Underdog Heroes
Why We Root for Reg Rawlins
Reg is easy to root for because she is flawed, like all of us. She comes as she is: gritty, stubborn, tired, and somehow still going when life gets messy. She isn’t a chosen one with a shiny destiny. She’s a woman with a coffee addiction, a mountain of trust issues, and a tuxedo cat who is 100% sure he owns her.
A Storied History
Part of Reg’s appeal is her backstory. She spent her childhood bouncing between foster homes after her mother, Norma Jean, was out of the picture when Reg was only four. When she aged out of foster care, she was on her own, on the street, without a way to support herself.
Adults called Reg difficult, crazy, or a liar because she saw ghosts or “found” lost items that they thought she had stolen. No one knew she was a powerful medium and a finder. Foster parents, care workers, and doctors spent years trying to drug those voices in her head, forcing her to hide her gifts just to survive.
She’s a Magical Underdog
When Reg first arrived in Black Sands, Florida, she was just playing a con to make a few bucks. Then she found out the imaginary friends she’d had as a child were real spirits and the fire she accidentally started was actually a gift.
Now, she’s a triple threat: a medium, a firecaster, and even part-siren. But she doesn’t feel powerful. She describes herself as a toddler on wobbly legs in the magical world. She makes mistakes—like accidentally lighting her landlady’s bird feeders on fire or inviting a predatory warlock in for tea.
Lots of mistakes.
Protecting Her Tribe
That rough background explains why Reg is so fiercely protective of the life she has now. She knows what it costs to lose control of her own story. After a lifetime of being an outsider, she finally found a home in Sarah Bishop’s guest cottage and a mentor in Davyn Smithy.
She’s not just a psychic investigator; she’s a dragon mom to Ember, a firedrake who hatched in her garden. She will literally fly to the bottom of the ocean or square off against an immortal to keep her found family safe.
Reg is a survivor
Reg is the ultimate survivor. She doesn’t expect the world to be fair because it never has been. Whether she’s dealing with cursed gems from Egypt, malevolent mirrors, or her own siren instincts, she handles it with the same tough heart that got her through the foster system.
Start with What the Cat Knew and keep going to The Hidden Hoard of Drakuntsee and beyond. Reg Rawlins might be tired, and she might be grumpy, but she never quits.
Frequently Asked Questions About Reg Rawlins
Who is Reg Rawlins?
Reg Rawlins is the main character in the Reg Rawlins Psychic Investigator series by P.D. Workman. She is a psychic medium, finder, firecaster, and reluctant magical investigator living in Black Sands, Florida.
Why do readers root for Reg Rawlins?
Readers root for Reg because she is flawed, stubborn, funny, and deeply human. She has survived foster care, homelessness, betrayal, and magical danger, but she keeps going even when she is tired, scared, or completely out of her depth.
What makes Reg Rawlins different from other paranormal mystery heroines?
Reg is not a polished chosen-one heroine. She begins as a struggling con artist who discovers that her psychic abilities are real. Her magic is powerful, but messy, and she often learns by making mistakes.
What are Reg Rawlins’s magical abilities?
Reg is a medium and finder, which means she can communicate with spirits and locate lost people or objects. As the series continues, she also discovers firecasting abilities and siren heritage.
Who is Starlight in the Reg Rawlins series?
Starlight is Reg’s tuxedo cat. He is more than just a pet; he is part companion, part judge, and part supernatural mystery in his own right. He also has a way of making sure Reg knows who really runs the household.
Which Reg Rawlins book should I start with?
The best place to start is What the Cat Knew, the first book in the series. It introduces Reg, Starlight, Black Sands, and the magical world Reg stumbles into.
Does Reg Rawlins have a found family?
Yes. Reg’s found family is one of the emotional anchors of the series. After a difficult childhood and years of being on her own, she gradually builds connections with Starlight, Sarah Bishop, Davyn Smithy, Ember, and others who become part of her life.
