Shop Till You Drop: A Dead-End Job Mystery

by Elaine Viets

Book Overview

Once on the fast track to success, Helen Hawthorne is now going nowhere fast. She traded in her chic life for a shabby one. And now she's on the fun, jumping from city to city and dead-end job to... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0451208552
• Release Date: May 2003
• Publisher: Berkley
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.37 lbs.
• Dimensions: 6.7" x 0.8" x 4.2"

Customer Reviews

A New Author for me

Book reviews mention funny, with lots of humor - no humor or funny to be found in this book, murder mystery was ok, and a little confusing toward the end, one of those hurry up and end the book.

The First Dead End Job Mystery

I loved this book! I have read all most all of these books in no particular order. This was definitely one of the best. It explains how Helen came to live at the Coronado Tropic Apartments, the first encounter with Phil, the mystery of Thumbs, and how Helen came to meet her best friend, Sarah. I think my favorite character has to be Margery, her landlady. Helen's job at the snobby clothing store was interesting. Out of necessity, Helen must solve a murder. You will like this book and series. I am buying to rest of the books I haven't read and I am waiting on Elaine Viets to write more!

Great New Series

WOW - what a wonderfully enjoyable read. I am a huge fan of Elaine Viet's other series, featuring Francesca Vierling and I'm so glad to have another wonderful characterization to add to my list of favorites. Elaine has captured South Florida perfectly. Helen Hawthorne is very original and the secondary characters are a hoot and a half. And what a great hook - dead-end jobs - something many of us can relate to. This book has a wonderful edge but is still very funny. The opening line grabs you and holds on tight until the very end. Highly recommended

Great book

Great book with great naration style. End is a little bit too 'clear', but it is not the most important part of Elaine's mistery style. Fort Lauderdale in its 'best'. More description of area and REAL life down there would be highly recommended in future installments.

A "Dead-End Job" Mystery But Not a Dead-End Series

Helen Hawthorne has run away from her Missouri home and her husband of 17 years to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where she has taken a job selling designer clothes to skinny rich women. When the body of a skinny woman of her acquaintance is found stuffed into a barrel bobbing in the bay, Helen is forced into the role of sleuth. SHOP TILL YOU DROP is amply populated with South Florida "characters"-some endearing to Helen, some maddening, and some just plain odd. But surprisingly, they all come across as believable. Even Helen's reason for ditching a successful career to work for minimum wage makes sense once the reason is revealed. And her new identity as a lowly shop girl gives her authentic appreciation and insight into the world at the bottom of the heap.Elaine Viets is a seasoned writer who knows how to tell a story. She kept me reading up to the very satisfying conclusion, when Helen deftly wields the dead-ender's secret weapon. This is the first in a new "dead-end job" series, and I eagerly await Helen Hawthorne's next work adventure.