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The Lake Effect
#5 in the Milan Jacovich mystery series . . .
Every Clevelander understands the lake effect, a weather condition that brings plenty of snow, especially in November when election time rolls around.
Milan Jacovich (it's pronounced MY-lan YOCK-ovich), the genial Cleveland private eye, has never been a political animal. But he owes a favor to mobster Victor Gaimari, and Milan always pays his debts. So he agrees to play watchdog over a mayoral election in suburban Lake Erie Shores in which dowdy housewife Barbara Corns is challenging incumbent Gayton True.
Everything seems calm on the surface—until True's wife, Princess, is run down in the street just outside downtown Cleveland's Tower City. It becomes obvious that there is more at stake than the mayor's chair in a quiet suburban city hall. And when he discovers that the True campaign has employed his old nemesis, disgraced ex-cop Al Drago, who carries a grudge a mile wide, Milan knows he's in for a lot rougher time of it than simply poll-watching.
Reviews
“A real treat . . . If you've somehow missed this series, definitely give it a try . . . If you're already a fan, this book will delight you even further.” - Mystery News
“Packed with unusual heroes, villains, and political twists and turns . . . a mystery which defies predictability.” - Midwest Book Review
“The story is nicely fleshed out with characters so vivid you could probably pick them out on the Cleveland streets: Roberts describes them so well, even an out-of-towner knows where he stands.” - Publisher's Weekly
“Not only is the plot a good one--this is one of the few mystery books I've read that I didn't completely figure out halfway through--but Roberts manages to avoid the trap many writers stumble into when they set their stories in a specific non-New York City location: description overkill. He keeps his greater Cleveland references simple and colloquial, just like an area native would in the course of a normal conversation . . . Robert's characters are colorful and intriguing. The plot is creative, the settings rich and varied and the writing literate, yet comfortable.” - Hudson Hub-Times
“Every Jacovich adventure is better than the last, and this one is no exception. An outstanding entry in an outstanding series, and a must for every mystery collection. (Starred review)” - Booklist
About Les Roberts
Les Roberts is the author of 14 mystery novels featuring Cleveland detective Milan Jacovich, as well as 9 other books of fiction. The past president of both the Private Eye Writers of America and the American Crime Writer's League, he came to mystery writing after a 24-year career in Hollywood. He was the first producer and head writer of the Hollywood Squares and wrote for the Andy Griffith Show, the Jackie Gleason Show, and the Man from U.N.C.L.E., among others. He has been a professional actor, a singer, a jazz musician, and a teacher. In 2003 he received the Sherwood Anderson Literary Award. A native of Chicago, he now lives in Northeast Ohio.
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