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bkish's review against another edition
4.0
I read the full series of the mysteries by Nancy J Cohen and this is #13 which does not bring bad luck. They are all delightful and this is set in a dude ranch with the same characters now married Dalton and Marla who live in Florida. This book is in Arizona. My friend is her cousin and my friend is a character in this book - Janice Sklar who is the office people manager of this ranch. It is a wonderful book and she is an excellent writer.
wilovebooks's review against another edition
5.0
A mystery that kept me guessing with fun characters. Marla and Dalton are supposed to be on their honeymoon but they were invited with an ulterior motive in mind. Bad things have been happening and their relatives are hoping they can help. Marla's inquisitive nature gets her deeper into the mystery and closer to the truth, though all she wants to do is relax with her husband. She also has her shears with her, just in case. She might be on vacation but it is hard to leave work behind completely. I just really like Marla and found this to be an enjoyable mystery.
maggietoussaint55's review against another edition
5.0
Saddle up for a great mystery read!
Hair stylist and amateur sleuth Marla Vail and her detective husband, Dalton, travel to a dude ranch out West for their delayed honeymoon at the invitation of Dalton’s cousins. Despite the starkly beautiful scenery and their warm welcome, something is amiss.
Troubles escalate at the dude ranch and at a neighboring cattle ranch, igniting a long-simmering feud. Tempers run hot, and there’s plenty of blame to go around. Plus, there’s something odd about the mountainside water bottling plant with armed guards.
A forest ranger is found dead, and a missing worker at a nearby ghost town also adds to the unease at the ranches and in town. Marla and Dalton are drawn into the investigation, and trouble soon finds them. The dangerous attacks make this personal. Who is behind these incidents and possible murders?
I enjoyed another delightful visit with Marla and Dalton, and after such a long and successful series, they feel like old friends. Additionally, the western setting brought back pleasant memories of a family trip years ago. Another winner from talented author Nancy J. Cohen. Saddle up and come along for a great read!
Maggie Toussaint and Rigel Carson for Muddy Rose Reviews
Hair stylist and amateur sleuth Marla Vail and her detective husband, Dalton, travel to a dude ranch out West for their delayed honeymoon at the invitation of Dalton’s cousins. Despite the starkly beautiful scenery and their warm welcome, something is amiss.
Troubles escalate at the dude ranch and at a neighboring cattle ranch, igniting a long-simmering feud. Tempers run hot, and there’s plenty of blame to go around. Plus, there’s something odd about the mountainside water bottling plant with armed guards.
A forest ranger is found dead, and a missing worker at a nearby ghost town also adds to the unease at the ranches and in town. Marla and Dalton are drawn into the investigation, and trouble soon finds them. The dangerous attacks make this personal. Who is behind these incidents and possible murders?
I enjoyed another delightful visit with Marla and Dalton, and after such a long and successful series, they feel like old friends. Additionally, the western setting brought back pleasant memories of a family trip years ago. Another winner from talented author Nancy J. Cohen. Saddle up and come along for a great read!
Maggie Toussaint and Rigel Carson for Muddy Rose Reviews
katherineep's review against another edition
4.0
This was my first mystery in the Bad Hair Day series and while the series is quite established I had no problem jumping right in. The mystery starts as Marla and Dalton are just arriving in Arizona and the hunt for the saboteur is immediately on. The history of the region and the mining operations was interesting but not overpowering. The mystery itself was intriguing and I liked how Marla and Dalton really worked together and talked out their theories.
There are several mysteries happening at once but it never felt like it was muddled together or that one was less interesting. I really wanted to find out why Raymond and his sister were estranged, what caused the feud between Raymond and Hugh Donovan, who is sabotaging the ranch and ghost town, and who killed the ranger. The conclusion did not disappoint and I'm pleased to report that there were no TSTL moments! Marla and Dalton did get into some risky situations but Dalton was involved with the police and they took adequate precautions. Marla was a bit on the nosy side as frequently happens with amateur detectives but she was enough of a part of the legitimate investigation that it worked. It was obvious that Cohen had researched the area as the setting really rang true. This really felt like it was taking place in Arizona mining country and I especially enjoyed Marla and Dalton's trip to The Poison Pen Bookstore.
I would have liked more time spent in the ghost town but that's just because I'm fascinated with the whole concept. This is on the cozier side of the cozy genre so if you're not a big cozy fan this may not be for you. However, if you enjoy a good mystery in an interesting setting this is definitely worth reading.
Full Review: http://iwishilivedinalibrary.blogspot.com/2015/09/peril-by-ponytail-review.html
There are several mysteries happening at once but it never felt like it was muddled together or that one was less interesting. I really wanted to find out why Raymond and his sister were estranged, what caused the feud between Raymond and Hugh Donovan, who is sabotaging the ranch and ghost town, and who killed the ranger. The conclusion did not disappoint and I'm pleased to report that there were no TSTL moments! Marla and Dalton did get into some risky situations but Dalton was involved with the police and they took adequate precautions. Marla was a bit on the nosy side as frequently happens with amateur detectives but she was enough of a part of the legitimate investigation that it worked. It was obvious that Cohen had researched the area as the setting really rang true. This really felt like it was taking place in Arizona mining country and I especially enjoyed Marla and Dalton's trip to The Poison Pen Bookstore.
I would have liked more time spent in the ghost town but that's just because I'm fascinated with the whole concept. This is on the cozier side of the cozy genre so if you're not a big cozy fan this may not be for you. However, if you enjoy a good mystery in an interesting setting this is definitely worth reading.
Full Review: http://iwishilivedinalibrary.blogspot.com/2015/09/peril-by-ponytail-review.html
dollycas's review against another edition
4.0
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Finding time in their busy lives for a honeymoon wasn’t easy but Marla and Dalton head to an Arizona dude ranch when his cousin asks for help promising them a wonderful honeymoon getaway. They arrive to learn the ranch and a nearby ghost town renovation have had a run of bad luck, at least that is what everyone hopes. Both properties are owned by Dalton’s Uncle Raymond. Just as Marla and Dalton arrive they learn a local forest ranger’s body has been found just off a trail he was very familiar with. Accident, maybe but added to all the other mishaps Marla and Dalton start to investigate and decide to follow wherever the trail may lead, even underground if necessary.
Experiencing this trip to a dude ranch with Marla and Dalton was a lot of fun. I am glad it was a virtual trip or I would have been completely exhausted 🙂 The dude ranch has plenty of things to do including horseback riding and hiking trails. The distance from the main lodge to the cabins is also a good walk. Plus they followed leads to the ghost town and several other places like Scottsdale. It would have made a great honeymoon sans the dead bodies, the explosion and the fire. Maybe not as good as the tropical vacation Marla would have liked by maybe next time.
These are characters I have grown to love, this being the 12th book in the series. They have sure come a long way since Permed to Death. Newly married they are still figuring things out like Dalton not talking to Marla about honeymooning in Arizona until after he told his cousin they would be delighted to come. They both enjoyed getting to know these long lost family members better and I did too.
The mystery was tricky but I did figure out the guilty parties a bit before Marla and Dalton. I still enjoyed following along to find out if I was right and to get all the details straight. I lost count of all the twists and turns that tried to divert my attention. The ending was very suspenseful. Learning some of the history of the area and copper mines was a great bonus.
If you are new to this series, this book can be read on it’s own. The author provides a cast of characters at the beginning of the book.
Finding time in their busy lives for a honeymoon wasn’t easy but Marla and Dalton head to an Arizona dude ranch when his cousin asks for help promising them a wonderful honeymoon getaway. They arrive to learn the ranch and a nearby ghost town renovation have had a run of bad luck, at least that is what everyone hopes. Both properties are owned by Dalton’s Uncle Raymond. Just as Marla and Dalton arrive they learn a local forest ranger’s body has been found just off a trail he was very familiar with. Accident, maybe but added to all the other mishaps Marla and Dalton start to investigate and decide to follow wherever the trail may lead, even underground if necessary.
Experiencing this trip to a dude ranch with Marla and Dalton was a lot of fun. I am glad it was a virtual trip or I would have been completely exhausted 🙂 The dude ranch has plenty of things to do including horseback riding and hiking trails. The distance from the main lodge to the cabins is also a good walk. Plus they followed leads to the ghost town and several other places like Scottsdale. It would have made a great honeymoon sans the dead bodies, the explosion and the fire. Maybe not as good as the tropical vacation Marla would have liked by maybe next time.
These are characters I have grown to love, this being the 12th book in the series. They have sure come a long way since Permed to Death. Newly married they are still figuring things out like Dalton not talking to Marla about honeymooning in Arizona until after he told his cousin they would be delighted to come. They both enjoyed getting to know these long lost family members better and I did too.
The mystery was tricky but I did figure out the guilty parties a bit before Marla and Dalton. I still enjoyed following along to find out if I was right and to get all the details straight. I lost count of all the twists and turns that tried to divert my attention. The ending was very suspenseful. Learning some of the history of the area and copper mines was a great bonus.
If you are new to this series, this book can be read on it’s own. The author provides a cast of characters at the beginning of the book.
skjam's review against another edition
3.0
Disclaimer: I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway on the premise that I would review it. No other compensation was involved. Also, this is an advance uncorrected proof, and there will be some changes in the final product. (Such as fixing the typo on the very first page of the story.)
Marla Vail, hair salon proprietor, and her new husband Dalton Vail, a homicide detective, are on a belated honeymoon. Dalton’s Uncle Raymond owns a dude ranch in Arizona, and is developing a ghost town as a tourist attraction, so they’re going to spend their vacation there. But this is a mystery novel, so there’s no rest in store. A forest ranger has died under suspicious circumstances, and there’s been a spate of supposed accidents at both the ranch and ghost town.
Raymond is pretty sure that another rancher he’s long feuded with is responsible, but Marla’s not so convinced. Could it be the rebellious daughter; the wranglers with shady pasts–perhaps the ecoterrorists? The “accidents” become more deadly as the puzzle pieces pile up.
This is the twelfth book in the “Bad Hair Day” cozy mystery series. Marla normally works out of her hair salon in Southern Florida and uses her knowledge of hair care to help solve crimes. She’s a bit out of her element here; the flat landscape of her home has not prepared Marla for a case that involves lots of hill and rock climbing, and she’s not a young woman. She does spot a hair-related clue early on, but doesn’t really follow up on it, and the savvy reader will solve that part of the mystery many chapters ahead of the reveal.
One thing that irritated me as a fan of “fair play” mysteries is that ghosts and psychics are treated as valid (if frustratingly vague) sources of information; unless it’s a “one weird thing” story, the supernatural has no place in cozies. I was also baffled by the absence of right wing/libertarian loonies from the list of possible threats given by the local sheriff. The ecoterrorists are more germane to the plot, true, but the former have been in the news more recently in the Southwest.
The character byplay is pretty good, with Marla and Dalton having an active sex life just off camera. There is quite a bit of family drama that screens the actual solution to the mystery as various members conceal useful information.
Perhaps in deference to the Western setting, the ending involves rather more gun play than one would expect from a cozy, nearly up to hard-boiled levels.
This is a light mystery suitable for vacation reading that’s not too challenging.
Marla Vail, hair salon proprietor, and her new husband Dalton Vail, a homicide detective, are on a belated honeymoon. Dalton’s Uncle Raymond owns a dude ranch in Arizona, and is developing a ghost town as a tourist attraction, so they’re going to spend their vacation there. But this is a mystery novel, so there’s no rest in store. A forest ranger has died under suspicious circumstances, and there’s been a spate of supposed accidents at both the ranch and ghost town.
Raymond is pretty sure that another rancher he’s long feuded with is responsible, but Marla’s not so convinced. Could it be the rebellious daughter; the wranglers with shady pasts–perhaps the ecoterrorists? The “accidents” become more deadly as the puzzle pieces pile up.
This is the twelfth book in the “Bad Hair Day” cozy mystery series. Marla normally works out of her hair salon in Southern Florida and uses her knowledge of hair care to help solve crimes. She’s a bit out of her element here; the flat landscape of her home has not prepared Marla for a case that involves lots of hill and rock climbing, and she’s not a young woman. She does spot a hair-related clue early on, but doesn’t really follow up on it, and the savvy reader will solve that part of the mystery many chapters ahead of the reveal.
One thing that irritated me as a fan of “fair play” mysteries is that ghosts and psychics are treated as valid (if frustratingly vague) sources of information; unless it’s a “one weird thing” story, the supernatural has no place in cozies. I was also baffled by the absence of right wing/libertarian loonies from the list of possible threats given by the local sheriff. The ecoterrorists are more germane to the plot, true, but the former have been in the news more recently in the Southwest.
The character byplay is pretty good, with Marla and Dalton having an active sex life just off camera. There is quite a bit of family drama that screens the actual solution to the mystery as various members conceal useful information.
Perhaps in deference to the Western setting, the ending involves rather more gun play than one would expect from a cozy, nearly up to hard-boiled levels.
This is a light mystery suitable for vacation reading that’s not too challenging.
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