Final Sail: A Dead-End Job Mystery [Hardcover]

Elaine Viets (Author)

Book Description

Release date: May 1, 2012 | Series: Dead-End Job Mystery (Book 10)

Husband and wife PI team Helen Hawthorne and Phil Sagemont both have their hands full, but only Helen has to carry drink trays—as part of her latest undercover assignment as a stewardess on a private yacht… 

Lost at Sea

To catch a jewel smuggler on a luxury yacht, Helen needs to pose as the ship’s new stewardess—but between serving drinks to the snobs, scrubbing floors, and cleaning up after seasick passengers, she’s starting to miss dry land almost as much as she misses Phil.

While Helen’s cruising to the Bahamas, Phil’s got his own job—trying to catch a sexy gold digger who may have killed her elderly husband for his fortune. Good thing he’s a self-proclaimed master of disguise, playing it cool as everything from an air-conditioning repairman to a Rastafarian.

Helen’s a help to Phil on his case, but when she’s on her own on the high seas, Helen needs to watch her step as she searches out the smuggler—or she may end up going from undercover to overboard…

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Quick-witted mysteries.”—Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times Book Review

“Viets keeps the story light and the humor nimble.”—South Florida Sun-Sentinel 

“Enjoyable…[an] action-filled cozy.”—Publishers Weekly

--This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

About the Author

Elaine Viets has actually worked those dead-end jobs in her mystery novels, just like her character, Helen Hawthorne. Over the years, Elaine has been a dress store clerk, phone book proofreader, babysitter, telemarketer, bookseller, and weed puller at fifty cents a bucket.  She is also the author of the Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper series and numerous short stories. Elaine has won an Anthony Award and an Agatha Award. She lives in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with her husband, author and actor Don Crinklaw.  Please visit her blog: The Lipstick Chronicles.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: NAL Hardcover; First Edition edition (May 1, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451236742
• ISBN-13: 978-0451236746
• Product Dimensions: 5.8 x 1 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #421,903 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I write my novels with the help of Harry, a striped cat who sleeps by my computer and lashes the keyboard with his tail. He whips me into a writing frenzy.
Harry collaborates on two series, the Dead-end Job mysteries and the Josie Marcus Mystery Shopper series. He's doing a good job -- I just signed a contract with NAL/Signet for two more books in each series.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining read! May 1, 2012

By Jennifer L. Vido VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

Helen Hawthorne is ready for action. Teaming up with her husband Phil Sagemont, she is looking forward to making their newly formed private investigating firm a success. With his wealth of experience plus her keen sense for adventure, it comes as no surprise these two click perfectly. As an added perk, their office is conveniently located in the same apartment building as their home making it possible to combine work with pleasure while building a nest egg for their future.

Their latest case takes them to the high seas in search of a jewel smuggler on a luxury cruise yacht. The two decide Helen is the best person for the job, and she goes undercover as a stewardess in hopes of catching the thief. From scrubbing toilets to vacuuming in the lines, Helen certainly has her work cut out for her. As she does her best to stomach the choppy waters, Helen must act fast in order to save the captain's reputation before the jewelry smuggling ring is exposed.

While Helen is busy playing hostess on the high seas, Phil has his own investigation in progress. Working undercover as an estate manager, Phil hopes to prove that his client's gold digging step-mom killed her elderly father. As a master of disguise, Phil goes to extreme lengths to bring the killer to justice. With a fortune on the line, the stakes get higher as Phil finds himself up against quite the sneaky suspect.

FINAL SAIL is the eleventh installment of the national bestselling Dead-End Job Mystery series. Viets' acute attention to detail lends credence to the plot, making it not only engaging, but also informative. The amount of research is quite evident as she peppers the storyline with minute details of yachting as well as the lives of the rich and famous. Delightful, entertaining, and truly insightful, FINAL SAIL is a sailor's dream.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Another winner from Elaine Viets June 4, 2012

By Kay Hudson

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I love Elaine Viets' fast-paced, funny mysteries, and this one is a blast. Now that Helen and Phil are married, she's not desperate for those Dead-End Jobs to survive, but Viets still finds good reason for them. In this outing Helen works for an exhausting week as a stewardess on a private yacht, while Phil poses as several different people to investigate a possible murder. Not much time at the Coronado this time, but Margery puts in an appearance, as does Thumbs the cat. And there are hints that Helen's past troubles are not over.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars No Dead-End in sight for this series May 5, 2012

By Victoria Allman

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Helen Hawthorne is at it again. In the latest installment of Elaine Viets' funny and well-crafted mystery series, Helen finds herself as both a preacher and a stewardess on a yacht--two very different roles for this P.I. to undertake--in an attempt to solve both a murder and stop an emerald-smuggler. Both cases intertwine to expose Helen to the rich and privileged behaving very badly. The often humorous characters are spot-on and will leave you laughing and cringing at the same time; all the while rooting for Helen to solve the case and escape from the wacky world of the wealthy. This is a fast-paced page-turner with the continuing story of Helen and her new life as a wife and old life as woman hiding out from the law expertly woven in.

Eleven books into the series, Dead-End Jobs shows no signs of slowing down or getting stale.

As yacht crew myself, I must say, Viets nailed the life of a crew member. I only hope I never have to work for such guests as Helen had onboard. From the endless hours without sleep to the never-ending cycles of laundry, Helen is thrown into the world of yachting where it is sink or swim.

Final Sail was a thrill to read and left me wanting number twelve in the series to come out soon.

Victoria Allman
author of: SEAsoned: A Chef's Journey with Her Captain