P.C. Hawke Mysteries: The Lethal Gorilla - Book #4 [Paperback]

Paul Zindel (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 2, 2001 | Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up | Series: P.C. Hawke Mysteries (Book 4)

A scientist at the Bronx Wildlife Conservation Park turns up dead, and P.C. and Mackenzie are sure it's no accident. There's only one way to get a lethal dose of gorilla blood into an unsuspecting human--on purpose.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-7-Fifteen-year-old P.C. Hawke is a smugly precocious high school student whose friendship with Mackenzie Riggs, daughter of the New York City coroner, provides him with access to crime sites and murder cases. When a much-hated scientist at the Bronx Zoo is murdered with an infusion of gorilla blood, P.C. and Mackenzie use their super sleuth techniques to untangle a web of deceit and identify the killers. Paul Zindel (Hyperion, 2001) stretches credulity to the limit in this contrived tale of revenge. Although narrator Jeff Woodman perfectly captures P.C.'s cynical hardboiled detective delivery (as well as the voices of characters as diverse as the officer in charge of the case, a shockingly disfigured German scientist, and Betty, a woman who works in the primate nursery), even his expert narration wears thin as listeners tire of P.C.'s arrogance and the increasingly unbelievable twists and turns of the convoluted plot. This title will appeal only to diehard fans of the other books in the P.C. Hawke Mysteries series.
Cindy Lombardo, Orrville Public Library, OH
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Gr. 6-8. P.C. Hawke is a 15-year-old high-school student cum private detective. He gets access to murder cases through his best friend and detective partner, Mackenzie Riggs, whose mother is the New York City coroner. This new P. C. Hawke mystery involves the death of a much-hated celebrity scientist at the Bronx Zoo. The victim was first chewed on by a jaguar and finished off with a transfusion of gorilla blood. In the course of their investigations, P. C and Mackenzie are menaced by a dominant silverback gorilla, chased by a madman with a titanium machete, and cornered by a group of jaguars before they are rescued and solve the crime. P. C. describes all of this in a first-person voice that combines contemporary teen jargon with the traditional, super-cool delivery of the hardboiled detective. The contrivances may disappoint some readers, but the exotic zoo setting and exciting action scenes will hook others. Todd Morning
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 137 pages
• Publisher: Volo (November 2, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786815876
• ISBN-13: 978-0786815876
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #603,783 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The fourth thrilling book in the P.C. Hawke series., October 24, 2001

By 

Rebecca Herman (USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: P.C. Hawke Mysteries: The Lethal Gorilla - Book #4 (Paperback)

When Ivan Allen, one of the most famous zoologists at the Bronx Zoo, is attacked by a jaguar and then dies in spite of efforts to save him through a blood transfusion, P.C. Hawke and his best friend, Mackenzie Riggs, accompany Mac's mom, the coroner, to the crime scene. When Mrs. Riggs discovers Ivan Allen died because he was given a lethal transfusion of gorilla blood, P.C. and Mac make it their mission to find out the killer, and are thrilled when the police agree to let them help out on the case. But searching for the truth can be dangerous. As P.C. and Mac dig deeper, they discover some disturbing facts that lead them to believe that Ivan Allen's murder was an act of revenge for a tragedy fourteen years ago. I highly recommend this thrilling mystery to fans of the first three books about P.C. and Mac.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The Lethal Gorilla, March 9, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: P.C. Hawke Mysteries: The Lethal Gorilla - Book #4 (Paperback)

Do you like the kind of books that are mystery and crime? Well if you do this is the book for you. I didn't really like this book because they were interviewing people and they don't really put a picture in your head it had a good hook though and that is good about this book. The author of this book is Paul Zindel and the editor is hyperion. In this book I was hoping for a less lot talk and a lot more action.
This book is called The Lethal Gorilla; it is about this unliked scientist that gets attracted by a gorilla and goes to the hospital and instead of human blood they gave him gorilla blood. Mac and Nicole investigators [F.B.I] will go out of their way to find out who killed this man, quote `he did it, arrest him' this is when they found the criminal. This is a good book for kids and maybe teens but some of these parts in this book will get you biting your nails trying to find out what will happen next.
This book is both realistic and science fiction and if you like this book then you are in luck there are a whole series so get to the library and get this book or get this book on the computer and buy it. Because of these books you can get a key and open the door and be in a whole different world, so lay back and enjoy.