Murder Unleashed — Elaine Viets

With a resume that includes attempted assault and alimony evasion, Helen Hawthorne has no choice but to take on a series of dead-end jobs to make ends meet. Unfortunately, they're exposing her to a lot of people who end up dead.

At the Barker Brothers Pampered Pet Boutique, Helen hustles a selection of canine cuisine and couture that beats anything in her own fridge or closet. The star groomer rivals any prima donna stylist of the fashion world, and when Helen delivers a dog to a client he's insulted, she finds the blond trophy wife stretched out naked by her pool with a pair of ten-inch grooming scissors stuck in her chest.

Later that day, an adorable labradoodle puppy is kidnapped from the boutique. Barkley is the most valuable pup in Fort Lauderdale. If his owner sues, the store will be ruined. To add to Helen's stress, there's a category-three hurricane headed straight for South Florida. Now Helen has to find the killer and the kidnapper, or her new life will be gone with the wind....