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A Bath and Body Mystery #2
A Blush With Death
There's only one #1...
There's a new makeover maven in town, and she spells big trouble for everyone at Venus Envy. Bebe Wilcox has just unveiled her own boutique, and she won't stop until her shop has put everyone else out of business. Nothing is out of bounds, from stealing fragrance recipes to computer hacking and sabotaging supplies. But when one of Bebe's pushy saleswomen ends up dead, the stakes become much more dangerous. Staging a public falling out with her Auntie, Persia gets hired at Bebe's Boutique and begins snooping for evidence of wrongdoing. But can she find the goods before the killer decides to find her?
There's a new makeover maven in town, and she spells big trouble for everyone at Venus Envy. Bebe Wilcox has just unveiled her own boutique, and she won't stop until her shop has put everyone else out of business. Nothing is out of bounds, from stealing fragrance recipes to computer hacking and sabotaging supplies. But when one of Bebe's pushy saleswomen ends up dead, the stakes become much more dangerous. Staging a public falling out with her Auntie, Persia gets hired at Bebe's Boutique and begins snooping for evidence of wrongdoing. But can she find the goods before the killer decides to find her?
274 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 2, 2006
29 people are currently reading
328 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
May 10, 2012
A Blush with Death is the second book in the Bath and Body Mystery series by India Ink. I read the first a long time ago, then found the second and third at a used book store the other day, so now I can move on.
Venus Envy is a bath and body shop in Gull Harbor, WA. Auntie owns the shop and employes her niece Persia Vanderbilt as her custom fragrance blender.
Persia has a sensitive sense of smell that allows her to pick up on subtle undertones in a fragrance. This works well in her Aunt's shop where she custom blends fragrances for her customers. but also for the line of body products, lotions, oils, bath salts and such that they sell at Venus Envy.
Things were going great until Bebe Wilcox moved to town and opened a competing shop. The problem with Bebe is that she doesn't want to play by the rules, she wants to be top dog right now, and the only way to do that is to run Venus Envy out of business, which she works hard at by spreading rumors about the products at Venus Envy, that the are inferior and shoty materials were used to make them, which is not true of the Venus Envy products, but is true of Bebe's products. Then the roses are sabotaged. Auntie and Persia grow their own roses, and in fact went to all the trouble to make sure that they were certified as organic, but the gardner finds pesticide residue on the roses, so he rushes samples to a friend at the University lab and he gets results back quickly and to Auntie and Persia, someone deliberately put a strong pesticide, and a large amount on the roses. In fact so much that all the roses will have to be dug out, and at least three feet of soil under them and all replace, but it will take two to three years before the roses are mature enough to harvest their petals for the Rose Water that is a hugh seller at Venus Envy!
There isn't enough proof to get police chief, Kyle to do anything, so Auntie and Persia take matters into their own hands by staging a public argument and Persia moving out for show, then getting a job at Bebe's to snoop!
This is just an awesome book. There are recipes in the book for a number of the oils that are talked about in the story. It's a well-written book and the characters are real and easy to relate to in some ways, and different than people you might know in your own life, but at the same time you can relate to them. I really enjoyed the book, and the concept of the upscale Bath and Body shop in a small town. It's a fun read.
Venus Envy is a bath and body shop in Gull Harbor, WA. Auntie owns the shop and employes her niece Persia Vanderbilt as her custom fragrance blender.
Persia has a sensitive sense of smell that allows her to pick up on subtle undertones in a fragrance. This works well in her Aunt's shop where she custom blends fragrances for her customers. but also for the line of body products, lotions, oils, bath salts and such that they sell at Venus Envy.
Things were going great until Bebe Wilcox moved to town and opened a competing shop. The problem with Bebe is that she doesn't want to play by the rules, she wants to be top dog right now, and the only way to do that is to run Venus Envy out of business, which she works hard at by spreading rumors about the products at Venus Envy, that the are inferior and shoty materials were used to make them, which is not true of the Venus Envy products, but is true of Bebe's products. Then the roses are sabotaged. Auntie and Persia grow their own roses, and in fact went to all the trouble to make sure that they were certified as organic, but the gardner finds pesticide residue on the roses, so he rushes samples to a friend at the University lab and he gets results back quickly and to Auntie and Persia, someone deliberately put a strong pesticide, and a large amount on the roses. In fact so much that all the roses will have to be dug out, and at least three feet of soil under them and all replace, but it will take two to three years before the roses are mature enough to harvest their petals for the Rose Water that is a hugh seller at Venus Envy!
There isn't enough proof to get police chief, Kyle to do anything, so Auntie and Persia take matters into their own hands by staging a public argument and Persia moving out for show, then getting a job at Bebe's to snoop!
This is just an awesome book. There are recipes in the book for a number of the oils that are talked about in the story. It's a well-written book and the characters are real and easy to relate to in some ways, and different than people you might know in your own life, but at the same time you can relate to them. I really enjoyed the book, and the concept of the upscale Bath and Body shop in a small town. It's a fun read.
November 23, 2020
Not The Fairest
•••NOT for the homophobic, transphobic, closedminded or faint of heart!•••
Persia is doing well at Venus Envy. Too bad Elliot is still around making her miserable. Bran is her fun bed friend and she is coming up with new fragrances all the time. She keeps them in her trusty journal. There is a new cosmetic queen on the scene Bebe... How far Will she go to become number one? Can anyone stand in her way? What does she have in store for Venus Envy?
•••NOT for the homophobic, transphobic, closedminded or faint of heart!•••
Persia is doing well at Venus Envy. Too bad Elliot is still around making her miserable. Bran is her fun bed friend and she is coming up with new fragrances all the time. She keeps them in her trusty journal. There is a new cosmetic queen on the scene Bebe... How far Will she go to become number one? Can anyone stand in her way? What does she have in store for Venus Envy?
August 7, 2023
Persia and Auntie Florence are facing a corporate assault on their store, and things get dicey and tricky
is their customer base as loyal as they think?
lethal competition from a multilevel marketing type competitor is as unsettling as the creepily converted stepford like belles involved
changes are inevitable, but not all changes are fun, healthy or non lethal
intense whodunnit with corporate espionage and small town drama
is their customer base as loyal as they think?
lethal competition from a multilevel marketing type competitor is as unsettling as the creepily converted stepford like belles involved
changes are inevitable, but not all changes are fun, healthy or non lethal
intense whodunnit with corporate espionage and small town drama
September 16, 2020
Think Mary Kay or Avon and you are involved with the beauty business and how it can be cut throat. When the new makeup company came to town everything got nasty. So Persia sets out to see what they were up to.
August 6, 2023
While this is a well written and plotted book, I just don't get the whole cosmetics/beauty industry so the background was a bit distracting. Good characters, would love to see them in a different milieu
May 13, 2022
This was better than book one, you can see Ms. Galenorn coming into her own writing style.
April 11, 2023
Competition is deadly
A new personal products company has moved to Gulls Cove. Someone poisoned the rose bushes and steals Imp's journal. I'll goes undercover to find out whodunit.
A new personal products company has moved to Gulls Cove. Someone poisoned the rose bushes and steals Imp's journal. I'll goes undercover to find out whodunit.
April 1, 2025
I really enjoyed this book.
September 1, 2010
This is the 2nd in the story of Persia Vanderbuilt, now co-owner of Venus Envy, a Bath and Body Boutique. In round 2 of this series, Persia is sent by her Auntie to speak at a local Beauty Convention, where she meets the handsome Killian (owner of Donna Prima Cosmetics)
Persia has a lot on her plate besides a new man. Someone has stolen Persia's recipe book, and the computer has been wiped clean of all its files. Add a dash of a completely destroyed rose crop, mixed in with a dead body, and youve got a recipe for a good who-dun-it murder mystery in the palm of your hands.
I highly enjoyed this book and would reccomend it to others.
Persia has a lot on her plate besides a new man. Someone has stolen Persia's recipe book, and the computer has been wiped clean of all its files. Add a dash of a completely destroyed rose crop, mixed in with a dead body, and youve got a recipe for a good who-dun-it murder mystery in the palm of your hands.
I highly enjoyed this book and would reccomend it to others.
June 19, 2009
Another fun installment in the Bath & Body mystery series. I really like this author's breezy writing style and Persia is a likable character. The only thing I didn't much care for about this book is that it seemed like some of the more minor parts of the mystery were never "officially" solved (i.e. the rose gardens). The author hinted at who was suspected of doing it, but there was never a concrete explanation of whodunnit, when or how. Probably just me being nitpicky because I enjoyed everything else about the book.
October 26, 2020
This is a nice enough read, but I didn't enjoy it as much as the first book.
It took a really long time before the murder happened, and I felt like the story was dragged out too much and that too many extra stuff was added to make it a book. There was a love connection coming totally out of left field as well. It didn't help I thought the guy in question was beige and uninteresting.
All in all not a book I'll reread. I might read the last book in this series to see if it's more like the first book again
It took a really long time before the murder happened, and I felt like the story was dragged out too much and that too many extra stuff was added to make it a book. There was a love connection coming totally out of left field as well. It didn't help I thought the guy in question was beige and uninteresting.
All in all not a book I'll reread. I might read the last book in this series to see if it's more like the first book again
November 4, 2011
The second was just as good as the first. I loved the mystery, and this time I was completely baffled by who the culprit was. Again, Persia is a woman who I would want to be on my best friend's list.
I also really enjoy the tips included within the novel :) It makes the book come to real life a lot more. I'm even going to try a tip or two.
I also really enjoy the tips included within the novel :) It makes the book come to real life a lot more. I'm even going to try a tip or two.
October 29, 2008
I never realized industrial espionage could be like this. Also if you ever get locked in a trunk, while being kidnapped, with no safety latch or access to the backseat - try breaking a taillight. If a broken taillight doesn't catch attention, a hand poking out might.
September 27, 2012
Definitely a fun, quick read. India gives just enough suspects and clues to keep things interesting without confusing the story or giving everything away too soon. The best kind of brain candy!
December 13, 2014
This cozy was particularly strong on plot. The matron in the novel is an extremely well developed character and lends an air to the overall experience that is pleasing. I think I will try another one.
October 22, 2010
I enjoyed this second entry in the series where Persia gets drawn into the world of corporate espionage (although on a small business scale). Looking forward to her next adventure.
February 28, 2010
A little juicier than the first in the series but still a little too tame for my tastes. A nice read if you want an afternoon book to pass time.
November 3, 2012
I was really drawn into this mystery quickly. Can't wait to see what develops in book #3!
August 27, 2010
I think I'm warming up more towards the main character, which is a shame since there's only one book left in the series. It's still very cosmetic centered, but I like the mystery.
July 9, 2010
Not a bad book, but so unmemorable that three days after finishing it I had a hard time remembering any detail.
May 16, 2011
This was probably the weakest in the three book series for me. I am not into undercover story lines, but there were a lot of likeable elements in the book that still made it worthwhile for me.
June 19, 2011
These are a sweet mystery series with a twist of romance. I read all of Ms. Ink's (Galehorn) series.
January 24, 2013
I wish there were more than 3 of these! Love the recipes and little tips included. Borrowed these but will buying them soon.
Read
September 30, 2013What a great mystery. Inida Ink has a nice way of writing. I 'd like to work in her shop.
July 16, 2014
The 2nd of three books at Venus Envy Bath and Body store is an easy read. I'll be sad to read finish this series when I read the next and last book.
December 30, 2014
Light and breezy, with a bird's eye view of others' relationship mores.
March 31, 2016
as previously noted, a good series, likeable characters and fun read.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews