Star Tangled Murder New Release

I am excited to announce the release of STAR TANGLED MURDER, #18 in the Bad Hair Day Mysteries.

Star Tangled Murder

Published by Orange Grove Press
Digital ISBN: 978-1-952886-24-9
Print ISBN: 978-1-952886-25-6
Edited by Deni Dietz at Stray Cat Productions
Cover Design by The Killion Group, Inc.
Interior Design www.formatting4U.com
Cover Copy by BlurbWriter.com

Join me at TWO Book Launch Parties for Fun & Prizes!

TONIGHT March 14 from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm EDT at https://www.facebook.com/NewReleaseParty/

 

Friday, March 17, 7:00 to 8:00 pm EDT at https://www.facebook.com/groups/cozymysteryparty

 

Story Description

Hairstylist Marla Vail and her detective husband Dalton are having a blast visiting a Florida living history village over Fourth of July weekend. But when a Seminole battle reenactment turns up a real dead body, it sets off fireworks among the villagers. One of the cast members has gone off script to murder the town marshal with a tomahawk.

As Dalton gets involved in the investigation, Marla determines to help him solve the case. Her flare for uncovering secrets reveals that everyone in the village is a suspect. Instead of celebrating the holiday with red, white, and barbecues, she discovers secrets, lies, and false avenues. Did the marshal’s murder have anything to do with a lost Confederate payroll, or did his plans to renovate the park light a fuse that he couldn’t snuff out?

In a place where history comes alive, the dead bodies are piling up. Marla would rather be chilling and grilling, but somebody’s mind is on killing. If she’s not careful, her sleuthing could blow up in her face like a faulty firecracker and she’ll become the next victim. Recipes Included!

GET YOUR COPY HERE  

Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BQS68WS7
Amazon Print: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1952886252/
Apple Books: http://books.apple.com/us/book/id6445207585
BN Nook: https://bit.ly/3vuluKN
BN Print: https://bit.ly/3I6HpyU
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=UICjEAAAQBAJ
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/star-tangled-murder
Books2Read: https://books2read.com/StarTangledMurder
Indiebound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781952886256
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1298730

Booksellers & Librarians: This title is also available from Ingram.

STAR TANGLED MURDER is now available in print and ebook formats! #newrelease #cozymystery Click To Tweet

Note: Contact me for a Reader Discussion Guide 

GREAT ESCAPES VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR March 15 – 25, 2023

Follow my Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for book reviews, spotlights, author interviews, guest posts and giveaways!

 

GIVEAWAYS

Enter Here March 12 – 27 to win a signed copy of “Star Tangled Murder” and a Box of White Tea.

 

Enter Here March 1 – 18 to win a free book at Booklover’s Bench.

 

Star Tangled Murder Complete Book Tour Schedule

Follow my complete virtual book tour to celebrate the release of STAR TANGLED MURDER, #18 in the Bad Hair Day Mysteries. Join in for reviews, spotlights, author interviews, guest posts and giveaways! I will update this as reviews and permalinks come in, so please stop by again either here or at my Appearances tab for the latest.

Wednesday, March 1 – Donovan’s Bookshelf – REVIEW

Wednesday, March 1, The Big Thrill – INTERVIEW

Wednesday, March 1, Baroness’ Book Trove – REVIEW

March 10 – Christa Reads and Writes – REVIEW

Friday, March 11 – Dru’s Book Musing – “Coming Week of March 12, 2023”

Sunday, March 12 – MJB Reviewers – New Releases for the Week of March 12, 2023

Monday, March 13 – The Book Diva’s Reads – BOOK SHOWCASE

Monday, March 13 – Socrates’ Book Reviews – REVIEW

Tuesday, March 14 – Storeybook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

Tuesday, March 14 – BookGoodies – SPOTLIGHT

Tuesday, March 14, 7:00 – 8:30 pm EDTBOOK LAUNCH PARTY
Facebook Party with Fun & Prizes!

March 15 – Mystery Reads – Spotlight

March 15 – 25 – GREAT ESCAPES VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR 

March 15 – Fundinmental – REVIEW

March 15 – I’m Into Books – SPOTLIGHT

March 16 – The Mystery Section – SPOTLIGHT & EXCERPT

March 16 – Carla Loves To Read – REVIEW & GUEST POST “Corn and Crime” & RECIPE

March 16 – Dru’s Book Musings – GUEST POST “A Day in my Life by Marla Vail” 

Friday, March 17, 7:00 to 8:00 pm EDT – AUTHOR TAKEOVER
Facebook Event with Fun & Prizes!

March 17 – Jane Reads – GUEST POST “Holidays and Homicide”

March 17 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT

March 17- MJB Reviewers – REVIEW

March 18 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT & EXCERPT

March 18 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

March 19 – Cozy Up WIth Kathy – GUEST POST “History and Mystery”

March 19 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

March 20 – Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic – GUEST POST “Tales of Lost Treasure”

March 20 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT

March 21 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT

March 21 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

March 21 – Cinnamon and Sugar and A Little Bit of Murder – REVIEW, “Salmon Mini Quiches” RECIPE, & Giveaway

March 22 – Novels Alive – REVIEW

March 22 – Hearts & Scribbles – SPOTLIGHT

March 23 – Baroness Book Trove – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

March 23 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

March 24 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

March 24 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

March 25 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee – SPOTLIGHT

April 1 – Dru’s Book Musings – INTERVIEW “A Word with the Author”

March 28 – Denise Swanson’s Mysteries, Romances, and More – GIVEAWAY

Follow Nancy J. Cohen's Complete Book Tour for STAR TANGLED MURDER Click To Tweet

GIVEAWAYS

Enter Here March 12 – 27 to win a signed copy of “Star Tangled Murder” and a Box of White Tea

 

Enter Here March 1 – 18 to win a free book at Booklover’s Bench

 

Star Tangled Murder Book Tour Schedule

Please join me as I celebrate the release of STAR TANGLED MURDER with a virtual book tour. Follow along for book reviews, spotlights, author interviews, guest posts, and giveaways!

Wednesday, March 1 – Donovan’s Bookshelf – REVIEW

Wednesday, March 1, The Big Thrill – INTERVIEW

Wednesday, March 1, Baroness’ Book Trove – REVIEW

Friday, March 10 – Christa Reads and Writes – REVIEW

Friday, March 11 – Dru’s Book Musing – “Coming Week of March 12, 2023”

Sunday, March 12 – MJB Reviewers – New Releases for the Week of March 12, 2023

Monday, March 13 – The Book Diva’s Reads – BOOK SHOWCASE

Monday, March 13 – Socrates’ Book Reviews – REVIEW

Tuesday, March 14 – Storeybook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

Tuesday, March 14 – BookGoodies – SPOTLIGHT

Tuesday, March 14 – Book Launch Party, 7:00 – 8:30 pm EDT

March 15 – Mystery Reads – Spotlight

March 15 – 25 – Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour

March 15 – Fundinmental – REVIEW

March 15 – I’m Into Books – SPOTLIGHT

March 16 – The Mystery Section – SPOTLIGHT & EXCERPT

March 16 – Carla Loves to Read – REVIEW, GUEST POST “Corn and Crime” & RECIPE 

March 16 – Dru’s Book Musings – “A Day in my Life by Marla Vail” GUEST POST

March 17 – Jane Reads – GUEST POST “Holidays and Homicide”

March 17 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT

March 17 – MJB Reviewers – REVIEW

March 17, 7:00 to 8:00 pm EDT – AUTHOR TAKEOVER

March 18 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT

March 18 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

March 19 – Cozy Up WIth Kathy – GUEST POST “History and Mystery”

March 19 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

March 20 – Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic – GUEST POST “Tale of Lost Treasure”

March 20 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT

March 21 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT

March 21 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW & GIVEAWAY

March 21 – Cinnamon and Sugar and A Little Bit of Murder – REVIEW, “Salmon Mini Quiches” RECIPE & GIVEAWAY

March 22 – Novels Alive – REVIEW

March 22 – Hearts & Scribbles – SPOTLIGHT

March 23 – Baroness Book Trove – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

March 23 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

March 24 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

March 24 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

March 25 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee – SPOTLIGHT

April 1 – Dru’s Book Musings – INTERVIEW “A Word with the Author”

March 28 – Denise Swanson’s Mysteries, Romances, and More – GIVEAWAY

Keeper of the Rings Print Edition

I am excited to announce that Keeper of the Rings is now available in a new print edition!

This is the book that taught me how to write a murder mystery. It was the fourth novel I wrote for Dorchester in my early days as a romance writer. This version has been revised and updated. At the heart of the story is a puzzle. As an archeologist, Leena is assigned the perilous mission to retrieve a stolen sacred artifact. Her brother takes on the task of investigating the theft. Who had access to the relic? Only the twelve members of the ruling council, the Synod, had the opportunity. That meant each one was a suspect.

These could easily be the characters in a murder mystery. With a limited number of suspects, most of whom know each other, an amateur sleuth, and a confined setting, it’s the prescription for a cozy mystery. I’ve combined this element with a “quest” theme in the search for the missing artifact.

What was my favorite part to write? I loved planning the booby traps in the ancient temple and figuring out what was hidden inside that’s critically important to the planet. As a fan of Indiana Jones, I couldn’t help conjuring a tale of mystery, fantasy and romance all rolled into one grand adventure.

Copyright © 1996 by Nancy J. Cohen
Published by Orange Grove Press
Digital ISBN: 978-0-9985317-7-9
Print ISBN: 978-1-952886-28-7
Cover Design by The Killion Group, Inc.
Interior Design by www.formatting4U.com

An archaeologist and her mysterious protector search for a stolen sacred artifact to prevent planetary disaster.

Archaeologist Leena Worthington-Jax is hired to locate a stolen sacred horn that controls her planet’s weather cycles. Accompanying her is Taurin Rey Niris, a mysterious stranger engaged as her protector. She believes him to be a simple farmer until he exhibits skills worthy of a warrior. Curious about his background and increasingly tempted by his tantalizing touch, Leena trusts him to keep her safe during their perilous journey.

Taurin hides his alien origins from Leena as he aids in the search for the missing relic. He’s aware that if he shares his knowledge about her world’s history, it’ll destroy her faith and cause a rift between them. Yet revealing the truth might be the only way to save her planet from global ruin. Can he keep Leena from discovering his secrets while guarding her from their enemies and from his own heart?

A PRISM Awards Finalist

“Nancy Cohen combines the elements of science fiction and fantasy into a marvelous love story. Her books capture the imagination with their originality.” The Literary Times

Keeper is a lot like Indiana Jones and Romancing the Stone. A good mystery, action/adventure, sci‑fi, and romance all rolled into one.” Mary Saums, Author of the Thistle & Twigg Mysteries

“The spellbinding action gets more terrifying and enthralling as the uniquely different plot thickens. The conclusion is stunning!” Rendezvous

“Prepare yourself for exotic locales, evildoers galore, and two splendid romances!” The Paperback Forum

“Intense and fast, Keeper of the Rings has an absorbing and complex plot. Like ripples in a pond, the reverberations are felt throughout the book to the very explosive climax.” Affaire de Coeur

Excerpt

Leena followed him toward a recess in the wall. Vines dangled from overhead like a curtain, as though warning trespassers to stay away. Her breath hitched at the familiar sight of two stone helixcats, their faces partially eroded. They stood as sentinels on each side of the entrance.

“I’ll go first,” she said. “I’m familiar with these temples.”

Her discerning glance observed a gap farther inside. She squeezed through the narrow opening into an interior passageway. The walls glowed with a strange luminescence that thankfully provided illumination. She watched her footing as she made her way along, with Taurin at her heels. As the walls closed in on them, a musty odor entered her nose.

She glanced at him over her shoulder. “Don’t stray from the path. This temple might have hidden dangers.”

“Now you tell me.” His voice sounded loud in the confines of the tunnel.

“Maybe that’s why the excavation stopped,” she suggested. “The early explorers might not have been able to get past the obstacles. Grotus’s men wouldn’t have had much more success.”

Halting as she came to a wide archway, Leena glanced at the floor of the room past the arch. It consisted of a patchwork of evenly-shaped stones. At the other end of the cavernous room was another open archway flanked by two huge stone statues. But what made her emit a soft cry was what she saw in between.

“What is it?” Taurin said, peering over her shoulder.

“Nothing good.” Leena pointed to the bones littering the chamber ahead.

Get Your Copy Here:

Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com//dp/B005C5YXRO
Amazon Print: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1952886287
BN Nook: http://bit.ly/2LfyQF1
BN Print: http://bit.ly/3RmQJkK
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/keeper-of-the-rings-1
Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/keeper-of-the-rings/id1412121907
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1283063
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=tbKoEAAAQBAJ
Indiebound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781952886287 
Books2Read:
https://books2read.com/KeeperoftheRings  

Keeper of the Rings is Indiana Jones meets Romancing the Stone on a distant planet - Now in a new print edition! Click To Tweet

GIVEAWAY

Enter Here to win 1 of 7 free books from Booklover’s Bench in our 10th Anniversary Contest!

 

 

 

Star Tangled Murder Preorder

STAR TANGLED MURDER, #18 in the Bad Hair Day Mysteries, is now available for Preorder. Join me on Jan. 15 for an official Cover Reveal at Dru’s Book Musing! I’ll be giving away an advance reading copy of my new book at this event so don’t miss out!

Release Date; March 14, 2023
Copyright © 2023 by Nancy J. Cohen
Published by Orange Grove Press
Digital ISBN: 978-1-952886-24-9
Print ISBN: 978-1-952886-25-6
Edited by Deni Dietz at Stray Cat Productions
Cover Design by The Killion Group, Inc.
Digital Layout by Formatting4U.com
Cover Copy by BlurbWriter.com

Bloggers, Booksellers, & Librarians – This title is available on NetGalley for a limited time.

Star Tangled Murder

Story Description

Hairstylist Marla Vail and her detective husband Dalton are having a blast visiting a Florida living history village over Fourth of July weekend. But when a Seminole battle reenactment turns up a real dead body, it sets off fireworks among the villagers. One of the cast members has gone off script to murder the town marshal with a tomahawk in his head.

As Dalton gets involved in the investigation, Marla determines to help him solve the case. Her flare for uncovering secrets reveals that everyone in the village is a suspect. Instead of celebrating the holiday with red, white, and barbecues, she discovers secrets, lies, and false avenues. Did the marshal’s murder have anything to do with a lost Confederate payroll, or did his plans to renovate the park light a fuse that he couldn’t snuff out?

In a place where history comes alive, the dead bodies are piling up. Marla would rather be chilling and grilling, but somebody’s mind is on killing. If she’s not careful, her sleuthing could blow up in her face like a faulty firecracker and she’ll become the next victim. Recipes Included!

Early Praise

“Put this one on your TBR list. The various characters are people you could know, all with their own lives and stories. You’ll like them. In addition, Marla is a strong female character, one determined not to put herself in danger but, well, life happens.” June Price, Sanhusky’s Daisy Reads 2

“A fun read. Grab a cup of your favorite beverage and enjoy!” Renee W., NetGalley Reviewer

ORDER NOW  

Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BQS68WS7
Amazon Print: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1952886252/
Apple Books: http://books.apple.com/us/book/id6445207585
BN Nook: https://bit.ly/3vuluKN
BN Print: https://bit.ly/3I6HpyU
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=UICjEAAAQBAJ
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/star-tangled-murder
Books2Read: https://books2read.com/StarTangledMurder
Indiebound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781952886256
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1298730
Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3vF2Yiw
BookBub: https://bit.ly/3igyJvj

STAR TANGLED MURDER is now available for pre-order! #mustread #cozymystery Click To Tweet

GIVEAWAY

Enter Here Jan. 1 – 18 to win a free book at Booklover’s Bench 

 

Timetable for Upcoming Events

November is my birthday month, and we have a lot to celebrate! Here’s a rundown of upcoming events. More detailed posts will follow in the next few days.

Upcoming Events

Nov. 12 – 24 Virtual Book Tour https://nancyjcohen.com/appearances

Nov. 16 Book Launch Party 7:00 – 8:30 pm EST https://www.facebook.com/NewReleaseParty

Nov. 16STYLED FOR MURDER Release Date https://books2read.com/StyledforMurder

Nov. 16 – 30 “Permed to Death” (book #1 in my series) on sale for 99 cents https://books2read.com/PermedtoDeath

Thanksgiving Weekend – Happy Birthday to me and Happy Thanksgiving to you!

Happy Birthday  Happy Thanksgiving

GIVEAWAY

Enter to Win a free book Nov. 1-18 at Booklovers Bench 
https://bookloversbench.com/win-a-free-book-november-2021/

 

 

Trimmed to Death – Large Print Release

NEW LARGE PRINT RELEASE! 

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!

Large Print Edition
Wheeler Publishing; $26.99; August 7, 2019
ISBN-13: 9781432866860
ISBN-10: 1432866869
Paperback, 451 pages
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2H4SH6P
Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/304FbaL
Gale/Cengage: http://bit.ly/2LtbIV2

*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.

 

Recent Book Events

Recently, I attended the breakfast sponsored by Mystery Writers of America Florida Chapter at the Florida Library Association conference. Sixty librarians had signed up for this event. We ate first, and then jumped into Author Speed Dating. Since there were five of us, we had the librarians spaced out at five tables. During the allotted time, we each gave a spiel about our books before the bell rang indicating our time was up. We hopped from table to table this way. The librarians seemed to enjoy hearing from us individually, and it was a great way for us to inform them about our work.

FLA Conference

We gave a panel afterward on “From Cozy Cats to Crazy Killers…Investigating the Mystery Novel Genre” with authors Diane A.S. Stuckart, Ann Meier, Linda Hengerer, M.C.V. Egan, Nancy J. Cohen, and Robert Brink.

The following weekend, I gave a talk at an author luncheon at Temple Beth El Sisterhood in Fort Myers. This was a lovely event with a Chinese meal and a booksigning. I met a lot of nice ladies and enjoyed our conversation.

Book Talk Table Setting

Nancy Speaking

Author Luncheon

On the way home, my husband and I stopped off at Naples. We got our morning exercise strolling along Fifth Avenue with its historic buildings and tropical foliage. Then we headed home via Alligator Alley.

Naples 

FLORIDA AUTHORS ACADEMY
If you’re in Florida, take a look at the schedule for classes this summer. Here is mine:
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/

FACEBOOK BEACH PARTY – June 6th!
SAVE THE DATE! Join Nancy J. Cohen & Maggie Toussaint to celebrate their recent releases at a Summer Beach Party on Thursday, June 6, from 7pm to 8pm. Fun and Prizes!  https://www.facebook.com/NewReleaseParty/

Beach Party

GIVEAWAY
Enter June 1-18 to win a free mystery from the prize vault at Booklovers Bench.

book giveaway