Easter Hair Hunt On Sale

Easter Hair Hunt, #16 in The Bad Hair Day Mysteries, is On Sale for $0.99! This title was a Readers’ Favorite Gold Medal Winner and a Finalist in the Royal Palm Literary Awards. Get your copy now and gift one to a friend!

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 man in the bunny suit is definitely not having a good hare day. And Blinky seems to have disappeared down a rabbit hole.

While 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 egg-cellent team. Dalton isn’t the kind to leap to conclusions, but with his wife expecting their child 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

Excerpt

“Keep still and don’t panic,” Dalton said, retrieving his cell phone. “I’ll call for backup.”

Marla’s heart raced as the bees expanded their area of flight. How would it affect the baby if she got stung? Her nerves prickled as a buzzing hum rose in the air. They had to get out of there.

She scanned the countertops, searching for anything that would get them past the swarm. Her gaze zeroed in on a metal canister with an upside-down funnel for a lid and an attached bellows. She cried out in excitement.

“We can use the smoker,” she said. “I’ve watched a YouTube video. I know how to do it if we can gather the components.”

“What’s that going to accomplish?” Dalton asked after finishing his call. “I should phone the house. Someone there could let us out of here.”

Marla eyed the bees and tried to regulate her breathing. “You do that while I get the smoke going. Remember how Stuart Howard told us it fools the bees into thinking there’s a wildfire? They go inside the hive to eat honey prior to making a move. It also masks their alarm pheromone and disrupts their communication.”

“That’s right. Smoke acts as a bee tranquilizer. Go for it.”

Reader Reviews

“This story will fill your reading basket with entertainment, charming characters, plot twists, tasty recipes, and a cozy murder mystery to solve.” Thoughts in Progress

“If you’re looking for a fun Easter themed mystery, hop on down the bunny trail to your local bookstore and get your copy of Easter Hair Hunt!” Lisa K’s Book Reviews 

“Family, friends, and community – that’s what Ms. Cohen’s novels are all about, just as much as they are about crime and its detection. The blend is intoxicating.” Phil Jason Reviews Books

“In a case of classic misdirection in which no one is who they appear to be, Marla snips out the lies to reveal the truth and the killer. Another fun installment in Cohen’s entertaining Bad Hair Day series.” Muddy Rose Reviews

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Easter Hair Hunt

A Treat for Halloween

 

When I was asked to participate in a multi-author anthology five years ago, I had to think quick about what to write. With the theme being autumn, my thoughts turned to Halloween. At the time, I’d written fourteen novels in the Bad Hair Day mystery series, but not one of them highlighted this holiday. An idea hit me that would be the perfect fit for a shorter story. Each book in my series can be read as a standalone so no worries if you start with this novella.

A Treat for Halloween

The Premise – Hairstylist Marla Vail hopes to win her stepdaughter’s approval by helping to decorate a school haunted house. All goes well until Marla stumbles across a real dead body on the spooky estate grounds. It’s the teacher who is loaning his estate for the project. Marla sets off to investigate with the goal of keeping the kids safe.

I’d only written one other novella (“Three Men and a Body” in Wicked Women Whodunit), and I knew this form of fiction didn’t have room for subplots. Instead, I had to focus exclusively on the crime and suspects. Who would have reason to want the teacher dead? A kid in his history class? One of the overprotective parents there that night? The mysterious school janitor? Or perhaps the greedy principal?

Once I had the suspects and their possible motives in mind, I was ready to start writing the story. It flowed naturally, and I didn’t have to do a plotting chart or chapter outline like for a longer novel. Shorter chapters were the norm, and I kept writing until I reached the end.

How do you feel about novellas in a series? Love them or leave them?

I hope you’ll enjoy this story and that it will put you in the mood for a spooky fall season. It also would make a great addition to your holiday gift bags. In the meantime, Happy Halloween!

HAUNTED HAIR NIGHTS
A Bad Hair Day Cozy Mystery Novella

Haunted Hair Nights

Copyright © 2016 by Nancy J. Cohen
Published by Orange Grove Press
Digital ISBN: 978-0-9970038-3-3
Print ISBN: 978-0-9970038-4-0
Cover Design by Boulevard Photografica
Digital Layout by www.formatting4U.com

A haunted house turns into reality when hairstylist Marla Vail finds a dead body on the estate grounds in this spooky Halloween cozy mystery novella.

When history teacher Bill Ripari offers his property for a Halloween school haunted house project, hairstylist Marla Vail volunteers to help put the scare factor into the place. She joins her stepdaughter along with other students, parents, and teachers to transform the wooded estate into a creepy attraction. She’s busy creating decorations when a splash of red on the estate grounds catches her eye. Upon a closer look, she realizes the dark stain isn’t fake blood meant to be part of the scene. The trail leads to the history teacher’s dead body.

Worried about the kids, Marla puts on her sleuthing hat to investigate. She discovers that every one of the volunteers present that night had a possible motive. Between slacker students, helicopter parents, unexpected heirs, and a stonewalling school administration, Marla has her hands full in solving the murder and keeping her stepdaughter safe. Can she sift through the suspects and unmask the killer before Halloween fright night turns into reality?

Third Place Winner in the IDA Contest in the Suspense Short category
Finalist in the IAN Book of the Year Awards in the Novella category

Haunted Hair Nights is the perfect treat for Halloween! #cozymystery #novella Share on X

“I enjoyed this Halloween cozy mystery set in South Florida. Between the scary ‘gifts’ left for Marla’s family and the mysterious murder at the school’s haunted house, you are bound to get some chills. Grab some hot apple cider and read this Halloween tale!” Ms. Loves to Read

“It was gratifying to observe Marla, Dalton and Brianna’s family dynamic mature. This is a good cozy mystery that can be enjoyed by young adults on up.” 5 Stars! Readers’ Favorite

“A haunted mansion is the perfect setting for a Halloween read.” Socrates Book Reviews

“Loved the story! Halloween, mystery, dead body, oh my! This novella, although short, was filled with lots of twists and turns, interesting complex characters and a great storyline!” Charlene’s Reviews

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