Book Review: Shop Till You Drop

Reviewed By: Dawn Dowdle

Shop Till You Drop     Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
Elaine Viets
Class/Genre:   Mystery
Series: Dead End Job Mysteries
Signet, Paperback, 5/03, 276 pages, $5.99

Helen Hawthorne has moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and gotten a job working at Juliana’s. She needed a job that would pay her in cash as she’s trying to hide out from her ex-husband and the St. Louis courts. No more six figure income for her. Now she makes minimum wage. She is living in a small furnished apartment where she makes some wonderful friends.

Working at Juliana’s is not her favorite job, but it’s the only one she can find to pay her under the table and for now it pays the bills. She’s selling exclusive female clothing to trophy wives and mistresses. The shop door won’t be opened for those not fitting the proper image.

Soon Helen discovers that her boss, Christina, appears to be selling drugs, arranging for questionable plastic surgery, skimming money, and possibly even hiring a hit man for a customer. Before she can confront her or do anything about it, Christina goes on vacation leaving Helen in charge. While she is gone, Helen looks for another job, but once again is unable to find anything. Then Christina never comes back from vacation. Her body is found in a barrel floating in the ocean.

The police suspect Helen. Even after Helen finds out that Christina had been blackmailing people, including her ex-boyfriend, the police still suspect her. Can she solve the crime and collect the reward money, without becoming the next victim?

I enjoyed this book. I look forward to reading the rest of the series. Helen is a very likeable character. I could really feel sympathy for her situation. The peripheral characters are a real asset to the story. The plot is well written with lots of suspects. I didn’t figure out who did it until it was revealed. I highly recommend this book.

Dawn Dowdle

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Dawn Dowdle

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