Daisy Thorne is having just another day at her hair salon in Edgemead, Surrey. The big highlight of the day is that she's doing the hair for a wedding party, including her own stylist Penny's. But she has a last-minute appointment with a friend, and it takes her past eight o'clock in the evening. After she's cleaned up and is ready to go, she leaves out into the pouring rain by her back door. But no sooner does she get a few steps when she walks right onto a dead body.

It turns out the dead woman is Mel Haverstock, who had her hair colored at the salon that morning. She tells DCI Paul McGuinness that she has no idea why the woman was back, and so the investigation begins. When it's discovered that the murder weapon belonged to Daisy, things get harrowing for her. She's suspected in the murder, and needs to clear her name. But not long after, things start heating up when an accident befalls someone else, and now the suspect list is growing. Daisy's time is getting shorter, and she needs to unmask a killer before her own life is sheared short...

This is the second book in the series and I found it just as delightful as the first. Once again we journey to the small town of Edgemead, and this time we spend more time in the salon with Daisy and her employees. Floria is back, but in a much smaller role, and so are other characters from the first book. This one definitely centers on Daisy's life this time around.

When the murder occurs, Daisy is a main suspect because of the murder weapon. While she knows she didn't do the deed, she starts compiling a list of people who could have -- and it all comes down to those who were in her shop that day. But did any of them know the dead woman, and what reason would they have for killing her? It turns out quite a few, as a matter of fact, since Mel had made many enemies throughout her life, including the woman who owns the shop next door. Now Daisy has to quietly sift through suspects without them realizing they're suspects, but it isn't going to be easy.

The mystery again was done very well, with plenty of red herrings to get us through the book. There was a lot going on, and very few clues to the murderer, which came as a complete surprise. But the ending made it all worthwhile, as the motive was revealed and again we see that you can't look into the mind of a deluded person. Unfortunately, that is the way life is; and when it is all said and done, we have a very good mystery with a lot going on, and the epilogue sorted it all out and leaves us feeling satisfied in the outcome. I look forward to the next in the series. Highly recommended.

I received a copy from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review. ( )