Today’s teaser comes from Solstice (The Lake Prophet Mysteries, 1)
Out now – https://rjscott.co.uk/read-solstice
Big brown eyes stared back at me from my computer screen. They were set in a face with a shiny black nose and gray fur resembling an Ewok’s. The dog, Merci, looked away, but not before I saw that he was basically a happy little guy. Nothing too traumatic there. That was a relief. New clients were always worrying.
Denise, his owner, droned on over the laptop’s speaker. She was in her forties and wore a pink jogging suit that matched her one-inch pink nails. She and Merci were seated on a big white ottoman in a white room with windows overlooking the ocean.
She’d never have to worry over vet bills, that was for sure.
“… twice last week!” Denise complained. “On brand new pumps, too. I have a cleaning place I take them to, but you can’t get pee out of silk moiré. This is getting to be a serious problem! I just don’t understand where it’s coming from. Merci has always been such a good boy. He hasn’t had an accident in the house for years, and never before on my shoes.”
Her words were scolding, but her obsessive petting of Merci’s ruff told me more than her words. The way Merci leaned against her told me more still. She might be annoying to me, but Merci adored Denise Lafferty. And vice versa.
Which crossed several possibilities off the list.
“My friend, Lonny said you can read pets’ minds. Can you really do that?” Denise asked hopefully.
“I’m an animal behaviorist, Ms. Lafferty.”
“I know. But she said you knew what Snowball was thinking. And I figured maybe because you’re Native American… Or—is that the right term? First peoples? First nation? Merci and I don’t want to offend.”
I sighed inwardly. “Native American is fine.” I re-tucked my long black hair behind one ear. If a behaviorist had been reading me, that would be a tell. I always felt a bit like an imposter when clients assumed I was some kind of Native American shaman. I was only a quarter native, despite appearances suggesting otherwise. And I drew from my education—which I’d worked damned hard for—and not from anything supernatural.
Well. Mostly.
Solstice
From the dramatic peaks of the Olympic mountain range to the small town of Prophet, murder is only a footstep away.
Gabriel is a former undercover cop haunted by the things he’s seen and done. He returns to his small hometown of Prophet, taking on the role of sheriff, hoping to mend his fractured relationship with his estranged brother and rebuild his life. But when a chilling murder occurs at Sentinel Rocks, a sacred Makah site on Lake Prophet, Gabriel’s dreams of peace and reconciliation are shattered.
Gabriel navigates a web of intrigue, with a long list of suspects; from local tribal elders to fervent Solstice worshippers and even those hunting the elusive Bigfoot. When the brutal murder leaves Duke, a loyal Labrador retriever, as the sole witness, Gabriel stumbles upon an unexpected ally—a local animal behaviorist named Tiber.
Tiber, a newcomer to Prophet, seeks refuge in this remote haven, attempting to escape his own inner demons. Armed with his extraordinary ability to communicate with animals, he offers his expertise through video consultations, helping pet owners with their beloved companions. While he attributes his skill to his academic background, his intuition and flashes of insight owe as much to his Navajo heritage as to science.
With the relentless rain washing away sins and good intentions alike, Gabriel and Tiber must begin to confront their own vulnerabilities and unravel the truth.
More info →
Leave a Reply