In Delecki’s debut mystery, a Seattle veterinary acupuncturist with an intuitive gift nearly gets in over her head when she gets mixed up in a fire investigation.

Grayce Walters’ two- and four-legged clients love and respect her for her gentle healing abilities, but she has a secret: She’s an empath who can communicate with animals—and with her dead sister. She’s fulfilled in her professional life, but her secret abilities and her grief over her sister’s death have steered her away from becoming close with other people. After she witnesses an explosion while helping a suffering dog at Fisherman’s Wharf, the dog communicates to her that a man intentionally hurt him, and she has no doubt that the same man is responsible for the explosion. Guarding her secret proves more difficult than she anticipated, however, when she falls for Fire Investigator Ewan Davis. After Davis’ poodle, Mitzi, alerts Grayce that her owner is in danger, Grayce struggles to protect him without revealing her ability. But Davis, a man who protects people for a living, can’t understand her motives, and it soon becomes clear that Grayce will have to be honest about who she really is. In her debut novel, Delecki surprises readers with the fact that small, gentle Grayce doesn’t need rescuing; instead, she repeatedly comes to alpha-male firefighter Davis’ aid. Although the heavy-handed portrayal of Grayce’s gay best friend James wavers between stereotypical and full-on caricature for much of the novel, the character ultimately subverts expectations while remaining true to himself. Overall, the novel is certain to delight romance fans and animal lovers alike.

A fiery, engaging mystery with a touch of the paranormal.