Defending Angels

A unique angle and smart plotting highlight the launch of Stanton's Beaufort & Company paranormal mystery series. After inheriting her uncle's Savannah, Ga., law practice, Bree Winston-Beaufort gets a call from Benjamin Skinner, a despised—and deceased—billionaire. Bree, thrust into the mysterious world of Celestial Law, agrees to represent the late Mr. Skinner before the Celestial Court, where he is on trial for greed. A cast of colorful and imaginative characters, including handsome, annoying PI Gabriel Striker, support her as she searches for witnesses to Skinner's rare altruism and untimely death. Stanton (A Taste for Murder and others as Claudia Bishop) balances the pace skillfully, seamlessly weaving Bree's bewildering supernatural experiences into her investigation. Engaging and charismatic, angel's advocate Bree will be a breath of fresh air for fans of paranormal cozy mysteries. (Dec.)