The Last Run

Speaking of feelings of finality, Greg Rucka's THE LAST RUN feels to be the final chapter in the Queen & Country series he started in comics at Oni Press almost a decade ago. It is unusual for comics and novels to tie in together so seamlessly, but it is Rucka's story from start to finish so there was no competing narrative. Our heroine, Tara Chace, has been battered by life and the job. She has lasted as a "Minder" longer than anyone including her boss and now has a daughter who needs her.

The title alone gives away that this is the ending of this part of Tara's story, but the plot as a whole is a fast-paced thriller that keeps the reader moving through the action. I did put together the mystery a bit earlier than the characters, but that did not keep me from being entertained. I loved the Queen & Country from the beginning and have shared it with friends. Rucka carries the story through to a natural conclusion and did so without destroying what came before. I'm sorry to see the story end, but applaud Mr. Rucka for providing such throuoghly entertaining reading. (Now if we could only get more stories from Mrs. Rucka - writer Jen Van Meter)