Review
A gripping novel that is difficult to put down, Loose Ends is everything a mystery should be. At times it is a heart wrenching tale, and at others, a loathing epic of criminal unjust. For those of us who have lived always by the book, Easton shows us that the book sometimes needs to be set aside and that the rules sometimes need to bend. Sometimes the best way to bring justice to society is to break the law. Right or wrong, you can't help but feel the emotions and respect the motives of our main character. (Erin Chatwell
RCMP Quarterly)
Easton, who lives in Vancouver, spent a couple of decades working undercover for the RCMP. He clearly knows the world he writes about. The novel is realistic, with an attention to detail that pulls you right into the story. A very promising debut. (David Pitt
Winnipeg Free Press 2005-06-05)
Loose Ends is a slick first novel about a Mountie who works undercover, and its author, Don Easton, is a Mountie who worked undercover for 20 years. Thus we get a lot of verisimilitude and plenty of insider bits, all of which manage to gloss over some first-novelist glitches. Jack Taggart is our Mountie, and he lives in a fallen world where everything from your shoes to your name can be changed in an instant. What's slick about this story is that Taggart is under suspicion by his own force: The RCMP has set a spy on him in the form of a new partner. In the tradition of Training Day, Taggart is about to teach his new charge some tough life lessons. The dialogue is a bit clunky and, like many cop-turned-author, Easton tends to lard on the tough talk. But that's forgivable. We hope to see Taggart returning soon." (Margaret Cannon
The Globe & Mail 2005-07-09)
The grime and grisliness portrayed in Loose Ends are solidly rooted in reality, but be prepared for some pretty shocking revelations about the length to which undercover agents go. The ending will blow you away. (Jenni Mortin
Star Phoenix 2005-09-17)
Easton never tips his hand as what's to come, leading the reader into the world of biker gangs, petty infighting and some truly brutal scenes of violence that will make the reader clamor for more." (Bruce Grossman
Bookgasm)
While shining a light on the seedier side of life, Easton also provides and entertaining and worthwhile read. (Mitch Wright
Black Press 2007-11-17)
About the Author
Don Easton worked as an undercover Mountie for twenty years. He found this world could not always be categorized in black and white. Right and wrong became blurred, and his novels expose the underbelly of morality and justice. He has published seven Jack Taggart novels. Easton lives in Victoria, British Columbia. More information is available at: www.jacktaggart.wordpress.com.
