Bailey Ruth Raeburn has enjoyed her time in heaven, but after some time there has decided it's time to give back and joins the Department of Good Intentions as an emissary to return to Earth and help mortals in need. Bailey Ruth barely has time to volunteer (and certainly not enough time to actually learn the rules for returning to Earth) for a position before a situation arises that sends her rushing back to her hometown of Adelaide, Oklahoma.

Bailey Ruth is confronted with a dead man on the back porch of the rectory and the pastor's wife, Kathleen Abbott, standing over the body. Taking her role to heart, Bailey Ruth helps Kathleen move the body, and when Kathleen admits to a near-indiscretion, Bailey Ruth sends the authorities off in the wrong direction, while she sets out to solve the crime herself before Kathleen's life is ruined. Bailey Ruth must also struggle with a world she's unfamiliar with (I believe she gave up mortality somewhere in the 1970s or so, as cell phones are a revelation to her), the on-and-off presence of her "boss" Wiggins, the often difficult to follow rules and a few family problems, as well as working to find a killer.

GHOST AT WORK by Carolyn Hart is a cleverly crafted mystery guaranteed to keep the reader guessing until the killer is revealed. Bailey Ruth is thoroughly enjoyable and the tone of the book reads like a conversation with her. Ms. Hart has a wonderful gift for description and takes the reader on a brilliant journey through Bailey Ruth's version of Heaven. The mystery is satisfyingly plotted and moves along at a fast pace. Fans of Ms. Hart's other stories are sure to enjoy her latest!

Book Summary

Bailey Ruth Raeburn always had a knack for solving mysteries. Why should a little thing like being dead change anything?

Bailey Ruth's unique position as a ghost makes it possible for her to lend a helping hand to her former neighbors in Adelaide, Oklahoma. And the rector's wife, Kathleen Abbott, needs all the help she can get. There's a dead man on her porch, and once the body's discovered the rector's bound to be murder suspect number one.

An agent of Heaven's Department of Good Intentions, Bailey Ruth's eager to head back to the mortal plane to extricate Kathleen from a dire situation. Wiggins, Bailey Ruth's fussbudget supervisor, has already advised her about the rules: she's to be on the earth, not of the earth. But to bring a killer to justice, she just might have to bend a heavenly rule or two . . .