Dreidels and Dead Ends (Bad Hair Day Book # 19) by Nancy J. Cohen

 A daring holiday heist at the local history museum sends hairstylist Marla Vail on her most tangled case yet.

When salon owner Marla Vail agrees to speak at the local history museum’s gala opening for a new exhibit, she expects applause—not a catastrophe. But shortly after she takes the stage, a thief steals the featured diamond-studded hairbrush, leaving behind an empty display case and a badly injured security guard.

Marla’s friend, museum curator Becky Forest, begs for her help in recovering the prized heirloom before the mayor uses this scandal as an excuse to cut their funding. To make matters worse, the antique hairbrush comes with a curse, and suddenly bad luck is spreading through town faster than a botched dye job. As Hanukkah festivities begin, Marla would rather be lighting candles than chasing clues, but with Becky’s job at stake, she takes on the case.

Her trail leads to a knot of suspects including the hairbrush’s owner, his greedy cousin, shifty museum staff, and a reclusive collector of mystical antiquities. Instead of enjoying menorah lights and latkes, Marla discovers murder, lies, and larceny. She’ll need sharp wits and a holiday miracle to save the museum and to keep the truth from being brushed aside.  (Summary via Goodreads)

Dreidels and Dead Ends is the nineteenth book in Nancy J. Cohen's Bad Hair Day Mystery series and even though I haven't read all of the books in the series, the ones I have read, I love !!

In Dreidels and Dead Ends main character Marla is getting ready for the holidays, Christmas and Hanukkah, as her husband Dalton's family celebrates Christmas and her family celebrates Hanukkah.  It is very important that they celebrate both for themselves and their son, Ryder, and they will continue when they have their daughter which will be in a few months.

Even though Marla is extremely busy at home getting ready for the holidays and at her saloon, she cannot help but agree to help her friend Becky who works at the local history museum.  They are getting ready for a new exhibit featuring beauty tools but their keynote speaker ha an accident and won't be able to give a speech introducing the exhibit.  Even though the exhibit is going to be showcasing a hairbrush from the 1800's which is said to have a curse on it, she agrees to do it.

Sadly, right after Marla gives her speech, there is an accident that injures a guard on duty and the hairbrush is stolen.  Becky asks Marla and Dalton if they will do their own investigating even though the police are doing it.  She wants to be thorough and knows they have been successful in the past solving cases.

It doesn't take long before Marla feels that they are overwhelmed when it seems that everyone employed at the museum could be guilty as well as a few others.  She vows to keep going as it seems that Dalton, who just recently retired from the force, looks to be enjoying investigating.

I honestly do not know how authors can keep writing books when they have so many in the series but with nineteen in this series, it doesn't seem that Cohen is slowing down and that is perfectly fine with me !!!  As soon as I open one of these books, I am right alongside Marla, feeling her determination and enjoy every minute of it !!