SHOP TILL YOU DROP

From Anthony and Agatha Award-winning author Elaine Viets—the thrilling mystery series about one woman trying to make a living... while other people are making a killing.

Helen Hawthorne had a high-finance job, a beautiful home—and a good-for-nothing husband she caught in the act with their neighbor. But when she tried to divorce the bum, the judge decided that Helen had to pay—and Helen decided the only way to keep her dignity would be to defy the courts, refuse to pay, and run for it.

Now hiding out in Fort Lauderdale, Helen is working as a lowly sales clerk at a high-fashion boutique. But keeping out of trouble proves difficult when she discovers the manager is running her own side business stealing from the store and selling drugs to customers.

Helen's discomfort is short lived when the felonious fashionista suddenly goes on vacation—and turns up dead in the water. In desperate need of cash, Helen decides to try and find out who killed the woman for an offered reward.

But she soon uncovers even more nefarious goings-on that put her new career—and her new life—in mortal danger

Elaine Viets has actually worked those dead-end jobs in her mystery novels,just like her character, Helen Hawthorne. Over the years, Elaine has been a dress store clerk, phone book proofreader, babysitter, telemarketer, bookseller, and weed puller at fifty cents a bucket. She is also the author of the Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper series and numerous short stories. Elaine has won an Anthony Award and an Agatha Award. She lives in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with her husband, author and actor Don Crinklaw. Please visit her blog: The Lipstick Chronicles.