Dead Lift: An Emily Locke Mystery

Single mom Emily Locke is building a new life with her daughter. Hoping to spend more time at home, she's relocated to Houston and put her career on hold to work part-time for her private investigator friend, Richard Cole. It's a nice balance between work and family until Emily finds out she's been working for the attorney who defended her husband's killer. The discovery nearly destroys her friendship with Richard, but Emily resists abandoning socialite client Claire… (plus)

Single mom Emily Locke is building a new life with her daughter. Hoping to spend more time at home, she's relocated to Houston and put her career on hold to work part-time for her private investigator friend, Richard Cole. It's a nice balance between work and family until Emily finds out she's been working for the attorney who defended her husband's killer. The discovery nearly destroys her friendship with Richard, but Emily resists abandoning socialite client Claire Gaston, who awaits trial for the murder of a local plastic surgeon. The threat of losing her children to a self-serving ex-husband terrifies Claire more than the specter of a life behind bars. Claire has been leading a wildly unconventional life and passing around access to her home and assets like popcorn. Should she be condemned for bad choices? Emily, haunted by her own, doesn't think so. Meanwhile, Emily's wild-child friend Jeannie, in town for a visit, sees a chance for Emily to loosen up when a mysterious note leads her into a daring undercover ruse at a high-brow ladies' health club. Emily fakes conformity with Houston's elite debutantes and trophy wives in a surreal fitness subculture where things, and people, are seldom what they seem. At this gym, "killer workout" takes on a whole new meaning.