Death on a Platter

Table of Contents

 

 

“Entertaining . . . As always, Viets creates a heroine replete with wit, intelligence, and a sense of humor and entwines her in complicated plot strands.”

—
Mystery Scene

 

“Viets designs a flashy murder with just the right amounts of sparkle and shine.”

—Fresh Fiction

 

“Fans will laugh at the predicaments this mystery shopper finds herself in on the job and [while] sleuthing.”

—The Mystery Gazette

 

 

“I’ve read most of Ms. Viets’s work. All of it is good, most of it excellent. This one is superb, maybe the best she’s written so far. My attention was caught from the first page, and stayed caught the entire book. It is a wonderful cozy read. The characters are great, as are the relationships between the characters.”

—Gumshoe

 

“Elaine Viets does it again! . . .
The Fashion Hound Murders
is a hilarious story . . . [and] a fun-filled adventure.... Pick this book up if you are looking for a lighthearted read with great shopping tips!”

—The Romance Readers Connection

 

 

“Viets milks much holiday humor in her novel, pulling out all the wonderfully garish stops.”

—
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

 

“Elaine Viets writes exciting amateur sleuth mysteries filled with believable characters; the recurring cast, starting with Josie, adds a sense of friendship that in turn embellishes the feeling of realism.”

—
Midwest Book Review

 

“[A] wonderful holiday read.... a book to be savored by a cozy fire with a good cup of hot chocolate.”

—Gumshoe

 

“Elaine Viets knows how to orchestrate a flawless mystery with just the right blend of humor, intrigue, and hot romance. If you are looking to complete your wardrobe for the fall, you just found the most essential piece.”

—Fresh Fiction

 

“The writing and plot are superb . . . no wasted words, scenes, or characters. Everything advances the plot, builds the characters, or keeps things moving. It’s what her many fans have learned to expect.”—Cozy Library

 

“A funny, laugh-out-loud who-done-it. Elaine Viets has created characters that you can identify with.... This is one book you don’t want to miss.”

—The Romance Readers Connection

 

 

“Laugh-out-loud comedic murder mystery guaranteed to keep you entertained for any number of hours—the perfect read for a rainy day . . . Shopping, St. Louis culinary treats, and mayhem abound, providing for a satisfying read.”

—Front Street Reviews

 

“
High Heels Are Murder
takes Josie into the wicked world of murder, mayhem, and toe-cleavage . . . Viets spans the female psyche with panache and wit.”

—
South Florida Sun-Sentinel

 

“Viets has written one of the funniest amateur sleuth mysteries to come along in ages. Her protagonist is a thoroughly likeable person, a great mother, daughter, and friend.... The strength and the freshness of the tale lies in the characters.”

—
Midwest Book Review

 

 

“Finally, a protagonist we can relate to.”

—
St. Louis Riverfront Times

 

“Laugh-out-loud humor adds to the brisk action.”

—
South Florida Sun-Sentinel

 

“A fine, unique espionage, murder-in-the-mall thriller.”

—The Best Reviews

“I found myself rooting for Josie . . . Oh yes, a really interesting mystery plot along the way, too.”

—Round Table Reviews

 

“A charming and sympathetic amateur sleuth.”

—The Romance Readers Connection

 

 

“Clever . . . [the] real satisfaction is in observing the club members at their worst.”

—Marilyn Stasio,
The New York Times Book Review

“Wickedly funny.”

—
The Miami Herald

 

“A stubborn and intelligent heroine, a wonderful South Florida setting, and a cast of more-or-less lethal bimbos . . . I loved this book.”

—
New York Times
bestselling author Charlaine Harris

 

“Hair-raising . . . Viets keeps the action popping until the cliff-hanger ending.”

—
Publishers Weekly

“Hilarious.”

—
Kirkus Reviews

 

“A fast-paced story and nonstop wisecracks . . . Elaine Viets knows how to turn minimum wage into maximum hilarity.”

—Nancy Martin, author of
Sticky Fingers

 

“Elaine Viets reaches the right equilibrium with well-placed humor and lively plotting.”

—
South Florida Sun-Sentinel

 

“A quick summer read for fans of humorous mysteries with clever premises.”

—
Library Journal

 

“Helen Hawthorne is one of my all-time favorite mystery characters—smart and funny with a huge heart.”

—Cozy Library

 

“Laugh-out loud comedy, with enough twists and turns to make it to the top of the mystery bestseller charts.”

—
Florida Today

Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper Series

 

 

Dead-End Job Mystery Series

 

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First published by Obsidian, an imprint of New American Library, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

 

First Printing, November 2011

Copyright © Elaine Viets, 2011

All rights reserved

ISBN : 978-1-101-55873-7

 

OBSIDIAN and logo are trademarks of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

 

 

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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.

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This novel about St. Louis food reminded me how much I miss the good food, good friends, and good conversations I’ve had in my hometown.

Thanks to Liz Aton, Valerie Cannata, Mary Garrett, Jinny Gender, Kay Gordy, Alan Portman, Molly Portman, Jack Klobnak, Bob Levine, Sue Schlueter, Janet Smith, Jennifer Snethen, Anne Watts, and Emma, my expert on eleven-year-olds. Thanks to Facebook friends Judy Merrill Moticka, Rich Zellich, and Jessica Hribar.

Rachelle L’Ecuyer, Community Development Director for the City of Maplewood, helped with information about Rocketship Park and other Maplewood landmarks and businesses.

Big Dave, the pizza delivery man, is Dave Kellogg, a pizza driver and reservist who is now a contractor in Afghanistan.

Carole Wantz introduced me to Winslow’s Home.

Special thanks to Detective R. C. White, Fort Lauderdale Police Department (retired), and to the law enforcement men and women who answered my questions on police procedure. Some police and medical sources have to remain nameless, but I’m grateful for their help. Any mistakes are mine.