Helpful Score: 3
I love all the books in this series. This was another great mystery.
But....
POSSIBLE SPOILER:
The only thing that left me going "huh?" was the part with the ex-husband. That storyline just seemed a bit odd. It really surprised me. I was hoping for Helen to finally face Rob in court and to see her get a victory. I was totally on her side throughout the series, but now she made a dumb decision and it really took away her credibility. I think it took away the "cozy" element of the series, which disappointed me. I can see how the author could turn this into a plot twist in the future, but it seems like a new chapter is beginning for Phil and Helen and it would have been nice to put her past behind her.
But....
POSSIBLE SPOILER:
The only thing that left me going "huh?" was the part with the ex-husband. That storyline just seemed a bit odd. It really surprised me. I was hoping for Helen to finally face Rob in court and to see her get a victory. I was totally on her side throughout the series, but now she made a dumb decision and it really took away her credibility. I think it took away the "cozy" element of the series, which disappointed me. I can see how the author could turn this into a plot twist in the future, but it seems like a new chapter is beginning for Phil and Helen and it would have been nice to put her past behind her.
Helpful Score: 2
I love this series BUT....I did not enjoy this book. I was so disappointed because all of the other ones are really good. The mystery portion of the story was fine with plenty of suspects and motives, but at least a third of the book was all about Helen going back to St. Louis to deal with her divorce decree and money. There was also an unanswered question (perhaps done deliberately) that left me confused and I wasn't thrilled with the ending (after the murder was solved, the book goes on for like 20 pages) or where it seems like the storyline is going next. I will likely read the next in the series just because it is such a good series and maybe this one bomb was just a fluke, but I'm hoping it will be better than this one.
At Snapdragon, the high-end designer consignment shop, Helen is at the beck and call of snobby yet frugal-customers. That alone is a deadly combination, but the sellers of the drool-worthy fashions can be even more high maintenance. Especially Chrissy, who comes in with a purse to sell and ends up screming it out with her own husband and another customer. if Helen didn't have agreedy ex-husband demanding more money and a mother in a Florida nursing home, she'd be hanging up her cash register.
But when Chrissy is found dead in a dressing room with a hand-painted scarf around her neck, Helen goes from being low on society's totem pole to high on the police suspect list
But when Chrissy is found dead in a dressing room with a hand-painted scarf around her neck, Helen goes from being low on society's totem pole to high on the police suspect list
I have been a fan of this series from the start of it and I'm so disappointed in this latest installment. Some of my favorite characters are acting out of character or too harsh, Helen's working in yet another clothing boutique and worse, there's two deaths in the mystery that don't make sense to me. One's kind of sad and one's a shocker.
And the part with the Ex left a bad taste in my mouth. I can't believe her editor let her do it.
I'm going to read the next in the series but I don't think I can recover from Helen's choice in this one.
And the part with the Ex left a bad taste in my mouth. I can't believe her editor let her do it.
I'm going to read the next in the series but I don't think I can recover from Helen's choice in this one.
I've enjoyed this series up until now.
Unfortunately, the characters didn't seem the same in this book. Normally, I understand and identify with them - but in this one, they just didn't "click" ... It also seemed like a lot of the storyline was more about foreshadowing for the next installment than about adding to this one.
Unfortunately, the characters didn't seem the same in this book. Normally, I understand and identify with them - but in this one, they just didn't "click" ... It also seemed like a lot of the storyline was more about foreshadowing for the next installment than about adding to this one.
Heather F. (AZmom875) -
So many other reviewers have the same idea. The choices Helen makes in book 9 seem just WRONG! The book kind of jumped the shark in this one. I just didn't want to read more in the series. For those of you who feel the same way. I want to suggest that the reason for this plot development might be to keep Helen on the wrong side of the law, like she was in books 1-8. Maybe the author didn't know what to do with the character if she just became a normal up and up citizen. I did read book 10, and the incident still has come back to haunt her and doesn't get resolved, but I see now why it might be part of the plot. So read on dear readers, read 10, I did, and Let see where this goes.
Helen has found herself another low paying job, this time at a high end consignment shop. When "Angelina Jolie" is found dead in the dressing room, fingers start pointing in all directions. Solving Angelina's death has to be postponed till Helen straightens out her former life. Things seems to be looking up in St. Louis but will what happened in St. Louis catch up to her in FT Lauderdale?
This book was about getting her life back on track so that she can start out fresh with Phil but then it takes a little turn and our heroine turns out not to be so great herself.
A Dead-End Job Mystery
1. Shop Till You Drop (2003)
2. Murder Between the Covers (2003)
3. Dying to Call You (2004)
4. Just Murdered (2005)
5. Murder Unleashed (2006)
6. Murder with Reservations (2007)
7. Clubbed to Death (2008)
8. Killer Cuts (2009)
9. Half-Price Homicide (2010)
10. Pumped for Murder (2011)
11. Final Sail (2012)
12. Board Stiff (2013)
13. Catnapped! (2014)
14. Checked Out (2015)
15. The Art of Murder (2016)
This book was about getting her life back on track so that she can start out fresh with Phil but then it takes a little turn and our heroine turns out not to be so great herself.
A Dead-End Job Mystery
1. Shop Till You Drop (2003)
2. Murder Between the Covers (2003)
3. Dying to Call You (2004)
4. Just Murdered (2005)
5. Murder Unleashed (2006)
6. Murder with Reservations (2007)
7. Clubbed to Death (2008)
8. Killer Cuts (2009)
9. Half-Price Homicide (2010)
10. Pumped for Murder (2011)
11. Final Sail (2012)
12. Board Stiff (2013)
13. Catnapped! (2014)
14. Checked Out (2015)
15. The Art of Murder (2016)
