"I guess I wrote it," Kane says of the "Twisted" scene in question. "I mean, I obviously wrote it. I think I separated from myself."

She acknowledges her discomfort with it began after proofreading the scene — which involves the butchering of a prostitute.

"I couldn't sleep all night, and I thought, "Wow, that's gross,' " she says. "Every time I had to go back ... I literally stopped each time I got to that scene and I thought, "I can't read this.' Which is usually the reaction I have to other peoples' books."

Kane — who penned Regency romance novels before turning to thrillers nearly a decade ago — stresses that while she didn't intend for "Twisted" to go in that particularly violent direction, it did.

"I'm not known for my gruesomeness," she admits. "(This) is a psychological thriller and (it's) more visceral."

Kane's husband, Brad, was equally surprised.

"When he read that scene, he looked at me and said, "I'm not sleeping next to you tonight,' " Kane recalls. "He turned white and said, "I've never read anything like that from you.'

"Maybe I should reassure the world that the people who create this stuff are not all crazed lunatics," she adds.

Kane says that her move from romances to thrillers was a natural progression of sorts.

"I really think that as you start to reach a more mature point in your life — when you reach "middle age' — you look at life differently," the 52-year-old says. "Especially in such a serious world."

Yet she admits she has always been interested in the psychology of her characters.

"Psychology is to me the most fascinating part about writing a suspense," Kane says. "I love developing my antagonist as much as I like developing my protagonist. It's pretty fascinating to watch."

Kane acknowledges that "Twisted" — which follows a former FBI agent, Sloane Burbank, as she recuperates from a work-related injury and investigates the disappearance of a childhood friend — never would have come about had she not visited the FBI facility in Quantico, Va., and personally met with agents.

"What they did was assume the roles of my protagonists so that I could write this book, with making them as full-bodied and real as I possibly could," she says. "If I couldn't get into their heads, I wouldn't be able to write the book."

These individuals, she explains, come from all walks of life and assorted different backgrounds.

"Some of them are attorneys, some of them are accountants, some of them are military, some of them are foreign-language specialists," says Kane. "I didn't expect that level of diversity ... I have never been so impressed by a group of people before."

Speaking with FBI agents also gave her the opportunity to peer into their psyches.

"Seeing how they balance family and career (was important)," she says. "How they balance the other parts of their lives because they are so entrenched."

In addition to meeting with agents, Kane also watched the crisis negotiation unit train and sat in on a discussion with the behavioral analysis unit.

"Their level of commitment, their level of patriotism is like nothing I've ever seen," she says. "They truly, truly care for this country deeply."

Kane's attention to detail during the research process knows no bounds. In order to fully explore the abilities of "Twisted's" main character, Sloane, following a work-related injury that has caused nerve damage to her hand, Kane consulted a hand-specialist physician. She also learned how to use firearms, such as a Glock 22 and an MP5.

"I needed to see the skills that she would not be able to do based upon the injuries she sustained," she says. "For example, the pressure she would have to exert on the trigger, the amount of muscle control she would have to have to be able to aim just so — because they don't just fire, they have to fire repeatedly ...

"Just standing and holding your arms in that position for a long time — unless you are really weight-trained — it's very difficult. My arms were shaking. When they waver, even just a little bit, you can't aim."

Kane believes that all of her female lead characters embody smatterings of her own personality.

"I think there's probably a little part of me in all of them," she says.

For example, Sloane loves dogs. Ditto Kane, who owns a Pomeranian puppy named Mischief. Sloane is also passionate about archery and has an entire course set up on her property. Kane confesses to loving the sport.

"In all of my books, there's a part of me in every female protagonist," she says. "But I don't think that I could ever say that I'm all of them ... I hope some of my better qualities are there, but I don't think that I could say that I'm as good as any of them.

"I wish I was more like them. I look at Sloane and I see a strength and an independence that I wish I had."

Kane is also pleased to introduce New Jersey to "Twisted" readers. Sloane lives in Hunterdon County and works part-time out of an office in Morris County. The novel is a departure from her previous books, which typically took place in New York City.

"I really, really enjoyed doing that, because ... most people, especially people outside New Jersey, have no feeling at all for the flavor of it," she says. "Moving here was great, and it's great for the rest of the country who are not familiar with it to see that this tiny little state that we live in has so many different parts to it."

Kane is now working on "Twisted's" sequel, a novel tentatively titled "Stroke By Stroke," which explores the world of art theft and forgery. If all goes according to plan, the book should be in stores by the summer of 2009, though she is not certain that is fast enough for fans.

"I really try for my readers because they'll read ("Twisted') in three days and e-mail me and say "When's your next one? I'm finished,' " she says. "I feel so bad, because I would love to be able to write as fast as they can read. But I can't, unfortunately. Not if I want to give them the best book I can."

While Kane's focus these days remains on creating thrillers, she says she hasn't closed the door entirely on romances.

"When people ask me if I will ever write another historical (romance) again, I never say no, because who knows?" she says. "You go through periods of your life where you feel different ways, and I think who you are is what you bring to what you write."