Authors: Josie Belle
A Deal to Die For
Praise for
50% off Murder
“
50% off Murder
is a great deal: there’s mystery, romance, and humor wrapped up in one entertaining
package. As a bonus, there’s no extra charge for those laugh-out-loud moments. I look
forward to many more adventures from Maggie and her friends…Meanwhile, bring on those
money-saving tips!”
—Mary Jane Maffini, author of the Charlotte Adams Mysteries
“If you love to shop ’til you drop, watch out for Josie Belle’s first entry in a new
mystery series—because murder’s no bargain.”
—Leann Sweeney, author of
The Cat, the Wife and the Weapon
“100% fun. It’s the real deal!”
—B. B. Haywood, author of
Town in a Wild Moose Chase
“
50% off Murder
successfully launches a new series filled with a terrific cast of characters. It’s
a treat to see a mature group of women use their knowledge of the town and their business
skills to look for a killer. And, Maggie is a wonderful amateur sleuth…100% captivating
and enjoyable.”
—Lesa’s Book Critiques
“A fun, well-plotted mystery with the added bonus of some money-saving tips.”
—The Mystery Reader
“An entertaining cozy starring interesting characters…Readers will admire [Maggie’s]
risk-taking spunk and enjoy the sparks between her and the sheriff.”
—The Mystery Gazette
“This author knows how to engage the reader’s interest. Good, solid writing, well-formed
characters, an enjoyable premise, a possible romance in the making, and a mystery
that slowly unfolds its secrets.”
—Once Upon a Romance
“With some interesting characters and a unique theme, this series is sure to be a
hit!”
—Debbie’s Book Bag
“Readers who want a laugh-out-loud mystery should enjoy
50% off Murder
.”
—West Orlando News Online
Berkley Prime Crime titles by Josie Belle
50% OFF MURDER
A DEAL TO DIE FOR
A Deal to Die For
Josie Belle
BERKLEY PRIME CRIME, NEW YORK
THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP
Published by the Penguin Group
Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
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Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the
product of the author’s
imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living
or dead, business
establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not
have any control over
and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their
content.
A DEAL TO DIE FOR
A Berkley Prime Crime Book / published by arrangement with the author
PUBLISHING HISTORY
Berkley Prime Crime mass-market edition / January 2013
Copyright © 2012 by Jennifer McKinlay Orf.
Excerpt from
Buried in Bargain
by Josie Belle copyright © 2012 by Jennifer McKinlay Orf.
Cover illustration by Mary Ann Lasher.
Cover design by Sarah Oberrender.
Interior text design by Laura K. Corless.
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or
electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy
of
copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized
editions.
For information, address: The Berkley Publishing Group,
a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.
ISBN: 978-1-101-61876-9
BERKLEY
®
PRIME CRIME
Berkley Prime Crime Books are published by The Berkley Publishing Group,
a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.
BERKLEY
®
PRIME CRIME and the PRIME CRIME logo are trademarks of
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PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
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If you purchased this book without a cover, you should be aware that this book is
stolen property. It was reported as “unsold and destroyed” to the publisher, and neither
the
author nor the publisher has received any payment for this “stripped book.”
| ALWAYS LEARNING | PEARSON |
For my editor, Michelle Vega—thanks for all of your fabulous input and for loving
the Good Buy Girls as much as I do.
Acknowledgments
I want to thank the fans who have written and told me how much they love Maggie and
the girls and have shared their wonderful bargain-hunting stories with me. I also
want to thank Mary Ann Lasher, the artist of this wonderful cover. It is truly spectacular.
And as always big props go to my boys, Wyatt, Beckett, and Chris for making me laugh
every day—and especially when I’m on deadline.
Five Tips on the Art of Resale
“I feel sick to my stomach,” Maggie Gerber said. She glanced at the mortgage papers
in her hand and tried to inhale through her nose to calm her heart palpitations. Her
palms were damp, and she was afraid she was going to leave sweat marks all over the
terrifying, legally binding sheaf of papers clutched in her fist.
“It’ll be okay.” Ginger Lancaster, her best friend since the days when they were both
in knee socks and patent leather Mary Janes, looped an arm around her shoulders and
squeezed her tight.
“Come on, open the door,” Joanne Claramotta said from Maggie’s other side.
“Yes, hurry. I have to get back to the library before my lunch hour is over,” Claire
Freemont said.
Maggie glanced at her friends. These were the Good Buy Girls. They had established
a firm friendship over the past few years, brought together by their mutual love of
thrifty deals and bargains. And now, as Maggie ventured forth into
owning her own business, they were her support group and consultants as well.
She fished the key out of her bag and put it into the dead bolt. The lock clicked,
and she pulled the glass door open and ushered her friends inside.
Ginger flipped the switch to turn on the lights. Maggie glanced at her friends’ faces,
looking for what she hoped was reassurance about the fact that she had just offered
up her house as collateral and signed the next fifteen years of her life away.
Joanne was bouncing on her feet in excitement. Her long, dark hair, swept up in its
usual ponytail, was swinging as she hurried from clothing rack to clothing rack, looking
at what had been left behind by the previous owner, as if hoping for a bargain. She
was entirely too optimistic, and Maggie realized what she was really looking for was
someone to echo her stark terror.
Claire gave the room a more considered look. Her blonde bob and dark rectangular-frame
glasses made her look studious, as if she were planning to write a dissertation on
the ramifications of mortgaging oneself to up one’s eyeballs in order to buy a secondhand
store. Her obvious doubt was not at as comforting as Maggie had hoped.
And Ginger…well, she flung her arms out wide and spun around in a circle like she
was auditioning for a part in a musical. Maggie half expected her to break out into
song as her skirt twirled about her knees in a perky pirouette. Ginger’s dark brown
face was lit by a wide grin, and she reached out and grabbed Maggie’s free hand.