Noontime Follies

Burgeoning agri-economic growth and a spate of petty crimes concern the residents of Rutherford, Minn., in Gunn’s smart, twisty sixth Jake Hines mystery (after 2014’s Red Man Down). Apparently, persons unknown are clearly upset with the efforts of some of Rutherford’s new scientific R&D industries to genetically alter crops. And they’re not above a little nighttime breaking and entering to lodge their complaints. They jimmy locks and take nothing, but they do leave nasty messages. It may just be misdemeanor fun, until one of Rutherford’s industrial scientists ends up dead. But as Jake, the affable head of Rutherford’s detective division, narrates his department’s crime-solving steps—outsmarting lying witnesses and navigating the inevitable blind alleys—the town and its cops come alive on the page. Gunn expertly blends the timely, headline-grabbing topics of GMO foods and climate change with credible characters and situations. [em]Agent: Jane Chelius, Jane Chelius Literary Agency. (July) [/em]