A one-time innkeeper with a taste for adventure, Elizabeth has been a private pilot, sky diver, SCUBA diver, and liveaboard sailor. Extensive travel in the US, Canada, Mexico and Europe led to a second career as a free-lance travel writer, during which she began writing a series of police procedural mysteries set in southeast Minnesota, where she grew up. Her books contrast the sometimes gritty routine of police work with the idyllic rural scenes around a mid-size city in the upper Midwest.
Took me awhile to get thru this one lol I think the mystery was solid and the way it was divulged was good! Some good mini twists. To me, there was a lot of characters to keep up with, that I’d get lost who’s who. I’d be interested to read another Jake Hines mystery in the future!
This was a different kind of mystery for me because most of the first third of the book was taken up by courtroom scenes, which I am not used to. But very realistic about the time police officers may have to spend in court supporting their cases (not 1/3 of their time, but every day when a trial is happening that they were lead investigator on). The last third of the book was incredibly gripping. And the detective, his family and his colleagues were all fun and enjoyable. I am looking forward to going back to the beginning of this series.
Yet again I wish we could do half-star ratings, cause I'd give this 3.5 for sure. It started out way too slowly for me, but then courtroom antics leave me cold (I worked in them for several years). I stuck with it because the writing style was good enough and then the pace accelerated soon after. This is the first of this series that I've read, but now I'll try another.
This is the 6th book in the Jake Hines series. I liked it less than most of the others because of the way the police felt that a guy was guilty of murder and then he got off. Too much time was spent on the trial and the police feelings about how it would all go right, and then it didn't. Aside from that I liked the police procedural part and the character interplay continuing threads from previous books. Series recommended, but don't begin with this one. The game mentioned in the title is Crazy-Eights. All the books have a number and a sport of game in the title, beginning with Triple Play, which involved softball.
Police procedural, first I have read from this author. I sense that some of the interplay between the characters would resonate a good bit more had I read the earlier books in the series. Given that the characters are well drawn, the plot takes interesting turns, and the action moves along rapidly, I will be looking for more by this author.
The first part of this one I found boring because they were in the midst of a trial and he was to much like a transcript. But be patient! ... once you get past it, it's her usual twists and turns.
First time reading a book by Gunn..It started off good then she ruined 30 or 40 pages with filler..then the ending was a little to much to believe..just another cop book...This was the 6th in the Jake Hines series....
I enjoy this series. Jake Hines and the rest of the ensemble are a treat from book to book, and the crimes at the core of this book are well handled (with a couple of twists).