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Sheriff Dan Rhodes #19
Murder of a Beauty Shop Queen
Dan Rhodes, sheriff of Blacklin County, Texas, is called to the Beauty Shack, where the young and pretty Lynn Ashton has been found dead, bashed over the head with a hairdryer. The owner said Lynn had gone to the salon late to meet an unknown client. There was a lot of gossip going on about Lynn before her death, but no one seems to really know much about her, or they're not telling Rhodes.
Lynn was known to flirt, and it's possible an angry wife or jilted lover had something to do with her death. The salon owner suspects two outsiders who have been staying in an abandoned building across the street. While he investigates the murder, Rhodes must also deal with the theft of copper and car batteries, not to mention a pregnant nanny goat that is terrorizing the town.
Murder of a Beauty Shop Queen is a wonderful entry in this always delightful series by award-winning author Bill Crider.
Lynn was known to flirt, and it's possible an angry wife or jilted lover had something to do with her death. The salon owner suspects two outsiders who have been staying in an abandoned building across the street. While he investigates the murder, Rhodes must also deal with the theft of copper and car batteries, not to mention a pregnant nanny goat that is terrorizing the town.
Murder of a Beauty Shop Queen is a wonderful entry in this always delightful series by award-winning author Bill Crider.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published August 21, 2012
5 people are currently reading
133 people want to read
About the author
Bill Crider
241 books235 followersTaught English at Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Tex., and went on to become the chair of the Division of English and Fine Arts at Alvin Community College in Alvin, Tex.; prolific writer of mystery, science fiction, western, horror, and children's books, not to mention short stories, articles, reviews, and blog posts; perhaps best known for his Sheriff Dan Rhodes mystery series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
December 7, 2016
She was young, she was pretty, she was blond and she was dead. So we are told in this installment of Bill Crider’s Sheriff Rhodes novel “Murder of a Beauty Shop Queen”. She was also the town floozy. Lynn Ashton was employed in the local beauty shop where gossip an rumors percolated and spread. Lynn had been killed by being bashed in the head with a heavy metal hair drier.
Sherriff Rhodes has his work cut out for him, as this case has just too many suspects. As Rhodes begins his investigation, the town’s antique dealer is also discovered dead. He has been shot in the head and Rhodes is convinced that the two cases are connected.
To add to the confusion some illegal aliens have been spotted living in an abandoned building across the street from the beauty shop. Could these be the culprits connected with the theft of car batteries and catalytic converters around town ? Was it really the sheriff’s department problem to have to deal with a pregnant goat ? All of these issues must be juggled in the normal day in the life of Sherriff Dan Rhodes.
Mr, Crider gives us another glimpse into the chaotic life in a small urban town in Texas, where the high lite is eating at the Dairy Queen and drinking Dr. Peppers, as the colorful local residents and eccentric co-workers entertain us with their daily activities.
An enjoyable entry in this ongoing series.
Sherriff Rhodes has his work cut out for him, as this case has just too many suspects. As Rhodes begins his investigation, the town’s antique dealer is also discovered dead. He has been shot in the head and Rhodes is convinced that the two cases are connected.
To add to the confusion some illegal aliens have been spotted living in an abandoned building across the street from the beauty shop. Could these be the culprits connected with the theft of car batteries and catalytic converters around town ? Was it really the sheriff’s department problem to have to deal with a pregnant goat ? All of these issues must be juggled in the normal day in the life of Sherriff Dan Rhodes.
Mr, Crider gives us another glimpse into the chaotic life in a small urban town in Texas, where the high lite is eating at the Dairy Queen and drinking Dr. Peppers, as the colorful local residents and eccentric co-workers entertain us with their daily activities.
An enjoyable entry in this ongoing series.
August 13, 2018
Another great Dan Rhodes mystery.
A local hair stylist has been murdered, and it's up to Sheriff Rhodes to figure it out.
The characters are like old friends.
I love this series.
It's bitter sweet to read them, now that the writer Bill Crider has passed away.
A local hair stylist has been murdered, and it's up to Sheriff Rhodes to figure it out.
The characters are like old friends.
I love this series.
It's bitter sweet to read them, now that the writer Bill Crider has passed away.
December 13, 2015
I always enjoy Bill Crider's mysteries and this one was no exception - highly recommended.
August 3, 2012
Blacklin County in East Texas is home to wild hogs, a Wal-Mart, and more than a few murderers. It has happened again as Murder of a Beauty Shop Queen” opens and Sheriff Dan Rhodes is on the case. Lynn Ashton is very much dead on the floor of a local beauty parlor known as “The Beauty Shack.” Found by the owner of the beauty parlor, Sandra Wiley, it is clear that Lynn’s days of cutting hair are over.
Before she was dead, Lynn Ashton was young, pretty and rather flirty in the way she did things. Not just the fact she often drove her red Chrysler Sebring Convertible with the top down regardless of the weather, Lynn liked to date men. Whether or not the guy was married didn’t seem to matter to her. Lynn had a bit of a reputation and more and move comes out that isn’t flattering to her or helpful to solve the case as Sheriff Rhodes investigates.
That is when he isn’t chasing folks hiding out in abandoned buildings. The suspects might be responsible for Lynn’s murder, might be responsible for the recent uptick in battery thefts, or might be nothing more than a pair of down on their luck homeless guys who can run faster than Rhodes and his deputies. There is also the small issue of the pregnant nanny goat.
No new ground is plowed in Murder of a Beauty Shop Queen in terms of character development and none is expected in this excellent long running series. After eighteen preceding books, readers get exactly what they expect and want as Sheriff Dan Rhodes will catch those responsible. He may get banged up a time or two, but he will get those responsible for the various problems. Along the way he will deal with his ongoing diet issues, local politics, and think a lot while drinking Dr. Pepper and eating crackers. All that and deal with Hank and Lawton and others including Sarge Barton in another very good book in this series.
Murder of a Beauty Shop Queen: A Dan Rhodes Mystery
Bill Crider
http://www.billcrider.com
Minotaur Books (A Thomas Dunne Book)
http://www.minotaurbooks.com
August 2012
ISBN# 978-0-312-64017-0
Hardback (also available as e-book)
272 Pages
$24.99
ARC provided by the author in exchange for my objective review.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2012
Book Reviews and More... http://kevintipplescorner.blogspot.com/
Before she was dead, Lynn Ashton was young, pretty and rather flirty in the way she did things. Not just the fact she often drove her red Chrysler Sebring Convertible with the top down regardless of the weather, Lynn liked to date men. Whether or not the guy was married didn’t seem to matter to her. Lynn had a bit of a reputation and more and move comes out that isn’t flattering to her or helpful to solve the case as Sheriff Rhodes investigates.
That is when he isn’t chasing folks hiding out in abandoned buildings. The suspects might be responsible for Lynn’s murder, might be responsible for the recent uptick in battery thefts, or might be nothing more than a pair of down on their luck homeless guys who can run faster than Rhodes and his deputies. There is also the small issue of the pregnant nanny goat.
No new ground is plowed in Murder of a Beauty Shop Queen in terms of character development and none is expected in this excellent long running series. After eighteen preceding books, readers get exactly what they expect and want as Sheriff Dan Rhodes will catch those responsible. He may get banged up a time or two, but he will get those responsible for the various problems. Along the way he will deal with his ongoing diet issues, local politics, and think a lot while drinking Dr. Pepper and eating crackers. All that and deal with Hank and Lawton and others including Sarge Barton in another very good book in this series.
Murder of a Beauty Shop Queen: A Dan Rhodes Mystery
Bill Crider
http://www.billcrider.com
Minotaur Books (A Thomas Dunne Book)
http://www.minotaurbooks.com
August 2012
ISBN# 978-0-312-64017-0
Hardback (also available as e-book)
272 Pages
$24.99
ARC provided by the author in exchange for my objective review.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2012
Book Reviews and More... http://kevintipplescorner.blogspot.com/
September 17, 2012
Bill Crider's series of Sheriff Dan Rhodes always manages to feel like coming 'home' to a friend, and yet surprising me with a clever, witty, and solid murder mystery to ponder as I read with hunger page to page.
Sheriff Dan Rhodes has a problem. A woman whose reputation far proceeds her, has been murdered at her job...The Beauty Shack. There is something jarring about both the shop's name as well as the crime itself.
Very quickly the case shows itself to be about prejudices. There are men staying in the rusted out building across the street. Are they murderers or vagrants or??? The beauty shop owner thinks the worst. The town has fallen into disrepair as the population has left or moved closer to the interstate and stores. The left behind residents are mourning the days past. This also colors their views of the case.
When another murder occurs, Sheriff Dan finds possibly another prejudice...that of fear of gays. While he tries to calm down the murdered partner's worries, the Sheriff realizes the cases most likely are connected.
Secrets, it all comes down to secrets.
This was an excellent study of perspectives and motives. The murder was compelling. The dialog had me chuckling and also saddened. This was a five star novel.
Sheriff Dan Rhodes has a problem. A woman whose reputation far proceeds her, has been murdered at her job...The Beauty Shack. There is something jarring about both the shop's name as well as the crime itself.
Very quickly the case shows itself to be about prejudices. There are men staying in the rusted out building across the street. Are they murderers or vagrants or??? The beauty shop owner thinks the worst. The town has fallen into disrepair as the population has left or moved closer to the interstate and stores. The left behind residents are mourning the days past. This also colors their views of the case.
When another murder occurs, Sheriff Dan finds possibly another prejudice...that of fear of gays. While he tries to calm down the murdered partner's worries, the Sheriff realizes the cases most likely are connected.
Secrets, it all comes down to secrets.
This was an excellent study of perspectives and motives. The murder was compelling. The dialog had me chuckling and also saddened. This was a five star novel.
April 27, 2013
#19 in the Dan Rhodes series. As usual, Sheriff Rhodes provides witty repartee in his laid back manner as he ambles toward the solution of the latest crimes in rural Blacklin County, TX. A very enjoyable addition to the long running series.
Dan Rhodes series - Dan Rhodes, sheriff of Blacklin County, Texas, is called to the Beauty Shack, where the young and pretty Lynn Ashton has been found dead, bashed over the head with a hairdryer. The owner said Lynn had gone to the salon late to meet an unknown client. There was a lot of gossip going on about Lynn before her death, but no one seems to really know much about her, or they’re not telling Rhodes. Lynn was known to flirt, and it’s possible an angry wife or jilted lover had something to do with her death. The salon owner suspects two outsiders who have been staying in an abandoned building across the street. While he investigates the murder, Rhodes must also deal with the theft of copper and car batteries.
Dan Rhodes series - Dan Rhodes, sheriff of Blacklin County, Texas, is called to the Beauty Shack, where the young and pretty Lynn Ashton has been found dead, bashed over the head with a hairdryer. The owner said Lynn had gone to the salon late to meet an unknown client. There was a lot of gossip going on about Lynn before her death, but no one seems to really know much about her, or they’re not telling Rhodes. Lynn was known to flirt, and it’s possible an angry wife or jilted lover had something to do with her death. The salon owner suspects two outsiders who have been staying in an abandoned building across the street. While he investigates the murder, Rhodes must also deal with the theft of copper and car batteries.
September 15, 2012
If you live in a small town, Dan Rhodes is the man you want to be your sherriff or chief of police. Down to earth and able to keep a realistic perspective about the people in his small domain. His approach to solving murders is to just keep asking questions. The stories always has an element of humor that is reflective of a small country town. This one is a little sadder than most since he and the other characters spend a lot of town thinking about how their small town has changed such as a now dead downtown with all the shops having moved out by the new Walmart on the interstate. Anyone who has ever lived in a small town can definitely relate. Reading a new Dan Rhodes is like sitting on the porch chatting with an old friend.
September 28, 2012
As I've come to expect from a Bill Crider mystery, Murder of a Beauty Shop Queen is a pleasant, if not terribly exciting read. But then I don't necessarily read a Sheriff Dan Rhodes book for excitement or the actual mystery. I read it for the characters of Blacklin County, TX, a quirky bunch indeed. For instance, the sheriff's wife Ivy, who is forever cooking up tofu chili and such, to Rhodes's dismay. Then there's his dogs, Yancey and Speedo, who remind me of my own mutts. And there is the comedy duo of Hack, the dispatcher, and Lawton, the jailer, who, to each other's annoyance, in a constant game of one-up-manship, finish each other's sentences. And the crooks, of course, each with foilables to set him--or her--apart. Fun reading.
July 18, 2013
A few hours spent with Sheriff Dan Rhodes of Blacklin County TX is always time well spent. In this 19 th or so outting Rhodes is investigating the death of a local beauty shop operator as well as chasing a few vagrants suspected of stealing high end recyclables. As is always the case, the sheriff's unpretentious manner but dogged determination carries the plot along. Lots of humor and eccentric characters round out the series.
February 4, 2016
Sherriff Rhodes has another murder to solve. I really like these books because they bring out that not everywhere has the resources of tv shows as far as investigating crime. No large team of crime scene technicians swarm every murder. Good homey mystery.
November 13, 2012
I love Bill Crider. His books are humerous mysteries...if there is such a thing! You want to keep reading because you don't know what's just around the corner. PLEASE READ IF YOU LOVE MYSTERIES!
February 2, 2013
Bill Crider's books are a delight for somwe nice fast reading and enjyment.Sheriff Dan Rhodes is a great character.
February 17, 2014
Another superior Dan Rhodes mystery. A stylist at a beauty shop is killed, and there is a plethora of suspects, including some illegal immigrant scrap metal thieves.
Pretty good stuff.
Pretty good stuff.
February 6, 2018
3.5 stars really, for this light, humorous police procedural. Think of Dan Rhodes as a down-home, Texas version of Columbo, minus the raincoat, of course. Dan is surrounded by characters who are really characters in the oddball sense who supply the amusing trivialities that make reading this book so pleasant.
April 21, 2019
I really enjoy that this series is based in Texas. I can see these people in just about any small town area in the State. I listened to the audio version and the narrator is amazing at conveying the small town feeling, and bringing the characters to life.
November 8, 2019
This was a new author for me. A fellow book club member, said his books were good. It was an easy cozy mystery, too slow moving for me. I will try another of his novels before I write him off for good. He is a prolific writer.
April 21, 2022
No major animal highjinks, just two murders, stolen car parts, Houston mobsters and the usual gang. Rhodes gets the usual lies and confusing stories from the usual suspects plus miscellaneous strangers that popup. But he gets his man.
November 29, 2024
I read this book years ago. I recently picked up this copy at a library book sale. It is a funny mystery with a great plot and relatable characters. I highly recommend this book. There are 25 books in the Sheriff Dan Rhodes series.
July 9, 2017
Oops, read this one out of order! I enjoy Sheriff Rhodes who dos not take himself too seriously and has a few staffing issues because of it. Who knew a beauty shop could cause murder and mayhem?
October 23, 2017
Love it - two mysteries in one. Great characters, fun dogs.
August 11, 2020
One of my favored authors. Enjoy the word play in the sheriff's office. So typical.
April 10, 2023
I found this story very boring and slow. I couldn't get into it. Not to my taste at all.
February 19, 2026
Always enjoyable—one of my favorite mystery series.
July 12, 2023
I liked it but this one had no clues for me to figure out the murderer.
October 1, 2012
I haven't read a Dan Rhodes mystery in way too long, so when this showed up at the local library I snapped it up and settled in for a visit with an old friend.
While I don't imagine that small town life is exactly like this, it feels like it could be. Rhodes has to put up with some really stupid people, a lack of cutting edge forensics, and then there's Hack and Lawson's constant chatter at the station. The mystery makes sense, the resolution a bit sad (but appropriate) and best of all, Rhodes actually figures the darned thing out. I'm so tired of books where the protagonist doesn't actually solve it, but instead the murderer decides he or she must take out the detective because the book is almost over.
The only part that doesn't feel completely accurate is how the whole town knows that these two men are gay and having a relationship and nobody cares. While that would be nice, I can't quite picture a small Texas town not having a few homophobes in the mix being totally obnoxious.
While I don't imagine that small town life is exactly like this, it feels like it could be. Rhodes has to put up with some really stupid people, a lack of cutting edge forensics, and then there's Hack and Lawson's constant chatter at the station. The mystery makes sense, the resolution a bit sad (but appropriate) and best of all, Rhodes actually figures the darned thing out. I'm so tired of books where the protagonist doesn't actually solve it, but instead the murderer decides he or she must take out the detective because the book is almost over.
The only part that doesn't feel completely accurate is how the whole town knows that these two men are gay and having a relationship and nobody cares. While that would be nice, I can't quite picture a small Texas town not having a few homophobes in the mix being totally obnoxious.
August 27, 2012
Sheriff Dan Rhodes keeps the peace (more or less) in sleepy Blacklin County TX. Not much ever happens there, except for when it does. His departmental staff are eccentric enough to be interesting, but just barely this side of believable. (Have you ever lived in a very small town? Then, you probably know these folks, whether or not you want to.) In these procedurals, you meander through the lives of the residents, staff and even their dogs. A Dan Rhodes book is a refreshing walk by a cool stream, only with a murder or so.
The town atmosphere doesn't seem to be as sharp in this one, but Bill Crider's college teaching career peeks through with a suitably nerdish calculus professor.
These are quick reads - I finished this one in one morning - but for me, always enjoyable.
The town atmosphere doesn't seem to be as sharp in this one, but Bill Crider's college teaching career peeks through with a suitably nerdish calculus professor.
These are quick reads - I finished this one in one morning - but for me, always enjoyable.
September 4, 2012
This is a somber visit to Blacklin county, where the county seat, Clearview, is dying. Even normally cheerful sheriff Dan Rhodes is subject to nostalgia as he starts the investigation of a young woman's death. Lynn was a beautician who is found dead in the salon where she worked after a late afternoon appointment. Soon there's another death, but a lot of Rhodes' efforts are derailed as he investigates the strange goings-on at a nearby recycling center. Crider sometimes gives us a more serious title, like this, in among his more humorous takes on small-town Texas lives. It's still a good read, but it leaves me, at least, a sadder person.
February 19, 2014
Blacklin County Sheriff Dan Rhodes is investigating a murder where the owner opened one morning to find the body of one of her employees, Lynn Ashton. She'd had a late appointment and voluntered to close the shop. Lynn was young and beautiful and had somewhat of a reputation.
At the same time, he kept rnning into two hispanics that were living in the abandoned hotel across the street. They were also involved with some sort of operation being run out of an old reclamation center.
Suspects are many, but nothing solid, as Rhodes goes about talking to folks and piecing things together.
Another fine mystery by one of the best.
At the same time, he kept rnning into two hispanics that were living in the abandoned hotel across the street. They were also involved with some sort of operation being run out of an old reclamation center.
Suspects are many, but nothing solid, as Rhodes goes about talking to folks and piecing things together.
Another fine mystery by one of the best.
November 18, 2012
Clearwater, Texas Sheriff Dan Rhodes is called to the local beauty shop to find the body of Lynn, one of the hairdressers. He also finds that vagrants have been living in one of the buildings across from the beauty shop. There have been a series of thefts in the town of copper wire and also batteries and catalytic converters from cars. When the local antique dealer is also found dead, Dan must try and find out what connects all of these crimes. The story is good and the mystery is pretty good but fairly obvious. I liked it. I will read more of this series.
November 7, 2012
i started it but couldnt get into it. there was a sheriff and some lady was killed in the beauty shop, then the man down the block was killed too. i just skimmed the rest, he was chasing some people that didnt have anything to do with it, questioning others. it wasnt very exciting and i found i wasnt interested in anyone so i stopped reading it. sorry bill crider! turns out the sick man and his wife were arrested for it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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