Comeback

Gun Pedersen #1

by L.L. Enger

In this Edgar Award-nominated series, Detroit Tigers all-star outfielder Gun Pedersen has retired in disgrace to Minnesota’s deep north woods, seeking anonymity and peace of mind. But trouble always manages to find him--along with opportunities for redemption. Fans of Craig Johnson, Nevada Barr, and C.J. Box will love this series, written by brothers and novelists Leif Enger and Lin Enger.

When a corrupt developer lays claim to a tract of pristine wilderness and plans to build a giant mall, Gun disapproves but stays out of the fray, unwilling to sacrifice his privacy. When his journalist daughter disappears, though, and people start to die, Gun enters the game with a vengeance.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Baseball, Mystery Thriller

256 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1990

About the author

A pseudonym used by Leif Enger and Lin Enger.

Reviews

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

Leif Enger’s books I normally LOVE. This one was really hard to follow. Frustratingly so. The writing style was assumptive and a bit over the top heroic. I felt like I was missing a sentence or important information- like I’d read too fast and not paid enough attention. I re-read what I’d just read often to try and clarify what was going on, thinking I’d missed something but I hadn’t.

[Jennifer Ritchie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up to 4. I am a huge fan of Leif Enger. This collaboration with his brother is much, much lighter fare than what Leif writes on his own. It’s a pretty straightforward adventure and murder-mystery-type novel, just like a lot of the shows I enjoy watching. Though it’s nothing to write home about in terms of plot or even characters, the Enger brothers do know how to write coherent and well-thought-out sentences, which makes this book leaps and bounds ahead of most modern novels. Also, their love of baseball, which I share, shines through and increases my enjoyment. I plan to read the other books in the series.

[Ryan Boomershine]

Because...Leif Enger.

[Flo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing writing. Leif Enger is a well known writer but his brother Lin is not famous. However the two of them go at this mystery-action tale by writing beautiful words and even better sentences. Wow! Gunsen Soren Pederson was once a famous baseball player in Minnesota. But after his wife's fatal car crash he gives up playing and moves to Minnesota's wild country town of Stony. He brings up his daughter, Mazy, and plans to live a quiet life fishing, swimming, boating, hunting if only his fans will leave him alone. But city planners begin to bug him and when Mazy, now 19, gets abducted, he proves he's as good at catching bad guys as hitting a ball with his bat.
I enjoyed this book very much. If you like excellent writing download this one and remember it's a series. I'm starting the next one right away.

[Jack Heath]

Synopsis: Detroit outfielder Gun Pedersen has retired in disgrace. His journalist daughter disappears. Why does trouble always seem to find him?

[Margie Trumbull · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite a Story

This is my kind of excitement and I admire the Engers' writing! Not too many stories set this far North feature this mix of big city and N Woods corruption and frontier type justice. And there is a guilt plagued father's
determination to protect his daughter. Gun is just about "too heroic" to believe, but such are the tales of the North...where Men are Men...or legendary.

[Mary Shore · Rating 2 out of 5]

I gave up about halfway through. Enough of the reluctant hero already! I don’t care what happens to any of these characters.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

Three graphic scenes of animal cruelty. None of which were necessary to the plot. Book had an interesting storyline and characters including baseball players and the mafia. Set in Minnesota. However the animal cruelty overshadows the rest of the book.

[Marti · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've enjoyed other books by one of these authors and had the honor of meeting him in 2024.

A retired baseball player with an M-girl daughter. Checking some of my boxes, right here.

Property battles, a newspaper woman and old loyalties. I am eager to dig deeper in this series.

[Ryan Wolf · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty standard mystery. The writing quality is nothing like the books Lief Enger writes by himself.

[Trish · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this book was by Leif Enger. LL Enger is his brother. Not my kind of story.