A daring holiday heist at the local history museum sends hairstylist Marla Vail on her most tangled case yet.
When salon owner Marla Vail agrees to speak at the local history museum’s gala opening for a new exhibit, she expects applause—not a catastrophe. But shortly after she takes the stage, a thief steals the featured diamond-studded hairbrush, leaving behind an empty display case and a badly injured security guard.
Her trail leads to a knot of suspects including the hairbrush’s owner, his greedy cousin, shifty museum staff, and a reclusive collector of mystical antiquities. Instead of enjoying menorah lights and latkes, Marla discovers murder, lies, and larceny. She’ll need sharp wits and a holiday miracle to save the museum and to keep the truth from being brushed aside.
Review:
Marla's dealing with her pregnancy and her business, along with preparations for Hanukkah, while her husband Dalton left the police department to be a full-time father. Only when the diamond-studded antique hair brush is stolen, both of them get involved in the investigation. There are lots of coincidences, conveniently explained away by the curse associated with the brush. As Marla and Dalton work to find the killer and save the museum, the possible suspects multiply.
Well-written, with a steady pace to keep the reader engaged, this was an enjoyable cozy mystery read. The new characters are developed over the course of the story, from the odd owner of the brush to his son, and the antique collector who wants to buy the brush. Having read others in the series, Cohen depicts the conflict Marla feels as she deals with her growing family. This is easily read as a standalone. I highly recommend this one.
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in the hopes that I would post an honest review. This has not affected the content of my review in any way.
Nancy J. Cohen writes the Bad Hair Day mystery series and the Keri Armstrong cozy mysteries. Her titles have won numerous awards including her nonfiction titles, Writing the Cozy Mystery and A Bad Hair Day Cookbook. Active in the writing community, Nancy is a past president of Mystery Writers of America Florida Chapter. When not busy writing, she enjoys reading, fine dining, cruising, and visiting Disney World.
