What do you think?
Rate this book
Valentine Beaumont Mysteries #1
Murder, Curlers, and Cream
“Smart, entertaining, and laugh-out-loud funny!” —Liliana Hart, New York Times Bestselling Author
Valentine Beaumont is a beautician with a problem. Not only has she got a meddling mother, a wacky staff, and a dying business, but now she’s got a dead client who was strangled while awaiting her facial.
With business the way it is, combing through this mystery may be the only way to save her salon. Until a second murder, an explosion, a kidnapping, death threats, and the hard-nosed Detective Romero complicate things. But Valentine will do anything to untangle the crime. That’s if she can keep her tools of the trade in her bag, keep herself alive, and avoid falling for the tough detective.
In the end, how hard can that be?
Valentine Beaumont is a beautician with a problem. Not only has she got a meddling mother, a wacky staff, and a dying business, but now she’s got a dead client who was strangled while awaiting her facial.
With business the way it is, combing through this mystery may be the only way to save her salon. Until a second murder, an explosion, a kidnapping, death threats, and the hard-nosed Detective Romero complicate things. But Valentine will do anything to untangle the crime. That’s if she can keep her tools of the trade in her bag, keep herself alive, and avoid falling for the tough detective.
In the end, how hard can that be?
292 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 8, 2016
5804 people are currently reading
3076 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 454 reviews
February 10, 2017
Murder, Curlers, and Cream by Arlene McFarlane is a 2016 publication.
A cute, cozy mystery that set a positive tone for the beginning of a new series.
Valentine Beaumont’s struggling beauty salon takes an even darker turn when one of her clients is murdered while waiting for a facial. In order to keep her business afloat, Valerie decides to speed up the wheels of justice by doing a little sleuthing of her own, much to the chagrin of the sexy Detective Romero.
Meanwhile, Valentine must cope with her pushy mom and a terrible employee, she feels obligated to keep on staff, while gamely going on the many blind dates her friends arrange for her, and avoiding Detective Romero’s radar despite her attraction to him.
This is a very fast-paced mystery, with cute illustrations, and hilarious dialogue. The characters were well drawn and surprisingly developed for a ‘first in a series’ book. The mystery is well done, becoming a fun guessing game with a few surprise twists along the way.
Overall, I thought this opening installment was fresh and exciting and I hope to touch base with Valentine Beaumont again soon.
3.5 stars
A cute, cozy mystery that set a positive tone for the beginning of a new series.
Valentine Beaumont’s struggling beauty salon takes an even darker turn when one of her clients is murdered while waiting for a facial. In order to keep her business afloat, Valerie decides to speed up the wheels of justice by doing a little sleuthing of her own, much to the chagrin of the sexy Detective Romero.
Meanwhile, Valentine must cope with her pushy mom and a terrible employee, she feels obligated to keep on staff, while gamely going on the many blind dates her friends arrange for her, and avoiding Detective Romero’s radar despite her attraction to him.
This is a very fast-paced mystery, with cute illustrations, and hilarious dialogue. The characters were well drawn and surprisingly developed for a ‘first in a series’ book. The mystery is well done, becoming a fun guessing game with a few surprise twists along the way.
Overall, I thought this opening installment was fresh and exciting and I hope to touch base with Valentine Beaumont again soon.
3.5 stars
October 4, 2018
Murder in a beauty salon....with some fun and crazy characters. There is a lot going on here that makes for a fast paced and entertaining read.
I am looking forward to reading more in this series.
I am looking forward to reading more in this series.
October 25, 2019
Valentine Beaumont, beautician and owner of a business that was struggling, was shocked when one of her regular clients was murdered in the chair. The police were soon on the scene and while they investigated, interviewing everyone connected to Valentine, she herself decided she’d solve the puzzle herself. But it was harder than she thought, this detective business, and when one of her favourite people was kidnapped, another murder occurred and much more, she had to wonder if she should leave it to the police after all. Detective Romero was continually at her to leave it to them, so perhaps she should…
Murder, Curlers and Cream is the 1st in the Valentine Beaumont Mystery series by Arlene McFarlane and it was pretty silly. So many things done that a half-way sensible person wouldn’t have. But it’s fiction, so letting that go, the story was okay, and it passed a few relaxing hours.
Murder, Curlers and Cream is the 1st in the Valentine Beaumont Mystery series by Arlene McFarlane and it was pretty silly. So many things done that a half-way sensible person wouldn’t have. But it’s fiction, so letting that go, the story was okay, and it passed a few relaxing hours.
April 22, 2018
I’m puzzled...
By all the five star reviews. I struggled to finish it, and I found it to be a pretty dumb book. But then again, I don’t like books that star ditzy women, and Val is nothing if not ditzy. Not my kind of book, so I won’t continue on with the series.
By all the five star reviews. I struggled to finish it, and I found it to be a pretty dumb book. But then again, I don’t like books that star ditzy women, and Val is nothing if not ditzy. Not my kind of book, so I won’t continue on with the series.
October 28, 2016
Murder, Curlers, and Cream was truly an enjoyable read. Valentine Beaumont is struggling to keep her Salon open, but having an unpleasant client murdered while waiting for a facial does not help at all. The police are all over the case, especially because of the questionable reputation Valentine has gotten with the town's law enforcement as result of her solving an earlier murder in an incredibly unorthodox way. Detective Romero warns her off of the case, but Valentine is determined to investigate, because it is her shop and future that are at stake -- but is she getting too close to finding out the murderer's identity for her own safety? This book is so much fun to read, from Valentine's incompetent employee, Phyllis and her antics, to her mother's matchmaking attempts, and several mishaps at the Salon. Valentine is a very engaging character as are her friends and family, and the romantic tension between her and Detective Romero adds sizzle to the story. The identity of the murderer kept me guessing throughout the story and the ending came as a complete surprise. I highly recommend this book and am looking forward to reading the second installment in the series and seeing what Valentine is up to next.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
May 3, 2023
I love Arlene's books and if you're going to read one, start with this one!
October 29, 2017
A murder mystery in a beauticians shop. Quite a cast of characters that work there. They are kind of fun to read about but I don't think I would like to work there. And it's one of the last ones you would suspect that is the killer.
June 15, 2017
Murder, fire bomb, window smashing,
mayhem, an anonymous threatening note,
harassing phone calls, a kidnapping plus
a cast of colorful, quirky, scary, dangerous
supporting characters make this first book
starring Valentine Beaumont, a MUST READ!!!!
Valentine owns a Salon. She is trying very
hard to make it a successful venture but
seems to keep running into all sort of obstacles.
The latest problem is when a client in found
dead in the Ti Amo room when she is getting
a facial.
Why was the back door was found unlocked?
Who would have murdered the client? Was it
an inside job or did someone from the back
alley come in then leave?
How were there no fingerprints to help identify
any viable suspects?
The client was very outspoken, nasty and
condescending to a lot of people plus known
for her marital unfaithfulness. This makes for
a ton of colorful suspects.
Although Valentine is told by the handsome
Detective Romero to leave the investigating
to the police. She decides to check out a few
things on her own.
The story is captivating, unique and fresh with
humorous shenanigans. It is creatively written
with a well executed plot.
When Valentine does volunteer work on the
children's cancer unit in the local hospital, you
will meet sweet but sickly children that she
brings laughter and fun into their lives.
A very entertaining cozy mystery.
This is the first book in the Valentine Beaumont
Mysteries series.
Looking forward to the next book to see what
adventure awaits Valentine plus how her
romantic prospects progress.
I volunteered to read this story. Thanks to the
author for the opportunity. My opinion is my own.
mayhem, an anonymous threatening note,
harassing phone calls, a kidnapping plus
a cast of colorful, quirky, scary, dangerous
supporting characters make this first book
starring Valentine Beaumont, a MUST READ!!!!
Valentine owns a Salon. She is trying very
hard to make it a successful venture but
seems to keep running into all sort of obstacles.
The latest problem is when a client in found
dead in the Ti Amo room when she is getting
a facial.
Why was the back door was found unlocked?
Who would have murdered the client? Was it
an inside job or did someone from the back
alley come in then leave?
How were there no fingerprints to help identify
any viable suspects?
The client was very outspoken, nasty and
condescending to a lot of people plus known
for her marital unfaithfulness. This makes for
a ton of colorful suspects.
Although Valentine is told by the handsome
Detective Romero to leave the investigating
to the police. She decides to check out a few
things on her own.
The story is captivating, unique and fresh with
humorous shenanigans. It is creatively written
with a well executed plot.
When Valentine does volunteer work on the
children's cancer unit in the local hospital, you
will meet sweet but sickly children that she
brings laughter and fun into their lives.
A very entertaining cozy mystery.
This is the first book in the Valentine Beaumont
Mysteries series.
Looking forward to the next book to see what
adventure awaits Valentine plus how her
romantic prospects progress.
I volunteered to read this story. Thanks to the
author for the opportunity. My opinion is my own.
February 21, 2017
This didn't deliver the laughs I was expecting.
I liked the quirkiness of the main character (although I initially pictured her as a 50ish woman for some reason, and then had to completely change what I pictured in my head when I found out I was wrong) and the setting of the salon, but overall it's not a series I wish to continue with. As an amateur sleuth in a cozy mystery, I expect the character to be stubborn and do her own thing and go against what people want her to do (which is generally to stay out of it). Valentine did all this, but for me it was even more annoying than other cozies I have read. And then to be attacked more than once, and never to report it, just got on my nerves. I determined who the killer was early on in the story, too. Additionally, this was first in a series, yet there was references and a whole story (told at the end) about another "mystery" she had been involved in. I understand these characters have a past before we read about them, but I continually felt like I missed reading a whole book.
And I'm still not sure what 'cream' is being referred to in the title. Shaving cream? Donut cream? Hair cream? Ice cream?
I liked the quirkiness of the main character (although I initially pictured her as a 50ish woman for some reason, and then had to completely change what I pictured in my head when I found out I was wrong) and the setting of the salon, but overall it's not a series I wish to continue with. As an amateur sleuth in a cozy mystery, I expect the character to be stubborn and do her own thing and go against what people want her to do (which is generally to stay out of it). Valentine did all this, but for me it was even more annoying than other cozies I have read. And then to be attacked more than once, and never to report it, just got on my nerves. I determined who the killer was early on in the story, too. Additionally, this was first in a series, yet there was references and a whole story (told at the end) about another "mystery" she had been involved in. I understand these characters have a past before we read about them, but I continually felt like I missed reading a whole book.
And I'm still not sure what 'cream' is being referred to in the title. Shaving cream? Donut cream? Hair cream? Ice cream?
August 13, 2020
A funny and cute cozy mystery. Valentine is working hard to make her beauty salon a success when one of her clients dies in her shop. Valentine is just as hard working when it comes to clearing her name. The characters are all fun except I didn't like her useless cousin. I didn't like this character and I still don't understand why she is in this story. But that is minor. The mystery is good and the requisite detective love interest is handsome and sexy. I'm looking forward to reading more from this series.
April 19, 2018
Fun read
Contemporary cozy set in a beauty shop, laced with humor and romance. Valentine Beaumont is struggling to keep her business going for to a deathbed promise to her grandmother, despite being talented and having a very talented and handsome employee.
She has an unfortunate incident from her past that keeps being brought up to her chagrin.
After a death in her salon, she snoops to solve the murder, hitting heads with a handsome officer.
Contemporary cozy set in a beauty shop, laced with humor and romance. Valentine Beaumont is struggling to keep her business going for to a deathbed promise to her grandmother, despite being talented and having a very talented and handsome employee.
She has an unfortunate incident from her past that keeps being brought up to her chagrin.
After a death in her salon, she snoops to solve the murder, hitting heads with a handsome officer.
March 18, 2018
Beautician by day, amateur sleuth by night; Valentine Beaumont is on the case! When one of her clients ends up dead during her appointment, Valentine decides she is going to find the killer herself. However, asking around is not only causing Romero, the sexy, strong detective to get in her way, she’s also now receiving threatening calls and notes. Asking a few harmless questions might prove to be more dangerous than she first thought!
This was a fun read! The characters were enjoyable and the story had many laugh-out-loud moments. I am hooked and cannot wait to see what Valentine gets into next!
This was a fun read! The characters were enjoyable and the story had many laugh-out-loud moments. I am hooked and cannot wait to see what Valentine gets into next!
October 25, 2016
Valentine Beaumont is a drop-dead gorgeous esthetician with a somewhat thriving spa, who feels it is her duty to go on blind dates arranged by well-meaning friends and solve the occasional murder. Book I of the Valentine Beaumont Mysteries series is a clever, well-crafted beginning of what will hopefully be a long-running series.
This is a cozy on adrenaline, restyling the genre and adding highlights which readers will much enjoy. The spa setting is new to me and rich with opportunities. I liked that the body was found on page one allowing us to jump right into the story. We immediately meet the cop, aka the love interest, going toe-to-toe with Val who’s just discovered a murdered wealthy client in spa room. She has a backstory which includes catching a murderer involving a perm rod and a bad guy’s genitalia. The details are grim but what’s a woman to do when attacked?
The typical cozy is too predictable; this one was is not. It is deeply entertaining, leaving me eagerly waiting for Book II. Val frets about her rent while tending to her eccentric staff. She volunteers her time at the local children’s hospital and meets dreadfuls on her dates. There is a richness and depth to the story, along with grins along the way. I’d like to see her relationship with Max develop; every girl needs a sidekick, right? Overall, an outstanding start to the series!
I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
This is a cozy on adrenaline, restyling the genre and adding highlights which readers will much enjoy. The spa setting is new to me and rich with opportunities. I liked that the body was found on page one allowing us to jump right into the story. We immediately meet the cop, aka the love interest, going toe-to-toe with Val who’s just discovered a murdered wealthy client in spa room. She has a backstory which includes catching a murderer involving a perm rod and a bad guy’s genitalia. The details are grim but what’s a woman to do when attacked?
The typical cozy is too predictable; this one was is not. It is deeply entertaining, leaving me eagerly waiting for Book II. Val frets about her rent while tending to her eccentric staff. She volunteers her time at the local children’s hospital and meets dreadfuls on her dates. There is a richness and depth to the story, along with grins along the way. I’d like to see her relationship with Max develop; every girl needs a sidekick, right? Overall, an outstanding start to the series!
I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
September 24, 2017
If you love mysteries with a kick this is the book for you! This was a wonderful, funny and you had to do some sleuthing book. I so enjoyed the story line and the characters are a kick. This was a new author for me and I totally enjoyed her book and look forward to reading many more of her books. Arlene hit a grand slam with this book!
April 21, 2018
A little funny
There were some funny parts, but I can't stand someone who is too stupid to tell the police about death threats. Also, the two main characters didn't have any chemistry. Another Stephanie Plum wannabe.
There were some funny parts, but I can't stand someone who is too stupid to tell the police about death threats. Also, the two main characters didn't have any chemistry. Another Stephanie Plum wannabe.
May 3, 2018
The beauty business can be a killer
Loved it. Humour and emotion crafted into a great plot that will have you enthralled from the start. Her business is everything to her as she has put her heart and soul into her spa. However all this could be taken away from her shortly when she finds her best client dead on the massage bed. Okay the culprit was dead easy to spot but I loved the way she stumbled through the investigation until she got to the truth. She is tenacious and determined to save her business even when faced with the hunk that is the lead detective. Some great amusing situations and some great red herrings. A wonderful read, glad I took the risk of reading a new author.
Loved it. Humour and emotion crafted into a great plot that will have you enthralled from the start. Her business is everything to her as she has put her heart and soul into her spa. However all this could be taken away from her shortly when she finds her best client dead on the massage bed. Okay the culprit was dead easy to spot but I loved the way she stumbled through the investigation until she got to the truth. She is tenacious and determined to save her business even when faced with the hunk that is the lead detective. Some great amusing situations and some great red herrings. A wonderful read, glad I took the risk of reading a new author.
October 25, 2020
If you are looking for crazy antics in the style of Stephanie Plum then you’ll want to check out Murder, Curlers, and Cream by Arlene McFalane. If you are looking for a traditional cozy mystery, this one may not be for you.
I really enjoyed it because I was a fan of Janet Evanovich, but stopped reading her around book 17 because I just couldn’t handle the love triangle anymore, and I’ve been looking for a new series to take its place. A love triangle hasn’t started up yet in the series, but it looks like in book two, Jock deMarco will start working at Valentine’s salon, so we shall see if a love triangle develops between those two and Detective Romero. As long as it’s well written and doesn’t drag on then I’m good.
The crazy antics of her employees and the locals who stop by are what really had me enjoying this book. Max is awesome and I can’t wait to read more of his snark, and I am also looking forward to more of Val’s meddling mom. Phylis was a horrible character, but McFarlane wrote her so well! And what Phylis did to the customers added a cringe worthy level of humor to the book.
If you’re looking for a light mystery with lots of steamy thoughts of sex, snarky employees, buildings on fire, kidnappings, and a lot more crazy shenanigans then you will want to start reading the Valentine Beaumont Mysteries!
I really enjoyed it because I was a fan of Janet Evanovich, but stopped reading her around book 17 because I just couldn’t handle the love triangle anymore, and I’ve been looking for a new series to take its place. A love triangle hasn’t started up yet in the series, but it looks like in book two, Jock deMarco will start working at Valentine’s salon, so we shall see if a love triangle develops between those two and Detective Romero. As long as it’s well written and doesn’t drag on then I’m good.
The crazy antics of her employees and the locals who stop by are what really had me enjoying this book. Max is awesome and I can’t wait to read more of his snark, and I am also looking forward to more of Val’s meddling mom. Phylis was a horrible character, but McFarlane wrote her so well! And what Phylis did to the customers added a cringe worthy level of humor to the book.
If you’re looking for a light mystery with lots of steamy thoughts of sex, snarky employees, buildings on fire, kidnappings, and a lot more crazy shenanigans then you will want to start reading the Valentine Beaumont Mysteries!
May 4, 2018
Murder,Curlers, and Cream: A Valentine Beaumont Mystery
I really enjoyed this book, I had no idea who committed the murders until the end of the book. This is a nice clean read and a real enjoyable read.
I really enjoyed this book, I had no idea who committed the murders until the end of the book. This is a nice clean read and a real enjoyable read.
May 5, 2018
Interesting💞
I really love your style😄 i am an avid reader...I fell in sync with your way in about 5 pages in i peruse what is acceptable for my 15 year old granddaughter!!! She loved it too! Thank you for your talents☺
I really love your style😄 i am an avid reader...I fell in sync with your way in about 5 pages in i peruse what is acceptable for my 15 year old granddaughter!!! She loved it too! Thank you for your talents☺
December 31, 2021
During a very sad time, I needed something entertaining to get me through and this book definitely was it.
August 17, 2022
This was a mildly entertaining listen for me. The issue I had was the main character spent most of her time speculating which I found slow. Example “if this person blah blah blah then this is maybe this and then maybe this but it might be this situation or perhaps this happened….” I probably won’t continue to series.
April 30, 2018
Interesting
Liked uncovering g the personalities of the characters. Intriguing and kept my interest. Will!I read from this author again. The end.
Liked uncovering g the personalities of the characters. Intriguing and kept my interest. Will!I read from this author again. The end.
September 16, 2019
I couldn't put it down
I loved this book! It is funny, exciting, suspenseful and never ending action. How could one little lady attract so much catastrophe!
I loved this book! It is funny, exciting, suspenseful and never ending action. How could one little lady attract so much catastrophe!
October 28, 2016
Murder, Curlers and Cream is a cozy mystery with a cast of suspects worthy of Dame Agatha Christie.
Valentine Beaumont runs an on-the-edge-of-bankruptcy spa. Talented, plucky and girly down to her cuticles, Valentine is determined to keep her business going, but when a client is strangled in the Ti Amo room during a facial, this could be the last orange stick.
Detective, Romero, the good-looking cop assigned to the case, has heard about the time she took out a would-be attacker with a perm rod to the short and curlies, so he warns Valentine to let police handle things. But when official channels move too slowly to save her business,she is forced to take matters into her own manicured hands, with increasingly dangerous results.
The plotting is solid (I didn't figure out who the killer was AND I didn't feel manipulated when I did find out), the setting is great (Ms. McFarlane clearly knows her way around a spa) and the characters are both believable and interesting.
The romance arc is handled very lightly, as you'd expect in the first book of a series. I predict it will be one of those romances where, by the time the hero and heroine finally get together, the release will be as great for the reader as it is for the couple.
Note: I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
Valentine Beaumont runs an on-the-edge-of-bankruptcy spa. Talented, plucky and girly down to her cuticles, Valentine is determined to keep her business going, but when a client is strangled in the Ti Amo room during a facial, this could be the last orange stick.
Detective, Romero, the good-looking cop assigned to the case, has heard about the time she took out a would-be attacker with a perm rod to the short and curlies, so he warns Valentine to let police handle things. But when official channels move too slowly to save her business,she is forced to take matters into her own manicured hands, with increasingly dangerous results.
The plotting is solid (I didn't figure out who the killer was AND I didn't feel manipulated when I did find out), the setting is great (Ms. McFarlane clearly knows her way around a spa) and the characters are both believable and interesting.
The romance arc is handled very lightly, as you'd expect in the first book of a series. I predict it will be one of those romances where, by the time the hero and heroine finally get together, the release will be as great for the reader as it is for the couple.
Note: I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
March 12, 2017
Arlene McFarlane’s Murder, Curlers & Cream introduces Valentine Beaumont, beautician and amateur detective. It’s not that Valentine wants to be a sleuth—she’s already trying to live down a past incident involving a killer and a perm rod—but she’s got problems. Business is down, the mortgage on her salon is due, and she’s short of rent money. She’s also saddled with the world’s worst employee, a distant cousin she can’t quite bring herself to fire, despite regular disasters, and a rival salon owner trying to poach her best employee. But all that takes a back seat to the client waiting for a facial, found dead with an electric cord around her throat.
Desperate to restore her salon’s good reputation (before the bank forecloses on the shop and her landlord kicks her out of her house), Valentine sets out to solve the case, armed only with her bag of beauty tools. Her plan leads to more problems, not the least of which is handsome police detective Mike Romero, who thinks Valentine should stick to the beauty business.
She tries, but between a fire, an explosion, and another murder, she can’t seem to avoid trouble. This is a delightful first installment of Valentine’s adventures. And by the time you finish reading about the potential weaponization of various beauty products, you may think twice before your next salon visit.
Desperate to restore her salon’s good reputation (before the bank forecloses on the shop and her landlord kicks her out of her house), Valentine sets out to solve the case, armed only with her bag of beauty tools. Her plan leads to more problems, not the least of which is handsome police detective Mike Romero, who thinks Valentine should stick to the beauty business.
She tries, but between a fire, an explosion, and another murder, she can’t seem to avoid trouble. This is a delightful first installment of Valentine’s adventures. And by the time you finish reading about the potential weaponization of various beauty products, you may think twice before your next salon visit.
January 30, 2021
Val owns a beauty salon that is having financial problems when one of their wealthy loyal clients is murdered on premises. The murder of the nasty lady in her salon makes her want to solve the case by doing every stupid thing in the book. Every person who came in the shop the day of the murder had some connection to the victim (what are the chances?) So she aggressively confronts each of them.
Besides this unbelievable plot let's look at what we are supposed to support as our heroine. One revealing incident - Val has a snarky confrontation with the hot detective, jumps in her car, takes off at high speed, takes a near swipe at a parked car, a sharp left turn (hopefully nothing was coming), jumps the curb and stops inches from a fire hydrant. Our heroine! Way to go.
The only saving grace was the climax which Val didn't see coming despite all her sleuthing. She actually pulled together enough to have one a decent scene. But this was not enough for me to want to read any more of this series.
An aside - Val decides she needs some protection so she decides on karate. First class, sensei introduces himself and proceeds to flip her, multiple times. My grandson takes karate and if that had been his first class, the sensei would have been sued out of business.
Besides this unbelievable plot let's look at what we are supposed to support as our heroine. One revealing incident - Val has a snarky confrontation with the hot detective, jumps in her car, takes off at high speed, takes a near swipe at a parked car, a sharp left turn (hopefully nothing was coming), jumps the curb and stops inches from a fire hydrant. Our heroine! Way to go.
The only saving grace was the climax which Val didn't see coming despite all her sleuthing. She actually pulled together enough to have one a decent scene. But this was not enough for me to want to read any more of this series.
An aside - Val decides she needs some protection so she decides on karate. First class, sensei introduces himself and proceeds to flip her, multiple times. My grandson takes karate and if that had been his first class, the sensei would have been sued out of business.
February 7, 2017
Murder, Curlers and Cream by Arlene McFarlane is the first book in her Valentine Beaumont Mystery series and it really gets you going !!!
I fell instantly in love with Valentine, her outfits, her employees and her life. She owns a beauty salon which has a mortgage payment coming due and one of the regular clients is found dead.....strangled by a cord while waiting in one of the treatment rooms.
Even though her sister is on the police force, Valentine is not going to sit quietly looking pretty waiting for the police to find the killer. Even when she buts heads with the sexy Detective working the case, she will do whatever it takes to solve the murder and get life back into her salon.
Murder, Curlers and Cream is full of interesting people that as you read you will wonder who did it and why ? Sure Portia wasn't a very nice woman but did she deserve to be murdered ? And in Valentine's shop ???
Put your beauty magazine down and pick this book up !! You will want to keep up with Valentine and Detective Romero.......
I fell instantly in love with Valentine, her outfits, her employees and her life. She owns a beauty salon which has a mortgage payment coming due and one of the regular clients is found dead.....strangled by a cord while waiting in one of the treatment rooms.
Even though her sister is on the police force, Valentine is not going to sit quietly looking pretty waiting for the police to find the killer. Even when she buts heads with the sexy Detective working the case, she will do whatever it takes to solve the murder and get life back into her salon.
Murder, Curlers and Cream is full of interesting people that as you read you will wonder who did it and why ? Sure Portia wasn't a very nice woman but did she deserve to be murdered ? And in Valentine's shop ???
Put your beauty magazine down and pick this book up !! You will want to keep up with Valentine and Detective Romero.......
October 26, 2016
Valentine Beaumont has to contend with the death of a customer at her declining salon business in order to keep the shop going. Her mother’s single minded quest to get her married off, her staff’s quirky demeanors and the hunky new detective keep her in a perpetual upheaval.
Along with the current story you learn that this is not Valentine’s first foray into murder investigating. The story starts off on page one and keeps you guessing right to the end who committed the crime. Splashed among all the serious details of the crime are humorous instances that leave you giggling and wondering how she is going to handle all insanity swirling around her.
I’m looking forward to the next book in the series. Hey, I was disappointed when I got to the end and realized I wanted to know more about her first confrontation with murder and the resolution by a perm rod.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
Along with the current story you learn that this is not Valentine’s first foray into murder investigating. The story starts off on page one and keeps you guessing right to the end who committed the crime. Splashed among all the serious details of the crime are humorous instances that leave you giggling and wondering how she is going to handle all insanity swirling around her.
I’m looking forward to the next book in the series. Hey, I was disappointed when I got to the end and realized I wanted to know more about her first confrontation with murder and the resolution by a perm rod.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
November 8, 2016
This is the first book in a new cozy mystery series, and I am already a big fan! Valentine Beaumont is a character it's easy to like, and to feel empathy for, due to her meddling mother (who is determined to get her married off) and her possibly dying business (complete with quirky employees). When a client is murdered in her salon, things only get worse.
Even though this is the first book in the series, we learn that it is not Valentine's first foray into crime solving--and the portion of the perm rod story we learn is hilarious! I would enjoy learning the whole story of that situation sometime in the future.
The mystery is very well written, and keeps you guessing right to the very end. I can't wait to read more about all these characters.
**I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.**
Even though this is the first book in the series, we learn that it is not Valentine's first foray into crime solving--and the portion of the perm rod story we learn is hilarious! I would enjoy learning the whole story of that situation sometime in the future.
The mystery is very well written, and keeps you guessing right to the very end. I can't wait to read more about all these characters.
**I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.**
June 15, 2017
It was a fun read :)
*Update* Finally the time to write a proper review :)
I really really enjoyed Murder, Curlers and Cream! It's a feel good story!! And I loved all the characters!! ( except Phyllis OMG I would have slapped her on a daily basis - thanks for Max to put her in her place haha ) .
Valentine is super fun - I think I would have done the same! I mean solving murders on your own! So cool! and Romero ;) yeah what a babe he must be!!
I definitely want to see more of those two!!
*Update* Finally the time to write a proper review :)
I really really enjoyed Murder, Curlers and Cream! It's a feel good story!! And I loved all the characters!! ( except Phyllis OMG I would have slapped her on a daily basis - thanks for Max to put her in her place haha ) .
Valentine is super fun - I think I would have done the same! I mean solving murders on your own! So cool! and Romero ;) yeah what a babe he must be!!
I definitely want to see more of those two!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 454 reviews