The King of the Holly Hop marks the return of Slovenian private investigator, Milan Jacovich, after a six-year hiatus. This, the 14th novel in the series, finds an older and slightly more reflective Milan attending his 40th high school class reunion--and wondering why he ever allowed himself to be talked into such a thing.
The usual cast of characters is all present at the reunion. There's Jack Siegel--"Dr" Jack Siegel, now a Ph.D. in engineering and a researcher at the NASA Glenn Research Center. There's also Danielle Magruder, the one girl that Milan never had the nerve to ask out, and Ted Lesnevich, the class ne'er-do-well who's now in sales--drug sales, that is. Suspiciously absent are the sizeable minority of African-American students, including the class Salutorian (second best academically) and Milan's former football teammates.
A Murder in the Class
Of course, every mystery murder needs a crime and Holly Hop doesn't disappoint. While the reunion is going on inside the hotel, one of the revelers, Dr. Phil Kohn is shot through the temple in the parking lot. Although Milan, a minor suspect himself, would rather avoid delving into his classmates' post-high school lives, he agrees to investigate when asked by a fellow classmate, the former King of the Holly Hop dance and now a famous Broadway playwright, to help divert suspicion away from him.
A Class Full of Secrets
As Milan talks to his former friends and acquaintances, he learns more about them--and himself--than he had planned. It seems the Dr. Phil had no shortage of enemies. What's more: many of the people he thought he knew well, he finds he doesn't really know at all.
King of the Holly Hop is a tightly-written, fast-paced detective novel with a little poignant touch for those of us who'd like to remember high school a little rosier than it truly was. Northeast Ohio residents--and former residents--will delight in all of the local references to restaurants, neighborhoods, and landmarks. However, those outside of the Midwest will find plenty to enjoy in Milan's latest adventure. If you're new to the Milan series, read Pepper Pike by Roberts after you finish Holly Hop.
About Les Roberts
Roberts is a Northeast Ohio-based writer, the author of more than 20 novels, including 14 featuring Milan Jacovich. A native of Chicago, Roberts worked in Hollywood for several years, as a producer for television shows, including Hollywood Squares, The Man from U.N.C.L.E, and The Andy Griffith Show. When he's not writing, Roberts is cooking up something in his kitchen, exploring Northeast Ohio's many interesting neighborhoods and restaurants, and answering his own emails.
Related Articles and Resources
- Interview with Les Roberts
- Read the first three chapters of "Holly Hop," courtesy of Gray and Company
- Les Roberts Web site
Sandy Mitchell - Sandy Mitchell is a fulltime freelance writer, based in Cleveland Ohio. Her passion for reading began as early as she could hold a book ...
Join the Conversation