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Being dead can't put a damper on spirited, holiday-loving Bailey Ruth Raeburn.
Christmas is a time for family and giving, and a wealthy woman in Adelaide, Oklahoma, is about to embrace both. Discovering that she has a young grandson, the dowager decides to change her will to leave the bulk of her fortune to the young boy—an alteration that stuns the rest of her family. But a scrooge of a determined heir makes sure she never signs the new document. When she is found dead, it's up to that irrepressible spirit Bailey Ruth, on assignment from Wiggins and Heaven's Department of Good Intentions, to protect a little boy, foil a murderer, and save Christmas.
There's only one teeny hitch: how can Bailey Ruth figure out which family member was desperate enough to kill when everyone has a motive?
An accomplished master of mystery, Carolyn Hart is the author of more than forty books, including eighteen Death on Demand novels. Her books have won multiple Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity Awards. She is also the creator of the highly praised Henrie O series. One of the founders of Sisters in Crime, Hart lives in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
mary_kennedy
Posted October 20, 2009
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Carolyn Hart fans can rejoice because Bailey Ruth Raeburn, the irrepressible ghost-detective from GHOST AT WORK, is back in MERRY, MERRY GHOST. In the second book in this delightful series, Bailey Ruth faces a daunting task--she has to unmask a murderer and save a little boy in jeopardy.
Bailey Ruth has been sent back to earth by her straight-laced supervisor, Wiggins, from Heaven's Department of Good Intentions. He knows that Bailey Ruth is a first-rate sleuth, with keen instincts, amazing powers of deduction and a ready wit. But the clock is ticking and this might be her most difficult mission ever--a child's life hangs in the balance.
.Carolyn Hart, the winner of multiple Agatha, Anthony and Macavity Awards, once again entertains her readers with a tale that is completely plausible and a heroine who manages to be both clever and yet down-to-earth.
Why do so many readers enjoy mysteries?
As Carolyn Hart says, "Mysteries can be therapeutic. They provide a sense of order in a disorderly world and reaffirm a commitment to justice."
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Being the forgiving type, the Heaven's Department of Good Intentions give the spirit of Bailey Ruth Raeburn a second chance as a GHOST AT WORK helping a mortal. Bailey Ruth is sent to her hometown of Adelaide, Oklahoma to keep an angelic eye on four year old Keith Flynn. The child was dumped on his wealthy but dying paternal grandmother Susan Flynn, whose son (and Keith's father) died in combat in Iraq.
Susan plans to change her will to leave everything to her grandson. This angers those sycophants who expected to inherit with both of the widow's children dead. However before Susan signs her revised will she dies. Not one to adhere to the rules of even heaven, Bailey Ruth rearranges a few things to make it clear to the cops that Susan was murdered by digitalis in her cocoa and left a witnessed holograph last will. Leaving other clues for the dimwitted police, Bailey Ruth tries to expose a diabolical avaricious killer who murders a second person to conceal the crimes.
This is a fun lighthearted Christmas criminal caper starring an irresistible rule-breaking heavenly amateur sleuth. The story line is amusing as Bailey Ruth drives her boss at HDGI crazy with her antics especially her interfering when she is not supposed to. Her actions as the holidays approach make for an amusing frolic in which heavenly preparations for the Yuletide season supersede a merry murder mystery.
Harriet Klausner
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted September 26, 2011
A heart-warming suspense with a great ending!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.LPApril
Posted June 20, 2011
Bailey Ruth, the ghost is having adventures again. She must protect small orphaned Keith from an unknown murderer and help him to inherit from his grandmother in keeping with her wishes. Wonderful descriptions of small town Christmas joy and food. Uplifting and consistent world view of emissaries-ghosts, what they can do and what they are supposed to do. Bailey Ruth is a vibrant endearing character. This is great book to read for fun.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Martha-A-Cheves
Posted February 11, 2010
Merry Merry Ghost - Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat
Susan shakily reached out for the mask and held it to her face. Slowly her breathing eased. The bluish tinge faded from her face. She put aside the mask, sank back against the chair. "I'm tired now." Her voice was faint. "Tomorrow I'll read everything." Her voice was flagging. Susan gathered up the papers, replaced them in the envelope. "Mitch's little boy... tomorrow... some toys... I'll talk to Wade... He'll take the proper steps, make everything official." Tears glistened in her eyes. "Mitch's little boy..." She twisted to look up at Peg. "Take good care of him."
Susan Pritchard Flynn is the last living Pritchard. At least that's what she thought until Keith showed up at her door shortly before Christmas. He arrives with a note stating that he is her grandson. His father was Sergeant First Class Mitchell Pritchard Flynn who had been killed in the line of duty. Keith also carried an envelope that contained his father's medals and a birth certificate from the military hospital in Germany. Susan and her deceased husband Tom had two children. Their daughter Ellen had been killed in a car accident and Mitch had left home shortly afterwards. They had not heard from him since. And when she was notified by the military that he had been killed, she was without true Pritchards to pass her estate on to. But Keith's arrival changed all of that.
It also threatened the inheritance that was expected by Tom's relatives who had lived with her and through her generosity. Susan's original will was to leave the main house to Jake who had spent years taking care of the house and Susan. Tucker, who was currently maintaining the ranch would have it signed over to him upon her death. The others, Gina, Harrison and Peg would receive equal shares of the balance, amounting to several million each. And then there was Peg's boyfriend Dave who hounded Susan to loan him enough money, interest free, to open his own clinic. So what steps will be taken to keep Susan from signing a new will leaving everything to Keith? And who will take those steps?
That is where Bailey Ruth Raeburn comes in. Bailey Ruth is a ghost who lived in Adelaide, OK before her death. She and her husband were on their boat when it capsized. Their bodies never found. Bailey Ruth is spunky and even though she tries, she doesn't always follow Heaven's rules of how an "Emissary" is supposed to act. She sometimes fudges just a bit but all in the line of accomplishing the task at hand. And that task is to keep Keith safe.
When I read Merry Merry Ghost, I had one author come to mind... Mary Higgins Clark. This book is so light hearted and loving...yet it's still a murder mystery. The characters are so believable and their thoughts and actions are so understandable under the circumstances. Even Bailey Ruth becomes so real that if you don't already believe in Angels, you just might start. This is the first book I've read by Carolyn Hart but I can promise you, I will be reading more.
Anonymous
Posted January 2, 2010
I love this author and the new Bailey Ruth series...Fun reading and goes quickly...leaving you wanting more!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 2, 2010
Story is a good, lite hearted reading and keeps your attention. It's was a story you could easily get into and follow along the plot without having to flip back chapters to keep the characters straight.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.It's almost that time of year again, and what better way to get us in the holiday spirit than a visit from a well intentioned ghostly detective who absolutely loves Christmas? Her name is Bailey Ruth and she felt so strongly about the yuletide that the jingle of the Salvation Army kettle made her feel "warm as toast." She finds heaven a lovely place to be, but Christmas is not observed there as it is on Earth. She misses "sugar cookies shaped like stars and iced in red. Main Street ablaze with red and green lights and plenty of tinsel," plus so much more.
In addition to Christmas she loves to be sent as an emissary to help those on Earth with a problem. However, she's concerned that she hasn't found favor with Wiggins, who runs the Department of Good Intentions and selects those who will receive earthly assignments. Truthfully, she had been guilty of quite a few infractions on her last visit - too frank, acted in haste, impetuosity.
However, when a very special assignment comes to Wiggins's attention he remembers how very much Bailey Ruth loved Christmas and decided to give her another chance. First, of course, he extracts a number of promises from her - she will not appear, not speak aloud when she isn't there, and "remember that carrying discrete objects while not in the flesh" was unnerving to people.
Then she's off on the Rescue Express directed to find out everything she can about people around Susan Flynn and safeguard a little boy. It seems that a very wealthy woman in Adelaide, Oklahoma had recently discovered that she had a grandchild and decided to change her will to leave most of her estate to the little boy. However, what's a Christmas story without a Scrooge-like character? One of the woman's would-be heirs is determined that a new will never be signed.
Who might that be?
Leave it to a sprightly spirit to answer that question and keep almost all of her promises to Wiggins.
- Gail Cooke
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Overview
Being dead can't put a damper on spirited, holiday-loving Bailey Ruth Raeburn.
Christmas is a time for family and giving, and a wealthy woman in Adelaide, Oklahoma, is about to embrace both. Discovering that she has a young grandson, the dowager decides to change her will to leave the bulk of her fortune to the young boy—an alteration that stuns the rest of her family. But a scrooge of a determined heir makes sure she never signs the new document. When she is found dead, it's up to that irrepressible spirit Bailey Ruth, on assignment from ...