Freelance writer Jaine Austen thought working for a knock-off reality show in the tropics would be paradise. But when she and her kitty Prozac find themselves trapped between a dimwitted leading man, catty contestants, and a cold-blooded murderer, the splashy gig becomes one deadly nightmare ... Jaine’s life has been a royal pain since she started penning dialogue for Some Day My Prince Will Come —a cheesy dating show that features bachelorettes competing for the heart of Spencer Dalworth VII, a very distant heir to the British throne. As if fending off golf ball-sized bugs on a sweltering island wasn’t tough enough, Jaine must test her patience against an irritable production crew and fierce contestants who will do anything to get their prince... But Jaine never expected murder to enter the script. When one of the finalists dies in a freak accident, it’s clear someone wanted the woman out of the race for good—and the police won’t allow a soul off the island until they seize the culprit. Terrified of existing another day without air conditioning and eager to return home, Jaine is throwing herself into the investigation. And she better pounce on clues quickly—or there won’t be any survivors left... OUTSTANDING PRAISE FOR LAURA LEVINE’S JAINE AUSTEN MYSTERIES MURDER HAS NINE LIVES “Enjoyable . . . This outing will keep cozy readers amused and wondering what absurdity will happen next.” — Publishers Weekly “Jaine’s flair for the well-turned phrase puts her in the top tier of do-it-yourself detectives.” — Kirkus Reviews “Jaine pursues justice and sanity in her usual hilarious yet smart way, with Levine infusing wit into her heroine’s every thought. A thoroughly fun read that will interest Evanovich fans.” — Booklist “Another expertly conceived whodunit.” — Fresh Fiction KILLING CUPID “Jaine is absolutely hysterical . . . this author continues to write the best cozies.” — Suspense Magazine DEATH OF A NEIGHBORHOOD WITCH “Levine’s latest finds her at her witty and wacky best.” — Kirkus Reviews THIS PEN FOR HIRE “Laura Levine’s hilarious debut mystery, This Pen for Hire , is a laugh a page (or two or three) as well as a crafty puzzle. Sleuth Jaine Austen’s amused take on life, love, sex and L.A. will delight readers. Sheer fun!” —Carolyn Hart LAURA LEVINE is a comedy writer whose television credits include The Bob Newhart Show , Laverne & Shirley , The Love Boat , The Jeffersons , Three’s Company , and Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman . Her work has been published in The Washington Post and The Los Angeles Times . She lives in Los Angeles, and is currently working on the next Jaine Austen mystery. Readers can reach her at Jaineausten@aol.com, or her website: www.JaineAustenMysteries.com. Death of a Bachelorette A Jaine Austen Mystery By LAURA LEVINE KENSINGTON PUBLISHING CORP. Copyright © 2017 Laura Levine All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-1-4967-0846-5 CHAPTER 1 It took about nine hours to fly from L.A. to Tahiti — nine of the most harrowing hours of my life. All that training I'd done with Prozac, getting her used to her carrier, keeping her calm and relaxed, worked like a dream — until we actually boarded the plane. After which she began yowling at the top of her lungs, a cry so piercing, so decibel-shattering in the narrow confines of our crowded coach cabin, even the cranky toddler across the aisle was giving me the stink eye — pissed, no doubt, that Prozac had robbed him of his title as the Most Aggravating Passenger on board. The whole plane was buzzing with annoyance as Prozac's shrieks ricocheted around the cabin. I even heard one of the flight attendants mumble to her partner as they rolled the drink cart down the aisle, "It's days like this I wish I'd kept my job at KFC. Those paper hats weren't so bad after all." Prozac's nonstop wails were silenced only by a steady succession of kitty treats and, as it turned out, a good portion of my in-flight meal. Finally, when my eardrums could stand it no longer, I fell back on the pet owner's last resort in times of crisis: a healthy dose of valium. And I'm happy to report it put me down for two hours. When I woke, I discovered Prozac and her cat carrier were gone. Oh, heavens. Had some furious passenger spirited her off to the lav and done away with her? No, it turned out that the coach passengers had taken up a collection to move Prozac to first class, where I found her sprawled out on a plush leather seat, nibbling at a plate of caviar. Desperate to shut her up, the flight attendants had taken her out of her carrier and given her what she'd wanted all along: a nice comfy chair all to herself, away from the plebes in coach. At which point, she'd apparently switched to full-tilt Adorable Mode, cocking her head at a rakish angle, purring happily, and batting her baby greens. At least that's how I found her when I came bursting through the curtain to first class. "Prozac!" I cried. "I was worried sick. I thoug