Jake is fortunate that his employees are diligent and observant. One officer quickly determines that the man has probably been dumped from the highway overpass above the street where the body has come to rest, and inquiring into missing persons rapidly leads to the identification of the victim as a long haul trucker.

Why was this man, who, by all accounts, is everyone’s friend, killed? Where is the missing truck and its cargo? Since all long haul truckers travel in teams, where is the victim’s partner? Is he the key to the murder, or, since the truck was on its return trip from Mexico, is drug smuggling involved?

Five Card Stud is an excellent police procedural. It is an absolute bonanza for the forensic evidence junkie. Ms. Gunn painstakingly describes stages of hypothermia, blood spatter patterns, DNA profiling, and blood and other evidence collection procedures. Quite fascinating information is delivered in addition to a reasonably intriguing plot.

The interplay between the investigative team members is well executed. Jake is a good team leader exploiting the strengths of his men (and women), while being sympathetic to personal crises in their lives. The characters seem like real people. They are not perfect, but dedicated to their profession, and, for some reason which entirely escapes my ability to comprehend, seem to be able to function in a climate that is inhospitable to human habitation for much of the year. The climate plays an important role in this novel as Mother Nature can rake havoc with a crime scene at a moment’s notice with no remorse. Ms. Gunn is obviously familiar with the area. Her description of the care that must be taken to insure cars will start in cold temperatures, and the beauty of four-wheel drive vehicles seems completely accurate.

Compared to the wealth of information on Minnesota climate and police procedures, the solution to the plot was weak and a bit of a let down, but after having been treated to such a well detailed description of forensic evidence collection, and a marvelous cast of characters, I can’t really complain too much. This effort is obviously a continuation of a series, and I will be forced (kicking and screaming, of course) to seek out the earlier titles featuring Jake Hines. Ms. Gunn writes very well indeed.

--Andy Plonka