Customer Reviews

Dead Roots (Bad Hair Day Mystery)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Marla Shore, hairdresser is going to the family reunion that her Aunt Polly has put together at the historic Sugar Crest Plantation Resort. Marla knew this weekend was going to be bad as this was her first time at introducing her fiancee, Detective Dalton Vail to the family. Worrying that they wouldn't accept him because he wasn't Jewish, wasn't as bad as the worry that she had that he wouldn't accept them because they were nutty.

Things got worse when they arrived at the resort to find out that one wing was condemned and off limits, there was a ghost hunter on site, looking for spirits who seemed to be roaming the old plantation.

Then Marla finds out that her Aunt Polly has a secret. It was Polly's Russian father, Andrew Marks, who had come to America after the Russian Revolution, who had once owned the plantation and he had died after a visit from two eerie Cossacks who had disappeared. It had been her mother who finally sold the plantation, but Polly retained the rights to stay at the resort whenever she wanted.

Polly hinted of lost treasure and secret ownership of the hotel, and when she was found suffocated in her bed, Marla knew she would have to unravel her own family history, as well as, the history of the plantation to find if there was a treasure. If they still had a claim on this resort or if the family ghosts were still haunting the place or was it just a current family member who was responsible for both the killings and the hauntings.

Highlights:

Marla has always been a likable character and her relationship with Dalton Vail and his thirteen year old daughter, Brianna has always been very believable. Marla has had some trauma in her younger days and a bad marriage which made her wary of both men and of having children.

The Mystery. There were actually several going on here. Who killed her Aunt Polly. Who was her grandfather and as an immigrant from Russia just after the revolution, how did he have the money to buy this estate? Who were the mysterious men who showed up a few days before his death? Were there ghosts on the estate and what did they want.

Humor. This series has always been one of the funniest.

Lowlights:

Boring. The worse thing a mystery can be is boring. I liked that there were several different mysteries going on at the same time, but except for finding out her Grandfather and Aunt Polly's history, they weren't very interesting.

Missing characters: In the previous books most of the interesting characters are people who surrounded Marla at her work. Dalton's daughter, Brianna and Marla's wonderful dog Spook. The least interesting people have always been her family. An entire book filled with the least interesting people and none of the ones you love can be tedious.

I think this was a misfire, but Marla is still a great character that I'm sure the next book will be much better.

Marla Shore and her fiancé Detective Dalton Vale head off on a much-needed vacation. Marla is excited as she will be introducing Dalton to many of her extended family. They are going to a family reunion at the Sugar Crest Resort. Her Aunt Polly arranged the reunion.

Turns out Marla's relatives once owned the place and it is now supposedly haunted by some of her past relatives. Apparently Polly wanted to right some wrongs and uncover family secrets by having the reunion there. Unfortunately, Aunt Polly is found dead before she can do much more than ask Marla to look for some old letters and gems. Marla is not sure they really exist, but her curiosity gets the best of her.

When a workman falls to his death, Dalton believes the death to be murder. The house doctor lists it as an accident. Unfortunately, the local police believe the house doctor and not Dalton. This just spurs Marla on further in her investigation. Dalton is doing some investigating as well. When they discover that Aunt Polly's death wasn't a natural death, things really heat up.

Can Marla help Dalton uncover the truth without anyone else being hurt, including herself?

I really enjoy this series. Marla is such a likeable character. Most of the books are set in and around her Florida salon. While I enjoy that, this was a nice change. The relationship between Marla and Dalton has really matured and it is fun watching it grow and change through the various books. Marla is a believable sleuth. She does get herself into some scary situations, but she has a level head most of the time.

I highly recommend this book and the whole series.

Fast, fun read. Lots of interesting characters and plot twists and turns.
Keeps your interest 'til the last page. Can't wait to read more Nancy J. Cohen.

Nancy's Bad Hair Days get better and better. Poor Dalton, stuck into Marla's family reunion. Not only is there a mystery to solve, which Marla does once again, but Nancy's books have that added flavor of family fun and tension, plus a bonus of hair grooming tips and recipes.

This Bad Hair Day mystery novel has everything! Murder, mystery, family history, ghost busters, greed, evil motives, Russian royalty, psychic predictions, Nazi's, hidden treasure--you name it.

Marla Shore, owner of the Cut 'N Dye hair salon, and part-time sleuth is heading to the Florida coast with her unflappable police detective fiance, Dalton Vail for the first Marks family reunion.

Three generations of Marks from all over the U.S. and Canada are gathering at the haunted luxury resort created by the family patriarch, Andrew Marks, whose ghost is said to inhabit the halls guarding his secrets. This could be the family's last opportunity to connect with their heritage through this resort as it is in jeopardy of being redeveloped into an amusement park.

Marla's Aunt Polly, keeper of the family secrets, alludes to the mystery surrounding Andrew Marks' death, the visitation of mysterious strangers right before his death, the rumors of treasure, and secretive documents.

Aunt Polly publicly opposes Marla's engagement to someone outside the faith, further dividing family loyalties and skewing motives.
Aunt Polly ends up murdered, despite having secretly fought the good fight with cancer. Family secrets are peeled away one member at a time while forecasting the future for Sugar Crest resort.

Armchair Interviews says: If you love a good mystery with humor running throughout, this is for you.

Floridian hairstylist Marla Shore is for once taking time off from overseeing her salon to go to the family reunion with her fiancée Detective Dalton Vail at the Sugar Crest Resort. The event was the inspiration of Marla's Aunt Polly who wants to right past wrongs and let hidden secrets see the light of day and bring the family together. When they arrive at the resort they learn that members of the family once owned the place and it is supposed to be haunted by various spirits dead throughout the decades.

Murder isn't confined to the past as a workman is killed while up on a ladder. Vail is suspicious but the house doctor lists it as an accident and the police listen to him rather than the outsider. Polly wants Marla's help in finding letters she wrote to someone named Vincent but she forgot where she put them. She also wants Marla to look for gemstones that were supposedly hidden by the owner (who was one of the family) family in the main building. Polly is murdered before Marla can find what she is looking for and when another death on the property happens, Marla decides to investigate on her own and hope she doesn't become murder victim number four.

The main building of the resort is riddled with secret passages, a hidden floor and cleverly disguised entrances and exits to the passageways adding a gothic ambience to DEAD ROOTS. One of Nancy J. Cohen most incredible skills is letting her characters grow and change as they experience new things. The deepening romantic relationship of Vail and Marla adds a nice twist of spice to a cleverly crafted and well designed who-done-it. This delightfully entertaining amateur sleuth tale is one Ms. Cohen's best in this long running series.

Harriet Klausner