Endgame
Dee Davis
Harlequin HQN, Mar 2005, $6.50
ISBN: 0373770387

FBI Behavioral Science Unit Chief Walter Blythe informs subordinate profiler Madison Harper that she will co-head a special task force that the White House has sanctioned at the request of her godfather, business mogul Cullen Pulaski. At the same time that Madison objects because she has worked hard to prove herself without using family connections, CIA deep undercover operative Gabriel Roarke is yanked to be her co-leader though he was working on a case for two years in the Keys. He believes that his co-chief is rich man's candy; she figures he is the typical brainless macho over the top warrior.

Cullen explains to the two unhappy draftees that he believes someone is killing the members of the elite American Business Consortium, but making it look like an accident or a natural death. Madison brings on an IT guru who pays dividends immediately when he finds a deadly pattern; Gabriel brings on two field operatives that he trusts. As they work together, the initial disdain and contempt turns into respect and admiration before becoming love as each willingly would risk their lives to save the other from a killer who seems one step or two ahead of them.

This exciting, police procedural romance is an intriguing tale more so because of Madison's abilities than that of Gabriel. The motive for the homicides comes up very late and seems off-kilter, but the investigation is fun to follow especially as Madison and Gabriel begrudgingly initially realize how wrong first impressions can be as they soon depend, trust and love one another. Fans of suspense thrillers will want to read ENDGAME, a fine tale of love and murder.

Harriet Klausner