The Duke of Cleveland: A Milan Jacovich Mystery

Slovenian sleuth Milan Jacovich, seen last in The Lake Effect, once again has the run of the city on Lake Erie in this warm-hearted series. Ethnic to the core, loyal to friends, beset by strong views, Jacovich is an opinionated, anachronistic soul who doesn't really approve of his latest client, a rich slacker whose older boyfriend is missing, along with $18,000 she loaned him. Jacovich discovers a trail of pissed-off women with diminished bank accounts who've all had a fling or two with Jeff Feldman, a second-rate artist posing as an art broker. In the hunt for the missing man and a possibly mythical vase, the PI soon crosses paths with disreputable gallery owners and a mobster he's encountered before. A pretty and talented ceramics artist is pushed down an elevator shaft at about the time that Jacovich shows some interest in her, which is representative of his luck in love. Roberts's other bull-headed series hero, California-based Saxon, may be smoother and tougher, but most people would prefer Jacovich's company over a cold beer and a sandwich. (Oct.)