Best Book 2021

I have some exciting news to share that just can’t wait! This has been a busy time with Thanksgiving, my birthday and the first night of Hanukkah all rolled into one weekend. Now I’m gearing up for the rest of the holidays before hopefully getting back to writing again. Meanwhile, I am thrilled to announce the items below.

Suspense Magazine

STYLED FOR MURDER has been chosen as a “Best Book of 2021” in the Cozy category by Suspense Magazine. Look for a feature in the upcoming December issue. https://www.suspensemagazine.com/

I am beyond excited about this honor and want to thank my fans, friends and family who voted for my book. You guys are the best!

The Big Thrill

“Having reached Book 17 in the A Bad Hair Day Mystery series, hairstylist-slash-amateur sleuth Marla Vail is almost as familiar with murder as she is with up-dos.” Read the scoop in an exclusive author interview by Allison McKnight in the current issue of The Big Thrill from International Thriller Writers. https://www.thebigthrill.org/?p=73206

Woman’s World Magazine

STYLED FOR MURDER was featured in Woman’s World Magazine in the Book Club section on page 8 in the Nov. 29th issue.

Here is their review:

“A charmingly funny whodunit unfolds when hairstylist and savvy sleuth Marla Vail gets a frantic call from her mother saying she found a dead body in her bathroom during a remodel. The victim turns out to be the project manager, who had a reputation for shady dealings. When Marla’s stepfather, Reed, becomes a suspect, Marla digs deeper for clues. Now, she’ll have to put all the pieces together to nail down the truth!” Woman’s World Magazine, Nov. 29, 2021

Upcoming Events

Thursday, Dec. 9, 2021, 8:00 – 9:45pm, Cozy Holidaze Party with Booklover’s Bench Authors – Fun & Prizes! https://www.facebook.com/NewReleaseParty

Saturday, Dec. 12, 2:00 – 3:00 pm, “Creating Settings that Sizzle” Writing Workshop with Nancy J. Cohen via Zoom for Citrus Crime Writers, https://www.facebook.com/events/322966752607646
If you’re not a member but want to attend, please email us at [email protected]

Awards, Events, & Giveaways from @nancyjcohen #cozymystery #mysteryseries Share on X

GIVEAWAY

Enter Here Dec. 1 – 18 to win a free book at Booklovers Bench in our monthly giveaway.

Copper and Crime

Researching a book can lead authors down a proverbial rabbit hole when they stumble upon an issue of interest. Such was the case for me when I decided to look into copper thefts.

While writing Styled for Murder, my latest book, I got stuck in the middle. I needed a spark of inspiration to spur the story forward, something exciting to research. When I shared my dilemma with my critique partners, one of them mentioned copper thefts. My book involved remodeling scams and this topic came to mind.

Bingo! I’d heard of this crime, and it would fit the story perfectly. As I delved into the research, I discovered all sorts of new twists. I was off and running and didn’t stop until the end. This had been exactly the spark I’d needed. So what is this crime that can affect average residents like us?

Copper is a valuable commodity. Crooks sell it to scrap metal dealers for a high price. Construction sites are favored targets along with abandoned buildings. Crooks have plenty of time after workers leave for the day to sneak in and strip out whatever they want. They can cause a lot of harm that way.

In one instance, thieves ripped open the walls on a building scheduled for demolition. They cut out the copper pipes and wires. Unfortunately, they didn’t turn off the main water valve, and the construction company had to pay for the resultant utility bill. Builders have to balance the cost of security against the potential replacement of stolen goods along with damage repairs.

Why do bad guys target copper in particular? This metal is used in critical infrastructures such as electrical sub-stations, cell towers, phone lines and water systems. Copper provides a reliable connection and is corrosion resistant. Thieves can make thousands of dollars per month from selling copper to scrap metal dealers.

“How does this affect the homeowner?” Marla, my hairstylist sleuth, asked her friend Tally while at lunch in a restaurant.

Tally snorted. “Your central air-conditioning units may use copper piping for the water supply and refrigerant lines along with the inner coils. If the thieves take these components, you might come home one day and have no air-conditioning. The metal is also found on propane tanks. Thieves might cut the pipes at ground level near the meters and then rip away the piping. Your house would lose its gas supply, meaning you’d turn on the range and nothing would happen.”

“I’d be more afraid of a dangerous leak caused by a cut pipe. Doesn’t a security system offer protection against people stealing this stuff outside your house?” Marla asked, thinking of the video cameras and exterior lighting around her place.

“Nope. I remember reading about a case where a man took ten minutes to crawl beneath a house and cut out a hundred feet of plumbing pipes using a plumber’s tool. They’re fast, so by the time you receive an alert, they’re already gone. Nothing is ever secure to a determined criminal.”

Fortunately, new regulations have made scrap dealers more responsible, which has been helpful in preventing these thefts. Being an alert and observant neighbor is always a good idea, too.

We learn all sorts of eclectic things when researching a story. I hope this information has been as illuminating for you as it has been for me. Are you aware of any construction problems in your area?

Copper and Crime #bookresearch #cozymystery Share on X

<><><>

STYLED FOR MURDER is mentioned in Woman’s World Magazine on page 8 in the Nov. 29th issue! They call it a “charmingly funny whodunit.” Get your copy NOW at your local newsstand. Last chance before the next issue comes out.

Books make great gifts for the holidays! Get one for yourself and gift another to a friend.

STYLED FOR MURDER by Nancy J. Cohen

When hairstylist and savvy sleuth, Marla Vail, gets a frantic call from her mother that there’s a dead body in her shower, Marla realizes this wasn’t part of the home renovation plans. The victim turns out to be the project manager, who had an untrustworthy reputation in town. Disgruntled customers, unpaid suppliers, and the design company’s staff are among the suspects, but Marla is more concerned about her stepfather’s connection to the victim. Can she flush out the clues and nail the killer before he strikes again? Recipes Included!

Get your Copy Here – https://books2read.com/StyledforMurder

Did you miss out on these guest blog posts? If so, visit them now!

Cinnamon and Sugar and a Little Bit of Murder, “Peach Cobbler” RECIPE, BOOK REVIEW & GIVEAWAY, https://cinnamonsugarandalittlebitofmurder.com/peach-cobbler/

Literary Gold – CHARACTER GUEST POST, https://www.literaryau.com/2021/11/styled-for-murder.html

Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers – “Is Garlic Good for You?” GUEST POST https://insatiablereaders.blogspot.com/2021/11/great-escapes-virtual-book-tours.html

Books a Plenty Book Reviews – “Edible Gold” GUEST POST https://booksaplentybookreviews.blogspot.com/2021/11/blog-tour-guest-post-review-giveaway.html

Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR INTERVIEW https://christyscozycorners.com/2021/11/styled-murder-mysteries-interview/

Novels Alive – “Bone China Origins” GUEST POST https://novelsalive.com/2021/11/17/guest-blog-bone-china-origins-by-nancy-j-cohen-plus-giveaway/

Dru’s Book Musings – “A Day in The Life of Marla Vail” GUEST POST https://drusbookmusing.com/2021/11/17/marla-vail-2021/

Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – AUTHOR INTERVIEW https://www.escapewithdollycas.com/2021/11/16/styled-for-murder-bad-hair-day-mysteries-by-nancy-j-cohen-authorinterview-review-giveaway-great-escapes-book-tour-nancyjcohen/

Storeybook Reviews – “Book Research Can Save Lives” GUEST POST https://storeybookreviews.com/2021/11/newrelease-guest-post-styled-for-murder/

My Journey Back – “Zucchini, Eggs and Criminals” RECIPE POST http://myjourneyback-thejourneyback.blogspot.com/2021/11/zucchini-biscuit-bake-recipe-and.html?

Killer Crafts and Crafty Killers, “The Case of the Cheesy Hash Browns” RECIPE POST https://anastasiapollack.blogspot.com/2021/11/cooking-with-cloris-cheesy-hash-browns.html

<><><>

Last Chance to get Permed to Death ON SALE for 99 cents! Start reading the Bad Hair Day series with book #1. Sale ends soon.

Order Now: https://books2read.com/PermedtoDeath

I’m going to take a break from blogs over the Holidays unless something noteworthy occurs, so Have a Wonderful and Safe Holiday Season!

Nancy

Woman’s World

Home Renovations Can Be Murder

Nearly everyone who has done a home renovation has a tale of woe. It seems nothing can ever go smoothly or finish on time. Hiccups occur along the way that obstruct progress. Meanwhile, homeowners suffer the inconvenience of their bathroom or kitchen being out of order.

We had our bathrooms and kitchen done in our old house where we lived for forty years. I remember the disruption to our lives and the aggravation of dealing with a job manager who had poor communication skills. He would fail to respond to calls or texts, plus he would tell us someone was coming to do the work when nobody showed up. We stayed home for days waiting for plumbers, electricians, tile people, etc. My blood boiled and my helpless rage surged. Things were a mess. How would our house ever be put back together again?

Here’s where the seeds of my latest story were born. I could murder off the foreman in a book. Certainly, he deserved to be fired at the very least, but my solution would be more permanent. I began reading about renovation scams to fuel the story. When a critique partner suggested copper thefts as another angle, I was off to the races! Except this time, it was hairstylist Marla Vail’s mother, Anita, who had the remodeling woes.

When our jobs were done, we were highly satisfied with the results. It could have been an easier process, but things turned out all right. Not so for Marla, whose investigation is about to begin in STYLED FOR MURDER, a Bad Hair Day cozy mystery.

Read an Excerpt

Hours later during a break at the salon, Marla headed into the back storeroom to grab a cup of coffee and to do more research on the case. She’d decided to reach out to the company’s customers via social media. For this purpose, she signed into her neighborhood app. A quick search found someone who had asked for recommendations on bathroom remodels.

This request had garnered a number of responses including several mentions of Amaze Design Center. She sent off a series of private messages to the commentators of those posts.

By the end of the workday on Friday, she had a load of replies. People were descriptive in their tales of woe.

“The company cuts corners by sending unlicensed workers to do their electrical work. I almost had a fire in my kitchen due to improper wiring behind our oven.”

“This company doesn’t provide the products they promise. I’d ordered sliding glass doors for my shower. The installers came and put on a fixed door instead. When I said it was wrong, the foreman tried to convince me this type of door was the popular choice. I insisted they change it to the ones specified in the blueprints.”

“The mirror guys were awful. They didn’t remove the label. We have a smear now because we had to scrub it off.”

These all happened to us. Have you done any renovations in your place? What did you like or dislike about the process? Were you happy with the results?

Home Renovations Can Be Murder #cozymystery #newrelease Share on X

STYLED FOR MURDER by Nancy J. Cohen
A Bad Hair Day Mystery

View the Book Trailer

GET YOUR COPY HERE

Amazon Kindle – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09DYN9YG6
Apple – https://books.apple.com/us/book/id1583387985
BN – https://bit.ly/3jF7Uz7
Kobo – https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/styled-for-murder
Google Play – https://bit.ly/3m2bJiJ
Books2Read – https://books2read.com/StyledforMurder