Lo que lleva a la abogada Maddie Fitzgerald a Nueva Orleans es un viaje de negocios, pero el que un hombre irrumpa en la habitación del hotel y trate de matarla no se parece en nada a un viaje de negocios. Escapando por los pelos, esta morena sexy y con estilo de treinta y dos años acude a la policia y se encuentra cara a cara con el agente del FBI Sam McCabe.
Desconcertada por sus preguntas -y su expectacular físico- Maddy relata que ha sido objeto de un asesino a sueldo, uno que lleva años eludiendo a McCabe. Al parecer, ha sido confundida por otra mujer, una informante del FBI con el mismo nombre que ella y que también es hospedaba en el mismo hotel aquella noche. McCabe la somente a un duro interrogatorio y después desaparece. Consternada, termina sus negocios y regresa a St. Louis.
Pero días después, Maddie es atacada por segunda vez, y McCabe regresa para volverla a interrogar. El la convence de que el único modo de que vuelva a estar a salvo de nuevo es que el asesino sea atrapado, y la manera más rapida es utilizarla a ella como cebo. Maddie consiente con cierta reticencia, y mientras tanto la situación entre ellos está que echa chispas. Pero su inesperado romance hace que McCabe pierda la concentración y Maddie acaba en manos del asesino.

Pretty satisfying, but not my favorite.

Just the kind of romance I love to read, a little bit serious, some moments of humor, and a bit of a twist to the story. ( )

In Bait, a failed attempt is made on Maddie Fitzgerald, a young woman who runs an advertisement agency. This same killer is being hunted by the FBI agent Sam McCabe. Maddie is resistant to any FBI protection because of her checkered past. She changed her name and took on a new life after fleeing from the mob. She returns to St. Louis where the killer continues to come after her and McCabe and company protect. But really the novel is about the developing romance between Maddie and McCabe.

This novel fails in so many different ways. The first thing is that the novel is one big cliché. First there is the woman with the past who is being protected by the FBI and surprise, surprise she develops a relationship with the law enforcement officer trying to protect. I think I've read that story about a dozen times. There are so many elements of the plot and characters that feel worn and tired. Maddie is resistant to McCabe and is hostile toward him yet naturally they wind up together. To make matters worse, the writers uses dozens of cliché phrases throughout her novel. The believability is non-existent. I can only suspend my disbelief so far and that does not include a professional hitman who taunts the FBI agents that are after him. I should have just stopped reading at that point. A professional would never risk getting caught like that. The explanation that is provided at the end is lame. Furthermore, the plot is really inconsequential and is treated that way. It's really just a backdrop to the romance that develops. This is a weak novel, and I would recommend skipping it.

Carl Alves - author of Blood Street ( )

Interesting read. Maddie is the first to thwart the serial killer who's been making FBI agent McCabe's life a misery. While McCabe watches her closely in hopes of catching the killer when he tries to finish the job, the heat between them turns up as well.

I enjoyed the characters and loved the interplay with Zelda, Maddie's client's dog. ( )