If you missed SHOP TILL YOU DROP, I do suggest picking up a copy.  It was a great debut that packed plenty of humor into a wonderful romp of a mystery.  MURDER BETWEEN THE COVERS is Elaine Viets second “Dead-End Job Mystery” and is just as exciting as her first.

Fresh out of her previous job working in a ritzy clothing store, Helen Hawthorne has landed on her feet working a mundane job in Page Turners, a local bookstore chain run by the snobbish Page Turner III.  Page is a womanizing jerk, one who Helen can barely stand.  If it weren’t for the fact that he pays her under the table, she would dump the job in a heartbeat.

Things go from bad to worse when the apartment complex that Helen is living in becomes infested with termites.  The tenants are moved to a shabby beach front hotel for a few days, and return to find a big surprise in Helen’s friend Peggy’s apartment – Page’s dead body.  Police are quick to make an arrest – Peggy.  Helen isn’t as convinced.  Granted, evidence is pointing to Peggy, but there are too many potential suspects.  With her job on the line once again, Helen risks it all to solve the murder.

I like Helen.  She’s justifiably on the lam, and if you missed the first book, don’t worry it’s summed up nicely with the pages of MURDER BETWEEN THE COVERS.  She’s gone from a cushy six digit income to one on which she can barely survive, but she is not about to go against her principles.  Helen is honest and feisty.  Traits I really admire!

I thought I had the killer pegged, but I was off just like last time.  Elaine writes a gripping mystery, and once again she had me fooled!