Undercover Trouble

Mitch Waverley, a police detective, is working undercover to bring down Nova Scotia’s Motorcycle gang called The Misfits. With witnesses mysteriously disappearing, Mitch has been working on infiltrating the higher ranks of the organization. By proving himself over and over to the gang, he has built a reputation of getting the job done. So their gang leader Bull has given Mitch a task which will promote him into the planning of all the Misfits criminal activities. It’s a contract to kill a woman who shot and paralyzed one of members of the Misfits. Unfortunately this contract somehow involves his badmouthing, bad tempered and hostile next-door neighbor.

Jennifer Murray, a social worker for dysfunctional families, has bought a rundown, fixer-upper of a cabin at Sawtooth Lake. This ramshackle place is isolated, quiet and private perfect for escaping the city life. But the Harley-Davidson fanatic, scruffy, hooligan of a neighbor has disrupted her piece of tranquility. Since being polite is out of the question, Jen gives him a piece of her mind about revving up his bike at ungodly hours of the night. After the initial introductions, everywhere she goes to enjoy nature’s serenity, Mitch seems to be lurking in the vicinity. One minute he’s doing something heroic like saving her from leaches, the next kidnapping her dog Spooky because he thinks she tampered with his precious bike. This mentally unbalanced man then drags her to his hangout to meet his skanky looking friends. What is he really up to?

Undercover Trouble is a suspenseful, emotionally intense, romantic story. Ms. McPhee creates a scenic atmosphere for Mitch and Jen to play out their adventure. Their verbal banterings are smart, witty, and humorous. The name callings for each other are quite comical. My favorites are “the grubbiest escapee from the niceties of life” or “Arnold Whathisface”. The chemistry between them starts off rocky but progresses further when Mitch is ordered by his superior to watch over her. Jen presents herself as a bossy, verbally aggressive and inquisitive individual. She’s smart, independent, and strong willed even though she’s had a turbulent upbringing. While Mitch, due to his lengthy undercover work, presents himself as a womanizing, rude, and obnoxious thug. Mitch seems to be different when he’s around Jen. He craves a permanent relationship when personal involvement clashes with his adventuresome lifestyle. Even though Jen tends to reject his advances, M! itch doesn’t seem to want to quit. The plot has a few surprises, twist and turns but mainly focuses on the emotional interactions of Mitch and Jen. The secondary characters, from Jen’s dog Spooky to the bad guys, play an important role. I thoroughly enjoyed the writing style of the author. It’s very descriptive and made me feel a part of their world. Kudos Ms. McPhee!

Reviewed by: Tallyn