Dreidels and Dead Ends (Bad Hair Day Mysteries) by Nancy J. Cohen
About Dreidels and Dead
Ends
Dreidels
and Dead Ends (Bad Hair Day Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
19th in Series
Setting - Florida
Publisher : Orange Grove Press
Publication date : June 23, 2026
Print length : 246 pages
Paperback
ISBN-10 : 1952886392
ISBN-13 : 978-1952886393
Kindle
ISBN-13 : 978-1952886409
ASIN : B0GWQMWF7Y
A daring holiday heist at the local history museum sends hairstylist Marla Vail on her most tangled case yet.
When salon owner Marla Vail agrees to speak at the local history museum’s gala opening for a new exhibit, she expects applause—not a catastrophe. But shortly after she takes the stage, a thief steals the featured diamond-studded hairbrush, leaving behind an empty display case and a badly injured security guard.
Marla’s friend, museum curator Becky Forest, begs for her help in recovering the prized heirloom before the mayor uses this scandal as an excuse to cut their funding. To make matters worse, the antique hairbrush comes with a curse, and suddenly bad luck is spreading through town faster than a botched dye job. As Hanukkah festivities begin, Marla would rather be lighting candles than chasing clues, but with Becky’s job at stake, she takes on the case.
Her trail leads to a knot of suspects including the hairbrush’s owner, his greedy cousin, shifty museum staff, and a reclusive collector of mystical antiquities. Instead of enjoying menorah lights and latkes, Marla discovers murder, lies, and larceny. She’ll need sharp wits and a holiday miracle to save the museum and to keep the truth from being brushed aside.
About Nancy J. Cohen
Nancy J. Cohen writes the Bad Hair Day Mysteries featuring South Florida hairstylist Marla Vail. Titles in this series have been named Best Cozy Mystery by Suspense Magazine, won the Readers’ Favorite Book Awards and the RONE Award, placed first in the Chanticleer International Book Awards and third in the Arizona Literary Awards. Her nonfiction titles, Writing the Cozy Mystery and A Bad Hair Day Cookbook, have won the FAPA President’s Book Award, the Royal Palm Literary Award, and IAN Book of the Year. When not busy writing, Nancy enjoys reading, fine dining, cruising, and visiting Disney World.
INTERVIEW:
Cohen 1. When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
I always enjoyed writing stories from when I was young. My first attempt at a novel happened when I was in grad school for nursing. I bought a book called “Structuring Your Novel” that taught me the steps to write a full-length work of fiction. I collected a few rejections before joining Florida Romance Writers, and that’s when my career took off. I joined a critique group, met an agent at my first conference, and immersed myself in the writing community. At that point, I was writing romance, and I credit FRW with helping me to get published.
2. How long does it take you to write a book?
When I stick to a schedule, it can take me six months, not counting the planning process or revisions. I used to write five pages a day. Now I’m not so strict.
3. What is your work schedule like when you're writing?
I wake up at 4am and go straight to the computer with a cup of coffee. I’ll work for three hours and usually can get the bulk of my writing done then. Later in the day, I’ll focus on marketing and other tasks.
4. What would you say is your interesting writing quirk? I’m most creative before dawn touches the horizon.5. How do books get published?
Today, writers have many choices on the path to
publication. When I started my professional career, my
books were traditionally published by Dorchester,
Kensington, Wild Rose Press, and Five Star. Then I
decided to go indie and have been on this track ever
since.
My last seven books, plus my nonfiction titles, were indie
published. I like having control of my pricing, book covers,
release dates, etc. And I work with a team that includes a
professional formatter, cover designer, and freelance
editor. This ensures consistency and professionalism,
which are important for all indie authors. We want to
produce the best book we can put out there.
6. Where do you get your information or ideas for your
books?
Many of my stories evolve naturally from my series
characters and where they are in life. Other ideas come
from personal experiences or a topic that snags my
interest. If I get stumped, I can brainstorm with my author
friends, but usually I have more ideas than I have time to
write them.
7. When did you write your first book and how old were
you?
My first book was published in 1994. This was the seventh
novel I’d written. Circle of Light was a science fiction
romance and won the HOLT Medallion Award. It startedas a dream that was so exciting, I had to finish the story
when I woke up.
Attorney Sarina Bretton dealt in facts, not fantasy. So
when she’s whisked away in a spaceship to marry an alien
noble, she is at first stunned. But her destiny is to become
the Great Healer and save the galaxy from a devastating
plague. Can she deny her attraction to the dashing captain
who kidnapped her and fulfill her fate?
8. What do you like to do when you're not writing?
I love to read, try new recipes, go out to eat, see friends,
take walks, visit Disney World and sail away on Caribbean
cruises.
9. What does your family think of your writing?
They are proud of me but they’re not big readers. I hope
one day they’ll be inspired to read my books.
10. What was one of the most surprising things you
learned in creating your books?
The hardest part of this career is marketing. I have plenty
of ideas for stories but not enough time to write them all.
And marketing saps your creative energy. When I began
writing with a publisher, I had their support for some of my
marketing efforts. Now book promotion is all on my
shoulders. I have to remember why I love writing and try to
focus on the story magic.11. How many books have you written? Which is
your favorite?
I’ve written over thirty published works. These include
eight sci-fi/fantasy romances. At some point, I switched to
writing cozy mysteries. There are nineteen novels in my
Bad Hair Day series featuring South Florida hairstylist and
salon owner Marla Vail. The most recent title is Dreidels
and Dead Ends, a holiday cozy mystery. This series also
includes a short story, novella and A Bad Hair Day
Cookbook.
I’ve also published Murder Pays a Call, the first book in
the Keri Armstrong series. And let’s not forget my Agatha
Award-nominated nonfiction title, Writing the Cozy
Mystery, which is my reference guide for mystery writers.
12. Do you have any suggestions to help me become
a better writer? If so, what are they?
Have faith in yourself and be persistent. Connect with
other writers and join professional organizations to get
hooked into the writing community. That’s where you’ll
learn the most about the business of writing.
Make sure your story is well polished before you send it
off, and if you are indie publishing, hire a freelance editor
who specializes in your genre. Otherwise, keep learning
and attending writing workshops.
13. Do you hear from your readers much? What
kinds of things do they say?I love to hear from readers and have bins full of fan letters
from when people actually wrote by hand, as well as
printouts from memorable emails. It’s highly gratifying
when my books help someone through a difficult time or
just provide hours of pleasant escape.
14. Do you like to create books for adults?
Yes, my books are written for adults, although the cozy
mysteries are “clean” stories that can be read by anyone.
15. What do you think makes a good story?
Memorable characters, an immersive setting, a fast-paced
plot with twists and turns, and something new to learn. I
always enjoy adding snippets of information in my stories
on topics that interest me. In Dreidels and Dead Ends, for
example, I learned the difference between antiques and
antiquities, while in Murder Pays a Call I learned about the
silver restoration process for tea sets and trays. Pursuing
a new topic keeps things fresh for me.
16. As a child, what did you want to do when you
grew up?
I wanted to write but I also had a burning desire to be a
nurse. I volunteered at a local hospital and worked as a
nurse’s aide one summer. This led me to my nursing
career and a master’s degree in nursing.
While I was in grad school, I decided to pursue my other
interest and write my first novel. So while I worked as aregistered nurse, I was also a budding writer learning about the craft and attempting my first work of fiction.
17. What would you like my readers to know?
Thanks so much for stopping by! If you’d like to sample my writing, I offer a free short story on my website on the newsletter page. I hope you’ll connect with me on my various sites and sign up for my reader list to get updates on my book news, events and giveaways. I love to hear from readers and hope you’ve enjoyed this interview.
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