What do you think?
Rate this book
The Teasen & Pleasen Hair Salon #1
A Hair Raising Blowout
When a hairstylist finds the dead body of a girl in a small Southern town, she’s thrown into a world of secrets and lies
***This is a 51,000 word Novella***
Savannah Jefferies is used to good gossip. Owner of the Teasen & Pleasen Hair Salon in the heart of Louisiana, she’s used to big hair, Southern style, and tall tales of the latest town scandal. But her quiet life is turned on its head when Savannah finds an upstanding member of the community murdered outside her salon in cold blood. Savannah investigates, only to find that her pleasant, cute town is just a façade, and that there’s more deception than truth in the lives of its residents. As the case intensifies, Savannah finds herself dealing with a bad blowout, a man who might lose a limb, and a woman scorned, leading to a firefight the village of Knockemstiff will never forget.
Desperate Housewives marries GCB in this exciting murder mystery full of humor, suspense, and moonshine. Readers will be laughing aloud and gasping in shock while enjoying A Hair Raising Blowout, the first book in a stunning new thriller series by Constance Barker.
***This is a 51,000 word Novella***
Savannah Jefferies is used to good gossip. Owner of the Teasen & Pleasen Hair Salon in the heart of Louisiana, she’s used to big hair, Southern style, and tall tales of the latest town scandal. But her quiet life is turned on its head when Savannah finds an upstanding member of the community murdered outside her salon in cold blood. Savannah investigates, only to find that her pleasant, cute town is just a façade, and that there’s more deception than truth in the lives of its residents. As the case intensifies, Savannah finds herself dealing with a bad blowout, a man who might lose a limb, and a woman scorned, leading to a firefight the village of Knockemstiff will never forget.
Desperate Housewives marries GCB in this exciting murder mystery full of humor, suspense, and moonshine. Readers will be laughing aloud and gasping in shock while enjoying A Hair Raising Blowout, the first book in a stunning new thriller series by Constance Barker.
- GenresCozy MysteryMystery
138 pages, ebook
First published September 4, 2016
299 people are currently reading
281 people want to read
About the author
Constance Barker
461 books205 followersConstance Barker lives in the Midwest with her husband and two Akitas where she can look out from her screened porch onto a wooded area brimming with activity. Since she was a young girl she read mysteries, often given to her by her grandmother. She loved figuring out who the culprit was and sometimes she was right and other times startled at who the author picked as the assailant. Now she enjoys writing mysteries herself. When she isn't writing stories, she can be found in her favorite vacation spot, Las Vegas or shopping for bargains.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
June 7, 2019
This would have to the most judgemental book I've read in awhile. The word slut got bandied around an awful lot. I liked Sarah, but she wasn't in it enough and I liked Nellie but not enough - and the best part of the entire book was her boys I didn't like the rest of the characters. The mystery was pretty convoluted and I kept reading only because I'd started and I hate not finishing books, but I honestly just didn't care.
January 4, 2017
Cute!!!!!! Very different from my regular reading!!!!! A fun change of pace!!!!!!
Pretty good book. Not a sophisticated murder mystery, but a catchy, fun book! Cool characters too!!!! I liked it a lot!!!!!
Pretty good book. Not a sophisticated murder mystery, but a catchy, fun book! Cool characters too!!!! I liked it a lot!!!!!
September 17, 2016
Quirky
Little different but it was interesting. The characters were interesting and had a story each to tell. I like Savannah and how she was committed to her friends
Little different but it was interesting. The characters were interesting and had a story each to tell. I like Savannah and how she was committed to her friends
January 19, 2018
A real sleeper!!!!
Sorry, this book was boring! The ending anticlimactic . Parts completely unnecessary to the plot, just words to add to this painful reading experience.
Sorry, this book was boring! The ending anticlimactic . Parts completely unnecessary to the plot, just words to add to this painful reading experience.
June 13, 2018
Savannah and her staff, at the Teasen and Pleasen Hair Salon, are the gossip center of the small town.
Everyone knows everyone else and everyone else's business. There could be no secrets.
But, there are secrets; many, many secrets.
When Savannah finds the body of someone who was always described as “sweet”, it makes no sense. Who would want to shoot Annie? Well, it turns out many people in town had reasons to want her dead. She was a cruel and hateful woman.
This small town in Louisiana, is populated by wonderful people. Every character is introduced in such a way that the reader wants to know more about them.
As the story unfolds, it is pretty easy to figure out the murderer. And the journey to the solution is a wonderful one.
This is the first book I have read by Ms Barker. I am so grateful that I found her. She creates wonderfully well rounded characters. Her humor adds a great deal to the action. And her descriptions are so precise, at times I could smell that certain moldy smell of a swamp.
I would recommend this cozy mystery to anyone who likes to laugh at the same time they are finding a villain.
Ms Barker, I look forward to reading another fun story by you.
Everyone knows everyone else and everyone else's business. There could be no secrets.
But, there are secrets; many, many secrets.
When Savannah finds the body of someone who was always described as “sweet”, it makes no sense. Who would want to shoot Annie? Well, it turns out many people in town had reasons to want her dead. She was a cruel and hateful woman.
This small town in Louisiana, is populated by wonderful people. Every character is introduced in such a way that the reader wants to know more about them.
As the story unfolds, it is pretty easy to figure out the murderer. And the journey to the solution is a wonderful one.
This is the first book I have read by Ms Barker. I am so grateful that I found her. She creates wonderfully well rounded characters. Her humor adds a great deal to the action. And her descriptions are so precise, at times I could smell that certain moldy smell of a swamp.
I would recommend this cozy mystery to anyone who likes to laugh at the same time they are finding a villain.
Ms Barker, I look forward to reading another fun story by you.
May 30, 2025
This is the first book in the Teasen & Pleasen Hair Salon Mystery series by Constance Barker. Savannah Jefferies is the owner of the Teasen & Pleasen Hair Salon in Louisiana, where everyone knows everyone else's business. But when Savannah discovers the murdered body of a well-respected community member outside her salon, she’s thrown into a world of secrets and deception. As Savannah investigates, she finds out that the murder victim Annie was a cruel and hateful woman that many people had reasons for her to be dead. Savannah's charming town is hiding more lies than truths, and the deeper she digs, the more dangerous things become. Between bad blowouts, unexpected threats, and a woman scorned, Savannah becomes entangled in a mystery that will alter the course of her life forever. The novel blends humor, suspense, and Southern charm, offering an entertaining and engaging experience for fans of cozy mysteries with a hint of drama. I really enjoyed this amazing cozy mystery novella.
January 28, 2020
a hair raising blowout
#1 in the Teasen & Pleasen Hair Salon in the village of Knockemstiff in the heart of Louisiana mystery series. The salon is owned by hairstylist Savannah Jefferies who finds the dead body of an upstanding member of the community murdered outside her salon and is thrown into a world of secrets and lies
As Savannah investigates she finds that the pleasant, cute town is just a façade, and that there’s more deception than truth in the lives of its residents. There is a constant stream of revelations about the people who they thought they knew and realize that they didn't.
#1 in the Teasen & Pleasen Hair Salon in the village of Knockemstiff in the heart of Louisiana mystery series. The salon is owned by hairstylist Savannah Jefferies who finds the dead body of an upstanding member of the community murdered outside her salon and is thrown into a world of secrets and lies
As Savannah investigates she finds that the pleasant, cute town is just a façade, and that there’s more deception than truth in the lives of its residents. There is a constant stream of revelations about the people who they thought they knew and realize that they didn't.
October 8, 2018
Delightful small town tale
Visit a small town and become embroiled in a murder mystery complicated by revelations folks wish hadn't been exposed. Activities seem to revolve around the hair salon and the folks who work and hang out there while mysteries are solved and secrets are brought into the open. Lively, fun and full of characters you will wish you could get to know better.
Visit a small town and become embroiled in a murder mystery complicated by revelations folks wish hadn't been exposed. Activities seem to revolve around the hair salon and the folks who work and hang out there while mysteries are solved and secrets are brought into the open. Lively, fun and full of characters you will wish you could get to know better.
September 28, 2017
Enjoyable
I love the characters in this book. Along with a mystery and murder is a smart hair stylist and a sassy six and a half year old. I sometimes caught myself laughing out loud.
I love the characters in this book. Along with a mystery and murder is a smart hair stylist and a sassy six and a half year old. I sometimes caught myself laughing out loud.
January 12, 2018
A Hair Raising Blowout
I really enjoyed this storyline. Savanna makes a great amateur sleuth. I wasn’t sure who did it until the end. Many different people who had opportunity and reason to kill but the plot twists and turns. Great cozy mystery. A must read!
I really enjoyed this storyline. Savanna makes a great amateur sleuth. I wasn’t sure who did it until the end. Many different people who had opportunity and reason to kill but the plot twists and turns. Great cozy mystery. A must read!
October 7, 2018
Down home murder!
The characters are back woods funny, but murder is real in this small town , where everyone knows everything about everybody-but do they?
Kept me interested and entertained at the same time,
The characters are back woods funny, but murder is real in this small town , where everyone knows everything about everybody-but do they?
Kept me interested and entertained at the same time,
December 13, 2018
Twisty Louisiana Tale
It took till the end of the book to discover who done it. A book full of all kinds of twists. Lots of characters in a small town, each with their own possibilities. Well written. Good character development.
It took till the end of the book to discover who done it. A book full of all kinds of twists. Lots of characters in a small town, each with their own possibilities. Well written. Good character development.
January 22, 2019
Cute, fun read
This was a cute, fast read. The ending seemed a bit abrupt and odd but it was happy enough so I wasn't upset by it. Not sure I'll pay for the next in the series but it's a possibility.
This was a cute, fast read. The ending seemed a bit abrupt and odd but it was happy enough so I wasn't upset by it. Not sure I'll pay for the next in the series but it's a possibility.
May 10, 2017
Great read
Just read this series by Constance Barker and liked it very much great story great characters getting book two now
Just read this series by Constance Barker and liked it very much great story great characters getting book two now
May 24, 2017
It was not deeply involved reading. Another bubble gum for the mind kind of book.
December 19, 2017
A fun little cozy
A good cozy develops the characters so you care about them. A better one does that and surprises you with the “whodunit”. This one is both with its surprises
A good cozy develops the characters so you care about them. A better one does that and surprises you with the “whodunit”. This one is both with its surprises
January 2, 2018
Cute, cozy mystery. Looking forward to the rest of the books in the series.
January 13, 2018
Excellent
I loved this book and would like to read the rest of the series
definitely recommended. good funny witty book
I loved this book and would like to read the rest of the series
definitely recommended. good funny witty book
February 21, 2018
A good read
Very good character development
I enjoyed the description of her hometown
And her way of finding clues made sense
I hope you enjoy it
Very good character development
I enjoyed the description of her hometown
And her way of finding clues made sense
I hope you enjoy it
October 5, 2018
This was a really good book. I've read other series by this author and enjoyed them. I will definitely finish this series too.
March 24, 2021
Too many loose ends. Left me wondering what happened to them. Ridiculously abrupt ending with no build up to it at all.
March 19, 2017
A Die Job
An entertaining read with some fascinating characters who wander in and out of The Teasen & Pleasen Hair Salon. Savannah with her interest in crime soon resolved many small clues, and then solved the mystery of who murdered a woman who delighted in cruel tricks against the villagers and animals.
An entertaining read with some fascinating characters who wander in and out of The Teasen & Pleasen Hair Salon. Savannah with her interest in crime soon resolved many small clues, and then solved the mystery of who murdered a woman who delighted in cruel tricks against the villagers and animals.
October 8, 2016
I know this is a cozy mystery, so I'm not expecting a complicated plot with well developed dialogue, but ... my number one suggestion would be to SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE the number of times the phrase "Oh, Savannah..." is used, particularly on one page. I thought the plot was weak and I had a hard time following the story to its rather abrupt conclusion. Normally I would go back and reread to see what I missed, but frankly this story just wasn't worth it.
March 12, 2017
Small Town, Large Enjoyment
I truly enjoyed meeting the characters in this story. The interactions, conversations, and quirks have an honesty to them. Will continue the series
I truly enjoyed meeting the characters in this story. The interactions, conversations, and quirks have an honesty to them. Will continue the series
March 10, 2017
Good
the murder that happened in a small town in the south that has very little in the way of jobs but dose have a lite of interesting people
the murder that happened in a small town in the south that has very little in the way of jobs but dose have a lite of interesting people
September 6, 2016
I have read a variety of books by this author, and I have to say this is one of the most interesting of all. In a small town of 772 people (maybe a few less by the time this book is over) everyone knows everybody's business. People gather at the coffee station at the hair salon to share gossip, er...news. When a very likeable girl is found murdered and cruel words painted on windows (and windows broken) it doesn't seem likely to be related. But by the end of the book you discover the crimes are connected, and our local salon owner is the one who figured everything out when the police failed.
This is a refreshing book where salon owner Savannah keeps thinking and doing things to figure out what happened. I liked her calm and collected methods of doing what needs to be done and not being forceful or flashy about her sleuthing. Characters came across as real people, situations sometimes comical, sometimes horrifying, and details rich with description filled the pages. This is unlike any of the author's other works, this in my opinion is one of her best and not to be missed!
This is a refreshing book where salon owner Savannah keeps thinking and doing things to figure out what happened. I liked her calm and collected methods of doing what needs to be done and not being forceful or flashy about her sleuthing. Characters came across as real people, situations sometimes comical, sometimes horrifying, and details rich with description filled the pages. This is unlike any of the author's other works, this in my opinion is one of her best and not to be missed!
September 18, 2016
Welcome to Knockemstiff
A great start to a new series. A colorful cast of characters will keep you entertained.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
A great start to a new series. A colorful cast of characters will keep you entertained.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
December 4, 2016
A Hair Raising Blowout
I enjoyed reading this book. Constance Barker made me feel like I was in that little town. Murder, mystery and hair salon gossip. There's more but I don't want to be a spoiler
I enjoyed reading this book. Constance Barker made me feel like I was in that little town. Murder, mystery and hair salon gossip. There's more but I don't want to be a spoiler
October 16, 2022
Funny Light Read
This book made me laugh out loud. I love the small town feeling that the author made you feel part of and I felt an easy connection to the characters! Please write more for this series.
This book made me laugh out loud. I love the small town feeling that the author made you feel part of and I felt an easy connection to the characters! Please write more for this series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews