Psyched Out by M.A. MacAfee

Can a human pacemaker implanted in a dog cause the animal to take on human traits? Absolutely! Ollie Kline would answer, and he ought to know. An aspiring psychic detective with a cardiac pacemaker, Ollie is killed in a drive-by shooting outside the Pastime where he tends bar. He awakes inside Mugsy, a pug dog, who also has a heart problem and who receives Ollie’s recycled pacemaker. Aware his cardiac device was stolen from his corpse, Ollie wonders what other body parts were taken. Ollie uses his telepathic powers to enlist the help of Nora Cole, the sister of Mugsy’s owner. On receiving Ollie’s thoughts from the dog, Nora fears she’s lost her mind. To verify her sanity, she agrees to help Ollie find his killers. Ollie, Nora, and Mugsy, the pug dog, conduct an investigation which leads them on a merry romp into the illegal side of the human body-parts trade, as well as the dark underbelly of the funeral business. They encounter creepy mortuary workers, graveyard ghosts, and a few brushes with the law—antics which underscore a common truism: adversity is the wellspring of humor. It’s all in the delivery.

Goodreads Summary

If a dog could think like a human and express himself likewise, what would the dog think, feel, and want to say?  This book contains this exact concept.  Ollie, the main character, meets an untimely death and wakes up to find himself in the body of a dog.  Ollie discovers he has psychic powers and can connect with his owner on more than an emotional level, he may be able to enlist her help in finding out what-beyond the pacemaker-was taken from his body.  The story takes off from here.

Ollie as a character was very likable.  The character will take an instant liking to little Ollie.  Ollie has many traits similar to a dog, he is loyal, brave, and kind.  His owner is much the same, she is hard to hate and very easy to like.  The characters are fun to get to know and really round out the story.  The undercurrent of mystery serves to make the book more interesting.  This book is recommended to adult readers.

4 Stars

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