Deep Cover is heavily dependent on the plot, actions, and conclusion of The Assassin.  In The Assassin William Davis rescued Selena McCaffrey from an attempted rape in Jamaica when she was fourteen.  Having spent her life juggled among several horrible family situations, Selena was grateful to William for taking her under his protection as his “niece.”  William is a powerful drug lord. 

However, he’s been leading a double life that’s he’s managed to keep from everyone.  In his other life, William is really Henry Daniels the chief of police in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  To keep his two lives separate, William sends Selena to Tulsa to kill Tony Ceole, a local cop, who unknowingly is close to identifying his chief’s secret life.  But instead of killing Tony, Selena falls in love with him.  The two together take down Henry.

 A few weeks later Deep Cover picks up with the FBI asking Selena to pose as William’s successor to the organization.  William/Henry is in a coma, and the FBI needs help to expose his business associates.  The FBI threatens her with deportation (William brought her illegally into the US) or jail time to get her agreement.  Knowing she doesn’t have any options, Selena accepts under the condition that the FBI gives her William’s diary entries about her.  Selena knows the woman claiming to be her mother, but she still doesn’t know who her father is.  

Of course there’s a catch with the FBI deal.  Selena has no experience with William’s business, so she’ll need help from William’s right-hand man Damon Long.  As the man who tried to rape her at fourteen, Damon is the last person Selena wants help from.   She has to convince Damon, currently in jail pending trial, to help her with the basics of the organization without letting him know she’s cooperating with FBI.  

Now Selena is living in Henry’s family estate with Damon and her undercover FBI agent bodyguards.  Taking over a drug lord’s organization is risky business.  Several attempts are made to kill Selena.  Tony’s love is the best thing to have happened to Selena.  He’s adamantly opposed to her helping with the FBI since it puts her directly in the line of fire.  Which associate or associates is trying to kill her for the business?  Can Tony find the killer before he succeeds?  Can Selena pull off the sting and stay alive?  

Selena is a compelling heroine.  Her difficult childhood has taught her to a tough woman and to kick ass to protect herself.  She’s smart enough to recognize that posing as a drug lord with the sole purpose of taking down other drug bosses is dangerous to her health.  She acknowledges how crazy the situation is, but she does what needs to be done.  She’s also got a vulnerable side.  Her love for and relationship with Tony has given her something to work not to lose.  

Deep Cover includes so much background from the first book that the reader is not left behind or confused on continued relationships.   Since Deep Cover covers the previous book’s story including the ending, going back to The Assassin would be unsupenseful.  While I would suggest first reading The Assassin, Deep Cover works well on its own. Interesting characters, fast paced action give Deep Cover a strong recommendation.

--Terry Lawrence