Murder by Design Series by Erin McCarthy

Bailey Burke has had a rough six months—it’s not easy thinking your romantic overtures toward your best friend caused him to kill himself. Except that’s exactly what happened. Ryan is very much dead, having shot himself with his own police-issued gun. Guilt and grief shouldn’t cause hallucinations though, but six months after Ryan went into the ground, Bailey is freaking out and swearing his ghost is standing in her kitchen... moreBailey Burke has had a rough six months—it’s not easy thinking your romantic overtures toward your best friend caused him to kill himself. Except that’s exactly what happened. Ryan is very much dead, having shot himself with his own police-issued gun. Guilt and grief shouldn’t cause hallucinations though, but six months after Ryan went into the ground, Bailey is freaking out and swearing his ghost is standing in her kitchen. Which he is… Ryan claims he didn’t commit suicide, but was murdered, and he needs Bailey to help him find his killer so he can earn his ticket out of purgatory. Ryan’s counting on a stairway to heaven, as opposed to wings, since that might be a little unmanly for a cop, even a dead one. An expert in home design, with her own staging business, Bailey can tell you where to place a couch to improve flow and comfort, but solving a crime? Not her area of expertise. But with help from Ryan’s former partner, Marner, she is unraveling the mystery of what happened to Ryan that day… and unwittingly putting herself in grave danger. less

With Bailey Burke’s design and staging business booming- it turns out tangling with a serial killer is the best advertising ever- she has no time to lament her lack of love life, or wonder where her dead friend Ryan’s ghost has gone. She hasn’t seen him in months, but when she finds a body in a home she’s been hired to stage she’s hounded by the dead man’s ghost... moreWith Bailey Burke’s design and staging business booming- it turns out tangling with a serial killer is the best advertising ever- she has no time to lament her lack of love life, or wonder where her dead friend Ryan’s ghost has gone. She hasn’t seen him in months, but when she finds a body in a home she’s been hired to stage she’s hounded by the dead man’s ghost. Having been a medium before, this guy is by far the most irritating ghost she’s ever met, with his constant need to talk over her and flick pennies at her head. Without Ryan to guide her, she’s on her own to figure out what the dead man needs from her. On top of all that, cop Jake Marner is back in her life, ostensibly to protect her, but mostly to confuse her as to whether they are dating or not. Before she can say “Put It Where?” Bailey finds herself immersed in mob dealings, the secret world of male-only sweat baths, and double dealings. When another body turns up, there is no doubt that she’s in over her head… again. less

All Bailey Burke wants for Christmas is to stop seeing dead people. A reluctant spiritual medium, she craves a stress-free holiday with no ghosts popping in and out of her house. But when Bailey does the décor for a huge fundraising party featuring a replica slide from A Christmas Story, no one expects to find Santa’s dead body. In the slide. From three years ago... moreAll Bailey Burke wants for Christmas is to stop seeing dead people. A reluctant spiritual medium, she craves a stress-free holiday with no ghosts popping in and out of her house. But when Bailey does the décor for a huge fundraising party featuring a replica slide from A Christmas Story, no one expects to find Santa’s dead body. In the slide. From three years ago. With the current Santa-for-hire and the dead Santa’s ghost harassing her, there isn’t enough eggnog in Cleveland to save Bailey’s night. Solving St. Nick’s murder is the only way to get back to cozy nights by the fire with her cop boyfriend Marner in time for some Christmas mistletoe… less

When the bitterly cold days of January descend on Cleveland, Bailey Burke finds her “Put It Where?” home staging business is as frozen as her toes. The only bright spot is the return of her friend Ryan after his, ahem, eviction from heaven. Especially since no other dead people seem to be harassing her in recent weeks. Yet when her grandmother’s bingo buddy turns up frozen solid in a stranger’s back yard, Bailey is the only one who finds the death suspicious... moreWhen the bitterly cold days of January descend on Cleveland, Bailey Burke finds her “Put It Where?” home staging business is as frozen as her toes. The only bright spot is the return of her friend Ryan after his, ahem, eviction from heaven. Especially since no other dead people seem to be harassing her in recent weeks. Yet when her grandmother’s bingo buddy turns up frozen solid in a stranger’s back yard, Bailey is the only one who finds the death suspicious. Bailey knows fashion and she knows Vera, a one-time film star, would not be caught dead, literally, in a stained nightgown and cheetah-print boots. Determined it prove it is homicide and not dementia, she enlists Ryan’s help to investigate, despite his ghostly limitations. This time Bailey is ready to play it smart, solve the crime, have the bad guy do the time… only all is fair game when it comes to eccentric backstabbing biddies at bingo. less

Bailey Burke, reluctant spiritual medium, escapes the frozen winter with her boyfriend, Detective Jake Marner, and heads south. But in a city like Key West, murder and ghosts don’t take a vacation.A romantic sunset cruise turns not-so-romantic when a body floats by, followed by an abandoned yacht--the passengers missing. So much for searching for her lost shaker of salt. Instead she’s tracking down a killer who has left no clues... moreBailey Burke, reluctant spiritual medium, escapes the frozen winter with her boyfriend, Detective Jake Marner, and heads south. But in a city like Key West, murder and ghosts don’t take a vacation.A romantic sunset cruise turns not-so-romantic when a body floats by, followed by an abandoned yacht--the passengers missing. So much for searching for her lost shaker of salt. Instead she’s tracking down a killer who has left no clues. With ghosts harassing her at every turn, can Bailey solve the mystery of the floater and get back to sipping a piña colada and soaking up the sun?Book 6 in the Murder By Design series continues with Bailey’s hilarious adventures in mystery solving! less