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Beaufort & Company #2
Angel's Advocate
Money's been tight ever since Bree Winston Beaufort inherited Savannah's haunted law firm Beaufort & Company along with its less-than-angelic staff. But she's finally going to tackle a case that pays the bills representing a spoiled girl who stole someone's Girl Scout cookie money. But soon enough she finds that her client's departed millionaire father needs help too. Can she help an unsavory father/daughter duo and make a living off of the living?
304 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 2, 2009
21 people are currently reading
531 people want to read
About the author
Mary Stanton
58 books320 followersMary Stanton was born in Florida and grew up in Japan and Hawaii, after which she returned to the United States and received a B.A. in Philosophy and Literature from the University of Minnesota.
Stanton’s career as a fiction writer began with the publication of her first novel, The Heavenly Horse from the Outermost West, in 1984. A beast fable similar in tone and theme to Watership Down, it was published in the United States, the United Kingdom and Japan. The sequel to that novel, Piper at the Gates, appeared in 1989. She sold her first mystery to The Berkley Publishing Group in 1994.
In all, Stanton has written nineteen mystery novels, two adult fantasy novels, eleven novels for middle-grade readers (including the successful series, The Unicorns of Balinor), and three scripts for a television cartoon series, Princess Gwenevere and the Jewel Riders, as well as edited three short story anthologies. Her nonfiction articles on horse care and veterinary medicine have appeared in national and regional magazines.
Stanton's newest series, The Beaufort & Company Mysteries, was launched in December 2008 with the publication of Defending Angels. Set in Savannah, Georgia, the paranormal mysteries chronicle the adventures of Bree Winston-Beaufort, a young lawyer who inherits her uncle's law firm and its deceased clientele, whom she represents in appeals before the Celestial Court.
The second book in the series, Angel's Advocate, was published in June 2009, followed by Avenging Angels in February 2010.
Mary also publishes the Hemlock Falls and Dr. McKenzie mysteries under the name Claudia Bishop. See the Claudia Bishop web site for more information.
Stanton’s interests outside writing have remained consistent over the years. She is a horsewoman, a goat aficionado, an enthusiastic (if inept) gardener, and a fan of gourmet food, but not an expert. She has developed a writing program for teens and middle grade readers that has had considerable success in schools.
Stanton has been a dedicated reader all her life, with particular emphasis on biography, history, veterinary science, medicine, psychology and current affairs. She is a member of the Mystery Writers of America.
Stanton’s career as a fiction writer began with the publication of her first novel, The Heavenly Horse from the Outermost West, in 1984. A beast fable similar in tone and theme to Watership Down, it was published in the United States, the United Kingdom and Japan. The sequel to that novel, Piper at the Gates, appeared in 1989. She sold her first mystery to The Berkley Publishing Group in 1994.
In all, Stanton has written nineteen mystery novels, two adult fantasy novels, eleven novels for middle-grade readers (including the successful series, The Unicorns of Balinor), and three scripts for a television cartoon series, Princess Gwenevere and the Jewel Riders, as well as edited three short story anthologies. Her nonfiction articles on horse care and veterinary medicine have appeared in national and regional magazines.
Stanton's newest series, The Beaufort & Company Mysteries, was launched in December 2008 with the publication of Defending Angels. Set in Savannah, Georgia, the paranormal mysteries chronicle the adventures of Bree Winston-Beaufort, a young lawyer who inherits her uncle's law firm and its deceased clientele, whom she represents in appeals before the Celestial Court.
The second book in the series, Angel's Advocate, was published in June 2009, followed by Avenging Angels in February 2010.
Mary also publishes the Hemlock Falls and Dr. McKenzie mysteries under the name Claudia Bishop. See the Claudia Bishop web site for more information.
Stanton’s interests outside writing have remained consistent over the years. She is a horsewoman, a goat aficionado, an enthusiastic (if inept) gardener, and a fan of gourmet food, but not an expert. She has developed a writing program for teens and middle grade readers that has had considerable success in schools.
Stanton has been a dedicated reader all her life, with particular emphasis on biography, history, veterinary science, medicine, psychology and current affairs. She is a member of the Mystery Writers of America.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
May 5, 2010
I can't decide whether I like this series. The concept of Celestial Courts and a lawyer tasked with reducing the afterlife sentences of sinners is an interesting one. The dead contact Bree with cryptic messages. From there, she investigates their murders and also finds the mitigating circumstances that should lessen their time in purgatory or free them from the clutches of Hell. It holds a good deal of promise.
Unfortunately, I still haven't taken to Bree. Her vicious temper makes it difficult to see her succeeding in any of her current roles: earthly lawyer, investigator, or celestial advocate. She lacks the patience to gain the trust of those she interviews, and she's very quick to take offense. She usually has a reason to be miffed, but I fail to see how constantly displaying her ire is advantageous. I wouldn't be able to take her seriously for long, and I can see why Detective Hunter is so frequently exasperated with her.
Bree's lack of finesse also doesn't help when it comes to evaluating clues. There were several staring her in the face from early on, but she was too riled up about her offended sensibilities to logic them out until the end of the story. Since these clues were provided by her "spirited" client, I don't understand why they didn't warrant immediate research compared to chatting with her earthly client's friends. Yes, both aspects were necessary to solve the case. However, everything would've been much clearer had she concentrated on these hints first.
Stanton strives to make Savannah and its environs a part of the story; frankly, she's working too hard at it. Instead of making the city come alive, her varied architectural descriptions only slow down the flow of the narrative. It's one thing to make me understand which homes are richly appointed and which are of a lower echelon. It's quite another to describe everything down to the type of flooring in the foyer. My eyes glazed over during these passages as I begged for the action to start up again.
The mystery itself was resolved suddenly, and not through any talent of Bree's. She has a way of tumbling into danger and tripping over the answers--a plot device that irks me. Why plant clues throughout the text if the heroine is just going to stumble blindly into the solution?
The overarching theme of a malevolent force gunning for Bree would be far more intriguing were it explained with as much detail as her client's decor. Bree is kept in the dark about most aspects of the system she's working within and it's frustrating. Her excuse of being too well-mannered to ask in-depth questions is tiring. If some nasty, greasy, foul spirit was banging down my door, I'd certainly demand some information! The excuse that her helpers are not allowed to do anything but guard her and nudge her in the right direction is all well and good, but I think the girl should be more insistent about learning what she's up against. She has an entire library of reference material concerning this new career and I don't think she's cracked a single tome. In short, I don't like it when heroines allow themselves to be swept up in the tide, flailing and floundering their way clear. Willful ignorance is not a virtue.
I own the next book in the series so I will certainly read it. For me to continue past that, I'd better see some thrilling action and shocking discoveries in Avenging Angels.
Unfortunately, I still haven't taken to Bree. Her vicious temper makes it difficult to see her succeeding in any of her current roles: earthly lawyer, investigator, or celestial advocate. She lacks the patience to gain the trust of those she interviews, and she's very quick to take offense. She usually has a reason to be miffed, but I fail to see how constantly displaying her ire is advantageous. I wouldn't be able to take her seriously for long, and I can see why Detective Hunter is so frequently exasperated with her.
Bree's lack of finesse also doesn't help when it comes to evaluating clues. There were several staring her in the face from early on, but she was too riled up about her offended sensibilities to logic them out until the end of the story. Since these clues were provided by her "spirited" client, I don't understand why they didn't warrant immediate research compared to chatting with her earthly client's friends. Yes, both aspects were necessary to solve the case. However, everything would've been much clearer had she concentrated on these hints first.
Stanton strives to make Savannah and its environs a part of the story; frankly, she's working too hard at it. Instead of making the city come alive, her varied architectural descriptions only slow down the flow of the narrative. It's one thing to make me understand which homes are richly appointed and which are of a lower echelon. It's quite another to describe everything down to the type of flooring in the foyer. My eyes glazed over during these passages as I begged for the action to start up again.
The mystery itself was resolved suddenly, and not through any talent of Bree's. She has a way of tumbling into danger and tripping over the answers--a plot device that irks me. Why plant clues throughout the text if the heroine is just going to stumble blindly into the solution?
The overarching theme of a malevolent force gunning for Bree would be far more intriguing were it explained with as much detail as her client's decor. Bree is kept in the dark about most aspects of the system she's working within and it's frustrating. Her excuse of being too well-mannered to ask in-depth questions is tiring. If some nasty, greasy, foul spirit was banging down my door, I'd certainly demand some information! The excuse that her helpers are not allowed to do anything but guard her and nudge her in the right direction is all well and good, but I think the girl should be more insistent about learning what she's up against. She has an entire library of reference material concerning this new career and I don't think she's cracked a single tome. In short, I don't like it when heroines allow themselves to be swept up in the tide, flailing and floundering their way clear. Willful ignorance is not a virtue.
I own the next book in the series so I will certainly read it. For me to continue past that, I'd better see some thrilling action and shocking discoveries in Avenging Angels.
February 3, 2015
I hadn't read any of the Bree Beaufort books before my son-in-law picked this one up at the library, but now I'm hooked! This is book #2 in the series, so at least I'm not 832 books behind! Bree is a lawyer with two offices - not so unusual, except that one of them is manned by angels rather than living beings and can never be found by anyone looking for the address. Bree is approached by the dead who feel that they've been given the wrong sentence for eternity and she investigates their claims, then goes to bat for them in the highest court imaginable! The regular, every day cases that she handles are interesting as well - in this particular book, she is asked to represent a "poor little rich girl" who knocks down an eight year old girl scout and steals her cookie money - not exactly someone that people would like to feel sorry for. In researching why this 17 year old acts in such a nasty, thoughtless way, she comes across the girls recently deceased father, who insists he was murdered. It's up to Bree to provide representation for both members of the family! Interesting writing, well rounded characters (both angels and humans), humorous, enjoyable to read. I will be getting the first book in this series, Defending Angels, to read ASAP!
May 10, 2010
Bree Beaufort, attorney at law has decided to take on the case of a living client this time. 17 year old Lindsay Chandler, a spoiled rich kid has mugged and stolen the cookie money from a girlscout. To make matters worse, Bree discovers that Lindsay recently deceased father, Probert Chandler may not have died from a car accident as originally suspected. Now she has two cases to solve, one is a lower court and one in the higher court of the Celestial Sphere. Additionally, someone or something is hellbent on killing Bree, an old love resurfaces and now she has the responsibility to take care of two additional monster size dogs. The quirkiness of the cast of characters continue to amuse the reader and the mystery of who dunnit is wonderful. I cannot wait to read the third book.
March 26, 2013
Good read for teens and elderly, March 26, 2013
This review is from: Angel's Advocate (A Beaufort & Company Mystery) (Mass Market Paperback)
This was my first book in the Mary Stanton A Beaufort & Company Mystery series.
I found it quite light hearted and fun but not to be taken too seriously. By that I mean compared to an established mystery series.
It's a good read if you want to fill in time between your favorite authors.
I would recommend this book for teens/YA and the elderly.
This review is from: Angel's Advocate (A Beaufort & Company Mystery) (Mass Market Paperback)
This was my first book in the Mary Stanton A Beaufort & Company Mystery series.
I found it quite light hearted and fun but not to be taken too seriously. By that I mean compared to an established mystery series.
It's a good read if you want to fill in time between your favorite authors.
I would recommend this book for teens/YA and the elderly.
January 29, 2016
Couldn't get into this one. I think it was the bratty girl? Not sure about the angels either. I do love Hunter and Brianna's banter..Needed more of that
January 18, 2021
Bree Winston-Beaufort and her group of angels return to solve their second devilish mystery. Bree finds going to Celestial Court for her deceased clients is a challenge and she can't always count on being paid so she must take on bill paying cases whenever she can.
Bree's not anxious to defend spoiled seventeen-year-old Lindsey Chandler. Lindsey stole a Girl Scout's cookie money and the incident was taped on mall security cameras. Soon Lindsey's case is tied to Bree's next celestial case. Bree is running from both live and dead murderers. Fortunately, she has two new angelic guards. Two huge black dogs, each standing fifty inches at the shoulders, are sent to protect her.
Bree hopes to balance the Scales of Justice in the favor of Lindsey's now dead daddy, billionaire Probert Chandler, for his actions while alive. Probert Chandler died in a car accident, but in his only contact with Bree he tells her he was murdered.
Beaufort and Company mysteries make an original addition to the paranormal mystery genre, and I look forward to reading more about Bree Winston-Beaufort.
Review appeared first on www.bookloons.com
Bree's not anxious to defend spoiled seventeen-year-old Lindsey Chandler. Lindsey stole a Girl Scout's cookie money and the incident was taped on mall security cameras. Soon Lindsey's case is tied to Bree's next celestial case. Bree is running from both live and dead murderers. Fortunately, she has two new angelic guards. Two huge black dogs, each standing fifty inches at the shoulders, are sent to protect her.
Bree hopes to balance the Scales of Justice in the favor of Lindsey's now dead daddy, billionaire Probert Chandler, for his actions while alive. Probert Chandler died in a car accident, but in his only contact with Bree he tells her he was murdered.
Beaufort and Company mysteries make an original addition to the paranormal mystery genre, and I look forward to reading more about Bree Winston-Beaufort.
Review appeared first on www.bookloons.com
May 7, 2017
I loved the concept of angels + law so much that I decided to read the second book in this series.
This novel was not one of my favorites and here are the reasons why:
1. Lack of character development of the criminal. Who wants to get to the end of a book, find out who it is, and then try to remember what they even look like? I felt nothing when I found out who it was because I didn't know enough about the character beforehand to feel anything.
2. A constant repeating of certain expressions involving lip biting and shrugging. Maybe a thesaurus would help?
3. Not enough balanced emphasis on the Probert. He shows up at random times to give clues, but never enough to draw you into his celestial realm.
4. Moderate start, slow middle (with heavy emphasis on the temporal), rushed/cloudy ending.
5. Unclear purpose of Josiah Pendergast?
Favorite characters: Ron, Lavinia, and Antonia
Rating: 3 stars
This novel was not one of my favorites and here are the reasons why:
1. Lack of character development of the criminal. Who wants to get to the end of a book, find out who it is, and then try to remember what they even look like? I felt nothing when I found out who it was because I didn't know enough about the character beforehand to feel anything.
2. A constant repeating of certain expressions involving lip biting and shrugging. Maybe a thesaurus would help?
3. Not enough balanced emphasis on the Probert. He shows up at random times to give clues, but never enough to draw you into his celestial realm.
4. Moderate start, slow middle (with heavy emphasis on the temporal), rushed/cloudy ending.
5. Unclear purpose of Josiah Pendergast?
Favorite characters: Ron, Lavinia, and Antonia
Rating: 3 stars
April 4, 2018
Book two in the Beaufort & Company series brings readers more detail about Bree's supernatural career calling, a moderate helping of Savannah history, and a decent puzzle. I was a little put off by the teenagers in the book- they were underdeveloped and stereotyped, and badly- at one point a 17-year-old who uses 'like' in every other phrase exclaims "Golly, she's in the soup!" I understand why the teens were necessary for the mystery, but prefer when Stanton focuses on adult characters, which she clearly understands better. I'm also starting to see some similarities between the sister pair Brianna and Antonia in this series, and Sarah and Meg Quilliam in the Hemlock Falls series that Stanton write as Claudia Bishop. The older sister in each pair is the steady, responsible, possibly inhibited one, and the younger is irresponsible and prone to flying off the handle. It makes me wonder if Stanton is writing about a sibling relationship she's experienced.
October 19, 2021
It took a while for me to track down this second (and the third) book in this series. I really enjoyed the first one, with it's very different take on a cozy mystery. The second book doesn't disappoint. Bree Beaufort is asked to defend a live client in this one. A seventeen-year-old girl who robbed a girl scout. Unfortunately for Bree, the episode was recorded and has played on local media.
In trying to get the truth about this unlikeable girl, she finds herself with a second, and already dead, client who happens to be related to the first client. With the help of her otherworldly staff and a few corporeal friends, Bree sets out to discover the whole truth about what exactly happened in both cases.
Even with the spooky happenings and dire consequences, Ms. Stanton managers to incorporate humor throughout the story without diminishing the consequences of the events. A thoroughly enjoyable read
In trying to get the truth about this unlikeable girl, she finds herself with a second, and already dead, client who happens to be related to the first client. With the help of her otherworldly staff and a few corporeal friends, Bree sets out to discover the whole truth about what exactly happened in both cases.
Even with the spooky happenings and dire consequences, Ms. Stanton managers to incorporate humor throughout the story without diminishing the consequences of the events. A thoroughly enjoyable read
February 18, 2018
I wanted something light and set in Savannah so this met that criteria. Some stories involving fantasy I tolerate better than others. I don't care for vampire stories with the one exception being Deborah Harkness trilogy A Discovery of Witches. There were no vampires in this story. I learned from this book that I don't like books with angels and demons and 9 circle of hell. The mystery and the rest of the story were okay once I got past the occult premise.
July 6, 2018
So much not explained in this series....I'll keep trying to read it. It all seems unnecessarily opaque in trying to get explanations as to what resources Brianna has. And when she gets herself out of a tight spot, it's by some supernatural phenomena that suddenly appears out of the blue.
September 15, 2018
This series is anything but usual. I love the twists and turns, and especially the unexpected that comes with representing the dead. Enjoying getting to know the cast of characters and love the setting of Savannah!
May 28, 2023
I really like the character development of the 2nd book, and the cast of characters has really turned into a favorite of mine. The world building is very interesting stuff to me and I can't wait to get into the 3rd book.
October 3, 2017
Love this series and wish the author would write more.
May 30, 2018
While I enjoyed the first in the series I liked this one better. Now knowing all the main characters and have an understanding of the type of law I find I am looking forward to future books.
September 30, 2019
The whole idea intrigued me, but the ending was a big let-down, like the author ran out of ideas.
October 20, 2020
Love the whole series
June 5, 2009
I did not hesitate to jump right into Angel's Advocate upon finishing Defending Angels. In the second book of the series, Bree's aunt asks her to take on the defense of a rather unruly teenager, Lindsey Chandler, who assaulted and stole the money of a Girl Scout. Bree isn't sure how she can help--or if she'll be able to do much for the child, but she agrees to at least give it a try.
As it turns out, someone else needs her assistance as well. Lindsey's father died in a car accident four months before.Probert Chandler was a man who had lived a modest life despite his wealth. He had been found guilty of serious charges in the Celestial Court, however, and had filed for a retrial and Bree is his designated attorney. Bree has her hands full. Lindsey is out of control, and her mother does not know what to do with the child. Not to mention the long list of suspects who may be embroiled in some sort of trouble related to Mr. Chandler and his business. And does it relate to Lindsey and all the trouble she manages to find her way into? Bree has quite a knot to untangle in order to find the truth.
If that wasn't enough, it appears two bodies have disappeared from the cemetery surrounding Bree's office, and the murderers' spirits are out to stop Bree. Someone isn't happy she picked up where her uncle left off.
Angel's Advocate was just as exciting and fun as the first book in the series. The reader is reacquainted with old characters and meets a slew of new ones, each of them interesting. I could just picture Belli and Miles, Bree’s most recent guardians, crammed into the back of Bree's car everywhere she went. And, of course, I was happy to see Sasha by her side.
In preparation for writing this series, the author did extensive research into the subjects of angels and early Christianity. The foundation of the Beaufort and Company series is built loosely on 11th and 12th century medieval theology, which was influenced by the world's major religions of the time: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The author also drew on Chinese religions as well. I found this especially fascinating and admit it makes the series even more appealing to me. Mary Stanton has created an intricate and detailed world that I am looking forward to exploring further with each novel.
Bree has an interesting back-story that is threaded throughout each of the novels and most likely will continue in future books. So, while each book can stand well on its own, there are personal story lines that carry over and might be best read in order.
Despite the somewhat frivolousness of the novels, they do have a darker side. The more I delve into the "cozy" sub-genre, the more I am discovering how wrong my early conceptions were. Charlaine Harris, Clea Simon and now Mary Stanton are among the authors who have shown me the light. I like edge to my mysteries and The Beaufort and Company mysteries certainly contain that.
As it turns out, someone else needs her assistance as well. Lindsey's father died in a car accident four months before.Probert Chandler was a man who had lived a modest life despite his wealth. He had been found guilty of serious charges in the Celestial Court, however, and had filed for a retrial and Bree is his designated attorney. Bree has her hands full. Lindsey is out of control, and her mother does not know what to do with the child. Not to mention the long list of suspects who may be embroiled in some sort of trouble related to Mr. Chandler and his business. And does it relate to Lindsey and all the trouble she manages to find her way into? Bree has quite a knot to untangle in order to find the truth.
If that wasn't enough, it appears two bodies have disappeared from the cemetery surrounding Bree's office, and the murderers' spirits are out to stop Bree. Someone isn't happy she picked up where her uncle left off.
Angel's Advocate was just as exciting and fun as the first book in the series. The reader is reacquainted with old characters and meets a slew of new ones, each of them interesting. I could just picture Belli and Miles, Bree’s most recent guardians, crammed into the back of Bree's car everywhere she went. And, of course, I was happy to see Sasha by her side.
In preparation for writing this series, the author did extensive research into the subjects of angels and early Christianity. The foundation of the Beaufort and Company series is built loosely on 11th and 12th century medieval theology, which was influenced by the world's major religions of the time: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The author also drew on Chinese religions as well. I found this especially fascinating and admit it makes the series even more appealing to me. Mary Stanton has created an intricate and detailed world that I am looking forward to exploring further with each novel.
Bree has an interesting back-story that is threaded throughout each of the novels and most likely will continue in future books. So, while each book can stand well on its own, there are personal story lines that carry over and might be best read in order.
Despite the somewhat frivolousness of the novels, they do have a darker side. The more I delve into the "cozy" sub-genre, the more I am discovering how wrong my early conceptions were. Charlaine Harris, Clea Simon and now Mary Stanton are among the authors who have shown me the light. I like edge to my mysteries and The Beaufort and Company mysteries certainly contain that.
May 9, 2014
I rarely rate books as one star. Most books have enough to recommend them that, even if I didn't care for them, they deserve at least a couple of stars. But the flaws in this book were so sufficient as to make finishing this a trial instead of an enjoyment.
I like the concept of this series - the idea of a celestial court, where a soul condemned can file and appeal or ask for a retrial. It's a neat concept. And the fact that the main character, Brianna "Bree" Winston-Beufort, is a lawyer in the "temporal realm" as well means the potential for some interesting legal cases in the living world. Unfortunately, that potential isn't fulfilled in this book. The living people Bree is working for are mostly uninteresting, and lack complexity. The case that she tries to build for her deceased client is poorly-fleshed out - lacking in details, it loses much of its appeal. Add that to the unnecessary complication of dealing with a dead spirit rising from the grave to harry her, and this book is a mess. It gets bogged down in too many details of the wrong kinds of things (why would we care that Bree salts the egg, separates out the bacon, and then eats the black olives from her salad?).
Another issue is that the author throws in details that can't be correct. As a non-spoilery example: This book was published in 2009, and Bree is mentioned as being 29 years old. She goes to visit her family home, and goes up to her old room, which still contains some of her things. "Copies of her best-beloved childhood books were still there: Lad: A Dog; The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe; Philip Pullman's Dark Materials trilogy; and a whole slew of Anne of Green Gables." Philip Pullman's The Amber Spyglass, third book in the Dark Materials trilogy, was published in 2000. When the main character would have been 20. Hard to call that a best-beloved book of childhood.
The other huge issue is a spoiler:
So, for all of those reasons, I cannot recommend this book.
I like the concept of this series - the idea of a celestial court, where a soul condemned can file and appeal or ask for a retrial. It's a neat concept. And the fact that the main character, Brianna "Bree" Winston-Beufort, is a lawyer in the "temporal realm" as well means the potential for some interesting legal cases in the living world. Unfortunately, that potential isn't fulfilled in this book. The living people Bree is working for are mostly uninteresting, and lack complexity. The case that she tries to build for her deceased client is poorly-fleshed out - lacking in details, it loses much of its appeal. Add that to the unnecessary complication of dealing with a dead spirit rising from the grave to harry her, and this book is a mess. It gets bogged down in too many details of the wrong kinds of things (why would we care that Bree salts the egg, separates out the bacon, and then eats the black olives from her salad?).
Another issue is that the author throws in details that can't be correct. As a non-spoilery example: This book was published in 2009, and Bree is mentioned as being 29 years old. She goes to visit her family home, and goes up to her old room, which still contains some of her things. "Copies of her best-beloved childhood books were still there: Lad: A Dog; The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe; Philip Pullman's Dark Materials trilogy; and a whole slew of Anne of Green Gables." Philip Pullman's The Amber Spyglass, third book in the Dark Materials trilogy, was published in 2000. When the main character would have been 20. Hard to call that a best-beloved book of childhood.
The other huge issue is a spoiler:
So, for all of those reasons, I cannot recommend this book.
November 3, 2016
This is the second book in the “Beaufort & Company Mysteries’
I read the first book and feel in-love with it. So I went on a hunt for this one and settled with a purchase from Amazon. It being a newer book I think is the reason I couldn’t find it on the usual trade / swap sites I use.
Genre: Fiction |Women Sleuths | Mystery & Detective | Suspense | Savannah | Georgia | Ghost | Angels | Gothic | Paranormal |
This book picks up from the first book after a commercial break. Wow I don’t like doing book spoilers and I will be really careful not to put anything here to spoil any of either book for you.
Bree is the main character she is pretty awesome. She doesn’t focus on the need for a guy to make her complete. She carries herself with respect and others treat her with such. This book doesn’t disappoint me at all. It is even better, well the first was awesome too. This one has more going on. It reminded me of a game, I passed the first level and now I passed the awesome, more advanced second level.
We still have the characters we met in the first book and they are more cherished in this book.
I was captivated from the first page, it was so hard to put it down. But it my life this week has been busy and I found myself not able to read as much as I wanted which makes me ill. But when I got on this book today it was easy to read. Ms. Stanton is gifted with imagination and the ability to make a story seem real. You want to take down the addresses and head out to find these awesome locations. You almost believe you can go to Angeles Office. Wow that would be awesome now wouldn’t it?
So this book gets 5 stars from me. The author Mary Stanton is now one of my favorites. The book had a good beginning, it built up in the middle and a blast toward the end. Speaking of the end – There is no feeling of lost. You will understand!
I read the first book and feel in-love with it. So I went on a hunt for this one and settled with a purchase from Amazon. It being a newer book I think is the reason I couldn’t find it on the usual trade / swap sites I use.
Genre: Fiction |Women Sleuths | Mystery & Detective | Suspense | Savannah | Georgia | Ghost | Angels | Gothic | Paranormal |
This book picks up from the first book after a commercial break. Wow I don’t like doing book spoilers and I will be really careful not to put anything here to spoil any of either book for you.
Bree is the main character she is pretty awesome. She doesn’t focus on the need for a guy to make her complete. She carries herself with respect and others treat her with such. This book doesn’t disappoint me at all. It is even better, well the first was awesome too. This one has more going on. It reminded me of a game, I passed the first level and now I passed the awesome, more advanced second level.
We still have the characters we met in the first book and they are more cherished in this book.
I was captivated from the first page, it was so hard to put it down. But it my life this week has been busy and I found myself not able to read as much as I wanted which makes me ill. But when I got on this book today it was easy to read. Ms. Stanton is gifted with imagination and the ability to make a story seem real. You want to take down the addresses and head out to find these awesome locations. You almost believe you can go to Angeles Office. Wow that would be awesome now wouldn’t it?
So this book gets 5 stars from me. The author Mary Stanton is now one of my favorites. The book had a good beginning, it built up in the middle and a blast toward the end. Speaking of the end – There is no feeling of lost. You will understand!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 29, 2013
I don’t recall what directed me to this series about a tradition of lawyers, who are chosen by angels to represent the dead in God’s court. It is my favourite subject and Mary Stanton’s creation is most original. It doesn’t incorporate ghosts beyond verbal references and evil is just a peculiar wind. The background of the spiritual realm and insinuation about Bree Beaufort’s abnormal ancestry promise excitement. I hope the next novel delivers it. In volume 2 “Angel’s Advocate”, the afterlife and Bree’s blessed relatives are revealed in snippets as tiny as in the first novel.
I learned she wrote a chef’s series with the pseudonym Claudia Bishop, so I tried “Death Dines Out” and couldn’t bear it. The treatment of sisters, their public behaviour, touchy-feely smacking or poking one another, speaking to one another childishly aggravated to the point where I left a one-star review. I prayed the writing would be better in the new series and a preferred topic would save and raise enjoyment. The prayer was answered. I cringed when a sister was introduced but the immaturity is toned down, even if Mary’s style isn’t for me.
My beef is, the wondrous scope of this creative environment isn’t utilized. It’s fun that Bree meets the record keepers in their hall and learns her biological mother isn’t unknown. Her angel assistant Ron insists she stick to the errands of a case and neither she nor readers quench our interest. I’m sorry the volumes so far are treated like a set up for something big, when there is no reason something metaphysical couldn’t be demonstrated all along. Bree is told she will learn best with a little information at once. But an audience’s curiosity and attention should never be staved. It should be sharpened and rejuvenated throughout every book.
I learned she wrote a chef’s series with the pseudonym Claudia Bishop, so I tried “Death Dines Out” and couldn’t bear it. The treatment of sisters, their public behaviour, touchy-feely smacking or poking one another, speaking to one another childishly aggravated to the point where I left a one-star review. I prayed the writing would be better in the new series and a preferred topic would save and raise enjoyment. The prayer was answered. I cringed when a sister was introduced but the immaturity is toned down, even if Mary’s style isn’t for me.
My beef is, the wondrous scope of this creative environment isn’t utilized. It’s fun that Bree meets the record keepers in their hall and learns her biological mother isn’t unknown. Her angel assistant Ron insists she stick to the errands of a case and neither she nor readers quench our interest. I’m sorry the volumes so far are treated like a set up for something big, when there is no reason something metaphysical couldn’t be demonstrated all along. Bree is told she will learn best with a little information at once. But an audience’s curiosity and attention should never be staved. It should be sharpened and rejuvenated throughout every book.
June 12, 2018
I still love the premise and the world Stanton creates. Bree as a character is easy to like, she is stubborn at doing the right thing, at doing her job even though she can definitely understand that her clients are not the best people. She can also be elitist, but her warm love for her family and willingness to acknowledge her privileges and temper her reactions to other people who might react to that helps mitigate those issues. Like the others the story also focuses on Bree trying to find out exactly what she needs to find out in order to help her clients, both on the temporal and celestial realms. It's clear Bree is not an investigator, but as far as I can tell, she is a pretty good lawyer in that she knows the procedures and the boundaries of what she can do as a lawyer. This early on in the series, it's also clear that she is trying to find her footing in juggling the two aspects of her practice, as well as trying to pry into the affairs of the deceased at their request with no one else aware that she had been asked in the first place. She is also much more uncertain compared to her later stories. As for the mystery aspect, again, it's clear she is not an investigator, as the mystery pretty much gets solved not because she figures out what actually happened but because she stumbles into one of the murderers. From there she is finally able to connect her collected facts and put in the last pieces of the puzzle.
As always I wished Stanton took more time in the narrative to talk about the Celestial courts and its interactions with the world. That was the part that drew me in but its presence is still smaller that I would like. The other parts of the story was good enough, but that other aspect would have been really cool.
As always I wished Stanton took more time in the narrative to talk about the Celestial courts and its interactions with the world. That was the part that drew me in but its presence is still smaller that I would like. The other parts of the story was good enough, but that other aspect would have been really cool.
August 12, 2016
Vor etwa einem Jahr habe ich den ersten Band dieser Serie gelesen, den ich ganz gut gefunden habe. Daher meine Empfehlung: UNBEDINGT BAND 1 ZUERST LESEN. Thematisch gibt es einige Bezüge zu Band eins, vor allem werden die handlungstragenden Personen in der Kanzlei dort vorgestellt.
Qualität und Verarbeitung:
Für ein Taschenbuch sehr hochwertig. Ich habe das Buch vor dem Lesen mit Klebefolie verstärkt. Es sieht nach dem Lesen aus wie neu, das Papier ist wunderbar dick und knittert nicht.
Meine Meinung:
Da es doch schon einige Zeit her ist, dass ich den ersten Band gelesen habe, hatte ich am Anfang Schwierigkeiten mit dem Inhalt, da mir die Personen nicht mehr geläufig waren und ich sie mir nicht mehr ins Gedächtnis rufen konnte. Hier wäre ein Personenverzeichnis zum Beginn oder Anfang des Buches mit kuzrer Charakterisierung bzw. wer zu wem in welchen Verhältnis steht sehr hilfreich, da neben Bree auch noch ihr verstorbener Onkel, 3 Mitarbeiter*innen, ehemalige Kolleg*innen, ein Polizist, die Staatsanwältin, ihre Eltern und ihre Schwester eine wichtige Rolle spielen - und dazu kommen dann noch die Personen des aktuellen Falls.
Die Thematik hat mich interesseriert, jedoch war das Buch nicht so spannend wie ich es mir erhofft hatte, auch der Teil mit den Spähren kommt zu kurz. Alles in allem ein durchschnittliches Lesevergnügen, da wäre mehr drin gewesen. Ich hätte es bevorzugt, dass sich Bree auf einen Aspekt mehr konzentriert (himmlich oder irdisch), so kommt mir jeder einzelne Teil etwas zu kurz. Ebenso gibt es extrem viele Personen in so einem kurzen Buch, da wären mir weniger handlungsrelevante Personen lieber gewesen.
Qualität und Verarbeitung:
Für ein Taschenbuch sehr hochwertig. Ich habe das Buch vor dem Lesen mit Klebefolie verstärkt. Es sieht nach dem Lesen aus wie neu, das Papier ist wunderbar dick und knittert nicht.
Meine Meinung:
Da es doch schon einige Zeit her ist, dass ich den ersten Band gelesen habe, hatte ich am Anfang Schwierigkeiten mit dem Inhalt, da mir die Personen nicht mehr geläufig waren und ich sie mir nicht mehr ins Gedächtnis rufen konnte. Hier wäre ein Personenverzeichnis zum Beginn oder Anfang des Buches mit kuzrer Charakterisierung bzw. wer zu wem in welchen Verhältnis steht sehr hilfreich, da neben Bree auch noch ihr verstorbener Onkel, 3 Mitarbeiter*innen, ehemalige Kolleg*innen, ein Polizist, die Staatsanwältin, ihre Eltern und ihre Schwester eine wichtige Rolle spielen - und dazu kommen dann noch die Personen des aktuellen Falls.
Die Thematik hat mich interesseriert, jedoch war das Buch nicht so spannend wie ich es mir erhofft hatte, auch der Teil mit den Spähren kommt zu kurz. Alles in allem ein durchschnittliches Lesevergnügen, da wäre mehr drin gewesen. Ich hätte es bevorzugt, dass sich Bree auf einen Aspekt mehr konzentriert (himmlich oder irdisch), so kommt mir jeder einzelne Teil etwas zu kurz. Ebenso gibt es extrem viele Personen in so einem kurzen Buch, da wären mir weniger handlungsrelevante Personen lieber gewesen.
August 6, 2012
The second book in the Beaufort & Company series was just as entertaining as the first!
The characters - quirky and charming every last one of them! - get further developed in this second installment, particularly Bree and her angelic employees, whom we get to know much better in this case.
The case itself is interesting and challenging, with lots of clues and opportunities to try to figure out what's going on and who did what to whom. As with the first book, Bree is working on two parallel, but connected cases: the "live" client is the spoiled, bratty daughter of a wealthy man who died several months ago. The "celestial" client is the rich, dead father, who by all accounts was deserving of the sentence he's been given in the 9th circle of incarceration by the Celestial Court. But he's requested a re-consideration, because he says all the facts weren't considered.
Bree has to figure out how the cases are connected, get the daughter to behave long enough to avoid jail, and determine what, if any, mitigating circumstances in the father's case might get him moved to a somewhat less painful area of "the other side" to serve his sentence.
This time around, in addition to her celestial employees, Bree acquires some new canine guardians in addition to Sasha who's still her most loyal protector and guide.
A good mystery, good legal aspects and the interesting twist of the Celestial Court to add spice. Well worth a read!
The characters - quirky and charming every last one of them! - get further developed in this second installment, particularly Bree and her angelic employees, whom we get to know much better in this case.
The case itself is interesting and challenging, with lots of clues and opportunities to try to figure out what's going on and who did what to whom. As with the first book, Bree is working on two parallel, but connected cases: the "live" client is the spoiled, bratty daughter of a wealthy man who died several months ago. The "celestial" client is the rich, dead father, who by all accounts was deserving of the sentence he's been given in the 9th circle of incarceration by the Celestial Court. But he's requested a re-consideration, because he says all the facts weren't considered.
Bree has to figure out how the cases are connected, get the daughter to behave long enough to avoid jail, and determine what, if any, mitigating circumstances in the father's case might get him moved to a somewhat less painful area of "the other side" to serve his sentence.
This time around, in addition to her celestial employees, Bree acquires some new canine guardians in addition to Sasha who's still her most loyal protector and guide.
A good mystery, good legal aspects and the interesting twist of the Celestial Court to add spice. Well worth a read!
November 25, 2012
I already look forward to the next book in this series, AVENGING ANGELS, due out next month (YAY). Bree is a good strong character who finds herself in the position to work with angels and assist those who need some intermediaries to get them out of areas of Hell and possibly into Heaven or at least in a better circle of Hell. She has some great assistants aiding in her good fight, a dog, a couple of legal aids, a cool landlady...all of whom are angels of dubious goodness.
The office is set in a graveyard that no one but Bree and her aids can find. Also the ghostly clients can't pay the bills and Bree is feeling the pinch. Luckily, she has the free rent of the office, free rent of her abode she shares with her sister, so she's got that going for her. She also has the loving (wealthy) arms of her family should she ever take them up on their offers of funds.
I want to smack the crap out of the rich teen, Lindsey, who hires Bree to get her out of the horrid crime she admits to committing. It seemed like a fun idea at the time, in her basic spoiled brat thought process. Her ghost of a father is not much better. That's how I tell the characters are well-written, I want to reach in to smack the crap out the brat characters and hug or high-five the good ones.
Five angelic beans.....
The office is set in a graveyard that no one but Bree and her aids can find. Also the ghostly clients can't pay the bills and Bree is feeling the pinch. Luckily, she has the free rent of the office, free rent of her abode she shares with her sister, so she's got that going for her. She also has the loving (wealthy) arms of her family should she ever take them up on their offers of funds.
I want to smack the crap out of the rich teen, Lindsey, who hires Bree to get her out of the horrid crime she admits to committing. It seemed like a fun idea at the time, in her basic spoiled brat thought process. Her ghost of a father is not much better. That's how I tell the characters are well-written, I want to reach in to smack the crap out the brat characters and hug or high-five the good ones.
Five angelic beans.....
June 21, 2016
This is the first book that I read in this series as found in my library and it sounded interesting. I only gave it three stars as felt there was a lot I missed by not reading the first book. Yes you could read this one and understand what was going on but there was questions that I had in sections. There was a couple chapters that I actually flipped a page back to see if I missed something. I liked the concept but for someone picking up the book some areas needed more depth. Other areas needed her to step up and do more research on what her job was instead of just accepting that her helpers couldn't tell her more. She had enough of a brain to become a lawyer why didn't she research on her own more, as she even had a whole bunch of books on her job that sounded like she didn't refer to at all. Makes me want to find first book to fill in some blanks but not sure will read next as some things so unclear in some areas (don't want to say too much as would be spoilers ) Also one point in book is just not accurate and some of the main reason for what happens. (sorry another spoiler there)
Over all not bad but questionable if would continue with this series.
Over all not bad but questionable if would continue with this series.
September 20, 2009
A lawyer is pulled into a case, in which, a teenager has stolen money from a child. Little does she know, the event is one of the series of event that connects to a supposingly solved cased which was thought to be an accident. As she goes deeper into the case, she realizes others are also onto her, some who would be willing to help or obstruct her from the grave.
At first when i read this book, i found it kind of boring due to the amount of things, characters that they had to squeeze into the plot. As it began to unfold, it became more interesting as there was a frame in the event and a criminal who attempts to preclude the case. Although not the main theme, one of the themes were to not to give up. The lawyer shown as the protagonist did not give up despite how much problems she had to go through. Some that could have led her to her death. She kept tackling at the mystery till the suspect was found.
At first when i read this book, i found it kind of boring due to the amount of things, characters that they had to squeeze into the plot. As it began to unfold, it became more interesting as there was a frame in the event and a criminal who attempts to preclude the case. Although not the main theme, one of the themes were to not to give up. The lawyer shown as the protagonist did not give up despite how much problems she had to go through. Some that could have led her to her death. She kept tackling at the mystery till the suspect was found.
July 15, 2011
Unfortunately I couldn't get into it. I didn't like any of the characters, I thought that the story was dragged kicking and screaming through to the finish- Ms. Stanton must have found this book a terror to write and complete. It was in a nut shell a waste of my money. Bree was a character that I could not get close to - the brief mention of her rages left me cold. Her tears over the potential loss of her dog Sasha again - cold. Her banter with Sam Hunter - why oh why bother. Her relationship with her sister Tonia / Antonia again a half hearted affair. I ended up routing for the bad guys - and what a pathetic bunch that was. The brief encounter with the demon lawyers - hissing snake sounds when they spoke - smell of sulfer when they entered the room. So old nothing new.
The names - amd the mixup of Probert Chandler's name instead of her father's threw me and I had to read back a couple of times to get it right.
Really an annoying book.
The names - amd the mixup of Probert Chandler's name instead of her father's threw me and I had to read back a couple of times to get it right.
Really an annoying book.
February 25, 2016
I really like the premise of this series. A young Southern lady lawyer is "recruited" to represent the dead in the celestial courts, while also trying to run a normal law practice. Of course, she has to chase down whether the dead are guilty of the crimes that have sent them to hell or purgatory, so there are some nice, intricate murder mystery subplots, and just enough of the supernatural and good vs. evil, along with some very funny moments, to make this a very fun read. Of course, I'm actually listening instead of reading, so maybe I like this because the reader does a very good job of separating all the voices and keeping the characters very consistent. Very fun. Can't wait to read the next one!
****
Reading the series again, since the new one has just come out. Good versus evil with a very fun picture of a celestial law library, monks scribbling happily in a light-suffused stone room with endless desks off into the distance, recording everything we do.
****
Reading the series again, since the new one has just come out. Good versus evil with a very fun picture of a celestial law library, monks scribbling happily in a light-suffused stone room with endless desks off into the distance, recording everything we do.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 19, 2011
I enjoyed that book a lot.
The second case of Brianna Winston-Beaufort (poor girl with such a looong name^^) is catching from page one on. While I was near wanting to shake Lindsey, I knew right at the start that this family was crazy like something- which lead to a terrible + crazy life for the youngest...
I also liked those Pendergast-attacks- two of my new favourite characters were intrduces (yes, I'm talking about Bellum and Miles; great names, I'll keep them in mind!), Sasha was great again and how I loved the way things went with 'the Rat'.
BUT: Still, this series isn't something for people that are really looking out for angels. sure, Bree has her own personal angels at her side, but you don't get to know much about them or the way things above are going.
I thing when you keep in mind that this is an attourney-book and not an angels-story, you can have a lot of fun with it =)
The second case of Brianna Winston-Beaufort (poor girl with such a looong name^^) is catching from page one on. While I was near wanting to shake Lindsey, I knew right at the start that this family was crazy like something- which lead to a terrible + crazy life for the youngest...
I also liked those Pendergast-attacks- two of my new favourite characters were intrduces (yes, I'm talking about Bellum and Miles; great names, I'll keep them in mind!), Sasha was great again and how I loved the way things went with 'the Rat'.
BUT: Still, this series isn't something for people that are really looking out for angels. sure, Bree has her own personal angels at her side, but you don't get to know much about them or the way things above are going.
I thing when you keep in mind that this is an attourney-book and not an angels-story, you can have a lot of fun with it =)
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