Clubbed to Death: A Dead-End Job Mystery

by Elaine Viets

Book Overview

national bestselling author viets reveals the lifestyles of the rich and murdered... In the Superior Club's complaint department, Helen Hawthorne has to deal with the rich and spoiled. Then her... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0451223942
• ISBN13: 9780451223944
• Release Date: May 2008
• Publisher: Berkley
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.3" x 1.0" x 6.0"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 12 and higher

Customer Reviews

She's A Super Sleuth

Our heroine, Helen Hawthorne, is forced to engage in a little super sluething. Not that she minds. The ghost (ex-husband) of her past has caught up with her, but is soon reported missing. Guess who is the suspect? This time Helen must really try to save her own neck. The author, as usual, has created pages of zany characters, hijinks, and of course, mystery. I'm wondering what is really in store for Phil and Helen? We'll have to wait and see. Another good book.

What a surprise

I wasn't expecting this one at all! Ms. Viets is a gifted writer who knows how to work a job. It's amazing that she's done each job she writes about. It brings a realism to the stories that you don't see too much of, and it's definitely refreshing. The plot is standard for her, which follows a pattern that really works with this type of story. The characters in this one were over the top, but they fit with the scenery, which really brought everything together. I don't see this series falling at all, like I see some dying. I think the only way this series is going away is if Elaine runs out of jobs.

Keeps on going

I have read all of the Dead-End job mysteries. First and foremost, the series must be read in order otherwise the subplots and characters will be totally lost. In each book, Viets explains more about Helen and builds on the lives of the supporting players. Therefore when, in a previous book, Helen's 'secret life' had been discovered I was terrified that it would take all the fun out of the series. The books have been built around the dead-end jobs that are only necessary because Helen has to stay off the grid. I shouldn't have worried. Viets is able to include Helen's ex into the story lines without over-powering Helen's "rebel with a cause" attitude. Throughout the book, Helen continues to be strong--don't you just hate mystery book heroines who whine all the time? And Viets' books are filled with fascinating characters with great back stories--the Black Widow, the apartment manager, the gullible senior citizen, and even the apartment always rented to low lifes. And, as usual, the who-dun-it in this story is pretty easy to figure out early on in the book. It doesn't matter. Like most American cozies, it is less the answer at the end of the road than the journey getting there. This, like the others in the series is worth the trip.

Clubbed To Death

First time with this vendor and everything went very smoothly. Book arrived in very good condition and well packaged. I would buy from this vendor again.

fun Dead End Job mystery

Helen Hawthorne is moving up in the world. She has a new job making over twelve dollars and hour, a credit card, and a cell phone. The only downside is she hates working at Florida's Superior Club where only the ultra wealthy can get in. As a service rep, she feels not much more than a drone listening to the complaints of the members who expect her to satisfy their demands instantly. To make matters more unbearable, Helen's ex husband Rob has sailed into the docking area with his billionaire wife, Marcella known as the Black Widow. When they meet Helen gets angry with him and pushes him. The next day the Black Widow reports her husband and jewelry are missing. Since there are witnesses to the shoving incident, the police arrest Helen. Marcella has her attorney get the charges dropped but in return the Black Widow wants Helen to find what frightened Rob into running away. While investigating, Helen stumbles across two murdered bodies. The amateur sleuth decides the Superior Club and its members have some dark secrets that make her uncomfortable working there, but first she feels she must find Rob who fled after stealing jewelry; unaware that her snooping makes her a likely next victim. Elaine Viets Dead End Job mysteries are always fun and this one like its predecessors is too as the clues are always out there for the reader to identify the killer, if they can recognize these are clues. CLUBBED TO DEATH is one of the best in this delightful long running series due to a fascinating colorful support cast who range from eccentric to deranged. Fans will empathize with the heroine who is caught between her ethics and her sustenance economics even as she makes inquires that place her in danger. Harriet Klausner