Colorado - Present Day

Sophie Alton is disappointed when she finds out that Megan Rawlings, the recently paroled woman Sophie has been writing a series of newspaper articles about, has apparently run off. During a visit with the seven-month-old daughter she doesn’t have custody of, Megan leaves the halfway house, and drugs are later found in her room. Sophie had been sure that Megan had turned her life around, and is saddened by the fact that it isn’t so. She would like to find Megan, and when Sophie gets a tip that Megan’s incarcerated brother, Marc Hunter, may have information, Sophie arranges to meet with him.

After leaving the Special Forces, Marc Hunter joined the DEA, only to be convicted less than a year later for murdering a colleague. More than six years into his sentence, he learns that his sister Megan has disappeared with her infant daughter, and Marc knows that she is in trouble. His only chance to save Megan is to use Sophie, the woman with whom he shared one of the most incredible nights of his life. When she visits him in the prison, Marc takes Sophie hostage and escapes. He hadn’t counted on Sophie not remembering him though, and it’s several hours before she does. His need to feel Sophie in his arms again is almost as great as his need to find Megan. But with Megan in danger, he has to let Sophie go.

When Marc can find no leads on Megan’s whereabouts, he has no choice but to turn to Sophie for help. Having learned more about Megan's history, Sophie has started investigating on her own, and she can’t deny that there is still something between herself and Marc. But Sophie’s snooping has brought her to the attention of some men who will do anything to keep their secrets.

A gripping and emotional story, UNLAWFUL CONTACT will pull you in from the beginning. Both Sophie and Marc cherish the memories of the one night they spent together, and neither of them has found anyone else who comes close to matching that encounter. The attraction between them is still strong, but now anything between them is hopeless, with Marc sentenced to life without parole and an escape charge on top of that. A part of Sophie knows she should give the police all the information she has, but another part feels the need to protect him. Her journalist’s instincts are telling her that there is more going on, and Sophie’s determined to find out the truth and help Megan.

Fans of Ms. Clare may recognize Sophie’s friends from her earlier releases, and readers are given a chance to see how their lives are going. However, this is definitely Sophie and Marc’s story, and if you haven’t read the previous books, you won’t be lost. UNLAWFUL CONTACT is an engaging tale that will have readers on the edge of their seats.

Jennifer Bishop