Elizabeth Chase & Tom McGowan series by Martha C. Lawrence
I love this series. It is so well written and developed. Plus since I lived in San Diego when these books were written it's like a visit home.
Book 1 - Murder in Scorpio introduces Psychic P.I. Elizabeth Chase when Escondio police sergeant Tom McGowan asks to investigate what looks like a car accident involving an old friend, Janice Freeman. He has been seeing ghosts at other accidents and his gut is telling him that Janice was murdered even though it looks like a tragic case of a drunk driver hitting her car. But who would want to murder a friendly woman who was studying to become a lawyer. As Elizabeth tries to piece together the clues she becomes more and more attracted to Tom but can she trust her gut instincts and not get herself killed. Lots of spooky elements and I enjoy the supernatural aspects of this series. Plus it is set in the San Diego area.
Book 2 - Cold Heart of Capricorn - An increasingly violent rapist has been terrorizing San Diego, but the lack of physical evidence at the scenes gives the police very little to go on. Dubious but desperate as the rapist edges toward committing murder, the cops turn to Elizabeth for paranormal help. Her first step is to hypnotize the victims, hoping to unearth clues buried in their subconscious memories. Success seems imminent, but when her interpretations have devastating results, Elizabeth steps back from the case--only to find herself getting closer and closer to the deadly conclusion.
Book 3 - Aquarius Descending - Elizabeth Chase is hired to find a woman who's disappeared into a secretive New Age cult. Some members seem to have psychic abilities but it is hard to tell who is real and who is good at pretending. This was more difficult as some characters are killed in this pageturner.
Book 4 - Pisces Rising. Elizabeth Chase's lover has been killed in a showdown between cult leaders and the FBI, and she no longer trusts her own extrasensory gifts. But when an old friend asks for help in solving the murder and scalping of a casino owner at Mystic Mesa on the Temecu Indian reservation in the California desert, Elizabeth is persuaded to get involved. She soon finds herself drawn to a charismatic--and strangely familiar--Native American shaman whose strange gifts awaken and energize her own. Another gripping addition to excellently written series.
Book 5 - Ashes to Aries - Chase is called in on the case of a San Diego telecommunications mogul's missing four-year-old son. When a wildfire breaks out in the secluded community where the boy's family lives, Elizabeth finds that man, not nature, is responsible and tries to determine if the kidnapper and arsonist are the same person. This is the first book I have read by Martha Lawrence but will defintely read the rest. Very fast paced and you felt the flames during the fire scenes.