Triple Play

Elizabeth Gunn's Triple Play is the first of the Jake Hines mysteries, a series that I am looking forward to reading. In it, police work is definitely a team acitivity. Lead detective of the Rutherford, MN, police department, Jake Hines is presented as hard-working and self-aware, able to use both his intelligence and forensics to solve murders. The novel features many attractive characters including his boss, chief of police Frank McCafferty; county coroner Adrian Pokornoskovic ("Pokey"); and crime techs Trudy Hanson and Jimmy Chang. Ms. Gunn has a positive gift for creating believable characters in just a few sentences of indirect characterization. She handles the first person male narrator adeptly. Her sense of place is above average. The plot involves gruesome murders, apparently the work of a serial killer. The violence is not graphic. There is a neat surprise ending, but it had been adequately set up with appropriate clues. All in all, a most satisfying read.

"Triple Play" is the first Jake Hines mystery by Elizabeth Gunn. The series is set in Rutherford, MN. James Wahler is found on a softball field brutally murdered, dressed in an old softball uniform, and has metal cleats on his shoes. Later, Frenchy LaPlante is found brutally murdered wearing the same type of uniform that Wahler was found wearing. Jake Hines and the Rutherford police department, along with the state BCA, investigate. They know that there will be a third victim if they don't solve the case soon. I really enjoyed this book. Elizabeth Gunn has written a very good debut novel.

Triple Play is an easy read. The story starts out strong with an interesting murder mystery, an unidentified and mutilated corpse is discovered in a staged crime scene at the ball park in a small southern Minnesota town. Jake Hines, local police detective, is on the case. Before he gets very far, another body turns up. And then another.Elizabeth Gunn has a strong and unique voice. Smatterings of humor, small town wisdom, and the-paths-we-choose-in-life irony spice the text up nicely. The police procedures come off as realistic, not overcooked or overstated. Jake Hines fits his setting. This is not Dirty Harry. Her choice to accept the challenge of female writer with male protagonist is interesting. She pulls this off very well. I thought her description of Jake Hines' role in his own failed marriage was quite insightful.The book is relatively short, and I have to admit, I was getting a bit worried near the end that Gunn was going to leave the tale one twist short. It was beginning to look too obvious. But then she delivers. The mystery is not what appears obvious, and Jake Hines actually uses his brain (not his gun) to solve it. She then ties all the loose ends neatly. Triple Play finishes very strong, and leaves plenty of room for further development of the protagonist in the series ahead. Mystery fans will be satisfied. -Christopher Bonn Jonnes, author of Wake Up Dead.

In Triple Play, Elizabeth Gunn writes, "Sometimes on late-May mornings in Rutherford, you can hear the grass grow." These words, from the mouth of the first person point of view main character, belie the true nature of conditions in the small Minnesota town where mutilated bodies show up in normally tranquil settings. Triple Play, first of a series that is bound to be around for a long time, introduces Jake Hines. Jake, the detective who systematically solves Ms. Gunn's cleverly devised, and often heinous homicides is one of those low key characters you grow to love, and will pine for until the next novel is published. As engaging as Jake is, however, there is one character that I can't seem to get enough of. His full name is Adrian Pokornoskovic, nickname (thankfully) Pokey. The Ukrainian immigrant is "peaceful" Rutherford's part time coroner, most famous, however, for the way he dismembers the English language. As in, "Well, cripes, ain't that way cool?" or how about, "Hey, Jake, what's shakin', baby?" A really funny guy, lovable cop, incontrovertible forensics, and neat twists add up to one fine read and a guaranteed good time for all mystery fans.E. J. McGill, Author of Immaculate in Black

Jake Hines is a great character and will be fun to watch as he filters through the clues of future mysteries. The technicalities of the FBI and forensic work were easy to follow and the story line I found spellbinding!!