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The Dead-End Job Mysteries: Volume 1-7
THE FIRST SEVEN BOOKS IN THE DEAD-END JOB MYSTERY SERIES AVAILABLE IN A SINGLE BOX SET EDITION…
SHOP TILL YOU DROP
Helen Hawthorne had a high-finance job, a beautiful home, and a caring husband—or so she thought until she caught him sleeping with their neighbor. But after their divorce, the judge decided that Helen had to pay alimony—and Helen figured the only way to keep her dignity would be to refuse to pay and run for it. Now hiding out in Fort Lauderdale, Helen is working as a sales clerk at a high-fashion boutique. But keeping out of trouble proves difficult when the boutique’s manager turns up dead. In desperate need of cash, Helen decides to try and find out who killed the woman for an offered reward.
MURDER BETWEEN THE COVERS
Helen’s taken a cash-paying job at Fort Lauderdale’s Page Turner’s bookstore. And while the job is decent enough, the owner of the store is anything but. Page Turner III is a boor with more money than brains: he’s cheating on his wife and has a long list of enemies. When he turns up dead, no one is too shocked—except for Helen, that is. The body is found in the bed of her pal Peggy, and it’s up to Helen to prove her friend innocent before the police throw the book at her…
DYING TO CALL YOU
Helen’s latest workaday job might just be the lowest rung on the employment ladder—telemarketing. She’s spending her hours interrupting dinners and disturbing slumbers. While Helen is conducting a phone survey with the wealthy Henry “Hank” Asporth, he puts the receiver down without hanging up… She can just make out a man and a woman arguing, a short scream cut off by a choking sound, then an eerie silence. Convinced she’s heard a murder being committed—but with no proof—Helen is driven to find out what really happened...
JUST MURDERED
After all she’s endured with her divorce and subsequent flight from alimony, Helen getting a job at Millicent’s Bridal Salon is ironic in the extreme. But no amount of cash is worth having to deal with the abominable Kiki—a wealthy witch who’s lording it over her daughter’s wedding plans. She also thinks her money makes her invulnerable…but she’s proven wrong when she’s found smothered to death with her daughter’s wedding dress. And worse, the cops seem to think Helen is responsible.
MURDER UNLEASHED
Helen has gotten a job at the Pampered Pet Boutique in Fort Lauderdale where the dogs are treated better than the people. A drive to the lavish home of Tammie Grimsby to deliver a freshly fluffed Yorkie has Helen discovering Tammie stabbed to death with a pair of grooming scissors. In a panic, Helen runs—but doesn’t report the murder, lest her past comes to light. But that doesn’t mean she can’t look into the stabbing on the sly.
MURDER WITH RESERVATIONS
Helen has found employment as a maid at Fort Lauderdale’s Full Moon Hotel, picking up after clueless tourists and keeping her head down. But staying discreet gets a bit more difficult when Helen opens the hotel dumpster and discovers the dead body of a fellow hotel employee. Things get worse when a hotel guest is murdered in the shower, and Helen’s ex-husband Rob arrives in town in search of the money the court said he deserves. With the police suspicious, Helen knows the only way to clean up the mess is to find the killer. But if she’s not careful, the killer just might find her first…
CLUBBED TO DEATH
The Superior Club is where Fort Lauderdale’s wealthiest come to play. As a customer care clerk, Helen’s job to cater to the clients’ every whim and take care of their every little problem. But Helen has a big problem of her own. After an acrimonious reunion with her ex-husband Rob, she ends up belting him in the mouth—which invites suspicion when Rob goes missing. And when a few others are found beaten to death with a golf club, the police’s eyes are on Helen. Helen has no choice but to prove her innocence…
SHOP TILL YOU DROP
Helen Hawthorne had a high-finance job, a beautiful home, and a caring husband—or so she thought until she caught him sleeping with their neighbor. But after their divorce, the judge decided that Helen had to pay alimony—and Helen figured the only way to keep her dignity would be to refuse to pay and run for it. Now hiding out in Fort Lauderdale, Helen is working as a sales clerk at a high-fashion boutique. But keeping out of trouble proves difficult when the boutique’s manager turns up dead. In desperate need of cash, Helen decides to try and find out who killed the woman for an offered reward.
MURDER BETWEEN THE COVERS
Helen’s taken a cash-paying job at Fort Lauderdale’s Page Turner’s bookstore. And while the job is decent enough, the owner of the store is anything but. Page Turner III is a boor with more money than brains: he’s cheating on his wife and has a long list of enemies. When he turns up dead, no one is too shocked—except for Helen, that is. The body is found in the bed of her pal Peggy, and it’s up to Helen to prove her friend innocent before the police throw the book at her…
DYING TO CALL YOU
Helen’s latest workaday job might just be the lowest rung on the employment ladder—telemarketing. She’s spending her hours interrupting dinners and disturbing slumbers. While Helen is conducting a phone survey with the wealthy Henry “Hank” Asporth, he puts the receiver down without hanging up… She can just make out a man and a woman arguing, a short scream cut off by a choking sound, then an eerie silence. Convinced she’s heard a murder being committed—but with no proof—Helen is driven to find out what really happened...
JUST MURDERED
After all she’s endured with her divorce and subsequent flight from alimony, Helen getting a job at Millicent’s Bridal Salon is ironic in the extreme. But no amount of cash is worth having to deal with the abominable Kiki—a wealthy witch who’s lording it over her daughter’s wedding plans. She also thinks her money makes her invulnerable…but she’s proven wrong when she’s found smothered to death with her daughter’s wedding dress. And worse, the cops seem to think Helen is responsible.
MURDER UNLEASHED
Helen has gotten a job at the Pampered Pet Boutique in Fort Lauderdale where the dogs are treated better than the people. A drive to the lavish home of Tammie Grimsby to deliver a freshly fluffed Yorkie has Helen discovering Tammie stabbed to death with a pair of grooming scissors. In a panic, Helen runs—but doesn’t report the murder, lest her past comes to light. But that doesn’t mean she can’t look into the stabbing on the sly.
MURDER WITH RESERVATIONS
Helen has found employment as a maid at Fort Lauderdale’s Full Moon Hotel, picking up after clueless tourists and keeping her head down. But staying discreet gets a bit more difficult when Helen opens the hotel dumpster and discovers the dead body of a fellow hotel employee. Things get worse when a hotel guest is murdered in the shower, and Helen’s ex-husband Rob arrives in town in search of the money the court said he deserves. With the police suspicious, Helen knows the only way to clean up the mess is to find the killer. But if she’s not careful, the killer just might find her first…
CLUBBED TO DEATH
The Superior Club is where Fort Lauderdale’s wealthiest come to play. As a customer care clerk, Helen’s job to cater to the clients’ every whim and take care of their every little problem. But Helen has a big problem of her own. After an acrimonious reunion with her ex-husband Rob, she ends up belting him in the mouth—which invites suspicion when Rob goes missing. And when a few others are found beaten to death with a golf club, the police’s eyes are on Helen. Helen has no choice but to prove her innocence…
1679 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 28, 2020
615 people are currently reading
263 people want to read
About the author
Elaine Viets
81 books569 followersAs a young girl, Elaine Viets was taught the virtues of South St. Louis: the importance of hard work, housecleaning, and paying cash. She managed to forget almost everything she learned, which is why she turned to mystery writing.
Living in South Florida has not improved her character. But it has given her the bestselling Dead-End Job series. Like her amateur detective, Helen Hawthorne, Elaine actually works those rotten jobs. Perhaps her early training has given her a lifelong fascination with jobs. She and Helen both know working for a living can be murder.
To research her novels, Elaine has been everything from a salesclerk to a survey taker. Her first book in the series is SHOP TILL YOU DROP, a novel of sex, murder and plastic surgery. It's set at a fashionable dress shop that caters to kept women. Book two, MURDER BETWEEN THE COVERS, takes place at a bookstore. Elaine worked at a Barnes & Noble in Hollywood, Florida, for a year.
For the third, DYING TO CALL YOU, Helen works as a telemarketer. Elaine sold septic tank cleaner and did telephone surveys. She actually asked women if they shaved their armpits. In the fourth Dead-End Job mystery, JUST MURDERED, Elaine and Helen explore big-money matrimony for better or worse. Elaine did her research in Zola Keller’s posh bridal salon in Fort Lauderdale.
For the fifth novel, Elaine and Helen go to the dogs. MURDER UNLEASHED is set at a high-end dog boutique, where people spend two hundred dollars for canine cuisine, women sneak illegal pets into condos using high-priced designer purses, and the dogs at the store have bigger wardrobes than the salesclerks. MURDER UNLEASHED is Elaine's first hardcover mystery. Publishers Weekly calls it “wry social commentary.”
Although Elaine lives in Fort Lauderdale, her heart – and her viewpoint – remain in the Midwest. Like Helen Hawthorne, another transplanted St. Louisan, she observes the outrageously rich Florida culture (and lack thereof) with wide-eyed fascination.
Elaine’s second series takes her back to work in St. Louis. It features Josie Marcus, a mystery shopper and single mom. The debut novel, DYING IN STYLE, tied with Stephen King on the bestseller list for the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association.
Elaine won both the Agatha and the Anthony Awards for her short story, "Wedding Knife," in CHESAPEAKE CRIMES.
Some honors don’t come with plaques and award banquets. Elaine was thrilled when her short story, "After the Fall," was featured on the same cover of the Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine as the master, Ed Hoch.
Her short story, "Red Meat," is in BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS, the Mystery Writers of America anthology edited by Lawrence Block. "Blonde Moment" is in the MWA anthology, SHOW BUSINESS IS MURDER, edited by Stuart Kaminsky. "Sex and Bingo" is featured in the HIGH STAKES gambling anthology. And if you've ever wondered about the early life of purple-loving landlady Margery Flax, read "Killer Blonde" in DROP-DEAD BLONDE.
Elaine has served on the national boards of the Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime. She lives in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with her husband, actor Don Crinklaw, where they collect speeding tickets.
Please buy her novels so she can pay her MasterCard.
Series:
* Dead-End Job Mystery
* Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper
* Francesca Vierling Mystery
Living in South Florida has not improved her character. But it has given her the bestselling Dead-End Job series. Like her amateur detective, Helen Hawthorne, Elaine actually works those rotten jobs. Perhaps her early training has given her a lifelong fascination with jobs. She and Helen both know working for a living can be murder.
To research her novels, Elaine has been everything from a salesclerk to a survey taker. Her first book in the series is SHOP TILL YOU DROP, a novel of sex, murder and plastic surgery. It's set at a fashionable dress shop that caters to kept women. Book two, MURDER BETWEEN THE COVERS, takes place at a bookstore. Elaine worked at a Barnes & Noble in Hollywood, Florida, for a year.
For the third, DYING TO CALL YOU, Helen works as a telemarketer. Elaine sold septic tank cleaner and did telephone surveys. She actually asked women if they shaved their armpits. In the fourth Dead-End Job mystery, JUST MURDERED, Elaine and Helen explore big-money matrimony for better or worse. Elaine did her research in Zola Keller’s posh bridal salon in Fort Lauderdale.
For the fifth novel, Elaine and Helen go to the dogs. MURDER UNLEASHED is set at a high-end dog boutique, where people spend two hundred dollars for canine cuisine, women sneak illegal pets into condos using high-priced designer purses, and the dogs at the store have bigger wardrobes than the salesclerks. MURDER UNLEASHED is Elaine's first hardcover mystery. Publishers Weekly calls it “wry social commentary.”
Although Elaine lives in Fort Lauderdale, her heart – and her viewpoint – remain in the Midwest. Like Helen Hawthorne, another transplanted St. Louisan, she observes the outrageously rich Florida culture (and lack thereof) with wide-eyed fascination.
Elaine’s second series takes her back to work in St. Louis. It features Josie Marcus, a mystery shopper and single mom. The debut novel, DYING IN STYLE, tied with Stephen King on the bestseller list for the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association.
Elaine won both the Agatha and the Anthony Awards for her short story, "Wedding Knife," in CHESAPEAKE CRIMES.
Some honors don’t come with plaques and award banquets. Elaine was thrilled when her short story, "After the Fall," was featured on the same cover of the Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine as the master, Ed Hoch.
Her short story, "Red Meat," is in BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS, the Mystery Writers of America anthology edited by Lawrence Block. "Blonde Moment" is in the MWA anthology, SHOW BUSINESS IS MURDER, edited by Stuart Kaminsky. "Sex and Bingo" is featured in the HIGH STAKES gambling anthology. And if you've ever wondered about the early life of purple-loving landlady Margery Flax, read "Killer Blonde" in DROP-DEAD BLONDE.
Elaine has served on the national boards of the Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime. She lives in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with her husband, actor Don Crinklaw, where they collect speeding tickets.
Please buy her novels so she can pay her MasterCard.
Series:
* Dead-End Job Mystery
* Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper
* Francesca Vierling Mystery
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
August 13, 2021
Excellent analysis of the issues faced by those involved in the various industries our heroine endured.
Very entertaining studies of the many personalties but a sad commentary on the poor education provided to those who have to work in those industries. After discussions with motel owners, the stories are, if anything, relatively understated compared to the real world.
Very entertaining studies of the many personalties but a sad commentary on the poor education provided to those who have to work in those industries. After discussions with motel owners, the stories are, if anything, relatively understated compared to the real world.
August 4, 2020
Murder mystery
Could not make it through the seven book set, the first story was pretty good, the heroine is new at solving murder mysteries, by book four the stupidity was too much. She kept whining over her ex husband and courts finding her, putting her in jail and dragging her back, wouldn't happen. One of the stories was even about how to get away with it with a guy in the telemarketing crew for a few days. She bounces from bad relationship choice to the next, no pause. Finally she meets a decent guy but can't even seem to get that right, nor can he, the almost divorced ex was a bad side of him. The only character likeable was Marjorie. Some may like this series but it wasn't for me.
Could not make it through the seven book set, the first story was pretty good, the heroine is new at solving murder mysteries, by book four the stupidity was too much. She kept whining over her ex husband and courts finding her, putting her in jail and dragging her back, wouldn't happen. One of the stories was even about how to get away with it with a guy in the telemarketing crew for a few days. She bounces from bad relationship choice to the next, no pause. Finally she meets a decent guy but can't even seem to get that right, nor can he, the almost divorced ex was a bad side of him. The only character likeable was Marjorie. Some may like this series but it wasn't for me.
June 18, 2020
Barely 3
I finished the collection because I like the MC but overall I was less than enthused by the mysteries. Many felt slow, attempting to use foreshadowing to set up suspense early, but it didn't really work for me. One felt like the solution was contradictory since it relied on information connected to the crime that had to have been there before it happened. Other small things contributed but weren't so significant.
I finished the collection because I like the MC but overall I was less than enthused by the mysteries. Many felt slow, attempting to use foreshadowing to set up suspense early, but it didn't really work for me. One felt like the solution was contradictory since it relied on information connected to the crime that had to have been there before it happened. Other small things contributed but weren't so significant.
August 1, 2020
No job is this bad
Fun! Learned a lot about customers! I'll tip hotel maids now! Way too many murders but i hated one guy didn't get killed. Loved the land lady. She was best character
Fun! Learned a lot about customers! I'll tip hotel maids now! Way too many murders but i hated one guy didn't get killed. Loved the land lady. She was best character
July 19, 2020
Dead End Jobs Series
This is the first seven mysteries of the dead end job series about Helen Hawthorne. Helen finds her husband cheating and when she goes to court for the divorce the judge awards her ex half of all of her future earnings. She leaves St. Louis where she was living and ends up in South Florida working dead end jobs under the table to avoid the computers and her ex. These first seven books detail her jobs and the mysteries she stumbled upon. This was a delightful read. I love Helen and this author writes great books. Highly recommend these books and the series.
This is the first seven mysteries of the dead end job series about Helen Hawthorne. Helen finds her husband cheating and when she goes to court for the divorce the judge awards her ex half of all of her future earnings. She leaves St. Louis where she was living and ends up in South Florida working dead end jobs under the table to avoid the computers and her ex. These first seven books detail her jobs and the mysteries she stumbled upon. This was a delightful read. I love Helen and this author writes great books. Highly recommend these books and the series.
July 3, 2022
Living The Dream In Florida
This is a fun series about a woman who is on the run and trying to live under the radar in Florida. Since she is working minimum wage, dead-end jobs, she has no extra money for a car, a phone, or even new clothes. It is actually a much better life than the one she was living. Until somebody winds up dead. These are good mysteries with lots of twists and wrong turns. The stories are fun and often make fun of the well-to-do. There is off-screen and behind closed-door sex. Two of the books involve very kinky sex which was way too much for me. Too much information for this reader. But, since the other five were great, I will continue reading the series.
This is a fun series about a woman who is on the run and trying to live under the radar in Florida. Since she is working minimum wage, dead-end jobs, she has no extra money for a car, a phone, or even new clothes. It is actually a much better life than the one she was living. Until somebody winds up dead. These are good mysteries with lots of twists and wrong turns. The stories are fun and often make fun of the well-to-do. There is off-screen and behind closed-door sex. Two of the books involve very kinky sex which was way too much for me. Too much information for this reader. But, since the other five were great, I will continue reading the series.
Read
January 27, 2022I began reading the first of these seven books because i needed a no brainer to keep me busy. Eventually I came to enjoy the book. The characters are believable. The plot is usually well thought out. The main thing which I did not like is that the book goes on forever. I felt as if It would never end but it did and they all lived happily ever after. Well, at least most of them did or at least the unmurdered characters did. Some of the people had highly unlikely ends.
July 29, 2020
Best Cozy Mysteries, I LOVE them all!!!!
These characters are so endearing, I wish I lived with them at the Coranado! I have great pictures in my head of these folks. They are quite the bunch, and they complement each other so well! Great well thought out story lines.You will LOVE these!
These characters are so endearing, I wish I lived with them at the Coranado! I have great pictures in my head of these folks. They are quite the bunch, and they complement each other so well! Great well thought out story lines.You will LOVE these!
July 9, 2022
Well-written and interesting plots. The characters were well-drawn and consistent through the series of stories. However, I never liked Helen nor understood why Phil would fall in love with her, besides good sex. Some things in these stories were too coincidental. Some cliff-hangers. Otherwise, very entertaining.
September 28, 2020
Good
A bit repetitive. They're stand alone books so you need to know how and why...... The Rob thing was almost too much. Besides that everything was great. She just fell into murder mysteries. Entertaining.
A bit repetitive. They're stand alone books so you need to know how and why...... The Rob thing was almost too much. Besides that everything was great. She just fell into murder mysteries. Entertaining.
October 27, 2020
Believable characters
I always enjoy reading Elaine Viets books because they keep me turning the pages and liking the characters she incorporates. I will definitely read more of her books.
I always enjoy reading Elaine Viets books because they keep me turning the pages and liking the characters she incorporates. I will definitely read more of her books.
January 18, 2021
Funny and rewarding!
If you love murder mysteries and have ever worked a dead end job as most of us have you can relate to these stories. Funny, exciting and romantic you will enjoy the live and jobs of Helen at least that is her name now.
If you love murder mysteries and have ever worked a dead end job as most of us have you can relate to these stories. Funny, exciting and romantic you will enjoy the live and jobs of Helen at least that is her name now.
February 7, 2021
Revenge
When shits hits the fan it's gotta spray Helen. Divorce is expensive, but worth it, until the deadbeat ex convinces the judge he's a victim. Thank god for low paying jobs and boxed wine by the pool.
When shits hits the fan it's gotta spray Helen. Divorce is expensive, but worth it, until the deadbeat ex convinces the judge he's a victim. Thank god for low paying jobs and boxed wine by the pool.
February 26, 2021
Lots of People
Helen is an interesting character who comes across as a woman who mostly thinks clearly about murder, mayhem and friends. Everything always works out in the end, albeit unexpectedly.
Helen is an interesting character who comes across as a woman who mostly thinks clearly about murder, mayhem and friends. Everything always works out in the end, albeit unexpectedly.
October 29, 2021
An entertaining read!
I read all of them straight through.
The characters are believable and most are likable.
Each story offered suspense, humor and a happy ending.
The only reason I gave these a four is because it is not great literature, just great fun!
I read all of them straight through.
The characters are believable and most are likable.
Each story offered suspense, humor and a happy ending.
The only reason I gave these a four is because it is not great literature, just great fun!
February 17, 2022
Dead end jobs
Interesting characters but story lines were sometime' s boring . I didn't like that there was no final closure of Helen's x husband . enjoyed the books but felt endings could have been better written.
Interesting characters but story lines were sometime' s boring . I didn't like that there was no final closure of Helen's x husband . enjoyed the books but felt endings could have been better written.
May 28, 2022
Rated
4 Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Kindle Unlimited Read
*Box set
I enjoyed reading this the first time as individual books. But I devoured them as a box set. It brought me plenty of laugh out loud moments I needed.
4 Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Kindle Unlimited Read
*Box set
I enjoyed reading this the first time as individual books. But I devoured them as a box set. It brought me plenty of laugh out loud moments I needed.
March 26, 2023
Fun and crazy
Storyline was a bit silly but the dialogue had me snickering frequently and laughing out loud occasionally. I sometimes found Helen’s blatant stupidity and insult to women but still enjoyed the series.
Storyline was a bit silly but the dialogue had me snickering frequently and laughing out loud occasionally. I sometimes found Helen’s blatant stupidity and insult to women but still enjoyed the series.
June 4, 2020
Great books.
July 2, 2020
I read these books when originally released I checked them out at the library, but now I can re-read them any time I want they are that good! I encourage everyone to get this box set! After you finish these pick up the rest - you won't regret it!
July 30, 2020
One of my favorite series...lots of LOL moments, plenty of mystery. Excellent writing!
August 14, 2020
Enjoyed every book & cant wait to read the next bundle.
September 22, 2020
did not like the book at all
May 19, 2021
Great summer read.
I loved the colorful characters in these books. I enjoyed how the books flowed from one to the other. The stories kept me entertained.
I loved the colorful characters in these books. I enjoyed how the books flowed from one to the other. The stories kept me entertained.
June 10, 2021
All the stories are different!
These books have the same characters but different tales. Helen's various jobs were right for her for her time in life.
These books have the same characters but different tales. Helen's various jobs were right for her for her time in life.
August 3, 2022
Humor and mystery!
Well written... Each book left me wanting more. I identified with some of Helen's jobs so that made the stories even more humorous!
Well written... Each book left me wanting more. I identified with some of Helen's jobs so that made the stories even more humorous!
August 7, 2022
The dead end job
The collection of Moore problems and dead end jobs to keep alive and solve murders this a great story to read
The collection of Moore problems and dead end jobs to keep alive and solve murders this a great story to read
April 4, 2023
Always an interesting and invigorating time with Helen.
June 25, 2023
A delightful, charming series of books. Highly recommended.
Read
August 22, 2024loved it
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews