When Cain Cannon sees an opportunity to escape his life behind bars, he doesn't look back and he isn't going to let anyone stop him. Not even Maggie Ferringer, his hostage, who's barely more than a bundle of red hair and fear. This could be the only chance he has to seek justice for the murder he was wrongly convicted of six years ago. Maggie just happens to be at the wrong place at the right time. She is also the perfect hostage; timid, unassuming, and no trouble. Or so Cain thinks. Neither expected the spark of desire that could ignite into a love worth fighting for. As a trained psychologist and marriage counselor, Maggie knows the symptoms of Stockholm's Syndrome.The longer she's with Cain, the more convinced she becomes that he's innocent of the murder of his girlfriend. Together, the two must hunt down the real killer and prove Cain's innocence. That is if they can survive the manhunt and Maggie's brothers.

MAGGIE'S MAN was first published in 1997 under Lisa Gardner's pen name Alicia Scott. It is the first in the Family Secrets trilogy. The other two delve into the lives and secrets of Maggie's brothers, C.J. and Brandon. The Alicia Scott novels are definitely weighted on the romance side of the story whereas later Lisa Gardner novels focus on the suspense plotline. Complex motivations and dark secrets still remain a trademark Gardner's stories, and MAGGIE'S MAN in no exception. Here though, it's used to push Maggie and Cain further apart. I really enjoyed reading MAGGIE'S MAN not only because of the great romance, but to see how one of my favorite writers has developed her style over the years. All the elements of Gardner's stories that I love, like the dark underbelly of relationships and the complexity of morality, are in MAGGIE'S MAN as well. It's also fun to see just how much technology has changed over the years. Written in a time when payphones could still be found and cellphones weren't in the hands of most Americans over the age of twelve, MAGGIE'S MAN is a glimpse into the past that reveals how technology can be an asset and a hindrance; it all depends on which side of the law your on!

MAGGIE'S MAN is a lot of fun to read. As a fan of Lisa Gardner, I loved seeing how her writing style developed and how the elements that keep me coming back have remained the same. Her characters are always well-defined and complex with an edge of darkness around them. Watching them fight for justice as they find their own inner strength is the core of her fantastic storytelling.