Clubbed to Death

What to eat: A real country club tea, with crustless sandwiches and petit fours.
What to drink: Fat Bastard wine. Champagne to celebrate an engagement. Orange juice.
What to wear: Your favorite country club outfit or tennis whites.

(1) The members at the Superior Club constantly ask the staff, “Do you know who I am?” Margery says it’s because they are protected by their wealth and have never had a chance to find out who they are. Do you agree?

(2) Helen thinks the system no longer works for her because she doesn’t believe in it. Is she right? Could Helen return to her old corporate life? Should she?

(3) The Superior Club staff form a conspiracy against the members, and give them less service when they demand more. Have you seen this phenomenon? Do you believe in the power of powerless people?

(4) Margery says any woman worth her salt goes after the man she wants. Is this true? Did you propose marriage to your spouse?

(5) Helen can’t understand why the Superior Club members, who seem to have everything, are so unhappy. Are they really unhappy or has complaining become a habit?

(6) Why does the Black Widow, Marcella, hire a topnotch lawyer for Helen? Do you think Marcella got her money’s worth?

(7) Was the Superior Club right to hire Helen? Should she be working in a service job?

(8) Do you belong to a country club? Are these clubs still important for business or socializing?

(9) What does Marcella represent? Does she belong at the Superior Club?

(10) Why has Marcella named her yacht the Brandy Alexander? Should she change the name?

(11) Do you think Marcella paid Rob to go away? Do you believe he is alive when the book ends?

Clubbed to Death: A Dead-End Job Mystery
by Elaine Viets. NAL/Obsidian, $21.95 (272p) ISBN 978-0-451-22394-4.

The other six Dead-End Job books include: (1) Shop till You Drop (2) Murder Between the Covers (3) Dying to Call You (4) Just Murdered (5) Murder Unleashed (6) Murder with Reservations