The Lake Effect (Milan Jacovich Mysteries #5) [Paperback]

Les Roberts (Author)

Book Description

Series: Milan Jacovich Mysteries | Publication Date: May 1, 2005

#5 in the Milan Jacovich mystery series . . .

"Packed with unusual heroes, villains, and political twists and turns . . . a mystery which defies predictability." -- Midwest Book Review

"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
"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

"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." -- Publishers Weekly

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.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Although Cleveland PI Milan Jacovich, last seen in The Cleveland Connection, comes up against murder, violence, the mob, devious electioneering, a burgeoning love affair and even some timorous pedophilia, his new case is as flat as a Midwest cornfield. Jacovich returns a favor he owes to Victor Gaimari, stockbroker and scion of the Ohio mafia, and agrees to act as security chief for a woman running for mayor in a small exurban town. Candidate Barbara Corns, wife of a legitimate Gaimari client, is bashful, inept and going nowhere in her race against veteran incumbent Gayton True. Although True has a few skeletons in his closet (wifebeating, a kiddie-porn dealer brother-in-law), Barbara's campaign/manager husband ("I call all the shots") refuses to use them. The hit-and-run death of True's wife, hidden plans for a gambling casino, Gaimari's secret backing of True and a would-be producer of kiddie-porn spark up the action only a little. Jacovich waxes nasty about the last but he's only in a four-cylinder dudgeon. We do learn the difference between "kielbasi" and "klobasa"-Serbian and Slovenian words for the same spicy sausage-but even so, there's much sameness here.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Roberts' rugged hero, PI Milan Jacovich, is a lot like Parker's Spenser--he's often in situations where his machismo wars with his principles; he has a strong sense of right and wrong; he's a bit of a renegade; and his beloved hometown (in this case, Cleveland) plays a big role in the story. Milan's latest case has him paying back a long overdue favor to Mob boss Victor Gaimari. Even though Milan dislikes Gaimari, the mobster once helped him save a kid's life, so when Gaimari asks Milan to head out to the posh suburb of Lake Erie Shores to make sure the mayoral election goes smoothly, Milan can hardly say no. Ostensibly, he's supposed to play bodyguard, political adviser, and baby-sitter to Barbara Corns, who's running for mayor on a "Back to Basics" theme. Milan can't believe the candidate is in any danger, especially in such a white-bread-and-mayonnaise town. But there's more to the story than Victor has let on, and after the wife of Barbara's opponent is killed, Milan figures he had better put on his PI hat and go to work. Every new 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. Emily Melton --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 310 pages
• Publisher: Gray & Co., Publishers (May 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1598510053
• ISBN-13: 978-1598510058
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,064,772 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

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Milans A Refreshing Character, July 12, 2001

By 

Untouchable (Sydney, NSW Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Lake Effect (Milan Jacovich Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

This is the first Milan Jacovich book of Les Roberts' that I've read and I was very happy that I gave it a try. Milan makes for an interesting protagonist. He's an ex-footballer; ex-policeman turned private investigator living in Cleveland, Ohio. While he's big and impressive in bearing, I wouldn't call him an overtly macho man, giving his character the extra bit of credence required in private investigator books, I believe.

In this particular case, Milan is asked, or more correctly, ordered by a mafia boss, to help a friend's wife in her mayoral election campaign. She is running for mayor in a small lakeside community. But Milan wonders what could possibly command the mafia's interest in a small, out of the way town. Like all stories involving election campaigns, whether big or small, political intrigue is the order of the day and the tactics can get dirty. Luckily, Milan has a cool head on his shoulders, and also the size to intimidate most opponents, ensuring there's rarely a dull moment when he's around.

I enjoyed this book, purely because the main protagonist is a very refreshing character and I'll be on the lookout for the other books in the series. Residents of Cleveland and surrounding areas would find an extra incentive to read the series because Roberts does go into quite a bit of detail when describing the city, while not exactly adding much to the story, I didn't feel as though it compromised it either.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting read, different from the other Jacovich books, August 27, 1998

By 

Kathleen L. Jozwiak (Cleveland, Ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Lake Effect (A Milan Jacovich Mystery) (Hardcover)

Milan Jacovich is in Lake County this time away from his turf in Cleveland Heights. Many characters revolve around a tiny, upscale Lake Erie Shores' election. While the book is a good read, the other Jacovich books read more quickly and are more intense, providing a more captivating read.

5.0 out of 5 stars The Lake Effect, January 24, 2008

By 

Peggy Ann Watson "Peggy Ann Watson" (Tidioute, Pa USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Lake Effect (Milan Jacovich Mysteries #5) (Paperback)

Another exciting Milan Jacovich detective novel by Les Roberts. Always keeping you on the edge. A story that I couldn't put down. With places familar in Cleveland, Ohio. Many plots, twists & suspense.
Peggy Ann Watson