Par Four [Mass Market Paperback]

Elizabeth Gunn (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 11, 2000

Up against a rising tide of crime, one good cop is trying to break even....

In Rutherford, Minnesota, a crime wave is coming in, and the old values are moving out. Jake Hines--recently promoted to Chief of Detectives--sees the signs: his department investing in high-tech police toys, the SWAT boys trying on new killing gear; a drug dealer flashing money, muscle and gold out in the night. But nothing can prepare Jake for three cases crashing together at once.

A woman, a longtime bar owner, is tied up and robbed. A child is snatched. And two people, one brutally killed and the other still alive, are bound together and thrown into the river. A man who needs a new beginning of his own, Jake is up against three chilling mysteries that can be solved only the old-fashioned way: with a good hunch, a lucky shot, and a little help from a friend....

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Jake Hines, the newly appointed chief of detectives in blue-collar Rutherford, Minn. (pop. 100,000), seems overwhelmed with a spate of crimes. But as this busy and engaging mystery quickly shows, the unassuming officer can, with a little help from his six amiable detectives, rise to the challenge. Rowdy's Bar has been robbed, and Babe Krueger, the bar's owner and Jake's old pal, was left bound and gagged in the basement. Suspicion immediately falls on Babe's surly son Randy and his disreputable friends. When Babe and Randy's bodies are found tied together three days later in a river, the case takes on a more sinister air. Jake's team, all enthusiastic novices, lend their skills (photography, fingerprinting, etc.) and fan out through the city in a widening investigation that just might tie in with some other problems, including a child's kidnapping and a thriving drug ring. Jake's mounting frustration with his increasing case load lends urgency to the narrative; he is particularly puzzled when an unlikely pair pleads guilty to the bar robbery. This second Jake Hines adventure (after Triple Play) starts slowly and wraps up implausibly, but clever writing, zesty action and a simmering romance carry the day. Agent, Kristen Lindstrom Literary Agency.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Library Journal

Hines, newly promoted to chief of detectives, hassles with moving his office and attending debriefings while trying to reduce the incidence of crime in Rutherford, MN. Soon his attention is grabbed by several high-cost burglaries, especially one at a bar where he used to work. The subsequent abduction of a young girl, attempted drug busts, two murders, and a pivotal suspicious confession all ultimately tie in to the bar burglary. Although a bit dry at first, the plot is saved by this sudden connection and consequent focus on Jake's unit as it sorts out clues. A largely satisfying procedural, then, after Gunn's Triple Play (LJ 10/1/97).
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Dell (January 11, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440226368
• ISBN-13: 978-0440226369
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,781,123 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars intelligent, interesting mystery, December 6, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Par Four (Jake Hines Mysteries) (Hardcover)

Elizabeth Gunn knows how to tell a story and she creates believable, interesting characters. Her books are truly page turners. I highly recommend Par Four and the first book in the series as well, Triple Play. I am looking forward to the next in the series.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A realistic police-procedural,forensics type detective, May 31, 1999

By 

(Denny Braun) [e-mail] (Eden Prairie, Minnesota) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Par Four (Jake Hines Mysteries) (Hardcover)

I almost gave this book 5-stars, but hesitated because the locale is in my home town of Rochester, Minnesota--so I may be upwardly biased in my ratings. To be honest, it was hard NOT to enjoy references to local culture and hot-spots, including the wonderful pie and ice cream store in Whalan, Minnesota on the Root River Bike Trail. But all that aside, Gunn has written a very good detective novel. She is especially adept at police procedures and forensic reconstruction. There is some romantic interlude to spark interest, but she doesn't have enough time to really flesh out her characters in a complete manner. In my mind, this is fine. I don't read mysteries for a "Great Literature" experience. Her plot is complex enough to keep the reader guessing almost to the end, and there is a real surprise regarding the puppet-master of crime which is flooding fair Rutherford. It was a quick read that kept my interest from the start, and left me satisfied enough to be looking forward to the next Jake Hines mystery. I highly recommend the book.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a darn good story, well told., September 15, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Par Four (Jake Hines Mysteries) (Hardcover)

Elizabeth Gunn has the touch of Elmore Leonard's earlier books -- great characters, great progression of the story line, and so natural that you feel you are Jake Hines. A wonderful balance of reality and make-believe.