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Southern Beauty Shop #2
Polished Off
Audrey Faye sashays into Violetta's Salon looking for stylists for the Miss Magnolia Blossom pageant. Hairdresser Grace Terhune's opportunity quickly turns into a nightmare with anti-pageant protestors, angry mothers, frantic contestants...and then, a very dead Audrey. The murder weapon was a nail file, making Violetta's manicurist, Stella, the prime suspect. Now Grace must find the real murderer before she is polished off permanently.
296 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 1, 2011
9 people are currently reading
431 people want to read
About the author
Lila Dare
5 books93 followersAuthor of the Southern Beauty Shop mysteries, Lila Dare was born in Georgia and has lived in Alabama, Mississippi, and Virginia. Although she has never worked in a beauty shop, she frequents salons and likes to tell her stylist: “Surprise me.” Maybe that’s why she looks nervous in her photo. She currently lives west of the Mississippi with her husband, two daughters and dog, and misses Southern cooking and friendliness, but not the humidity.
Lila Dare is also Laura DiSilverio, author of the Mall Cop series and the Swift Investigations series.
Lila Dare is also Laura DiSilverio, author of the Mall Cop series and the Swift Investigations series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
August 4, 2016
This was a truly fun southern cozy mystery with a great cast of entertaining characters. I thought it was well written and quite hilarious at times; it was a good, fast read. I look forward to reading more of this series.
June 21, 2021
Actually, 3.5 stars. A good mystery with lots of action while still keeping the story cozy. The current trend of having two men interested in the MC is tiresome. Grace needs to stop playing games and decide who she cares the most for and who will share her same interests. Or, just say she’s happy the way she is and tell them both to buzz off (personally though I vote for Dillon). Even though Grace pokes her nose in a few places it doesn’t belong, she does pull off the “I need to help my friend” vibe and, ultimately, it isn’t her fault she winds up in danger.
September 2, 2021
While the first one had a modicum of charm, this one was just lugubrious, improbable, and dumb. Discovering one dead body in a small town is bad enough, but to discover three in less than a year should have condemned Our Heroine to the fringes of the social order; the gossip and rumor-mongering should've been relentless, yet no one much seems to mind that Miss Terhune is a death magnet.
Add in ridiculous, stock-figure minor characters, a moronic plot, and farfetched scenarios, and this book is a waste of time.
Add in ridiculous, stock-figure minor characters, a moronic plot, and farfetched scenarios, and this book is a waste of time.
December 30, 2019
Hair stylist, Grace Terhune, and manicurist, Stella Michaelson are hired to work a beauty pageant where lots of mysterious accidents are happening. Soon after they start work, Audrey Faye, the pageant organizer, is murdered. Suspicion falls on Stella who's husband was having an affair with Audrey. But she is not the only one with a grudge and secrets. Grace gets involved trying to help her friend. Good mystery with interesting side characters.
June 9, 2023
This whole series is great example of cozy mystery genre - the only downer is it was a short one. :(
Great characters, plot and insight into the location. Will keep an eye out for more from Ms Dare!
Great characters, plot and insight into the location. Will keep an eye out for more from Ms Dare!
May 20, 2019
Good second book story. Really enjoy the characters. Will continue series!
June 17, 2019
Really like this series.
April 2, 2020
Set in St. Elizabeth, GA, Grace Terhune, who styles hair at her mother's salon, becomes a temporary stylist for a local beauty pageant. Murder happens and of course, Grace is investigating.
May 4, 2025
I really loved this book. Am now a big fan of Lila Dare can't wait for her next book
July 15, 2011
In the second book of the Southern Beauty Shop Mystery series we travel back to St. Elizabeth for an area beauty pageant.
We find Violetts's the same as always, and Grace thinking about changes, maybe buying a house, when the chance to style the contestants in the beauty pageant presents itself and the extra money is a big draw for Grace with the thoughts of a house in her mind.
This time neither Violetta or Grace are the suspects in a murder, but it turns out Stella, their manicurist and her husband are, and of course Grace can't just sit back and let Agent Dillon do his job, she has to meddle and try to figure it out herself.
We get to experience a beauty pageant, protestors against the pageant, extra-material affairs, greed, jealousy and so much more. There are twists and turns and it turns out that the murderer is not the one you think. I loved the complex nature of the mystery, which kept me guessing till the very end.
I also really enjoyed meeting all the characters again. We get to know a little more about each person, all the favorites from the first book are there, including Marty the reporter and Agent Dillon, the only person we see very little of is Hank, and that is probably a good thing.
It is really a good, quick read, something to relax you for a bit and fun. I loved it and am looking forward to another book in the series.
We find Violetts's the same as always, and Grace thinking about changes, maybe buying a house, when the chance to style the contestants in the beauty pageant presents itself and the extra money is a big draw for Grace with the thoughts of a house in her mind.
This time neither Violetta or Grace are the suspects in a murder, but it turns out Stella, their manicurist and her husband are, and of course Grace can't just sit back and let Agent Dillon do his job, she has to meddle and try to figure it out herself.
We get to experience a beauty pageant, protestors against the pageant, extra-material affairs, greed, jealousy and so much more. There are twists and turns and it turns out that the murderer is not the one you think. I loved the complex nature of the mystery, which kept me guessing till the very end.
I also really enjoyed meeting all the characters again. We get to know a little more about each person, all the favorites from the first book are there, including Marty the reporter and Agent Dillon, the only person we see very little of is Hank, and that is probably a good thing.
It is really a good, quick read, something to relax you for a bit and fun. I loved it and am looking forward to another book in the series.
June 23, 2012
Fantastic novel! I love all the twists and turns in this novel.
I think that Grace is an awesome character!
I really hope that Marty takes that job in Washington, and that Grace and Agent Dillon realize that they belong together.
Marty seems reluctant to set down any roots, which is exactly what Grace craves. Plus Marty seems to want to keep moving up the ladder and when it comes to writing about politics that can mean moving around a lot, plus I think that if he continues with the Lansky he will drive himself crazy. Obsession is not healthy.
Agent Dillon already has some roots down, he seems to know what he wants in life and he is always there to catch Grace when she falls or to save her from the situations that she finds herself in... They belong together in St. Elizabeth. They could buy a house with some land and a small barn or stable and build a life together.
Plus I think that Hank would be more bothered by Grace settling down with Agent Dillon than he would by her settling down with Marty. Considering all that Hank put her through that is a huge plus in my opinion. It would serve him right.
I think that Grace is an awesome character!
I really hope that Marty takes that job in Washington, and that Grace and Agent Dillon realize that they belong together.
Marty seems reluctant to set down any roots, which is exactly what Grace craves. Plus Marty seems to want to keep moving up the ladder and when it comes to writing about politics that can mean moving around a lot, plus I think that if he continues with the Lansky he will drive himself crazy. Obsession is not healthy.
Agent Dillon already has some roots down, he seems to know what he wants in life and he is always there to catch Grace when she falls or to save her from the situations that she finds herself in... They belong together in St. Elizabeth. They could buy a house with some land and a small barn or stable and build a life together.
Plus I think that Hank would be more bothered by Grace settling down with Agent Dillon than he would by her settling down with Marty. Considering all that Hank put her through that is a huge plus in my opinion. It would serve him right.
July 15, 2011
Grace is a hair dresser who's working at her mom's shop. When the opportunity to do the hair for a local beauty pageant comes along, she jumps at it. However, protesters, sabotage, and then murder make it difficult to care much about beauty queens.
Actually, I liked this book a lot more than I thought I would. Grace had the right mix of clever and nosy without being obnoxious. The story had enough twists to keep it interesting.
The only thing I didn't like was that there are two men who want her attention and she can't seem to make up her mind which one she cares about. That seems to be an annoying formula these days, a woman gets dragged into a murder investigation and there are two suitors instead of one while she's dodging bullets or being kidnapped.
I'm not a fan of romance in a cozy, but I can handle it if it's not too intrusive. I think the book was pretty good, but would've been a lot better if Grace could've made up her mind about who she was really attracted to instead of playing games.
Actually, I liked this book a lot more than I thought I would. Grace had the right mix of clever and nosy without being obnoxious. The story had enough twists to keep it interesting.
The only thing I didn't like was that there are two men who want her attention and she can't seem to make up her mind which one she cares about. That seems to be an annoying formula these days, a woman gets dragged into a murder investigation and there are two suitors instead of one while she's dodging bullets or being kidnapped.
I'm not a fan of romance in a cozy, but I can handle it if it's not too intrusive. I think the book was pretty good, but would've been a lot better if Grace could've made up her mind about who she was really attracted to instead of playing games.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 22, 2012
Grace Terhune is working at her mother's salon Violetta's as a hairdresser, and loves working there. She works with great people including Stella Michaelson, the manicurist and Althea Jenkins, the aesthetician. It's seldom boring at Violetta's, but August is a little slow and even Rachel Whitley, the shampoo girl has asked for the week off, so when Audrey Faye came in and asked for help with the Miss Magnolia Blossom beauty pageant, Grace jumps at the chance. Audrey is paying $300 a day for Grace and Stella to work the pageant. When she arrives she find anti-pageant protestors, angry mothers, difficult contestants and a very unhelpful Audrey Faye. Rachel turns out to be one of the contestants. However, Grace finds Audrey Faye dead, with a nail file in her neck and there are accidents occurring to the contestants, and to make matters worse Stella's husband was having an affair with Audrey, Althea's dating one of the protesters. Grace needs to find out who has it out for the pageant and who killed Audrey. I love this series, and the characters.
February 8, 2011
Grace Terhune has stepped in it again, and by "it," I mean murder. Or perhaps she just has an aura that attracts dead bodies. I don't exactly know, but whatever it is, it makes Polished Off a quick and entertaining read.
Ms. Dare has the ability to add a little bit of everything to this mystery: twists and turns, romance, suspense, as well as the commonality of Grace and the citizens of St. Elizabeth, Georgia. This could be your town, your neighbors. Then again, if the bodies began piling up in my town, I'd be inclined to move. Grace, however, never thinks in those terms. She wants to help Stella -- as she wanted to clear her mother's name in Tressed to Kill -- so she immediately goes to work. And let me say that dead bodies do not impact Grace's ability to do good hair or be an amateur sleuth.
Polished Off picks up immediately where Tressed to Kill ends, and Ms. Dare delivers another jam-packed ride. I cannot wait to see what will happen to Grace next.
Ms. Dare has the ability to add a little bit of everything to this mystery: twists and turns, romance, suspense, as well as the commonality of Grace and the citizens of St. Elizabeth, Georgia. This could be your town, your neighbors. Then again, if the bodies began piling up in my town, I'd be inclined to move. Grace, however, never thinks in those terms. She wants to help Stella -- as she wanted to clear her mother's name in Tressed to Kill -- so she immediately goes to work. And let me say that dead bodies do not impact Grace's ability to do good hair or be an amateur sleuth.
Polished Off picks up immediately where Tressed to Kill ends, and Ms. Dare delivers another jam-packed ride. I cannot wait to see what will happen to Grace next.
May 20, 2014
This second book is a great addition to the Southern Beauty Show mysteries series. All of the usual suspects, I mean characters, are back! Grace and her mom, Violetta who runs a hair salon, Althea, GBI Agent, John Dillon, who Grace calls "Marsh" (think Marshall Dillon from the old TV series Gunsmoke) ...
This mystery takes place at a beauty pageant and things aren't what they seem. Even whey you think you have the mystery solved, things change and again, you see that things still aren't what they seem.
A great story! And, at the end of the book are a couple of recipes for taking care of your skin (organically).
This mystery takes place at a beauty pageant and things aren't what they seem. Even whey you think you have the mystery solved, things change and again, you see that things still aren't what they seem.
A great story! And, at the end of the book are a couple of recipes for taking care of your skin (organically).
February 11, 2011
Fun second entry in the Lila Dare series. I enjoy Grace's town and the characters in it, and appreciate the relationship between Grace and her mother. (Since my own mom passed, I always tell folks who still have their parents to appreciate them while they're here!) Lila Dare has a good sense of humor and a nice way of describing the people and settings. The mystery was good - several folks who I thought could have "done it" and nice twists at the end so I really enjoyed this book. Recommend to all who enjoy cozy mysteries.
February 26, 2011
Actually, this is about a three-and-a-half star book, second in a series. Divorced Grace works for her mother's beauty salon. Grace and their manicurist Stella accept a job helping the girls in a local beauty pageant look their best. When Grace stumbles over a dead body, the main suspect is someone she thinks is innocent. The two men in her life--the detective for the Georgia Bureau of Identification, and an Atlanta reporter--are soon on the scene. Grace's unofficial investigation takes her through pageant politics, protesters, the local community college, and smack into danger.
October 14, 2013
A cute cozy mystery. This is the second in the Southern Beauty Shop Mystery, and while Grace is on the case, the story drags a bit in places. Enough that I wondered for a few chapters if I'd read another one. It did pick back up, but the middle of the story-telling is slow going. It's almost as if it suffered from too many suspects. The author is also building a love-triangle of sorts with Grace and her two fellas. Not crazy about that either. Still, it's cute and light-hearted and will probably never be reread, at least by me.
December 30, 2013
A fun southern humor cozy mystery series that I always look forward to reading since it means I get to visit with some of my favorite beauticians. (my abfab are the Texan stylists as written by Dixie Cash).
The ladies at Violetta's salon are invited to take care of the contestants of the Miss Magnolia Blossom beauty pageant. Murder ensues and Grace needs to find the killer since one of her friends has been accused of the murder.
There are protestors, changes in attitude, romance and lots of Southern charm.
A definite recommendation.
The ladies at Violetta's salon are invited to take care of the contestants of the Miss Magnolia Blossom beauty pageant. Murder ensues and Grace needs to find the killer since one of her friends has been accused of the murder.
There are protestors, changes in attitude, romance and lots of Southern charm.
A definite recommendation.
February 13, 2011
I found this book to be a 'Laugh Out Loud' mystery. The sleuth is Grace and she works with her mother in their 'beauty salon.' The murders surround a beauty pageant and all the trimmings that such an enterprise brings with it in today's world.
The humor revolves around the talent portions and other events. There are relationship problems as well as identity issues.
The murderer was not disclosed before it's time and I enjoyed the book a great deal.
The humor revolves around the talent portions and other events. There are relationship problems as well as identity issues.
The murderer was not disclosed before it's time and I enjoyed the book a great deal.
March 17, 2013
"Polished Off" is the second book in the Southern Beauty Shop series. I enjoy reading about the main character, Grace Terhune, and her adventures as an amateur sleuth. She works with her mother Violetta as a hair stylist, and in this book, Grace is hired to style hair for a local beauty pageant. I love the backstage look at the pageant, as well as all the interesting characters in St. Elizabeth. Fans of Anne George will appreciate the characters and humor in this series.
August 23, 2013
Just as good as the other two I have read from this series and I can't wait to read the 3rd (have now read 1, 2, and 4!)! Love getting to know the familiar characters more and more thru the series too. I especially liked the beauty pageant theme of this one, because I am very against beauty pageants. LOL If you are a FAN of beauty pageants, you may want to skip this one, as it shows the truth behind the curtain so to speak! Other than that, I recommend it for any cozy mystery genre fan!
March 12, 2011
This book was just as great as the first in the series! I love how the author comes up with unique, dangerous situations for the main character- things you haven't seen in other books! For example, in the last book she came in contact with a poisonious snake and in this book there is a feral cat, among other things! Very fun!
March 13, 2011
Polished Off is a great addition to the Southern Beauty Shop Series! Grace Terhune and the entire cast of characters from the first book are back for more murder and mayhem! Dare really knows how to engage the reader with well-developed characters who have lots of Southern charm and personality! I can't wait for the next one to come out!
July 17, 2011
Much improved from the first book of the series, Tressed To Kill, with more character development, tighter plotting, and fewer missteps along the way. I like the way Dare entagles all of the workers at Violetta's into the plot, whether they are suspect, detective, or innocent bystander. More well defined characters add even more fun this time around. Well worth the read.
June 15, 2016
I enjoyed this cozy mystery. Lila Dare/Laura DiSilverio is a solid writer who is adept at creating enjoyable characters who are down to earth and relatable. The mystery aspects were good as well, with just enough red herrings to keep me guessing until the very end. I will definitely be continuing with this series.
February 15, 2011
Although this is not the first in this series, it was a first for me on the author and series front. I really enjoyed the southern setting, the plot played out well with many clues and subtle twists. The characters are well drawn and I like the author's view of both sides of an issue.
July 17, 2011
This is the second book in the Southern Beauty Shop series. I liked this one better than the first (maybe because I knew what had gone on in the first book). It does give you the idea of what goes on behind the scenes in beauty pageants and the murderer is a little unexpected. Give it a try.
January 5, 2012
Small town beauty pageant, social injustice demonstrators and murder. What more could you ask for? Grace once again is in the middle of things. Could something be heating up between Grace and Agent Dillon? Quick fun read. 4 stars
November 26, 2015
Just a sweet, fun, quick read with likable characters.
No gratuitous sex or violence; just a hint of romance with a smart cookie amateur detective trying to clear a loved one's name.
A great read for the weekend, the beach or a snowy day.
No gratuitous sex or violence; just a hint of romance with a smart cookie amateur detective trying to clear a loved one's name.
A great read for the weekend, the beach or a snowy day.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews