The Hanging Heiress — Richard Wormser

Marty Cockren, ex-newspaper man and rookie private detective, is offered the chance to earn big money acting as bodyguard to beautiful young widow Eve Chounet, who is due to inherit a huge fortune from her late husband - though as a caveat, only if she remains alive for thirty days, whilst delivering his portrait paintings to each of his companies. But the principals of some of those companies are hell-bent on her murder, and Marty must use all of his cunning to stay ahead of the individuals involved and keep Eve alive...