King of the Holly Hop (Milan Jacovich Mysteries #14) [Paperback]

Les Roberts (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2009

#14 in the Milan Jacovich mystery series . . .

"A real treat, whether this is the reader's first introduction to the Cleveland PI or one merely catching up with an old friend." -- Mysterious Reviews

"An enjoyable whodunit with a deep realistic look at Cleveland now and a nostalgic surreal look at the city in the 1960s though the distorted lens of memories." -- Midwest Book Review

"Milan is back after a six-year hiatus and just as sharp as ever . . . a must-read for any Cleveland mystery lover or displaced Clevelander. If you're new to the series, don't worry; the book stands wel alone even as it reminds fans of previous Milan adventures." -- About.com

"Roberts writes exciting, well-paced mysteries, which is why his fans wanted more." -- News Journal

Going to your high school reunion is never fun. But this time, it's murder.

When Cleveland private eye Milan Jacovich reluctantly attends the fortieth reunion of his St. Clair High School graduating class, he gets a rude surprise: one of his classmates is found shot dead and another quickly becomes the main suspect.

The suspect, successful playwright Tommy Wiggins, draws Milan into the case--and puts him in a very awkward position. Investigating his former schoolmates is an uncomfortable task for Milan, as he soon discovers the dark secrets of people he only thought he knew.

The deceased Dr. Phil Kohn, it turns out, was a cad who managed to make more than a few enemies during his abbreviated life. But did a forty-year-old grudge really lead to his death? Or was it something more recent--a jealous spouse, a shady business partner?

Milan's hunt for the real killer leads him through the oddly intertwined worlds of Cleveland's medical community, organized crime, polite suburban society, and hard-core drug dealers.

It's a tough investigation in which Milan could lose many friends--and, if he's not careful, his life.

Les Roberts once again delivers a dose of real Cleveland characters and settings that bring the city to life on the page.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Murder mars Milan Jacovich's 40th high school reunion in Roberts's routine 14th mystery to feature the Cleveland PI (after 2002's The Irish Sports Pages). When Dr. Phil Kohn, the class snotnose, is found shot to death in the parking garage of the hotel hosting the event after arguing with another classmate, playwright Tommy Wiggins, Wiggins naturally becomes the prime suspect. Wiggins's defense attorneys hire Milan to find either the real killer or uncover enough reasonable doubt to avoid their client's indictment. The plot follows a straight path, devoid of any surprises, as the detective interviews the many classmates who had one reason or another to murder Kohn. Some unfortunate similes (our friendship ended like a cracked ping-pong ball falling off the edge of a table) shouldn't discourage new readers from catching up on earlier entries in this solid series, recently reissued by Gray & Company. (July)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

[Roberts] writes crisply with a knowing pace that moves the story along and he deftly creates interesting scenes and characters . . . He knows his people; he brings them to life out of his experience and craft and imbues them with instant credibility. --Ohioana Quarterly, Summer 2009

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Gray & Co., Publishers (May 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1598510541
• ISBN-13: 978-1598510546
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #820,165 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Les Roberts is the author of 15 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 and is a film and literary critic.

Visit his web site at www.lesroberts.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good murder mystery set in Cleveland, June 23, 2008

By 

Wallaby ")" (Flint Hills) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: King of the Holly Hop: A Milan Jacovich Mystery (Milan Jacovich Mysteries) (Hardcover)

This latest episode of hunky Milan Jacovich, the Slovenian P.I. is a great addition to the series. This time Milan is hired to investigate a murder at his own High School reunion. The dead guy turns out to be a nasty, tomcat malpracticing doctor who also abuses drugs, women (and animals) and pretty much needed killing anyway. Lots of Cleveland neighborhood color and great characters continue to make this series a must read. Unlike other popular series writers who turn out thin and bad installments to cash in on prior popularity, Les Roberts has maintained the richness of this gumshoe character. Good read!

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Les Roberts still has the touch, June 29, 2008

By 

Jessica G Schreiber "JGG" (Port Angeles, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: King of the Holly Hop: A Milan Jacovich Mystery (Milan Jacovich Mysteries) (Hardcover)

In this, the 14th in the Milan Jacovich series, Les Roberts still shows his mastery of the mystery genre. The plotting, characters, sense of place and suspense remain taut. Fans will forbear as there is a lot of repetition of former books and characters. The background only adds richness to the series in my opinion.

As usual, there is much more to this book than "who done it". Milan's musings about making peace with the past, growing older, the nature of friendship, social class and race relations are deep. He also has a nice way with a phrase that makes the reading smooth as butter.

King of the Holly Hop is Les Roperts most topical book, touching on some of the ethnical breaches at the world renown Cleveland Clinic that have made the news in recent years.

Most of all, King of the Holly Hop makes for pleasurable summer reading. I sincerely hope there will be a 15th Milan Jacovich mystery in the future.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Can you go home again?, October 10, 2008

By 

kellytwo "kellytwo" (cleveland hts, ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: King of the Holly Hop: A Milan Jacovich Mystery (Milan Jacovich Mysteries) (Hardcover)

It's such a great feeling to encounter a friend of long-standing whom you've not seen for a while. Milan Jacovich is a tad older, a tad tetchier, a tad more profane than the last time we encountered him, but he's still welcome to share my space with me! Special thanks, then, are due to Les Roberts (Milan's creator) and Gray & Company (Milan's new publisher) for this early holiday gift. Picking up with a friend is one thing; attending one's high school reunion is quite another. In this new book King of the Holly Hop -- the private eye's 14th adventure since Roberts moved here some 20 years or so ago -- Milan attends his truncated 40th class reunion. Bless his heart! It ain't fun, that's for sure.

All the favorite hang-outs are here, and the local touches make it so much more personal. Chances are most Clevelanders will have been to at least one of the places Milan likes, or maybe all of them. And why not? His creator has great taste! Roberts hasn't lost any of his dry wit or writing skills while he's not been writing Milan stories, however. His pungent remarks, analysis of people and perceptions of society are still top-notch.

Milan hasn't really stayed close to most of his high school classmates; too much water under the bridge for that to have happened. That doesn't lessen the shock when one classmate is found murdered, and another is the prime suspect. There's no real reason for Milan to become involved in the case, but the suspect (probably the most famous and well-to-do graduate) has other ideas. He appeals to a local attorney to hire Milan in the hope of uncovering someone else's secrets. And of course, Milan does just that.

Milan's class has a wide assortment of characters -- as do they all, mine included -- so he has enough investigating to do that he enlists a local free-lance investigator to help him out. Suzanne Davis is a terrific character, and it would be nice to see more of her in future books. (hint, hint!) To balance her out, Milan tangles again with Police Lieutenant McHargue, who, according to Milan gets irritated just seeing his name in the phone book, let alone sitting on the other side of her desk.

There's no question that it was murder. But there are so many possible perps, it keeps Milan hopping! Phil Kohn, smarmy even in high school, hasn't improved any with age and his medical degree, providing Milan with plenty of reasons for his sudden demise. He's irritated so many people through the years that finding the culprit isn't nearly as easy as it might be. Too many choices tend to complicate things.

Class nerd Tommy Wiggins is now a successful playwright, with one supremely unhappy memory of his high school years, thanks to Kohn. Class hippie/druggie Ted Lesnevich has moved up in the world to handling higher cost stuff these days. Class beauty Alenka Tavcar is a successful real estate agent, newly separated from her husband, while Jack and Barbara Siegel's marriage nearly floundered over Kohn's finagling.

There's Danielle Webber for whom Milan had carried a torch. She's now Mrs. Magruder (wife of the attorney). And of course, along with Milan's ex-wife, Lila, there's the super-efficient Sonja Kokol, whose social attitudes haven't changed in forty years, and Bernie Rothman,who obsessed over Alenka. Stupan Godic went to Nam and never recovered, emotionally. Maurice Paich, who only ever wanted to be an actor, ended up on the radio, trying desperately to keep his secrets hidden. Cleveland is still a small town, after all. Some never outgrew their suspicion of those who looked 'different' such as Shareeka Washington Worthman. She's now a wealthy and prominent African-American business owner, who was never really invited to the reunion.

Milan works his way through these and other more familiar characters as he tries to sort out who did what and why. There's Ed Stahl, and (Louie) Vuk, plus Victor Gaimari and his uncle, Don Giancarlo D'Allessandro, formerly of Little Italy.

It's most satisfying reunion, except, of course, for Milan's classmates.