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Bailey Ruth #1
Ghost at Work
Bailey Ruth Raeburn has always been great at solving mysteries. Why should a little thing like her death change anything? In fact, being dead gives her more of an opportunity to be on top of events. Bailey Ruth is delighted that her unique position as a ghost makes it possible for her to lend a helping hand, sometimes seen and sometimes not. And if anybody needs a little help, it's Kathleen, the pastor's wife. There's a dead man on her porch, and once the body is discovered, the pastor is sure to become a suspect.
Uncharitable people might call it meddling, but Bailey Ruth knows Kathleen needs her help! As a member of Heaven's Department of Good Intentions, Bailey Ruth goes back to earth to extricate Kathleen from a dire situation. If Bailey Ruth has to bend a few rules to help Kathleen save her family, Wiggins, her fussbudget supervisor, will make sure it all turns out right in the end.
323 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 1, 2008
379 people are currently reading
2397 people want to read
About the author
Carolyn G. Hart
126 books944 followersAlso 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
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
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 429 reviews
November 5, 2018
No, just no. Bible verses are not what I signed up for
May 22, 2017
Ghost at Work (Bailey Ruth #1) by Carolyn Hart is a cute story that is worth the read but I found it too cutesy for me. I liked it and will look for more of her books to see if they are all like that or not but I like the premise and the plot but the dialogue was just off. Worth the read. I got this from the library.
May 30, 2019
Me at the beginning of this book:
Me in the middle of this book:
Me at the end of this book:
The Goodreads summary begins with Bailey Ruth Raeburn has always been great at solving mysteries.
That statement is not true.
When this started out, I suspected it wasn't really my thing but it sounded sorta cute and whimsical and even though I'm unreligious, I still read religious fiction from time to time and this seemed to be falling under that category so I mentally adjusted accordingly. Then it just went to hell in a mysteriously floating handbasket.
It went from silly to insipid to downright terrible.
But you'll note, I made it all the way through the entire thing (at 1.5 times the speed to make it go faster) so I guess that means it should get two stars even though I wound up haaaating it by the end.
Dear future me, here are the notes I took while listening to this:
Me in the middle of this book:
Me at the end of this book:
The Goodreads summary begins with Bailey Ruth Raeburn has always been great at solving mysteries.
That statement is not true.
When this started out, I suspected it wasn't really my thing but it sounded sorta cute and whimsical and even though I'm unreligious, I still read religious fiction from time to time and this seemed to be falling under that category so I mentally adjusted accordingly. Then it just went to hell in a mysteriously floating handbasket.
It went from silly to insipid to downright terrible.
But you'll note, I made it all the way through the entire thing (at 1.5 times the speed to make it go faster) so I guess that means it should get two stars even though I wound up haaaating it by the end.
Dear future me, here are the notes I took while listening to this:
August 29, 2023
So this is what I read, “Bailey Ruth Raeburn has always been great at solving mysteries. Why should a little thing like her death change anything? In fact, being dead gives her more of an opportunity to be on top of events. Bailey Ruth is delighted that her unique position as a ghost makes it possible for her to lend a helping hand, sometimes seen and sometimes not.”
So, after reading that, I thought, this could be fun, yes?
Sorry, it's a no for me.
Too cute-sy.
And obsessed with looks and fashion and silliness, and Murder She Wrote sweetness.
Granted I did like Murder She Wrote for a time, until I got a bit worried that everyone was dying in Cabot Cove.
Anyway, this story…not much substance to it, and I’m not sure reading another volume of it is going to make me like it more (I guess there are now at least 9 in the series.)
Anyone else try this series?
So, after reading that, I thought, this could be fun, yes?
Sorry, it's a no for me.
Too cute-sy.
And obsessed with looks and fashion and silliness, and Murder She Wrote sweetness.
Granted I did like Murder She Wrote for a time, until I got a bit worried that everyone was dying in Cabot Cove.
Anyway, this story…not much substance to it, and I’m not sure reading another volume of it is going to make me like it more (I guess there are now at least 9 in the series.)
Anyone else try this series?
October 11, 2011
★★★★½ I’ve been meaning to try one of Carolyn Hart’s books for a while now. Glad I picked this one to start. I love a cozy mystery and I needed a Halloween theme for a challenge; this one fit the bill perfectly.
Bailey Ruth is a ghost who is not stuck in the 60’s. Though enjoying Heaven in her afterlife, she decides to try her hand at the Department of Good Intentions and is sent back emergently to her hometown of Adelaide, Oklahoma, present day just as someone plants a dead body on the back porch of the rector’s wife’s home. Sure, Baily Ruth has to get used to cell phones with cameras and computers that fit on desk-tops, but human motives for killing are as old as time. This charming cozy kept me turning the pages and I thoroughly enjoyed Bailey Ruth, preserved in the prime of her life – her mid-twenties – out to help more than just the soul she’s assigned.
Bailey Ruth is a ghost who is not stuck in the 60’s. Though enjoying Heaven in her afterlife, she decides to try her hand at the Department of Good Intentions and is sent back emergently to her hometown of Adelaide, Oklahoma, present day just as someone plants a dead body on the back porch of the rector’s wife’s home. Sure, Baily Ruth has to get used to cell phones with cameras and computers that fit on desk-tops, but human motives for killing are as old as time. This charming cozy kept me turning the pages and I thoroughly enjoyed Bailey Ruth, preserved in the prime of her life – her mid-twenties – out to help more than just the soul she’s assigned.
October 27, 2019
A fun mystery series start. A ghostly detective on her first case is sent in from heaven before she has mastered the rules of being back on earth. Other reviews have done a good job of recapping the the plot. Looking forward to reading more in the series.
October 10, 2016
A cute paranormal mystery. The first book in a series, it took a little while for the pace to pick up. But once it did, the story got more interesting. The ending had alot of action, with a satisfying resolution. A fun read.
October 16, 2011
This bit of Halloween fluff was October's reading selection for my Mystery Book Club. It was a quick and easy read - nothing to pause and ruminate over here.
Bailey Ruth Raeburn is long-dead and happily ensconced in Heaven with her beloved Bobby Mac. She and Bobby Mac had their tickets punched for the Pearly Gates when they went down with their boat in a storm on the Gulf. Now Bailey Ruth is hoping to make herself useful as an employee of Heaven's Department of Good Intentions. (But, wait a minute, doesn't that road lead...oh, never mind!)
Bailey Ruth - it's always Bailey Ruth, never just Bailey or Ruth - meets with the Ticketmaster Wiggins and he gives her an assignment. She is to go as an "emissary" (for which, read "ghost") to the town of Adelaide, Oklahoma, which just happens to be her earthly home town. There she is to help a local clergyman's wife, who turns out to be BR's (I just can't keep writing Bailey Ruth) relation. The clergyman's wife has just found a dead body on her porch. Moreover, it is the body of a man whom she disliked and maybe had reason to want dead.
Soon, BR arrives on the scene, and, both seen and unseen, proceeds to destroy evidence, move bodies, and generally muck up the investigation by the local police. She is a perky, red-headed busybody, whom one witness to whom she appeared described as "drop-dead gorgeous." (Curiously, all of the beautiful people in this book seem to be redheads. I guess Adelaide is overrun with them.)
Anyway, the story is a romp, a hoot. It's not something about which I can be serious. I must confess I'm not familiar with Carolyn Hart's work, although she seems to have a large body of it. This book did not particularly make me want to become better acquainted with it.
Bailey Ruth Raeburn is long-dead and happily ensconced in Heaven with her beloved Bobby Mac. She and Bobby Mac had their tickets punched for the Pearly Gates when they went down with their boat in a storm on the Gulf. Now Bailey Ruth is hoping to make herself useful as an employee of Heaven's Department of Good Intentions. (But, wait a minute, doesn't that road lead...oh, never mind!)
Bailey Ruth - it's always Bailey Ruth, never just Bailey or Ruth - meets with the Ticketmaster Wiggins and he gives her an assignment. She is to go as an "emissary" (for which, read "ghost") to the town of Adelaide, Oklahoma, which just happens to be her earthly home town. There she is to help a local clergyman's wife, who turns out to be BR's (I just can't keep writing Bailey Ruth) relation. The clergyman's wife has just found a dead body on her porch. Moreover, it is the body of a man whom she disliked and maybe had reason to want dead.
Soon, BR arrives on the scene, and, both seen and unseen, proceeds to destroy evidence, move bodies, and generally muck up the investigation by the local police. She is a perky, red-headed busybody, whom one witness to whom she appeared described as "drop-dead gorgeous." (Curiously, all of the beautiful people in this book seem to be redheads. I guess Adelaide is overrun with them.)
Anyway, the story is a romp, a hoot. It's not something about which I can be serious. I must confess I'm not familiar with Carolyn Hart's work, although she seems to have a large body of it. This book did not particularly make me want to become better acquainted with it.
August 23, 2014
Eehhhh. I really could not, could Not, read this book. The premise is ridiculous, but hey, it's fiction. An Episcopalian ghost-lady is sent from Heaven to help a descendent who's found a corpse in the backyard of the rectory.
The author has seen too many episodes of Touched By an Angel and too many reruns of The Bishop's Wife. I hope I never go to the kind of heaven that is still obsessed with material things such as clothes and how you look, but aside from that her protagonist is so silly and bumbling she makes Jessica Fletcher appealing and sweet.
I'm an insomniac, as many of my reviews show, and when it hits I'll read just about anything. But this was so annoying and childish (not childlike, childISH) that I gave up. Tried to dip back in an hour later, still couldn't hack it.
The author has seen too many episodes of Touched By an Angel and too many reruns of The Bishop's Wife. I hope I never go to the kind of heaven that is still obsessed with material things such as clothes and how you look, but aside from that her protagonist is so silly and bumbling she makes Jessica Fletcher appealing and sweet.
I'm an insomniac, as many of my reviews show, and when it hits I'll read just about anything. But this was so annoying and childish (not childlike, childISH) that I gave up. Tried to dip back in an hour later, still couldn't hack it.
February 10, 2012
I won a copy of Carolyn Hart's Ghost in Trouble and enjoyed it so much I had to read Ghost at Work. This new series is different and quite entertaining.
Bailey Ruth Raeburn isn't exactly a ghost, but more of an emissary from heaven. When there's trouble in Adelaide, Oklahoma, beginning with a dead body appearing on the back porch of the rector's home, the heavenly boss (Wiggins) of the Department of Good Intentions sends her to help the rector's wife. Bailey just can't seem to get the rules right, and probably doesn't want to, but she's a lot of fun. In the process of working on the case, she frequently leaves Kathleen Abbott, the rector's wife and a possible suspect, in a panic.
Who ever thought a ghost, er, emissary from heaven, would be solving mysteries many years after her death? And Carolyn Hart does such a good job of taking twists and turns in her mysteries.
Have some fun and read Ghost in Trouble.
Bailey Ruth Raeburn isn't exactly a ghost, but more of an emissary from heaven. When there's trouble in Adelaide, Oklahoma, beginning with a dead body appearing on the back porch of the rector's home, the heavenly boss (Wiggins) of the Department of Good Intentions sends her to help the rector's wife. Bailey just can't seem to get the rules right, and probably doesn't want to, but she's a lot of fun. In the process of working on the case, she frequently leaves Kathleen Abbott, the rector's wife and a possible suspect, in a panic.
Who ever thought a ghost, er, emissary from heaven, would be solving mysteries many years after her death? And Carolyn Hart does such a good job of taking twists and turns in her mysteries.
Have some fun and read Ghost in Trouble.
August 11, 2024
I love this series !
October 20, 2018
I'm doing a project that's taking up most of my time, and I can't read physical books because I'd rather be done with my project first. So, I'm stuck borrowing audiobooks. Most of the time, I end up with something that I'm at least remotely interested in, regardless of whether I actually liked the end product or not. However, Ghost at Work wasn't something on my radar at all. But, it was available at short notice and I have heard of Carolyn Hart's body of work, so I chose to read it.
Oh my, what a mistake that was. I felt like I lost time and several brain cells in the process. So, Bailey Ruth is a ghost who does rescue missions. This apparently involves tampering with evidence of crime, breaking and entering, snooping, being abominable to some harmless bureaucrat, taking way too much time preening in front of mirrors (because in heaven you look your best, and you should be able to flirt your way into things and be generally noticeable because... I have no idea why). Like really. For example: BR has to tidy up evidence on a porch in a pastor's house. It has been established that there are a ton of people visiting said house and she already knows that the cops are interested in collecting evidence from the house. So what does she do? Does she wait for the night? Does she at least appear small and mousy so as to not attract attention? Oh no! She cleans up the porch in full view of a male cop (whom she refers to as highly attractive), while wearing great clothes and a ridiculous fruit hat a la Carmen Miranda. So, does the cop forget this? Absolutely not!
Aargh. I guess it might be argued that the author tried for cute, but for me BR was unbelievably stupid. I'm done, I won't read another one of this series. (This is incredibly rare for me).
Oh my, what a mistake that was. I felt like I lost time and several brain cells in the process. So, Bailey Ruth is a ghost who does rescue missions. This apparently involves tampering with evidence of crime, breaking and entering, snooping, being abominable to some harmless bureaucrat, taking way too much time preening in front of mirrors (because in heaven you look your best, and you should be able to flirt your way into things and be generally noticeable because... I have no idea why). Like really. For example: BR has to tidy up evidence on a porch in a pastor's house. It has been established that there are a ton of people visiting said house and she already knows that the cops are interested in collecting evidence from the house. So what does she do? Does she wait for the night? Does she at least appear small and mousy so as to not attract attention? Oh no! She cleans up the porch in full view of a male cop (whom she refers to as highly attractive), while wearing great clothes and a ridiculous fruit hat a la Carmen Miranda. So, does the cop forget this? Absolutely not!
Aargh. I guess it might be argued that the author tried for cute, but for me BR was unbelievably stupid. I'm done, I won't read another one of this series. (This is incredibly rare for me).
November 21, 2012
It doesn't have much substance to it but it is enjoyable nonetheless.
Bailey Ruth is in heaven and she decides to apply to the Department of Good Intentions to go help someone "in big trouble" back on earth. She is sent down and ends up in her hometown and the people she is helping are actually her relatives a few generations later. A murder has been committed and the body is on the porch of Kathleen Abbott, the rector's wife. Bailey Ruth has to try to figure out how to help Kathleen without alarming humans. She is supposed to be on earth but not of it. OK, right away she is in trouble; she appears and disappears, she carries physical items while invisible resulting the in the objects floating about. She follows the police chief about, impersonates a police officer and hides evidence. But she also saves the day, of course, in this very sweet novel of a ghostly and innovative detective. The ending is also very well done, not boring at all.
Bailey Ruth is in heaven and she decides to apply to the Department of Good Intentions to go help someone "in big trouble" back on earth. She is sent down and ends up in her hometown and the people she is helping are actually her relatives a few generations later. A murder has been committed and the body is on the porch of Kathleen Abbott, the rector's wife. Bailey Ruth has to try to figure out how to help Kathleen without alarming humans. She is supposed to be on earth but not of it. OK, right away she is in trouble; she appears and disappears, she carries physical items while invisible resulting the in the objects floating about. She follows the police chief about, impersonates a police officer and hides evidence. But she also saves the day, of course, in this very sweet novel of a ghostly and innovative detective. The ending is also very well done, not boring at all.
January 16, 2019
EDITED by Book 3 she is oft quoting the OLD testament. Any more I could say about my thoughts on her frequent quoting and increasingly didactic views may offend. I have created a new shelf due to this series for christian-bible-thumping-righteous, wanted it to be christian-bible-thumping-only-we-are-right, but GR wouldn’t take that many words.
March 11, 2021
3.5 stars
I enjoyed this first adventure with Bailey Ruth. She’s very likeable and she has a good heart. The mystery was well done and I was totally surprised by the culprit. The only thing I would have liked would be a better timeline for Bailey Ruth. I’m making some very broad guesses with it.
I enjoyed this first adventure with Bailey Ruth. She’s very likeable and she has a good heart. The mystery was well done and I was totally surprised by the culprit. The only thing I would have liked would be a better timeline for Bailey Ruth. I’m making some very broad guesses with it.
August 11, 2021
I am not sure why I gave this series another chance. I got to chapter 5 (page 56) before I gave up from boredom.
June 6, 2013
Bailey Ruth Raeburn has been dead for quite some time and while she is enjoying her time in Heaven, she wants to do more with her life (so to speak). She joins the Department of Good Intentions with the hope of helping someone on Earth who is in trouble. She is soon sent to her hometown of Adelaide, Oklahoma to help Kathleen Abbot, a pastor's wife who has found a dead body on her porch and is afraid her husband will be accused of murder. Soon Bailey Ruth is up to her pretty neck not only with murder but trying to master those darned Precepts that Wiggins insists she follow.
"Ghost at Work" is a delightful cozy mystery by Carolyn Hart. Bailey Ruth is a great creation - as impulsive, reckless, and well meaning as a ghost as she was while alive. Her interference can be a bit too much - she often acts without thinking - but it's done with good intentions so it's hard not to like her. The book is worth reading just for Hart's portrayal of Heaven and I love the way Bailey Ruth gets to pick her outfits. Hart has a lot of fun with Bailey Ruth's turning up in current times and having her be bewildered by things like cell phones and computers. All of the characters are well done especially Bailey Ruth, Wiggins, and Kathleen's daughter Bayroo. The supernatural aspects are well done and at times quite humorous - Hart seems to have had a lot of fun writing the book. The mystery aspects are well done, with plenty of suspects and the identity of the killer will come as a surprise to most readers. The motive for the murder is believable and sad.
"Ghost at Work" is a nicely done humorous paranormal cozy mystery and I look forward to reading more books in this series.
"Ghost at Work" is a delightful cozy mystery by Carolyn Hart. Bailey Ruth is a great creation - as impulsive, reckless, and well meaning as a ghost as she was while alive. Her interference can be a bit too much - she often acts without thinking - but it's done with good intentions so it's hard not to like her. The book is worth reading just for Hart's portrayal of Heaven and I love the way Bailey Ruth gets to pick her outfits. Hart has a lot of fun with Bailey Ruth's turning up in current times and having her be bewildered by things like cell phones and computers. All of the characters are well done especially Bailey Ruth, Wiggins, and Kathleen's daughter Bayroo. The supernatural aspects are well done and at times quite humorous - Hart seems to have had a lot of fun writing the book. The mystery aspects are well done, with plenty of suspects and the identity of the killer will come as a surprise to most readers. The motive for the murder is believable and sad.
"Ghost at Work" is a nicely done humorous paranormal cozy mystery and I look forward to reading more books in this series.
February 28, 2010
Bailey Ruth has been in Heaven for a long time, and though it's a wonderful place, she feels it's time to give back and help those in the human world. She applies for a mission with the Department of Good Intentions. She told the Precepts that govern her behavior and sent back to help a woman in dire straits.
Kathleen is definitely in dire straits. When Bailey Ruth arrives, Kathleen is standing over a body in her home, the rectory of the church in Adelaide, OK. To help Kathleen, Bailey Ruth helps her move the body and remove evidence, thus making the whole situation much more complicated.
Not only is Adelaide her hometown when she was alive, but Kathleen is her sister's granddaughter. As Bailey Ruth works to fix the situation, it becomes akin to a very funny comedy of errors. Bailey Ruth is a wonderful person with creativity, humility, and a wry sense of humor. In the end, there's a daring rescue and some sadness as the murder is discovered and all the things that were out of kilter are set back on the proper path.
Kathleen is definitely in dire straits. When Bailey Ruth arrives, Kathleen is standing over a body in her home, the rectory of the church in Adelaide, OK. To help Kathleen, Bailey Ruth helps her move the body and remove evidence, thus making the whole situation much more complicated.
Not only is Adelaide her hometown when she was alive, but Kathleen is her sister's granddaughter. As Bailey Ruth works to fix the situation, it becomes akin to a very funny comedy of errors. Bailey Ruth is a wonderful person with creativity, humility, and a wry sense of humor. In the end, there's a daring rescue and some sadness as the murder is discovered and all the things that were out of kilter are set back on the proper path.
July 11, 2009
CArolyn Hart leaves Annie and Max et al in the dust and turns heavenward for inspiration.
Light, not too demanding of the gray matter type mystery. I wanted to slap Bailey Ruth upside the head a few times for making things way more complicated than she needed to, but it all worked out in the end and it looks like she may get a series out of it.
Light, not too demanding of the gray matter type mystery. I wanted to slap Bailey Ruth upside the head a few times for making things way more complicated than she needed to, but it all worked out in the end and it looks like she may get a series out of it.
June 8, 2016
Thoroughly enjoyed book one in this series. The premise was intriguing and the main character was quite enjoyable. Looking forward to book two!
June 27, 2025
Taken from the Goodreads synopsis. "Bailey Ruth Raeburn has always been great at solving mysteries. Why should a little thing like her death change anything? In fact, being dead gives her more of an opportunity to be on top of events. Bailey Ruth is delighted that her unique position as a ghost makes it possible for her to lend a helping hand, sometimes seen and sometimes not. And if anybody needs a little help, it's Kathleen, the pastor's wife. There's a dead man on her porch, and once the body is discovered, the pastor is sure to become a suspect.
Uncharitable people might call it meddling, but Bailey Ruth knows Kathleen needs her help! As a member of Heaven's Department of Good Intentions, Bailey Ruth goes back to earth to extricate Kathleen from a dire situation. If Bailey Ruth has to bend a few rules to help Kathleen save her family, Wiggins, her fussbudget supervisor, will make sure it all turns out right in the end."
I wanted to like this book more than I did. When I read the synopsis, it sounded like my type of book. The story is predictable and a little too silly for me. I see what the author was going for, but it fell short of being a good solid mystery book and it is a little to over-the-top ghost story. I found myself rolling my eyes a lot and skimming here and there. It is cozy mystery mixed with a ghost story. I know a lot of people gave this book five stars, but I am giving it two stars because I did find it interesting enough to finish.
Uncharitable people might call it meddling, but Bailey Ruth knows Kathleen needs her help! As a member of Heaven's Department of Good Intentions, Bailey Ruth goes back to earth to extricate Kathleen from a dire situation. If Bailey Ruth has to bend a few rules to help Kathleen save her family, Wiggins, her fussbudget supervisor, will make sure it all turns out right in the end."
I wanted to like this book more than I did. When I read the synopsis, it sounded like my type of book. The story is predictable and a little too silly for me. I see what the author was going for, but it fell short of being a good solid mystery book and it is a little to over-the-top ghost story. I found myself rolling my eyes a lot and skimming here and there. It is cozy mystery mixed with a ghost story. I know a lot of people gave this book five stars, but I am giving it two stars because I did find it interesting enough to finish.
September 20, 2017
This book was the second book for July reading group that I finally finished a month behind. I have been behind with my books since June because I have been reading books for Net galley and two different Cozy Book Clubs. They have been very interesting and have held my interest.
Bailey Ruth Raeburn is trying to join the group of Good Intentions in Heaven because she is a ghost and she wants to go back to her home town of Adelaine, Oklahoma and help the paster's wife with a problem she has gotten herelf into. She comes home from a chruch meeting and finds a Deacon of the Church dead on the porch of the rectory. She is freaking out and does not know what to do.
Bailey Ruth comes down from heaven on a mission and to help her! Except she goes about it in the wrong way and the person Wiggins who got her there to help Kathleen is very upset and tells her she will have to go back if she does not straighten out and do the right thing!
The book does take a few turns in the wrong direction since Bailey Ruth has not been on Earth in over 20 years and many things have changed!
At times the book was laugh out loud funny and at times it was down right sad!
I enjoyed the book very much and would recommend it to all my friends and family. It is well worth the time to read and I look forward to read the others in the series.
Bailey Ruth Raeburn is trying to join the group of Good Intentions in Heaven because she is a ghost and she wants to go back to her home town of Adelaine, Oklahoma and help the paster's wife with a problem she has gotten herelf into. She comes home from a chruch meeting and finds a Deacon of the Church dead on the porch of the rectory. She is freaking out and does not know what to do.
Bailey Ruth comes down from heaven on a mission and to help her! Except she goes about it in the wrong way and the person Wiggins who got her there to help Kathleen is very upset and tells her she will have to go back if she does not straighten out and do the right thing!
The book does take a few turns in the wrong direction since Bailey Ruth has not been on Earth in over 20 years and many things have changed!
At times the book was laugh out loud funny and at times it was down right sad!
I enjoyed the book very much and would recommend it to all my friends and family. It is well worth the time to read and I look forward to read the others in the series.
May 29, 2018
Around the Year in 52 Books 2018 Reading Challenge. A ghost story.
Bailey Ruth and her husband died when their boat capsized in the Gulf of Mexico. She has been in Heaven for a time and now she wants to volunteer. She reports to the Department of Good Intentions where she meets Wiggins. He explains that before she can be sent to Earth to help someone, she must learn the "precepts" which are the rules for acceptable behavior by emissaries. Then, suddenly something happens and before Bailey Ruth is able to read the precepts she is on her way to Adelaide, Oklahoma. Upon arrival she finds herself in the parsonage of a church with the priest's wife standing over a dead body. Oh, my! What to do? Bailey Ruth immediately decides she and Kathleen must move the body out of the parsonage so that Kathleen is not falsely accused of his murder. In the next few days, Bailey Ruth is reprimanded repeatedly by Wiggins for violations of the precepts such as appearing visible to people and flying objects through the air. Can Bailey Ruth figure out who killed Daryl Murdoch before Wiggins recalls her to Heaven?
Bailey Ruth and her husband died when their boat capsized in the Gulf of Mexico. She has been in Heaven for a time and now she wants to volunteer. She reports to the Department of Good Intentions where she meets Wiggins. He explains that before she can be sent to Earth to help someone, she must learn the "precepts" which are the rules for acceptable behavior by emissaries. Then, suddenly something happens and before Bailey Ruth is able to read the precepts she is on her way to Adelaide, Oklahoma. Upon arrival she finds herself in the parsonage of a church with the priest's wife standing over a dead body. Oh, my! What to do? Bailey Ruth immediately decides she and Kathleen must move the body out of the parsonage so that Kathleen is not falsely accused of his murder. In the next few days, Bailey Ruth is reprimanded repeatedly by Wiggins for violations of the precepts such as appearing visible to people and flying objects through the air. Can Bailey Ruth figure out who killed Daryl Murdoch before Wiggins recalls her to Heaven?
October 10, 2025
A little old (2008), but still quite enjoyable. I recognized the author's name, so got it from a used book shop in Calimesa.
Carolyn Sharp wrote the Annie Darling series, a series I read two or three from, and thoroughly enjoyed. She is a nun, I've learned. Her books don't contain sexual explicitness, but she is no man hater. The characters are very human and full of feelings.
The main character is an angel sent to earth to help people. And this angel is so cute! She loves the food here on earth. She hates to have to play the disappearing trick, but does it from time to time, much to the amazement of people. She just imagines designer clothing and, poof, she is wearing it!
This was just in time for Halloween! I will look for a Christmas themed one.
Carolyn Sharp wrote the Annie Darling series, a series I read two or three from, and thoroughly enjoyed. She is a nun, I've learned. Her books don't contain sexual explicitness, but she is no man hater. The characters are very human and full of feelings.
The main character is an angel sent to earth to help people. And this angel is so cute! She loves the food here on earth. She hates to have to play the disappearing trick, but does it from time to time, much to the amazement of people. She just imagines designer clothing and, poof, she is wearing it!
This was just in time for Halloween! I will look for a Christmas themed one.
June 30, 2020
This is a sweet story with a lovely murder mystery at the heart. It reminded me of the Mitford series by Jan Karon, where you get to know the denizens of this small town in deep character detail. In this case, a young woman who lives in heaven is sent (on probation) to help the pastor's wife. She breaks most of the rules ("precepts") multiple time, causing her frustrated but very kind supervisor to have to intervene several times. In the meantime, danger lurks over the young and innocent, and our ghostly heroine must figure out the crime before there is another death. This is the first in a series -- I'm excited to read more.
January 25, 2018
Ghost at Work is about Bailey Ruth who is an emissary from Heaven. She is allowed to return to Earth to help her Grand Niece who is framed for murder. Bailey Ruth is able to see and collect clues in the most ethereal way. She uses some of her powers to keep her family safe and out of suspicion for murder. However, Wiggins watches her from beyond and cautions her when she breaks the rules. Bailey Ruth realizes much time has passed since she left the earth and enjoys all the new things she encounters. A great paranormal read with a new slant on cozy mystery.
August 21, 2021
2021 bk 261. I found this one on the shelves of my local library and am delighted that I will be able to read more in the series as they have the full set. Bailey Ruth is dead. She really likes Heaven and her place there with her husband beside her, but she has to admit to a feeling of not being needed. Asking for assignment to Heaven's Department of Good Intentions to help those on Earth, she is admitted on probation. Time for training flies out the window when she is sent to help her descendents in Adelaide, Oklahoma. Bailey Ruth is a fun ' er spectre (she isn't supposed to use the word ghost) and uses her noggin to help save her great-niece from suspicion of murder. An excellent, fun cozy mystery with interesting characters. I'm looking forward to reading more of Bailey Ruth.
January 2, 2019
I snuggled into this cozy mystery with an angelic ghost at the helm. The irrepressible heroine stole my heart as she solved the murder. Even though the book is set around Halloween, the soft energy of the writing provided a comfy entry into this holiday weekend.
February 17, 2020
There were many parts of this mystery that were "twee" too shallow and I wanted to gag. But in the end, the author is a capable writer and the story rose above the "cozy" category to reveal a real mystery with real clues and satisfying conclusion. I can see why her books are bestsellers. This one was good, satisfying mystery ending, just a bit too formulaic cozy sappy a start for my taste.
January 16, 2024
I really wanted to finish this for a reading challenge, so I kept reading even tho I wasn't all that interested. I'm glad I did b/c when I hit Chapter 8 at page 101, there were lots of laughs and the story really picked up.
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