Something's got a spaniel familiar's tongue...and it isn't a cat.

Charity Hughes is the first witch in more than a century to possess a gift like hers. She's a "familiar whisperer" — someone who can communicate with other witches' troubled familiars and resolve their problems.

When Darla Fitzgerald, an influential but abrasive witch, brings in her familiar, Milo, Charity runs into a barrier she's never before encountered. The spaniel isn't talking. At all. And when a potion to reveal Milo's thoughts doesn't work, Charity calls Darla to get more information...only to learn the woman has been found dead.

But that's not the weird part. Though familiars always pass with their witches, Milo is hale and hearty. After something — or someone — attacks the dog, Charity desperately calls local vet (and secret crush) Noah Jenkins for help.

Now Charity is walking a double tightrope: How to manage her attraction to Noah without revealing the world of witches right under his nose...while trying to figure out who would go to any lengths — including dognapping — to ensure Milo stays silent as the grave.

Note: Spells and Spaniels is Book 1 in USA Today bestselling author Christine Pope's newest series, "Familiar Spirits". Contains a slow-burn romance that develops over the course of the series, a murder mystery of Olympic proportions, and an adorable cocker spaniel who needs his Wubby.