Loose Ends-Tara Janzen

Loose Ends
Tara Janzen
Dell, Jan 25 2011, $7.99
ISBN: 9780440246107

Six years ago, Special Defense Force soldier J.T. Chronopolous died during a field operation (see the Crazy tales). His SDF team mates stunned by his death, still grieve their loss as that is the only dark mark on their illustrious record. Recently they are further shocked to learn J.T. lives (see Breaking Loose); using the name Conroy “Con” Farrell; his mission destroy SDF.

A black ops group captured and experimented on J.T. in order to turn him into a supersoldier. Desperate to bring him in, SDF operatives capture Scout, who Con tenderly treats like his daughter, to use her as bait to lure in their agent. Their trap works as Con is coming for Scout. However, a woman from his amnesiac pre torture days Jane Linden is caught in the middle of the pending hostilities between SDF and the supersoldier. He does not recall his catching her pick his pocket when she was a teen though she seems familiar. With her in a ’67 GTO, Con’s memory begins to return as desire is a strong impetus to the brain. Neither, he, Jane or SDF realizes someone else was also a test dummy, but that victim turned into a killing psychopath who is coming to complete the mission.

The apparent last romantic suspense SDF thriller (see the six Crazy tales and the previous five Loose novels) is a great finish that ties up major threads including one that the saga fans will go gaga over. Fast-paced and loaded with action, some over the top, what makes the SDF thrillers so good is the great characterizations; this one may contain the best yet. Not only is Con/J.T. fully developed so is Jane and several remorseful SDF buddies like Hart and Kid who know never to leave one behind. This is a super finish to two strong series.

Harriet Klausner