Both Nancy J. Cohen's debut title PERMED TO DEATH, and her follow-up, HAIR RAISER, have wowed fans and critics alike. Now, in this eagerly anticipated third entry in the Bad Hair Day Mystery series, stylist Marla Shore is back with another nail-biting tale of murder. Since beauty is her business, salon owner Marla Shore figures she can surely rid herself of a few excess pounds of holiday flab without joining a gym. But when daily walks with her slowpoke poodle fail to whittle her waistline, Marla reluctantly gives in to a trial membership at Perfect Fit Sports Club. She never dreamed that slimming down would mean running into a deadly case of foul play. Marla's in the middle of her body fat analysis session when the blood-curdling screams of a hysterical patron send her charging to the "wet area." It seems that after ingesting a gelatin capsule to strengthen her nails, Jolene Myers slipped into a whirlpool--and drowned beneath the swirling waters. Marla isn't the only one in sunny Palm Haven who sees a dark cloud hovering over her former client's demise. Homicide Detective Dalton Vail is convinced Jolene's death was no accident--and Marla intends to join forces with him and give her deductive skills a workout. Marla quickly discovers that there's no shortage of suspects. Apparently, Jolene didn't have many fans at the tony sports club. Furthermore, somebody apparently swapped her nail-strengthening capsule for a poisonous gelcap. A likely candidate is the victim's pal Hank Goodfellow, a philandering pharmacist who hardly lives up to his name. But Jolene also had her share of spats with bribe-accepting city councilman Wallace Ritiker, vocal animal rights activist Cookie Calcone, Dancercise instructor Lindsey Trotter, and realtors Sam and Eloise Zelman. Then there's massage therapist Slate Harper, whom Jolene jilted one too many times--and who reportedly went from smitten to stalker. With a second corpse on her manicured hands, Marla would like nothing more than to nail the killer and wrap the case. But things are shaping up to be more complicated than she or Vail ever imagined--and unless Marla exercises the utmost caution, the next buff body on its way to the morgue will be hers. Hijinks abound in this harrowing--and often hilarious--mystery, as Nancy J. Cohen files another winner and grooms her sassy southern sleuth for eagerly anticipated cases to come.
From Publishers Weekly In this middling cozy, Florida hairdresser Marla Shore steps out of her salon into a deadly fitness club for her third excursion as an amateur sleuth (after 2000's Hair Raiser). Taking advantage of a free trial membership, Marla encounters one of her customers, Jolene Myers, on her first visit. Jolene has a rather heated argument with another member, Cookie Calcone, and not long after that, Jolene turns up dead in a whirlpool. Marla's love interest, homicide detective Dalton Vail, thinks Jolene's death was no accident, and Marla starts poking around, trying to dig up information to help solve the case. Marla's list of suspects includes staff members of the fitness club the handsome massage therapist Slate Harper and pushy Keith Hamilton as well as local realtors Sam and Eloise Zelman, local councilman Wallace Ritiker and pharmacist Hank Goodfellow. A second murder and a disappearance muddy the waters, but Marla continues doggedly on, despite a couple of attacks trying to warn her off. Det. Vail does more posturing and smoldering than actual detection, while Marla stews over making a commitment to him. Cohen leavens the narrative with Marla's comments on hairstyles and makeup, and the premise is a promising one, but the mostly one-dimensional characters and strained dialogue dilute the effects. Agent, Linda Hyatt. (Dec. 4)Forecast: Dazzling jacket art in primary colors will get potential customers to pick this off the shelf.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal In her third adventure, Palm Haven hairdresser Marla Shore (Permed to Death) happens to be present when the body of one of her clients is found at a fitness club. Suspects in the club at the time of foul play include a city councilman, a female mortgage broker, a rabid animal rights activist, and various combative employees. Marla's boyfriend, homicide detective Dalton Vail, who heads the case, cautions her against getting involved and then lets her in on clues that encourage a series of interrogations some dangerous, some not. Observations about makeup, hair, and apparel mix with humorous, sexy overtones and catty remarks. A solid series addition.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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