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Cooper MacLeish #1
A Long Cold Fall
The first book in the Cooper MacLeish series, Sam Reaves's debut novel recounts how MacLeish, a Vietnam veteran and Chicago taxi driver, hears of the apparent suicide of a former lover and, investigating, discovers not only that her missing son may be his but also that the suicide hypothesis doesn't hold water.
272 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1994
About the author
Sam Reaves
24 books70 followersAka Dominic Martell.
Sam Reaves has written ten novels, most set in Chicago, and co-authored the true crime memoir Mob Cop. Under the name Dominic Martell he writes a European-based suspense series featuring Pascual Rose, and ex-terrorist trying to go straight. Reaves has traveled widely in Europe and the Middle East but has lived in the Chicago area most of his life. He has worked as a teacher and a translator.
Sam Reaves has written ten novels, most set in Chicago, and co-authored the true crime memoir Mob Cop. Under the name Dominic Martell he writes a European-based suspense series featuring Pascual Rose, and ex-terrorist trying to go straight. Reaves has traveled widely in Europe and the Middle East but has lived in the Chicago area most of his life. He has worked as a teacher and a translator.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
March 25, 2009
The first in the Cooper MacLeish mystery series.
A an old college love of Cooper's has died, and Cooper wants to discover why. The police have ruled it a suicide, but the woman's son insists it's murder. Cooper isn't sure, but agrees to look into it. When a couple of hard guys start following Cooper around and an attempt is made on the son's life, Cooper thinks maybe there's something to the kid's story. Hard guys beware.
In Cooper MacLeish, Reaves has created an interesting main character. Cooper is a cab driver and Vietnam vet, well-read and a little world-weary. Cooper's operating principle is that, for evil to triumph, it only requires good people to do nothing. For all his Weltenschmerz, Cooper is a stand-up guy who does what needs to be done.
Reaves is a good writer, who knows how to craft an interesting story, and he gives a good sense of his Chicago setting. That said, it's the character of Cooper MacLeish that carries these stories for me. I'd kinda like to go down to Burk's, his favorite neighborhood dive, and have a couple beers with him.
A an old college love of Cooper's has died, and Cooper wants to discover why. The police have ruled it a suicide, but the woman's son insists it's murder. Cooper isn't sure, but agrees to look into it. When a couple of hard guys start following Cooper around and an attempt is made on the son's life, Cooper thinks maybe there's something to the kid's story. Hard guys beware.
In Cooper MacLeish, Reaves has created an interesting main character. Cooper is a cab driver and Vietnam vet, well-read and a little world-weary. Cooper's operating principle is that, for evil to triumph, it only requires good people to do nothing. For all his Weltenschmerz, Cooper is a stand-up guy who does what needs to be done.
Reaves is a good writer, who knows how to craft an interesting story, and he gives a good sense of his Chicago setting. That said, it's the character of Cooper MacLeish that carries these stories for me. I'd kinda like to go down to Burk's, his favorite neighborhood dive, and have a couple beers with him.
July 9, 2014
PROTAGONIST: Cooper MacLeish, taxi driver and Vietnam vet
SETTING: Chicago
SERIES: #1 of 4
RATING: 3.5
WHY: Cooper MacLeish is a taxi driver in Chicago and a Vietnam vet. He had fallen hopelessly in love with Vivian Horstmann when they were in college, without any reciprocal affection shown until the night he declared his feelings. It's now 14 years later, and he reads about her suicide in the paper. It turns out she has a 14-year-old son, Dominic, and Cooper thinks he could be the father. Dominic doesn't believe his mother would kill herself. When shots are fired at Cooper and Dominic, he becomes deeply involved in investigating. He constantly tried to involve the police, going to them with every little thing that happened. I was surprised that they spent any time with him, as he mostly provided theories and very little hard evidence. Reaves is an excellent writer, and this first book, despite its flaws, showed promise of good things to come.
SETTING: Chicago
SERIES: #1 of 4
RATING: 3.5
WHY: Cooper MacLeish is a taxi driver in Chicago and a Vietnam vet. He had fallen hopelessly in love with Vivian Horstmann when they were in college, without any reciprocal affection shown until the night he declared his feelings. It's now 14 years later, and he reads about her suicide in the paper. It turns out she has a 14-year-old son, Dominic, and Cooper thinks he could be the father. Dominic doesn't believe his mother would kill herself. When shots are fired at Cooper and Dominic, he becomes deeply involved in investigating. He constantly tried to involve the police, going to them with every little thing that happened. I was surprised that they spent any time with him, as he mostly provided theories and very little hard evidence. Reaves is an excellent writer, and this first book, despite its flaws, showed promise of good things to come.
Want to Read
September 23, 2018Synopsis: cabbie and Viet Nam vet Cooper MacLeish investigates the death of an old college flame.
August 20, 2022
Love it! Lots twist and turns!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews