It Doesn’t Pay to be Bad
Book 5 of The Janet Maple Series
Janet Maple couldn’t be happier—she just tied the knot with the man of her dreams and her work partner, Dennis Walker. Back from their honeymoon, Janet and Dennis are about to settle into married life, but a simple painting they brought back with them turns out to be much more than a memento.
Suddenly, Janet and Dennis find themselves in the middle of an international art theft scheme, tasked to entrap one of the most sought after art criminals in the world. There’s just one glitch—Janet and Dennis aren’t exactly art buffs. Will the duo have what it takes to get the job done?
What the readers are saying:
Being bad is an art! THANK YOU Marie for writing Book 5 of the Janet Maple Series!! I enjoyed every minute of this BOOK!! We get all caught up on Dennis and Janet and their new Marriage! And meet a new character Tina.
I LOVE this series!!! The author makes you care about the characters and feel invested in their story. While this is part of a series, it is a stand-alone novel. However, they are so good that you really owe to yourself to read them all. Fans of the genre will love this book.
Another Great Story! I love Janet, Dennis and Baxter, their stories are full of suspense and laughter and will keep you glued to every page until the very end. The Janet Maple Series can be read as a stand-alone but then you would miss all the fun and suspense of each story and how Janet and Dennis met. Marie Astor has a way of telling a story and will leave you with a smile on your face and wanting more.
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Read an Excerpt from It Doesn’t Pay to be Bad
Janet took Dennis’s hand and stepped out on the pavement, taking in her surroundings. This section of town had narrow, cobblestoned streets with pavements barely wide enough for two people. “Let’s see, Joyau Gallery should be somewhere around—” she muttered, skimming the faded shop signs.“Here—” Dennis pointed at a low-slung building right in front of them.
“I don’t know how I missed it.”
“That’s why you have me—to show you the way,” Dennis quipped.
“And I’m very grateful for that,” she teased him. “Look at all the beautiful paintings they have in the window. I can’t wait to see what’s inside.”
“I’m glad we came here.” Dennis nodded approvingly at the artwork in the display case. “It’ll be nice to bring home a memento of our honeymoon. Shall we?” Dennis pushed open the door. There was a chiming of doorbells as they walked inside, but the gallery appeared to be empty.
“Hello?” Janet called out, but no one answered. “I wonder if there’s anyone here?” she asked, looking at Dennis. “Do you think they might be closed for lunch?”
“The door was open. And I would think Pierre would’ve told us about it. The sales clerk is probably in the back. It’s not like this place is crawling with customers.”
Janet rubbed her hands in anticipation, eyeing the paintings on the walls. “I’d love to find a nice seascape—I know just the place to hang it in our living room.”
Dennis nodded. “Yes, dear, a nice seascape would be lovely. It’s just the finishing touch our apartment needs.”
Janet caught the sarcasm in his voice, but decided to let this one go, remembering all the renovation work Dennis had done for their new apartment. Just before they tied the knot, Dennis and Janet had both given up their studio rentals and moved into a one bedroom apartment that became available for sale in Janet’s building. Between the renovations and the moving in, it had been a lot of work, with Dennis doing most of the handiwork and Janet picking out the furniture and the decorations. She’d loved every minute of it, and even though the project was now complete, deep down she didn’t want it to end. After all, she was a newlywed and she reveled in all the activities that came with it, including picking out little knick-knacks to make their love nest as cozy as possible.
Janet looked up as an elderly sales clerk emerged from the back room.
“Bonjour,” the sales clerk greeted them. He was short and very thin, looking almost like a dried up twig. He wore a tailored suit that fit his slight frame almost like a glove, complete with a bowtie and patent leather shoes.
“Good afternoon.” Janet smiled. “Pardon me, but do you speak English?”
“Of course.” The sales clerk bowed slightly. “But I am very sorry to say that we are closed.”
“Closed?” Dennis frowned. “But our concierge told us you’d be open. Look, we’re leaving tomorrow. Couldn’t you make an exception?”
The sales clerk shook his head apologetically. “I am very sorry, but we are taking inventory. Normally we’d be open, but not today.”
“Are you sure you couldn’t make an exception?” Janet decided to give it a try. “You have such beautiful paintings here, and I was so hoping to buy a nice seascape for our apartment.”
The clerk’s eyes widened, a worried look coming over his face. “Did you say a seascape, Madame?”
“Yes.” Janet nodded. “A seascape for our new apartment.”
“Mon dieu! Un Americain looking for a seascape for the new apartment! Red shoes, navy dress—” he muttered. “Forgive my impertinence. This old head isn’t what it used to be.” He flung up his hands. “I believe I have exactly what you’re looking for. Let me make sure that we will not be interrupted.” He hurried to lock the front door. “I will be right back.”
Dennis frowned. “Now that’s funny. Do you think he’s maybe mistaking us for someone else?” he whispered, as the old man disappeared in the back of the store.