“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 MysteriesIn her third fast-paced mystery, beautician … 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
Arlene McFarlane is the author of the Murder, Curlers series. Previously an aesthetician, hairstylist, and owner of a full-service salon, Arlene now writes full time. When she’s not making up stories or being a wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, cat-mom, or makeover artist, you’ll find her making music on the piano.
Arlene is a member of Romance Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, Toronto Romance Writers, SOWG, and the Golden Network. She’s won and placed in over 30 contests, including twice in the Golden Heart and twice in the Daphne du Maurier.
Arlene lives with her family in Canada.
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Worth reading for the witty comeback responses of Max!
I enjoyed it’s humor and characters so much I purchased all of them
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.
Beautician Valentine Beaumont, her parents and her zany crew are sailing on a beauty themed Caribbean cruise. Sounds perfect but when a particularly odd murder takes place on board of the ship, Valentine can’t help herself. She gets into the action. But things are never quite that simple, her mother is matchmaking again, someone is kidnapped, possible drug running organization, jewellery theft, the hair dressing contest is a disaster and what’s up between Jock and Romeo?
This is a fun romp of a cozy mystery filled zany characters. The characters are well defined, definitely hold your attention, are hilarious at times and are filled with spunk. The storyline is easy to read but definitely complex as Valentine deals with one catastrophe after another and all the normal types of obstacles found in a cozy mystery. The romantic elements are in play has well. The fantastic narrative and witty and hilarious dialogue elevate this cozy mystery above others. What an adventure, what a story! I am going to read the first two in the series now.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
this is a really fun book to read!
Hilariously written dialog with non-stop action too. This is the cat’s pajamas. You’ll laugh yourself silly and enjoy every word.
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.