Finished 6-17-09, rating 4, mystery, pub. 1991
Book 3 in the Milan Jacovich mystery series
The school had been old when I attended, and now my own son and Paulie Baznik were sneaking cigarettes in the same washroom where Matt and I had puffed them twenty-five years before, and there was something about the symmetry of it that appealed to me. I felt a twinge of pity for those of my generation who had become creatures of the corporate, transferring halfway across the country to another milieu to keep their jobs, leaving their roots and their memories behind them.
Chapter 3
Milan, ex-cop turned private investigator, is asked by a long time friend to talk to his teen son. His friend is afraid his 14 year old is involved in something bad and he wants Milan’s opinion. Milan reaches the same conclusion as his friend – the boy is using and probably selling drugs. Milan begins to do a little digging and finds that there is a huge drug problem in Cleveland that the police are trying to keep a lid on. Milan steps on a few toes, but refuses to back down his investigation into the Jamaican ring of drug peddlers.
Milan is much more maudlin in this third book. He is facing problems in his realtionship with his girlfriend Mary and he is struck by how fast his two sons are growing up, with him only around every two weeks. He is feeling alone and a little old as he approaches 40 and this books struck just the right chord with me. The mystery was good, but this third time around showed so much more depth and I really ‘get’ Milan so much better now. He is not just a man to right Cleveland’s wrongs, he is also a flawed and appealing character.
This series is set in Cleveland, Ohio and as a resident I must applaud Roberts in his love for the city. Each book showcases another neighborhood and the descriptions are spot on. It is interesting to note that Les Roberts is not from Cleveland. He is from the Chicago area and lived in LA for many years. After he began to visit Cleveland he liked it so much that he has decided to call it home, moving here in the early 90’s, around the time this book was published.
Stacy's Books 
I love to read books that are set in places that are familiar to me. It sounds like this author gets Cleveland just right. If I read any of his books, I want to start with the first one since I like to read series in order.
I’m all about reading a series in order. The first one is Pepper Pike.
That is really cool that he loved Cleveland so much that he came back to call it home and that it stars in his books now!! I’ve never read any of these but I may have to at least read #1!
Cleveland gets a bad rap so it nice when non natives fal in love with it.
I am not familiar with this series, but will have to add it to my must-read list. It sounds like a good one. Like Kathy mentioned, it’s always interesting to read a book set in a familiar place.
Absolutely! We’ve been here 9 years and we have grown to appreciate the area so much.
I like characters who have some flaws in them. Make them more like real people. A hometown series sounds like it would be fun.
Who wants to read about perfect people ? 🙂
I read this one when it came out as I liked the series. I live in the area also and enjoyed the familiar places the author wrote about and the authenticity he portrayed. I lost track of the series as there seemed to be more time between books. I may have missed the last couple and I’ll have to go back and check.