loose ends

2036 Words5 Pages

Loose Ends, published in 2005 by Dundurn Press and written by former Canadian undercover police officer Don Easton, is a realistic and gritty crime novel focusing on the life of undercover Mountie Jack Taggart. This man is infamously good at his job, causing his superiors to suspect he isn’t following regulations. For that reason, his new partner Danny O’Reilly was assigned for the specific reason of spying on Taggart. After the murder of his niece and nephew, Taggart takes his partner into the streets where a world of unwritten rules and respect keeps you alive. They are faced with cold-blooded violence and corruption as they dwell in the streets dominated by the globally notorious biker gang, “Satan’s Wrath”. Ultimately, the practice of taking the law into your own hands must be addressed by these officers. The main character, Jack Taggart has the mentality that he must complete his mission no matter what, even if it involves breaking some rules (too colloquial, maybe say ‘unethical means’) and a few people dying. He is experienced in his area of expertise; blending in with other bikers and drug smugglers. A merciless officer, Taggart employs a Judge and Jury method to deal with those who cross his path. Danny O’Reilly is the new partner of Jack Taggart, assigned to spy on him but unaware of the world he was about to be taken into. Formerly a highly promising officer, he lost almost all the respect of the force after his baby vomited on the president while he was on duty. O’Reilly is the ‘amateur detective’ of this novel, being taken into a world where everything he once knew was turned upside down and having to learn how to survive in the streets filled with bikers and drug smugglers. Don Easton presents many shocking realities... ... middle of paper ... ...one may not harm others’ families. While other members were ready to murder Taggart, Damien came to the conclusion that his members had provoked their own deaths thus determining that there was no reason to punish Taggart. The value of justice in this novel represents the conflict among society about the fairness of judgment based on just guidelines. As discussed in the paragraph above (Evidently), the value of family is held in high regard among everyone, including the members of Satan’s Wrath. Evidence of such is the unwritten rules where harming another’s family is considered taboo. While not as prominent as the respect and justice, the value of family does suggest that crimes relating to harming families is not tolerated in both the book and the real world. This subtle value is cleverly laced throughout the novel to stress the importance of having a safe family.

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