Book excerpt: When animal psychic Pru Marlowe is called to a forest clearing to help with an illegally trapped bear, she finds a colleague passed out drunk and his pet ferret locked in his truck. Then an old friend turns up dead and the town's pampered pets begin to disappear. Pru can't tell if her heavy-drinking colleague is involved or how much the ferret, who's not communicating even to her, knows. Pru knows her special skills make her the only one who can shed light on these crimes and save the animals at risk.