Blown Away

Curl Up and Dye #2

by Nancy Mehl

What’s a girl to do when she hates clowns but finds out her new boyfriend moonlights as a clown and is now accused of killing another clown?
Also published under the title "Bumping Off Binky."

Genres: Mystery, Christian Fiction, Christian, Cozy Mystery

255 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2011

About the author

Nancy Mehl is the bestselling author of over 50 books. She’s won the Daphne Du Maurier Award, as well as an ACFW Mystery Book of the Year Award and a Carol award. She was also a finalist for the prestigious Christy award. Her short story, Chasing Shadows, was in the USA Today bestselling Summer of Suspense anthology. Learn more about her at www.nancymehl.com and on her blog, the Suspense Sisters: www.suspensesisters.blogspot.com.

Reviews

[thea · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was fun to read but the consistent references to god blew me away like the title of the book

[jaimedannie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again we visit with #HildeHiggins , she is a beautician for dead people. This was a good mystery, but had a lot of clowns. I don't like clowns. There is a third book, but I can't find it in print... only Kindle and I hate books without paper pages. I won't read them.

[Priscilla Krahn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I laughed through pretty much the entire thing! If you like a murder mystery with a twist of comedy, you'll love this one.

[Lorraine Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good book.

[Lorie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Blown Away: A Curl Up and Dye Mystery by Nancy Mehl is the second book in her series about a hairstylist for the dead. Hilde is back and her boyfriend, Adam Sawyer is in the center stage in this book. Hilde goes to check on a grave at the cemetery and finds a dead body in a grave. Adam is accused of the murder. Hilde and her friend from the antique store, Gabe work to help prove Adam’s innocence. A lot of other things happen like a tornado, but why wouldn’t you add a tornado to a book with the name Blown Away. We also learn about Gabe’s background. Hilde has a lot of issues in the book that go back to her father leaving her family at a young age. She has to learn to trust men and especially Adam if their relationship is going to survive.


I thought this book had more to it than the first. I was hooked at trying to figure out who did it. I did have a few problems with the book. In the book, we learn that Hilde is scared of clowns. She learns it was from her stay in the hospital. Somehow though she magically puts that fear behind her and attends two clown funerals and is dating a clown. I also love inspirational books. The religious stuff in this book seemed very forced at times. There is also a lot of fluff stuff in this story to get to the heart of the story. While this stuff is sometimes cute it does get old after awhile. Finally, I really did not like the ending again. Like in the first book, Hilde says she knows who the murder is and then we go to a point in the future where they are talking about how it all went down. As a reader I felt like I missed something big and that was the big climax of finding out who the murder was in the action of the story not at a table with others when it is all done and said. Hilde is at it again in this book with her SPAM recipes. The reader is also given another recipe which I thought was kind of nice.

If you have not read the first book, Missing Mabel you will probably be okay reading this one on its own. The author does a really good job filling you in on what happened in the first book. I really enjoyed the first book though so you might want to check it out too.

Even though I had a lot of issues with this book, I still really enjoyed it, except the ending which was a letdown. I thought it was a pretty good cozy mystery. This book also says that it is part of the Hometown Mystery series. I really have not figured that out yet as there are a lot of hometown mysteries but they are not all about the same town. I’ll have to read another one on my list and see if I can figure that one out.

I would recommend this book to people who enjoy cozy mysteries. I would like to thank Barbour Books for allowing me to read this book through NetGalley. This book comes out February 1, 2011.

[Kari Gibbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilde Higgins, hairstylist to the dead, is getting used to a lot of things: the fact that she was a murder suspect then cleared, a new man in her life and the fact that this man is part of a clown ministry and she hates clowns. She can deal with the first two, the last one, it’s not as easy, but she’s working on it. And low and behold two more people in Hilde’s life die, both clowns. There’s no way getting around it.

Luckily for Hilde, she’s not a suspect in this murder. Unluckily for Hilde, her new bf is the prime suspect, accused of killing a clown buddy. And was it really an electrical accident or was the death of clown #1 a murder too? So, no clowning around for Hilde as she figures out if she can trust the man she’s starting to love and help him out of this pickle… or should I say water spraying rose? Too much? Yep, even for me.

I absolutely love this series! The first book, Missing Mable, was one of the first I read through NetGalley and as soon as I saw this one, I requested it.

It’s no secret one of my favorite characters in fiction, if not my favorite, is Stephanie Plum. Well, Hilde Higgins reminds me of Stephanie. She doesn’t beat people up like Stephanie does, but she makes up for it with her love for books.

These books are quick, fun mystery reads. Mehl does a great job of getting the mystery out there and hooking you from the beginning then adding shenanigans throughout the rest of the book that keep you wanting more.

Now there is a little religion mixed in. I know that some readers don’t like that and like to know beforehand so they don’t get to it and immediately stop. I have never been one to enjoy religion weaved into books just because religion is interpreted in so many different ways and everyone has different beliefs. It’s not very likely that a random book with religion in it will have the same beliefs and values that you do. Religion isn’t a big part of this series, but it’s no secret that Hilde is a Christian and in this book she helps bring a friend out of a not-so-happy place with God. I fortunately think Hilde and I are on the same page (or I guess it would be Nancy Mehl, and not the character she is writing about) so I find myself nodding a lot and agreeing.

I really hope Nancy Keeps up with this series. I am really starting to love Hilde and her cooky neighbors and her mysterious, but uber smart neighbor across the street. I give Blown Away 5 bookmarks

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: BLOWN AWAY
Author: Nancy Mehl
Publisher: Barbour Books
February 2011
ISBN: 978-1-60260-570-1
Genre: Inspirational/cozy mystery

Hildegard Higgins is a beautician who works with funeral homes, styling the hair of the dearly departed. When delivering a clown hat to the cemetery for a deceased clown who couldn’t be buried without his clown hat, she discovered a body—of another clown in full costume—at the bottom of the grave.

Adam Sawyer is a stockbroker, and clown, who lost two of his friends—both clowns—within a matter of days. Unfortunately, he is also the main suspect of the police, as the grounds-keeper swears that he saw Adam’s car on the premises when the clown is murdered. Adam insists he’s innocent, but he’s rattled and nervous, and the police are more convinced than ever that he’s their man. Especially since he has no alibi, and he has a motive.

Hilde is determined to prove that Adam is innocent, but she doesn’t know where to start. Can she find a beginning and find the real killer before any more bodies are found?

BLOWN AWAY is the newest cozy mystery by Nancy Mehl. Set in Wichita, Kansas, this first person cozy is just as fun as the other cozy mysteries you’ve come to expect from Barbour. Written with a touch of humor and a lot of realism, these stories will tickle your funny bone even while you try to solve the mystery before the heroine solves it.

Hilde is a realistic heroine, a bookworm, who is thoughtful, caring, and sweet. I couldn’t help but care for her as she struggled to prove Adam innocent before the police proved he was guilty. If you like to read cozy mysteries, you won’t want to miss BLOWN AWAY. $10.99. 256 pages.

[The Sunday Book Review]

I'm not sure how I felt about this book. I wasn't able to put it down, but at times I didn't want to pick it up. Mehl does as great job keeping you guessing who the murderer is and you certainly get a sense of panic and immediacy. There were some issues I had with the book however.

The first being with Hilde. Whiny. With a capital W. The first couple of times were funny and a bit cute. This got old very quickly. Everything would send her on a whining binge. And can she make a decision by herself? It seemed like she couldn't take a drink without asking for someone's advice.



Early on we get told she doesn't like clowns. She is however dating one and shows no signs of being scared or bothered by them. In fact she attends a clown based funeral and find herself giggling at the silliness of it. It didn't seem to match up. I know I don't giggle when faced with something I don't like. I felt more than once while reading the book that the characters would say one thing, but react in a completely different manner once head on in a situation. Thisbothered me.

Not knowing the publisher, I was also taken aback by how much religion is written into the story. After researching the publisher (which deals with Christian based works) it makes more sense. However, the religious based conversations that characters had seemed very forced. Almost as if they were written in as a duty and did not feel integrated to the story.

Overall I would say it's a good read. Sadly it didn't stand out to me.

[Mayda · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this Christian cozy, the protagonist of the story is a hairdresser to the dead. She has her share of problems and then some. She is fearful of clowns, and yet her boyfriend belongs to a group of businessmen who are Clowns for Christ and whose mission is to entertain sick kids. When he becomes a suspect in a fellow clown’s murder, people in this small town start to take sides. Other things cause additional problems, including a destructive tornado, a mysterious stranger, and a secretive neighbor. The author creatively ties all this together and with a sprinkling of clues along the way, writes an interesting story. The mystery, however, almost seems to be secondary to the tale and often takes a backseat to the other aspects of the story. With a heavy dose of Christian theology and witnessing, you might forget you are actually reading a mystery. Nearly everything and everybody in the story has a tie to a church, whether it is because they belong or because someone is inviting them to attend. If you read cozies for the actual mystery in them, this book may disappoint. If you are just looking a homey tale with a prominent Christian theme along with a cozy murder that needs solving, you will probably enjoy this tale.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilde Higgins is deathly afraid of clowns. When she finds out her boyfriend is a clown for a children's hospital, it's too late to rethink their relationship. But when Adam stands accused of killing two of his fellow clowns, she begins to second guess the man she thinks he is. Will their mutual friend Gabe be able to help her subjectively separate fact from fiction? Did Adam really kill his friends for money, or is he being framed?

This actually turned out to be the sequel to Missing Mabel, and I was very happily surprised to realize it was a continuation of a story that I was familiar with. Hilde is a down-to-earth gal that fixes the hair of the recently deceased, and the poor girl is constantly finding herself in one fix or another. She wears her hair with a purple streak down the middle, but I can't help but really like the girl despite her constant penchant for getting into trouble. Her casual, easygoing attitude is hard to dislike, and her love of everything and everybody is contagious. A very pleasant book to read anytime.

[T.K. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Have you ever met anyone who talked in constant tangents, drowning the conversation in a flood of TMI? Meet Hilde, the heroine of this novel. I feel bad saying it, as the book was provided to me for free on netgalley in exchange for my review, but this book needed a heartless editor who would cut away all the fluff, and bring us back to the story. Because we really don't need to know that her dog is on asthma medication, that her goldfish waves, and that she likes to look at the stars, yet the bulk of the book is measured in just this sort of meaningless detail. Also, the conversations are wonderfully stilted and unrealistic. On the upside, the characters seem like very nice, Christian people, and the odd murder scene at the beginning has potential. However, I can't make myself read anymore. I know there's a story in there, but it's buried beneath a hoarder's supply of unnecessary information.

[Jeannie and Louis Rigod · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found myself "Blown Away" by this gentle, well-crafted Christian murder mystery. I was blown away by the storylines, the interactions of the characters, the response to an emergency, the acceptance and caring of a town for each other and I could go on.

I must admit I laughed at the Spam (edible type,) but found myself looking at the back of the book to see if I would find any recipes. Hilde is correct when she talks about rising food prices.

I enjoyed the murder mystery (after all that is why I bought the book,) but found myself equally enjoying the mild Christian theme throughout the book.

I will pray that Ms. Mehl has a sequel in store for us. Well done!

[Lauren · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didnt like this book at all! The summary on the back of the book made it seemed better than it really is. I didnt know that it was a series until i looked into it more. I def wont be wasting anymore money on this authors books! thankfully this book was on a bargain shelf at a local christian bookstore cuz otherwise i wouldnt waste my money on it.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the sequel to "Missing Mabel." Once again, I loved the characters - hilarious Hilde Higgens, nice-guy Adam Sawyer and charming Gabe Bashevis. The story was good - a light mystery with lots of sleuthing. I would have preferred a few more clues along the way to the final result though but I suppose I don't have Hilde's sleuthing skills. Great read.

[Connie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hilde Higgins discovers the body of a clown in the grave designated for another member of the clown ministry. Her boyfriend is accused. I liked the references to scripture and faith, but the main character was not all that likable and there were errors in the text that should have been caught by the proofreader.

[Stacy · Rating 1 out of 5]

When I picked this up from the library, I didn't realize it was a Christian, murder suspense book.
It was hard to get into, and all the religious parts of the book, took away from the suspense.

[Beverly Duell-Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved reading about Watson! I laughed and cried through this book!