Under Wraps

Jayne weaves a sexy, funny, and suspenseful tale in this charming debut. Administrative assistant Sophie Lawson is the only human employed at the Underworld Detection Agency, which helps San Francisco's supernatural entities navigate mysteries and negotiate with humans. When a series of supernatural murders rocks the Bay Area and Sophie's employer, a kindly werewolf, goes missing, Sophie is plunged headlong into a deadly mystery that includes a smoldering attraction to a mysterious police detective who may not be telling her everything that he knows. After a slow and vague beginning in which characters casually toss around stereotypes and epithets based on (supernatural) race, Jayne gains control of her various plot threads and brings most of them to a satisfying, exciting conclusion with plenty of intrigue set up for a sequel. (Mar.)