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Marla Shore, owner of Cut ‘N Dye Salon, helps her ex-husband Stanley Kauffman find out who killed his third (and current) wife Kimberly.  Stan has been charged with the murder but insists he is innocent.  Marla is surprised he would ask her to help him.  He has never believed in her and controlled her when they were married.  One reason Marla agrees to help his is that he is willing to sell his half of their jointly owned property.  Stan has been trying to get Marla to sell him her half because Kimberly wanted a bigger house.  Marla refused to sell and would love to one this property alone – no more interactions with Stan. 

Stan convinces Marla to investigate Kimberly’s family.  Her grandmother Miriam is in need of a fill-in nurse 1 day a week.  Marla interviews and gets the job.  Right from the start it becomes apparent Marla isn’t qualified.  Luckily Miriam likes Marla and keeps her on.  Marla gets information through Miriam and the rest of her family.  Plus she helps Miriam realize she isn’t such an invalid. 

Marla and Dalton, her boyfriend and the case Detective, end up investigating Jeremiah Dooley and what role he played in Kimberly’s life. 

Many funny things happen in this book.  I highly recommend it and the whole series.  I enjoy Marla.  Plus the fact that she is a hairdresser helps her gain information even the police don’t know!

Dawn Dowdle


Hair stylist Marla Shore agrees to help her ex-husband Stan when his third wife is murdered. Finding his wife's body, Stan is a suspect since he has blood on his clothing.

Even though he appears to be innocent, there was conflict in this marriage. The victim, Kimberly, threatened to leave Stan and move along to someone else. Financial arguments were not uncommon.

Against her better judgment, Marla agrees to go undercover as a nurse's aid for Kim's grandmother. Stan thinks that the motive for the murder may lie within Kim's family and he thinks there may be a financial connection. Kim was due to come into inheritance money in a few years.

There are a long list of possibles for Kim's murder: family, friends, neighbors, romantic attachments, jealous wives and people from the school she attended. She did not appear to be too likable even if Stan loved her dearly. Stan's second wife, Leah, blames Kim for wrecking her marriage and exiting the father of her children. Several people have motives because of the person that Kim appeared to be.

Appearances and pretending are exactly what Marla is about to do as she begins employment with Kim's grandmother. There are a complicated group of players that Marla meets. Two of the daughters (one is Kim's mother) are constantly bickering. The son is the official business head but is secretive. The people that help in the home are the cook, nurse and butler.

Even though, Marla has absolutely no skill as a nurse's aid, she brings Miriam Pearl (the grandmother) into a new light. Miriam likes the excitement and attention that Marla brings to the situation. Grandma is my favorite character in the book. I like the change in her - a lady that poetically "sits on the shelf" and then when initiated, she realizes that she has lot of living to do. She became a weak and timid person before and it was fun for me to see the zest return to her life.

Marla also has a love interest in Detective Dalton Vail. A widower with a daughter, Dalton is definitely interested in being more than just friends. When Marla becomes very close to solving this murder, they may need to work together to come out of this alive.

This is the first time I have read this author and look forward to reading more adventures involving Marla Shore.

Rita Ratacheck