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P.C. Hawke Mysteries #5
The Square Root of Murder
When the Grim Reaper strikes the math department at a nearby university, P.C. and Mackenzie do some homework of their own and discover that almost everyone--parents, teachers, and students alike--had a motive to get this nutty professor out of the way.
131 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2002
1 person is currently reading
50 people want to read
About the author
Paul Zindel
83 books301 followersPaul Zindel was an American author, playwright and educator.
In 1964, he wrote The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds, his first and most successful play. The play ran off-Broadway in 1970, and on Broadway in 1971. It won the 1971 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. It was also made into a 1972 movie by 20th Century Fox. Charlotte Zolotow, then a vice-president at Harper & Row (now Harper-Collins) contacted him to writing for her book label. Zindel wrote 39 books, all of them aimed at children or young adults. Many of these were set in his home town of Staten Island, New York. They tended to be semi-autobiographical, focusing on teenage misfits with abusive or neglectful parents. Despite the often dark subject matter of his books, which deal with loneliness, loss, and the effects of abuse, they are also filled with humor. Many of his novels have wacky titles, such as My Darling, My Hamburger, or Confessions of A Teenage Baboon.
The Pigman, first published in 1968, is widely taught in American schools, and also made it on to the list of most frequently banned books in America in the 1990s, because of what some deem offensive language.
In 1964, he wrote The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds, his first and most successful play. The play ran off-Broadway in 1970, and on Broadway in 1971. It won the 1971 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. It was also made into a 1972 movie by 20th Century Fox. Charlotte Zolotow, then a vice-president at Harper & Row (now Harper-Collins) contacted him to writing for her book label. Zindel wrote 39 books, all of them aimed at children or young adults. Many of these were set in his home town of Staten Island, New York. They tended to be semi-autobiographical, focusing on teenage misfits with abusive or neglectful parents. Despite the often dark subject matter of his books, which deal with loneliness, loss, and the effects of abuse, they are also filled with humor. Many of his novels have wacky titles, such as My Darling, My Hamburger, or Confessions of A Teenage Baboon.
The Pigman, first published in 1968, is widely taught in American schools, and also made it on to the list of most frequently banned books in America in the 1990s, because of what some deem offensive language.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
July 6, 2017
An okay entry in the YA mystery category. The plot was a little shaky, depending on technology that sounded a little too convenient. The book never felt particularly true to place, with attitudes and interactions that seemed more small-town than New York City. It felt like a story that had potential, but was never able to reach it.
October 20, 2018
2.5 rounded up to 3.
Highschoolers P.C. Hawke and Mackenzie Riggs are taking an advanced calculus class for college credit at Columbia. Their teacher/professor is tough and gives all the students a rough time, especially the 11 year old prodigy and the spiked hair kid who wants to go to Harvard with his girlfriend. The professor is a difficult person all around and has had run ins with parents as well. P.C. and Mac overhear her fighting with one parent, who is also her former "lover" and doing investments for the University. Then she's found with an arrow pinning her to her chalkboard.
The NYPD detective assigned to the case is familiar with Hawke and Riggs. She's not a great detective but she does, albeit reluctantly, pay attention to Hawke and Riggs team.
This was okay. I'd put it at middle school level. It is not deep and doesn't deal with any issues.
Highschoolers P.C. Hawke and Mackenzie Riggs are taking an advanced calculus class for college credit at Columbia. Their teacher/professor is tough and gives all the students a rough time, especially the 11 year old prodigy and the spiked hair kid who wants to go to Harvard with his girlfriend. The professor is a difficult person all around and has had run ins with parents as well. P.C. and Mac overhear her fighting with one parent, who is also her former "lover" and doing investments for the University. Then she's found with an arrow pinning her to her chalkboard.
The NYPD detective assigned to the case is familiar with Hawke and Riggs. She's not a great detective but she does, albeit reluctantly, pay attention to Hawke and Riggs team.
This was okay. I'd put it at middle school level. It is not deep and doesn't deal with any issues.
September 13, 2022
I knew it. I could see who did it from a mile away… The mystery itself was better than the last one and it was solid but the story is a bit far fetched and unrealistic as is the case with all these teen detective novels.
December 9, 2017
I was taken in by the title.
A calculus professor whose students get an average of 65% on an exam is subsequently pinned to a chalkboard with a crossbow bolt.
Basic, silly junior mystery, but pretty entertaining.
A calculus professor whose students get an average of 65% on an exam is subsequently pinned to a chalkboard with a crossbow bolt.
Basic, silly junior mystery, but pretty entertaining.
November 4, 2017
A murder mystery centered around math...you would think it was perfect for me, but it was bad
June 10, 2018
A young adult mystery. I found it kind of odd, but enjoyed listening to it.
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January 21, 2016The Square Root of Murder By Paul Zindel. I didn´t really like this book at all, I´m not going to lie there were some plots that interested me throughout the book. The reason behind this was because I didn´t really get the main conflicts or the reason behind why the main characters did what they did in the story. The main setting in this book was a college campus and two students Mackenzie or Mac for short and her best friend Evie were trying to solve a murder case that took place on the school campus. Some of the main conflicts in the story was that Bernie an eleven year old girl who was gifted was over worked by her father mentally, she was put into this college way beyond her age, she should have been in the sixth grade even if she was smarter than most of the students in the sixth grade. The other conflict that happened throughout the book was that Evie and Mac were also trying to solve another murder that happened in ManHatten, New York while trying to figure out who had murdred their professor Dunaway. All of the students were given about three weeks off due to the mystery murder of professor Dunaway. I would recommend this book to people who are interested in math-fiction, I didn´t even know that was a thing until i found and read this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 26, 2016
I picked up The Square Root of murder because I saw the title when I was searching for audio books with a particular narrator. This did not have the right one, but I decided to listen to it. It was a good story that caught my interest in the first couple of minutes. In fact, I am planning to listen to some others in this series.
I was surprised, well perhaps that is too strong a word, at how much I liked this murder mystery, even though it seems to be targeted at a young adult audience. I was reminded that I should read some Nancy Drew.
It is a short read, 131 pages from what I can tell, or a short listen. It does have a good story line, lots of twists and turns in the plot and interesting characters. Got a long drive ahead of you and nothing on the radio? OneClick it from your local library.
All in all, it is well worth your time.
I was surprised, well perhaps that is too strong a word, at how much I liked this murder mystery, even though it seems to be targeted at a young adult audience. I was reminded that I should read some Nancy Drew.
It is a short read, 131 pages from what I can tell, or a short listen. It does have a good story line, lots of twists and turns in the plot and interesting characters. Got a long drive ahead of you and nothing on the radio? OneClick it from your local library.
All in all, it is well worth your time.
February 5, 2011
Professor Dunaway, a nasty math teacher, is brutally murdered and P.C. and Mackenzie are back at it, searching for clues. Mystery #5 in this series is bit more interesting and a lot less hokey than the previous adventures. Not bad at all.
November 1, 2008
Easy reading murder mystery. Probably good for smart middle-schoolers, but I don't really see high school kids enjoying this.
June 7, 2009
Loved it! Keeps you going!
June 23, 2012
A fun who-dunit for kids and adults. I'm looking forward to reading more PC Hawke books. I listened to it on audio and love Jeff Woodman's naration.
November 6, 2012
If you had read the title then yes there was a murder. Those who like mysteries you have found your book.
February 15, 2013
I'm generally not a big lover of mysteries, but this one was pretty good. Plus it was short, which was an added bonus.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews