Melissa E. (Melissa1959) -
Helpful Score: 8
I loved this book, the first in Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper series by Elaine Viets. Josie Marcus may not be living up to her full potential, but she's doing what she wants to do right now -- she's a mystery shopper who is able to spend quality time with her daughter and even her mother, who lives upstairs. Marcus' character is intelligent, feisty and darn funny. Surprisingly, the book also had a good plot that kept me guessing to the end. I think Viets has a good chance of making Viets into a best-loved cozy character.
Richard M. (algernon99) -
Helpful Score: 7
I like Elaine Viets' books. Really, I do. So bear that in mind while I complain a bit here.
First, as an experienced mystery shopper in today's world (I've done maybe a thousand shops over the last ten years for about 50 different mystery shopping companies), I have to tell you that this is not how mystery shopping works in today's world. This is pre-Internet stuff, the way it used to be done in the old days. It's much more streamlined these days. There may be a few of the old-line, local companies still in the business as described in this book; I have no way of knowing that. But the vast majority of mystery shopping now is done in a totally diffent way. (Viets says that her mother was a mystery shopper, and this is the way she did it. That's undoubtedly true.)
So I was disappointed to find that my favorite moonlighting job was not represented here.
My second disappointment was the that larger-than-life oddball characters just didn't ring true for me. The whole situation was over the top--for me.
I'm going to read the second one in the series and hope for some improvement in the plotline, but this one was a disappointment.
First, as an experienced mystery shopper in today's world (I've done maybe a thousand shops over the last ten years for about 50 different mystery shopping companies), I have to tell you that this is not how mystery shopping works in today's world. This is pre-Internet stuff, the way it used to be done in the old days. It's much more streamlined these days. There may be a few of the old-line, local companies still in the business as described in this book; I have no way of knowing that. But the vast majority of mystery shopping now is done in a totally diffent way. (Viets says that her mother was a mystery shopper, and this is the way she did it. That's undoubtedly true.)
So I was disappointed to find that my favorite moonlighting job was not represented here.
My second disappointment was the that larger-than-life oddball characters just didn't ring true for me. The whole situation was over the top--for me.
I'm going to read the second one in the series and hope for some improvement in the plotline, but this one was a disappointment.
Karen W. (ce-ce) reviewed Dying In Style (Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper, Bk 1) on + 17 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 5
1st in the series. Couldn't wait to get the next book.
Josie is a single mom who lives in the same apartment building as her mother. She is makes her living as a mystery shopper
Josie is a single mom who lives in the same apartment building as her mother. She is makes her living as a mystery shopper
Tim H. (Timbuktu126) reviewed Dying In Style (Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper, Bk 1) on + 476 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
I LOVE Elaine Viets's Dead End Job series, but for some reason never got any books from this series. But I enjoyed it. I liked the mystery shopper behind the scenes info as well as the plot. Good ending too- I really had no idea "whodunnit"!
Helpful Score: 2
Great Book!
