Fashion designer Kate Whitehead looks to have found the American dream. She has the mansion on the hill, a career that is taking off and her husband is California Senator Thomas Whitehead. What the world doesn't know is that Thomas is an egotistical, narcissistic SOB who thinks he can control everything and everyone around him by relying on his boyish good looks. He believes he is above law and he knows enough people to make any problem go away.

Kate has been living with this man for ten years and taken his abuse believing she could never get away from him. One night after Kate becomes pregnant Thomas attacks her, hitting her in the stomach until she agrees to what he wants in order to save her unborn child. The next morning as soon as Thomas leaves for work, Kate leaves and promises she will never return. For a time Thomas is suspected of her disappearance but when no proof is found, he plays the grieving husband and gains everyone's sympathy.

Kate escapes to a woman's shelter in San Diego and changes her name to Trica Campbell. Feeling desperate, alone, and unloved Kate goes to a bar and meets Scott McCall. Scott offers her a place to live, no strings attached; no questions about the past and either of them can call it quits without having to explain.

After two years Trica and Scott are still together with her son Taylor. Taylor calls him "daddy", and Scott loves the boy as if he were his own. The love between Trica and Scott is the kind of love every little girls dreams of and every woman wants. But, tangled with their love are the many secrets that make a happy future almost impossible.

Then the day comes when the secrets start to unravel. Trica see a headline in the San Francisco Gazette-- Leah Montgomery has disappeared and Senator Thomas Whitehead is the main suspect. Leah was Kate's best friend, but she never told her about the abuse she suffered at the hands of her husband. According to the papers Leah and Thomas supported each other after Kate's disappearance and started a relationship. Unknown to everyone, Thomas was using Leah to keep the press and police from thinking he killed Kate. There is also a rumor that Leah was pregnant when she disappeared.

With Leah's disappearance, Thomas is charged with the murders of both Kate Whitehead and Leah Montgomery. Trica/Kate knows she has to go back to San Francisco and acknowledge that she is still alive. The Prosecutor is asking for the death penalty and as much as she fears and despises her husband, she cannot allow him to be convicted of her murder. Kate believes with all of her heart that Thomas killed Leah and she plans to prove it with the help of Leah's sister, who people are referring to as "crazy", because she will not allow Thomas to sweep her sister's disappearance under the rug like he did before. She also knows that Thomas abused Kate.

This is an excellent book. This is the first book I have ever read of Ms. Quinn's but it won't be the last. From page 1 this book grabbed my attention and never let go. I thought I would read a couple of chapters one night before bed and at the end of chapter 12, had to make myself put the book down so that I could get a couple of hours of sleep. I finished the book the next morning. Ms. Quinn brings the characters alive and makes you feel you know them. I found myself trying to give Kate advice and wanting to strangle Thomas. The night before Kate returns to San Francisco and leaves Scott is heartbreaking.

I will be re-reading this one. Ms. Quinn did an excellent job.Take my advice and don't pass this book up. If this site used stars, I'd give 6 out of 5.