My name is Colleen Caruso and I swear, I just wanted my hair straightened on that early, humid September morning when I went to the best hairdresser in Tranquil Harbor, New Jersey. I’m a stringer for the local newspaper, the Town Crier, and except for a few freelance assignments I had been procrastinating about, getting straight hair would have been the highlight of my day. My sister Kate was treating me and I wasn’t going to pass that up. We went to Dizzie’s Salon before the shop was open for business. Dizzie had promised she’d work on me personally, so there was no chance a less experienced stylist would ruin my abundant locks. Imagine our surprise when we walked in and found Dizzie submerged in a shampoo sink filled to the top with water. I hauled Dizzie Oliver out and got her down on the floor. I even tried mouth-to-mouth, though I’m not sure I did it right. For all I knew, I could have been blowing up her water-filled lungs like they were a couple of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day balloons.
My feeble attempts at resuscitation were no help at all. Dizzie Oliver was dead. What else would she be? This is an ordinary day in my life after all, and I seem to attract dead bodies like honey attracts flies. To prove my point, I spotted a body in a field from an airplane while covering flying lessons for an advertorial a week later. The following day my charming daughter started a pool up at the high school to see how many more stiffs I could uncover before the end of the year!
I have a regular crime column and my boss, Ken Rhodes, is eager to publish the details of these deaths from my perspective and to somehow connect them. As a matter of fact, he’s kind of eager about a few other things, too. As a newly divorced mother of two, I don’t know what to do about that. Actually, I know exactly what to do, but I have this domineering mom with a very rigid concept of how a good mommy should and shouldn’t behave. The woman is such a killjoy!
My best friend, Bevin Thompson, is my most trusted advisor. She’s so much fun and, sincerely, how many of your friends would go with you to a deserted airport in the middle of the night during a thunderstorm just to look for clues? Oh, and regardless of what you may have heard, the police were nothing but nice concerning our presence there. Of course, they weren’t quite as understanding a few nights later when they nabbed me for breaking into Dizzie Oliver’s house. But, really, I had to check something out and it was the only way I could get the information I needed. Boy, was Dizzie’s poor, widowed husband furious! With that kind of temper, it makes me wonder about poor Dizzie . . .
You can read more about Colleen in Hide Nor Hair, the second book in the “Jersey Girl” mystery series, published by Cup of Tea books, an imprint of PageSpring Publishing. The first book in the series is New Math Is Murder.
About Hide nor Hair
Newspaper reporter Colleen Caruso just wants her unruly curls tamed into smooth, sleek locks. Instead, she finds her stylist dead, facedown in a shampoo sink. Faster than you can say Aqua Net, Colleen starts investigating. The case gets even hairier when the owner of a local fitness studio seems to have jumped from a plane … without a parachute.
Meanwhile, her suave editor, Ken Rhodes, steps in to help. And he may be looking for more than just a good story from Colleen.
Add in a missing bracelet, some suspicious husbands, and a little breaking and entering—and this Jersey girl is heading for a real blowout!
Can Colleen tie up these split ends? Or does she have an appointment with disaster?
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GIVEAWAY: Leave a comment by 12 a.m. eastern on July 31 for the chance to win a print copy of Hide Nor Hair. The giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. Winner will be notified within 48 hours after giveaway closes and you will have three days to respond after being contacted or another winner will be selected.
About the author
Jo-Ann Lamon Reccoppa lives in Old Bridge, New Jersey, and draws on her experience as a freelance correspondent to create oddball characters and unusual scenarios. In addition to hundreds of published articles, her short fiction has appeared in various magazines and anthologies. She is a member of Sisters in Crime and Sisters in Crime Central Jersey. Hide nor Hair is the second book in her Jersey Girl Cozy Mystery series. The first book in the series, New Math is Murder, was released in January, 2014. She is busy working on the third in the series, Food for Thought. Visit Jo-Ann’s blog at joannlamonreccoppa.com
Somehow I missed the first book in this series-which I will have to rectify! These sound like fun to read, and I appreciate Dru and Jo-Ann having the contest to win a copy! I am going to start on the first book right away. 🙂
Good morning, Barbara! Isn’t Dru the best for doing this? Best of luck in the giveaway.
thanks guys
Another new author discovered. The book sound terrific.
Really hope you like it. Good luck with the giveaway, Barbara!
Thanks for sharing a new author with me! Sounds great!
Three Barbara’s in a row! That must mean something great. Good luck with the giveaway.
Jo-Ann Lamon Reccoppa is a new author for me, and I am looking forward to checking out her books. Thank you for the giveaway.
Thanks Jen! Hope you enjoy the books.
A new author for me also. Thanks for the giveaway, it sounds like a great read!
It’s certainly a fun read, Judy. Thanks so much for your interest.
A new author for me also .This looks like a riot.
Typical Central Jersey, Nancy! It’s all a riot here. Good luck with the giveaway.
Sounds like an interesting read, thanks for the chance to win.
My fingers are crossed for you, Doward!
Since I live in New Jersey and see that this author is also from good old New Jersey, I have got to read this new book! I have never read anything by this author before, but am really looking forward to her book! I love reading books by new authors to me! Thanks so much dearest Dru again for the chance to win! God bless!!!
We get up early here in New Jersey, don’t we? And isn’t Dru amazing coordinating all these posts each and every day? You gotta love her! Good luck with the giveaway, Beverly!
Thank you again and it the authors and their willingness to do a guest post that makes this a wonderful opportunity to expose readers to their work.
Looks like a fun read, thanks for the chance to win it 🙂
Best of luck with the giveaway, Lisa.
Made me laugh. Great opening line …
And it’s humid here this morning, Jack! My hair is going Brillo as I type!
The book sounds great! Thanks for the giveaway!
My fingers and toes (ouch!) are crossed for you, Donna!
Another new author for me and this book sounds great!! Thank you for the chance to win a copy of “Hide Nor Hair.” 🙂
Best of luck with the giveaway, Peggy!
I want it!
And I hope you get it, Amy! You’ll love it!
I feel like I’ve been in a cave lately with all the new authors I am finding through your blog. Thanks for the introduction. robeader53@yahoo.com
We writers are like roaches, Robin! We’re practically crawling out of the woodwork. Thanks to Dru, both readers and authors get to see what’s out there. I follow this site too and am amazed with all the talented writers and the must-read titles. What fun!
Good luck with the giveaway.
These sound like a fun read! As a Jersey girl myself, I can say it’s great to read about hometown protagonist!
Admit it, Kait, there’s a little bit of Colleen in every girl from Jersey! Stay cool and good luck with the giveaway.
Sounds like a fun and quirky kind of read.
My fingers are crossed for your giveaway chances, Kicha! BTW — I LOVE Creedence!
Sounds like a fun book.
It’s a good time, Annette. Best of luck with the giveaway.
Hey Dru, I’m interested, I think this would be a real fun read for myself and my partner. So enter me in the contest please.
Best of luck with the giveaway, Nora! It is a fun read.
Would love to win, sounds like a cute cozy, ty for the chance
My fingers are crossed for you, Betty.
Sounds like a fun series. Thanks for a chance to try it out.
They are fun books and I enjoy writing them. Good luck with the giveaway, Elaine.
Sounds like a fun read.
Thanks, Rita. Good luck with the giveaway!
I’ve read both books (e-copies) and enjoyed them! So much fun! I would love to win a print copy of Hide Nor Hair. I hope Book 3 is in the works. Thanks for the chance to win.
Thanks for the great feedback, Linda! So glad you enjoyed them. Book 3 is in the works, and poor, hunky Ken Rhodes gets himself . . . well, I guess I shouldn’t give too much away.
Best of luck with the giveaway!
I would be “tickled pink” if you should pick me to win a copy of Hide nor Hair!!!!! Pleeeeez!!!
Tickled pink — just like the cover! I’m hoping for you, Connie.
Captivating and intriguing. Thanks for this giveaway.
There’s no such thing as too many dead bodies, Anne! Good luck with the giveaway.
Sounds like a fun read!
Thanks Cheryl. It was a fun write, too
What a fun series. Congrats on the new one.
Thanks Kari! And there’s another in the works.
My grandmother used to say “you have to suffer if you want to look good.” Great, huh?
Well, going to get your hair done and finding the stylist dead sounds like suffering to me!
My mom always said that, too. She also used to say don’t go outside without lipstick! They were incredible with their perfect hair and lips.
Looking forward to reading this book.
Thanks, Barbara. Good luck with the giveaway.
Great sounding read. I’m going to add this series to my TBR list for sure. In the meantime thanks for the chance to win a copy.
That’s very kind, Carving Lady. My fingers are crossed for you!
Jersey girls are always good in a mystery. Thanks for the contest.
suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com
That’s because we’re always causing trouble, Suekey. Good luck with the giveaway.
Sounds likes a fun character who gets in her fair share of trouble. Thanks for the giveaway.
She’s a scream, which is normal here in Central Jersey. Best of luck with the giveaway.
This character sounds like a great one to get to know. I had not heard of this series before this but I definitely would like to get book 1 and get up to date for Hide Nor Hair to be read. Thank you for the chance to win this book.
Cynthia
Thanks for the kind words, Cynthia. Colleen is a great character to get to know. She’s fun, sometimes very bright, and often times not so much — which gets her into trouble. Good luck with the giveaway.
Sounds like a fun read. I enjoy free print books. They help me ‘keep a hand in’.
Best of luck with the giveaway, CJ!
This is a new to me author and it sounds like a terrific book.
Thanks so much, Nancy! I wish you luck with the giveaway.
I missed the first book in the series, sounds like a very fun read
Both books capture the mindset of deranged Jersey women, Kaye. It’s our natural state of mind! Good luck with the giveaway.
Okay!!…this sounds fun and fabulous…and I love the opening. Please enter me.
Marilyn ewatvess@yahoo.com
We all have these ridiculous hair issues, Marilyn! What is it about hair that can make or break our day? Best of luck with the giveaway!
I got so excited I just downloaded the first book. I’d love to win a print copy to share with the library where I work. Crossing my fingers & hoping. Thanks for the chance in the giveaway.
Thanks so much, KT! New Math was lots of fun and Colleen spent the whole book living on shaky ground. That ground is steadier in Hide nor Hair, and Colleen’s confidence finally emerges — a must for a newly-single mom! Best of luck with the giveaway!
thank you for the introduction………
this is a new-to-me author/series……..
thank you for the giveaway……
My fingers are crossed for you CYN!
This is a new author for me. I’m very intrigued. This sounds like a really fun book. Can’t wait to read it. Thankyou for sharing with us and the great giveaway!
It’s light reading, Jill. Nothing heavy. Murder should be at least a little bit fun! Can’t wait for you to read it. Good luck with the giveaway.
Hide nor Hair sounds like a perfect blend of mystery, humor and conflict. Just the kind of cozy I like. I will adding this to my TBR page!
Both Hide nor Hair and New Math is Murder are perfect summer reads, Kathleen. Not too heavy, not too serious — real escape reading. I hope you enjoy the series and best of luck in the giveaway.
Sounds like fun!
The characters are little crazy, Sharon. Crazy is fun, right? My fingers are crossed for you in the giveaway.
A crime reporter is a perfect character to discover dead bodies. This series should have a very long life! I’m in. Judy D.
Thanks so much. From your lips to God’s ear, Judy! I hope so too. Best of luck in the giveaway.
I loved the ‘voice’ of Colleen, this should be great book. Colleen sounds like a lot of fun.
Colleen is a typical Jersey mom — big mouth, jumpy, always right (aren’t mom’s always right everywhere though?) and I love her. Good luck with the giveaway, Jenne.
My thanks to Dru for allowing me guest post! Interaction with the readers on Dru’s Book Musings has been so much fun and I enjoyed each and every comment.
Thanks Jo-Ann for commenting and interacting with my readers.
Contest is closed.