#DreidelsandDeadEnds #NetGalley

Marla and Dalton are back in this latest addition to a long running series.
Marla is urgently asked to replace a speaker at the local history museum's gala, where a diamond studded hairbrush will be making its appearance.
During the gala, someone is hurt and the hairbrush is stolen.

The hairbrush is reported as being cursed, so when things take a turn for the worse, the hairbrush is blamed.
Marla works hard to help her friend Becky find the hairbrush , especially if her job at the museum is in jeopardy.

This is a good story and it was fun to catch up with Marla and friends in this latest book.

I laughed, I cried, & I gasped so, of course, you know I’m reading a Nancy J Cohen book.

This series NEVER disappoints & the way I cackled over a diamond hairbrush…THAT’S CURSED. Hilarity & gasping ensue for pages upon pages of greatness with a killer I NEVER would’ve guessed.

Oh boy, I couldn’t recommend this one more - I loved it.

Ms. Cohen has cursed us cozy readers in the best way with a phenomenal story. She’s one click for me cause I’ve never been disappointed in a single one of her stories.

Thank you SO much to Nancy J. Cohen, Orange Grove Press, & NetGalley - I enjoyed this one from beginning to end.

Always love catching up with Marla and Dalton and seeing what they get into. This time, the theft of a supposedly cursed hairbrush has everyone scratching their heads and looking for answers. Marla, ever the amateur sleuth, is determined to help her friend Beverly find the brush, as her museum job depends on it.
Lots of laughs, a great mystery, and as always an enjoyable coy mystery.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I was so happy to get an advanced copy of this book by Nancy Cohen, one of my favorite authors! Thank you netgalley! As expected, this was an enjoyable read with great characters, plenty of shady suspects, suspense, intrigue, and just a touch of humor.

Marla Viall has her hands full. She owns a hair salon, has a toddler, pregnant and Christmas and Hannukah are on her list as she and her retired detective husband celebrate both holidays. If that wasn't enough, she is asked to step in as a last-minute speaker at a fundraiser for the local history museum. During the events the priceless heirloom hairbrush is stolen, and the security is seriously injured. The curator, who is also Marla's friend, asks her to please try and solve the mystery of who stole the hairbrush. During the investigation, there is a murder. Is it related to the theft of the hairbrush?

This is the 19th book in the series, but it kept me turning the pages to find out what happened next. There are plenty of suspects and all seem to have a reason to steal the hairbrush but what about the murder, how does that fit in? It's a question that you ask till the end. There are red herrings to keep you baffled. I love that the story is set around Hannukah and Christmas and we get to see Marla & Dalton navigate a dual holiday, a toddler, the imminent arrival of their baby girl and working together to figure out this mystery. Oh, and did I mention a little voodoo to spice things up?

I enjoyed this story and can't wait till the next adventure!

Thanks to Netgalley and Orange Grove Press for the chance to read this story and give my opinion.

Time to solve the heist of a cursed hairbrush!

Marla Vail steps in last minute as the keynote speaker for the local history museum's gala opening for a new exhibit on beauty. But a thief steals the featured diamond-studded hairbrush, known for being cursed, and leaves an injured security guard behind. Marla wants to be spending her time preparing for the upcoming holidays, but instead agrees to help her friend Becky, the museum's curator, locate the missing hairbrush. Of course, things start to get more dangerous as she pursues the truth.

This book's set up is really fun and I liked the interweaving of curses, history, and small town culture. The characters feel very realistic, but manage to also be fun and quirky. I enjoyed getting to know the suspects and their secrets.

For me, the main reason this book doesn't rate more highly is just that it feels a bit predictable. I think it's tough doing a holiday mystery that's number 19 in a series, so the twists and turns don't feel super memorable.

Overall, if you enjoy cozy mysteries, this is a fun one to read. With the holiday setting, it'll be a nice change of pace from all the stories set in the snow to read while curled up with a hot cocoa!

Thank you to NetGalley and Orange Grove Press for providing an advanced copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.

Dreidels and Dead Ends is the 19th book in the Bad Hair Day Mysteries Book series by Nancy J. Cohen. The Bad Hair Day series is what got me started reading cozy mysteries many years ago. I especially enjoy that it takes place in South Florida. In the newest addition to the series, Marla and Dalton work together to find a stolen diamond encrusted hairbrush (which is supposedly cursed) and solve a murder, all while Marla is pregnant with their second child, caring for their toddler, Ryder, running her business and preparing for Hanukkah and Christmas. Just reading about her daily activities made me exhausted. I highly recommend this book and the whole series.

Dreidels and Dead Ends is the 19th book in the Bad Hair Day Mystery Series. This was actually my first Nancy J. Cohen book. I'm not going to lie; I was drawn in by the book cover. I love the colors and the menorah. I will read any Hanukkah book! Anyway, I enjoyed this for the most part. The writing was really good. But, overall, this was not my favorite cozy mystery. I thought there were too many characters to keep track of. Also, it bothered me that she is pregnant and putting herself in danger like that. It's actually a pet peeve of mine; if I had known that that was a plot point I probably wouldn't have read the book.

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Memories of sitting under the hairdryer at the beauty salon with your head full of curlers and reading a magazine came back to me as I enjoyed reading this fun mystery novel. Maybe a more modern version is sitting reading this novel while waiting for the hair color to set. Dreidels and Dead Ends by Nancy J Cohen is an entertaining mystery novel for reading at the hairdresser.

Cohen has created the perfect setting and real time job position for an amateur detective to have while trying to solve local crime in a small town. Where would there be a better place to interview suspects than while they are having their hair styled. Also the women that come in for a wash and cut are always ready to share the news they have heard.

This novel is the newest in this long running A Bad Hair Day Mystery series. Hairstylist Marla Vail owns the Cut 'N Dye salon and is now married to Dalton, the newly retired police homicide detective. She and Dalton have teamed up solving crimes in their small town in Florida.

When a diamond studded hairbrush is stolen from the local museum, Marla and Dalton are on the trail to get it back and save the museum from having to close down. Marla was asked by her friend Becky Forest, the curator for the local museum, to fill in last minute as a featured speaker for a fundraising event and Marla agrees. That puts her and Dalton at the scene of the crime. The antique hairbrush, on loan, an heirloom with a family curse, is stolen during the opening night event and the injured security guard is sent to the hospital. When more unexplained accidents start occurring to people involved with the museum Marla is not convinced it is the curse. She is sure someone is behind the unpleasant problems. Then another security guard turns up dead and the pressure increases to find out who stole the hairbrush and return it to its rightful owners.

An added characteristic to this mystery series is that Marla is Jewish and the author has added many Jewish references to her novels. In this novel the winter holidays are just around the corner and as she is interviewing suspects, Marla is also thinking about her holiday parties and her gift lists. She has to pick out Chanukah and Christmas presents for her new extended family along with getting the latkes and donuts for their son, Ryder's, daycare class Chanukah party.

It is a rather unusual combination but it works. Pregnant salon owner Marla and her husband, former detective on the police force combine their skills to solve mysteries. They are asked to do some private digging when a cursed hairbrush is stolen from the local museum. The police are happy for the assistance especially when other more pressing cases pop up. Marla’s friend, Becky, is desperate. Not only does she want to find the valuable relic but her career might be on the line if she does not.

Is the brush truly cursed or are all the misfortunes that seem to follow it simply coincidence. Whether it is truth or bunk, the fact is someone stole it and a security guard was injured at the time. Marla is not sure whether the owner of the brush is involved or is the mysterious collector who seems to have formed a liaison with Marla’s nemesis. And is this an outside job where employees of the museum were in on the caper. Marla and Dalton often work together but trying to juggle a toddler and a second child on the way, sometimes they have to split up and therein lies the potential for madness.

Other than the fact that Marla must have the most understanding clients of all time, the characters come across as being real and very human. While one can hope Marla puts her feet up more before the baby is born, she does not tend to run off half cocked and is a smart lady. And I loved the combination of Hanukkah and Christmas. There are lots of families today who want to share both traditions.

Five purrs, two paws up and lots of latkes.