The Ten-Mile Trials (Jake Hines Mysteries) [Hardcover]

Elizabeth Gunn (Author)

Book Description

Series: Jake Hines Mysteries | Publication Date: February 1, 2010

The latest in the acclaimed Jake Hines detective series - A dead man is discovered in a suburban house that is being used as a drugs lab, and Captain Jake Hines pulls in all his detectives to investigate. The victim carried no identification but the discovery of a small Mass card written in the Cyrillic alphabet hidden in his jacket gives Jake an important lead – could this be connected to a ruthless Eastern European gang that has started operating in Minnesota?

 

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Rutherford, Minn., population 100,000, isn't usually a hotbed of crime, but there's more than enough to keep police captain Jake Hines scrambling in Gunn's satisfying seventh novel to feature Hines (after 2007's McCafferty's Nine). In particular, a rash of well-planned burglaries and a couple raising marijuana in their garage and producing meth in their house strain Jake's investigative unit. A still warm, battered male corpse found in the garage poses further challenges. Meanwhile, Jake is busy adjusting to the new responsibilities of fatherhood and further belt-tightening mandated by the city council. Well-crafted supporting characters include Bo Dooley, who makes a surprising move from vice to domestic violence crimes, and Amy Winnie Nguyen, who shows an unexpected flair for undercover work. Reminiscent of the late Ed McBain's 87th Precinct crew, Rutherford's diverse, squabbling police force gets the job done in entertaining fashion. (Feb.)
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From Booklist

Gunn’s Jake Hines (McCafferty’s Nine, 2009 ) has his hands full: a new house, a new baby, and drastic budget cuts for the Rutherford, Minnesota, Police Department. The discovery of a dead man in a suburban house being used as a meth lab means that Hines will need all of his detectives on the case. The only clue to the victim’s identity is a mass card written in the Cyrillic alphabet, leading Hines to wonder if a ruthless Eastern European gang may have started doing business in Minnesota. Then there is the string of burglaries hitting the city. The perpetrators’ technique indicates that they are new in town. Jake has to work quickly to track them down, but the budget crunch makes it hard to deal with two complicated cases. This is a solid procedural with intriguing plot twists, engaging characters a vivid small-town atmosphere, and plenty of action. Gunn’s series, with its emphasis on big-city crime invading rural America, will remind readers of Steven F. Havill’s Bill Gastner novels, set in rural New Mexico. --Barbara Bibel

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Severn House Publishers (February 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0727868241
• ISBN-13: 978-0727868244
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,598,713 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great series continued, January 29, 2010

By 

Linda S. Myers (TN) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Ten-Mile Trials (Jake Hines Mysteries) (Hardcover)

The Ten-Mile Trials is the eighth in Elizabeth Gunn's Jake Hines series of mysteries. Set in Rutherford, MN, the protagonist is the chief investigator for the RPD. The detectives are working a series of high-end burglaries when they find a murdered man in a house with marijuana growing in the garage and the upstairs being fitted out as a major meth lab. Faced with cuts in funding as a result of the current recession/depression, the department is stretched thin, especially since it appears that a Eastern European cartel has moved in. As the investigations continue, following the leads exposes a multi-faceted criminal conspiracy culminating in a massive car chase and the rescue of an officer hostage. Solving crimes is shown as a group effort, with many detectives and uniformed policemen contributing to the final success of an investigation.

One of the great strengths of this series (and I do recommend that you read them in order) is the character development. Ms. Gunn has created a cast of characters that are individual and human and who grow through their experiences and relationships. Jake and Trudy are new parents, dealing with three-month-old Ben, plus jobs, plus being stretched financially by their old farmhouse. Along with the characters from the earlier books in the series, particularly interesting characters in The Ten-Mile Trials are Maxine, Jake's former foster mother and Ben's babysitter; Eddie, the traumatized child she is fostering and mothering back to health; and Amy Nguyen ("Winnie"), the newest detective on the squad who is "small and pretty and looks fragile as a porcelain cup. Actually, she's descended from boat people and is almost as tough as the redoubtable grandmother who got her to Minnesota." These are characters I feel that I know and that I care about, which to me is one of the highest achievements of any writer.

I recommend this series highly.