Because Brown's style and social concerns have remained virtually the same throughout her oeuvre, all of her novels could be said to be related. However, there are two novels in particular that strike many of the same chords as Standoff and also use some of the same techniques: Hawk O'Toole's Hostage (1988) and Fat Tuesday (1997). The female protagonist in both cases is connected to a rich, powerful, immoral man— who shares those characteristics with Russell Dendy—and the hero in both novels is darkly handsome and has a troubled, tragic past. Reluctantly both heroines end up falling in love with the heroes and enjoying at least one scene of passionate lovemaking.

Both novels feature tense standoffs involving law-enforcement authorities, and both include cliffhanger endings to certain chapters. The tie that binds these novels closest to Standoff, though, is the romantic idea that breaking the law...