Jack Pine by William Hazelgrove

Jack Pine Reviews

• 
  Sam Sattler

  Sheriff Reuger London’s job is not an easy one. His jurisdiction, one he works with a very limited amount of help, encompasses a remote forest area near the Canadian border almost completely populated by men – men to whom physical violence seems almost normal. To top it off, his is very much a company town dominated by the only employer of consequence anywhere around, Johnson Timber. And, because theirs is a dying industry that has attracted the attention of environmentalist activists wanting to finish the job of shutting the loggers down, the sheriff is sitting on a powder keg. When the 16-year-old daughter of a prominent lawyer who is vacationing with his family in a nearby fishing lodge is raped in a woodshed on lodge property, things get ugly.
  
  Despite the usual violation of its treaties with the U.S. government resulting in more and more of its land being confiscated, the Ojibwa Indian Tribe now owns most of the still-unlogged forest remaining anywhere around Johnson Timber. The tribe, in fact, owns the most valuable trees still standing: acres and acres of 300-year-old Norwegian Pines coveted by every logger around. Now, though, one of the tribe’s own, Tommy Toboken, is being accused of raping the lawyer’s daughter – and it is up to his old friend Sheriff Reuger London to bring him in.
  
  But after someone starts shooting loggers, Sheriff London has more to worry about than Tommy Toboken. Soon Ben Johnson, owner of Johnson Timber, is pointing fingers at the environmentalists; the environmentalists are pointing fingers at the loggers; and the Indians don’t trust anyone on either side. Now London has to figure out how to stop the sniper before he kills again. Even though the environmentalists have the most obvious motive for shooting at loggers, Sheriff London decides to widen the scope of his investigation, and soon everyone around him is ducking for cover.
  
  Jackpine is a first-rate crime thriller very much dependent upon the setting in which Hazelgrove has placed it. The author vividly portrays a lifestyle and a physical environment few Americans ever get the opportunity to see for themselves, and that is a big part of the fun of Jackpine. But because I am so unfamiliar with the accent and speech patterns of the area, the phrasing of some of the dialogue became noticeably repetitive after a while. Although I suspect that Hazelgrove accurately portrays the conversational pattern of his novel’s setting, I grew weary of how many times I had to read “oh, ya” or “oh, ya, you bet.” I just do not have the experienced ear required to “hear” the dialogue of this region, and the overuse of “oh, ya” became an irritant.
  
  Bottom Line: Despite my quibble about dialogue, this is a fine thriller with an intriguing setting.
  
• 
  Thomas

  I received this book free through the GoodReads First Reads program. I really enjoyed this book and give it 4 and 1/2 stars out of 5(rounded up to 5).
  The title Jackpine comes from a second growth tree found in the Boundary Waters protected wilderness of northern Minnesota. Almost all of the old growth trees have been logged out. There is a small stand of old growth trees inside the protected area. Johnson Timber, run by Ben Johnson and his son Cliff, wants those old growth trees.
  A logger is found dead, and Deputy Sheriff Reuger London has to determine if it is suicide or murder. There is also a possible rape of a 16 year old girl, who recants her accusation. Then a second logger turns up dead.
  The sheriff demands that Reuger arrest an Indian for the rape and a local environmentalist for murder, but Reuger keeps digging. There are a lot of twists and turns in the plot that kept me guessing until the end.
  I like how the author incorporates the local speech patterns:
  
  "How she go?"=How are you?
  Ya for yes and yer for you
  Referring to the rest of the US as the "lower 48." Until now, I thought only Alaskans used this expression.
  
  The book is an easy read and the local dialect is not overwhelming.
• 
  T.J. Wray

  I would give this book an (Okay). It's a pretty good story, but at times kind of hard to follow. At times the author tries to write with a heavy Minnesota accent, or write like an Indian who speaks broken English might sound like. Like most books, this one has some slow spots and can make you wonder if you will finish it. It could have used a good editing. A lot of misspelled words and other sentences that will leave you wondering what the author is trying to say. I'm not sure I would recommend this book. There are a lot of much better books out there to wrap your reading mind around.....TJ
• 
  Grady

  `Natural resources are for everyone now, not just the people who want to rape the land.'
  
  Chicago author William Hazelgrove has developed a significant following as the author of eight novels, Ripples, Tobacco Sticks Mica Highways Rocket Man, The Pitcher, Real Santa, and Jack Pine. While his books have received starred reviews in Publisher Weekly and Booklist, Book of the Month Selections, ALA Editors Choice Awards Junior Library Guild Selections and optioned for the movie, his major appeal is in his humanitarian approach to stories. William stays close too the heart in each of his stories, making each tale he spins one with which everyone can relate on an immediate or a remembered level.
  
  His latest novel JACK PINE he has expanded his experience form visiting the Boundary Waters and getting to know the people and the land and the issues that are important to that part of the country and also having had the opportunity to ride around with a Deputy Sherriff and spend time at an old logging camp. It shows in his writing - even the scent of the pines becomes present in the room while you read.
  
  The author's synopsis serves the novel well: `When the sixteen year old daughter of a prominent attorney is raped in a woodshed and a logger found shot the next morning, Deputy Sheriff Reuger London becomes embroiled in a war between environmentalists, the Ojibwa Indians fighting for their timber rights, and the ruthless son of a powerful logger. Ben Johnson is the biggest logger in the Northwoods and his son Cliff will soon take over the business. Logging is dying a slow death from environmental restrictions and all that's left are the scrub firs and jackpine. But far up in the Boundary Waters of Northern Minnesota are trees called the Old Pines. These three hundred year Norwegian pines are priceless and Johnson Timber wants them. A radical leader of Earth First, Tom Jorde, will do anything to stop the logging in the Boundary Waters. Then another logger is murdered and Jorde is implicated. The town pressures Reuger to stop the environmentalist and arrest an Indian, Tommy Toboken, for the rape of the girl. Tommy had saved his life once before and Reuger knows he is being setup. When he falls in love with the lawyer brought to town to defend Tom Jorde and realizes Johnson Timber is going to log out the Federally protected trees, Reuger is torn between old loyalties and what is right.'
  
  Some how William manages to touch on sensitive issues in almost all of his novels - especially minorities (be those form South of the border or Native Americans) and contemporary concerns such as the environment. And while those issues make his novel appealing on sociology levels, the fact that he can write a story that propels along rather breathlessly to the end is what will continue his loyal following. JACK PINE is a thriller of the first class.
• 
  Nanette Tredoux

  I particularly enjoyed the vivid writing in this book. The author writes with eloquent fluency and paints amazing pictures in my mind. With a highly relevant environmental theme, eco-political plot, some romantic interest, the added perspective of the rights of indigenous peoples in the USA, and a murder mystery to keep things interesting, I had no difficulty finishing the book in two sittings. The only reason I didn't give the book five stars is that I found the descriptions of the thoughts and motivation of the female characters rather limiting. The male characters, on the other hand, were depicted believably.
  
  With strong characters, a spectacular setting and a story that resonates politically, I believe that this book is very good material for a movie or TV miniseries, and I hope that some studio or producer will take on the project.
  
  My review is based in a free pre-publication copy which I obtained from Netgalley. It was a pleasure to review this book.
• 
  Jill Gauger

  I won this ARC from Goodreads First reads. All I can say is that I was very impressed with it. This is not a book I would typically read but I am so glad I did. It sucked me in on a roller coaster of a ride.The characters were well thought out and the plot very interesting. Right from the start this book swept you up with multiple agendas and many suspects in this who done it thriller. I loved the language, it was quirky and funny at times. Reuger London was the Deputy sheriff that followed every lead and all of the evidence through lies deceit and corruption. He did not back down from threats from all sides and finally got to the truth. There were a few surprises along the way with the story and ending. I am grateful that I was chosen to read this book and highly recommend it to all thriller enthusiasts
• 
  Rose

  Very interesting book, especially for those that are interested in the Boundary Waters wildlife area. Not only a good story but an education about the land, the people who live near that area, what exactly is "jack pine" and all of the history surrounded the Boundary Waters. This isn't a true story but the author did his research and it shows.
  The story is about a man who is the Sheriff in a small remote town. There is friction between the environmentalists and the lumber men. The politicians and law in the area have a history of logging that goes way back. Naturally there are problems but then, woodsmen are turning up dead. Before long its apparent that a serial killer is in the area, and the law in charge is pointing to a local Indian who has a known history.
  Really good story and I loved learning the history of logging and the stories of the local people.
• 
  Bruce

  This book has serious problems. Didn't quite get the Minnesota dialogue right which is even more annoying than the jarring temporal transitions.
• 
  Harold Kasselman

  William Hazelgrove has rapidly become my favorite novelist. I have read most of his works, and I have marveled at his writing skills and story telling. He is a master at literary fiction. For me, this latest work is his greatest achievement. This is a story I literally did not want to put down. I was mesmerized by the writing and the story.This is in some ways an old story,and yet it is a contemporary story of a place that us northeasterners can hardly imagine still exists. It's an old story in that it's reminiscent of the old westerns . The wealthy rancher controls the fate of the inhabitants of the town because the people owe their living to the boss; or the company town is dependent upon the largess of the company boss man. In both cases no one is willing to risk standing up for justice or the law for fear of the loss of their job. But like Sheriff Will Kane in High Noon, the great Gary Cooper character, Hazelgrove finds his rugged individualist in Deputy Sheriff Reuger London. He is that special man that can deal with the harshness and loneliness of the wilderness Northwoods and stand up to a compromised Sheriff and the town's virtual sole provider, Ben Johnson of
  Johnson Timber. But even Rueger has his demons and ghosts which motivate his actions. This is a contemporary story because it deals with a dying logger town in the Boundary Waters of Minnesota adjacent to Canada. The sole source of employment, other than a small lodge, is Johnson Timber a logging company. There is no competition save for a few independent loggers. The way of life is almost extinct because the forests of the Northwoods are almost bereft of trees worthy of commercial logging. Environmentalists have further impinged upon the loggers by statute, judicial fiat, and acts of extreme activism. In short the town is near bankruptcy. The Native Americans whose ancestors sold the Northwoods for virtually nothing, live in resentment and poverty amidst the loggers and Johnson timber. Suddenly the first homicide in twenty years occurs and Reuger must investigate whether it's suicide, murder, and who may have the motive to do it. Then things get complicated. I won't provide more of the story except to say if you think you have it figured out, think again. There are twists and turns without any signage. You will come to adore Gus, Reuger's father figure and de facto deputy or dislike the eccentric town's radio/muckraker John McFee, and hope for Tommy Tobin. Oh, and did I mention that there is a romantic twist as well which will leave you in tears? (I cry a lot when I read Hazelgrove's books-he has that ability).. I highly recommend that you jump aboard this boat and tour the wilderness lands of The Northwoods and their inhabitants. Don't let the odd language or the unfamiliar terms of the geology deter you. Once you get into the book, there is no stopping.
• 
  Tony Parsons

  Deputy Sherriff Reuger London (Lake County) was investigating the death of Foster Jones (logger).
  Sherriff Hector (forensics) was doing his CSI stuff.
  Later on Dana Reynolds had been viscously raped. Perpetrator unknown.
  Upon investigation several names came up in both cases: Tommy Tom Tobin (Indian former criminal prisoner, lumberjack) & Tom Jorde (Earth 1st.).
  Tommy was on the lamb.
  
  Will these 2 crimes be solved?
  
  How will the tree logging business turn out?
  
  I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
  
  A very awesome book cover, cool map, great font & writing style. Wow, a very well written crime mystery book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great wilderness crime mystery movie, or mini TV series. There is no doubt in my mind this is a very easy rating of 5 stars.
  
  Thank you for the free Goodreads; ARC; Koehlerbooks; paperback book
  Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
  
• 
  Mary

  It's rare that I don't finish a book, regardless of whether or not I like it, but I just couldn't slog through the bad stereotyping and "ya, you betcha" on almost every page. I felt like I was being bludgeoned over and over by "Fargo". Yes, I am familiar with the Ely and BWCA area, but not everyone who lives there acts and sounds like the rubes caricatured in this novel. It would be comparable to any story about Chicago's population talking with "dese", "dem" and "dose".
  
  I tried to overlook the bad dialogue, but when I got to page fourteen, the first sentence reads "The seventeen-foot motor boat winged smoothly up Moose Lake toward Newfound......". On page fifteen, I encountered ".......for the most part he (Reuger) lived his life like the mountain men or the pioneers trudging westward". Umm, yeah, right-in a seventeen-foot motorboat.
  
  The third paragraph on page fifteen: "A man waved in a blue hat and a green coat behind a low center console." Since then, I have been plagued by the memory of the old German "I threw the horse over the fence some hay". Thanks.
  
  That's when I realized that life is too short to continue reading this book. I had looked forward to enjoying it as I do William Kent Krueger or John Sandford mysteries; unfortunately, this one didn't come close.
• 
  Sue

  My thanks for Koehler Books for sending me this book via GoodReads.
  
  I do not have much time to read fiction, but the synopsis of author William Hazelgrove's book enticed me. I must admit this book is very well written, lots of research was done, and I love the topic. Ojibwa Indians demanding their lumber/tree cutting rights vs. environmentalists vs. loggers. Difficult subject indeed.
  
  I plan on checking out Mr. Hazelgrove's other books. I hope they are as entertaining and enjoyable as this one.
• 
  WiLoveBooks

  There is quite a bit going on here. Reuger is trying to figure out who is murdering loggers. He's also trying to find out who raped a girl. Then there is the dynamic between the loggers and environmentalists. The mystery will keep you guessing while the between the characters will keep you reading. A bit slow at times, but overall a good read.
  
• 
  Diane

  I received this book from Goodreads give away.
  I had read Mr. William Elliott Hazelgrove's book Real Santa and enjoyed it. So I was looking forward to this one.
  
  Sorry to say I found this to be a hard read and to keep myself interested in the story. I finally gave up trying. I would of given the book only a 2 and 1/2 star if I could.
  
  Others my find it interesting but I could not.
• 
  Beth Yeary

  Thanks to Goodreads, I read this novel. It's a multiple murder mystery that takes place in a small town logging community. It pits the logging people against the enviromentalist, and stirring the pot is the media. I found it a good read. I hope that this is just one of a series with these characters.
• 
  Polly Krize

  In spite of great descriptions of the Boundary Waters area of Minnesota, I was not able to identify or sympathize with any of the characters in the book. At times the writing seemed disjointed and it was hard to follow the story. I felt that the characters were not well-developed.
• 
  Beth Tidman

  I won this arc in a goodreads first reads giveaway.
  
  I found this to be very hard to read. I had a difficult time following the story and couldn't connect with the characters. It became a chore instead of an enjoyment to finish.
• 
  Dizzle

  Did not know what to expect in this book turned out to be a great read. A story about greed and deceit. Learned a lot about logging ways an diffrent types of trees. i won this book on a goodreads free giveaway
• 
  Jordyn

  Suspenseful and intriguing. Wonderful descriptions of the Boundary Waters region of Minnesota, and well-developed, believable characters. A must-read for mystery fans and lovers of the North Woods.
• 
  Wanda

  It was slow to start but it finally got interesting.
  I did enjoy the book and would like more from this character.
  I totally would recommend this to anyone but for me it was slow at first.
• 
  Dave Moyer

  Hazelgrove is at his best when he delves into suburban angst, but he tells a good story and develops strong characters. Another strong effort.
• 
  Rabbit {Paint me like one of your 19th century gothic heroines!}

  Disclaimer: I received this book for free from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
  
  DNF at 10% because I could see how much I was not going to enjoy this unfortunately. Not my cuppa.
• 
  Delta

  I was surprised how interesting I found a book set in a logging town. Something about it feels very much like the movie Fargo (and not just because of the location). The mysteries are interesting and just complicated enough to keep your attention. Yeah, the dialogue got a bit repetitive, but it's something that was easy for me to overlook. For me, the fact that the story has such a solid and concrete setting really paid off. The small town is practically a character unto itself and that is something I so rarely see.
  
  **I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**