#80 Unlawful Contact by Pamela Clare, Berkeley, 2008

Sophie Alton works as a reporter for the Denver Independence.

She has been writing a series of stories about Megan Rawlings who went to prison pregnant and how she dealt with having the baby, how she cleaned herself of drugs while she was pregnant and what happened to her and the baby.  It is Megan’s day to resume life on the outside when Sophie finds out that they searched her room and found 30 grams of heroine laced with fentanyl – street name fefe or drop dead.  Megan had grabbed baby, Emily and run for it and was wanted for felony drug possession, kidnapping (even though it was her baby) and several other felonies. 

Megan’s brother, Marc Hunter, is a former Special Forces soldier who fought in Afghanistan and returned to the US and became a DEA Agent.  He was convicted of killing his partner with evidence that he had been dirty. They found heroine in his home after the killing and he would not give an explanation. He is serving a Life Sentence without the possibility of Parole. He asked the guard to ask Sophie to see him in prison because he had information on Megan’s whereabouts.  When she goes to the prison, he uses her as a hostage and breaks out. 

Hunter calls police and gives Sophie’s location and the police find her handcuffed to a bed suffering from hypothermia (Colorado – winter). She tells police almost all she knows and sets about trying to find Megan and Emily.  She believes it is too dangerous out on the streets for them to survive.  She gets information that the DOC has some files about abuses in the Juvenile Detention center and tries to get Megan’s Parole Officer to get her copies.  Later that evening she is stopped by police and they find drugs in her car. 

Sophie did not recognize Marc Hunter as the senior ‘bad boy’ who took her virginity when she was a sophomore in high school.  She only knew him as Hunt and he has changed considerably since then. She finds out who he is when he leaves her handcuffed to the bed, but Hunt is not letting her get punished for things she didn’t do.   

The story of Sophie and Marc Hunter is yet another chapter in a sterling set of books written by this former journalist. It is a roller coaster ride of loyalty and betrayal, good guys and bad guys, love and devotion to family.  I have read her other 2 books in this series Extreme Exposure and Hard Evidence and have enjoyed them tremendously and look forward to the next one Naked Edge which does not have a publication date.  I highly recommend these books and this author.  They do not have to be read in order but the characters in one appear in the others. 

Rating  Excellent

Eharl 49

Other 31

Yes I am a readalholic and I don't want the 12 step program!!!