Body Wave

Bad Hair Day #4

by Nancy J. Cohen

Hairstylist and southern sleuth Marla Shore goes undercover in a hair-brained scheme to catch a killer in this adventurous cozy mystery.

In a story braided with unexpected twists and curls, salon owner Marla Shore takes on a role as nurse’s aide for wealthy Miriam Pearl. While Marla snoops into the elderly matriarch’s affairs, her boyfriend, Detective Dalton Vail, is afraid that the only affair she’ll snag is with her ex-spouse, Stan. Juggling work at her salon, crime solving, and two amorously inclined males, Marla fights a race against time to save Stan before the dashing detective nails him for murder.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Cozy, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook

252 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 16, 2015

About the author

Nancy J. Cohen writes the Bad Hair Day Mysteries featuring South Florida hairstylist Marla Vail. Titles in this series have been named Best Cozy Mystery by Suspense Magazine, won the Readers’ Favorite Book Awards and the RONE Award, placed first in the Chanticleer International Book Awards and third in the Arizona Literary Awards. Her nonfiction titles, Writing the Cozy Mystery and A Bad Hair Day Cookbook, have won the FAPA President’s Book Award, the Royal Palm Literary Award, and IAN Book of the Year. Nancy’s imaginative romances have proven popular with fans as well. These books have won the HOLT Medallion and Best Book in Romantic SciFi/Fantasy at The Romance Reviews. Active in the writing community, Nancy is a past president of Florida Romance Writers and Florida Chapter of Mystery Writers of America. When not busy writing, she enjoys reading, fine dining, cruising, and visiting Disney World. Visit her at NancyJCohen.com

Reviews

[FangirlNation · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Body Wave by Nancy J. Cohen, Marla Shore, hairstylist and amateur snoop, gets a call from Stanley Kaufman, her controlling and emotionally abusive ex-husband. His third wife, Kim, has been murdered in a stabbing and he has been arrested for the crime. Since Marla has solved a few mysteries in the past, Stan wants her to find the murderer for him in order to clear his name. In exchange, Stan will sell her his half of a house that the pair co-owns. At Stan’s suggestion, Marla gets a job on Sundays taking care of Kim’s frail grandmother, Miriam Pearl, even though Marla has no actual nursing experience. But the family shows hostility towards Marla because she tries to help Miriam become more active, getting her out of bed to join the family for their regular dinner instead of eating baby food in bed, to which her regular nurse, Agnes, has confined her. Marla also insists on fixing Miriam’s hair and applying a little makeup to her face. She even takes Miriam to the mall. And the more she gets to know the selfish, bitter family, the more Marla becomes suspicious of the group of them.

Read the rest of this review and other fun, geeky articles at Fangirl Nation

[InD'tale Magazine · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5.0

“Body Wave” is an enjoyable cozy mystery audiobook that will keep the listener guessing from chapter one as there is no shortage of suspects or clues for Marla to pursue.

Read full review in the 2018 September issue of InD'tale Magazine.

[✨ Gramy ✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked most ofthe characters, although Marla Shore depicts an almost unbelievable persona. The plot line is plausible as well. Again, the writing style is not my preference, since is contains unnecessary descriptions of things. I had checked two out of this series from the library and gave them both a try. This one was easier to read than the first one in the series.

[Julie Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book, in fact I am loving the whole series, which is why I would recommend reading or listening to them all. Although technically it's not required because they work as stand alone mysteries but then it means you miss out on all Marla's mad cap adventures. The reason I keep returning to the series is because of the great characters. I just love the strong willed Marla, who proves that anything is possible if you try and don't have somebody holding you back, be it bringing a smile to an elderly lady's face, bonding with a sullen teen, proving your ex innocent or finding a murder. She renews your faith in human kind and she does it in such an entertaining and stylish way. She even finds time to work in her beauty salon and have a relationship, just don't tell her beau's daughter. The murder was pretty interesting too. The story took a number of twist with all the possible suspects involved. It gets nicely wrapped up and I can't wait for the next audio book, it would be even better to see it playing out on the Hallmark channel.

When Marla's ex husband is arrested for killing his trophy wife, he begs for her help. Stan might not have been the man she thought he was but he was never violent and despite her boy friends reservation she agrees to help. Especially as he promises to do her a good deal on the property they jointly own if she finds the killer. Stan thinks her family trust fund is behind her death and her family needs more investigating. Marla puts down her scissors and goes undercover as the matriarch nurses aid. Can she uncover clues from in the heart of the family or is the family right as Stan really did kill the wife so was about to leave him?
I like the narrator. She might not be a hairdresser but she brings the story to life with her own style.
I was given this free review copy audio book at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

[Leslie Fisher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this fourth book in the Bad Hair Day series. I find Marla's character charming, but I agree with some other readers that she reads older than she is supposed to be, but that doesn't take away any from my enjoyment. I would have thought that Marla was in her 40-50's, as well as the detective that she is romantically involved with. I enjoy reading about Marla's description of things, as it relates to hair - I've never been too concerned with my hair, but I enjoy the different perspective. This book has some interesting characters, such as Miriam Pearl. I enjoyed watching her "blossom" under Marla's care. I listened to the Audible audio version of this book, and I enjoyed the narration.
The book offers mystery, romance, and humor. I really enjoy this series, and look forward to the next one.

[Stacey Adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Marla Shore's ex-husband Stan is the prime suspect in his newest wife's murder. Stan asks Marla to find Kimberly's killer. Suspecting someone in her family did it Stan tells Marla to get a job caring for the elderly family matron to gather intel. Since Marla isn't really a nurse she makes mistakes but soon she forms a bond with Miriam as she finds clues from the family. Money is at stake. Kimberly's family is very rich and the ones who may profit the most from Kimberly's death are members of the family...even a hidden member. Adultery, affairs, secrets are uncovered as Marla....along with her "boyfriend" Detective Dalton Vail try to find the truth. Marla working to prove Stan's innocence has Vail a bit jealous.

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

Body Wave
Nancy J Cohen

This is book 4 in a cozy mystery series Bad Hair Day. The listeners finds themselves in Fort. Lauderdale, Florida where the protagonist owns and operates a beauty salon. She is also dating a police detective and helps him solve crimes. A fun listen with lots of twists, like a too tight perm. We get murder, romance, former spouse, and lots of mystery. This one isn't too easy to figure out. I look forward to the next adventure.



The narration was well done. The characters were well portrayed. Mary Ann Jacobs is quite entertaining.



I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

[Lynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found it very entertaining. The characters are very interesting and well written. When your ex husband offers to stay out of your life forever if you help his get out of his murder charge, what can a girl do? Hairdresser, Marla goes undercover to help her police detective boyfriend to solve the murder of ex husband's wife. This fast moving tale is full of suspense and humor as they try and solve this mystery. I will be checking out more books in this series.

[Lisa Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoy listening to this series because I love female sleuths that are not in law enforcement. This series has some comedic aspects to the story. Marla takes a job as a caregiver to assist in the case she is investigating and gets more than she bargained for. I commend her for standing up to the matriarch's family. I really enjoy listening to this narrator vas well. I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

[Charlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly love this series! Marla gets into hot water without even trying! Her ex husband is accused of killing his young third wife, he asks her to help him prove he is innocent. Marla goes undercover as a nurse's assistant for her ex's grandmother in law. Lots of twists and turns and action in this book! Interesting and complex characters and a fantastic storyline! I am on to reading the next book in this series!

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

Awkward

So- so. The story was interesting but the writing is awkward. The main character is very one dimensional and reads like an old woman. What 20/30 year old uses the expression "bless my bones"? It is annoying! And I don't buy the romance with the detective - again Marla sounds like a homely stodgy old woman not someone the detective would be interested in

[Julia David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marla is back in a new mystery. This one involves her ex husband. He is accused of murdering his wife. He turns to Marla for help. Dalton is reluctant to involve Marla in the investigation, but she knows Stan is a rotten person, but he isn't a murderer. As they try to solve the case, Marla and Dalton become much closer. A good mystery and great characters.

[Julia Lednicky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marla perseveres

Marla pushes through many ups and downs to follow the trail of clues and solve the crime. Interesting murder motive. Marla gets more closure with her ex Stan. Dalton’s overtures increase and he turns up the heat in his (somewhat slow, plodding) pursuit of Marla.

[Emmalynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Marla is still annoying

[Daniela · Rating 5 out of 5]

The genre of this book is fiction and thriller. The reason I chose to read this book is because it seemed like something new and different from the books I like to read.
The story takes place in Fort. Lauderdale , Florida. Where A young woman is undercover to help her ex-husband solve a murder crime.
The protagonist of the story is Marla Shore. She is a thirty-five year old women, divorced, and owner of her own beauty salon. Marla has worked really hard to get to the position she is in now. She had experienced a traumatizing event in her life that had left her devasted and in depression. Even though her ex-husband did a lot to help her through this she felt he was too controlling and he would always put her down and make it seem like she was just completely dependable on him. After her divorce Marla becomes a new woman, she has fully recovered from the horrible experience, and has become really independent. She has been seeing a detective in which she is really interested in. Marla has found herself in a situation where she feels she must help her ex-husband since he helped her when the tragic event happened to her. This becomes a problem because she begins to confuse her feeling for her ex and the new guy she is seeing. Marla becomes tied up with a lot of things her schedule, the crime, and now the reality of where she must decide if she wants to start a new relationship. Marla comes to show she is a strong and determined woman who accomplishes everything she proposes her self.
The supporting characters in the story are Stanly Kauffman and Dalton Vail. Stanly Kauffman is Marla’s ex-husband and he is a lawyer. Stanley's character is very controlling and he likes to make his women completely dependable on him. Stan is in a tough situation and is being accused of killing his own wife. He recurs to his ex wife who once was dependable on him for help to help him solve his wife's murder. Another supporting character is Dalton Vail. Dalton is a police detective who is interested seriously in Marla Shore. Dalton is a single father with a thirteen year old daughter . Dalton is left in charge of Stanley's wife's murder case and this becomes a problem because Stan was Marla's ex husband. The antagonist in this story is the person who committed the murder against Stanley's wife. This is an important character because the whole story's conflict revolves around this character. This character is able to hide his identity and crime pretty well until the day comes that Marla figures out who it is.
In Body Wave the central conflict in the story is Man vs. Man. Marla Shore must find the person who committed the crime and she faces many problems because of this person. Marla is able to overcome all the obstacles and she is able to discover the murderer. Another conflict in this story is Man vs. self. Marla seems to confront her own problems many times through out the story. Marla has gained independence, confidence, and higher self esteem; things she lacked before. She is afraid to still have feelings for her ex who treated her like she was nobody. Marla is also afraid to fall for the new guy because she does not want to lose all the hard work she has done which has gotten her to where she is at now. She is afraid he will take control over her like her last husband did and that she will lose her self confidence and independence. The writing style of the author is intense and creative. Her style makes you want to read on and on until you finish the whole book. It is easy to understand and it is modern as well.
I think I would recommend this book to people because it is really interesting and thrilling to the reader. This book is also recommendable for people who like mysteries stories.

[☺Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this mystery more than the first three.

[Emmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

•audiobook•

So if Marla is keeping her day job, goes undercover as a PCA to sleuth, is that considered two or three jobs?

It’s a unique a fun cozy mystery, stronger on the romance side but in frequency, not details.

It’s a bit deeper with the relationship and details of her previous marriage, since her ex husband is the main suspect.

Most cozy mystery lovers will gobble this up. Or you can read/listen while you’re at the salon to decrease your chances of multiple Bad Hair Days!

[Lelia Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

The intrepid hair salon owner, Marla Shore, returns in her fourth Bad Hair Day venture into the world of murder and mayhem. This time, Marla's less-than-wonderful ex-husband, Stanley Kaufman, is suspected of having murdered his third wife, Kimberly. Stan asks---no, he demands ---that Marla use her sleuthing skills and get him out of this jam. In exchange, he'll sell her his half of their jointly-owned rental property at a reasonable price if she can clear him within 30 days. Marla, smart woman that she is, agrees to investigate but only if Stan puts the sale agreement in writing.

Kimberly, heiress to a family fortune, was murdered in their home while Stan was asleep and there is no evidence of a break-in. If Stan is innocent, who wanted her dead? Detective Dalton Vail, who has his own ulterior motive involving his relationship with Marla, sees that she could be useful in this investigation, especially since she manages to find a way into Kimberly's family home and can learn things Dalton can't. The two agree to share information as it develops.

As the days go by, Marla learns that this family harbors some very mean-spirited characters and a number of them are potential suspects. Besides them, there are quite a few other people in Kimberly's circle of acquaintances and friends who appear to have some pretty good motives, too. In the meantime, Stan's deadline is approaching much too quickly and Marla begins to think she may be the killer's next target.

The Bad Hair Day mysteries have been noted for their humor, quick pacing and an intelligent amateur sleuth. Author Nancy J. Cohen continues to offer a refreshing and fun series---I really enjoyed this one and hate to have to wait for the next.

Reviewed by Lelia Taylor, November 2002.

Note: a brand, spanking new revised and updated edition of Body Wave was issued on June 16th, complete with added bonus materials. Go get it!

[Jacqueline Seewald · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this well-written mystery novel, Body Wave, Nancy J. Cohen’s series sleuth, Marla Shore, is asked by her ex-husband, Stanley Kaufman, to investigate the murder of his current wife, Kimberly. Marla receives help from her police detective boyfriend, Dalton Vail, who is, however, less than pleased at Marla’s snooping into the matter.

The police believe that Stanley is guilty of the murder. Marla feels differently--although Stanley was a poor husband to all three of his wives, domineering, arrogant, condescending and self-centered. Marla’s life is hectic. She runs her own hair salon and a competitor is trying to move in on her business. Nevertheless, she does as Stanley asks and looks into interviewing those people that are possible suspects. This includes Stanley’s second wife, Leah, who was bitter that Kimberly stole her husband from her, Kim’s supposed ex-boyfriend Gary Waterford, jealous friend, Lacey Mills, as well as members of Kim’s family.

This is an infinitely complex and absorbing mystery novel. Even the minor characters are well-developed and intriguing. There are plenty of possible suspects with clear motives.
Some of the questions that come up: why was Kim suddenly so interested in genealogy and examining her family albums? Who was “Uncle Jerry” and why was he willing to pay for her design school tuition? Marla is convinced that Kim was murdered because she knew someone’s secret. Marla’s investigation eventually puts her own life in jeopardy.
There are numerous twists and turns in this novel that will keep you reading, and guessing, until the very end.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in this series that I've read and I don't know if I would say I enjoyed it more than the first one I read, but I like the series more after reading another installment. The characters are enjoyable and likable. I find myself wishing Marla were my hairstylist, then remembering she's a fictional character. The story is a very entertaining read with a great plot line and the author's writing style sucks the reader in and carries you along for the ride. I'm just upset that more books in this series aren't available at my local libraries!


(If this review seems familiar, that's because I had a goodreads account before that I'm copying my previous reviews from. Why did I create a new account, you ask? Well, because when I logged out of that account and then logged back in, I find that that account appears not be linked to any of my known email addresses, so I'm starting over from scratch!)

[Cary · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I read this one quickly and I am starting to find it difficult the beleive that a hair dresser has that many people around her that are murderer. I can beleive one possible 2 people but 4 acquaintances that were murdered? C'mon! And the romance side is haltingly progressing. I will give the series one more book and if either the victim is another acqaintance or the romance doesn't take off... I am out of here. The mysteries just aren't enough to keep me coming back! By the way I could see the titles sort of fit the mystery and the salon profession but I am clueless as to how this fit the mystery at all.

[Lauren Risher · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in this series that I've read and I don't know if I would say I enjoyed it more than the first one I read, but I like the series more after reading another installment. The characters are enjoyable and likable. I find myself wishing Marla were my hairstylist, then remembering she's a fictional character. This story is a very entertaining read with a great story line and the author's writing style sucks the reader in and carries you along for the ride. I'm just upset that more books in the series aren't available at my local libraries!

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Mystery

As I've said I'm hooked. The mysteries keep you reading. Not so easy to solve. Marla gets herself in situations but somehow gets out of them. Her character doesn't disappoint. At the same time I keep rooting for Detective Vail. What a great patient man. Very enjoyable read.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I voluntarily reviewed this free copy for the author. I really enjoyed this book. That is why I read in one night. Good story line and characters. A must read.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book...can't wait until the next one in the series

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book. Not sure exactly what it was that made me like it but I really enjoyed the story.

[Pat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good.
Marla helps ex husband find the person who killed his 3rd wife.

[Bobbi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've got to admit I'm getting irritated--is she going to get the guy or not! Argh!

[Missy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book #30 read in 2011

Quick, easy read

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun one to read. My favorite in the series so far.