The Legman

by Mike Kerr

Chicago 1969 - When journeyman reporter Micky Mulvihill follows a tip on a real estate scam he finds himself thrown into the middle of the homicide of a black minister. National headlines scream for justice. The city wants to bury the story. They control the cops, the courts and the coverage, and they pressure Micky to stand down. He's a former Marine and Vietnam veteran. His family's been in this city for over a hundred years. He's not standing down.

Micky teams with the minister's widow to seek answers. The trail leads to a deadly menace and a story neither of them could have imagined.

Genres: Crime, Historical Fiction

420 pages, Paperback

Published March 10, 2019

About the author

𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗦𝗶𝗹𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿

Mike Kerr, a Chicago native, is the author of the 2025 Global Book Awards Silver Medal for Historical Romance novel, Maria and the Russian Soldier. His stories are a mix of mystery, crime and history with richly-defined characters who inhabit America's many brilliant yet deadly eras.

Reviews

[Annemarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a great story, I didn't want it to end.

I loved the history lesson on defining moments in American (I'm Australian) history and the way it was so seamlessly included in the body of the story. The characters were easy to empathise with, even the villain, once you learn of his back story.

All in all, a very believable rendition of the happenings in that era.

I received a free copy of The Legman: Legman Book 1 through BookSirens and have chosen to leave a review.

[BlueFalkon95 · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Legman written by Mike Kerr is full of mystery, suspense and crime as Micky a journeyman reporter is on the mysterious trail of scam, scandal, murder and fire. Certainly an enthralling yarn which tells of decisions, hunting for clues, witness reports, letters, racism, the black community against the whites and vice versa. At first I felt the story was a little slow to start, the backstory of the characters are easily understood and can be linked together. Majority of the characters do tell their own story and interactive with others; unfortunately it’s near the end of the book when everything begins to merge and make sense. It is indeed an interesting book which informs readers on the historical aspect of the relationship between two cultures. I pre warn readers that this story might trigger a reaction to swearing, rape, murder and death.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

[Bonnye Reed · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a complimentary ARC of this historical novel - can 1969 be genuinely historical? - from BookSirens, Mike Kerr, and publisher Leamington Press. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read The Legman of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. I am happy to recommend Mike Kerr to friends and family. His work has a smooth flow and an edgy bite and brings to the fore our built-in prejudices. Our world looks a little different at the end of Legman.

We begin by following Effie Alexander, a high school student on Chicago's west side, Crazy Marie, a homeless woman who lives up to her name, and newspaper owner-publisher of a low circulation weekly newspaper, Micky Mulvihill. Our bad guys other of course than ourselves are realtors, the odd cop or rental agent, restauranteur, or reporter who sometimes unconsciously enforce their bias into their world. And of course, Richard J. Dailey - he was a giant among those perpetrating prejudice upon the world.

And the most remarkable aspect of this interesting and compelling novel is the very fact that you can't put it down even when you see sides of yourself that you don't want to see.

This truly is a remarkable tale, told very well. We get a glance into the lives of newspapermen, the police, the ACLU, and the occasional redneck back in the day. And more importantly for us seniors, a road map of how we have grown, and evolved, since the persons we were in 1969.

Reviewed on July 11, 2022, at Goodreads, BookSirens, AmazonSmile, Barnes&Noble, and BookBub.

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I could barely put this book down! The pace of action remained constant throughout the book and no page contained a single dull event. As a first novel, this was quite excellent. No "sagging middle" for this debut author! There were a few surprising twists that were completely unexpected but made the storyline even more interesting! In addition, I loved all the humor in this book-it was a nice break from the darker events. But what I loved the most was the snappy repartee between the characters Micky Mulvihill and his buddy K-9.
I loved Mike's writing voice; it's very conversational. Easy to read, flows - well. Lots of shorter sentences. Easy to follow. <--- See what I did there? Lol!
For certain, this is a must read for anyone who grew up in the Chicago area. I found it riveting and it made me homesick as well. What a great read, kudos to Mike Kerr on an outstanding first book. I'll be reading anything he writes in the future.

[Andy Allord · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could relate to this story all too well. I grew up in Milwaukee, WI, living through the riots of 1967-1968.

Mike Kerr was exceptional giving readers a history of what those times were like from both sides. The story dives into the troubled side of this history, the manipulation; shared lives that also were comprised of hidden stories.

The story further excels describing how news investigated incidents, how communities banned together, how both African American's and Americans worked together to build a bridge between the racism of the time.

Anyone interested in learning more about life when race division came to a violent head, this book is well worth your entry point.

Kudos to Mike Kerr drawing from both an experience he lived and use of historical information to build a twisting, turning and spell binding story.

I received a review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Romaine Heart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Legman is a heartbreaking story. Even though a lot of things have changed in the last fifty years one thing remains the same. Racism.
In 1969 after the death of Martin Luther King racial tensions were to be expected. The whites were still scared of the blacks. Afraid of them moving into their neighborhood.
When Reverend Moore, a black minister, is murdered the cops didn't care. When his wife had a break in the cops didn't care.
Micky is the owner and legman of Central Standard Times. A weekly newspaper. When the black minister is murdered Micky works with K-9, the minister's wife, Detective Wade and Kellogg to unravel the mystery behind his murder.
Loved the banter between Micky and K-9!
A fabulous debut!!
Thank you Booksirens and the author for a digital copy. Read and reviewed voluntarily and the opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

[R.E. E. Derouin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Leg Man by Mike Kerr 5/28/2021 Kindle

This story is set in a Chicago neighborhood in the late 1960s. The white longtime residents are feeling the pressure of nearby black areas slowly replacing them. A parade of hostile appearing blacks intimidates some of the homeowners. Mike Mulvihill, a leg man for a small newspaper begins investigating suspicious activities of realtors and their methods of changing the ethnic mix. Later, he joins forces with a local minister’s wife.

While I found the descriptions of the area interesting, I felt the author was trying too hard to insert his opinions. Overall, this was a quick read, but with a plot that became more complicated than it might have been. Recommended to give it a try, but not strenuously.

[Sweeney Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author Mike Kerr introduces readers to a place that not many remember much any more. He does. He lived there. The Legman, is a must-read, especially if you appreciate a mystery thriller based on real facts. It's engaging, and kept me turning the pages, for just one more chapter. Get a copy for yourself. Congratulations on your first novel, a winner, Mike Kerr!

[Terry Kenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn't put it down. Besides the suspenseful murder mystery I thought the descriptions of characters and locations were so real and believable. When I finished the book, my thought was the author's writing produced an enlightened perspective on the struggles experienced from both sides of the racial divide in the history of urban America. It was a tough time for a lot of people.

[Daniel P. Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent mystery/thriller with a historical background set during a time of great chaos in the city of chicago. The story resonates loudly with today's climate in the city of Chicago. I found it to be an informative and exciting read. A page turner

[Kathy Deitch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I grew up in this neighborhood during the time the story takes place. Brought back a lot of memories of a changing time. Well written, suspenseful, good characters. Congrats on your first novel, hope to read more if your work.

[Carl · Rating 5 out of 5]

So just now I finished your novel. Glad I never managed to get on your shit list!! 🙂 Nice job....REALLY nice! Attaboy! BTW, I never read whodunnits so see what I a great sacrifice I made, just for you?

[Jobella Middona · Rating 5 out of 5]

Totally enjoyed this incredible story. Great voice, page turner. Didn’t want it end. Waiting for another.

[Debra Rabichow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the book. Very exciting, with a really scary bad guy! I hope to see more from Mike Kerr.

[Kathryn Bowen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Chicago history

A real page turner
I grew up on the nw side of Chicago and remember the time well
This was a pleasure to read

[Bruce · Rating 4 out of 5]

This page-turner works on two levels: crime caper, and portraying both sides of Chicago's black/white racial divide as it played out in a West Side neighborhood in 1969. The author does a good job of presenting the insecurities and resentments that fueled racial hatred. I also enjoyed all of the period references to my home town, from neighborhood references, to Old Style, to the style of houses, to the weather.

The text could use a good editor, and the production/layout of the book feels a little amateurish, especially at the end of the book.