- Table View
- List View
Clubbed to Death (The Dead-End Job Mysteries #7)
by Elaine VietsFrom 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.The Superior Club is where Fort Lauderdale’s wealthiest—and snobbiest—come to play. But for Helen Hawthorne, it’s all work and no play. As a customer care clerk, it’s her job to cater to the clients’ every little whim and take care of their every little problem.But Helen has a very big problem of her own. After an acrimonious reunion with her ex-husband Rob, she ends up belting the bum in the mouth—which invites suspicion when Rob goes ominously missing. And when a club employee and a philandering member are found beaten to death with a golf club, the police assume Helen was the deadly duffer.With her freedom—and yet another job—on the line, Helen has no choice but to prove that someone else at the high-class club is a low-down killer…
Final Sail (The Dead-End Job Mysteries #11)
by Elaine VietsFrom 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.As one half of Coronado Investigations in sunny Fort Lauderdale, Helen Hawthorne is working full time alongside her handsome hubby Phil. And after the surprising number of murders Helen helped solve while earning low pay on off the books jobs, anything else should be smooth sailing, right?Unfortunately, Helen’s unique work history also makes her a natural for undercover work—and in this case that means she’s going right back to scrubbing and cleaning while acting as a “yacht stewardess” to catch some smugglers. And even more annoying is the fact that Phil must stay on shore to figure out if a wealthy man has fallen victim to his gold-digging trophy wife.But after a member of the yacht crew disappears, Helen’s case quickly goes from simple smuggling to maritime murder. And if she doesn’t find out who pitched the man overboard, she might end up lost at sea herself…
Just Murdered (The Dead-End Job Mysteries #4)
by Elaine VietsFrom 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.After all she’s endured with her own marriage, divorce, and subsequent flight from alimony, Helen Hawthorne getting a job at Millicent’s Bridal Salon is ironic in the extreme. But the pay is in cash and that’s what matters for Helen to stay incognito.But there’s no amount of cash worth having to deal with the abominable Kiki—a wealthy witch who’s lording it over her daughter’s wedding plans with the aim of making the day all about Kiki, not the bride. 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.Now, Helen has to keep her identity secret and prove her innocence before the bride and groom read their wedding vows—and the police read Helen her rights…
Until Relieved (Lucky 13th #1)
by Rick ShelleyThe first thrilling novel in Rick Shelley’s sci-fi military action trilogy following the exploits of The Lucky 13th—in which a simple diversionary tactic may well end in the death of every soldier in the outfit.Three thousand years ago, humanity expanded its presence by settling hundreds of worlds across the galaxy. Yet even as technology allowed them to boldly travel light years, the nature of humanity changed very little. Over time, countless regimes and governments rose and fell in a quest for power. In the end, only two remained—the industrial dictatorship of the Schlinal Hegemony, and the feudal-based Dogel Worlds. The last independent worlds of the Terran Cluster finally united as the Accord of Free Worlds—and fought back against the conquerors as no one had before.So, the war continues…When the Schlinal Hegemony goes on the offensive, the Accord decides to send their forces to several other planets to disperse the Hegemony forces. The planet Porter is where Sgt. Joe Baerclau and his 13th Spaceborne Assault Team are deployed. Unfortunately, what begins as a holding action soon becomes a brutal battle against a relentless foe. And it soon becomes clear that they only have three options left: keep the enemy at bay until backup arrives, hope the enemy decides to quit the fight in frustration, or be buried on Porter…
Major (Dirigent Mercenary Corps #4)
by Rick ShelleyThe year is 2804 AD. Humanity has colonized the universe. But the authority of the Confederation of Human Worlds is spread thin. Where the Army of planet Earth cannot reach, mercenaries must keep the peace--and the Dirigent Mercenary Corps are the best of the best.Lon Nolan is skyrocketing through the ranks of the DMC, proving time and again that he’s got what it takes to be one of the most elite fighters in the galaxy. But as his family grows, he grows less certain that the mercenary life is for him. With one kid at home and another on the way, he grows more reluctant to march off to battle.But when duty calls, he must answer. In Major, Nolan is off to the mining planet of Bancroft on a routine security mission. Of course, this is the DMC, so it won’t stay routine for long ...The Dirigent Mercenary Corps books are classics of military science fiction. Rick Shelley was himself a veteran of the U.S. Army, and his experience and knowledge shine through on every page.
The Fashion Hound Murders (Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper #5)
by Elaine VietsMystery shopper Josie Marcus is on the hunt for a killer when a pet store employee mysteriously dies after blowing the whistle on possible puppy mill connections…Josie’s latest assignment is one for the dogs—literally! Pets 4 Luv, a national pet store chain, has hired Josie to mystery shop its St. Louis suburban locations and she discovers possible puppy mill suppliers. When an employee tipster is killed in a suspicious hit-and-run, Josie’s job suddenly gets a lot hairier.Posh pets are a million dollar business for puppy mills; even so, Josie is staggered to think that her sniffing around led to an innocent woman’s murder and may have put her own life at risk. But she’s not ready to tuck her tail and run just yet. Using every bit of her secret shopper savvy, Josie must follow the designer dog trail to expose the illegal breeders, shutter the puppy mills, and finally collar the vicious killer on the loose.
Officer-Cadet (Dirigent Mercenary Corps #1)
by Rick ShelleyThe year is 2804 AD. Humanity has colonized the universe. But the authority of the Confederation of Human Worlds is spread thin. Where the Army of planet Earth cannot reach, mercenaries must keep the peace--and the Dirigent Mercenary Corps are the best of the best.Lon Nolan wasn’t supposed to be serving with the DMC. He’d earned his place at the elite North American Military Academy, and he’d excelled there. But when he’s kicked out of the Academy on trumped-up charges, he’s left with no choice: join the DMC or go home.So join he does, going from top of his class to bottom rung in the DMC. To become an officer, he’ll have to survive his first taste of combat with his new army, and if he fails, he won’t lose just his honor, but his life.The Dirigent Mercenary Corps books are classics of military science fiction. Rick Shelley was himself a veteran of the U.S. Army, and his experience and knowledge shine through on every page.
High Heels Are Murder (Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper #2)
by Elaine VietsSecret shopper Josie Marcus checks out an exclusive shop where the shoes are to die for in this cozy mystery by the Anthony and Agatha award–winning author.Josie’s boss just assigned her a coveted gig—mystery shopping at Soft Shoe, one of the hottest boutiques in St. Louis. But trying on their exclusive designer footwear isn’t the treat Josie expected thanks to Mel Poulaine, Soft Shoe’s top seller. His hands-on fascination with feet goes far beyond professional interest. Josie’s scathing report kills Mel’s career . . . and later that night, someone kills Mel.Josie is determined to stay out of it. But when her neighbor’s daughter, Cheryl Malmy, becomes a suspect, Josie decides to investigate. It turns out “Perfect Cheryl” has more than a few dirty secrets in her closet, drawing Josie deeper into the seedy suburban underbelly. But can she trip up a killer who always seems to be one step ahead?
Murder Unleashed (The Dead-End Job Mysteries #5)
by Elaine VietsFrom 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.At the Pampered Pet Boutique in Fort Lauderdale, the dogs are treated better than the people—a fact not lost on Helen Hawthorne, who is working at the fabulous and furry canine salon where the wealthy dog owners need a muzzle more than their beloved pets.And while some things shouldn’t happen to a dog, they do happen to humans—as Helen discovers when she drives out to the lavish home of Tammie Grimsby to deliver a freshly fluffed Yorkie, only to find Tammie stabbed to death with a pair of grooming scissors. In a panic, Helen speeds out of there—but she doesn’t report the murder, lest her own criminal past come to light.But that doesn’t mean she can’t look into the stabbing on the sly. As Helen sniffs around both the boutique and a growing list of pure breed suspects, she knows that her bark will have to be worse than her bite if she’s going to put the collar on a killer…
Murder Between the Covers (The Dead-End Job Mysteries #2)
by Elaine VietsFrom 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 is still on the run because of her refusal to pay her worthless ex-husband alimony. But a girl’s gotta eat…and pay rent, utilities, etc. So she’s taken a cash-paying job at Fort Lauderdale’s own Page Turners 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 while running his family business into the ground and has a list of enemies longer than any bestseller. So when he turns up dead, no one is too surprised. What is surprising is where—in the bed of Helen’s glamorous gal pal Peggy, whose usual bedmates are more cultured, refined…and still breathing.Worse still, it turns out that Peggy once had a tryst with the late Mr. Turner that ended quite badly, with a scorned Peggy promising the lothario payback—and someone is making it look like she finally collected. With Peggy as the prime suspect in a murder, it’s up to Helen to prove her friend innocent before the police throw the book at her…
Killer Cuts (The Dead-End Job Mysteries #8)
by Elaine VietsFrom 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.Miguel Angel’s chic salon is where Fort Lauderdale’s high society hairdos get done. Even though Helen Hawthorne is just a gofer at the upscale salon, she has to admit the fabulous Miguel Angel is a master at the craft of coif.But with great heads of hair come great headaches. Especially when Miguel Angel and Helen try to prepare the pregnant fiancée of Kingman "King" Oden for her nuptials. King is a bloated, loudmouth bully with a gossip blog, a TV show, and a lousy attitude. When King tries to throw his weight around the shop, Miguel Angel delivers a vicious dressing down—along with a killer threat.Unfortunately, that’s why Miguel Angel is named the prime suspect when King's body is found drowned in a pool at his own wedding. Helen knows her boss might have a temper, but murder? That’s just not his style.So it’s up to Helen to find out which of King's countless enemies wanted to give him a final, fatal rinse…
Murder with Reservations (The Dead-End Job Mysteries #6)
by Elaine VietsFrom 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.Still on the run from the long arm of the law, Helen Hawthorne 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. Then, a hotel guest is murdered in the shower, and Helen’s no-good ex-husband Rob arrives in town in search of the money the court said he deserves.With the police already suspicious, and her friends frantically trying to keep Rob off her trail, Helen knows the only way clean up the mess is to find the killer. But if she’s not careful, the killer just might find her first…
An Uplifting Murder: Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper (Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper #6)
by Elaine VietsSt. Louis mystery shopper Josie Marcus discovers the world of luxury lingerie has more than one secret after her high school teacher is accused of suffocating a former classmate...When Desiree Lingerie hires Josie, she’s delighted to find her high school teacher, Mrs. Hayes, is now a manager at the chain. Less thrilling is the mini-reunion with her mean girl nemesis, Frankie Martin. But after Frankie is killed just steps from the shop—and her beloved ex-teacher is identified as a prime suspect—Josie gets hooked into another murder investigation.Mrs. Hayes is spilling over with motives—years ago, Frankie destroyed her career. Unfortunately, her alibi is pretty skimpy. So, with only her secret shopper smarts and a bit of amateur sleuthing experience to support her, Josie must strip away the lies in order to bust the real killer before anyone else becomes tangled up in this case.
Death on a Platter: Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper (Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper #7)
by Elaine VietsMystery shopper Josie Marcus digs into another meaty murder investigation when a local restaurant owner is charged with picking off a problem customer…Josie is getting a taste of St. Louis’s foodie scene—Travel America Guided Tours just hired her to test area restaurants for an upcoming package. Their list includes Tillie’s Off the Hill, a classic Italian joint owned by Tillie Minnelli, a former classmate of Josie’s mother. It should be a pretty sweet gig, but the assignment quickly turns sour when an unruly customer dies after eating Tillie’s special sauce.While detectives move to put Tillie on ice for murder, Josie’s mom implores Josie to whip up another amateur investigation. The case has more secret ingredients than anyone anticipated: a jilted lover, a greedy real estate developer, and even a disgruntled employee. But there’s no time for Josie to savor all the possibilities, she must skewer the culinary killer before someone else is served a final course.
Murder Is a Piece of Cake: Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper (Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper #8)
by Elaine VietsBefore mystery shopper Josie Marcus can say “I do” she must solve a matrimonial murder to keep her in-law from becoming an inmate...As a bride-to-be, Josie’s latest assignment is a gift—mystery shopping flower and cake vendors for a popular St. Louis wedding website. She even meets another bride, Molly Deaver, at the local florist. Turns out, Josie and Molly have a lot in common, including the groom! Molly has been stalking Dr. Ted for months, but after his high-maintenance mother, Lenore, confronts the faux fiancée, everyone believes Molly is history. Instead, she’s murdered and Ted’s pistol-packing mama is cuffed for the crime.While it’s tempting to leave her future mother-in-law behind bars, Josie knows she and Ted can’t get married until Lenore is freed. It’s up to Josie and her amateur sleuthing skills to unwrap this case, clear Lenore’s name, and unveil the real killer…or her wedding bells could soon become death knells.
Pumped for Murder: A Dead-end Job Mystery (The Dead-End Job Mysteries #10)
by Elaine VietsFrom 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.Newly married, Helen Hawthorne can’t wait to start her life anew—and start an investigation agency with her PI hubby, Phil. Her penchant for working dead-end jobs comes in handy when they’re hired to look into a fitness fanatic who may be cheating on his wife.Taking a receptionist job at their subject’s gym, Helen soon discovers that she has to start pumping her own iron if she wants to keep an eye on the weight-lifting lothario. And after Helen and Phil land another case that has them investigating a murder committed in the 80s, Phil is reminded way too much of the bad old days of cocaine cowboys and blood-soaked streets.With her past finally behind her and a duo of dangerous mysteries to solve, Helen is all set to start sleuthing for real. But if she wants to make a living of it, she’s going to have to do some heavy lifting…
Hiding Place: also includes Among the Tchi and Down, Please (Andrea Cort #3.5)
by Adam-Troy CastroAndrea Cort. Genius. War Criminal. Crime-Solver.An emergency summons brings Andrea and her partners, Oscin and Skye Porrinyard, to an isolated research station, where a brilliant scientist lies brutally murdered. Who committed the crime is no mystery. But it may be impossible to prosecute, because the culprit has arranged a strange transformation for himself, and may no longer be the same person who committed the crime.For Andrea, who has recently begun planning the next stage in her own personal evolution, the issue cuts straight to the atrocities of her own past…and the question that might destroy her: can she escape the guilt that has always pursued her?This collection is set in the award-winning Andrea Cort series, featuring the titular novella "Hiding Place," as well as the short stories “Among the Tchi” and “Down, Please: The Only Recorded Adventure of Lars Fouton, Captain’s Lift Operator on the Starship Magnificent.”
Dying in Style: Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper (Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper #1)
by Elaine VietsSecret shopper Josie Marcus tries sleuthing on for size when she’s framed for murder in this cozy mystery by the Anthony and Agatha Award–winning author.On her latest assignment, Josie mystery shops the stores of St. Louis’s premier handbag designer, Danessa Celedine. A stunning socialite who makes headlines with her hot Russian lover, Serge, Danessa sells exquisite purses to the rich and famous. Unfortunately, Danessa’s shops aren’t nearly as dazzling as her clientele, and Josie’s negative report could kill a lucrative deal to sell the handbag empire. Danessa swears it will also cost Josie her career.Businesses often live and die by Josie’s reviews, but when Danessa and Serge are both found murdered, she’s suddenly linked to an actual homicide—as the chief suspect! Now Josie will need all her subterfuge skills to investigate the crimes, clear her name, and stop the killer from claiming another fashion victim.
Catnapped!: A Dead-end Job Mystery (The Dead-End Job Mysteries #13)
by Elaine VietsFrom 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.If there’s one thing the very wealthy might value even more than their money, it’s their precious pets. So when local socialite Trish Barrymore hires Helen Hawthorne and Phil Sagemont to recover her beloved show cat—named January’s Jubilee Justine—from her ex-husband Mortimer, the case seems simple enough.But when the husband-and-wife PI team show up to take possession of Justine, they’re greeted not by a cute kitten but a murdered Mort—knocked on the noggin by a mahogany cat tower. And the feline is nowhere to be found.To get the scoop on who could have committed the dire deed, Helen takes a job as a cat groomer. But as she navigates the cutthroat world of cat shows—and their equally catty owners—she discovers there is much more to the crime than just a purloined pussycat…
Son of the Hero: Son Of The Hero (The Varayan Memoir #1)
by Rick ShelleyGil Tyner has plans for the future: he’s going to be a computer programmer in the bustling technology Mecca of Silicon Valley. And as his 21st birthday approaches, he’s on the cusp of realizing his goals.But fate has other plans. A note from his mother on his birthday propels Gil into The Buffer Zone, seven magical kingdoms that stand between our world and the realm of the immortal elves.Gil’s about to learn that plans can change. When destiny calls, he’ll discover that the life he’d imagined and the life he’ll lead will be very different.
Holding the Line: Holding The Line (Special Ops Squad #1)
by Rick ShelleyAs members of the Alliance of Light, humans have committed to the battle against the Ilion Federation, and they’re doing their part. But the Alliance’s army is fragmented, and to unify their forces, the army’s leaders must do the unthinkable: they form the First Combined Regiment, made up of soldiers from every alien race in the Alliance.The Spec Ops Squad is supposed to be the best of the best, an elite group within the First Combined Regiment to take care of the dirtiest jobs. Sergeant Bart “Dragon” Drak isn’t too surprised to learn that these warriors don’t have a whole lot in common, and it’s obvious that it will take a lot of work to turn a bunch of commandos into a team. He didn’t sign up for this, but he’s got to see it through.In the midst of training, the Spec Ops Squad is called off to planet Dintsen to fight off an invasion from the Ilion Federation. With such an elite fighting force, beating them back should be a piece of cake... except Ilion’s got the same kind of team on their side, and theirs are better trained. Drak will have to face down tremendous odds and new challenges to bring his team home.
A Dog Gone Murder (Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper #10)
by Elaine VietsMystery shopper Josie Marcus catches a new case when the owner of a popular doggy day spa bites the dust and her mother’s friend is collared for the crime…Josie’s been assigned to sniff around Uncle Bob’s Doggy Day Camp, one of St. Louis’s hottest pet spas. It doesn’t take her long to dig up dirt on the camp’s top dog, “Uncle” Bob Manning himself. Employee Frank Hyzy—Josie’s mom’s new boyfriend—reveals Bob should be in the doghouse for his cruel treatment of the canine customers. But before Josie can write Bob up, someone puts him down…and Frank is the cops’ prime suspect.While Frank definitely had a bone to pick with the animal abuser, Josie doesn’t believe he murdered Bob. So she must doggedly pursue the investigation on her own and hope she can cage the real killer before they fetch another victim.
Side Show (Lucky 13th #2)
by Rick ShelleyRick Shelley continues the adventures of the hard-fighting Lucky 13th Spaceborne Assault Team in an action-packed military sci-fi novel that sends a small force of fighters on a mission that takes them into territory more hostile than they could ever know....The planet of Jordan has become a hellscape of blood, violence, and ever-present death. The world had been conquered by the brutal Schlinal Hegemony years ago. But now the Accord of Free Worlds has decided to make a determined push to retake the territory they have lost to the enemy.Now, as the battle reaches a lethal stalemate, Sgt. Joe “The Bear” Baerclau and his 13th SAT receive orders to leave their perimeter and venture into the wild. Their target: a secret science lab that was in place before the Schlinal invasion. Their orders: find the scientists if they survived and return them to Accord lines. And if that’s not possible—kill them and destroy all evidence of the lab.Now, Bear and his team must fight a running battle across dangerous unknown territory in search of a covert facility that may or not hide a dreadful secret. Even more lethal than the landscape is the equally skilled Hegemony force that’s hot on their trail and eager for the kill. But for the Lucky 13th, that’s just another day on the job…
Jump Pay (Lucky 13th #3)
by Rick ShelleyRick Shelley concludes his military sci-fi trilogy following the exploits of the Lucky 13th Spaceborne Assault Team as they undertake a daring strike aimed at the heart of the enemy.The ongoing three-sided war among the Schlinal Hegemony, the Dogel Worlds, and the Accord of Free Worlds has worn down all the combatants. Even as the most recent entrant to the hostilities, the Accord is already running out of men and material. And now the Hegemony is forming up for another offensive. The time has come for desperate measures.Deep in Schlinal Hegemony space lies the planet Tamkailo. It is a world not meant for humans, with low oxygen levels and surface temperatures close to the boiling point. Simply surviving in such an environment is unlikely, let alone waging war. But that is where Sgt. Joe “The Bear” Baerclau and Lucky 13th are headed.Because the Hegemony is not only using Tamkailo as a staging point for their offensive. The planet is one of their biggest armories, holding weapons of war that could wipe out the Accord. It’s up to the 13th to destroy it. Outgunned and outmanned, the very survival of freedom in the galaxy is now in their battle-scarred hands…
Board Stiff: A Dead-end Job Mystery (The Dead-End Job Mysteries #12)
by Elaine VietsFrom 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 and Phil—her husband and PI partner—are on the case when Jim Sandusky asks them to save his business. Because while “Sunny Jim’s Stand-Up Paddleboard Rental” is garnering a lot of attention, it’s not the kind the beachside business ever hoped to attract.There’s a local restaurateur who wants the land for a parking lot, a competing board rental place aiming to poach customers, and a gang of local politicos who just want Jim gone. And Jim wants Coronado Investigations to find proof of dirty dealings.They don’t have to try very hard, because it’s not too long before a customer of Jim’s dies after an accident. But when Jim insists it was a murder set up to make him look bad, it’s up to Helen and Phil to prove it before Sunny Jim’s is sunk for good.