I usually put every other book aside to read Elizabeth Gunn’s latest Jake Hines mystery. There’s just something logical and satisfying about these police procedurals set in Rutherford, Minnesota. Noontime Follies is no exception.

Jake Hines runs the detective division of the Rutherford police department. And, the department always seems to have strange crimes. This time, the head of the Property Crimes unit reports they’ve had fourteen break-ins in five days. Offices were broken into, and nothing was taken. Most of the companies were start-ups, and there were messages left behind warning them about messing with the science, GMOs, and the earth. It seems there’s some quiet protest movement against genetically altered foods. And, then one of the scientists is found dead.

Usually, Gunn combines stories of the personal lives of Jake and his department with the story of the investigation. It was slightly disappointing that there was very little about the detectives’ lives. It may be that Jake and his team are not currently in the stages of upheaval they’ve dealt with in the past.

Despite the lack of personal stories, Noontime Follies, is an enjoyable procedural. The team works together to track down the answers, investigating step-by-step. For those of us who appreciate the logic, the carefully measured strategy of a police investigation, the Jake Hines mysteries are engaging  crime novels.

Elizabeth Gunn’s website is www.elizabethgunn.com

Noontime Follies by Elizabeth Gunn. Severn House. 2015. ISBN 9781847515964 (paperback), 188p.

*****
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