Murder, Curlers, and Cream
- Author: Arlene McFarlane
- Publisher: ParadiseDeer Publishing
- Print Length: 270 pages
- Release Date: November 8, 2016
- I Rate it:
- Genre: Cozy
- Purchase on Amazon
Book Summary
Valentine Beaumont is a beautician with a problem. Not only has she got a meddling mother, a wacky staff, and a dying business, but now she’s got a dead client who was strangled while awaiting her facial.
With business the way it is, combing through this mystery may be the only way to save her salon. Until a second murder, an explosion, a kidnapping, death threats, and the hard-nosed Detective Romero complicate things. But Valentine will do anything to untangle the crime. That’s if she can keep her tools of the trade in her bag, keep herself alive, and avoid falling for the tough detective.
In the end, how hard can that be?
Arlene McFarlane is the author of the Murder, Curlers series. Previously an aesthetician, hairstylist, and owner of a full-service salon, Arlene now writes full time. When she’s not making up stories, or being a wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, cat-mom, or makeover artist, you’ll find her making music on the piano.
Arlene is a member of Romance Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, Toronto Romance Writers, SOWG, and the Golden Network. She’s won and placed in over 30 contests, including twice in the Golden Heart and twice in the Daphne du Maurier.
Arlene lives with her family in Canada.
Bree
Hi, Arlene thanks for being here on the blog. Tell me yhy did you decide to write mysteries with a hair salon theme?
Arlene McFarlane
First, thank you, Bree, for the interview. My background is the beauty industry; I owned and ran a full-service salon. And I love cozy mysteries. So it seemed a good idea to create Valentine and the Murder, Curlers series!
Bree
I love Valentine’s favorites on the website; can you tell me more about the watch with the broken clasp?
Arlene McFarlane
Thank you. Without giving too much away, I created the watch with the broken clasp to show Valentine’s vulnerabilities & weaknesses, and to show how she evolved over time.
Bree
Can you tell us about the latest book in the series?
Arlene McFarlane
The next book in the series is book 2, Murder, Curlers, and Canes. But the newest is book 3, Murder, Curlers, and Cruises, where Valentine leaves Massachusetts’s autumn winds behind to board a Caribbean “Beauty” cruise. What could be a fabulous voyage turns desperate when she’s joined by her well-meaning family and madcap staff, including hunky stylist Jock de Marco. If things aren’t bad enough, Valentine learns dark and sexy Detective Romero is away on a case with his new partner who happens to be a female.
Once the ship sets sail, a feisty passenger is murdered, a drug smuggling operation is afoot, an employee becomes seasick, a family member is kidnapped, events of a hair contest wreak havoc, Jock is irresistible and mysterious, Romero and his partner get too close for comfort, death threats mount, and Valentine is in the middle of it all.
Bree
What is next for you, are you planning any new series?
Arlene McFarlane
Just more in the Murder, Curlers series!
Bree
What inspired you to write?
Arlene McFarlane
Being home with my kids when they were babes inspired me to write picture books. I loved it and thought since I always enjoyed cozies I’d try my hand at a novel. After that, I was hooked. I’d found what I wanted to write.
Bree
Who is your inspiration?
Arlene McFarlane
I discovered Lawrence Block books years ago and loved his style. Then I was introduced to Janet Evanovich books and Sophia Kinsella books. These people are funny and they’ve been a great inspiration.
Bree
What is your favorite snack attack food for writing?
Arlene McFarlane
LOL. I try to eat healthy, but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to sneaking the odd chocolate now and then. Oh, and red, green, and black jujubes.
Bree
How do you celebrate a new release?
Arlene McFarlane
By writing the next story!
Bree
I hope you all look forward to picking on a copy of this book and don’t forget that it is in the giveaway!
Book Review by Bree Herron
A fabulous book full of color, curls and murder. Valentine is a new cozy character to me, but I plan to follow her stylish tales closely in the future. Now come curl up with a great mystery and bring some hair spray. it’s gonna be a wild ride.
Valentine is this wonderful gal just trying to rock being a Girl Boss. I personally pictured a mixture between Fran Fine and Heidi Klum when reading this book. She is feisty, funny (hilarious actually) and stylish. Valentine creates a story that makes the reader fall into a book friendship with her. As a character she is beyond 5 stars.
Arlene quickly gets the story started, and immediately I am sitting in the salon of my mind seeing her point of view. I love that she is very technical in her salon ideas, and knowledge. This makes the story believable to me, and made it a book hard to put down. In the world of cozies this series is going to become a hot set quick!
Please join the conversation and comment below. Have you read… If so what did you think/like?
**DISCLAIMER: I was provided an opportunity to read this book as an Advanced Reader Copy in return for a fair and honest review.
To celebrate the first official Christmas Season, as the Bibliophile, I ‘m hosting a giveaway of cozies! Now Santa won’t tell me which ones, but it will be a few of our favorites from any of these authors! Follow the event Dec 5th-20th. Enter my ‘Tis The Season To Read giveaway for your chance to win a collection of select holiday e-book cozy mysteries!
*This Giveaway is not endorsed by anyone outside of the Bibliophile Review blog.
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This is new to me and sounds like a book I’d really enjoy reading. Thankyou for sharing!
My mother was a beautician back in the day prior to hair stylist and this book reminded me of something she would have found amusing. I definitely will be adding it to my to be read list.