Facials Can Be Fatal


Book Description

Salon sleuth Marla Vail determines to peel back the truth when a wealthy socialite has a fatal facial at her day spa in this stylish cozy mystery. During the frenzy of the December holidays, the last thing salon owner Marla Vail needs is a dead body slathered in a green facial mask at her new day spa. The victim, Valerie Weston, had been a major donor for Friends of Old Florida, a nonprofit historic building preservation society. Marla’s stylists are scheduled to work backstage at their upcoming gala fashion show, but Val’s demise might put a crimp in their plans. Hoping to salvage her reputation, Marla determines to track down the killer. Although Val had been well liked by most people, she may have stumbled onto secrets that others would kill to keep. Soon Marla is unraveling clues involving historic buildings, family journals, pirates, and shipwrecks off the Florida coast. She’d better prepare for a body count that has nothing to do with hot stone massages and everything to do with murder. Readers’ Favorite Gold Medal Winner Royal Palm Literary Awards Finalist “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




The Bad Hair Day Mysteries Box Set Volume Three


Book Description

In this trio of cozy mysteries, hairstylist Marla Shore stays at a haunted hotel, works at a beauty trade show, and sails on a Caribbean cruise with a killer onboard. DEAD ROOTS Hairstylist Marla Shore is eager to introduce her fiancé, Detective Dalton Vail, to her extended family over Thanksgiving weekend at Sugar Crest Plantation Resort. Their festive turkey dinner turns into a serious bad hair day when she finds her aunt suffocated in bed. Aunt Polly isn’t the only ghost at this haunted hotel. Marla uncovers secrets and skeletons that should have stayed buried. It’ll take all her sleuthing skills to untangle the clues and root out the killer, even if it means exposing her family’s unsavory past. “Dead Roots has all the right ingredients for a great hair day, absolutely fun, winsome characters, a fast‑paced, wonderful mystery read!” Heather Graham, NY Times Bestselling Author PERISH BY PEDICURE Salon owner and amateur sleuth Marla Shore ends up 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 celebrity stylist, an ambitious salesman, and a rival hairdresser. “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 KILLER KNOTS Florida hairstylist Marla Shore hopes for a romantic interlude with her fiancé on a Caribbean cruise, but troubled waters lie ahead when their dinner companions disappear one-by-one. Then Marla learns a killer is along for the ride. Onboard art auctions, ports of call, and sumptuous buffets beckon, but she ignores temptation and musters her sleuthing skills to expose the culprit. She’d better find him fast, before her next shore excursion turns into a trip to Davy Jones’s locker. “Delightful...The Love Boat meets Sex and the City. A charming heroine and a hero to die for, pick this one up posthaste!” MaryJanice Davidson, NY Times Bestselling Author




The Bad Hair Day Mysteries Box Set Volume Two


Book Description

In this trio of adventures, hairstylist Marla Shore helps her ex-spouse solve a murder, searches for her missing pet-loving neighbor, and stumbles across the body of a rival hairdresser. BODY WAVE - Book 4 In a story braided with unexpected twists and curls, salon owner Marla Shore 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. RONE Award Winner! “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 HIGHLIGHTS TO HEAVEN – Book 5 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. “Full of twists and turns, great characters, and an interesting setting. Who could ask for more?” Denise Swanson, author of the Scumble River mystery series DIED BLONDE – Book 6 Hairstylist Marla Shore stumbles over her rival’s body in the meter room behind their competing salons. When her boyfriend, hunky Detective Dalton Vail, asks for her help in solving the murder, she jumps on the case. The stakes rise when the victim’s trusted psychic warns her that someone she loves is in danger. Her investigation takes her to a smoky bingo parlor, a spooky town run by spiritualists, and sunny Delray Beach. But what scares Marla the most is her relationship with Dalton that takes a surprising turn. “Nancy Cohen has penned another follicle‑raising frolic with a wry twist of romance.” P.J. Parrish, NY Times Bestselling Author




The Bad Hair Day Mysteries Box Set Volume Five


Book Description

In this trio of adventures, hairstylist Marla Vail solves a murder at her day spa during the December holidays, investigates her best friend’s suspicious car accident, and enters a bake-off contest at a farm festival where she discovers a dead body in the strawberry field. Bonus short story included! FACIALS CAN BE FATAL During the frenzy of the December holidays, the last thing salon owner Marla Vail needs is a dead body slathered in a green facial mask at her new day spa. Hoping to salvage her reputation, she determines to track down the killer. Gold Medal Winner in the Readers’ Favorite Book Awards “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 HAIR BRAINED When hairstylist Marla Vail’s best friend, Tally, is hurt in a suspicious car accident, Marla assumes guardianship of her infant son. She launches an investigation while praying for her friend’s recovery. First Place Winner in the Chanticleer International Book Awards “Readers will become immersed from page one. You’ll hang on every word as the twists and turns of the mystery are revealed.” Suspense Magazine HAIRBALL HIJINKS (Short Story) A cat, a crook, and a confused neighbor cause mirth in this cozy mystery short story. “A fast-paced read with charming characters.” Socrates Book Reviews TRIMMED TO DEATH Savvy hairstylist 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, she finds a dead body planted face-down in the strawberry field. “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.” Florida Weekly




A Bad Hair Day Cookbook


Book Description

Are you looking for some easy new recipes? Whip out your whisk, snatch up your spoon, and prepare your palate. Inside the pages of this award-winning cookbook are recipes that will bring you good cheer. Enjoy 160+ tasty recipes from Nancy J. Cohen’s popular Bad Hair Day cozy mystery series. Included in this award-winning cookbook are excerpts, cooking tips, and anecdotes written by hairstylist and savvy sleuth Marla Vail. From appetizers to desserts, Marla offers cooking tips and tricks along with commentary about the dishes she prepares for her family. Whether you’re a skilled cook or an eager novice, this cookbook will unravel the mystery of cooking. Put on your apron and plan to make some killer recipes! Gold Medal Winner in the FAPA President’s Book Awards First Place Winner in the IAN Book of the Year Awards First Place Winner in the TopShelf Magazine Book Awards Finalist in the Chanticleer International Book Awards “Reading through this cookbook has revived my interest in getting back in the kitchen.” Rhonda Gilliland, Author and Editor of the Cooked to Death Series “Designed for busy cooks who may not be out solving crimes, but whose time is equally challenged.” Diane Donovan, Midwest Book Review “Mysteries and cookbooks belong side by side on readers’ shelves. A Bad Hair Day Cookbook serves up both food and justice.” Christine A. Jackson, Ph.D., Author of Myth and Ritual in Women’s Detective Fiction




The Bad Hair Day Mysteries Box Set Volume Six


Book Description

A deadly Easter egg hunt, a remodeling project gone awry, and a Fourth of July murder at a living history village make for a sparkling cozy mystery collection. EASTER HAIR HUNT An Easter egg hunt at historic Tremayne Manor leads hairstylist Marla Vail to discover more than just dyed eggs. The dead man in the bunny suit is definitely not having a good hare day. Marla's husband, homicide detective Dalton Vail, knows she finds solving mysteries to be irresistible, but she may have found a basketful of trouble this time. Can Marla use her eggcellent sleuthing skills to crack the case? Readers’ Favorite Gold Medal Winner “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 STYLED FOR MURDER When salon owner, 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 remodel plans. The victim turns out to be the project manager, who had a shady 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. Reed is keeping secrets and he won’t come clean about what he knows. Can she flush out the clues and nail the killer before he strikes again? Suspense Magazine “Best Cozy Mystery” Readers’ Favorite Bronze Medal Winner “A charmingly funny whodunit!” Woman’s World Magazine STAR TANGLED MURDER 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 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. Soon it becomes clear that every one of the villagers is a suspect. Instead of spending the holiday chilling and grilling, somebody’s mind is on killing. Marla needs to find the culprit before she becomes the next victim. FAPA President’s Book Awards Silver Medal Winner “Star Tangled Murder shines with excellent plotting, lots of twists and turns, and a satisfying ending. Highly recommended.” Suspense Magazine




Peril by Ponytail


Book Description

Marla’s honeymoon at an Arizona dude ranch turns deadly when murder threatens to unhorse her new happiness in this award-winning cozy mystery. Hoping for a romantic honeymoon at an Arizona dude ranch, hairstylist Marla Vail and her detective husband Dalton arrive to find a series of mishaps plaguing the resort. A nearby ghost town is suffering similar problems. Is it mere coincidence that Dalton’s Uncle Raymond owns both properties? When Raymond asks for their help in finding the culprit, Marla and Dalton eagerly accept, but the case quickly escalates into murder. With sleuthing more natural to Marla than riding a horse, she delves into the investigation and discovers long-buried family secrets. Suspects include environmental activists, saguaro poachers, water rights advocates, and relatives closer to home. Marla has to saddle up, rein in the clues, and find the killer before she’s forced to join the spirits on the haunted hillside. Third Place Winner in the Arizona Literary Awards! “Peril by Ponytail ropes in the reader in Nancy J. Cohen's captivating new tale, which deftly braids together deadly secrets, long hidden resentments, and romance on the range.” Ellen Byerrum, author of the Crime of Fashion Mysteries




Fatal Series Boxed Set, Books 13-16


Book Description

Book 13: Fatal Invasion, First the fire, then the heat… A brutal home invasion. Two small, traumatized survivors who may have witnessed the horror. Lieutenant Sam Holland has never worked a case quite like this one, in which her eye-witnesses are five-year-old twins. But when Sam steps up in a big way for them, she risks her heart as much as her career. While Sam and her husband, Vice President Nick Cappuano, go to battle in more ways than one for her tiny witnesses, her colleague Sergeant Tommy “Gonzo” Gonzales battles his own demons. Months of unbearable grief and despair come to a head in an unimaginable way that threatens Gonzo’s status with the department and his relationship with his fiancée, Christina. With trouble both at MPD headquarters and on the case, Sam struggles to keep her priorities straight at home and at work while trying not to lose her heart to her latest crime victims. Book 14: Fatal Reckoning, When tragedy strikes, a cold case suddenly turns hot—and deadly. A peaceful morning is shattered when Washington Metro Police lieutenant Sam Holland’s beloved father succumbs to injuries from an unsolved shooting while on duty four years ago. As the community rallies around Sam and her family, one thing becomes crystal clear: her father’s death has turned the unsolved case into a homicide—and it’s on her to bring her father’s killer to justice. But the case has been cold for years…until an anonymous tip that’s too shocking to believe leads Sam down a dark and dangerous path. Her husband, Vice President Nick Cappuano, knows if she can’t solve this case, it will haunt her for the rest of her life. She’ll need the strength of their bond to pull her out of the darkness before it’s too late, because as the missing pieces rapidly fall into place, Sam realizes the truth might just break her all the same—and that her father’s killer isn’t done yet… Book 15: Fatal Accusation, A deadly serious affair… The story breaks as Metro PD lieutenant Sam Holland attends a dinner party with her husband, Vice President Nick Cappuano: President Nelson is accused of having an affair. More shocking still, campaign staffer Tara Weber claims the president fathered her newborn son—while the First Lady was undergoing secret cancer treatment. When a high-profile murder case hits Sam’s desk, she’s shocked to uncover a connection to the presidential scandal. With the department caught up in its own internal scandals, and the chief’s job hanging by a thread, Sam questions who she can trust as her team uncovers information that clouds an already-murky case. And with calls for the president to resign getting louder by the minute, Sam needs to close this case before she finds herself living at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Book 16: Fatal Fraud, A dangerous truth revealed… A prominent member of the D.C. community has been murdered, pulling Lieutenant Sam Holland into yet another high-stakes homicide investigation that has her trying to connect the dots between a dead woman and the friends and family who’d turned against her right before her untimely death. With numerous scandals still fresh within the department’s ranks, Sam is under more than the usual amount of pressure on the job. All the while, Sam’s husband, Vice President Nick Cappuano, faces mounting calls to declare his intention to run for president in the coming election, leaving the second couple feeling the strain at home—and on the job as the family endures the first holidays without their beloved patriarch, Skip Holland. As always, when things become too hot to handle on the job, Sam and Nick turn to each other for solace in the storm.




Died Blonde


Book Description

Join hairstylist sleuth Marla Shore in unraveling a murder case with wacky psychics, bingo mamas, and ghoulish family keepsakes in this clever cozy mystery. Hair shop rivalry comes to a head when hairstylist Marla Shore finds the body of her competitor behind their South Florida shopping center. Carolyn Sutton may not have been her friend, but Marla takes on the case for the sake of justice. And she’s curious as to why a hank of Carolyn’s hair is missing. Her quest becomes personal when Wilda Cleaver, Carolyn's trusted psychic, insists that Carolyn's spirit wants Marla to solve her murder. Marla had better find the culprit fast, or someone she loves might get hurt. Carolyn’s resentful sister, her bingo partner, her chiropractor, a mysterious benefactor, and a local lawyer fill the expanding list of suspects. With a hurricane approaching, Marla needs to untangle the snarl of clues before the storm hits and the murderer strikes again. “Intrepid Marla Shore is up to her elbows in hot water when a rival salon owner turns up dead and shorn. Nancy Cohen has penned another follicle‑raising frolic with a wry twist of romance.” – P.J. Parrish, NY Times Bestselling Author




Hair Brained


Book Description

Hairstylist Marla Vail determines to learn the truth when her best friend is hurt in a suspicious car accident in this suspenseful cozy mystery. Hairstylist Marla Vail’s friends are hurt in a car accident on New Year’s Eve. As per their instructions, Marla assumes guardianship of their infant son. But when her detective husband determines the crash may not have been an accident after all, she gets on the case. Who would want Tally and Ken out of the way? As Marla delves deeper into their lives, she realizes she didn’t know them as well as she’d thought. Nonetheless, it’s her duty to protect their child even if it means learning the ugly truth. Her sleuthing reveals that Ken’s insurance agency was involved in a fraud investigation. Did someone mean to silence him to avoid exposure? Or could something in Tally’s life have put her in jeopardy? She’d recently joined a tea ladies circle. Had she discovered secrets about the women that someone would kill to keep? Then again, maybe she’d been the target of a disgruntled employee from her dress shop. As the mystery unravels and Marla narrows the suspect list, she puts her own life at risk. Can she find the culprit before she ends up as roadkill? Chanticleer International Book Awards First Place Winner Royal Palm Literary Awards Finalist “I found myself swiping pages as fast as I could to find out what was going to happen next. And not only for the mystery but to see how Marla was going to handle being an instant mother… I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a well-crafted cozy mystery.” Open Book Society “The action builds with a slew of twists, turns, and near nail-biting climactic tension.” Chanticleer Book Reviews “You are always thinking and on your toes while reading this book. And when you get to the end and everything is revealed....it will blow your mind!” Cozy Mystery Book Reviews