Facials Can be Fatal is the 13th book in Nancy J. Cohen’s Bad Hair Day Mystery Series. Marla Vail is the owner of the Cut 'N Dye hair salon in Palm Haven, Florida. She is a savvy businesswoman who has worked hard to achieve her current success, and she has plenty on her plate right now. Besides running her salon, she has just opened a day spa next door, she and her stylists will be working backstage at an upcoming gala fashion show, she is in the running for a challenging educator position, has just been slapped with a lawsuit by a client who claims Marla burned her scalp, and this is just the business side. In Marla’s personal life, she is approaching her first anniversary with husband Dalton, is stepmother to student-driver teenager Brianna, and is planning holiday celebrations for Christmas and Hanukkah with family and friends.

What Marla doesn’t need is a murder at the day spa. But that is just what happens, and as always Marla is thrown into the middle of things. The reputation of her spa and salon are at stake, and in addition the murder victim was a major donor for Friends of Old Florida, the nonprofit historic preservation society sponsoring the fashion show where her stylists are set to work. As Marla and Dalton begin to investigate they discover this mystery has a little bit of everything and an almost endless list of possible suspects: a greedy land developer, a dress designer whose husband may have links to the Asian mob, a mortician who might be involved in the human hair trade, members of the nonprofit group's board of directors, along with a missing employee and a stolen headpiece that changes color with the mood of its wearer. They also stumble upon a decades-old mystery that includes a secret journal, pirate tales, and shipwrecks along the Florida coast.

Once the action starts it doesn’t stop. The story is complicated, but not so much so that you can’t follow what is happening. Just when you think you’ve figured it out, something happens and you have to stop and think – who is the killer?? You have to pay close attention, but it all comes satisfyingly together in the end.

Nancy J. Cohen’s hot, humid Florida setting is authentic and the mystery-solving journey is exciting, but she also reintroduces us to an interesting, believable recurring cast of characters we have grown to know and (mostly) love. There is Marla’s friend Talley and her husband Ken. Ken always seems to maybe be up to something, and right now Talley doesn’t seem very happy, more so than just the adjustment to having new baby Luke to care for. Maybe a future mystery to solve? And everyone in this cast of characters, including Marla’s mother, in-laws, and Dalton, seems to want Marla to have a baby – except Marla. She has a very firm plan for her and Dalton’s future and a baby does not fit in. But wait – Luke is such a sweet baby and what’s with the warm, fuzzy feeling she gets every time she holds him?

The mysteries in the Bad Hair Day series are great, always fresh and exciting, but Nancy J. Cohen’s real strength is in the people and how she has made Marla grow throughout the series. Marla is still Marla, your typical cozy mystery amateur sleuth – she has good problem-solving skills and wants to set things right, but is not quite as clever as she thinks she is and recklessly gets herself into danger several times. She is independent and strong-willed, which can be hard to take. At times her determination and focus come across as selfish, and her thoughts about and remarks to others are not always kind. But she is loyal and trustworthy and fearless. She and Dalton are a perfect match. He values her opinions and participation in his cases, but he treats her as an equal, which means not always giving in to her. He brings out a softer side of her while acknowledging her strength. She has matured and developed a strong, loving relationship with Dalton and a close, sharing relationship with Brie. It is always exciting to wonder what changes there will be in Marla and rewarding to see how she becomes a better and better person, and happier to boot.

I received an ARC of this book for an honest review. I thoroughly enjoyed it and can’t wait to see what happens to Marla and the crew next. I highly recommend this book and the entire series. ( )

I really enjoyed the setting of this cozy mystery. What better place for chaos and murder to happen while at a spa. I loved the description of the spa and salon . The author made you feel like you were there with the other customers. You could hear the scissors snipping away and smell the scents of the facials as they were placed smoothly on faces. I have been to a spa before and loved how relaxed you feel.

Marla is a smart business woman. She owns a salon and now has expanded and opened a day spa next door. Things are going well until a scream shatters the tranquil atmosphere. As Marla rushes next door she finds out why there was a loud scream. A customer lays dead in one of the rooms. As the investigation begins they find out that Val Weston died from latex poisoning. The spa keeps very detailed files on each client. Everyone was aware of Val's allergy to latex. Who put the latex drops in the facial? Should other customers be worried about their safety?

I really liked Marla's husband. He is very smart, patient and has his hands full with the investigation. There seems to be a theme in most cozy mysteries where the main character in the story gets involved in the investigation. I always find them to be funny, intuitive and determined. Marla is that and much more. Along with her husband they will find themselves with many suspects to clear and a mystery that keeps readers guessing. Will Marla heed her husband's warning and try to stay save? Who is after her and what information did she stumble on? The story is full of great action and a cast of characters that really make the story intriguing.

What ties did Val have with the upcoming gala? Was she hiding something that could have caused someone to murder her? When more bodies start piling up, the investigation really heats up. I loved the fast pace of the story and how the author throws curve balls just as you think you have solved the mystery. Marla and Dalton are a great couple and I love the interaction between the two. I never could figure out who the killer was, but I loved the ending. I was quite surprised when the killer was revealed .

I received a copy of the book from Great Escapes Book Tour. The review is my own opinion. ( )

This is the 13th Bad Hair Day Mystery by Nancy J. Cohen and she still keeps coming up with great ideas for a story. This one drew me in right from the beginning and with all the possible suspects, the twists and turns, I had no idea who was responsible for killing Val Weston in the Spa.

Marla Vail, business owner, has recently opened a day spa attached to her salon. When one of their clients dies from a latex reaction, she is on the hot seat as well as her stylist. Due to the vacation time period the police are short handed so Marla's husband and his partner are on the case. Marla can not sit idly by, it is her reputation and business at stake. As well, the dead client, Val Weston, is the driving force behind the upcoming gala and fashion show where Marla has been hired to do the hair for the models. As Val begins her investigation, people open up to her and approach her with information that even the police do not have. As more victims appear, the case becomes more dangerous for Marla. Dalton urges her to be careful and stop her investigation, but then takes her along while he is questioning people and following new leads. As this case gets more and more complicated you have to wonder if they will ever solve this one. Is it due to greed? Is it to hide family secrets? Does someone just want to keep their reputation intact? Where do the pirates come in? Lots of questions get answered as this story comes to a surprising ending. A fun cozy read with mystery, family drama and some romance. Check this one out. The author generously provided me with a copy of this book which I chose to review. ( )

Salon sleuth Marla Vail determines to peel back the truth when a wealthy socialite has a fatal facial at her day spa in this stylish cozy mystery.

During the frenzy of the December holidays, the last thing salon owner Marla Vail needs is a dead body slathered in a green facial mask at her new day spa. The victim, Valerie Weston, had been a major donor for Friends of Old Florida, a nonprofit historic building preservation society. Marla’s stylists are scheduled to work backstage at their upcoming gala fashion show, but Val’s demise might put a crimp in their plans.

Hoping to salvage her reputation, Marla determines to track down the killer. Although Val had been well liked by most people, she may have stumbled onto secrets that others would kill to keep. Soon Marla is unraveling clues involving historic buildings, family journals, pirates, and shipwrecks off the Florida coast. She’d better prepare for a body count that has nothing to do with hot stone massages and everything to do with murder.

Readers’ Favorite Gold Medal Winner
Royal Palm Literary Awards Finalist

“Take a twisty mystery, add a cast of amiable characters, a dash of family drama, and a pinch of South Florida during the holiday season—they all add up to the recipe for a delightful cozy!” —Lucy Burdette, bestselling author of the Key West Food Critic Mysteries