Sam Reaves first
appeared on my radar with his debut novel A
Long Cold Fall back in the early 90’s when it was published by Serpent’s
Tail - This first novel in the Cooper
MacLeish series introduces the gutsy Vietnam vet and philosopher who surveys
the mean streets of Chicago from his cab.
This was followed the following year by Fear Will Do It and then these two.
He has since published 4 more standalone novels under his
real name and a bit of non-fiction.
Dooley's Back (2002)
Homicide 69 (2006)
Mean Town Blues (2008)
Cold Black Earth (2015)
Cooper MacLeish, a Chicago cabbie, Vietnam vet, and
philosopher, helps his journalist friend Mel Moreland report a story, and they
both become entangled in a web of murder, deceit, corrupt politics and
politicians, labor racketeering, and the mob.
Get What's Coming
(1995)
Now working as a chauffeur for wealthy developer Regis
Swanson, ex-cabbie and Vietnam vet Cooper MacLeish finds himself in the middle
when Swanson's son is shot in a murky affair that draws attention from the DEA
on one side and a couple of stone killers on the other. Once again it will be
up to Cooper to fix things, at the risk of his life.
It seems to me I've heard of Reaves' work before, Col, but not read it. There are some interesting-sounding premises here, though. I'll be keen to know what you think of these when you've read them.
ReplyDeleteIt's probably 20 years since I read one of his, but they have remained with me and survived several book culls in the library! I suppose a year or two more on the TBR pile won't matter too much... I do like Chicago-based books.
DeleteSounds interesting, I'll just have to wait til you review them to sell them to me.
ReplyDeleteok, might be a longish wait, but ho-hum what's new....
DeleteI am going to echo Moira, I will see how you like them when you review them. They do sound interesting but ... I will wait and see.
ReplyDeleteFair enough......or you may see one at the book sale - just saying....
DeleteCol, I have read a few books set in Chicago and of those I liked the crime-mysteries the best. There is something appealing about the dark side of Chicago.
ReplyDeleteThere is definitely something about Chicago that is attractive. Last year I read a couple of police procedural type books from Dan O' Shea - Greed and Penance and earlier thei year Mark Smith's The Death of the Detective.
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