A fine entry in this under-recognized, underrated, and under-appreciated series.

Well, part of why I read this series is that it's set in Cleveland, OH and I like learning things about Cleveland and its history. So having part of this story take place outside of Ohio was a bit of a let down.

Did a major character just get taken out of the rest of the series? (and I can't request the next one right away due to local libraries closing down due to the COVID19 issue so I can't see what happens next!)

For whatever reason, this book didn't seem to engage my interest the way others in the series have. I'm not sure if it was because it took Milan so long to put the "jigsaw puzzle" of the case together or if it was just the thought of it having the non-Ohio connection or if it was something else together.

I liked that the story included the fact that there's a dentist in Parma with a similar name to Milan's and that this Milan (the PI) sometimes got calls for the dentist (and wondered if the dentist sometimes got calls for PI work). I've heard Les Roberts speak on how he came up with the character's name--he wanted an ethnic name and spoke with the dentist's sister on a flight and heard the dentist's name. The spelling is a bit different. And I temped for the dentist once years ago, and yes, he did get some people asking why his name was in the media connected with a murder investigation, and yes, he did have to explain that the media was discussing Les Roberts's new book. ( )

The best Milan Jacovich mystery to this point (I'm reading the books in order). The ending is surprising and shocking, but I think it's a good move on the part of author, Les Roberts, something to shake up the series. On the other hand, I've read the next book, "A Shoot in Cleveland," and wasn't as impressed with the followup as I expected to be. Still, this book, "The Cleveland Local," is highly recommended. ( )