Frakes Island, Present Day

He was only driving his old girlfriend home...

Rebecca Cattrell is running from home and all the publicity her former fiancé caused. During her bridal shower, Justin volunteered to drive an old girlfriend home in Becca's car. Some oral stimulation and a telephone pole ended up with Becca's car demolished, the girlfriend's neck in a brace, and boyfriend Justin with teeth marks on his penis. Justin's family is well known, and soon everyone on the Internet and throughout the world knows that her boyfriend had to go elsewhere for satisfaction. To get away from town, her boss suggests she escape to Frakes Island and a friend's house to relax, get away from everything, and maybe skinny dip in the neighbor's pool. Except, the island isn't empty, the neighbor's house isn't deserted like her friend said, and there's a dangerous, good-looking man staying there, who almost seduces her when he catches her in his pool. When she returns the next day for the glasses she left behind, horror is in store for her.

His life is worth something if he kills Zhoglo...

Nick is undercover to meet Zhoglo, a member of the Russian mafia that got his friend killed last year, but what exactly Zhoglo's involved in now he has no idea; what does it matter when murder is all that interests Nick. He's been trying for a year to get close to him and find Sveti, the twelve year old daughter of his murdered friend who was kidnapped. Is she dead, being tortured, or sold as a sex slave? If he can only find her and return her to her mother, maybe he will feel like life is worth living again. Months have gone by setting up this sting, until a naked woman in the swimming pool upsets the whole project. Nick and Becca's story is that Becca is the cook, and also there to satisfy Zhoglo's lusts while on the island. Unfortunately, Nick knows his carefully crafted plan is shot all to hell, and they'll be glad to escape the island alive. Nick tries to explain to Becca what is involved in getting found out, and he must also accept that this may be the last undercover job of his life.

Is Nick's life worth anything...

Between hatred of his life and trying to keep himself together, and fighting the overwhelming passion he finds with Becca, Nick is beside himself with trying to save both of them from sure death. Nick has lost his will to live and feels no joy left in life. Becca is full of life, but sick and tired of her reputation as the good girl, except excitement like she gets into with Nick isn't exactly what she was looking for. Maybe just a great climax or two with a man that usually would never look twice at her would be the best she could aspire to.

If someone wants to kill you, are you ever safe...

Needless to say, a crime boss has the requisite thugs tagging along to do the dirty work, and Zhoglo is a criminal of particular sadism and cruelty, and has surrounded himself with minions willing to do his dirty work...just how far he is prepared to go will astound you. And a heart surgeon, Dr. Richard Mathes, is the person all the evil revolves around. What will people pay for a new heart if there is not one available? How these two people come together, and what they want from each other is at the heart of the story.

Can Shannon keep up the tension...

Oh yes, any aficionado of romantic suspense knows Shannon McKenna is famous for her headstrong alpha men, her feisty women, and the plot lines that have them in some sort of conflict that is merely a sideline to the electric attraction between them. Guess what, Ms. McKenna doesn't let us down here, with the addition of several comic elements, but the usual evil lurking and sex hot enough to burn the pages...ouch! Written from the point of view of Nick, we learn how depressed he is and how he feels guilty about an undercover operation gone bad and the young girl left behind, he doesn't know where, but it is his goal to learn her destiny, whatever it may be. Now Becca has her good side, but with a personality all her own, and every facet of it attracts a big, bad man like Nick. Nick may be dour and sad, but Becca can put a smile on his face just with her smart mouth.

Is Zhoglo the only bad guy...

Well, with an evil man like Zhoglo, no one else is necessary, and the amoral Dr. Mathes will curl your hair with his idea for making large amounts of money. And Nick has the various McClouds watching his back, former FBI colleagues who know his story and the mental tortures he puts himself through. And I also want to mention the mysterious Tamara, a friend of the McClouds, who always knows everything before Nick does, but lets very little of herself through. All secondary characters are woven through the story with precision and a delicate hand that makes the story stand up and sparkle with life.

What could be better than...

EXTREME DANGER, as it feeds our craving for romantic tension at its best, and certainly comes through with everything you could ask for this month. Indulge yourself; set a fire and get under your warmest throw and enter a world of suspense and sexual tension -- what could be better? Join the legions of women looking for the perfect winter read and get EXTREME DANGER right away.

Carolyn Crisher