Ghost Times Two

Bailey Ruth #7

by Carolyn G. Hart

Carolyn Hart—N ew York Times bestselling author of Ghost to the Rescue —returns with a new Bailey Ruth Ghost Novel in which one woman shatters the glass ceiling...with a little help from beyond.

Bailey Ruth Raeburn’s latest mission is to guide the happy-go-lucky spirit of a deceased young man named Jimmy to the next life. But Jimmy is determined to watch over his still-living girlfriend, Megan, whom he wants to be happy even without him—which is easier said than done.

As if being haunted by her late boyfriend wasn’t enough, Megan is dealing with an arrogant, manipulative senior partner who threatens to fire Megan’s vulnerable secretary if Megan accepts a partnership at another law firm. She’s in an impossible bind.

Since Jimmy refuses to move on while Megan is being blackmailed, Bailey Ruth agrees to help him. But after the partner turns up dead and Megan is found at the crime scene, Bailey Ruth and Jimmy have to find a way to uncover a killer before the love of Jimmy’s life is ordered to spend a lifetime behind bars...

Genres: Mystery, Audiobook, Cozy Mystery, Paranormal, Fiction, Supernatural, Ghosts

292 pages, Hardcover

First published October 4, 2016

About the author

Also writing as Carolyn Hart.

An accomplished master of mystery with 46 published books, Carolyn Hart is the creator of the highly acclaimed Henrie O,Death on Demand, and Bailey Ruth Raeburn series. Her books have won multiple Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity Awards. Letter from Home (2003), her standalone mystery set in Oklahoma, was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. Her latest book is Dead by Midnight (William Morrow/HarperCollins, 2007). She is one of the founders of Sisters in Crime, an organization for women who write mysteries. She lives in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma."
New Books: Dead By Midnight Carolyn Hart


DEAD BY MIDNIGHT by Carolyn Hart On Sale March 29

The police say suicide. Annie Darling suspects murder. Max is unconvinced until Annie follows a trail behind the dead woman's house.

Annie unravels the mystery of a towel hidden at midnight in a gazebo, the interesting lack of fingerprints on a crystal mug, blood on a teenager's blue shirt, and the secret of a lovers' tryst. Max plunges deep into the woods to find incriminating evidence.

Annie sets the perfect trap for a merciless killer, but her cell phone rings and Death is on the line.

www.CarolynHart.com

And for cat lovers:

DEAD BY MIDNIGHT by Carolyn Hart

I love to have fun when writing a mystery. If I laugh, I think a reader will laugh. In the Death on Demand series, I especially enjoy writing about Annie Darling's ditzy mother-in-law, Laurel Roethke. Laurel is usually excited about a new interest, something that surprises and often confounds Annie.

In Dead by Midnight, Laurel creates Cat Truth Posters, which she wants Annie to hang in the bookstore. Annie thinks books should be the store's focus, but the posters enchant her.

Each poster features a cat's photograph with a caption. Here are three of the Cat Truth posters;

. . . a silky furred, mitted, and bicolored Ragdoll stretched out on a red silk cushion, looking as comfy as Eva Longoria in a Hanes ad: Go with the Flow.

A rectangular-muzzled, green-eyed, cholocolate colored cat appeared as brooding as a Gothic hero: Always Say Yes to Adventure.

. . . a thick-furred, piebald Siberian forest cat, its white front a brilliant contrast to a charcoal back and head. Its face appeared almost angelic: Always try a Smile First.

And yes, one of the posters points to a killer.

Fun for me and fun, I hope for readers

Reviews

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this 7th book in the 'Bailey Ruth' series, the ghostly amateur sleuth investigates the murder of a lawyer. The book can be read as a standalone.

*****

Bailey Ruth Raeburn is deceased but still very active. She works for 'Heaven’s Department of Good Intentions', which sends emissaries to Earth to help people in trouble. Emissaries are supposed to be discrete and unnoticed, but - though she tries - Bailey Ruth can never remain inconspicuous.



On this occasion Bailey Ruth is sent to her home town of Adelaide, Oklahoma to help a departed soul named Jimmy climb the stairs to heaven.



At the time of his accidental death some time ago, Jimmy was a twentysomething journalist in love with a young lawyer named Megan. Jimmy can't bear to leave his soulmate, and refuses to ascend to paradise. Instead Jimmy hangs around Adelaide, watches Megan, leaves her gifts, and even speaks in her presence.



All this leaves Megan confused and distressed, and she wishes it would stop.



Jimmy is especially agitated right now because Megan's current boyfriend Blaine, also a lawyer, asked her to become a partner in his law firm. Moreover, Blaine seems about to propose marriage. Jimmy thinks Blaine is the wrong man for Megan and is determined to break up the couple.

Thus Bailey Ruth's heavenly boss, Wiggins, sends her down to have a word with Jimmy and send him on his way to paradise.

Meanwhile events on Earth take an alarming turn. When Megan tells her boss Doug that she's leaving for another job, he threatens to fire her assistant Anita.



Anita desperately needs the firm's medical insurance for a sick daughter, so Megan reluctantly agrees to stay.

Doug is a turd who divorced his wife to pursue a rich widow, for whom he's purchased a $100,000 diamond engagement ring. Doug keeps the ring in his desk drawer (how stupid is that?), and when a client loudly insists on seeing it, everyone in the firm - lawyers, secretaries, paralegals, etc. - learns where it is.



Long story short, Doug is shot dead in his home that night, and - due to a frame up - Megan becomes the prime suspect. The next day, the diamond ring is missing.



Jimmy is REALLY not leaving now that Megan's in trouble, so he and Bailey Ruth - who's solved murders before - investigate the crime themselves. Ghosts can become visible; teleport themselves from one location to another; manifest any outfit they'd like; conjure up ID badges; and so on. Thus Bailey Ruth pretends to be a police detective and Jimmy takes on the persona of a U.S envoy, so they can interview people who knew or worked with Doug.

When the ghosts uncover clues or evidence, Bailey Ruth conveys them to Police Chief Sam Cobb, who's aware she's a 'supernatural assistant' that helps him with cases.



It's fun to see the ghosts go about their business, flash in and out of visibility, eat at Bailey Ruth's favorite café (who knew ghosts could eat?), and uncover the solution to wrong-doing in Adelaide.

An annoying feature of the book is the detailed descriptions of everyone's clothing, and Bailey Ruth's regular wardrobe changes. Bailey Ruth switches her outfits constantly, and each getup is depicted in excruciating detail. This is too much (for me).



Overall this is an enjoyable cozy mystery, recommended to fans of the genre.

You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot....

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this novel, ghost Bailey Ruth is sent back to her hometown Adelaide, with the mission of convincing a recently-departed soul to leave earth and go to Heaven. The problem? Jimmy can't give up his fiance, Megan. He's even been talking to her and interfering in her life, which is a no-no! Of course, once Baily Ruth arrives on the scene, Megan's nasty boss is murdered, and Megan is the prime suspect! Bailey Ruth and Jimmy know she is innocent, so they must solve the mystery and clear Megan before Jimmy can leave (plus the little complication that he just doesn't want to go). This was a fun story. The Heaven that Baily Ruth lives in sounds like exactly that - you get to choose your favorite age, and your wardrobe is only limited by your imagination (and, boy, is Bailey Ruth obsessed with clothes!). I'm sure that Jimmy felt much better once he got there! Carolyn Hart is one of my favorite mystery authors, having previously read her series Death on Demand (one of my all-time favorites) and Henrie O, and this series lives up to her reputation.

[Una · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bailey Ruth, emissary from Heaven, has been dispatched to bring a recalcitrant Jimmy up the golden stairs to his new home, but Jimmy is having nothing to do with this plan--at least for now. He feels Megan, his girlfriend when he was still alive, needs him to watch over her. All too soon the feeling becomes a necessity and it takes both Bailey Ruth and Jimmy to help clear the muddy waters.

I felt this book was a great improvement over Ms. Hart's last one in the series. While there was still a lot of clothing description, it didn't interrupt the story line and the unveiling of the murderer was not obvious as there were several possible candidates. All in all I would give this book 4 stars.

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this for the 2019 Popsugar Challenge category of "A ghost story". This is not my favorite of Carolyn G. Hart's mystery series, but it fit the bill as the detective helping out the police in small town Oklahoma, Ruth Bailey, is actually a ghost, sent as a "Heavenly Emissary" to convince a recently deceased young reporter to move on to heaven, rather than hang around to keep an eye on his former girlfriend. When the girlfriend becomes a murder suspect, Ruth Bailey hangs around to do some investigating, passing on clues to the local police chief, who has encountered her before, and thus is willing to take her help. It's a quick read and entertaining in a light sort of a way.

[Paula Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series. I love the talk of fashions and how Bailey Ruth break the precepts but always has a good reason. Always well written and a fast read. I love how she just can't help herself in helping the police chief solve the murder but she can get into places and listen in where he can't.

[Susan Webb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bailey Ruth is as funny and smart as ever. I like her relationship with Sam, the police chief. This is a good series.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Ghost Times Two” is an innovative and imaginative murder mystery that begins when Bailey Ruth Raeburn, Emissary of Heaven’s Department of Good Intentions is sent to Adelaide, Oklahoma to convince Jimmy Taylor a reporter who died in a kayak accident to ascend to heaven. But Jimmy who loves his girlfriend an associate lawyer at Layton, Graham, Morse and Morse is reluctant to leave especially when she’s accused of killing her arrogant, conniving boss Doug Graham who’s blackmailing her to stay at his firm. In a race against time and with all the evidence pointing to Megan as the killer, Bailey Ruth agrees to help Jimmy expose the real murderer.

In a tightly woven plot that holds you spellbound from beginning to end, Bailey Ruth not only joins forces with Jimmy, but with police detective Sam Cobb to not only uncover the identity of the murderer but to find the diamond engagement ring stolen from Graham’s office after his death. With surprising twists and turns the pace of the plot never slows as the suspense intensifies when Megan is called to the scene of a second murder. Yet through all the tension there’s large doses of humor with Bailey Ruth’s changes of wardrobe and her interactions with Jimmy, her heavenly supervisor Paul Wiggins and detective Sam Cobb.

Characters like Bailey Ruth Raeburn are cleverly crafted infusing the plot with fun, excitement and ingenious investigative work. Bailey Ruth is sharp, stubborn, resolute and empathetic especially when Megan is caught at the scene of the crime with blood on her shirt. In contrast fellow ghost James (Jimmy) Taylor is brash, cocky, intelligent but rash in his actions. Megan Wynn the associate lawyer is calm and confident under interrogation as well as realistic and self-sacrificing when Anita Davis, a secretary with her own problems is threatened with being fired.

I thoroughly enjoyed “Ghost Times Two” and look forward to reading other books in this captivating and unusual spin on a murder mystery.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a good one - a departure from the standard plot of the Bailey Ruth novels. This time she is sent back to Adelaide to convince another 'ghost' - a young man - that it is time for him to leave earth and ascend the golden stair. Jimmy is still hanging around to watch over his former girlfriend. However, the girlfriend, Megan, has found a new love, Blaine. When she finds herself hearing not one, but TWO ghosts, Megan is understandably upset! Megan is a young lawyer, dealing with an obnoxious senior partner in the firm, Doug Graham. When Blaine suggests they set up a practice together, Megan is delighted. But when Doug threatens to fire another staffer if Megan leaves, she feels she must stay because the woman needs the insurance coverage for her sick daughter. When Graham turns up dead, Megan is framed for the murder and becomes the chief suspect. Bailey Ruth must convince Jimmy to leave earth and also solve the murder in order to save Megan. Enjoyable read, as usual - although Jimmy is a very annoying boy.

[Ellen · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's been awhile since I've read anything, so I figured I'd read something that I was familiar with
and not too challenging. This one fit the bill. I think it's just okay. I got tired of the descriptions of
Bailey Ruth's outfits, plus the outfits of the other ghost in the story.
Glad I am back to reading!

[Arlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

And I thought this was a typical ghost story with howling winds and doors and windows that suddenly open. I was surprised, it was a mystery novel. My first time to read a Carolyn Hart book. Fancy two ghosts helping in solving a crime.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy the Bailey Ruth mysteries. Bailey Ruth is a fun character.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you could forgive the repetitiveness of this book – the repeated naming of the characters and their outfits, Ghost Times Two would have been an entertaining read. I do not know why Carolyn Hart continues to describe excessively, but that does seem to be her modus operandi.

Bailey Ruth, an emissary from Heaven, is once again sent back to Adelaide, Oklahoma to guide a lingering soul that does not want leave the love of his life and ascend the golden staircase. Jimmy is determined to stay by Megan’s side until she can see for herself that Blaine is not the right man for her and while he is still around to help clear her name in a murder or two.

During stressful times, anyone can question their sanity, but hearing voices is making Megan a bit confused. That is until she learns to accept, begrudgingly, that help from the other side is what it is going to take to clear her name and get to the bottom of this fiasco.

If you have not read the previous books, you might want to start there even though Ms. Hart does a good job in rehashing whom Bailey Ruth is and how she became an emissary. How she is perpetually flummoxing Wiggins – the Heavenly dispatcher, how the precepts are a nice idea yet she can never seem to stick to them, and how twenty-seven is the perfect age.

Yet again, this is another series that I continue with even though I have no idea why. The writing is basic and the plot lags in places. The monotony of excessive description tends to have the reader skipping whole paragraphs and the multitudes of wardrobe changes are over the top. Granted, there is humor and a break from reality is what is needed occasionally, but whole chunks of this book could be removed and the story would still hold.

[George · Rating 4 out of 5]

#7 in the Bailey Ruth Raeburn formerly of Adelaide, Oklahoma mystery series with humor. First of all, Bailey is dead and second she is an emissary from Heaven’s Department of Good Intentions who is dispatched to Earth to help individuals who are struggling. She is supposed to adhere to the department's 8 Precepts when on Earth, but can be counted upon to break as many as possible driving her supervisor Paul Wiggins batty while still managing to get the job done in very unorthodox fashion. Yes, she manages to break at least 3 of the Precepts in the first few minutes of her arrival and repeatedly throughout the story. She is also working hand-in-glove with the local police chief.

Bailey Ruth’s task is to guide the happy-go-lucky spirit of a deceased young man named Jimmy to the next life. However, he is determined to watch over his still-living girlfriend Megan, whom he wants to be happy even without him while also deciding what is best for her.

Meanwhile, Megan has her hands full is dealing with an unpopular to firm junior staff, arrogant, manipulative senior partner and who threatens to fire Megan’s vulnerable secretary if Megan accepts a partnership at another law firm. Jimmy refuses to move on while Megan is being blackmailed, Bailey Ruth agrees to help him. Then the partner turns up dead and Megan is found at the crime scene.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bailey Ruth Raeburn is a former English teacher, a consummate fashionista, a sometime sleuth, and -- oh yeah -- a full-time ghost. Sent down to her old hometown of Adelaide, Oklahoma, to try to persuade another ghost (Jimmy Taylor) to move on, she finds herself involved in a murder investigation. Somehow, she and Jimmy must prove that young lawyer Megan Wynn did not shoot her repugnant boss, Doug Graham.

Very good! I did not guess the identity of the murderer at all. The confession in the penultimate chapter caught me completely by surprise, even though the author had shared the clues with the readers.

A few errors found in the text: p. 30, Don Quixote, D'Artangan, and / D'Artagnan ; p. 89, had to try and help / try to help ; p. 89, newspapers to try and wipe / try to wipe ; p. 97, may have silently crossed / might have ; p. 162, try and clean my / try to clean ; p. 283, what Rhoda Grant revealed / Rhoda Graham .

[Marilyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Around the Year in 52 Books 2018 Reading Challenge. A ghost story.

Under the precepts which Wiggins has written, emissaries are not supposed to associate with other departed souls. However, in this case, he is sending Bailey Ruth to Earth to try to talk a recently departed young man into leaving Earth and ascending the golden stairs. The problem is that Jimmy is in love with Megan and not happy that she has moved on. Jimmy doesn't approve of the young lawyer she has been seeing. Then someone in the law firm where Megan lives has been murdered and she is the chief suspect. Bailey Ruth knows Jimmy won't leave Megan until he is certain she is safe. Two "ghosts" must work as quickly as possible to solve the case. And Bailey Ruth is having a hard time convincing Sam Cobb that Megan is innocent and that he should at least consider other possibilities.

[Lisa Ks Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not many people can make a ghost come to life, but that’s exactly what author Carolyn Hart does in every installment of the Bailey Ruth Ghost Mysteries.

GHOST TIMES TWO finds ghost Bailey Ruth trying to help the spirit of a young man move on to the afterlife. But much in the way of the show, The Ghost Whisperer, his reluctant spirit is refusing to go. What follows is an exciting tale of the two ghosties trying to track down a murderer.

A fast, and fascinating story, GHOST TIMES TWO is another amazing ghostly adventure written only the way author Hart can. Page after page my anticipation grew as the twists and turns just kept coming right up until the satisfying conclusion.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bailey Ruth Raeburn is sent by the department of Good Intentions to guide a recently deceased man named Jimmy to heaven. But Jimmy is concerned for the well being of his girlfriend Meghan, that he wants to stay earth bound to ensure her happiness. Meghan a lawyer is dealing with her mean Senior Partner who is blackmailing her to stay with the law firm. Bailey Ruth as always is eager to help.
The law partner is found dead and Meaghan is discovered at the crime scene.
I enjoyed the audiobook and Bailey Ruth is such a wonderful character. I love her description of her clothing and her upbeat attitude. She is a delightful.

[Regan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Megan is an awesome character. Someone you’d like to have in your corner – as are Jimmy and Blaine. These are people who care about others and will sacrifice their own happiness to help someone out. The killer in this one caught me totally off guard. I was pretty sure I knew who it was when we meet all the law firm employees, but I was surprised when the killer was revealed. Getting caught off guard like that definitely made for an even more fun read…I did go back and look for the clues.

[Dee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bailey Ruth is sent to Adelaide to help a young ghost give up on the earthly world and come to heaven. Jimmy had a girl-friend that he doesn't want to give up on, a young lawyer named Megan. However, a murder makes things more difficult. Now Bailey Ruth has to help solve the murder, be sure Megan is on a happy lifetime path, get Jimmy to realize he has left is girl-friend in good hands and he can go up the stairs to heaven.
Reading this slightly silly series is one of my most relaxing pasttimes.

[Linda Smatzny · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the seventh book in the Bailey Ruth Ghost series. This time Bailey Ruth is sent back to Adelaide, Oklahoma to convince Jimmy( a new ghost) to ascend the stairs to heaven. Jimmy doesn't want to leave his girlfriend,Megan. Megan a lawyer becomes the prime suspect in the murder of a partner in the law firm she works for. Bailey and Jimmy stay in Adelaide to prove her not guilty of the crime. The book was a quick easy read.

[Janice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another of Carolyn Hart's tightly woven mysteries. The plot is interesting and keeps you guessing until the end. Bailey Ruth reminded me of another of Carolyn's strong females, Annie Laurence. Well developed characters. There was a lot of repetition....characters repeating themselves with no advancing of plot. And too much detail about Bailey Ruth's wardrobe changes. Made me think the author was paid by the word and used a lot of unnecessary filler. Overall, a satisfying and easy read.

[Val · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Bailey Ruth ghost novel. The more I read this series the more I am enjoying it. Very different from your usual ghost stories or should I say emissary from Heaven, as Wiggins would have you named. Bailey Ruth is sent to earth to help a young man cross over. Unfortunately, he won't cross over until his girlfriend is happy and safe. When she is named as a chief suspect in a murder, not only the young man but Bailey Ruth too has to solve the murder before all can be right with the world.

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This time Bailey Ruth is given a different assignment. Even though one ghost is not to interact
with another ghost, Bailey Ruth must find Jimmy on earth and convince him to climb the
stairs to Heaven. But Jimmy won't leave his girl friend so Bailey Ruth and Jimmy set out
to fix Megan's problems and finally Jimmy climbs the stairs. But their antics along the
way is a great read!

[Elsie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carolyn Hart never fails to delight. Bailey Ruth and her adventures as a heavenly emissary are a wonderful tonic for the soul and mind. This time she is sent to guide and encourage a young man to move on to Heaven and leave his love to get on with her life; along the way, Bailey Ruth bends, if not actually breaks most of the Precepts but does manage to help the local police solve two murders.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first started this book, I thought, "Well, this is going to be silly." It wasn't. Written with a light and clever hand, the characters are delightful, and I didn't know who the murderer was until the end. Just the kind of book I needed for today.

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The continuing tale of Bailey Ruth's after life. The assignment is to get Jimmy up the stairs, but in the process the woman he loved while a live is accused of murder. Bailey Ruth is on the trail of the murder with the help of Jimmy. A fun story with a good selection of suspects.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a story about a spirit who helps other spirits cross over. It was an ok story but seemed a little drawn out for me. Bailey is supposed to help Jimmy go up the golden staircase but he stays back to help his girlfriend who has been charged with murder.

[Claudia Kirkwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two thumbs up!

Bailey Ruth does it again. And again.... What fun!

This series is delightful every time I read it. (I highly recommend starting at the beginning and reading them in order.)

Thanks, Carolyn Hart!

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

We are warned going in that no one is going to be following the precepts on this one, so it was somewhat annoying to be constantly reminded of them. I never seem to enjoy the mysteries as much when Bailey-Ruth has a ghostly companion and that holds true here, besides which Jimmy is something of an idiot when it comes to commons sense and police work. You would also think that by now Wiggins would know he is not going to get Bailey-Ruth out of there until the mystery is satisfactorily solved, so why does he keep trying? Those points aside this mystery was slightly weak as the motivation and clues of the real culprit were not all that clear, but I still had fun back in Bailey-Ruth's Adelaide OK.

[OpenBookSociety.com · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://openbooksociety.com/article/gh...

Ghost Times Two: A Bailey Ruth Ghost Novel
Bailey Ruth, Book #7
By Carolyn Hart
ISBN: 9780425283738
Author Website: carolynhart.com
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Jeanie

Synopsis:

Carolyn Hart—New York Times bestselling author of Ghost to the Rescue—returns with a new Bailey Ruth Ghost Novel in which one woman shatters the glass ceiling…with a little help from beyond.

Bailey Ruth Raeburn’s latest mission is to guide the happy-go-lucky spirit of a deceased young man named Jimmy to the next life. But Jimmy is determined to watch over his still-living girlfriend Megan, whom he wants to be happy even without him—which is easier said than done.

As if being haunted by her late boyfriend wasn’t enough, Megan is dealing with an arrogant, manipulative senior partner who threatens to fire Megan’s vulnerable secretary if Megan accepts a partnership at another law firm. She’s in an impossible bind.

Since Jimmy refuses to move on while Megan is being blackmailed, Bailey Ruth agrees to help him. But after the partner turns up dead and Megan is found at the crime scene, Bailey Ruth and Jimmy have to find a way to uncover a killer before the love of Jimmy’s life is ordered to spend a lifetime behind bars…(Goodreads)

Review:

Ghost Times Two is the first Bailey Ruth Ghost Mystery I have read and fourth so far in the series. Carolyn Hart’s writing skill is demonstrated not only in the fine plot execution but also in her descriptions, dialog, and even the conflicts between characters. In some ways it reminds me of Debbie Macomber’s Christmas novels, except for the little fact of a murder or two.

Bailey Ruth is sent to earth to strongly encourage Jimmy on his way skyward. He didn’t want to leave, though, as he loved his girlfriend and didn’t want to leave her. A journalist and excellent at research, he died too young and wasn’t ready to relinquish his hopes for himself and Megan on earth. He even visited her frequently (although she couldn’t see him); he would leave her favorite candy at work or at her apartment but she was freaked rather than happy.

Megan is a young, up-and-coming attorney at a local, respected law firm whose job (and those of several in the office) is made less tolerable because of the middle-aged, arrogant senior partner who treats her as if she were his personal step-and-fetchit. She was offered a partnership at a new firm being set up by her friend Blaine, and all was going well until she gave notice and the senior partner threatened to terminate her admin if she left. Her admin assistant has worked there for years, and now is in a position to desperately need health benefits that would cover special treatments to save her daughter’s life. Megan knows it will be a long time until she and Blaine would be able to hire anyone. Megan chose to remain there and tell Blaine she couldn’t be his partner rather than cost her loyal admin assistant everything.

That night, the senior attorney was murdered. His killer texted Megan from his phone to go to his home to review their discussion from earlier that day. The killer also called 911 before leaving, so the police roll up moments after her. Now she is the main suspect, and things only escalate from there. Jimmy refuses to leave Megan while she is in hot water, so Bailey Ruth enlists Jimmy’s help to find the bad guy…among a sparkling array of potential bad guys! Speaking of sparkling, there’s also the matter of the missing $100,000 engagement ring that everyone in the law office saw that day, the one the senior attorney was going to give to a very wealthy widow lady/ girlfriend.

The characters were delightful! I really enjoyed Bailey Ruth and Jimmy; both are very intelligent, fun loving and loyal. Megan is very intelligent and loyal, also, to stay on with a bad boss just to help her admin assistant have insurance to save her daughter. I especially enjoyed the police chief Sam Cobb – it takes one special kind of guy to be used to seeing the chalk writing by an unseen hand on the board without heading to the bar…to follow Bailey Ruth’s line of thinking as she works overtime to get information…to even share those precious M & M’s! I felt as if I knew Bailey Ruth and Jimmy by the time the novel closed, as well as Sam Cobb, at least as well as necessary to fully appreciate the story.

The story itself was suspenseful, frustrating at times, LOL funny at other times. Even though I have missed the earlier mysteries in the series, this has been written well enough to be a stand-alone. Each character has their place, and the story flows perfectly – drew me in from the beginning and kept my attention through the end. While I confess to watching the drama so closely that I didn’t think as much about the real whodunit(s), I was stumped until – well, just until, then I still wasn’t sure. OK, I was surprised at the full reasons behind all that happened. The highly intriguing novel raced to a very satisfactory ending, and I highly recommend it to fans of the author, the series, and well-written cozy mysteries.