This is a light read. I didn't care for the constant references to clothing, but the mystery was intriguing. ( )

GHOST IN TROUBLE is the third in Carolyn Hart’s delightful cosy mystery series featuring the late Bailey Ruth. Bailey Ruth died some time back and her and her husband are enjoying all the delights that heaven has to offer. Well her husband is, Bailey Ruth yearns to do something useful with her eternity, so she joins the Department of Good Intentions as an Heavenly emissary which gives her the opportunity to go back to earth and help people in trouble. There are rules, or precepts, that Bailey Ruth has to follow as an emissary, trouble is she has problems complying to some of them – well most of them really! Her enthusiasm to get the job done sometimes overwhelms her sincere desire to obey the precepts to do with avoid to be seen, heard or generally interacting directly with those who are still living. As with the previous two books in the series, this time is no exception.

Bailey Ruth is sent back to her hometown of Adelaide, Oklahoma to save the life of Kay Clark, a woman she had an argument with when she was alive. Bailey Ruth’s formed the opinion that Kay had had an affair with the husband of one of her good friends. This was true, but not in the way Bailey Ruth thought. Kay is back in town because the man that she had an affair with, Jack Hume, has died in a tragic accident, he had a fatal tumble downstairs from the balcony. Kay suspects he was pushed to his death. Bailey Ruth arrives on earth just in time to save Kay from being killed by a falling pot. Kay and Bailey Ruth now figure that Jack’s death was not accidental and Kay has attracted the attention of the killer. But who among the wealthy Hume family, and friends, had a motive to kill Jack? They very quickly realise just about everyone in the family – and few outside the family has a motive. While Bailey Ruth and Kay snoop around, Bailey Ruth tries really hard to avoid being seen or heard.

While a cosy, GHOST IN TROUBLE is an engrossing mystery with a delightful cast of characters. Carolyn Hart tells her story well, taking the reader through the list of suspects, giving you insight into each of them and their possible motives. The paranormal aspects are well done as Bailey Ruth zips from place to place, can go straight through a ceiling, choose what “age” she wants to be, and can appear and disappear at will . As funny as the story can be in parts, Carolyn Hart never lost sight of the fact that murders, yes there are more than one, have been committed. She built the tension nicely and kept me on the edge of my seat, not knowing who did it until it was revealed at the very satisfactory ending. ( )

While Bailey Ruth Raeburn is enjoying her time in Heaven, she still feels like she can be helpful on earth so she is happy to receive another mission from the Department of Good Intentions. She is delighted to be able to visit her beloved Adelaide, Oklahoma again but less delighted to discover she will be helping Kay Clark, a woman Bailey Ruth knew and disliked when she was alive. Still, Bailey Ruth pledges to be on her best behavior and she at least tries, but it is not easy as she finds herself knee-deep in a suspected murder, an attempted murder, an actual murder, and a woman who resists her attempts to help. This may be Bailey Ruth's toughest case yet.

"Ghost in Trouble" is another great entry in Carolyn Hart's delightful cozy mystery series featuring Bailey Ruth. There are a lot of things I love about this series starting with the irrepressible Bailey Ruth. I love her character - she really means well even if she has a hard time obeying the precepts during her visits to earth. Her preoccupation with her wardrobe adds a great deal of humor to this book and the entire series. Her interactions with Kay are wonderfully done and I love Kay's reaction to Bailey Ruth. Another thing I love about this books (and series) is Hart's version of Heaven where you can catch Elvis in concert or watch Bob Hope's latest comedy routine (wouldn't it be wonderful if Heaven really is like that?) The paranormal aspects are well done as Bailey Ruth zips from place to place, can go straight through a ceiling, choose what "age" she wants to be, and can appear and disappear at will. The mystery aspects are also well done with plenty of suspects and I was kept guessing as to the identity of the killer until the end. This was the type of book where I came to care for certain characters and hoped they weren't the guilty party.

"Ghost in Trouble" is another great cozy mystery by Carolyn Hart. ( )

Fluffy mystery with a ghost, Bailey Ruth Raeburn, who is sent to help folks in trouble. In this book, clues were laid out nicely to point to the murder. That said, I didn't figure out who it was until nearly the end. It's an entertaining read that doesn't tax your brain. ( )

Cute but way too much emphasis (for me) on fashion. Don't need a wardrobe update every page. For me, detracts from story. ( )