Murder, Curlers, and Cruises

Valentine Beaumont Mysteries #3

by Arlene McFarlane

“Sharp, sexy, and side-splitting. Everything I love in a good mystery!” – Darynda Jones, New York Times/USA Today Bestselling Author of the Charley Davidson Series

“A fun-filled ride. A zany cast of characters. And a quest to find a killer. Another great book in a wonderful series!” – Wendy Byrne, USA Today Bestselling Author of the Izzy Lewis Mysteries

In her third fast-paced mystery, beautician Valentine Beaumont and her madcap crew sail the high seas on a Caribbean “Beauty Cruise.” When a bizarre murder takes place onboard, Valentine finds herself swept into the middle of the investigation.

If things aren’t bad enough, her mother is playing matchmaker, a loved one is kidnapped, drug smuggling is afoot, a hair contest proves disastrous, and a strange alliance between tough Detective Romero and sexy stylist Jock de Marco rubs Valentine the wrong way.

Will this impulsive beauty sleuth comb through the catastrophes and untangle the mystery, or will this voyage turn into another fatal Titanic? With Jock and Romero onboard, it’s destined to be a hot cruise!

The Murder, Curlers Series:
Book 1: Murder, Curlers, and Cream
Book 2: Murder, Curlers, and Canes
Book 3: Murder, Curlers, and Cruises

Genres: Cozy Mystery, Mystery, Romance, Humor

272 pages, Paperback

Published May 31, 2018

Reviews

[PugMom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is this book for real??? I seriously laughed my butt off after reading only a few pages!! Not only does Valetine's saga continue from the previous books (2 hot guys have her attention!!) but this book also contains a well planned murder mystery (and also the mystery of a missing of an annoying old lady...tic tacs anyone??). You'll find yourself laughing even when the murder victim is revealed (oh how sad...LOL...oh wait...am I supposed to be laughing??)! So many twists and turns...and the setting can't be beat (now I really want to go on a cruise but hopefully I can skip the murder)! Get your hands on this book ASAP! Arlene is an author you need to follow!

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Beauty Cruise, murder, kidnapping, mayhem,
drug smuggling, Tic Tacs, a beauty stylist contest,
the landlord, a sword fight, anonymous note, a
Western Hoedown, port stop florists, nail polish
defense, sliding down ship vents plus more
shenanigans, join Valentine Beaumont as she
takes her shop employees and readers on a cruise.
Not only her crew are on this cruise but her parents
and great aunt and the handsome Detective
Romero even comes aboard.
The description is so vivid and realistic the reader
is pulled right into the midst of this creatively,
uniquely well written story.
The supporting characters are all colorful, quirky,
realistic, relatable, well defined, scary plus
dangerous. They all add to the ingredients for an
excellent read.
Intrigue is heightened to mountainous proportions.
Tension, drama, suspense plenty of thrill, chills,
twists, turns, humor with a touch of romance make
this an enjoyable adventure.
This is book # 3 in the Valentine Beaumont Mystery
( The Murder, Curlers series). It can be read as a
stand alone as the author presents the past and
present together effortlessly.
A Highly Recommended Read!!
I volunteered to read Murder, Curlers, and Cruises.
My opinion in my own.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so excited to get back to Valentine and her salon employees! In this book, they go on a cruise (in case the title didn't give it away) and it's a fun, new setting for this mystery. We get to see a bit more of Valentine's mom, and meet some new characters - mostly other hairdressers who are on the cruise for a competition. One of the cruise passengers is murdered and who better to investigate than Valentine? There is plenty of Max and Phyllis in this book to provide comic relief, a steamy love triangle for a spark of romance, and Valentine getting herself into some strange predicaments. I sometimes wonder how she could make so many terrible decisions, but that just seems to be her personality - and a lot of bad luck. There are several strong suspects in this mystery, and I didn't guess the culprit until the very end, which made for an entertaining and engaging read. This is a great series and would appeal to anyone who enjoys mysteries with a bit of romance, humor, and great fashion sense!

I received a copy of this book which I voluntarily read and reviewed. My comments are honest and my own.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just love Valentine and she should know better than to ask what else could go wrong! I’ve only been on one cruise, but I loved it. The characters in this series are a hoot! Max and Phyllis just crack me up. Throw in the passengers on the cruise ship and you’ve got a party! What an interesting bunch of folks. It was definitely not a boring cruise. How about some hot love interest thrown into the mix, just to make things interesting? I can’t wait to see what the next adventure is.
I received an ARC of this book, but my opinion is my own.

[Misty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great mystery for Ms. Beaumont. She, her coworkers, parents and aunt go on a luxurious cruise and stumble on a murder. Plenty of comedy between Max and Phyllis. Plenty of romance between Valentine and Jock and Valentine and Romero. Such great descriptions of the ship that I was wishing I was on a cruise with the gang. Can’t wait for the next installment of this series. I received a copy of this book which I voluntarily read and reviewed. My comments are honest and my own.

[Rosemary · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Valentine and her crew go on a beauty cruise,no one expected the "ugly" outcome. As the contestants gather to compete to see who has the most talent, tempers run high...Valentine has never been a stranger to finding dead bodies around her, but when someone is found dead in the dinner ice sculpture,questions begin to arise....like who would want to kill someone on this beautiful ship and why ? As the hours turn into days,more and more suspects are coming to light. And what couldn't be more distracting than a sexy man??? The author has this sexual tension nailed ! When I read this, I could actually feel the heat building between Jock and Val so much that my kindle got hot !!! And as much as she tries to deny her attraction to Jock, how does Val wake up the next morning "naked" in his bed with him butt naked as well? Then the tension gets worse for poor Val as the hunky detective Romero shows up on board that same morning. Valentine begins to question suspects casually,but when things take a dangerous turn for the worse it becomes personal for her. This is a fun story that will have those laugh out loud moments, make your body tingle, and wonder who the killer really is, all in the same chapter ! Out of the 3 books in the series, I think this might be my favorite. The only question now is....team Jock or team Romero ? You read this, then decide. I certainly would recommend this book to everyone who enjoys a good book

[Lorraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was worth the wait! Salon owner and stylist Valentine Beaumont embarks on a Beauty Cruise, hoping to win a prize in a makeover contest onboard ship. She brings along not only her entire salon crew, but both of her parents and her great-aunt. The other stylists competing for the prize are a mixed bag of characters. When a corpse turns up inside an ice sculpture at a gala dinner, Valentine tries to keep out of the investigation, but when a family member disappears, Valentine jumps into the case with both stilettos. As Valentine snoops around the ship and interviews various suspicious characters, her boyfriend, the sizzling hot Detective Romero, is summoned to the ship to investigate the murder. Romero shows up just in time to catch Valentine in what appears to be a compromising situation with the oh-so-tempting Jock de Marco. Since Valentine is suspicious about Romero’s relationship with his new partner, their encounter is filled with misunderstandings. As usual, Valentine’s investigation lands her in all kinds of hilarious and scary situations, with only her bag of beauty tools to help her. Will Romero turn out to be true to Valentine? Or will Valentine fall for Jock’s sizzling attempts at seduction? Will Valentine solve the kidnapping and track down the killer before the killer finds her first?

[Donna Townsend · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Everywhere you go, disaster follows.” Valentine Beaumont’s main squeeze, Romero, has a point! The salon gang and Val’s family are cruising the Bahamas—what could possibly go wrong?
This addition to the Valentine Beaumont series is a laugh-out-loud hoot! From silly pranks, like Max blaming poor Phyllis for rude comments, to Val’s clumsiness and her life boat fiasco, to the “beauty fight” (think food fight with stylist tools) our favorite salon crew is in fine form! This is not your typical relaxing, fun-filled cruise!
I totally love the cruise setting. But poor Val doesn’t get a whole lot of enjoyment out of it as she dives into the mysterious death of a fellow passenger, the antics of her family and staff and of course, the attentions of Jock and Romero. As usual, she is conflicted over the men; odd as she is so bold in her hunt for bad guys!
Also intriguing to me is the development of Jock’s persona. He is a mystery for sure and has a real future in the series, I’m sure. And I love the silliness Val’s wacko family and staff. This is one solid cast of characters that I so enjoy spending time with. Wonder what they will be up to next?

[Carolyn M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading Murder, Curlers and Cruises. It was a lot of fun! It was no ordinary cruise, not with beautician turned super sleuth Valentine Beaumont on board!
With the tools of her trade, which she never leaves behind, she sets off to solve a murder.
This is the third book in the Murder, Curlers series and I think the best so far.
Recurring characters Max and Phyllis provide comic relief. I loved their quick wit and snappy one liners.
We are introduced to some new characters this time around who make the cruise interesting.
There is enough sexual tension to keep things sizzling and how does Valentine end up in that sexy predicament with hunky Jock? What about gorgeous cop Romero? So many hot choices!! Oh my!
If you like romance and humour mixed with your murder you will enjoy this book. I would suggest you read Ms. Mcfarlane’s other two books in the series.
I received a copy of the Arc for this book and my opinions are my own.

[Tsoleen Sarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm so glad the adventures continue with Valentine! I heard myself laughing out loud as I followed her adventures on the cruise.
Honestly, I also enjoyed relating emotionally to the suspense, sadness, anger fear and embarrassment she felt. I like that she cares for the well-being of others and uses her beauty to support a nursing care facility. It makes her a person I want to be friends with, not just a character in a fun summer vacation book.
It's light and reads quickly. Scenes will make you laugh and cringe at the situations she has gotten herself into. Maybe even put your hands up to your face, and read through your splayed fingers to see how she will get out of a sticky situation! There is warmth and enough depth to make you invested in relating to the characters and their cooky situations.

[Pamela Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This laugh-out-loud series gets better with each book as Valentine and the gang head off on a fun-filled Caribbean "Beauty Cruise" that also includes a good mystery, mayhem, twists and turns. I absolutely love Valentine and her dynamic with the other characters, especially swoon-worthy Detective Michael Romero and sexy stylist Jock de Marco. I was glued to the book from beginning to end and turning the pages faster than ever to see what was going to happen.

Murder, Curlers, and Cruises is a must-read for fans of well-crafted humorous cozy mysteries. I can't wait to see what Ms. McFarlane has in store for Valentine and her madcap crew in book four. I received an advance reader copy of this book from the author and this is my unbiased review. I enjoyed the book so much, I purchased a copy to read again later.

[Kay Hudson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Valentine Beaumont goes to sea in Arlene McFarlane’s Murder, Curlers & Cruises. When she wins passage on a beauty cruise for her salon, she sets out with Max, Jock, and Phyllis, all of them competing in an onboard makeover contest (with Valentine’s family tagging along). When one of the contestants turns up dead in an ice sculpture and Valentine’s great aunt goes missing, Valentine’s sleuthing skills rise to the occasion, along with a bottle of nail polish remover and a very sturdy nail file. To add to Valentine’s dismay, she’s pretty sure something’s going on with Romero and a cop named Belinda, and who’s leaving that trail of Tic Tacs around the ship? And just how did Valentine’s stilettos end up on that ceiling fan? Another fun adventure, number three in the Murder & Curlers series.

[Jamie Bee · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is my first time reading a book by this author, and I'm not sure if I would give another one a try. I was turned off immediately by a pretty serious info dump right the start of the book. That seems to be a significant failing in many first-person novels and novellas, though authors commit the same crime in stories told in the third person. Much has been ballyhooed in other reviews about the humor in this series and this book in particular. To me, I felt like the author was trying too hard to be funny, which made it unfunny for me.

I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.

Read my other reviews at https://www.readingfanaticreviews.com.

[Barbara Hockman · Rating 5 out of 5]

What could be more fun than a free cruise for Valentine and her employees with the chance to win the prize money and make good on Valentine's donation promise. Toss into the mix a few close family members, a couple of love interests, a disappearance, a murder, a drug ring, and a mishmash of unsavory characters and pandemonium tends to rule the day. Leave it to Valentine to sort everything out in her own unforgettable style. And just maybe she was able to sort out her feelings for Jock and Romero.

What a fun read! Looking forward to the next in the series.

[Julia David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Val and the gang are back in a new, fun adventure. They are taking a beauty cruise with a chance to win $5,000. Val's parents and her great aunt tag along too. While on the cruise, there is a murder and Val's great aunt disappears. When she could be having fun, Val is looking for a killer, looking for her aunt and bailing Max out of jail. Romero shows up on the ship just after she woke up in bed with Jock. Fun times for all.

[Lucrecia Tolbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I found the situations that Valentine found herself in are hilarious. How does she get into these situations? This book was not only funny, but intriguing as it dared me to continue reading. All of the characters have their own interesting personalities that make the story even more stimulating.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Cmills2]

Starting from right where she left us, Valentine takes us on another fast-paced, thoroughly enjoyable ride of murder, mayhem and laughs! The 3rd in a series by Arlene McFarlane was a fun & delightful read, with the perfect amount of romance, suspense and mystery.

(I was fortunate enough to obtain and voluntarily read an advanced copy of this book.)

[Peggy Clayton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just love this fun book and how Arlene writes the main character in the book. Valentine is the one who owns the beauty shop and she always is sleuthing , What a better sleuth then her and she has such spunk and sass it is perfect. Arlene hit the ball down the rt sideline and it went into the corner and they are still looking for the ball.

[Donna Fohkens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not being a romance novel lover I was pleasantly surprised with the romance content of this novel. Sleuth Valentine was back at another murder scene with her witty hairstyling coworkers. The splashes of humour in this book are highly entertaining and the mystery content is top notch!

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Only beautician Valentine Beaumont would find herself on an all-expense paid beauty cruise with her crew and extras. Those extras being her matchmaker mother, go with the flow dad, lovable great aunt, and surprise guest her landlord. But she is going to make the best of things and plans on winning the hair contest and donating the winnings to the new hospital children’s ward. But things don’t go as planned when a contestant is murdered, someone she loves disappears, there are drug smugglers on board, and her boyfriend Detective Romero and sexy stylist Jock seem to be working together.

This is the third book in the series, but I didn’t know that when I got the book. It wasn’t hard for me to get to know the characters and their dynamics, so this could be read as a stand-alone. While Valentine is the main character (and a lovable one at that) the person to steal the show is her great aunt. The woman is hilarious and kept me in stitches. This book is filled with lots of funny moments, madcap adventure, a bit of romance, and of course a murder mystery that will keep you guessing as to whodunit until the end.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Valentine and the gang get to sail the high seas when she wins a six-night Caribbean “Beauty Cruise” for four for the salon. If she were to be the winner of the contest, she planned on donating her winnings to the new children’s wing at Rueland Memorial. Along this cruise, one of the contestants turns up dead in an ice sculpture and Valentine’s great aunt goes missing, Valentine’s sleuthing skills rise to the occasion trying to not only solve the murder but also find Tantig. Of course, Jock is up to his old tricks and the sexual connotations continue to grow. Then who appears but Romeo to investigate the murder. The shenanigans continue between Max and Phyllis, her mother continues matchmaking and her beauty bag helping her along the way. What is Jock up t, why was she in Jock’s bed and why is she thinking Romeo is cheating on her? You’ll need to read the book to find out. It was a hilarious story that was hard to put down. The whole series is entertaining, adventurous and laugh out loud fun.

[Celia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder, Curlers, and Cruises is such a great and fun read. I found myself smiling and laughing out loud at Valentine's antics and mishaps aboard the rollicking Beauty Cruise. Throw in her parents, Great Aunt Tantig, Max, Phyllis, Kashi, Clive, the smoldering Jock de Marco and Detective Romero, as well as a chilling murder, and you've got a book you can't put down because you're having too much fun reading it. Valentine is a wonderful character who lets her heart lead her, and her intentions are always good. She will do anything for her friends and family and that's what I love about her.

So grab your beauty bag full of useful tools just in case you find yourself investigating a murder and potential drug ring, and hop on the ship with Valentine and crew. You'll be glad you did!

I received a copy of this book from the author. All thoughts and opinions are solely my own.

[Angel Ballard · Rating 1 out of 5]

Absolutely terrible book, gave me a headache. This book is written with the premise of the old days of slapstick comedy. You can almost hear the vaudeville theatre sound effects as the main character speaks loudly so the audience in the back can hear her voice. I really struggled reading this book and that has only happened one other time. That book never got read, I binned it. It took me 2 whole weeks to read this one - it normally would have taken just 2 or 3 days - but I persevered hoping it would get better. It never did, so I binned this one too. It's very rare that I come across a book that I absolutely hate, but this was one. It felt like a lunatic woman was screeching in my face and poorly behaved children were banging pots and pans. Never again.

[Natb123 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favourite of the 3 books in the series. What could be better than escapism at sea! I found myself craving deck chairs and midnight buffet. It’s incredible how many predicaments Valentine finds herself in and uses her ingenuity to get herself out of. What’s really endearing is that Valentine is just a quirky, lovable, character with a big heart who is so relatable because she’s not super-woman, but rather like the real people you know, with the hopes, self-doubts and emotions we all share. You just want to give her a hug and tell her to believe in herself more. With all the crazy situations and a mystery to solve, Murder, Curlers and Cruises is a fun and page-turning read. See if you agree with me that Valentine “chooses well” in the end.

[Jodi Sweet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Valentine won 4 tickets for a beauty consultants cruise. She takes her staff, Max, Phyllis and sexy, Jock. Things are going along normally until someone winds up dead and someone else ends up missing. Whether Valentine wants to get involved or not, she does! It only gets crazy and actually crazy funny from there. I laughed so hard at some of the things that were said or thought that I cried! This is a winning story!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Karen Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of fun!

This was one of those books I got for free on Amazon and really didn't know what to expect. I took it because I love cruises but I ended up really enjoying it. It is well written, funny, and the characters are colorful and full of life. I am going to look for the other titles in this series too.

[Heather W · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was just so much fun to read. I love the author's writing style. The characters are fabulously wacky and the cruise ship would be a great place to be, minus the murder of course. Even the romance is a mystery since there are two men in line.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Bev · Rating 4 out of 5]

Valentine and the crew are on a beauty cruise to the Caribbean. There are many things that happen while sailing the sea, and some of them don't please Valentine at all when it involves Romero and Jock. This is a very funny story that I enjoyed very much. Also, the first one I have read by this author. I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book from Booksprout.

[Pat Eroh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a fun read that had me laughing throughout much of the book. I loved this cozy with awesome characters and a great story that kept me turning the pages. This series is a winner and this book is one of the best.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Monica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deadly Icecapades and Shady Stylists

I enjoyed this installment in the series, but did feel the tension starting to stall out with the repetitive banter concerning Tantig. Otherwise, it's still a cute cozy mystery with the added interest of the love triangle laced with humor.