Review: Board Stiff by Elaine Viets

Board Stiff:
A Dead-End Job Mystery
12th in Series
Cozy Mystery
Obsidian (May 7, 2013)
Published The Penguin Group
Hardcover: 288 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0451239853
E-Book File Size: 665 KB
ASIN: B00BYLQO4K

Husband and wife PI team Helen Hawthorne and Phil Sagemont won’t be sparing the sunscreen on their latest assignment, but they’re about to find out murder is no day at the beach….

Phil is working undercover at Sunny Jim’s Safety First Parasailing and Stand-Up Paddleboarding business on Florida’s Riggs Beach while Helen plays the tourist with her trusty video camera. They have been hired to figure out who was trying to put Jim out of business when stakes get raised considerably. A client was killed and Jim knows it was no accident.

There are no shortage of suspects, a cutthroat competitor wants Jim’s prime beach location, the nearby restaurant owner wants the space to enlarge his parking lot, and the victim’s husband seems pretty shady himself and more so after he files a wrongful death suit.

But Phil and Helen uncover much more as they investigate. Dirty politicians, dirty cops and many secrets seem to be the norm at this beach. Helen and Phil need to catch the culprit before the tide turns and they all get washed away.

Dollycas’s Thoughts
One of my favorite series. Viets tops herself this one with a big surprise. I had a little inkling at the end of Final Sail but never imagined that it would play out the way it did.

Valerie Cannata finds herself right in the middle of the investigation and my favorite lady in purple, Margery, plays a key role as well. That Margery is one wise woman who never fails to put a smile on my face. 

The time we had more than just one character to hate. Daniel was a terrible husband, Cy was a terrible boss, Frank was on the take and Randy was out for revenge.  The author has readers paddling at a fast pace to uncover the killer.  

A smart mystery that is fun and very entertaining. I recommend reading the series in order because each builds to the next.  Helen’s evolution from the beginning of the series until now is remarkable. All the books would make great Summer Reads!!!

About This Author

A woman I can identify with! Elaine writes her novels with the help of Harry, a striped cat who sleeps by her computer and lashes the keyboard with his tail. He whips her into a writing frenzy. Harry collaborates on two series, the Dead-end Job mysteries and the Josie Marcus Mystery Shopper series. She’s won the Anthony, Agatha and Lefty awards.

For more about Elaine check out her web site here.
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”