Elaine Viets has set her latest Dead End Job story in the world of Fort Lauderdale gyms. Pumped for Murder (#84) has Helen Hawthorne taking a job as a receptionist at a huge gym. This time, though, she's doing it as a private investigator trainee for Coronado Investigations, the company she and her brand new husband Phil have started. She's there to find out if a spouse is cheating on their client, but when Helen comes across the body of a competetive body builder as she opens the gym one morning, things take a different turn. In the meantime, there's another old case of suicide they're investigating; the brother is convinced it was murder. But can Helen keep things together when secrets from her past threaten her marriage and her sister's family?
I found this book a bit darker than some of the other titles in this series, but still a good mystery. Although this book can be read on its own, it would definitely be helpful to have read the previous volumes to better understand the source of the threat to Helen's happiness.
Loved the setting, though. I've always known that there was a reason I never wanted to step foot in a gym in Florida (or anywhere else, for that matter!). The concentration on body image above all else, use of steroids, the posturing and sexually charged atmosphere on top of the high pressure sales tactics to join - ew! Sorry if that offends any dedicated gym rats, but I seriously doubt that they would be reading this blog- they wouldn't have time.
I know there's more to come in the Dead End Job series since Helen still has a huge cloud hanging over her. I hope that Helen eventually gets her happy ending, but not too soon! It's too much fun reading about her adventures and being glad I'm not in her shoes.
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