By Nancy J. Cohen
Orange Grove Press, 2020
Summary
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!
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My thoughts
I greatly enjoyed Nancy J. Cohen’s new release, Easter Hair Hunt. This cozy mystery beautifully blends together important key elements – rich characterization, vivid setting, historical tidbits, and a mystery that keeps you guessing. Although book #16 in a popular series, Easter Hair Hunt easily stands alone. It would be well worth reading the whole series, however, for the great character arc throughout.
I enjoy seasonal-themed cozy series, especially ones that go beyond the popular Christmas and Halloween to incorporate other holidays as well. Easter’s pastel coloring and events make up the perfect background for this story – an Easter egg hunt, the theft of a valuable Fabergé egg, and the victim was discovered clothed in the Easter bunny costume Marla’s missing friend was supposed to be wearing. I found the Tremayne manor and grounds fascinating and enjoyed the historical information about Lacey Tremayne’s collection of Russian objects. There’s plenty of suspects, well defined and easy to keep up with, all seemingly with something to hide.
What I loved most about Easter Hair Hunt is the characterization. Marla, owner of the Cut ‘N Dye Hair Salon in south Florida, is seven months pregnant. Her husband, Dalton, is a homicide detective with a teenage daughter, Brianna. Something we don’t often see in mysteries is the mutual respect that Dalton and Marla have for each other, and Dalton appreciates how valuable Marla’s people skills and insight can be to his investigation. Family is a strong feature and the characters are easy to connect with, literally becoming best friends as the series progresses. I enjoyed everything about this story and hope for many more to come.
Recommended.
I received a copy of this book through Great Escapes Tours. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
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Nancy J. Cohen writes the Bad Hair Day Mysteries featuring South Florida hairstylist Marla Vail. Titles in this series have been named Best Cozy Mystery by Suspense Magazine, won a Readers’ Favorite gold medal and a RONE Award, earned first place in the Chanticleer International Book Awards and third place in the Arizona Literary Awards. Nancy’s instructional guide, Writing the Cozy Mystery, was nominated for an Agatha Award, earned first place in the Royal Palm Literary Awards and the TopShelf Magazine Book Awards, and won a gold medal in the President’s Book Awards.
A featured speaker at libraries, conferences, and community events, Nancy is a past president of Florida Romance Writers and Mystery Writers of America Florida Chapter. She is listed in Contemporary Authors, Poets & Writers, and Who’s Who in U.S. Writers, Editors, & Poets.
When not busy writing, she enjoys cooking, fine dining, cruising, and visiting Disney World.
GIVEAWAY
Enter Here March 10 – 23 to win an Easter Fun Box with a signed proof copy of Easter Hair Hunt, a scarf, cosmetic bag, gardening gloves, candy, hair ties, dish towel and socks. $25 value
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Thank you so much for the wonderful review and for hosting me here!
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a fun read. The cover oozes happiness. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for this awesome review!
ReplyDeleteGood luck and God's blessings on your tour!
ReplyDeletePamT