the tension. Even if you’re not yet a “Cozy” fan, you’ll have a blast. All this and recipes, too.” Florida Weekly
“I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well-crafted cozy mystery. It is funny, has great characters and a good mystery to solve, so what is not to enjoy?” Open Book Society
“Trimmed to Death is a solid cozy replete with olive facts, dogs, small town rivalries, entrepreneurship, and killer recipes. Another entertaining read from author Nancy J Cohen. She kept me guessing to the end!” Muddy Rose Reviews
AUTHORS ACADEMY Saturday, August 24, 10 am to 12 noon, “Agents, Query Letters, & Synopses” with Nancy J. Cohen, Florida Author’s Academy, Murder on the Beach Mystery Bookstore, 104 West Atlantic Avenue, Delray Beach, FL 33444. Phone: 561-279-7790. $25 fee for class. Advance reservations requested. http://www.flauthorsacademy.com/
GIVEAWAY
Enter August 1-18 to win a free mystery from the prize vault at Booklovers Bench.
I’m proud to announce the reissue of Perish by Pedicure, #8 in the Bad Hair Day cozy mystery series.
In the midst of cat fights, big egos, and huge hairdos during South Florida`s hottest beauty show, salon owner Marla Shore must clear the name of her former college roommate who is accused of killing Christine Parks, the company director of Luxor Products.
Salon owner Marla Shore is eager to start her job as assistant hairstylist to a platform artist at a high-ticket beauty show. She’s hoping her connection with Luxor Products will advance her career. That is, until company director Christine Parks is found dead in her hotel room, face-down in a foot bath.
Suspect number one is Marla’s former college roommate, Georgia Rogers. Since Georgia recommended Marla for the glamorous job, the least Marla can do for her in return is to clear her name. As she launches her investigation, Marla learns that everyone who worked with Chris had a reason to hate her, and the list of possible suspects is longer than a pop diva’s hair extensions.
Behind the thumping music and staged-platform hair artistry at South Florida’s hottest beauty show, something very ugly is going down. If Marla isn’t careful, she may end up on the wrong end of the killer’s sharp-edged shears.
Perish by Pedicure was originally published by Kensington. This Author’s Edition has been revised and updated with added bonus materials. Available in ebook and print formats.
Print ISBN: 978-0-9997932-1-3, April 23, 2019, $14.99, Orange Grove Press
Digital ISBN: 978-0-9997932-0-6, April 23, 2019, $3.99, Orange Grove Press
Cover Design by Boulevard Photografica
Digital Layout by www.formatting4U.com
“Find your favorite beach chair and a tall glass of lemonade to enjoy another Marla Shore mystery amidst the fashionistas! The perfect read for a beach chair or under the hair dryer.” Nancy Martin, author of the Blackbird Sisters mystery series
“Salon owner and amateur sleuth Marla Shore finds herself fixing more than just hair at a Fort Lauderdale beauty show. When the much disliked director of Luxor Beauty Products is murdered, Marla finds herself investigating a quirky group of industry characters including a pompous would be celebrity stylist, a sales representative, and an up and coming hairdresser. This cozy series is lots of fun and throws in quite a bit of interesting local color along the way to solving the murder.” Scottsdale Public Library Staff Pick
“Nancy J. Cohen’s series about amateur sleuth and hair salon owner Marla Shore gives readers an inside view of the beauty business while also focusing on South Florida scenery.” Sun Sentinel
“This likable amateur sleuth handles a curling iron and murder clues with equal aplomb in this stylish series.” News Sun
“Nancy J. Cohen leads readers into the world of beauty shows, where salon owner and amateur sleuth Marla Shore finds things more tangled than a model’s tresses.” Miami Herald
“Perish by Pedicure is filled with hair splitting humor, unexpected nail biting twists, and a bad hair week caused by future in laws while Marla cuts to the roots of the case.” Midwest Book Review
“Marla’s suspenseful investigative efforts and her personal difficulties with the former in laws of her widowed fiancé Det. Dalton Vail make for a bumpy ride.” Publisher’s Weekly
I am proud to announce the reissue of DEAD ROOTS, #7 in the Bad Hair Day Mysteries.
A Cozy Mystery with a Haunted Hotel, Ghosts, Secret Passages, and Paranormal Experts on Thanksgiving weekend.
Marla’s family reunion at a haunted Florida resort turns up dead bodies instead of fond memories in this spooky cozy mystery.
Hairstylist Marla Shore is eager to introduce her fiancé, Detective Dalton Vail, to her extended family over Thanksgiving weekend at Sugar Crest Plantation Resort. But that was before she found Aunt Polly suffocated in bed. Is it a coincidence that her aunt’s father once owned the property? According to rumor, he met with two mysterious Cossacks immediately before his premature death. Their spirits are said to haunt the place, and Marla believes it when she hears a bell tolling outside and feels a cold presence inside the hotel’s rickety elevator.
Are ghosts at fault for the strange goings-on, or could politics be playing a part? Sugar Crest is slated for demolition, although some folks would profit if it was remodeled instead. The city council meeting is being held that weekend to determine the resort’s fate. Tensions deepen when another body turns up on the nature trail. Whatever is going on at Sugar Crest, someone is willing to go to great lengths to keep it hidden. But the killer doesn’t count on Marla, who determines to learn the truth even if it means uprooting her family’s unsavory past.
Dead Roots was originally published by Kensington. This Author’s Edition has been revised and updated with added bonus materials.
“Dead Roots has all right the ingredients for a great hair day, absolutely fun, winsome characters, a fast paced, wonderful mystery read!” Heather Graham, NY Times Bestselling Author
“Cohen constructs a dandy murder mystery with a wonderfully thought out story line that includes family secrets, historic preservationists, real estate developers, and some scary things that go bump in the night. The characters are fully developed and very likeable…Spend Thanksgiving with Marla and her family at the haunted Sugar Crest Hotel.” Sharon Katz, Reviewing the Evidence
“Well developed characters and an intriguing historical background enhance this winning cozy.” Publishers Weekly
“Ghost stories, nifty secret passages, tales of gemstones and family secrets enliven this tale.” Oline Cogdill, Sun-Sentinel
“Condemned wings of the hotel, secret passages, and a gaggle of paranormal experts investigating the resident ghosts, all add up to a frenetic mixture of mirth and mayhem.” Manya Nogg, I Love A Mystery
I’m excited to announce the release of Writing the Cozy Mystery: Expanded Second Edition. Do you want to write a cozy mystery but don’t have a clue where to start? Or are you in the middle of a story and stuck on the plot? Perhaps you’re already writing a series, and you need tips on keeping your material fresh. Writing the Cozy Mystery will help you develop your characters, establish the setting, plot the story, add suspense, plant clues and solve the crime. This Second Edition contains more examples; additional writing exercises; expanded sections; and seven new chapters including The Muddle in the Middle, Romance and Murder, Special Considerations for Cozy Writers, Keeping a Series Fresh, Writing the Smart Synopsis, Mystery Movies, and Marketing Tips. You’ll find everything you need to know in an easy-to-read, clear manner to write your own mystery and maintain a long-running series. Recommended for cozy writers, mystery fans, and creative writing classes. Just in time for your holiday gift bags! “Too many writer’s guides focus on style and how to write; but Nancy J. Cohen’s Writing the Cozy Mystery: Expanded Second Edition doesn’t limit itself to literary mechanics alone. This makes it a highly recommended pick for all levels of writers; from those who enjoy mysteries and need a clearer definition of ‘cozy’ and its applications; to writers already well aware of the genre, but who need tips on how to sustain suspense or sprinkle believable clues throughout a cozy production.” D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review If you are thinking about writing a cozy mystery, read this book first! Nancy lays out all the necessary steps in an interesting and informative way that is easy to follow. This book was an invaluable tool when I wrote my first cozy. Highly recommended.” Catherine Bruns, USA Today Bestselling Author “Nancy J. Cohen offers clear examples, practical writing exercises, and friendly advice designed to help the beginning cozy author start—and finish!—a saleable book. Even seasoned cozy writers can find helpful hints for building better characters and story.” Diane A.S. Stuckart, aka Ali Brandon, NY Times Bestselling Author of the Tarot Cats Mysteries “If you want to write a cozy mystery—or really, any kind of mystery—this is the book for you! Everything you need to know in one handy volume.” Victoria Thompson, Bestselling Author of the Gaslight Mystery Series Digital Edition:ISBN 978-0-9985317-2-4, $3.99, Orange Grove Press
Print Edition: ISBN 978-0-9985317-3-1, $9.99, Orange Grove Press
Cover Design and Graphic Illustrations by Boulevard Photografica Print Pages: 130 pages. Word Count: 28,000 words
Nonfiction – Reference – Writing Guide Order Your Copy Now: Apple Books Amazon Print Amazon Kindle BN Nook Kobo Universal Link Booksellers and Librarians: This title is available at Ingram. Note: Amazon will not link the 190+ reviews from the first edition, so I need ALL NEW REVIEWS on the book’s Amazon page. Please take a few minutes to say how this book helped you if you find it a useful read. CLICK TO TWEET
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