CE Murphy - Spirit Dances

For Seattle detective Joanne Walker, spring is about new beginnings. She's mastered her shamanic abilities (mostly), survived a cannibalistic serial killer (barely) and now she's facing the biggest challenge of her career -- attending a dance concert with her sexy boss, Captain Michael Morrison. But when the performance -- billed as transformative -- actually changes her into a coyote, she and Morrison have bigger things to deal with.
And there's more. Homeless people are disappearing, a mystical murder puts Joanne way out of her jurisdiction and with the full moon coming on, it's looking like the killer is a creature that can't possibly exist.
But Jo could probably handle all of that, if one ordinary homicide hadn't pushed her to the very edge....

Comment: This is the 6th book in the series. This time Joanne, our heroine, has to fight a being that steals the energy of a group of performers in a show Joanne attended and then the life of the main actress. But Joanne also has to deal with her little problem of beginning to shape shift during that same show...

This sixth book presents a more confidant Joanne, someone that still has a lot to learn but after so many adventures and experiences, she feels more capable in her powers and how to deal with the problems she faces.
The book starts with Joanne going to a dance performance with her boss, Morrison. She had been given tickets by a lady she helped and while asking if there was any ethical problem by accepting, she ended up sort of asking Morrison to go with her and they go. During the show, Joanne starts to transform into a animal, sees the main actress die because all her energy was stolen by someone and even helps a woman with her breast cancer problem. In the same night, she shows Morrison the Sight.
So, Joanne has been very busy but the problem begins when she tries to understand why she would become an animal due to the energy exchanged and created during the show. This leads Joanne to even bigger problems and the knowledge that her mother's spirit might be trying to tell her something...

So, this book started of amazingly. Finally Joanne and Morrison seem to be in sync and try to have a evening together although they both see it as just using a gift and not as a date. During the show, the usual strange things happen around Joanne but she tries to help and in th end she shows Morrison how the Sight feels for her, leading to an intimate moment between them. This slow dance with them is getting better and better.

With the help of her partner Billy and his wife Melinda, Joanne also makes interesting developments in the search for the killer who stole the energy from the dance group. While investigating, Joanne discovers the person who does this wants the energy to end a curse and release a bigger evil into the world. She also is getting little clues that a spirit is helping her understand just how awful her enemy is, the reader has been feeling this since a couple of books ago. When Joanne finds out who the villain is, she's shocked because it was someone she didn't see coming for several reasons.
Of course, in the end Joanne ends up saving the day and getting to the point where she can't avoid her maternal heritage anymore and makes a deliberate but final decision about her life.

However, the really best, most wonderful part of this book was that finally, let's scream hallelujah, there is a God, Joanne and Morrison finally, at last, admit to the other they like each other. When Joanne makes her decision Morrison actually says it was about time and they kiss and it's amazing!!
I don't recall any series, at least in paranormal or UF, that the main couple only exchanges a kiss during a series and this one is going to its 7th installment and they haven't gotten to it yet. I'm not sure if it's annoying because we want to see them sharing that or refreshing because they didn't and when they do it's got to be great...lol

I have high hopes for the next book and I'll be getting it as soon as I can.