An Infinite Number of Monkeys

Saxon #1

by Les Roberts

Saxon, a private investigator trying to make it as an actor in Hollywood, is asked by Tori Weldon, the daughter of a millionaire writer, to find out who is trying to kill her father

Genres: Mystery

165 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

Les Roberts is the author of 15 mystery novels featuring Cleveland detective Milan Jacovich, as well as 9 other books of fiction. The past president of both the Private Eye Writers of America and the American Crime Writer's League, he came to mystery writing after a 24-year career in Hollywood. He was the first producer and head writer of the Hollywood Squares and wrote for the Andy Griffith Show, the Jackie Gleason Show, and the Man from U.N.C.L.E., among others. He has been a professional actor, a singer, a jazz musician, and a teacher. In 2003 he received the Sherwood Anderson Literary Award. A native of Chicago, he now lives in Northeast Ohio and is a film and literary critic."

Reviews

[Glen · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining 1980's style mystery with a PI who is also a part time actor trying to find out who is trying to kill off an author quite like Mickey Spillane.

The Mickey Spillane analogue was fairly common in those days, as Spillane was by by far the most famous living mystery author, and the most controversial. Nowadays, the sleuths all seem to meet up with Steven Seagal analogues. The more things change...

The mystery is fine, but sometimes it seems we slip back into the 1970's even though this takes place in 1987.

[Chowhound88 (a.k.a. Ralph) · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a really great book!

[Jerry B · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Monkeys” is author Robert’s debut novel, about a part-time, LA-based private eye, Saxon – who dabbles in the film industry as well. It centers around the Hollywood scene, home to the author in real-life before his move to Ohio – and precedes Roberts’ 19-book set featuring Cleveland-based PI Milan Jacovich, the entirety of which we recently finished.

This somewhat limited tale, published in 1987, is basically pulp-fiction – all the males are macho men and all the females are buxom sex goddesses ready for bedside affairs. The plot is about an author being threatened apparently by someone that doesn’t want his latest episode in manuscript to get out, as being too close to a real Hollywood scandal. Saxon is hired by the author’s daughter (over whom he falls hard) to figure out what gives, while protecting him from danger as the nearby body count starts to escalate. You get the drift.

Some of these early crime novels don’t hold up that well after over three decades on bookshelves – we don’t plan to pursue the four-book remainder despite our fondness for the later Jacovich set. {2.5}

[Rob Leininger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. Written in 1986. I read a review or two in which people complained about the standard tough-guy PI and the overly buxom blondes, and . . . what did they read? It wasn't this novel. Yes, there were a few busty women, but it wasn't like a theme or anything, and many of the women were "real," meaning over 200 pounds and plain. And this tough-guy PI got his butt whipped more often than he whipped the butts of others, so . . . no tough guy. But a great story, well worth a read.

[Kevin Findley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good mystery written in the Hammet / Spillane style. The author poked fun at himself a bit, but the mystery was good and the killer really did sneak up on you.

I didn't know about Saxon until a friend traded this book to me (thanks Glen!), but I am definitely going to find the rest of them.

Find it! Read it!

[Don Gorman · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3). Such a cool throwback detective story. I think I have found a Brady Coyne replacement, albeit with only 6 installments. A friend of mine turned me on to this and boy, it is right in my wheelhouse. Saxon is big fun, the story moves right along, the twists and turns are really solid and I only wished it had been a little longer to enjoy the read. Good stuff.

[Tom Woodbery · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've enjoyed Les Roberts' later series about the Cleveland private eye, Milan Jacovich. This was his first novel, written before Roberts moved to Cleveland and became a big Cleveland advocate.

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick, entertaining read. Three and a half stars.

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Saxon is half private eye, half actor with only half a name. Les Roberts claims that he doesn’t know Saxon’s given name, so here are a few suggestions from us…


Stacy: He does seem to like the ladies, so Casanova or Bond. Saxon Bond.

Janet: I’d pick a strong name like Jack or Luke.

How did you feel about Saxon?


Janet: Saxon is a strong character and very likable. I liked that Saxon’s best friend in the whole world was Jo, his bookkeeper and secretary.

Stacy: Except for his inclination to fall in love on sight, I liked him. I don’t know how good Saxon was as an actor, but he was a great private detective. He knew the right people, wasn’t afraid to go toe-to-toe with those more dangerous than he was, and he always seemed to ask the right questions. He was tough, fair, and smart.

Saxon was investigating a possible attempted murder and became involved with a bestselling author and his daughter. What did you think of the story?


Stacy: I liked it. It felt like a throwback to some of my favorite movies in the mystery noir genre. I think the Los Angeles film scene was a perfect setting to enhance the comparison.

Janet: The story moved along well and since there were no shortage of suspects, I did not guess who the murderer was until the end.

Did you have a favorite part?


Janet: My favorite part of the book was how it all came together at the end. It was action packed.

Stacy: I liked that I kind of guessed the big reveal but still didn’t know for sure who the culprit was. Made me feel smart and confused at the same time.

One word to describe the book.


Stacy: Noirish

Janet: If I had to describe the book in a word it would be ‘fast-paced’. Sorry, I know that’s two words.

This was Roberts’ first book and series. How does is compare to the Milan series?


Janet: This was my first Saxon book and I plan to read the others. I have read the Milan Jacovich mysteries and loved every one. Milan is still my favorite sleuth, but Saxon is definitely worth the read.

Stacy: I like the Milan series better, but that may be because it’s set in my town of Cleveland. While Milan and Saxon have a lot in common, part of my love for Milan comes from his love of family and I don’t get that from Saxon. Yet. I do plan on reading the rest of the series.

[Joe Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great hard detective mystery in the form of a Phillip Marlow story. In the story, the Private Detective is a "Pretty" would be Hollywood Actor that has his P.I. license to make ends meet while waiting between casting calls. He takes on a tough writer/client that strongly resembles Ernest Hemmingway and is hired by the writer's beautiful daughter to protect him and find out who is trying to murder him. Originally, the detective's secretary's husband thinks he is at risk as a bullet is fired at him and narrowly misses his head. The story is full of buxom, beautiful women, hard tough men (both the good and the bad), duplicite actors, hard cops and gangsters. The writer has a hidden identity that allows him to write serious literary works and still make the money afforded by his hard boiled actor/P.I. character. A jaunt across the Mexican border to a little known village off the beaten path opens the opportunity for his would be murderer to take him out and lose the body in an unlikely place for discovery. The Actor/P.I. is taken out first but the villian doesn't figure on the writer actually being a physical threat (like Hemmingway) and makes the fatal mistake of discounting him while trying to finish off the P.I. I loved the conclusion where the actor & writer get their man and are able to extract the proper penalty giving the greedy, self serving villian his just rewards. Good fast moving story with plenty of the expected violence, sex and jaded life views including drugs, alcohol and manipulation of trusting innocent characters. Finished the book in a single action packed quick read in a few hours.

[Melinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid 4.0 mystery written as modern Hammett, MacDonald, Gardner. Would love to meet Saxon - a mans, man yet a touch of metro. Written in 86, would recc to any of my customers for a classic noir-ish mystery, accompanied with a great single-malt scotch.

[Paul McBride · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. I got it as an early reviewer and thought it was great. I noticed that it originally came out in the 80's and that was a good thing, a fun mystery. i hope the writing smoothes out in the rest of the series but overall it was a very enjoyable book.

[Alex · Rating 2 out of 5]

A first novel, the writing is pretty good -- a slightly softened Chandler. The plot, however, is transparent and the characters cardboard. Maybe the author's 'Cleveland' series is better.

[Amy Siggelow · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Very well written with a great plot. It has a bit of everything in it ~ murder, mystery and romance. I would definitely recommend this book if you like murder mysteries.

[Wendy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Couldn't get into this one. I prefer Les Robert's Milan Jakovich series set in Cleveland.