Pepper Pike [Mass Market Paperback]

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press (1998)
• ASIN: B001E2RGXW
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)

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

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Second String P.I. Fiction, March 13, 2001

By 

Brian D. Rubendall (Oakton, VA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pepper Pike (Mean Streets) (Mass Market Paperback)

Les Roberts's private detective Milan Jacovich has all the right moves to be great character on the order of a Phillip Marlowe or a Matthew Scudder. He's wisecracking, lonely, cynical, capable of violence and he spends a lot of times in bars. He also lives by his own incorruptable moral code. If author Les Roberts had come up a story worthy of his hero, he'd have a classic on his hands. Unfortunately, "Pepper Pike" is a fairly pedestrian who-dunnit? closer in spirit to Agatha Christie than Raymond Chandler. Some of the scenes hardly ring believable, like when Milan roughs up a mob boss and only gets beaten up rather than killed for his trouble. The story lacks a great villian and Roberts relies on the old knock-on-the-head move a couple too many times.

"Pepper Pike" has atmosphere and attitude to burn. It shows plenty of promise, but is ultimately unfulfilling.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for commuting!, November 2, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Pepper Pike (Mean Streets) (Mass Market Paperback)

With the various twists and turns in Pepper Pike, you really can't guess "who dunnit" until the end. But the trip is a thrill with each turned page. Mr. Roberts also does a wonderful job capturing the heart and soul of the Greater Cleveland area - alive and full of excitement.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Read, February 3, 2011

By 

Gavin Ramsey (Cleveland, OH USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pepper Pike (Milan Jacovich Mysteries #1) (Paperback)

I've read 4 of these Les Roberts books now, including Pepper Pike, and I am now officially "hooked" on the series and the characters. Les has a great ability to keep the pace moving and the books never seem to have slow spots. Well done.