Her landlord, Lavinia Mathers is an older, rather (in Bree’s opinion) eccentric woman, but she is only the first of such characters Bree is about to encounter. While looking for a paralegal, Bree finds a Russian attorney named Petru who will not take no for an answer and Ron, a flamboyant decorator looking for a second career. 

Bree’s first case comes when she receives a call from businessman Benjamin Skinner on a cell phone she has just received from her former law professor Professor Cianquino. Just one thing isn’t right:  Skinner died earlier that day. Even her new stray dog Sasha seems to be in on the case…everyone around Bree is except for Bree herself.

Skinner’s former associate Liz Overshaw claims be haunted by Skinner’s ghost and hires Bree to prove that Skinner was murdered. While Bree doubts Skinner is haunting Liz, with a $10,000 retainer and a high profile client, she is more than willing to look into Skinner’s death. However, the other case, the one she learns she is to try in the Celestial Sphere, is a bit more troubling. 

She learns she must defend Skinner, in his new incarnation - dead, against the charge of Greed. Not sure which way to turn and unsure she likes the turn her new practice is turning, Bree stays the course and is able to not only prove Skinner was murdered but by whom.  Now she must face a more difficult challenge, the Celestial Sphere Court, something she is pretty sure law school never prepared her for.  

A fun, entertaining mystery, Defending Angels is a new twist on all the woo-woo mysteries available today. Savannah is considered to be the most haunted city in the US and there are plenty of creatures to haunt Bree in her new surroundings. A painting that captures a nightmare Bree has had for years ties together her worldly case and her extra-worldly case. The characters that form The Company, Bree’s celestial law practice, are eccentric, but very entertaining. Some are real and apparent to everyone, but others, Bree is surprised to learn, cannot be seen by everyone. 

The real life characters in Bree’s life help to ground her in reality, including her sister who has dropped out of school yet again in search of an acting career and parents who have been keeping a big secret that may help Bree unravel her future a little more. The investigation into Skinner’s murder is thorough with many suspects for Bree to sort through. Readers who have enjoyed Stanton’s other mysteries (written under the name Claudia Bishop) will enjoy this start of a new series as will fans of mysteries with an otherworld quality.

--Jennifer Monahan Winberry