mystery

Ghost At Work

Carolyn Hart adds to her collection of favorite heroines with red-headed, impetuous Bailey Ruth Raeburn—a dead—but never down new heroine.

Ghost at Work is the debut of Carolyn’s new heroine, the late Bailey Ruth Raeburn. Carolyn is enjoying writing a series set in her home state of Oklahoma and sees Bailey Ruth as “down home, genuine, and unpretentious—qualities I always associate with Oklahomans. I think every state in the Union has its own fascination and charm and I wanted to celebrate my home state.” And her inspiration for the character of Bailey Ruth, “Actually, there is a famous Oklahoman who represents my idea of Bailey Ruth: Reba McEntire, a gorgeous redhead with great charm. Bailey Ruth likes to sing, too!”

Bailey Ruth Raeburn has always been great at solving mysteries. So why should a little thing like her death change anything? As a freshman member of Heaven’s Department of Good Intentions, Bailey Ruth’s first mission back on Earth finds her back home in Adelaide, Oklahoma. Turns out that Kathleen, the local pastor’s wife, is in a fix. There is a dead man on the rectory back porch and her husband, the Episcopal rector, will be a major suspect unless Kathleen intervenes. With Bailey Ruth’s assistance - sometimes seen and sometimes not - Kathleen sets out to thwart a canny killer who has set a devilish trap for Kathleen and her husband.

Bailey Ruth quickly learns that being a ghost gives her more of an opportunity to do what she does best. Uncharitable people might call it meddling, but Bailey Ruth likes to think of it as using her unique position to help out. And even though Bailey Ruth has a loose interpretation of some of the “rules” set in place by Wiggins, her fussbudget boss, she’ll go to great lengths to help Kathleen save her family.

Rules for Earthly Visitation

1. Avoid public notice.
2. No consorting with other departed spirits.
3. Work behind the scenes without making your presence known.
4. Become visible only when absolutely essential.
5. Do not succumb to the temptation to confound those who appear to oppose you.
6. Make every effort not to alarm earthly creatures.
7. Information about Heaven is not yours to impart. Simply smile and say, “Time will tell.”
8. Remember always that you are on the earth, not of the earth…

Carolyn hopes that readers have as much fun reading about Bailey Ruth as she has writing about her.  Ghost at Work as an October 21, 2008 release date scheduled.