Jane Nichols is an agent for MI-5.
For eleven years, since she was 22, Jane Nichols has served the Crown as an undercover agent. Even when, seven years ago, a tragic turn of events cost the life of Jane Nichols' love and partner in an assignment, she stayed on, though this would continue to haunt her in her career as a counter-terrorism expert.
One of the ways she has been able to fight back the ghosts and put up with the stress of deep cover, especially in Ireland against the IRA, is through a secondary career as a writer. For several years she has earned a good income and even better reputation as the writer of the Andrew Jax, private eye, series of novels.
Naturally, the dual professions is kept a close secret so no one in the publishing business is aware of her primary role and those in MI-5 who might know aren't talking. The persona of the macho, extremely capable Jax is, however, extremely cathartic and one of the reasons she has stayed sane as long as she has.
Still, nothing lasts forever, and her changing lifestyle is the subject of the two-book series. This change comes from a relationship she develops while on a forced leave, living and writing in Savannah, Georgia, falling in love with the sheriff of the county. Though work takes her back to England, it also will push her back to America, presenting interesting problems.
While on the job, Nichols is a cool an operative as any could have wished. She knows what it takes to get the job done and she is determined to do it. She has a great deal of pride in her professionalism even though she knows it has cost her dearly in her personal life.