Where to Start with Marla Shore
If you are looking to dive into Marla's world, the best place to begin is at the very beginning with Permed to Death (1999). While Nancy J. Cohen writes each book so that the mystery can stand alone, reading them in order is highly recommended. The series features a strong overarching character arc as Marla manages her beauty salon, navigates a slow-burn romance and eventual marriage with Detective Dalton Vail, and builds relationships with her family and community.
Bad Hair Day Mystery Reading Order
Here is the complete recommended reading order for the Bad Hair Day series, integrating the main novels, festive novellas, short stories, and the official companion cookbook:
- Permed to Death (1999) – Marla's first case starts when a client dies right in her shampoo chair.
- Hair Raiser (2000) – Sabotage at a coastal fundraiser forces Marla to investigate Ocean Guard's board members.
- Murder by Manicure (2001) – A whirlpool death at a fitness club leads Marla into a nail-biting investigation.
- Body Wave (2002) – Marla handles a mystery involving a health spa and a shady developer.
- Highlights to Heaven (2003) – A client’s disappearance leads Marla to investigate a local beauty school.
- Died Blonde (2004) – A body is found in a trunk, embroiling Marla in a wealthy family's secrets.
- Dead Roots (2005) – A family reunion turns deadly at a dude ranch in Florida.
- Perish by Pedicure (2006) – The salon Expo becomes a crime scene when a cosmetic sales rep is murdered.
- Killer Knots (2007) – A wedding planner's death puts Marla's styling skills and investigative instincts to the test.
- Shear Murder (2012) – Marla steps in to solve a murder during a bridal show event.
- Hanging by a Hair (2014) – A neighborhood dispute turns fatal, prompting Marla to clear a friend's name.
- Peril by Ponytail (2015) – A wilderness lodge setting hosts a new set of deadly secrets for Marla and Dalton.
- Haunted Hair Nights (2016) – A Halloween novella where Marla investigates a murder at a school haunted house.
- Facials Can Be Fatal (2017) – The murder of a cosmetic chemist threatens Marla's beauty salon's reputation.
- Hair Brained (2017) – A mystery involving a local community theater and a missing actress.
- Hairball Hijinks (2018) – A fun short story centering on a neighbor's disputes and a cat crook.
- Trimmed to Death (2018) – A competition at a hair show turns deadly.
- A Bad Hair Day Cookbook (2019) – A companion cookbook featuring recipes, mystery-writing tips, and short anecdotes.
- Easter Hair Hunt (2020) – A holiday novella involving a body found in an Easter Bunny costume.
- Styled for Murder (2021) – Marla investigates a death during a local historic home tour.
- Star Tangled Murder (2023) – A 4th of July celebration is disrupted by a murder at a historic fort.
- Dreidels and Dead Ends (2026) – The latest holiday-themed entry finds Marla investigating during Hanukkah.
Subseries, Cookbooks, and Spin-offs
While Nancy J. Cohen has written another cozy mystery series, the Keri Armstrong Mysteries (featuring a personal concierge), they are independent of the Bad Hair Day universe. There are no direct character crossovers or spin-offs, though alert readers can spot a subtle easter egg shoutout to Marla Shore in Keri's books. The series is entirely self-contained, written single-handedly by Nancy J. Cohen without co-authors.