Josie Marcus Mystery Shopper

Josie Marcus, mall moll, single mom and protector of Mrs. Minivan, finds more than she bargained for as a St. Louis mystery shopper.

She lives in the cozy St. Louis suburb of Maplewood, Missouri in a duplex downstairs from her mother.  She does the hard work protecting unsuspecting shoppers from the snubs of sales clerks.

Now with new covers and new pricing,
courtesy of JABberwocky Literary in New York.

Check out the first chapters for free!

Book 1

Dying in Style by elaine Viets

  

Dying In Style

Synopsis 
Most women would kill for Josie's Marcus's job as a mystery shopper. She gets paid to shop. Josie knows it's hard work protecting unsuspecting shoppers from the snubs of sales clerks. She spends her day surrounded by luxury items she can't afford, like five thousand dollar Danessa handbags. Josie also deals with a nine-year-old daughter and a mother who likes shopping just a little too much. Josie's less-than-stellar report provokes threats of a lawsuit. When Danessa is strangled with one of her own snakeskin belts, Josie has to bag the killer or else.

Originally published: 10/4/2005


Buy a signed copy  Left Bank Books

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Dying-Style-Marcus-Mystery-Shopper-ebook/dp/B07KGMBCWX/

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dying-in-style-elaine-viets/1100314938?ean=9781625673336

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/dying-in-style

Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Elaine_Viets_Dying_in_Style?id=fpJ5DwAAQBAJ

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/dying-in-style/id1442926526?mt=11

Book 2

High Heels are Murder

  

High Heels Are Murder

Synopsis 
Mystery shopper – and solver – Josie Marcus gets paid to shoe-shop. She also has to deal with sleazy Mel Poulaine, a shoe salesman who's too interested in women's feet. Josie's been hired by Mel's boss to mystery-shop the store, but one step leads to another and Josie finds herself in St. Louis's seedy underbelly, learning about gambling, blackmail and toe cleavage. Caught up in a web of crime, Josie hopes she won't end up murdered in Manolos.

Originally published: 11/7/2006
 

Buy a signed copy Left Bank Books 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Heels-Murder-Marcus-Mystery-Shopper-ebook/dp/B07KGN6DCL/

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/high-heels-are-murder-elaine-viets/1021943574?ean=9781625673343

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/high-heels-are-murder

Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Elaine_Viets_High_Heels_Are_Murder?id=gJJ5DwAAQBAJ

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/high-heels-are-murder/id1442925182?mt=11

Book 3

  

Accessory to Murder

Synopsis 
Someone killed Halley Hardwicke, the hot young designer of thousand-dollar Italian silk scarves. Police have their eye on Jake, the husband of Josie's best friend, Alyce. The couple lived near the wrap maven, but it seems Halley and Jake were a little too neighborly. So Josie goes undercover to help save her best friend's husband – and their shaky marriage. This time, there's a lot more at stake than a scarf, even if it's to die for.

Originally published: 11/6/2007

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Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Accessory-Murder-Marcus-Mystery-Shopper-ebook/dp/B07KGLNYC9/

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Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Elaine_Viets_Accessory_to_Murder?id=hJJ5DwAAQBAJ

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/accessory-to-murder/id1442925821?mt=11

Book 4

  

Murder With All the Trimmings

Synopsis 
Josie doesn't mind a little Christmas cheer – but three year-round Christmas shops in one neighborhood are too much. Especially the one selling pornaments. Worse, shoppers find a strange secret ingredient in one store's holiday cake. But it's family who really make the holidays what they are: Josie's ex shows up on her doorstep demanding custody of their daughter. Josie must solve this holiday mystery before someone becomes a real Christmas spirit.

Originally published: 11/4/2008

Buy a signed copy  Left Bank Books

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KHT1S6G/

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murder-with-all-the-trimmings-elaine-viets/1100361435?ean=9781625673367

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/murder-with-all-the-trimmings-4

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Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Elaine_Viets_Murder_with_All_the_Trimmings?id=gpJ5DwAAQBAJ

Book 5

  

The Fashion Hound Murders

Synopsis 
Josie had no idea that the business of fashion-forward puppies could get so ugly, until she's hired to check out a big pet store's involvement with puppy mills. Josie discovers behind the cashmere sweaters and jeweled collars is a multi-million dollar designer dog breeding industry. Mystery shopper Josie Marcus tackles the world of canine couture and finds it bad to the bone.

Published: 11/3/2009
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Book 6

An Uplifting Murder

  

An Uplifting Murder

Synopsis 
Josie Marcus, Maplewood mystery shopper and single mom, is assigned to investigate a lingerie store. She's surprised to find her favorite high school gym teacher – the woman who saved her from the mean girls – is now working as the shop manager. A high school acquaintance Josie hoped she'd never see again turns up and is murdered at the mall. Josie's teacher is the main suspect, and her alibi is flimsier than the lingerie she sells. Josie has to save the woman who helped her when the murder becomes a tempest in a C-cup.

Oringally Published: 10/2/2010
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Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Uplifting-Murder-Marcus-Mystery-Shopper-ebook/dp/B07L8PKJBX/

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/uplifting-murder-elaine-viets/1100257410?ean=9781625673381

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iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1446457928

Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Elaine_Viets_An_Uplifting_Murder?id=QHl-DwAAQBAJ

Book 7

Death on a Platter by Elaine Viets

  

Death on a Platter

Synopsis 
Josie Marcus mystery-shops St. Louis specialties for a national food tour, savoring everything from chocolate to St. Louis pizza to pig ear sandwiches. Okay, she doesn't exactly savor the pig ears. But she is paid to eat them.

Josie's appetite is ruined when she tests toasted ravioli at Tillie's Off the Hill and a customer is poisoned. Tillie, an old friend of Josie's mother, is the prime suspect. Josie has to find the killer – and maybe find out what her boyfriend has in mind regarding their future.

Originally Published: 11/1/2011
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Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Death-Platter-Marcus-Mystery-Shopper-ebook/dp/B07PGQZ7ZS/

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1102224511?ean=9781625673398#/

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Book 8

Murder is a Piece of Cake

  

Murder Is a Piece of Cake

Synopsis 
Mystery shopper Josie Marcus is finally getting married. But it wouldn't be easy. Lenore, her future mother-in-law flies in from Boca to help with – ie "control" – Josie and Ted's wedding. Josie wishes someone would lock up her meddling mother-in-law. They do. Lenore is arrested for murder and Josie has to find the real killer before she can walk down the aisle. You'll love this light-hearted mystery spiced with romance.

Originally Published: 11/7/2012
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Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Piece-Marcus-Mystery-Shopper-ebook/dp/B07PDNM97G/

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1108799008?ean=9781625673404

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Book 9

Fixing to Die by Elaine Viets

  

Fixing to Die

Synopsis 
In "Fixing to Die," Elaine Viets' ninth Josie Marcus Mystery Shopper mystery, Josie and Ted, her hunky new veterinarian husband, buy the perfect house. It just needs a little remodeling. Then Ted finds a body under the backyard gazebo and his clinic partner is charged with the murder. Josie's tween daughter, Amelia, is fighting mean girls at school. Josie has to look for a killer who hit way too close to home. Enjoy this restoration comedy.

Originally Published: 11/5/2013

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Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Fixing-Josie-Marcus-Mystery-Shopper-ebook/dp/B07PDNM73H/

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Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Elaine_Viets_Fixing_to_Die?id=IQuMDwAAQBAJ

Book 10

A Dog Gone Murder

  

A Dog Gone Murder

Synopsis 

Mystery shopper Josie Marcus is getting the dirt on dog day-care centers, and discovers that one dog-loving local celebrity is really bad to the bone.
 
Josie has been asked to investigate Uncle Bob's Doggy Day Camp, known for its commercials featuring Uncle Bob liking dogs so much that he acts like one. But Josie soon learns how Uncle Bob acts when the cameras are off. Her mother's new tenant, Franklin, who works for Uncle Bob, plans to quit after seeing the man's true nature. But before he gets the chance, Bob is murdered, and Franklin goes from the doghouse to the big house.
 
Now it's up to Josie to clear Franklin's name. Her investigation reveals that Bob was more of a dog than anyone knew—and had been kicked out of his house for bad behavior. As she digs up new clues, Josie will have to catch the killer quickly, before any more trouble is unleashed.
 
Originally Published: 11/4/2014
 
   

 

Published on  June 21st, 2019