Julie Hall has an unusual skill. She finds dead bodies, using her ability with dowsing rods. When a mother whose daughter has disappeared tracks her down, begging for Julie’s help, she resists. Helping in this case would mean returning to a town filled with memories…and they’re not good memories, which could threaten her fragile sobriety.

In the end, circumstances intervene and Julie decides to help, knowing she has the backup of Garrett, her FBI boyfriend.

Julie ends up facing some tough issues from her past, but she succeeds in her goal and then some.

A Grave Search features a fractured heroine who refuses to break because any of her fragility is underpinned with an iron resolve to overcome, together with the backstop of Garrett’s strength to support her own force of will. There are enough paranormal elements to intrigue the reader and yet the solving of the mystery depends on Julie’s intelligence and ability to unwind the clues.

4 stars