Guardian

Mann’s fifth Dark Ops novel (after Protector) pits two army majors against each other in a military court. Maj. David Berg is adamant that his men aren’t responsible for the tragic misfiring of a firearm into a private home, an incident that cost a young boy the use of his legs. Maj. Sophie Campbell wants justice for the boy, and she doesn’t care how deep she has to dig or whose career she has to torpedo to get it. When Sophie and David square off, sparks fly. Both are single parents struggling to balance their demanding careers with their children’s needs, and they’re clearly destined for each other. As David, sure of his unit’s innocence, offers to help Sophie uncover the real cause of the malfunction, the shadowy perpetrator plans several bizarre incidents to scare Sophie off the investigation. The lovebirds soon overcome their few weak and contrived excuses for not getting involved, leading to a predictable wrapup. Agent: Barbara Collins Rosenberg, the Rosenberg Group. (Sept.)