Cover Image: A Bad Hair Day Cookbook

A Bad Hair Day Cookbook

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Member Reviews

The Bad Hair Day Cookbook by Nancy J. Cohen is a 2019 Orange Grove Press publication.

This is a fantastic idea for cozy mystery fans

Cozy mystery readers often find a handful of recipes at the end of a book, a nice added bonus, whether it’s a culinary themed mystery, or not.

Occasionally, I do remember to jot down a recipe I find in a book, but often times I’ll shove the book back on my shelf after I’ve finished reading it, thinking that if I need the recipe again, I can always look it back up.

But I also read books from subscription services and from the library, and I usually forget to copy the recipe down before I return it. It then becomes impossible for me to remember which recipe was in what book.

I would imagine many readers have that same problem, so having the author thoughtfully compile all the recipes featured in their cozy mystery series in one place is genius!

The author reminds readers of the book certain recipes were featured in, and provides a brief overview of that book, so fans of the series can recall their favorite stories, too.

For those who are unfamiliar with the series, this book will make you want to get to know Marla Shore Vail and acquaint yourselves with this series while enjoying 'Marla's' wonderful, down to earth and comforting recipes.

This is a no- frills cookbook, and my pre-release, ARC copy did not come with pictures. However, these recipes are very easy to follow, with common ingredients one can usually find at their local supermarket- under normal circumstances, that is. Mainly, this is a book for fans of the series, and is a great marketing tool, I’d like to see catch on with other cozy authors.

The recipes are organized into sections, like most cookbooks, beginning with appetizers and ending with desserts and includes ‘Themed Menus’ as well. It should be noted that there are no pork recipes out of respect for Marla’s Kosher kitchen upbringing.

Overall, This book will be a huge help for cozy mystery fans who will find it so very helpful to have all the recipes featured in the ‘Bad Hair Day’ series all together in one book, as well as an easy reference to the books in the series, with a buy link included for convenience.

I admit I’ve only read one book in this series, but after reading through this recipe book and getting to know a little more about Marla, I’m looking forward to reading through this series, starting at the beginning and working my way up.

4 stars
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I love this book. It's recipes are easy to make and the ingredients are always in my cupboards. The Lemon Bars are the family favorite. Nancy Cohen writes a cozy series (Bad Hair Day Mysteries) and these recipes are from that series. There are lots of fun facts and stories from the hair dresser, Marla Vail. This is a stand alone but I am now going to read every book in the series. Chapters are about what you would expect in a cookbook but the table of contents gives you each recipe for the chapter. Don't miss the dessert section. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

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A Bad Hair Day Cookbook by Nancy Cohen is a delight to fans of her light cozy series featuring Marla Vail, a great hairstylist and amateur sleuth. The cookbook is full of not only excerpts from the Bad Hair Day Mystery series, but lots of mouthwatering recipes that readers would suppose Marla, et al would eat. The recipes are simply written, have minimal ingredients, and are easy-to-follow. Many of the recipes have a decidedly Jewish flare, and since Jewish food is famous for being yummy (this cook agrees), this cookbook will keep cooks who are looking for something new to cook excited about new, easy dishes. Unfortunately, there are no photographs, which is the only drawback to this cookbook.
The cookbook has such a variety of recipes, that readers and cooks (from beginning to experienced cooks) will keep busy for months. There are also dozens of recipes that can be adapted to the new air fryers and Instant Pots, which can be a challenge, but is fun, nevertheless. The excerpts from the novels will inspire everyone to start reading the series, which is fun; the novels are fast reads, and very light since they are cozies and are suitable for all ages.
Fun! Fun! Fun!

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this cookbook.

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I was actually surprised by how good a rating this book got everywhere.


It's probably because of fans of the mystery series.


It may be my own fault. I knew right at the beginning that it might be a problem that I haven't read anything from the author before. It seemed to be a decent cookbook, though, and I thought it might be good to get me in the mood to actually read a novel from the Bad Hair Day series. It's rated good, too.


Well, if this book did anything, it is making me not wanting to read anything else in the series. At first I thought that it might be because I didn't know the protagonist for example (the author writes here in "her name"), or that I'm not even in the right mood because I don't know the series. Maybe it was written for already fans.


Then again, it wasn't. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that it just wasn't. It's pretty much a 2 in 1 marketing tool to sell more of the original mystery series. Fans will obviously buy it, it's an OCD-drived, book-collector nerd's dream. (No offence here, guys, I'm that kind of person, too!) On the other hand, it's full of completely unnecessary installments from the book series. That can't be for the already-fans, can it? That doesn't make sense. They already know the stories, they know the context, they've already read these installments, too.


It can only be for the new readers, the ones like me. It's way too obvious, but it could work. If the installments raise the interest of a new reader, they will probably buy and read the other books, the novels, as well, right?


The only problem is that these installments are painfully boring. At least for me, they were. I'm sure the actual books are way more exciting, but this choosing method simply doesn't work. If you choose the parts of a book where certain foods or recipes turn up, these parts wouldn't necessarily be the parts that are interesting and exciting enough to raise the interest of a person who finds themself in the middle of the story.


After realizing this, I started to concentrate on the cookbook aspect. Because, well, this IS a cookbook. The results are mixed. The recipes are good, though I feel like they are unnecessarily repetitive. (Come on, I'm creative enough on my own to change simply one or two ingredient in a recipe to my taste, or to match my own ingredients in my home.) But what made this cookbook ever so boring to me was that there weren't any pictures! Not even drawn ones. I'm not sure, though, that it stays so in the ready, published version. I hope not. I would have way more motivation to make and taste all these otherwise very good-sounding meals, if I had a chance to see the way they're supposed to look like.

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What a fun book. I love the approach of this book. It's totally different. I would love to own this book in paperback on my shelf.

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Typical cookbook. Fun because its from the mystery series! Anyone, regardless of whether you've read the series, will enjoy the recipes.

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There is really nothing I like more than a good Cozy read and a good 'ole cookbook. Nancy J. Cohen smart girl just put it all together for me.
If your a Cozy reader and you love cookbooks then this one is for you.
It is filled with recipes originally found in some great Cozy Mysteries.
I loved that I was introduced to quite a few new authors.
I loved that a few excerpts were included and the 'Meet the Sleuth' section.
I am looking forward to the chance to try a few recipes. My
TBR list just grew too!

A Bad Hair Day Cookbook made my 2019 Christmas
Suggestions list!

I received a complimentary copy.

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These are great recipes for "regular" food (the type that people like to eat, without needing odd ingredients or taking hours to prepare. The excerpts from the books are fun, too -- and now I want to read those!

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Brought to you by OBS Reviewer jerjen

This is such a great idea for a cookbook: the protagonist sharing her family recipes and stories with the readers. I really enjoyed it and I learned some things to help me in the kitchen.

The book has sections for Appetizers, Breads, Soups, Entrees and Desserts, to name just a few. Before each recipe there is a little bit about where the recipe came from. And at the end of each section there is an excerpt from one of the Bad Hair Day books. I thought this was a very clever to incorporate the books with the recipes. There are some really good sounding recipes and I cannot wait to try some of them.

I would definitely recommend this cookbook to all cooks, whether you are an expert or just learning to cook. There are recipes included for everyone to love.

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*

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Disclaimer: I was provided a digital copy of this book by NetGallery in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The premise of this book is cute, but not enough to make me love it. It read too much like a little church cookbook with very common recipes and sometimes humorous ditties. It just wasn't unique enough for me to want to part with my dollars to buy a copy.

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A lovely new addition from Cohen who has kept fans of her engaged for years. Grateful for this fun cookbook! A great selection of a variety of recipes.

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Nancy J. Cohen’s A Bad Hair Day Cookbook is an easy-to-read and well-organized collection of recipes from her cozy mystery series. I love the huge variety of recipes but I wish the cookbook had pictures to liven it up.

The book is extremely well-organized into many sections including breads, desserts, and entrees with each meat even getting their own subsection. I love the helpful little tips at the beginning of each recipe about sides and substitutions etc. There’s even a themed menu section so you can host your own fun dinner!

The recipes are simple and easy-to-follow. They are familiar, comforting, and approachable to all skill levels. The ingredient lists are filled with a great blend of fresh produce and pre-packaged convenience items. There are no strange or difficult to find items here. The recipes feature familiar foods like potatoes, beans, cheese, and cake mix.

However, I am disappointed because there are absolutely no pictures. I love cookbooks with bright full-colour pictures because they liven up the reading experience and help me see what the final product should look like. It is also a little boring to be constantly reading recipe after recipe.

But, I love the inclusion of brief excerpts from Cohen’s Bad Hair Day cozy mystery series. I liked getting to know hairstylist Marla Vail and reading about her many sleuthing adventures.

A Bad Hair Day Cookbook is an excellently organized, approachable, and comprehensive cookbook. I’ve never read anything by Nancy J. Cohen before but I will definitely be picking up her cozies because the food and characters have definitely whetted my appetite! This book will be a great addition to your collection if you love Cohen’s writing, cozies in general, and cooking!



🍲 🍲 🍲 🍲 bowls out of 5!

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This is a fun little cookbook and I love how it ties into the cozy mystery books. I am afraid now I will have to check them out. Most of the recipes are short and easy to prepare so that’s always a plus for me. I love the stuffed mushrooms and she is right fantastic the next day with scrambled eggs. I do feel just a little too much is mixed in from the books but this probably because I haven’t read them yet. If your a fan of the Erie’s you should really enjoy it. I received this book from NetGalley for an honest review.

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This cookbook was quite interesting and by that i mean the recipes were very simple but reading the hair mysteries before and after recipes was a bit off putting. IfI didn’t read my cookbooks like novels and just tried the recipes I would have enjoyed it more. That being said the writing was quite good.

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4☆ A Fun Cookbook that combines recipes and fiction!

A Bad Hair Day Cookbook is a fun cookbook based on Nancy J. Cohen’s popular Bad Hair Day cozy mystery series.

After Each Recipe Section there is an Excerpt to read giving you a sneak peek into the series.

I haven't yet read any of the series so it was fun getting a glimpse into the mysteries.

There's a section that gives you a few cooking tips at the beginning of the book.

The sections are made up of :-
*APPETIZERS (GUACAMOLE, CHILI DIP, HOT DOG CRESCENTS, PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM APPETIZER)

*BEVERAGES ( CITRUS CIDER, FRUIT PUNCH)

* BREADS ( BANANA BRAN MUFFINS, GARLIC CHEESE BISCUITS, RITZ CRACKER STUFFING)

* SAUCES ( CRANBERRY SAUCE, TURKEY GRAVY)

* SOUPS ( BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP, MINESTRONE SOUP, POTATO LEEK SOUP, VEGETABLE BEAN SOUP)

* ENTREES — BEEF  ( BEEFY MACARONI & CHEESE, BRISKET COLA, SHEPHERD’S PIE, HONEY BARBECUE MEATLOAF, MOUSSAKA,SPAGHETTI PIE)

* ENTREES — LAMB ( MINTED ROAST LAMB, LAMB RAGOUT)

* ENTREES — POULTRY ( CHICKEN BASQUE, CHICKEN EGGPLANT, CHICKEN PAPRIKA, CHICKEN SPAGHETTI,CHICKEN THIGHS DIJON, COCONUT CHICKEN CURRY, TURKEY MEATLOAF )

* ENTREES — FISH ( DILLED SALMON PIE, GARLIC SHRIMP SKEWERS, SALMON CROQUETTES, THAI SHRIMP, TUNA CHINESE CASSEROLE)

* ENTREES — VEGETARIAN ( EGGPLANT PARMESAN, MUSHROOM PIE, SPAGHETTI SQUASH WITH PEAS AND MUSHROOMS,SPINACH-STUFFED SHELLS, TOMATO BROCCOLI QUICHE, VEGETABLE GUMBO,VEGETABLE LASAGNE)

* SIDE DISHES (BARLEY PILAF, BROCCOLI CHEESE BAKE, CHEESY HASH BROWN CASSEROLE, CURRIED RICE AND PEAS, GLAZED SWEET POTATOES)

* DESSERTS ( AMARETTO CAKE, APPLE GINGER CAKE, BLUEBERRY CRUMBLE, CHOCOLATE MINT TORTE, CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI CAKE, COCONUT FUDGE PIE, KAHLUA CHOCOLATE CAKE, LEMON BARS)

The recipes are American Measurements (oz and cups) and so are the Ingredients (ie, egg plant, confectioner sugar, zucchini, all purpose flour) so you would need to convert these yourself as there is no conversion chart, which I always find frustrating.

I do wish there had of been illustrations/ photographs so the reader can see what they are aiming for, especially if you have never heard of some of the recipes before like myself.

The directions are fairly easy to follow, however i don't think some of the recipes are for novice cooks so if unsure about some of the technicalities then don't be put off You Tube has great how to videos.

Overall a quirky cookbook that combines recipes with fiction, a great present if you love cosy mystery books, cooking or have read the series before.

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A Bad Hair Day Cookbook by Nancy J. Cohen, who writes the Bad Hair Day cozy mystery series. I really enjoyed looking through the cookbook, marking the ones I wanted to try. I also enjoy reading the stories in the middle of the book. I found this cookbook to be an all around fun book, perfect for any cook. I highly recommend it, where you read her cozy mysteries or not.

I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and the publisher. Thank you.

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A new favorite cookbook. I will be buying a hard copy very soon. Plenty of yummy recipes to keep me busy for a bit.

The cooking tips, in the beginning, were very helpful. A few things I did not know like you can exchange parsley for cilantro. It is divided into sections like most cookbooks are but Cohen made sure to include a vegetarian section which will be helpful when I have my niece over. There is also a beverage section. If you like doing theme dinners, Cohen has also taken the time to give you themes and what recipes you should fix for that theme. How fun!

I have never read The Bad Hair Day cozy series so I enjoyed the book excerpts throughput the cookbook. I have put this series high on my TBR list for 2020.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Orange Grove Press, through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.

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If you are looking for a new cookbook with a twist, this is definitely one you want to pick up! Simple, home cooking recipes along with snippets of stories from the beloved Cozy Mystery Series written by Nancy J.Cohen is sure to warm your hearts and your tummies. Everything from appetizers, soups, muffins to main courses there is something for everyone.
I couldn’t resist the Banana Bran Muffins, Corn Muffins and Mushroom Barley Soup recipes. Absolutely delicious! How about a Slow Cooker Mushroom Pot Roast and a Blueberry Crumble for those chilly fall days? There are so many fabulous recipes to try in this cookbook. This will definitely be on my shelf as favorite cookbooks.
Thank you to Nancy J.Cohen, Orange Grove Press and NetGalley for a copy of the book to read and review, it was a pure delight.

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I loved this book. I enjoyed the different stories in the middle of a cookbook. I enjoyed learning about the authors background. I felt it was very special to add a lot of recipes from not only her Jewish background but other backgrounds as well. I also enjoyed how the author put together menus for different cuisines.

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This is an amazing collection of recipes straight out of Nancy’s books! So if you are a collector of cookbooks are a novice cook you will enjoy this book filled with tasty recipes to try and the addition of Nancy characters the perfect match. I am thinking a Mystery Theme party with a recipe from Nancy Book ? Yeah! I will put it on my New Year List…..Lisa

If you are a fan of her books you will not want to miss this cookbook. Are know a fan of Nancy books – a perfect Christmas gift.

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