In Cohen’s laid-back ninth mystery (after Perish by Pedicure
), hairdresser and sleuth Marla Shore takes a cruise with her fiancé, police detective Dalton Vail, and his parents and teenage daughter. Shortly after boarding, Marla receives a threatening note addressed to “Martha Shore.” At dinner, she and Dalton find themselves seated with a tense group of museum employees, all of whom were sent on the cruise by an anonymous benefactor and received similar notes. When a piece to be sold at the cruise’s auction turns out to be the work of an artist who died under unusual circumstances, Marla decides to do a bit of digging. Her detecting is complemented by a more personal subplot: how she will get along with her soon-to-be in-laws. Fans of vacation mysteries will enjoy watching Marla find her way through this light whodunit. (Dec.)
