Tuesday 8 September 2015

2 BY SAM REAVES

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.











I kind of stopped reading late 90s for a few years, but always remembered Reaves and his man MacLeish. When my reading life got back on track and with the power of the internet a bit later on. I subsequently discovered he had 3 books out under a pseudonym – Dominic Martell. The Martell books are set in Europe – mainly Barcelona and are a bit more thrilleresque with espionage-intelligence undertones.

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)


Sam Reaves has his website here. You can catch up with him on Facebook here.



Bury it Deep (1993)

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)






A crime thriller set on the darker side of Chicago's mean streets.

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.

8 comments:

  1. 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.

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    1. It'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.

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  2. Sounds interesting, I'll just have to wait til you review them to sell them to me.

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    1. ok, might be a longish wait, but ho-hum what's new....

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  3. I 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.

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    1. Fair enough......or you may see one at the book sale - just saying....

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  4. Col, 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.

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    1. There 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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