Par Four

A Jake Hines Mystery

By: Elizabeth Gunn

Narrated by: Ron Varela

Jake Hines works hard as the recently promoted Chief of Detectives in the deteriorating town of Rutherford, Minnesota. The town used to be a safe haven from the problems of the big city. Now many youth in the town are turning to drugs. Jake knows many of these kids in the crumbling downtown section - both users and dealers - aren't local. A robbery in a local bar at the center of town takes the town into an even worse spin. The bar owner, Babe, is a friend to Jake, but rescuing her sets off a chain of crimes increasing in challenge and severity. The bloody trail leads to a golf bag and a bag of golf balls that may not be what they seem to be. The trail takes Jake and the town to places he never expected them to go. Are Jake's detective skills up to par enough to bring the town's idyllic lifestyle back?©1998 Elizabeth Gunn (P)2002 Books in Motion

Great intriguing easy listen!

Tucson, Az author Elizabeth Gunn was recommended to me during a recent visit to Rancho La Puerta in Mexico, Being a Tucson resident, and curious about Gunn, this is the 2nd story in her Jake Hines mystery series I've listened to and I've really enjoyed them both. Gunn didn't start writing until age 70, when she retired in Tucson. A Google search about her revealed a fascinating background and her writing style is impressive for someone who didn't start writing until she was very mature. I love her characters, her humor and sarcasm, her knowledge of police procedures (my son is a Sheriff's leitenant), her excellent grasp of cultural slang, and her fun storylines. I have now started #3 in her Jake Hines series. Police detective stories are not normally my preferred genre, but Gunn makes them so fun and Ron Varela is the perfect narrator! Varela can manage so many characters, inflections, moods, tones. He's awesome. Of note, I've been househunting and recently purchased a home in a different part of Tucson. Turns out the house belonged to Gunn, who has relocated in her 90's to another state to be close to family. I didn't know the house I bought had been hers until after I'd put on offer on it. Is that bizarre, OR WHAT?

Seriously needs an editor!

Three stars are generous, but I'm trying to be fair. This is one of two Elizabeth Gunn Books I've read.It'll also be the last. In each case, I felt as though I were reading a student's creative writing submission. I guess the stories were OK. The characters were a little thin, and not very believable as homicide cops - even In a small town in Minnesota But the real problem I had with these efforts was the terribly unprofessional writing style this author offers. She is seriously unskilled and writes like a student. I found myself unable to get passed her excessive and cloying use of the "ly" adverb. Over and over again she found it necessary poke me in the eye with these horrors. "Smashed noisily, yawned sleepily..." I can't believe this person is actually being published. I hope her editor, if she has one, isn't getting paid for their work. Ask any writing instructor and they will tell you these irritating and unnecessary irritants are "story killers" There are too many fine writers in this genre to wast time on Gunn. Michael Connelly, Sara Paretsky, John Lescroart, Robert Crais, Bill Pronzini, Sue Grafton, James Lee Burke, Raymond Chandler, James Sallis, and the list goes on. Want Minnesota crime? Try JohnSandford