Delia’s Shadow

Moyer’s strong debut, set in 1915 San Francisco, combines murder, troubled spirits, and a tender romance. Being able to see ghosts is not unusual for Delia Martin, but she’s disconcerted when one begins to follow her around. All Delia can determine is that voiceless Shadow is tormented by her own past and hopes that Delia can set things right. San Francisco police lieutenant Gabriel Ryan is handsome, clever, and thoughtful, and he’s willing to believe Delia’s tales of ghosts—but being near him makes Shadow restless and disturbed. What is it about him that Shadow knows but can’t communicate? Though there are occasions where the story bogs down in modern attitudes and mores, Moyer’s detailed research regarding early-20th-century police work and the San Francisco Panama–Pacific Expo help make this romantic supernatural murder mystery sparkle. Agent: Tamar Rydzinski, Laura Dail Literary Agency. (Sept).