Cunning Proposals Written by Carole L. Piller

The Proposals is a fictional adult detective drama involving a plan initiated by the Governor of Illinois encouraging community leaders to submit proposals with the hopes of utilizing appropriated funds earmarked for Chicago. As the story unfolds, certain participants of the proposal plan develop creative ways to misuse these funds. Shelton Barceloni, a real estate tycoon with ties to the Mafia, creates an elaborate yet illegal casino. He convinces Sonja, his naive employee to manage it and she becomes caught up in this underground world of excitement and fast money. As things change, her conscience troubles her and she no longer wants to live a secretive life. Sonja sees no safe way out for herself and her employees whom she coerced into working for the casino by dangling money under their noses and threatening their lives if they ever reveal to anyone its existence.

The casino operates over a year and half before the authorities discover unusual occurrences in its vicinity. Nicole Walker, the female attorney from the State's Attorneys Office assigned to work on the case is career oriented and tries hard not to fall in love with Ted Winston, the special investigator also assigned to the case. Initially, it didn't bother Nicole that she was the "other woman" because she felt she was using Ted as much as he was using her, until she fell in love with him.

The characters' lives intertwine, resulting in an entertaining story that involves detective work, crime, drama, romance, and murder. Although the story is fictional, it is believable, because the events that occur could really happen.